When Mums Come To Stay: Part 1 - Exploring Tokyo And Surrounds: Kawagoe And Yoyogi

Kawagoe (an old town), Tokyo

So make that 3 weeks! (I had a teeny rest. Hey, I'm pregnant, gotta make the most.)

But now I'm back! Two weeks of bliss with my mother in Tokyo, exploring, having coffee, and planning all things baby - a new mama and grandmama-to-be in the same room... well, I'm sure you can imagine.

Here's some photos of our trip, if you would like to see...

Abandoned building in Kawagoe, an old town, in Tokyo. Total perk for tourists: there are none! So we could be tourist and felt like locals.

 Heavenly door action. In an old Samurai home, Kawagoe, Tokyo.

You can't beat the streets - street food yakitori (smokey grilled perfectness over charcoal) in Kawagoe, Tokyo. 

Yellow.

The main street in Kawagoe, Tokyo.

Not a good photo, but a great memory.

Apparently Yoyogi Koen (big central park in the middle of Tokyo), has a different food festival every weekend. HOW did I not know this? This week: India. 

Mama not quite understanding our excitement at freshly cooked naan and curry - with spices! SPICES, I tell you! (The delicacies of Japanese cooking utterly depend upon allowing the subtle flavours of each piece of food on a plate to speak entirely for itself - hence spices are practically unheard of, well from my extremely novice experience anyway.)

How to make Kirrily sing for joy? Mum's home cooked Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding. Dream. I actually got up in the middle of the night for a leftovers fridge raid for this.

Dang. Sprung. The only downside of having a mum come to stay: she will take photos of you at McDonalds. 

Oh, and a little bit of stroller (!!) at Japan's famous Air Buggy store. I'm trying to look cool and super natural. Inside = bursting. In. Love.

When Mums Come To Stay: Part 2 (Hakone and the utterly breathtaking Fujiya - think The Grand Budapest Hotel in Japan) coming soon.

Miss you already, mama!