Isaac@Kanto
爾德@關東

Things have changed now and airports are now becoming more family friendly - with play area inside Heathrow Airport Terminal, right next to the gate.

It was also the first time flying into Haneda at night to see Tokyo and Tokyo Bay closely from above (while Isaac was sleeping 🤣).

12hr+ of flight + 9hr time were tiring and exhausting but nothing stopped us from getting the long missed uni (sea urchin) after arrival.

Starting off from the unidon and kaisendon (yes, again!) from Tsukiji. Despite the fish market had been moved to Toyosu for years this unidon from Tsukiji Outer Market remains the preferred spot. Had some morning snacks while waiting for a table for unidon, a side effect after the full bounce back from pandemic.

Roppongi was the next stop - this restaurant is a sister to the one visited in Jan 2023 for tofu set next to Tokyo Tower, and served washoku (literally Japanese food) lunch and yokako (literally western dessert).

Isaac had a jet lag and slept at 3pm in front of his favourite ichigo (strawberry) 🤣.

Going back to the same Teppanyaki restaurant in Shibuya - who had seen Isaac for the fourth time🤣!!

Followed by walks around Christmas illumination ii Shibuya and Roppongi, with Isaac's favourite Ichigo daifuku at the end.

Isaac enjoyed the ekiben (駅弁 - rail bento) on the two hour express train ride from Tokyo Shinjuku to Fujiyoshida in the Yamanashi Prefecture. Isaac and his mother missed this place for different reasons - Isaac missed the Thomasland and his mother missed the onsen (hot spring) and the ryokan (Japanese inn) cuisine and the tendon (天丼 - tempura on rice bowl) here.

They also had a photoshoot at one of the most popular scenery representing Japan - from Arakurayama Sengen Park.

After the lovely time with Fujisan, Isaac returned to the bustling Tokyo, starting off from the underground ramen street under Tokyo Station.

There was some shopping time and dessert time around Nihonbashi before the full unagi (eel) dinner where Isaac discharged all his energy and fell asleep.

After a late getting up with ramen breakfast, we went to fruit paradise for Isaac - all you can eat fruit in Shinjuku. Next time we will probably pick a la carte order which seems to have better value.

After extended hours of department store shopping in Shinjuku, we finally settled a nabe dinner in Ginza which served tasty wanton and porridge.

We went to a popular kaiten-zushi (回転寿司 - conveyor belt sushi) in Omotesando. It was so popular that two-hour wait was a norm for lunch.

After another few hours of department store shopping in Nihonbashi, we revisited Ningyo-cho for the sukiyaki dinner. The best part was definitely the Yonezawa beef (米沢牛). This place was pretty much free of tourist (except us) as the last visit - hope it stays the same for years to come.

Tobu Zoo is a hybrid theme park with both zoo and amusement rides and particular suits children of early age comparing to other famous theme park like Disneyland, Universal Studio, Legoland and Fujikyu Highland etc.

It was Isaac's second visit and probably the last visit as Isaac grows up.

Tsukiji revisited in the same trip since we really missed the unidon and kaisendon!

The izakaya are not to be missed! Those filled with natives without a proper menu (let alone English menu) are usually the best place to go and less likely to fall into tourist trap. We went to one in Kodenma-cho and another one in Ebisu and they were both excellent.

Time for new adventure for food - unagi in Yurakucho (originated from Nagoya) and tonkatsu in Shinjuku.

Also time for revisiting the long missed kani.

Isaac watched the annual NHK Kohaku on TV (He gets to watch TV perhaps once a year).

We went on an early morning flight on the new year day as there were limited choices. The benefit of flying from Haneda is the city view from above.

Isaac went back to 2023 briefly after crossing the International Day Line towards Alaska.