Sunday 22 March 2026

We slept a good 10 hours and were up at 6am for our first day of the tour. After breakfast we met the group in the lobby. I then spent the next 40 minutes sorting out everyone's E-sims before we boarded the bus. It is quite a big group, probably in excess of 35 people.

Our tour began with a visit to the Meiji Shrine, located within a 170 acre forest in the centre of the city. Constructed of cypress wood and copper, the shrine commemorates Emperor Meiji, Japan’s 122nd emperor, who presided over Japan’s industrial revolution and emergence onto the world stage.
We then visited the Tokyo Skytree opened in May 2012. The Skytree is a television and radio broadcast site and contains a restaurant and two viewing platforms. At 634m, it's among the tallest structures in the world. Our entry ticket gave us access to Floor350. Unfortunately it was quite hazy and visibility was not great.
We then visited the Asakusa district, and the Sensō-ji Temple. This is Tokyo’s oldest temple and is dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. Adjacent to the temple is the Nakamise Shopping Street, a centuries-old promenade of shops selling traditional snacks and souvenirs like kimonos and bottles of saké. The place was packed but we managed to find a little restaurant for a beer and lunch which was great given that it was after 3pm.
Lastly we went to the Imperial Palace. Unfortunately it was closed as it was Sunday. The Imperial Palace is home to Japan's Imperial Family and is located in the former site of Edo Castle, surrounded by an imposing stone wall and moat system.
From there it was back to our hotel for a beer with Jenny and Denise from our group before calling it a night.Read more