Getting a little slower… lots of activity is leaving me a little tired. Nothing, though, a good breakfast and kohi can’t fix.
We are here at Sol’s Coffee Roastery in Kuramae (https://sols-coffee.com)today….
Not a bad deal two delicious set breakfasts caffe latte for $25!
Some time ago I recall hearing about toilet walls which were see through until someone went in and locked the door. Today we happened across them.
We were walking to our dinner in Tomigaya and they certainly stood out as we passed by.
After the dinner following directions back towards a different train station we saw them closer.
Going around to the front we could then read the signs…
… sadly they don’t seem to work when it’s cold, and they’ve chosen to lock them at sunset. Given how cold it gets in Japan I can only guess the cold was not a factor in the initial design, but in reality it would seem they haven’t quite worked out.
If you are in the area- suggest you don’t come here on public holidays or after 5pm in autumn, winter or spring.
Here is a link to an article about them
According to my records we first came here in 2017. Here is the first photo we took back then.
We have grown in our coffee snobbery and moved with Glitch as they explore more interesting styles of coffee – black pour over now preferred and a staple of our home.
Today no milk – but two innovative Colombian beans roasted to perfection. Sitting outside enjoying perfect autumnal weather.
Yesterday we checked out Ginza Glitch for a serene coffee and music experience.
Thank you Glitch for your contribution to our coffee journey!
As a tourist there are so many sites to see.. places you’ve always read about and seen on television. From shrines, gardens, temples, shops and sky views. But have you ever thought of getting a view from the river?
You may not realise but there are rivers throughout Tokyo… which have meandered their way through the different areas, which were once used by businesses and people to move around the city.
As a tourist there is a company called Tokyo Great Kayaking Tours… which does as the name suggests.
We’ve always thought about doing this tour… and said back in 2019… ‘next time we will do that to see Tokyo from a different perspective’… so here we are 4 years later.
Kym had booked online for the 3 hour tour before we came… and the weather gods treated us well as it was a perfect day for it.
As you can see by the photos the weather was perfect. Although while it looks calm in these photos… going across the Sumida River (no photos here… as we had to paddle and control where we were going) it certainly was choppy when a boat went past!
We were told yesterday was very windy and had resulted in lots of debris.. so they recommended to take the route through the residential area. As we had been around the area on our bikes previously we were more than happy to go with the recommended route. As part of the route It also involved going in the lock… (okay we were the only people there) and experiencing the water level change being so close to it. While there we could see a number of jellyfish floating in the water – did not expect to see them in the water!
Half way along the journey we stopped for tea and a snack. It was so relaxing just floating on the water… and watching the birds. Ah….
For those lucky few who have kayaked with us previously- you know we can kayak, just not in a straight line….we only rammed into the wall twice and according to Kym nearly capsized once (.. no harder on the left.. tell me when your paddling!) But we survived!
If you follow either of us on Strava you will notice we did 10km…! Which is impressive for us… although we think winking paddling increased the distance.
As for our Seeing Tokyo skyline from the river view was certainly a fabulous experience, and one we highly recommend.
I keep telling people Japan has inexpensive food… this was $5.70 – for lunch!
…it was so good and satisfying after a morning Kayaking.
I’ll start with an apology – no food photos from us for this post. Sushi is something that should be enjoyed directly when placed in front of you by the skilled chef. Where the skilled knife strokes can form tough squid can be rendered milky by a thousand tiny cuts or herring can be transformed into a delicate balanced melody in your mouth.
I know ‘Australian’ style sushi is taking New York but storm, but I have to say I am of Tokyo style!
There is one photo to share and that is of the building directory…
Those who can read Japanese characters will quickly pick it… But otherwise you’ll be playing match the image with your phone. This was a multi-storey (10 or so building) and that is just a list of the tenants on the 4th floor. You certainly get a peak behind the curtain of Tokyo when you walk past the “Member’s Only” club towards the space that is transformed into a peaceful oasis with 10 seats!
If you’re going to Tokyo or want to peak inside – check out their website – http://www.sushiharumi.jphttps://pocket-concierge.jp/en/. They use Pocket Concierge to book for English speaking guests – which really makes experiencing great food in Japan a lot easier.
As you may know, we are keen to try different forms of mobility. We certainly prefer non-car based mobility like our folding bikes and an occasional Shinkansen. So it was with great pleasure we tried a new form of mobility arranged by our Tokyo friends. The super kawaii Rodem – it is guaranteed to get you noticed on Tokyo streets. We certainly were – but they may have been helped by the soon to be TikTok superstar in the Rodem behind us!
From the website (https://machimobi-y.com/en/) the Rodem is “a futuristic mobility that allows you to enjoy a mobility experience like never before.”
Ah… after unpacking the bikes, pumping up the tyres we headed out for a quick morning ride with a stop at our favourite coffee spot in Tokyo – Glitch.
As you can see by the map, the route took us past the imperial palace- which on a Sunday had us competing against joggers.
The views are great… such an enjoyable ride.
… we left the imperial palace route and went inwards towards a path under the expressway way and back to the coffee shop.
The weather is unseasonably warm… thankfully it only lasts until Tuesday or we would have to do some clothes shopping!
After getting to the hotel.. we went on a short walk around the area. We wanted to see what had changed.. and what was no longer there. We decided to go to the local cheap bar near the hotel – thankfully it was still there and consistent as ever.
Beer was $2 (yes you read that correctly)… and food was tasty as always. Thankfully- short walk to the hotel.
… on the walk earlier we found a pudding shop open, so we bought a couple for dessert. So tasty!
Whenever we are in Japan we try to attend Brompton in Palace meets. They are wonderful group of people with a common desire to ride their Brompton bikes. Brompton in Palace used to meet during Palace Cycling, which is when roads near the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo are closed each Sunday to enable safe cycling.
Disappointingly, bureaucratic intervention has meant that Brompton in Palace had to move to a new location in western Tokyo. It is a great shame that Palace Cycling has lost a group of supportive and friendly cyclists. But, I am here to report that Brompton in Palace is still going strong and as enjoyable as ever!
Meeting in western Tokyo opened our eyes to some of it delights that, despite of our many visits to Tokyo, we have never seen including Showa Kinen Koen. On day 5 we rode (and walked) around 17km.
Show Kinen Koen is:
The formal part of the Brompton in Palace Meeting is held in the grounds of the Tachikawa Cultural Factory.
Tachikawa Cultural Factory is an activity base for cultural creation where professionals gather using valuable resources such as the school building and gymnasium of Tamagawa Elementary School, which was closed in 2004.
Utilizing this wonderful environment and the place of learning of a former school, Tachikawa Sogoya has four businesses: Incubation Center Business, Film Commission Business, Cycle Station Business, and Community Design Business. As a pillar, we will develop a wide variety of programs while walking with people in the Tama area and people who are responsible for the culture, as well as local people, and will disseminate them widely in cooperation with each facility.
This formal part of Brompton in Palace is about meeting people and learning how they adapt and use their Brompton. This meeting also had important briefing about insurance and riding in Tokyo. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand too much of that briefing!
Following the formal meet, the group breaks up – some stayed at the cultural factory for lunch others went to good fast udon (I want one of these restaurants in Adelaide PLEASE!). The group that remained then went to Showa Kinen Koen, which as the internet quotes earlier in this post points out is one of the most amazing parks I’ve seen in the world.
The park comprises of a number of different parks within a park, which is connected by both walkways and dedicated bikeways. It is a fantastic place for a family to safely go cycling.
Mayumi is the key instigator of Brompton in Palace. I know that everyone values her effort and dedication to Brompton in Palace. Helen and I thank her for making us feel welcome.
