We are on our way to Japan for a three-week trip. This is the first post of many.

We arrive on time, go through customs and immigration, are picked up, and driven to our hotel.

Having arrived at our hotel in the early evening, we are not in the mood for an extensive dining excursion. We walk to the nearby Shinbashi area and find a place for dinner.

In the morning, a private guide met us in the hotel to take us to Asakusa and nearby areas for a tour.

A different kind of ramen using fish-based broth.

Shopping at Broadway in Nakano and an all-tuna dinner.

We had an unplanned visit to Bar Centifolia in Azabujuban, on the way home from dinner. Good drinks, and quite the show!

Today’s ultimate destination is the Ghibli Museum, a museum dedicated to the process used by Studio Ghibli and to its products. The only way we were able to do this was by signing up for an all-day Studio Ghibli-themed bus tour that included the museum.

For lunch, we visited the Hotel Gajoen Tokyo, a historic hotel, wedding venue, and restaurant located on the eastern edge of Shimomeguro. The opulent landmark building, in particular its lobby, reportedly inspired the red entrance in the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away.

Our next destination was the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum. The animator Hayao Miyazaki often visited here during the creation of his film, Spirited Away, for inspiration.