We were staying in a great Airbnb apartment in Ueno, walking distance from Asakusa, so I knew about a cheap, family friendly chain restaurant called Royal Host and saw that there was one located on the way between our apartment and our first sight of the day, Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. Their morning menu has everything from scrambled eggs and bacon, to pancakes, french toast and traditional Japanese breakfast sets. After we had filled up, we were ready to start our sightseeing!

Tokyo Skytree

Sensoji Temple in Asakusa

Sensoji Temple, Asakusa

Sensoji Temple in Asakusa is the oldest temple in Tokyo, founded in 648. It is also one of the most popular tourist sights in Tokyo. The grounds are beautifully preserved and not only is there the main temple halls, but there is also a nice little Japanese garden with cherry blossom trees and a koi carp pond! My family loved exploring the grounds and getting some beautiful photos.

Sensoji temple is a short 5 minute walk from Asakusa Station.

Nakamise Street, Asakusa

Souvenir shopping on Nakamise Street

After visiting the temple, we walked down Nakamise Street, which is full of souvenir shops and food stalls. We stopped and got some deep fried manju (we got custard, sakura and red bean paste fillings), then continued down the street buying souvenirs. You could easily spend a couple of hours here, but I think we managed to keep it to just one.

Inside the toy store

Toy shopping at Yamashiroya in Ueno

After all the souvenir shopping for the adults, we headed back to Ueno on the subway for lunch and stopped in at Yamashiroya, a HUGE 6 floor toy shop right across from the main entrance to JR Ueno station. The kids had a great time exploring the different levels and playing with the various toys before deciding on one thing each.

Shinobazu pond, Ueno Park

Ueno Park food stalls

Ueno Park

After getting some lunch (giving us a much needed sit down and relax), we headed to Ueno Park to see if there were any cherry blossoms in bloom and wandered by the pond and over to Bentendo, a buddhist temple in the middle of the pond. The path leading to the temple is lined with street food stalls, so we got some waffle sticks and some drinks to snack on as we walked through the park. There is so much you can choose to do in Ueno Park, from visiting one of the numerous museums, to paddling a swan boat on Shinobazu pond (which we did last time we were in Tokyo).

Izakaya for dinner

Eat dinner at an Izakaya

After a little rest back at our apartment to drop off our shopping, we caught the Yamanote line train in to Shibuya to have dinner at one of the many izakayas there. Even though izakayas are more "drinking" extablishments, they are very family/child friendly and it gave my family a good introduction to Japanese food. We were seated at a sunken table and had to take our shoes off before entering the seating area. I ordered a bunch of food off a touch screen for everyone to share. You can get anything from sashimi, yakitori, edamame, salads, onion rings and chips (good for fussy kids). You can usually pick an izakaya based on the menus they will display out the front, that shows you a huge variety of food available. They are also often located on the higher floors of buildings, so it definitely pays to look up when you're wandering around Tokyo!

Shibuya bright lights

Check out the neon lights of Shibuya

The final thing I wanted to do to round off the day in Tokyo, was to show everyone the bright neon lights and bustling intersection in Shibuya. You know the one. It was fantastic because when we went in to the izakaya for dinner, the sun hadn't yet set, but by the time we came out, we got to wander the streets, look at all the crazy lights and get some photos before taking the kids back to the apartment for bed.

If you're interested in more of my past Tokyo posts, you can find them here.

The airbnb we stayed in was this one.  If you want to get $46 credit to book your Airbnb, use this link!

It's a pretty well known fact that i'm obsessed with cherry blossoms (sakura さくら in Japanese). I think it started when I was first living in Japan about 10 years ago and my mum came to visit during cherry blossom season. We followed the blossoms from Tokyo, down to Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka. I was even lucky enough to have a cherry blossom tree in the backyard at my last house in Melbourne, and I was obsessed with it! Now that I'm living in Japan again, this time in Okinawa, my cherry blossom obsession has come back in full force. Last year we were lucky enough to go to Kyoto for full bloom and this past January we went in search of the Okinawa cherry blossoms at Nakijin Castle ruins. I even took a million photos of the blossoms on the few trees in my neighbourhood.

Another great part about the cherry blossom season in Japan (which is just about to start on the mainland) is all the limited edition cherry blossom items. Different beers have limited edition cans, Starbucks has a sakura latte, sakura flavoured ice creams come out as well as chocolates and other snacks! Pepsi even has a sakura flavour this year (it's not that great.... I tried it). Japan really makes the most of the short cherry blossom season!

