I chose our hotel, The Palace Hotel Tokyo, for its proximity to the Imperial Palace and garden views. It made it so easy and relaxing to stroll across the street to the East gate (Ote-mon) and enter the Palace grounds. Free to the public, the extensive grounds cover 280 acres and feature wide open spaces, bamboo stands, forest areas, cherry trees, and portions of the original fortress. Reconstruction of the original buildings has been true to their original form (if not function).
Dating from 1590, this was the site of the Edo Castle, home of the Tokugawa shoguns. Originally, the castle had 36 gates, of 99 total, in the outer wall, 21 watch towers, and 28 armories. In 1868, the Imperial family moved from Kyoto and took over the site.
BTW – if you are not watching Shogun (on FX and streaming on Hulu) you should and will not be disappointed. I read the James Clavell book decades ago and remember the previous two broadcast versions of the book. But this conceptualization is something special. Produced by a well-known Japanese actor/director they have corrected many of the cultural inaccuracies in the book to more exactly capture the past. It’s beautifully filmed and acted. The first four episodes dropped before we left, and I can’t wait to see the remaining six.
The Palace is a working compound and does house the emperor of Japan and his family. Although the original buildings are long gone, the walls, some gates, three watchtowers, and at least one guardhouse still stand within the impressive outer moat. The gardens are open most days, but public access to the Palace is restricted to just two days a year.
Both Japanese and Western landscape styles are evident and I think I was most surprised by the wide-open spaces and relaxed feeling. Other visitors, locals, and tour groups dispersed far and wide, and although upon entry you could hear many different languages being spoken, soon the only sounds you heard were your own.
We arrived mid-morning and by the time we left around noon, crowds were in line to pass through the screeners (security officers do look into any bags, backpacks, or purses carried in).
It was here we saw our first cherry blossom buds of this trip. Hopefully, there will be many more to come.
We will be in Tokyo more than a day, but I will start this tale with our first day being (mostly) awake. It was a wonderful day. Temps were in the 50s, with brilliant blue skies, and gusty winds in the afternoon. Today our focus was history and culture.
Good fortune was with us when we were matched up with guide Tomoko. Booked through our hotel (The Palace Hotel Tokyo), she was a gem. Friendly and kind, Tomoko spoke perfect English due to attending college in the US. She was very knowledgeable and interesting. I feel like we had the best introduction to Japan possible.
To start with, we learned how to navigate the expansive subway system. Or at least how it should be done. There are 9 lines with 280 stations and so many combinations, it can be overwhelming. It’s clean, safe, on time, and runs every few minutes. NYC take note: they have these wonderful barriers with sliding gates between the platform and tracks – so no one is getting pushed in front of a train here.
A morning visit to an older fish market, Tsukiji, was fun. In addition to the fresh fish, live shellfish, and processed fish, I was surprised at the array of meats, vegetables, and fruits. The strawberries looked so amazing, I finally had to buy some and, wow, they may have been the best we’ve ever had. So naturally sweet, it did not seem possible. Tomoko readily explained the many items we did not recognize as well as the history of the area and such markets. She had special insight since her father (now retired) was one of the special chefs who prepared the very poisonous Puffer Fish for gourmet dinners. Dining on one of those fish will set you back quite a few hundred dollars!
Our big goal this morning was to delve into the world of Shintoism and Buddhism. We visited the Fukagawa Fudo Buddhist Temple for a Buddhist Fire Ritual called Gomataki. The symbolism was interesting to learn and the ritual fascinating. Clearly a more local experience, without crowds of tourists, we were mesmerized by the ceremonies to cleanse obsessions and grant wishes. There were chimes and chanting but also incredible drumming, unlike anything we’d ever seen. Of course, no photos allowed.
Afterwards, we headed over to the Shinto Shrine, Tomioka Hackiman, and learned more about how the two religions differ and often overlap.
We had a quick, but delicious lunch of chicken Yakitori and then made our way to the iconic Asakusa Senso-Ji Temple, the oldest Buddhist Temple in Tokyo. It’s famous, picturesque, and incredibly crowded with tourists and locals. It was a surprise to see hordes of young Japanese girls dressed in rented kimonos channeling the past and posing for pictures. The famous walk on the way to the Temple, Nakamise-dori, is lined with stalls and shops selling souvenir trinkets, and this time of year decorated with artificial cherry blossom branches. Streets surrounding the area have massive buildings housing every type of edible Japanese food you can imagine (and a few you can’t). I held out for some refreshing cherry blossom ice cream later in the day.
On our own In the evening (with some guidance from Tomoko), we headed out to the Shinjuku area famous for neon displays, an active red-light district, and Golden Gai bar area. We ate a simple meal that included a delicious dish of garlic fried rice. I don’t know why we can’t get anything that good back home. We walked around the Golden Gai’s narrow alleys, packed with tiny bars, each with room for a bartender and just a few stools at a narrow counter. The evening was young and the crowds of 20 & 30-somethings were just beginning to roll in. After walking about nine incredible miles, we called it a successful day and headed “home.”
