Japan Trip Day 4 : Ichikawa, First Avenue Tokyo Station, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown

We took the railway to  I-Link Town observation deck at Ichikawa. On a clear day, we were supposedly able to see Mount Fuji and Tokyo Skytree side by side. However, this was just not the right season to come as the weather was cold and misty. While Mount Fuji was not visible, we could still see Tokyo Skytree shrouded in the mist.

On the other side of the observation deck, we had a good view of the winding river with three bridges spanning across its banks. The leftmost bridge carried the JR Sobu Line which was the railway line we took to reach here. It was approaching noon and the mist showed no signs of abating. It looked like we have no chance to view Mount Fuji this morning. Hopefully we would have better luck next time!

We settled for lunch at Ganso Zushi in Akihabara. After the sushi were prepared by the chef, they were placed on a conveyor belt. The sushi were paraded around the table on the conveyor belt and all we need to do was to select the sushi that we want. The sushi were very fresh and the prices were reasonable too.

After a good lunch, we moved on to visit First Avenue at Tokyo Station. First Avenue was a underground shopping complex accessible from the Yaesu exit of Tokyo Station. The shops were organised according to themes such as Ramen Street, Character Street and Okashi Land. It was a convenient place to shop and eat as many established and popular shops had setup their presence here.

Next, we visited Daimaru department store located just besides First Avenue. Daimaru had two basement levels dedicated to sweets and confectionery. This was a food paradise as evident from the crowd patronizing the various food counters. Some sweets which we bought here included Daifuku which was a mochi filled with red bean as well as Tokyo banana which was a cake stuffed with banana cream.

By the time we were done with our shopping, the day had transcended into night. This was the perfect time to hit the streets to view the illuminations that were put up in the city for the Christmas celebration. Our first stop was Roppongi Hills. The trees along the two sides of the street were decorated with lighting that sparkled in cool white and warm amber alternatively.  It was an impressive view with the illuminated tower in the distance and the dazzling lights in the foreground.

Next stop was Tokyo Midtown which showcased a starlight garden at the open area next to the complex. The lights were orchestrated to glitter and dance along with the background music. The mesmerizing display of lights and sound helped to provide festive cheer in the cold weather. The display of illumination was an awesome and memorable way to end our trip. We hope to be able to catch more of it the next time!