Tokyo walking tour (Apr 2nd)

On Thursday April 2nd, I hired a babysitter to watch the kids all day while I went and explored Tokyo.  I left at about 8:45 a.m. and arrived in Tokyo around 10:00.  My first stop was Harajuku Gardens.  I only had about 15 minutes in the garden because I was trying to catch the next boat tour, but what I did see was really pretty and it was neat to see a park in the shadow of so many skyscrapers.

The cherry blossom were in full bloom

My next adventure was a boat tour that went up the river, going under 12 different bridges and eventually stopping in Asakusa (a district of Tokyo).  The boat was already filling up when I got on and my first seat was down below and not so great for taking pictures.

The inside of the boat.

After the first stop, several people got off and I quickly took a place at the railing on top of the boat where I got to spend the rest of the tour.  It was a beautiful sunny day out and just warm enough for short-sleeves!  The sights were amazing and especially since many areas of the river bank were lined with flowering cherry trees.  This was the best part of my self-guided tour!

The famous fish market seen from the water side.

Many bridges were very low and only a meter or so above our heads.

We didn't go under that tiny one, just by it :)

Here was a boat that was similar to the one I was on.

This is where the boat docked, right in the middle of the cherry blossom festival going on.

I seem to have a weird selfie smile.

There were lots of people just picnicing under the cherry trees (this is A THING)

My next stop was to explore the Asakusa area.  There is a large shrine and pagoda that I went to, with lots of shopping and street food for sale around it.

This gate is famous for it's large lantern hanging in the middle.

The gate leads directly into an alley of shopping stalls.

This leads to a second large gate, as seen below.

And to the left there is a large pagoda.

From one of the food stalls I got snow crab on a stick.

Here is the entrance to the temple with incense burning outside.

They had self-serve fortunes here where you put in 100 yen, shake for a numbered stick, and then pull out the piece of paper that is in the corresponding numbered drawer.

I got No. 1 "Best fortune"!

Here is another view of the temple from the side.

And some more food stalls.

I got these enormous sweet potato fries.

 Next it was time to head to the kitchen shopping district.  There were stores upon stores filled with various kitchen wares.  I got a new paring knife and few other kitchen gadgets.

They engraved my name in Katakana on the handle of the knife: アンナ

Videos from my boat tour: