135 Bowls of Soba

Wanko Soba is local delicacy up in Iwate prefecture, where it’s an all-you-can-eat fare of (initially) tasty noodles. Azumaya gives a nice incentive to eat 100. Safe to say I beat a friend’s record of 127 over lunch. I ate quickly but my pace slowed to a crawl at around the 95 mark and I felt horrible towards the end. The sides definitely helped with refreshing my palate.

Funnily enough, I was peckish again by around 10PM.

Good Morning Shinjuku

The view is great when staying atop the Tokyu Kabukicho Tower.

Immersive Nostalgia at Seibuen Yuenchi

Found this hidden gem of an amusement park thanks to Akidearest and Peter Barakan. They definitely don’t market this place to foreign tourists, and hardly any of the staff speak English. That being said, the staff is very friendly, and this place is very interesting regardless. From the recreated mid 20th-century main street, to the retro carnival set-up, to the retro-style park money that is actually essential in the park (only one of the gift shops and the vending machines take cash), to the trains that travel to, from and within the park, one of which you can fully drive!

This place certainly gives you a real blast from the past. Only downside is that the late winter visit, plus the lack of foreign tourists meant that there were so few visitors to the park it actually felt eerily silent in certain areas. 50s nostalgia doesn’t appeal to everyone, and the tickets aren’t very cheap, but for those itching to see a nostalgic, rosy view of the past, this park may be just what you need.

Late Night Dinner @ Matsuya

Matsuya, Sukiya, Yoshinoya. The late night quick-and-cheap Japanese trifecta. They’re everywhere in Japan.

Sneaker Shopping @ Omotesando

Sakura in Kurihama

It may be a little early, but certain species of cherry blossoms (sakura) actually fully bloom a little outside the famous “mankai” period, including these just on the side of the road in Kurihama (south of Yokohama and Yokosuka).

Ameyoko Market

Been to Tokyo many times, yet this is the first time I visited this place.

Gundam Factory Yokohama

Opened during the inopportune time of COVID as a temporary attraction, I’m glad to have seen it before it’s impending closure at the end of this month. If you’re in Tokyo/Yokohama anytime this month, book a ticket for your chance to see the world’s largest mobile humanoid robot (per Guinness)!