Vivi and I woke up around 5:30am, still feeling the effects of the jet lag. Being 14 hours ahead of Bogotá is no joke, but at least we’d both slept well and managed about seven full hours.

By 7am we texted Bart and Ale to see if they were awake, and Bart was. Bart and I decided to go out for a quick walk and look for breakfast. Nothing nearby was open yet, so we ended up at a Lawson convenience store, which turned out to be a fun little adventure on its own. I picked up a handful of snacks to try: an egg sandwich, a tuna sandwich, melon pan, a caramel latte, and some rice crackers.

We hung out at the hotel for a while after that and got ready to leave around 9:30am.

Our first stop of the day was Sensō-ji Temple, one of Tokyo’s most famous sites. The temple dates back to the 600s and has burned down multiple times over the centuries, most recently being rebuilt in the 1950s after World War II.

We spent about an hour wandering through the grounds, soaking in the views of the temples, the smell of incense, and the energy of the crowds. It was our first real taste of old Tokyo, and it didn’t disappoint.

Afterward, we found a nearby café (Kanmidokoro Nishiyama), grabbed some drinks, and sat for about an hour just chatting and people-watching.

From there, we took the train to the Tsukiji Fish Market. Even though the main wholesale market has moved to Toyosu, Tsukiji still has plenty of life with street food stalls and small restaurants. We tried a few snacks from the vendors outside before sitting down for sushi at one of the nearby restaurants. Fresh fish, quiet atmosphere, and a good mix of locals and tourists made it a great stop.

After lunch we caught another train north to Ueno Park, one of the city’s largest green spaces. We walked around for about an hour, taking in the ponds, shaded walkways, and a few food truck.

Next, we took the train to Akihabara Station. Bart decided to head back to the hotel, while Vivi, Ale, and I visited Muji, one of the popular clothing brands for Japanese people. After browsing for a while, I left the girls to continue shopping and went back to the hotel to rest for a bit.

Later in the evening Bart and I went out again and met up with the girls for dinner at Yuzu Lab Noodle Shop. This was our first experience with Japan’s famous vending-machine ordering system. You put money into the machine, press the number for the dish you want, and it prints out a little ticket. You hand that ticket to the staff when you sit down, and a few minutes later your meal arrives exactly as ordered.

The ramen was excellent. Bart even said it was the best he’s ever had, which is saying something since he lives in Sydney, where there’s no shortage of good ramen.

We finished dinner and walked back to the hotel, getting in around 8:30pm. After a full day of sightseeing and walking, we checked our step count: 18,500 steps. Not bad for day one. We’re planning to relax for the rest of the evening and call it an early night before another big day tomorrow.