Joni has officially mastered the art of travel sleeping. Nine hours straight! She woke up refreshed and ready to take on Tokyo, while we felt slightly more human than usual. Our first mission of the day was breakfast. We found a new spot that was pleasant enough, but there was one glaring issue; no matcha lattes. A real oversight. Naturally, we corrected this immediately with a to-go stop before heading out on our “free day” in Tokyo.
The Tokyo Metro is awe inspiring; efficient, clean, and remarkably easy to navigate. 
Unless, of course, you have a stroller (like us). Then it becomes something of a puzzle game, where the objective is to locate an elevator before exhaustion sets in. We ran into other families on the same mission, and there was an unspoken bond between us as we all scoured the stations for the elusive elevators. 
We made it to our first destination of the day: the Imperial Palace East Gardens. 
The gardens were a peaceful escape from the city’s towering buildings. 
Sprawling green lawns, carefully pruned trees, and stone pathways wove through remnants of Edo Castle. Some early cherry blossoms were even starting to bloom.
As we wandered, we noticed that the city was teeming with runners. The Tokyo Marathon is only two weeks away, which meant every sidewalk was filled with enthusiastic joggers, sprinting past, around, and occasionally through us. At one point, we found ourselves walking in a line of marathon hopefuls, which made for an amusing game of dodging and weaving with a stroller.
Then came the Great Subway Separation of 2025 (as Emily refers to it….🙄)
Emily and I were boarding a train, stroller in tow, when in an instant, the doors shut, right between us. I was inside, staring at Emily and Joni through the glass.
Emily looked unimpressed.
I started frantically miming a plan like a contestant in a high-stakes game of charades.
Emily continued staring glaring.
Thankfully, we reunited at the next station, but I feel like we’ve now experienced a classic Tokyo tourist moment.
After a brief stop at the bustling vendor street from Day 1 (where we absolutely did not buy more snacks… okay, we did), we made our way to the Tokyo National Museum.
This place was a treasure trove of Japanese history. The craftsmanship on display was stunning, swords so sharp-looking they could probably cut through time itself, helmets adorned with intricate designs, and delicate tea sets.
To close out the day, we treated ourselves to a nine-course kaiseki meal at Soujuan restaurant. This was not just dinner, it was an experience.
The waitstaff wore elegant kimonos and moved between tables with the grace of geishas. Each table had its own private room, designed with soft lighting and traditional Japanese aesthetics. The food presentation was so beautiful that I hesitated before digging in, as if disturbing the plating would somehow offend the chef.
Some of the standout dishes included grilled miso-marinated yellowtail, deep-fried snow crab with rice cracker, and scallops mixed with cod roe and sea urchin. Then came the big moment: our first time eating pufferfish, also known as fugu, which just happens to be one of the most dangerous foods in the world. We stared at our plates, then at each other, then back at our plates. And then, with moderate hesitation, we went for it.
It was..meh. Also, we lived. Bucket list item checked!
Meanwhile, Joni slept through the entire three-hour, nine-course meal. Not a single peep. A truly impressive display of commitment to our lifestyle (he writes with a sly smile)..
Next up: more adventures with our original guide! Stay tuned.
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