Shopping Expedition to Itoya

Itoya Entrance (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Akihabara Station Ad (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

November 4th, 2024. Breakfast at Starbucks, then, at Margaret's request, a shopping expedition to Itoya. 

"Dating back to 1904,  Itoya is an institution like few others in Tokyo and one of the city’s most beautiful and well stocked stationary shops. The main branch, situated on Ginza’s busy main street, is spread over two buildings and 18 floors in total, offering anything from pens, paints, craft materials, canvases, paper, cards, travel gear, two cafes and even a greenhouse."

We took the Yamanote Line to the Yurakucho Station, passing through Akihabara, then, using Google Maps directions, walked through the Ginza's heavily crowded streets to finally reach Itoya. I guess as could be expected, Itoya was itself heavily crowded. But we were able to buy Margaret's readers for her, and had an unexpectedly pleasant lunch on the top floor.

Itoya Lunch (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Evening Walk Over to Katsukichi

Suidobashi Station Train Passing Through - Japan  2024

That evening we walked under the Suidobashi Station train tracks for a dinner at Katsukichi.

"Patronised by literary greats like Yasunari Kawabata and Yukio Mishima, Suidobashi's Katsukichi has remained largely the same since first opening its doors in 1962. The heavy-set wooden interior evokes memories of days gone by, but the menu has managed to hang with the times: fried in corn and sesame oil, the tonkatsu is made with fine, freshly sourced meat and feels about as light as a deep-fried dish possibly can be."

Very nice!

Katsukichi Interior (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Katsukichi Meal (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Walking from Kurashow to Takataki Station

Leaves, Ferns (Chiba) - Japan  2024

Trees, Leaves (Chiba) - Japan  2024

We walked back to the train station after our lunch at Kurashow past some lush, overgrown areas. The station was so tiny that I had to ask for directions at the local 7-11; once there I did some cat viewing and Hali was able to talk with some of the locals using Jim's Pocketalk. 

Walking Back (Chiba) - Japan  2024

Monday Cat Blogging

Cat (Chiba) - Japan  2024

Cat (Chiba) - Japan  2024

On Tuesday this week! 

This is the second cat I saw in the Takataki Station area. This one had a very purposeful destination in mind.

Cat (Chiba) - Japan  2024

Shawna's Birthday!

Shawna on Couch (Fairfax) - Marin County  1982

Wow!

Kurashow Lunch - 2

Kurashow Owners (Chiba) - Japan  2024

Gourds, Kurashow (Chiba) - Japan  2024

Once again, we had a delectable dining experience at Kurashow. The restaurant's new location feels airy and spacious in spite of its actual (small) size. Lots of artistic touches as well!

OK, so the lady's name is Yoko, but somehow I still haven't managed to find out the chef's name. 

Maybe someone can research that for me.

Kurashow Lunch - 1

Kurashow Lunch (Chiba) - Japan  2024

Beer at Kurashow (Chiba) - Japan  2024

We'd eaten before at Kurashow, but that was when the restaurant was in Otaki. Of course we wanted to dine there again, but now they've relocated to a different area in Chiba. Getting there by train was just a little convoluted! It certainly helped that Yoko met us at Takataki Station and gave us a ride over to the restaurant.

As usual, the lunch was quite tasty, plus Mike was able to sample a local beer!

Takataki Station

Rice Paddy (Chiba) - Japan  2024

Takataki Station Sign (Chiba) - Japan  2024

We took the antiquated Kominato train to the Takataki Station, passing by rice paddies and other rural sights. 

Wikipedia has a succinct description of the station:  "Takataki Station has a single side platform serving bidirectional traffic. The overgrown ruins of an opposing side platform remain. There is a small station building with a waiting room, but with no ticket gate."

For some reason I didn't take a photograph of the overall station, so I have to rely on the next photo found on the internet. Don't know who took it, but thanks!

Takataki Station

To Chiba Prefecture

Kominato Railway (Chiba) - Japan  2024

We wanted to return to Kurashow restaurant for lunch. We've been there twice and really enjoyed our meals there, but they're no longer at their old location. It turned out to be quite a journey from our Tokyo hotel to Kurashow, now located in a semi-rural part of Chiba Prefecture. 

We got help from Mr Yoshihoto Minagawa whose family lives in Chiba . . . he was able to figure out the necessary train schedules and wrote them out for us. Quite helpful!

