25.11.23 - Shinjuku

Today is going to be part one of Shinjuku. There is so much in this city that we'll be back to different areas over multiple days.

The main stop today is Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. This is another one of those "Central Park of Tokyo" parks. The park has pathways going every which way and large grassy fields. One of the sections of the garden is a rose garden, which I had to take all the pics. We were here about 10:30am and there were people walking around, but it was fairly quiet (it's also Japan's Labor Thanksgiving holiday, which is like a bank holiday). Adult admission is ¥500 and senior admission is ¥250 for an all-day pass, so you can exit and re-enter the park. Also cool, you can use your IC card for the admission fee! We didn't do this since we were running low on our IC cards, but we used the automated ticket machine to purchase our tickets. I definitely recommend a visit here if you're in Shinjuku and want a nice walk/park experience.

After a good walk around the garden, time for lunch! Google maps pops up with a ramen place and since there's a million places in Shinjuku to eat and it's hard to decide, we decide to just go with this one. It's a brief walk from the garden towards Shinjuku Station. It's a pretty cool area and there is a lot to see and do. Google maps leads us to a Starbucks...which I know is not or lunch spot. But I notice a sign that has their logo - it's upstairs! We haven't had an upstairs restaurant dining experience yet. I look for the floor it's on - 8F - and we get in the small elevator. Mom looks pretty darn skeptical as to what we're doing in a tiny elevator going up a building. But we arrive at 8F and there's the restaurant! I think I'm this building is so skinny that it's one restaurant per floor, we're at the top floor. Kinda neat. The restaurant is called Tsukemen Ramen Namiura. When you enter through the door, you order at a self-service machine and then the host leads you to a table or counter and takes your receipt to the kitchen. Mom and Dad order the "Homura" dan dan tsukemen, I order the "Namiura" tsukemen. So. Delicious. The broth is very rich but compliments the noodles so well. My dish came with an egg and it was so tasty, buttery rich. After your meal, you are served a complementary scoop of yuzu sorbet. Oh man, this was so delicious and such a nice way to end the meal. So refreshing!

After our delicious lunch, we walk a few shops down and spot a very nice pastry place called Boul'Ange...we can't resist a good pastry place. So we go inside and oh my days we feel like we've entered a Paris patisserie. All the croissants and other patissier look amazing and they even have trays that just came out of the oven! Swoon. We get a few pastries and then cross the street - literally - and walk into Takashimaya "Times Square".

They did a really nice job with this building entrance, lobby, whatever you want to call it. And of course Takashimaya is nice as always. High-end everything in this store. We find a few nibbles in the basement food area to take back home, but otherwise don't really shop. We head back home with our spoils.

After a brief siesta, we talk a late-afternoon walk through Ameyoko shopping street. It is crazy. People everywhere, all kinds of shops you can imagine, but very touristy things that don't appeal. I was glad to get out of that mob of people and back out to the main road.

We continue across the street and into Ueno Park to check out the stalls setup for Christmas Advent - apparently Christmas has already begun in Japan. That was packed with people as well, but a lot of families with kids having fun on a Sunday evening. Heading back towards home, we stop by Matsuzakaya (again) for a few additional food items and head back for dinner.

On to more fun tomorrow!

Sayonara!