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.

By Patricia Patrick December 4, 2025
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By Patricia Patrick December 1, 2025
I organized a group tour for a fun day experience. We had a great day despite the rain that decided to join in. We started with a 45 minute van ride out through the city, into the countryside. Then we got in long boats and went up river to a waterfall, some swam or cheered on the guides to cliff dive. Then back in the boats to visit Sabata Village where 50 family members live as a community existing totally off the land, along the river. Next was a quick boat ride to our BBQ lunch spot. After lunch we got to tube down the river, through light rapids, for just about an hour. We ganged our tubes together with the guide - we had a chain of 14 in my group and the guides totally blew us away singing hymns for a good chunk of the journey. It was truly moving in that place with the rain drizzling and all of us linked together. Loved it!