Ueno Park and Dinner with Kenji's Family

The other day we found out that my friend Kenji's family were in Tokyo for the Obon holiday week. So we took a trip into Tokyo for the afternoon to have lunch at the California Pizza Kitchen located at the Tokyo Dome and then onto Ueno Park. Afterwards we headed to Meguro to meet up with Kenji's family.

We were kind of apprehensive about going to another US restaurant chain in Japan. Usually, like with Big Boy, they change the menu to adapt to the Japanese tastes. However, when we arrived at California Pizza Kitchen we noticed that the menus were exactly the same as in the states and they were still in English. Great for us but not for business here. There was a double header going on at the dome and there was absolutely no waiting at CPK. We ordered the California Club and the Thai Chicken Pizza. Both just awesome.

Afterwards we took the train to Ueno to spend the day at the park and zoo. There the temperature was in the lower 90's but with the trees and the breeze it felt like 89 degrees. Yeah, it was hot. There we saw this band from Peru again who seem to be a regular at the park. They are very talented.

Finally, we made our way to Meguro to meet up with Kenji's family in from Singapore. Luckily they gave us a private room where the kids could go just completely crazy. They probably should have soundproofed the walls a little better though. Kenji's wife, Asako his boy Kengo, and daughter Nanami had a great time with my daughter and their three cousins from Mito, Ibaragi. With that many kids, you can imagine the volume in the room.

Narita Airport Athletic Course

On Saturday Anna Mae and I went to this park nearby the Narita Airport. If you have ever seen the show "Sasuke", the ultimate obstacle course, then you can get a good idea of what this place is like. All of the obstacles are made of logs and rope and spread out through the forest for a total of 50,000 square meters of pure fun for kids and big kids. I think my sister would become quickly addicted to this place.

The best part of the obstacles was the cable swing that took you from up on a high hill down, across a small pond to the other side where there was someone there to catch you. They also had small cabins and a well all connected with dirt tunnels in the hills underneath the forest. All much like the dream playground you wanted in your back yard as a kid. You definitely want to wear clothes you are willing to get very dirty.

They had one part of the park where you go into this huge hole called the ogre's stomach. There you can get yourself out by the ropes (the wimps way) or you can get out the cool way like I did. Well.... sort of cool. I started running around the bottom of the hole and got enough speed to run out. However, there was a tree in the way at the end of the run at the top of the hole that I fell into. There was another father looking on. I had to try to maintain my cool and not lead on that my head felt like I just cracked it open. Luckily no concussion.

Date In Tokyo 2008 and the Quest for the Fish Dish!

Last weekend the wife came all the way from Inzai to Tokyo to meet up with me and my friends at work. We had a party of 12 and we all headed to Manse in Akihabara. This is a huge restaurant with 9 floors. It is famous for its beef also.

They had a beer hall set up on the 8th floor where we all met after work. It was great for everyone to meet their wives and significant others (for those that brought them anyway).

On the next day Hiroko and I headed into Tokyo again to try Jangara Ramen (See my profile picture on the top of the page). As you can see from the picture, she was just as enthusiastic about the great noodles as I am. As I have traveled Japan to find the perfect bowl of ramen. I still always have come back to Jangara. I understand they have other locations in Tokyo. We will have to check out some more.

Next, Hiroko and I headed into Shibuya. I had to show her the famous intersection where thousands cross at every other minute. This also shows up in every movie with Tokyo. Following that, Hiroko wanted to try to make it to this laquerware store to by a "fish dish". A fish dish is a dish that is rectangular in shape that allows you to set a whole broiled fish on it. I know the picture makes the dish look square, but it is a rectangle, I swear.

In order to find the bus to get to the place we had to search for bus number 51 to Roppongi. Well, Hiroko and I have different ways of looking for things. My style is to wonder, look, observe, and avoid maps because maps make you less of a man. Hiroko did not like this style and became very angry when I walked past the bus depot map. I would have found the bus ........ eventually!