Dear Readers,

Hello :) This is Blog PLEIADES.
How is your winter season going ?

Today I am sharing some moments from our Tokyo trip.

Since Kyu and I didn’t go on vacation during summer this year, the trip was a long-awaited getaway for us.

Tokyo happens to be one of my favourite cities, so I really couldn’t wait.
I am not a type who plans for trips in details, so all I knew before going was that I wanted to go to Omotesando and Ginza area, Nezu Museum, Dover Street Market and then simply walk down the street in the city.

We took a very early plane in the morning, so I barely slept.
By the time we got to the airport, even the airport was not open yet.
The lights were out, doors were closed, and we were shivering outside of the door.

Time passed, and we finally got in.
I thought, ‘I know this trip is going to be amazing ! :)’

After the long journey (although it is only a couple hours’ flight from Seoul to Tokyo, the early in the morning ride, train to Tokyo station, then metro to the hotel felt like a whole day), we finally arrived in our hotel.

Our first destination was a fried sando place, where Kyu was very excited about.
It’s called ‘Age 3’. By the time we arrived, it was around 4pm - which is not typically around lunch time or dinner time - and there was a long queue along the park.

Everyone was patient, happily waiting for their turn.
A lady from the sando store came out from time to time to hand out the menu, collect garbages and greet her guests.
Like always, Kyu already knew what he wanted.
We got a free sando (fresh cream one) for leaving a review on tripadvisor.
Kyu said it was not moral since we didn’t even taste the sandwiches yet, so I did it for him (he is a lawyer).
Kyu was very, very satisfied about the sandwiches though, so the review is true !

After fulfilling Kyu’s crave for sandwiches (he had 3), we headed to malls that I wanted to visit.
Dover Street Market & Ginza 6, of course.
I was so happy to be in the middle of their curation and the space.

We simply didn’t have plans for the first day, but I knew I always am up for soba.
Kyu is good at finding good places to eat, he searched for a good soba restaurant but most of the places were fully booked or closed.
Luckily, we could dine at a place that happened to be beyond our expectations.
And luckily, we found that there is a Louise Bourgeois exhibition going on while searching for a restaurant, and it was open till late.

So here we are, in front of one of 20th century’s greatest artist’s works.
I love going to galleries at late hours. I used to go to Tate Modern on Friday nights, looking at art with more intimacy, amazing night views outside the windows and pleasant night strolls.
And now with Kyu, in the middle of a Tokyo night.

It was a retrospective exhibition of Louise Bourgeois, featuring from her very early paintings to the late textile works she made until before her death.
Looking at a full range of her work along the timeline helped me to understand her better.
When I thought of her, I instantly came up with the distorted body parts made with fabric, yearning for her mother’s love that she thinks she lacks, the rage and sadness.
The essence of the energy might come from her rage, but in the end it is just about a person, her love and hate, contemplation about her role as a mother, passion for art-making, struggles and relief.

The day started without knowing what we were going to encounter, and it became one of those days that we are going to remember forever :)

The next day was supposed to be the only sunny day while we were in Tokyo.

I wanted to take Kyu to Omotesando area, look around the town and take him to my favourite museum in Tokyo. Unlike my expectations, he didn’t like the area, and the museum was closed.
Again, we started to walk down the street without a specific destination - I headed towards Shibuya area.

I wore VIOLETTA Silver with a navy dress and stockings with ginko motifs.
It was the first time wearing them outside, too, but they served me well all day during my 20,000 steps-journey.
The tassels were light, the sheepskin felt soft, and the colour lighted up my mood :)

When my dearest Japanese friends took my around in Tokyo, they introduced me to this area, Koenji.
We went Kimono shopping together, and walked down the small streets to find vintage goods.

Thinking of the beautiful memory, I re-visited the town with Kyu.
The lovely little town.

Our original plan was to go to Ginza area to have sushi at Ginza 6.

On the way to the metro station, however, I recognised a logo from a sign.
The logo that I remembered from a business card that the owner of my local soba restaurant gave to me.
He told me I must go to the sushi restaurant if I am to visit Tokyo.

Change of plan, Sushi Zanmai!
We waited for 20 minutes in front of the door, excited about the legit Japanese dinner we were about to have.

And the food was : EXCELLENT.

I already cannot wait for our next visit to Tokyo.

We had one more day in Tokyo, Should I tell you about it ? :)

I am so happy that Kyu and I could paint another page of beautiful memories together.
Tokyo became one of our favourite spots.

Spiders, A Heart, Sunshine, Yakitori, Ginza - and Beautiful Sushi.