Of note: For years guides in Japan had to go through rigorous multi-year training and certification. Since the pandemic, and a current shortage of guides, the government has loosened the criteria and allowed many to guide without the previously required training. So, beware with whom you schedule. I can easily recommend Tomoko as a guide to anyone visiting Tokyo. She is government-certified, with 17 years of experience, and a native of Tokyo. Reach her at hiragi8@gmail.com.
With today’s post, I want to introduce my readers to an innovative, historic, and incredibly creative tour company in Amsterdam. Badass Tours.
The creative minds behind this venture are related to a friend, and because he knows how much I love to travel and to find a destination’s often-overlooked treasures and history, he connected us a few years back.
I was honored to be one of the folks that tested their DIY beta product while they were in the development process.
They’ve come a long way since then. At this point, they are even teaming up with National Geographic and TUI (a Dutch charter airline) on another exciting tour option – but more on that later.
The business is the brainchild of Elyzabeth Gorman. Elyzabeth is a storyteller extraordinaire. Her research into Shakespeare’s sources while on a fellowship at the Shakespeare Theatre of DC inspired a historic play through the voices of early female writers. After moving to Amsterdam, she found that early Dutch history was filled with the type of woman she’d been researching. Because those stories were usually only in Dutch, she began to translate them and become their voice in today’s world.
Elyzabeth’s partner is Shea Elmore who has an accomplished technical and creative background as a UX (user experience) designer who has worked in virtual reality and interactive performance. Before moving from New York to Amsterdam he was an international producer for the Blue Man Group. Shea is the force behind the website and interactive tour options, serving double duty as Executive Director of the firm.
In a nutshell, they “tell the stories of individual people in order to inspire, empower and connect” people with untold history. I can’t think of a better way to combine learning significant historic facts, along with humanizing the past, and just plain good fun.
A visit to their website, badasstours.nl, will give you a more in-depth look into their offerings of small guided tours, private custom tours, and, now, DIY tours. Besides “Hidden Gems”, specialty tours focus on Women’s History, Jewish History, LGBTQ+ History, and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color) History.
Their self-curated tour takes visitors through Amsterdam’s historical center introducing them to hidden villains, heroes, and rebels. It’s a great (and inexpensive at 10 €) option for people who love to explore on their own. All you need is a smartphone.
The latest addition to their portfolio is the previously mentioned project with TUI and National Geographic – an Immigrant Tour. Being marketed to river and ocean cruise ship passengers, it will feature lunch in a restaurant run by refugees and a boat tour.
On a personal note, I have some plans that will take me back to Amsterdam, and doing a Badass tour is at the top of my list. And BTW, I don’t do pay-for-play posts. As always, you are reading my independent, uncompensated thoughts, recs, and opinions!
As a rule, I don’t write cruise reviews, or even say much about ships we’ve been on. I guess you have to really separate Caribbean cruises from other types. They seem to be in a class all their own (you can decide if that’s good of bad).
When we’ve cruised, we have selected the trips based on itineraries and they are usually far from the Caribbean. I prefer smaller, casual ships and the ability to have unusual experiences (like flying into another country for a special experience such as touring the Valley of the Kings in Egypt). No costume parties, pool games, or midnight buffets for us.
Because we live in Miami, getting on a Caribbean cruise is easy. Other factors become important, such as the entertainment options on the ship or seeing an innovative new feature on board. We choose to take this trip on the Holland America (HAL) Rotterdam, due to the line’s new entertainment concept of a Music Walk, featuring the venues: BB Kings Blues & Motown, Rolling Stone Club, and Billboard twin pianos playing top 100 and Broadway hits. They also have a string quartet with some creative programming on board as well as shows featuring dancers, singers, and comedians. The dancers were the best I’ve ever seen on a cruise ship (or anywhere, for that matter) and performed a series of unique, thematic shows. It’s been nice to see the various music venues crowded late at night with enthusiastic fans of all ages. I think Holland America may be trying to lower the average age of their passengers, and this concept is definitely helping (although the walkers were still stacked up outside the main dining room).
The dining options were all very good and we enjoyed them. Overall, the ship’s ambiance, specialty restaurants, creative food options, and terrific evening entertainment made the trip a lot of fun.
For any foodie-cruisers: we enjoyed dinners at the Pinnacle Grill steakhouse, Italian-themed Canaletto, Asian-inspired Tamarind, and wonderful French/seafood spot – Rudi’s Sel de Mar. The Dutch Cafe as well as the pool-side NY Deli and Dive-in restaurants offered excellent casual menus. If you get tired of the dining and musical options, you can always spend time in one of the last remaining fine libraries at sea.
Kudos to HAL.
