I wanted to take things slower today, especially after yesterday’s marathon. I allowed myself to sleep in and started the day late. Sleep quality is still not great, though. I keep waking up to go to the bathroom, and I honestly wonder when that will stop. For now, it is just part of the background noise.
No physiotherapy today. I decided to give the knee a proper day off. It was still a bit swollen in the morning, but ice and elevation helped, and it looked much better than yesterday. That alone felt reassuring.
We went to the gardens for a short stroll, mainly to let the kids run around and get some fresh air. Tokyo really knows how to take care of its parks. Calm, clean, thoughtful. We walked slowly, enjoyed the sun, and recharged a bit.
From there, we headed to City Hall to the viewing point. Seeing the city from above made it click. Now I understand why Tokyo is considered the biggest city in the world. On a clear day, we could even see Mount Fuji in the distance. Impressive and slightly overwhelming at the same time.
Fatigue started to creep in, and it was not even the busiest part of the day yet. We had lunch at a classic tourist trap, but at least I ate well, and energy came back.
In the afternoon, we went to Shibuya. Nintendo, Pokémon, Godzilla, and plenty of other anime stores. No places to sit anywhere. The kids wanted to buy everything. We eventually settled on Godzillas. After that, things escalated quickly. Even busier streets. Shibuya Crossing. The crowd density was unreal. I do not think I have seen anything like that, not even in São Paulo at rush hour.
We ended the day with sushi in a very small, very tight restaurant. Excellent food, limited space. By then, my knee was clearly missing the ice sessions I had skipped during the day. It held up, but it let me know it had noticed.
Back home, ice and sleep. A long day, a good day, and a reminder that even “slow” days in Tokyo are anything but small.
Key Takeaways
- Sleeping in helps reset after overload days
- Skipping physio occasionally can help swelling settle
- Slow walking and good pacing make sightseeing possible
- Tokyo’s scale is impressive but physically demanding
- Lack of seating increases fatigue more than walking
- Ice should not be skipped on long city days