Our Last Day in Tokyo

Thursday was our last day enjoying Tokyo before moving on to Hiroshima for the night. Here are the things we did before leaving:

The Tokyo Dome

If you've ever wondered what happens at a sports stadium in the hours before a big game, then we have something in common! When we toured the Tokyo Dome early Thursday morning, we could see what happens behind the scenes and experience some of what it's like to be a player. First, we learned about the history of the Dome, the home of the pro-baseball team the Tokyo Giants (we watched them play the Swallows earlier this week). It is an all-weather stadium that allows games to go on rain or shine. The 62-meter-high dome is supported by pressurized air. As we sat in the stands, we watched the staff brush the lawn and fill in missing patches of grass. We then got to pitch and get up to bat, experiencing the players' point of view.

Japanese Baseball Museum & Hall of Fame

On our next leg of the tour, we had the opportunity to walk through the Japanese baseball museum, looking at old jerseys, signed balls, and winners’ medals—some dating back 100 years! We also walked through their baseball Hall of Fame, seeing clay portraits of players, coaches, game sponsors, and mentors lining the walls.

Japanese Style Lunch

For lunch, two girls and I visited a restaurant on the top floor of our hotel. We ordered a traditional Japanese meal and took turns trying tempura-style fruits, vegetables, and prawns. We also shared a large tray of sushi. Our favorites included the salmon and tuna; our least favorite was a rice ball wrapped in sushi and covered in fish eggs. It was a great experience and allowed us to try new foods!

teamLAB Immersive Art Museum

We finished our exploration for the day at the teamLAB Borderless digital art museum. Every local we asked for recommendations told us to visit this place, and it did not disappoint! The walls and floors of the museum rooms were covered in moving projections of flowers, shapes, and colors. One room was filled with mirrors and giant marbles on tracks; another was full of guests’ drawings of fish floating in a massive aquarium. Perhaps my favorite room was decorated like a medieval art piece you would find on a tapestry.

We ate comfort food as a group for dinner at Outback Steakhouse, then finished the night playing cards in the hotel hallway. This morning, I woke up sad about leaving Tokyo and eager to explore the next place!