Beginning to Explore Japan

After arriving in Tokyo on Sunday, we began exploring on Monday. We have a few days here before my sister and her family arrive so we decided to take the time to do things that Kai specifically might enjoy.

My father-in-law drove us the Rainbow Bridge over to Odaiba, a man-made island that is home to many forms of entertainment.

We spent the morning at Joypolis, and indoor amusement park run by Sega. There was a line to get in, and the noise at the entrance was quite loud between the crowd, blaring music, and all of the greeters shouting enthusiastically as patrons entered. Frankly, it was too much for me, and I was hoping that we would get inside before it all became too much for Kai. Thankfully we did.

We rode on several different rides. Kai was anxious as we waited to go on a simulated glider ride. It was a thrill ride, but I saw smiles on his face throughout despite his early anxiety.

Next was a simulated river raft ride.

My wife and I were happy that the announcements that you might get wet was in Japanese. Alas, Kai saw the pictorial signs and figured it out, and that got him anxious. But once again, he was all smiles during the ride itself.

My personal highlight at Joypolis was the men’s room where each urinal featured an animated video that activated when you started peeing. The video at my urinal was of a statue that peed into a fountain, and it measured your pee in ml, stopping when you stopped.

After that, we saw the Statue of Liberty.

Then, it was time for lunch at a buffet restaurant.

Then we walked over to the Sony ExploraScience Museum. It was not a big place, but every exhibit was interesting to Kai.

We then went shopping as Kai’s grandmother had given him a gift card. He found Nanoblocks, a Japanese form of Lego that features miniature blocks about a fourth the size of Legos.

We went for dinner at a kaitenzushi restaurant, where plates of sushi and other goodies go by on a conveyer belt. You take a plate of anything you want to eat.

At the end of the meal, they come by and count your plates. As you can see, we had quite a few.

And that was our Monday. We’re off to a busy Tuesday.