Micropigs

Is it because he's smelly?! Turns out little piggies really love Julian. He had seven on his lap at once without any effort at all! Other people at the cafe barely had one.

Iseya

Yummy, especially for Julian - yakitori on the street! It was called Iseya.

Rice crackers

This was a truly special experience. As part of our culinary tour, we were taken to a place that has been making handmade rice crackers since the 1960s. The woman there took an instant love to the children, and kept handing them freebies, despite the language barrier. Her daughter was lovely but it was the grey haired mother that made me teary- she reminded me so much of Nanna.

Culinary backstreets gang

Sweets and treats

Walking through the market - none of us liked these Sweet delicacies.

Miso restaurant!

Welcome to Zoe's favourite Japanese restaurant - a dedicated miso place where we did a miso tasting of 9 pastes and chose our favourite to create bespoke soups. They ranged from sweet to vegemite-y, and we love the miso cheesecake and sugared walnuts. Mmmmmm.

Fugu sushi

Fun to experience, not so great to eat. Don't even ask about the fugu sake.

And more!

More cool art

Culinary tour

The next stop on our food tour was a
Pop up gyoza eatery where the gyoza was so juicy they splurted onto the table when you bit into them. The department store we walked through had lots of cool graffiti art as well.

Japan day 3

Culinary backstreets tour - and of course Julian was looking forward to this most of all. It was a foodie extravaganza, led by our English guide Phoebe, where we joined an interesting Californian couple. First stop: a department store which served amazingly fresh sushi and a perusal of their aisles - including a $300 cantaloupe! Julian resolved to eat everything he was given....

Julian’s fave restaurant in Japan

We went to Gonpachi in Roppongi thinking it was where Kill Bill was shot. Instead we learned it merely inspired Kill Bill. Nevertheless, Julian loved it. Was it the fact that they handed him plum wine at the entrance without first establishing his age? Was he drunk? I dunno, but he was dancing like no one was watching - and plenty we're watching!

Day 2 Japan

Day 2 - Team Borderless. And then Julian tries scary meat on a stick in Akihabara and tries to avoid the x-rated floor at Don Quixote