Day 3

 

Today was one of the more lighthearted and fun days—we got to see pandas! We walked over to Ueno Zoo, where the pandas were clearly the main attraction. It was easy to see how much they mean to the area; there were panda statues and decorations throughout Ueno, which gave the whole neighborhood a playful and welcoming vibe.

After the zoo, we wandered around Taito City and explored the Asakusa shopping stalls. The area was vibrant and full of character, with narrow streets lined with local vendors and a mix of traditional and modern goods. It was a great way to experience the everyday energy of Tokyo—outside of the big attractions, just walking, browsing, and soaking in the atmosphere.

Today felt less structured than previous days, which gave us space to take things at our own pace and enjoy some of the smaller, more personal moments of being in Japan. I ended up do a lot of my shopping on this day getting my mom some earrings made and found a cool watch for my boyfriend. I ended the day grabbing dinner with my brother and his girlfriend before they had to leave again for Tennessee. 

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