Japan

We spent 8 days in Tokyo, Japan during the first week of July 2011 with our 5 year old son and 8 year old daughter. It was 3 months after the tsunami, earthquake and nuclear leak catastrophes. We heard radiation snickers (whether we’d be glowing or inspected for extra limbs upon our return, etc.), doubts and concerns from family and friends on whether it was safe to visit. We did our research and felt comfortable with our plans to go through with our trip.

We were excited to visit and introduce our kids to another continent and another country, particularly one who needed tourists and support on their long road to recovery. As an extra measure for our peace of minds, my husband borrowed a geiger counter from his work and tracked the radiation levels during our visit. The counter didn’t set off any alarms and the levels were perfectly fine.

We came back perfectly safe and sound. The people we encountered were helpful, polite, gracious and friendly throughout our visit. Our family had wonderful memories, ate great food, and had unforgettable experiences. It was such a beautiful country and our only major disappointment was that we didn’t have enough time to explore other parts of it.

Our itinerary: (Links to blog posts)

Day 1 (Sat.) – Imperial Palace and East Gardens/ Asakusa & Sensoji Temple

Day 2 (Sun.) – Shibuya/Harajuku/Meiji Shrine

Day 3 (Mon. ) – Studio Ghibli Museum/Akihabara in the afternoon

Day 4 (Tues.) – Kamakura day Trip

Day 5 (Wed.) – Tokyo Municipal Gov’t Bldg/ Zojoji Temple/Tokyo Tower/Ginza District

Day 6(Thurs.) – Hakone day trip

Day 7 (Fri.) – Tokyo Disney Sea

Day 8 (Sat. ) – Odaiba/Sensoji Temple & more shopping at Asakusa

Related Posts: