The 'Rents Visit Days 1 & 2

Thank you so much to my parents for making the big journey to come and see me in Japan! I'm proud of my mum for flying for the first time and trying many new things, and my dad got to fulfil his dream of visiting the Geeky district of Akihabara!!!

Arrival

I made it to the airport in plenty of time, and waited at the exit for my parents who finally emerged! Group hug! They were pretty sleepy, but excited, and my mum fit right into Japanese society with a snooze on the train!

For dinner, we had ramen and my mum attempted to use chopsticks.

Day One Oversleeping, jet-lagged parents were thrown into the depths of nerdy city of Akihabara on their first day! Akihabara is the electronics, gaming and 萌 "Moe" capital of Tokyo.

Omelette rice, ketchup and melon soda at a "moe" Maid Cafe in Akihabara.
The maid we had the polaroid taken with's nickname was none other than クレア aka Clare! Flattering!

Parents' Reaction:

 In Ikebukuro and our Puri Kura (a crazy photobooth)!

Dinner was an Aeon reunion party, featuring some Aeon teachers and students who had been very eager to meet my parents! We had dinner at a seafood restaurant, where the seafood is VERY fresh, and my mum developed a unique chopstick-using technique.

 

 Exchanging omiyage souvenirs- rice crackers and tea for creme eggs.

What does one do after dinner on a Saturday night? Karaoke of course!

My Parents sing Tainted Love

Day Two We had a calmer, more traditional start to Sunday morning, heading to Meiji Shrine, a so-called 'power spot' in Japan. It's a very old shrine (though unfortunately many parts are recent reconstructions due to WW2 bombings). We were very lucky to see no less than three Shinto-style wedding ceremonies, since May 1st is considered to be a lucky day in Japan.

 Before entering a shrine or temple, we must purify our hands and mouth.

 

Afterwards, we hit the fashionable youth centre Harajuku, where my parents discovered the 100 yen (75p) shop, Daiso. There was no stopping them!!

The weather was rather miserable, but after visiting Zojoji Temple, we scaled Tokyo Tower as the sun went down to see the foggy, mysterious night scene.

To be continued...xxxx