Monday morning started slow and cozy—just what we needed after a late night. I was up at 7:30, Tom rolled out around 8:00, and the kids snoozed until 8:30! After an 11 p.m. bedtime, I’d say that was a win! We showered, got ourselves together, and finally left the house around 10:15… so yes, a very “vacation-style” start.
Lunch at McDonald’s (with a Twist!)
Since breakfast wasn’t in the cards, we went straight for an early lunch at the McDonald’s near our train station. The kids shared a 15-piece nugget box, I had a teriyaki chicken sandwich, and Tom went adventurous with a soy sauce burger topped with an egg. We threw in a small and medium fry, plus three drinks, and the total came out to only $15. For a family of four at McDonald’s? In the U.S. that would barely cover two meals! One thing that was very different at fast food places in Japan vs the US is that you separate your trash. Most places have a spot to pour out your drink/ice before throwing your paper cup away.
Platform Shuffle Workout
After lunch, we headed to the train station where things got… confusing. We thought we were on platform 2 instead of platform 1, so in a panic we rushed down the stairs, hustled across, and ran back up to catch the train pulling in. Turns out—oops—we had been on the right platform all along. At least we got a solid stair workout in. Honestly, I’m kind of proud of how fast we powered up those steps! All this stair climbing in Japan might actually be making me fit.
To celebrate our mini cardio session, we grabbed drinks from a vending machine on the platform. I tried a spring edition Red Bull, Carlynn picked a fizzy vitamin drink in a glass bottle, and Tom went for chocolate milk. Hydrated and recharged, we hopped on the train, made our transfer, and soon arrived in Yanaka.
Wandering Through Yanaka
Yanaka greeted us with shrines, temples, and peaceful graveyards. As we wandered, we stumbled on a cozy coffee shop that also happened to serve ice cream—a no-brainer stop since Carlynn can always sniff out ice cream. She got a cone, I had a coffee float, and Tom treated himself to an espresso and a gorgeous cherry-pistachio cake.
From there, we meandered through little shops. One store sold Turkish rugs, tiles, and lamps—I snagged two colorful trivets. The shopkeeper told us they can’t be sold in Turkey because the government hands them out during elections, which made them feel like quirky little treasures. Next stop: a gemstone shop where I picked out a gemstone ring, Carlynn chose a dainty ring, and Charlie went for a mystery bag that came with a hidden stone inside. Charlie enjoyed some fresh cooked scallops on a skewer (Charlie LOVES scallops and fresh scallops were a highlight of the trip for him!)
Sugary Surprises and Sodas
The sweetest discovery of the afternoon was a small café selling candied apples and shaved ice. Charlie picked a bright blue candied apple (a whole apple dipped in a hard candy coating, then sliced), while Carlynn ordered shaved ice made with real orange juice and mandarin slices. Tom and I decided to try some drinks—he had a whiskey soda, I went for a Japanese gin soda, and the kids sampled a “natural energy soda” lemonade with lemon, honey, ginger, and bamboo charcoal. Surprisingly delicious! The owner even brought us rice crackers on the side—salty and crunchy, though the kids weren’t fans.
Supermarket Adventures and Domino’s Night
By 3:30, we headed back toward the train station, ready for a quiet evening before our big day at DisneySea tomorrow. On the way home, I braved the after-work supermarket crowd to pick up juice, sake, cake, and of course a stash of Japanese candy to bring home and share.
Dinner was comfort food delivered right to our door: Domino’s Japan style. We feasted on double cheese pizza, an “American” pepperoni pizza, custard pies for dessert, potato wedges with cheese sauce, and a bento box featuring teriyaki chicken pizza and Japanese fried chicken. Everything was delicious.
We ended the day curled up on the couch, full of pizza and sweets, watching a movie together—a perfect cozy close before tomorrow’s magic of DisneySea.
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