Tokyo Typhoon

Stairways at A &F

Yakitori Chicken with Wasabi

Not a Sushi Counter, a Yakitori Counter 

The Yakitori Master

Meat Balls

We were supposed to leave Los Angeles for Tokyo on Tuesday morning at 12:50am. The plan was we got on the plane, took a drink and a sleeping pill and woke up the next morning in Tokyo. So much for plans! About 10pm Monday night we were told the strongest typhoon to hit Tokyo in the last 10 years was going to hit, just as our plane was supposed to land. After a lot of scrambling we found out our flight was delayed till 8:50am the next morning, so we set the alarm for 5:15 am and went to sleep at home.

The flight over on ANA was totally uneventful. We thought we would hit stormy weather, but the flight was smooth.

Upon arriving in Tokyo we were driven to our Hotel: The Capitol Hotel. It is a new very chic hotel, directly across from the parliament and the Japanese Premiere house. We checked in, and after cleaning up took a taxi to the Ginza area, to check out some shopping (what else is new?). We went to the most amazing architectural store: The Abercrombie and Fitch store on the Ginza. The store is very narrow (as are all of their clothes – nothing there would fit me). You take the elevator the 8^th floor and walk down, the best lit glass stairs I have ever walked upon. We loved the design of the store. All of our gay friends would love the paintings on the staircase walls.

Jason, a chef friend of ours, had suggested that we eat at a Yakitori Restaurant named: Birdland. Yakitori are skewers of food grilled over coals. Each piece of chicken is coated with a different sauce or salt. This restaurant only serves bird, so we had skewer after skewer, of thigh, skin, breast, neck meats, all seasoned differently and scrumptious. The restaurant is located underground, off a subway entrance. In America, you never would find a Michelin rated restaurant (which this is) by a subway.

As I write this, I don’t know how many hours we have been up, but I am sure it has been more than 24 hours. Tomorrow, we start our Tokyo adventures.