MINI PIG CAFE 11 AM
There is so much to see in Tokyo and you can just hop on the train and/or walk to many sights. But if you want to visit certain venues or businesses, many require a reservation. Japan has many animal-themed cafes where you can visit dogs, cats, hedgehogs, pigs, birds, and even snakes/reptiles. They offer animal companionship without the burden of maintaining pets in an urban environment. Our granddaughter chose the mini pig cafe since she had a cat cafe birthday a few months before. We made an 11am reservation and we all had a great time. The pigs were sweet and cuddly, loving to nap on our legs/laps. Some bickered with each other and the cafe hosts were quick to snatch-up the troublemakers.
Tokyo Dome Giants Baseball & Tokyo Dome City
If you love baseball or even if you don’t, you’ve got to experience baseball in Japan. It’s quite a different experience – it celebrates the game as only the Japanese can. The left & right outfields have two separate cheering sections for each team – think Friday Night High-school Football amplified. The two sides below the panoramic score board are dedicated, opposing cheer sections. They are loud and enthusiastic. Coordinated cheers, especially when a popular player is coming up to bat, results in a lot of noise throughout the game. The Tokyo Giants, although wearing the same colors as the San Francisco Giants, are the ‘New York Yankees of Japan’.
The Tokyo Dome is an amazing place to watch a game and it is always packed. But tickets can be had if booked far in advanced or through various ticket agencies. Tip: on a previous trip to Japan, we bought two last-minute Tokyo Giants tickets at a nearby Lawson convenience store. They had a ticket vending machine in the store. This trip’s tickets were reserved online from the US well in advance.
Surrounding the Tokyo Dome is Tokyo Dome City, acres of shopping, restaurants, gardens, and amusement rides. It was a wonderful place for the grand-kids to get ice cream, ride the ferris wheel, and expend their pent-up energy from sitting during the game.