Train Schedule to Takataki Station - Japan  2024

Tokyo Rain - 2

Rain, Alleyway (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Rain, 7-11 (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

We walked past deserted alleyways, skipped going into 7-11, and finally found a pretty nice grocery store that wasn't on Google Maps. When we got back to the hotel Hali was able to fashion a nice serviceable salad! And Mike could sample the beer he had purchased at the Hakodate Airport.

Groceries (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Hokkaido Beer (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Tokyo Rain - 1

Students, Rain, A.M. (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Family, Rain, P.M. (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

This was the only real rain event that happened during our trip. Hali wanted a salad for dinner, so that night we went in search of a grocery store. Just as the rain intensified, of course.

Monday Cat Blogging

Cat (Chiba) - Japan  2024

Cat (Chiba) - Japan  2024

Hanging out around the Takataki Station in Chiba Prefecture. Some older ladies were giving it quite a bit of attention.

Yokohama Visit

Yokohama Buildings (Yokohama) - Japan  2024

Rain, Hotel Window (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

We actually stayed in Yokohama before, and enjoyed it! We wanted to pay a return visit to check out a particular fabric store located there, and also to sample a restaurant that had been highly recommended. It rained that day, the view out our window partially obscured by raindrops.

We ordered a lunch set at Tokori, featuring a quantity of various cuts of beef to be grilled at the table. Excellent! And quite reasonably priced. Also, this was the first time since Hakodate that Mike was able to have a beer with his meal!

Yakiniku Restaurant (Yokohama) - Japan  2024

Yakiniku Beef Selections (Yokohama) - Japan  2024

Japan Culinary Adventure (46): Set Meals at Nakayoshi

Nakayoshi Exterior (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Nakayoshi Interior (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Another unplanned-for meal. We were peeking into the restaurant, using Google Translate to decipher the type of food, when the manager opened the door and beckoned us in. 

We didn't know that you were supposed to order and pay at the entrance, but we were able to order and pay from our counter seats. The menu consisted of set meals: " Japanese set meals, or teishoku, are a popular dining style in Japan that typically include rice, soup, and a main dish. They are often served on a single tray or platter." That's what we got! They had an English menu, which a lot of restaurants in Japan seem to have nowadays. The meals were hearty and filling . . . tasted good too.

Alas, Mike was still on a no-beer regimen. (Insert sad face emoji here.)

Nakayoshi Menu (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Mike's Meal at Nakayoshi (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Hali's Meal at Nakayoshi (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Shinjuku Park - 2

Chrysanthemums, Building (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Strawberry Confections (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

We had traveled to Shinjuku Park in order to see their chrysanthemum exhibit, which turned out to be OK, but not spectacular (flowers weren't in full bloom). But of course the park is very pretty on its own. We got a tasty bento box lunch at a little diner/tea house place inside the park, with the strawberry/white chocolate combos for dessert. Yum!

We stopped off at a Uniqlo on the way back, but didn't find anything to buy.

Mike & Hali (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Shinjuku Park - 1

Shinjuku Park Picnics - Tokyo  2024

Shinjuku Park Kids - Tokyo  2024

Next on our list was Shinjuku Park, we made our way there via the famous Shinjuku Station. We last visited the park in 2014 when the cherry blossoms were in bloom. This was autumn, however, so no cherry blossoms.

Kagurazaka

Halloween Objects (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Sushizanmai (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

This small, stylish neighborhood close to Shinjuku was once a lively geisha district. Now, with its cobbled streets, chic shopping, French schools and French restaurants, Kagurazaka is better known as Tokyo's “Little Paris.” 

Fairly close to our hotel with some cute stores. Hali was able to buy some special food items: freeze-dried strawberries with white chocolate and a unique chestnut dessert. 

Sushizanmai is a famous restaurant near the Tsukiji fish market.

Tokyo Lunch

Pork Loin Sign (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Pork Loin Restaurant Interior (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

After we checked in to the hotel we headed out to search for lunch. Nothing fried for me! (Still being quite cautious after my stomach upset.) This semi hole in the wall place looked good, so we got some lunches to go. Food was good! Had it with some Sprite I got from one of those ubiquitous vending machines (avoiding caffeine).

Pork Loin Lunch with Sprite (Tokyo) - Japan  2024

Monday Gull Blogging

Gull (Hakodate) - Japan  2024

For some reason I don't have any Tokyo animal photos. Not even some token crows! Luckily I have some gull photos taken in Hakodate. This one was hanging around some restaurants, looking for a handout I'd guess.