Our final days of our three week Japan excursion was back in the capital.

We spent our last few days in Tokyo enjoying the city by walking around a lot and of course eating. After our trek back from Hakone we checked into our newly built hotel, Hotel Musse, in the Ginza District.

Since we were quite tired from traveling, we decided to rest up before heading to dinner at INUA, a Scandinavian restaurant where we tried innovative cuisine with unique ingredients.

The following day, we headed to Theobroma, a chocolate shop with deliciously crafted homemade chocolates and desserts. We got their famous chocolate cake (must get) and the strawberry shortcake. Both cakes were scrumptious and I could have easily eaten more! I should have bought some of their tantalizing chocolates to go.

After our morning sweets we headed to Meiji Jingu, one of the city’s most well known Shinto shrines which is dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. Since it’s located within a forest in the middle of Tokyo, as soon as you enter you forget that you’re even in a busy city.

That night we dined at Butagumi, a very popular tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) restaurant (make sure to make a reservation). Their menu had so many types of pork coming from various parts of the world and different cuts. We decided to try two different cuts from different parts of Japan. Both were delicious, perfectly cooked with the crispiest breading. So good!

After dinner, we walked around the Kabukichō also known as the Red Light District of Tokyo where there are numerous clubs, bars, shops, and restaurants.

The following morning we ran around the Imperial Palace grounds before lunch. I had to stop to take some photos of the beautiful cherry blossom trees in season!

One of the highlights of our entire trip was lunch at Udon Shin, a tiny udon shop where fresh noodles are made daily. Since it’s a small shop, seats are very limited so go early to avoid lines! The udon noodles were some of the best I have ever eaten and I’m not exaggerating. I still think about these phenomenal noodles with their amazing texture and chew. They offered so many types of udon, in broth and without broth, that it was hard to choose what to order. We decided to get three types which was a lot of food but so worth it. Two were more traditional and the third was a Japanese take on the classic Roman dish carbonara (pasta with eggs, cheese, and guanciale). All three were absolutely phenomenal and I couldn’t recommend this restaurant enough.

After our incredibly delicious lunch we made a stop at Taiyaki Wakaba where we tried taiyaki, a traditional Japanese fish-shaped pastry filled with red bean paste.

We ended our afternoon in Akihabara, also known as the Anime District with tons of electronic stores.

Our final night in Japan was spent at Florilège for a great dinner to wrap up our culinary adventures.

Three weeks of traveling throughout Japan was only a mere glimpse into their culture, food, and attractions. There’s still so much to explore, eat, and experience in this one of a kind country and I am counting down the days until I can visit again!