Sumida Aquarium - Cascadian Abroad

As of last weekend, I’m officially in the middle of my late 30s. And where better to spend a birthday that in one of the greatest cities on the planet. We spent the entire weekend in Tokyo with no real agenda, which ended up being an action-packed three days.

Instead of a long rundown of events, please enjoy some photos from the weekend.

Dinner with Friends — An unexpected dinner with our Airbnb hosts Yusuke and Hiroki at Rokumonsen, a monjayaki (or monja as it’s commonly called) place in Asakusa.

Monja — Yusuke (one of our Airbnb hosts) scrapes the monja off the griddle. The mixture of cabbage, cheese, mochi and sauce cooks to the griddle and is basically a gooey top with a crispy bottom.

A rarity: nobody in front of Kaminarimon Gate at Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa

Akihabara Electric Town. These blocks are filled with video arcades, electronic shops and maid cafes. A little something for everyone.

03_lovinghut — My birthday lunch! Vegan buffet at Loving Hut in Chiyoda. This was plate one of three or four… the food coma set in at some point.

The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame Museum at Tokyo Dome. This was one of my favorite things we’ve done recently and will warrant its own post in the near future.

Skytree and Asahi Flame — Tokyo Skytree and the Asahi Beer Hall flame sculpture from the Asakusa side of the Sumida River. The locals call the Asahi sculpture “kin no unko” (金のうんこ) or “the golden turd.” Our host didn’t know the English translation and I’ll never un-see his pantomime that clearly translated said meaning.

Tokyo Skytree from the Airbnb — The view from the front of our home away from home. Not too shabby.

The Gate Hotel Kanarimon — Birthday drinks on the 13th floor of a restaurant overlooking Asakusa.

This playground near Tokyo Skytree had an awesome metal-roller propelled slide. We only saw adults use it in the short time we were there. Video below.