Unfortunately our sushi dinner last night didn’t agree with one of the group and Bill was having troubles from 2am-4am. It was also Kevin’s big day to have pictures taken with the Doshu at the Aikido Hombudojo (basically, the big cheese). I suggested we take it easy and head out of central Tokyo to the Tonogayato Teien in Kokubunji. It’s a beautiful little garden I’ve been to before and only cost ¥140 to enter. Bill wanted to see a bamboo grove as well, and this garden has one.

At times there were only four of us in the park but for a lot of it we were the only ones there. It was a welcome change from being in Tokyo. For lunch we just went into a soba store on the street and while it wasn’t the best soba I’ve had (I’m spoiled by a restaurant I went to in rural Okayama last year) it was very tasty.

On the way back we went to Nakano Broadway where Kevin actually bought some figurines. They’re for gifts, but I would’ve never thought he would buy something like that.

We got back to the hotel and rested. Bill and I went to Don Quijote to buy candy and the one in Shinjuku was packed with tourists and were out of most of the Kit Kats. I knew there was one on the other side of the hotel in Okubo so we tried that one. It was nearly empty of people (comparatively) and of course everything was fully stocked.

Kevin was meeting a business associate for dinner and we were to head for Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane) which is more coarsely called Shomben Yokocho (Piss Alley). I’ve had enough of crowds and I no longer drink because it bothers my stomach so I didn’t go with them. I decided to walk across Shinjuku to see the Projection on the Tokyo Metropolitan Building. I had to ask someone where to go because I am bad at researching this sort of thing but I made it! Tokyo is supposed to be a place no one talks to you but I’m a chatty idiot so I talked to a German, Italian kids, and three little old ladies from Tokyo. The show at 7pm lasted about 15 minutes and the show at 7:30pm lasted about 10 minutes.

I was finally hungry on the way back, and I had decided to go to Royal Host. It’s more Japanese western food and I don’t think I’ve been to a Royal Host in 35 years! (No, I did not go to the Sizzler, and it’s closed all of 2024 through the spring of 2025).

I got the “set” which included unlimited drinks (I had two) and a salad,

French Onion soup,

And a “cosmopolitan” doria which had shrimp and chestnuts.

I also had the strawberry matcha parfait for dessert.

And that’s about it for today!