Blog 3 | Shizuoka, Mt. Fuji, Tokyo

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The Tokyo Skytree (東京スカイツリー)

-The Tokyo Skytree is the television broadcasting tower and a landmark of Tokyo. With a height of 634 meters, or about 2,000 feet, it is the tallest structure in Japan and was the second tallest in the world at the time of its completion. A large shopping complex with an aquarium is located at the base. If you are afraid of heights like I am, you can definitely feel the butterflies in your stomach as soon as you reach the top.

Shinjuku Gyoen (新宿御苑)

-Shinjuku Gyoen is one of Tokyo's largest and most popular parks. Located a short

walk from Shinjuku Station, the park's spacious lawns, meandering walking paths and tranquil scenery provide a relaxing escape from the busy urban center around it. In spring the park becomes one of the best places in the city to see cherry blossoms. This park has multiple gardens: Japanese Landscape Garden, French Garden, and the English Landscape Garden. I ended up having only enough time to go to the Japanese Landscape Garden which featured large ponds with islands and bridges. The shrubs and trees were well maintained. I had the chance to also explore the Kyu Goryotei, also called the Taiwan Pavilion, which was built on the occasion of the wedding of the Showa Emperor. I had waited almost 30 minutes in the Starbucks line here to see if i can try any limited items for the Sakura Season which only happens from the end of March to the beginning of April. I had taken home some cool origami coffee packets and a bag of Sakura flavored coffee powder. I also was able to take home two mugs.

Kaiseki Dinner

-At the heart of a Kaiseki dinner is the Japanese principle of shun, or taking ingredients at the peak of their freshness. Dishes are presented simply, without artifice. This is done not only to ensure that the true flavor of each ingredient be expressed, but also to properly display each and every one and the height of their natural beauty, thus creating the perfect synergy between cuisine and artistic expression. Our first dish was considered the appetizer which included shrimp, a snail, squid, and a Sakura flavored small dessert. Our next course was a bowl of bamboo shoots which I had never tried before. It had the texture and taste of a potato. The next course happened to be my favorite, which was sashimi, a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce. Oh...and did I forget that it was all you can drink?

Shun Principle

-In Japan, shun is the word used to describe local, seasonal food when it is at the very peak of its flavor and freshness. Shun is the exact moment when a fruit has reached its ideal ripeness, when a vegetable is at its very best, or when meat is at its most flavorful. This was shown off at our Kaiseki dinner.

Kawaii (cute).

-Much of Japanese popular culture is influenced by things and behavior that are considered cute. After experiencing the Tokyo Sky Tree, we had the chance to walk around the many shops that they had to offer. My girlfriend and I stumbled upon a caricature shop where they had drawn us like cartoon characters.

Food

-When it comes to talking about food, I had mostly eaten Waygu beef that you yourself can prepare yourself over a grill. I cannot emphasize enough how fresh and clean the meat tasted here in Japan. It melts in your mouth!