The smallest bar in Tokyo

In the warrens of Goruden Gai in Shinjuku, we found the tiny Albatross. A great spot to enjoy a few methodically prepared Japanese whiskey drinks. Gombei!

Tempura!

Our journey to experience as many types of Japanese food as possible begins! We started with izakaya for lunch and decided upon tempura for dinner. Our all-tempura restaurant looked like a sushi bar, but the chefs were busy behind the bar frying a range of veg and seafood. Each piece delivered promptly out of the fryer, lightly battered. By far, it was the freshest and most delicious tempera we have ever had. Instructions on the use of condiments--radish, sauce, salt--were helpful.

Yayoi Kusama at the National Art Center

Kill Bill here?

And then we ate lunch at the museum that apparently inspired one of the major bloodbaths in the Kill Bill movies.

N.S. Harsha at the Mori Museum

The Mori Museum featured a sprawling exhibition of Mysore-based artist N.S. Harsha.

Welcome to Tokyo

After negotiating the maze that is the Shanghai airport, and finally getting to our gate less airplane off in a desolate corner of the endless tarmac, and then enjoying (surprisingly) some of the best airline food we've ever had (there was panna cotta involved), we've arrived in Tokyo. More on that soon!

Kaws

Our art fix of the day was provided by the stunning Kaws show at the Yuz Museum.

What I did not eat for breakfast

Shanghai donuts.

What I ate for breakfast

The goal of the Xiangyang Park trip was really breakfast--the adjacent collection of street food vendors that represents one of the last remaining zones in Shanghai. Slightly dubious about the veg street food offerings, I was delighted to find a crepe vendor serving traditional egg, scallion, and hoisin sauce crepes with fried bread crunches inside. Happy vegetarian.

Parks and Rec

First stop of the morning was Xiangyang Park, where everyone seems to go to get their workout on. The park includes a mash up of various Tai Chi and aerobics groups, sharing the space with water calligraphy painters. Our timing was perfect, we caught the best weather before the smog rolled in.

Welcome to Shanghai

After a 13 hour flight and another couple hours at the airport, we arrived in Shanghai, weary and blurry-eyed. The cityscape light show and the longest living floral wall imaginable helped to revive us.

Shanghaid!

It's that time again. Thirteen hours until I get my xiao long bao. Then on to Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto and surrounds. Stay tuned.