Spending a few days in Tokyo in March was so dope. I spent a lot of time in the Ueno / Akihabara sections of Tokyo this time, since those areas were new to me. It was a good choice.
Ueno is most well known for its proximity to the massive Ueno Zoological Gardens, and the many museums, gardens and sights within it. But Ueno itself has a lot to offer, which I discovered.
Akihabara is known for catering to otaku and geek culture in general, with many stores selling toys, collectibles, manga, and electronics. There are also a number of maid cafes located there, which I was interested in checking out.
The coolest thing I did in Tokyo was TeamLabs “Borderless,” of the best known digital art experiences put on by the TeamLabs folks. I had had just meh experiences with other TeamLabs sites, so I was a little hesitant to visit this one. But several friends encouraged me to give this one a go, and they were so so right.
Words can’t describe how cool the immersive digital art was. These images capture a bit of the magic though.
Another unexpectedly delightful experience was the Small Worlds miniatures museum. Basically several galleries full of expansive and beautiful dioramas, from a massive space port to a mountain village to a steampunk medieval town. Each one was full of intricately designed scenes and interactions that I found so pleasing. I could have spent hours there.
The Tomix model train showroom was also a lot of fun, although honestly felt a bit sterile compared to the fantastical scenes in Small Worlds. Still, an impressive display of model trains and dioramas.
The best meal I had in Tokyo was the omakase I enjoyed at a very tiny sushi spot in Ueno called Dokorokawa. I actually passed by it four times before realizing I was at the spot. It looks so humble and non descript. Inside was a simple, elegant little room with a long counter with eight seats facing two sushi chefs. Having my own personal chef making me a multi course sushi and sashimi meal was such a treat.
I also got to roller skate in Tokyo! I visited the Tokyo Dome rink, home to the local skate community there. Folks were very welcoming, despite the language barrier. It was so hard to skate on those rentals though!
A few other random delights in Tokyo. I can’t get enough of this city.
This train ride on the Ginza-Yonchome line was just magical.
Other random pics from the trip.
