I STARTED this piece while at the Gotanda railway station for our final train ride to Narita airport after a week of visiting several attractions that Tokyo has to offer.

But sorry, despite all the train rides we did this week, never did I see any train groping scenes, it only happens in adult movies.

I am impressed by Japan’s trains, they are all clean, comfortable, and on time , spacious too as I just had a co-passenger in the train who had a surfboard and a luggage with her.

One thing also, local folks are so used to riding trains that they can text while standing up and not hold on to the dangling handrails.

However for us seniors, the most important thing to remember when in Japan is to bring a millennial to serve as the guide both in finding the right gate, trains, platforms, restaurants, and in buying train tokens. even in ordering from a menu.

In short for everything and without him, Marissa, Livi, and I would have been lost in Tokyo without even trying.

The weather was cold, ranging from 8 to 15 degrees that even with the sun out as it did most of the time. We were all wearing jackets or hoodies.

The week certainly flew past for me and the family with each day spent going to different destinations and trying out a lot of local restaurants including a wagyu beef dinner treat by my son with a McDonalds and two Chinese restaurants .

Also tried street foods in Tsukiji after which we chanced upon a small coffee shop that that had a sign saying John Lennon was a regular customer and in return, the shop was playing Beatles songs.

My son’s dexterity and handling skills were tested like a true athlete when we went to Akibahara, Japan’s anime and electronics capital. on Sunday afternoons, the streets are even closed to cars .

Initially he won a prize at the claw machine, a real money stealer as people could not stop playing until they get the prize they want ir their money ran out. JM won several prizes but in the end, I think we still lost.
I liked Odaiba even if it is a bit far, it features man-made attractions like a bridge that looks like the Golden Gate but came in white, a Silver Bridge would be a better name.
An exact replica of the famous Statue of Liberty in New York was also put up there in the area.
Bbut the biggest attraction of the place, especially at 5 p.m. was a 7-story high anime character Gundam who comes alive only during that time and only for a few minut3s.
There was a big crowd , including us, waiting for the giant robot to move.

Actually the first attraction we saw when we arrived was the 634m. high Tokyo Skytree at Oshiage where stayed the first two days before moving to Gotanda’ JP East Mets Hotel, strategically located within a train station complex.

A day was reserved for Tokyo Disneyland, a promise made by my eldest daughter Janis for our apo Livi, but unfortunately, Janis fell sick a few days before our departure and so it fell upon us to accompany Livi to this dream destination for children.

It was tiring and we did ot even see half of the place. We saw a lot of people in fact the lines at the entrance were long even as Janis researched on best day to be there with fewest people, a Wednesday.

Highlight supposedly for Livi was the photo opportunity with Mickey Mouse at his house. And we patiently lined up for that only to know that Livi is not a fan of Mickey, having failed to see those cartoons unlike her mom.

More than a quarter of a century, Livi’s mom Jemi, then 4 or 5 years old was in Disneyland in Los Angeles, a dream come true for her and for us parents, now it was her daughter’s turn and again, a dream come true for me and Marissa.

But the best destination for me was Hakone, the farthest too. It is a mountain top place with a volcano and a lake which we cruised on board a “pirate” ship, followed by cable car rides around the area.

At 2000m. high, the place allowed us a good view of Mt. Fuji with its snow topped upper slopes.

And I remembered telling Akiko Thomson-Guevara, a two-time Philippine Olympian but a full-blooded Japanese too that I would draw inspiration from Mt. Fuji in writing her overdue feature story.

Now I have to deliver.

Sayonara and Arigato Gozai-mas to Japan and to JM and Janis for this treat.

But would you believe by Sunday early morning. I am flying to Legazpi City for a one-week Bicol tour with high school batchmates from Paco Catholic School and some spouses, sponsored by a former JRU Light Bomber Bong Nocon, now based in Canada and whose desire is to enjoy our remaining years in this world by travelling.