Just making some quick notes and will come back and fill in each day when I can sit on a proper computer.
The weather has been beautiful. We really have been fortunate. Most days have been sunny or partly cloudy, no rain so far, and temperatures around 24 Celsius/mid 70s F.
Friday we had our Backstreet Guide guide Mari. We visited the Meiji shrine, the Tokyo Tower, Akihabara and lunch at Korean BBQ place in electronics superstore's top floor, tourist office at Akihabara, Asakusa, Sensoji temple and Nakamise Tori street. Didn't see Ginza as planned. Tired, lots of tired feet and jet lag.
Saturday we were all off a little. Breakfast buffet at hotel. Shopping at Takashmaya, (kids kimonos, jewellery, baby clothes, toys)and lunch in the food court, then over to Tokyo station to get our bullet train tickets for Monday to Kyoto. Learned our lesson about the Metro line and the JR line and how far apart they can be. Shopped in the First Avenue area. Really found areas to sit challenging - would have loved a place to sit and regroup. Headed home as the walking today was a lot and a lot of feet hurt, abandoning plans to revisit Asakusa.
Sunday, we went to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. We ate udon noodles and fish dumplings at the little cafe. museum was amazing. Great souvenirs in the gift shop. Farmer's market/flea market outside and a spontaneous stop to make origami in a tent for free. We then went to Harajuku and saw some lovely cosplayers, and went to Kiddyland toy store, and ate at TGIFridays -lol. We wanted seating for our group, air conditioning and food that wasn't too expensive - dinner for 9 came to 140,000y. After that was swimming at the hotel and an early night.
Even the night owls amongst us have been asleep by 9am and up with the sunrise at 430. Time change has really affected our stamina by the end of the day.
Have been able to use subway confidently after first day with our guide showing us. Sorted out differences in different lines and why one might choose a route over another. Pasmo cards. Vending machines.
Hotel - breakfast buffet, Central Park across the street, Starbucks, subways nearby and shuttle to Shinjuku station, 24 hour convenience store in basement, electronic toilets, pool, walking equivalent to a long Disney day each day.