August 22, 2025
Day 1 in Tokyo started with an 8 hour private van tour, with pickup at the Port of Yokohama and drop-off at WPU Downtown Tokyo Hotel, in the Shibuya Area.
First stop
-
Meiji ji ( Jingu) Shrine
built in 1920 dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. It's like
a Central Park right in the middle of a bustling city. One of the most famous shrines in Japan surrounded by a tranquil forest of over 100,000 trees. We learned that
Shrines have Tori gates and
Temples
do not.
Next the famed Shibuya Scramble Crossing, the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world! One crossing can have as many as 3,000 people crossing at one time, over the 5 crosswalks. We were there after rush hour, around 11am, so not at the peak of craziness!
Next was the very crowded, most visited temple of Tokyo, the Senso Ji Temple. This Buddhist temple is over 1400 years old. You enter through the Kaminarimon ( Thunder Gate) adorned with a giant red lantern and then walk down Nakamise Street which is packed with shops and food stalls on your way to the Temple.
Stop 4 was a combo - ZOJOJI TEMPLE, which I wanted to see because of the care guardian deities and TOKYO TOWER which stands 333 meters tall, in the background, a powerful symbol of Japan's post WWII recovery & resilience. When it was built in 1958, it was the tallest freestanding structure in the world, surpassing its inspiration the Eiffel Tower.
Next Sherrie Bob and Sarah left us for their appointment at Team Borderless and Bosco and I went with guide to check out the tribute to Hayao Miyazaki, a famous director, at the Nippon Television Headquarters. They have a Giant Clock with his most notable characters featured. We also had fun at a neighboring plazas Human Centipede statue.
Our last stop before picking back up the gang and heading to the Hotel was the Odaiba Marine Park. Odaiba is a man made island in Tokyo Bay, accessed by their Brooklyn Bridge wanna be Rainbow Bridge and the area is full of shopping, dining, entertainment and a scenic park along the coastline, complete with their own Statue of Liberty.