By Jenetta
We began the morning bright and early with a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, sitting in a peaceful and intimate setting as we learned to make authentic matcha. We watched a tea master prepare matcha with precision before enjoying her creation alongside small Japanese pastries. Afterward, we visited a temple, admiring its exterior before exploring the surrounding small shops filled with souvenirs and popular local foods.
We then took the bus to the Ginza, where several luxury brands reside. Most of us had lunch at “Restaurant City” while others did some hefty shopping. The brands included luxury brands like Chanel, Cartier, Gucci, and others like Uniqlo and Muji. After an hour of exploring the mall, we took the bus to the Hama-rikyū Gardens. There was a long field of yellow flowers and roads in between the flowers along with a lake that ran down the entire field. Many took pictures and others explored the fields.
After we left the Hama-rikyū Gardens, we set off to Ueno Park to view the cherry blossoms in their early bloom. There we took some more pictures, and enjoyed the beautiful nature and scenery there was to offer. Along the way, there were many food trucks for us to eat from, and although it was a bit crowded, it was still an amazing experience. Once we gathered at our meeting spot, we began our walk to dinner where we had okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes), which are actually savory instead of sweet. We all had an amazing time and fueled up before our final train ride back to the hotel. Once we made it to the final train stop on our journey back, we made a small pit stop just before the hotel at 7/11. There, we bought our breakfast for tomorrow since we have to be up bright and early for our next adventure, which starts before the hotel serves breakfast.