Rainy Day in Asakusa
All the way from Seattle!
Boy, do they know how to deal with the rain like a pro!
Megan (mother) has been a follower of Bunny Gang for a few years. (Thank you so much!!!)
This was their first family trip to Japan. Woohoo! I’m here to help plan the day!
Her husband is half-Japanese, so she was keen to learning more about Japanese culture for her three sons. They attend Japanese immersion school, so I think they felt right at home :) I did my best to speak Japanese to the boys!
Rain on our Parade but that’s okay!
I was afraid we might had to cancel our tour day! Umbrellas were flying and I broke two of mine that day.
But I was so amazed at how this family took the rain so well. Everyone had a positive smile on their face as if the rain was just a normal part of their life. I mean, coming from Seattle… I guess this is normal!
Lovely parents <3 I felt the love and it was such a happy day for all of us!
Rickshaw Time
It was nice and cozy being all snuggled up under the roof. What a perfect way to see Asakusa!
“Get me anything, whatever you think is best”
Wow! I am so flattered when my guests trust me like this!
I got Megan this cute mochi dango. She’s not sharing this with anyone by the way!
We all picked our oracle fortunes, and left the bad ones behind.
Ramen Time!
The soup that day was nice and pipin’ hot. This ramen shop is known for their Shio and Spicy Miso ramen. It was their first time ordering ramen from a vending machine. LOL.
The boys loved ramen! Hideo was enjoying his bowl in silence.
The big brothers used chopsticks so well. I’m so proud…
Shoe Shopping!
The boys were influenced by the strong Rickshaw Men. They wanted an authentic pair of their own tabi shoes. Since their shoes were soaking wet.
“Tabi” in Japanese means footwear. They loved it!! They felt super cool like ninjas.
I guess what we can all learn from them is that when you see something you like, you should buy it because we ain’t got time to come back!
Asakusa and Shitamachi (or Lower East Side) is where you can buy traditional goods like these. A pair for children’s shoes were about 3000 yen.
However, it’s not waterproof so be sure to spray with waterproof solution before wearing it out.
I am thinking of getting a pair of my own! Do they have it in red or pink??
Choose from white, black and navy
Hurry boys! We’re gonna be late for our pet cafe reservation! The otters are waiting!
The boys requested they wanted to meet the otters and/or capybara. I was able to reserve a 50-minute private session at this pet cafe. It was also my first time.
Hideo was slightly terrified, but Megan was the first one to jump in and show the boys how it’s done. Megan and I actually had a great time.
Have you heard an otter talk? It’s not what you expected! I was surprised.
Otters love shrimp and will help themselves if you don’t feed them.
Otters: “Why were you late?? We were so hungry!?”
Pushing them out of their comfort zone
A 20-minute session was enough for the boys. That is all they can handle.
Before arriving to Japan, they were super excited to pet the animals. However, they were slightly intimidated when they actually got there… But I’m proud of them for participating in this activity!
I hope they will remember this day because I wish to tell them 10 years later:
“You should’ve seen the look on your faces back then! And now that you’re bigger, you can face anything!”
Kappabashi Kitchen Street
Megan was on a mission to find a small strainer for ramen noodles and some chopsticks for the folks back home.
Hideo and I held down the fort outside, while Megan could shop in peace.
After all, Moms just wanna shop. PERIODT. It’s called “retail therapy.” I did my best to distract the boys as long as possible until Megan’s mission was complete.
Kameido Shrine
亀戸天神社
Toward the end of the tour the rain stopped for a bit, we were able to take some nice sakura photos at Kameido Shrine. Perfect opportunity!
We had the whole shrine to ourselves. It was absolutely serene, peaceful and beautiful.
The family visited Kyoto a few days after the tour, so they were able to visit several Japanese traditional architecture.
To commemorate the trip, we were able to take some beautiful family photos of sakura on the ground, which I think is the most magical time to take photos.
“These are the only family photos of all of us together!”
A shrine known for exam miracles
Kameido Shrine is “dedicated to the god of scholarship, attracting students of all ages who call on higher powers to help them pass their exams.”
Many students come here to pray to wish themselves good luck for their exam week. I wish the boys much success with school and also balancing American culture and Japanese culture. It’s hard, I know!
Don’t forget to watch my Youtube channel for my lesson videos!!!
Megan and Hideo’s sons were absolutely adorable. It made me want a family of my own.
The littlest one had a huge crush on me. He is so stinking cute! We vibed because our favorite colors were the same as we skipped through Asakusa holding hands. I already miss him so much!
I also got a taste of what parenting is like… and boy it is hard! I give Megan and Hideo so much credit. During the tour, I asked them how do they do it?? They said, “PATIENCE.”
Oh… I need to work on that before I have kids.