The most awesome thing I have found this year though is the cherry blossom range of Nike shoes available! As soon as I saw them, I knew I must have them! I even bought a pair for my mum, who is equally as obsessed with Cherry blossoms as I am. At the moment i'm torn between preseving their pristine condition and wearing them constantly because I just love them!

Next week i'm off to Tokyo for a few days, and am hoping to catch the beginning of the bloom up there and take part in some hanami (cherry blossom viewing) in Ueno Park. No doubt I will also sample a decent amount of cherry blossom themed products because I just can't resist. No doubt you can expect more cherry blossom posts in the near future.

Sunday we got up and took the puppy for a walk on the beach and G went for a little dip because the water was just too gorgeous to resist! Afterwards we went shopping to get some supplies for our new barbecue then went to lunch at an indian restaurant we've been wanting to try for a while, Bollywood Dreams in Chatan. This is the third indian restaurant we have tried in Okinawa, and the best so far! It's located in Depot Island, which is a super cute little area of American Village in Chatan. It reminds me of one of the fake towns that they have in theme parks like Disneyland, or Dreamworld (for any Australians reading!). All the shops are really cute and kitschy and Bollywood Dreams was equally so. Inside was plastered with pictures of Bollywood stars as well as a TV playing Bollywood movies. I loved it! Their lunch menu is kind of limited, but awesome. H tried the two vegetarian curries on the lunch menu (a daal and a vegetable curry) and I had the lamb and vegetable curries with a piece of tandoori chicken. The naan was huge and the curries delicious! We will definitely go back!

The afternoon we went home and set up the BBQ. H got the charcoal going and I made some tofu and vegetable skewers. It was really fun and tasty! Can't wait to use it more this summer!

Our beach

American Village Chatan

Cute looking cafe

Amazing food here

So much Bollywood

Feast!

Happy shisa

Lunch menu

Lunch menu

Trying out the new BBQ

Lunch with a view at Cafe Doka Doka

On one of the lovely weather work-days last week, we headed out for a lunch date at Cafe Doka Doka, just down the road from work to make the most of the sun and eat pizza. That cafe really has the best views! They also sell the nicest pottery i've seen on the island.

Blue skies and turquoise ocean

Griffin's masterpieces -top: pet rock, bottom left: Okinawa shisa mask, bottom right: pine cone pineapples

Tis the season for some amazing sunsets

This week we have also had some spectacular sunsets. Because they days are longer and not so chilly, it's really nice to get home and sit outside on the deck with a glass of wine, while G has a play and watch the sun setting. It's a great way to unwind.

Healthy cauliflower mac n cheese

My new ridiculous bag

Our pup got a haircut so we can see his eyes again

More sunsets

We're so lucky to live here.

• Okinawan food is very different to mainland Japan: Anyone who knows me, knows that i LOVE Japanese food, however I have to say, that Okinawan food really hasn't captured my heart in the same way. Sure, Okinawa Soba is tasty, but it doesn't get me excited the way a good ramen or udon does. Okinawan tofu on the other hand is the best tofu i've ever had. It's so fresh you buy it warm from the supermarket where it is delivered multiple times a day!

• More people seem to speak English in Okinawa: In my opinion, there is definitely more people that speak English in Okinawa than on the mainland. This can be a positive or a negative. On the one hand, I'm trying to improve my Japanese level, and this is kind of tricky when most people at restaurants and shops start to speak to me in English. On the other hand, this is awesome when i'm being lazy and just want someone to help me find what i'm looking for or explain to me what is in the food i'm ordering.

• The architecture is very different: Houses in Okinawa tend to be quite square, flat roofed and concrete. I think this is because of the number of typhoons we have every year and people are always going to choose safety over looks. Traditional Okinawan houses tend to be concrete with low tiles roofs, whereas houses on the mainland or traditionally wood to allow a free flow of air to combat the humidity. Okinawan houses also typically have a pair of Shisa (a cross between a dog and a lion) on their roof or flanking the gates to protect the houses from evil. I actually don't think I have ever seen a house without Shisas our the front!

• Okinawa has it's own language: Although Japanese is the language heard everywhere on the island, the Okinawans have their own language, Uchinaguchi, which is in decline but can be heard in traditional songs and local theatre. Don't worry though, if you are coming to Okinawa and speak Japanese, you will be fine.