..."a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life." ~ Isadora James
My sister and I had a few days in Japan together while she was here on island for her and her husband's vacation back to Guam. We left Guam on Sunday evening around 7pm and arrived into Haneda Airport around 10pm that night. We just checked into our hotel room at the Royal Park Haneda Hotel within the airport. It was time for bed soon after.
By morning, we got ready and ate breakfast, than planned our trip for Monday in Japan. Breakfast was in the hotel as we got the breakfast added feature during our stay. The hotel room was small, but very stylish and the bed was so comfortable and just right, well at least for me. Haha! My sister not so much, as it was too firm for her.
The hotel's Tailwind restaurant and buffet, above. They had some of the same food choices as in Narita Gateway Hotel. We felt it was an ideal place to stay as it was just in the airport and close to getting around Tokyo for us. The hallway was long and eerie a bit too but nice. We decided on Monday to start with a scenic place, The Anamori Inari Shrine. We made our way from the hotel to the Keikyu Airport Line. Because according to Google it was the easiest route to take to get to it.
The weather wasn't ideal sadly. Raining most of the day. As we made our way towards the shrine. First, we got off too early from the stop we should've taken. I realized it when we walked out of the train station and ended up on a bridge and the surrounding areas did not look like the right place. Haha! So we ended up having to get back on the train and when we did, we got out on the correct stop. Sadly, by then it was raining harder. Lita had a head ache, so luckily there was a Seven Eleven store just off of the ramp from the station. We bought umbrellas and it was just to wet to continue for a scenic walk. So back onto the train we went and headed back to the airport.
We ended up not getting off at the right stop. Darn, so we ended up staying on the train a bit longer than we needed too. When we finally got back, we put our coats and umbrellas in our room and made our way to the shopping area. The 4 and 5 floors was designed in an Edo Era style and we made our way up this wooden bridge. We looked around and did a bit of shopping. Than, found a place to eat lunch. We sat for a bit and just relaxed and people watched.
On the 5th floor we found the observation deck and lots of shops on both sides of the area. A whole gacha shop, and little souvenir shops, etc. My sister went into most of them first and then I did after her, since I had a wheelchair. Lots of cute things to see for sure!
I even spotted this remote control car speed race game. I think Sara, Brenavin and Sam might enjoy this one! Haha! We even spotted a Sora Donki store in the other side of the observation area!
There was even a smaller size Popmart vending machine as compared to the one in Narita Airport. It was busy too! All these ladies getting their Popmart fixes too! I just looked to see what they had in the machine, but I couldn't see too well as there was a line and it was crowded.
The gacha shop that I went too! So many cute things to get. But I ended up with just one item and I left. Only because I found a cool gacha machine on the M5 level just after the bridge. It had a pearl gacha machine! Yup, I said pearl! At first I remember I saw this similar machine when we were in Tokyo Disneyland shop, and thought it was a joke or just a toy pearl! But upon closer inspection, it was a Gacha for pearls by the company Akoya, and Uwakai pearls. Each Gacha costs about one thousand yen or about six dollars and fifty five cents. Not too bad for pearls that are already as jewelry to wear. So I got two that day. One was a ring, and the other was a set of pearl earrings! They were both in silver settings with those clear rubber locks.
After lunch we looked around a bit more. Took photos. Sat and relaxed as we watched other tourists and passengers make there way through TSA and customs to depart. It was quite crowded mostly because of the rainy weather outside and all of us staying indoors instead. Haha!
By the evening, we grabbed dinner from the Seven Eleven in the terminal, and made our way back to our room for the night. Looking out of our window, we see Tokyo come to life. A bit of what I got below from today. I had my sister choose between the ring and earrings and she chose the ring. The gacha I got for Sara and one of the name plates I got from a gift shop for Sara in Kanji. It was time for bed and more of tomorrow's adventures...
Below, I found this at Seven Eleven! It was where all the mangas and magazines were, a bag inside a magazine. So cute too! I got it for my sister! There was a Mario yellow cube bag in another magazine, which I was tempted to get. But I decided not too. LOL!
On Tuesday, we decided to take a taxi to Shibuya Scramble Crossing, and leave it to the driver to get us there rather than take the train and get lost in the process, as I wasn't feeling too confident to find it on my own. Eek! Today, was way better, still overcast outside but no rain so far, whew! We took our umbrellas just in case though!
The ride was a bit long, but at least it wasn't as crazy like on the train. We watched as the taxi driver took us through some parts, but it was early and so there was morning traffic. On the way, we could see the Tokyo Skytree in the distance, and than the Tokyo Tower a bit closer. By the time we got to Shibuya, everyone was busy getting to there destinations. He pulled right up the the crossing and let us out. We stayed a bit waiting to see all those people walk through the crossing. There was even a photographer on her step stool waiting to capture the shot!
This was one of the places on my bucket list and I was so happy to have made it there with my sister!! We took photos and just simply watched people pass and looked at all that was surrounding us. I was in awww! Coming from a small island, it was definitely a beautiful sight to see. Though to many it may be trivial and unimportant, this moment was magical for me.
We decided to go down one street, and I forgot to mention on the way to the crossing, was a theater I think? We saw a long line of people trying to go in?! Not sure? I will have to check exactly what that was and why that day had so many people lined up for it...
We did find a Mega Donki! Haha! My sister realized she needed a hoodie, because it was kinda chilly with the wind blowing and it being overcast. So we went into the store and went up to the 4th floor. There were 7 floors!! We spent a lot of time there looking even after Lita found a hoodie jacket! Haha! Before we went in, people were all looking at the aquariums on both sides of the entrance. On the left was one with large eels and on the right different fish. By the time we got out of there, there was a family watching the diver cleaning the eel tank. It was wild too! We made our way to the nearest Mcdonalds and had lunch, and sat for what seemed like a very long time.
My sister and I just talked and talked about family, life and dreams we still had in our age. It was really nice and so warming to just be and spend time with her. We headed back out and walked some more. We stopped in a few shops here and there. Lots of cute things too! But by then it was time for us to head back to the hotel. We got dinner and caught a taxi back to the airport. By the way, this driver took us through the scenic route and we got to see a bit more of Tokyo, and Roppongi Hills Tower! He was very nice and the drive cost us a lot less than the other one.
My sister went to bed early that evening, and since I couldn't sleep right away. I went back up to the M5 level of the airport and got a few more gachas from the Seashore Uwakai pearls. I wanted to get a few more for my daughters and myself! Teehee! And at one thousand yen, who could beat that!!
Our last day, we ate breakfast, and went back to our room and relaxed as much as we could. Check out was at 11am, and we wanted to rest up because our flight wasn't until later Wednesday evening. More shopping and just relaxing in the airport. We ate lunch at Mos Burger and had the Teriyaki Double burger with fries. Not bad and the meal sort of reminded me of Burger King and Jack in the Box too!
It was the end of the journey and mini vacay with my sister. She had to be back on Guam for her flight back to Washington. This one I will always remember and how we got lost on the train for a few hours and made it to one of my bucket list items! I hope she enjoyed herself as well and maybe we will continue our adventures the next time she is on island...
I truly appreciate you reading and I hope that you choose to take on adventures if you can or just drive somewhere new and explore with a loved one or a friend and make memories!
Have a wonderful Halloween my friends! Until next post!
Thank you for looking! ~ ggsdolls
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