Japan 2023 Preview and The Cure

I’ve been looking forward to getting back to Japan since Mike and I visited back in 2017. Back in January Mike mentioned he’d be interested in going back since he was jonesing for a Disneyland theme park trip. I restrained myself for maybe 30 seconds before I was online looking for flights.

I know, I know, you’re thinking, “But Art and Mike, Anaheim is just 6 hours away from you! Japan?!”

Yes, Japan. It has Disney Sea which is considered by many the best theme park in the world. (I would agree and I’ve been to many many theme parks around the world.) AND they have a stellar Disneyland, nearly as good as the Anaheim park. (Better if you consider the politeness of the Japanese people compared to Americans. It is a glorious experience to be in a Japanese theme park.) Plus, I love an overseas adventure. Plus we are also going to visit Osaka. Plus I love traveling with Mike. Plus I need a break from work.

Mike’s mere mention if interest drove me to quickly find flights to Tokyo. I had a glut of credit card points leftover from the pandemic and with the help of those we scored business class seats from Vancouver to Tokyo. You know, the kind of seats that fold down into a bed…cushy. It is generally cheaper to fly overseas from Vancouver for some reason even when factoring in a flight from Sacramento to Vancouver. (My last trip to Switzerland was through Vancouver.) Flights booked. Stage one complete.

Stage two was booking hotels. Since we arrive later in the evening in Tokyo we are staying overnight at an amazing hotel in the Tokyo Train Station. It’s called the Tokyo Station Hotel.

In Osaka we are staying a a place right across the street from Universal Studios, Osaka, our primary reason for visiting Osaka.

When we return to Tokyo we stay at the Celebration Hotel for a night then the Disneyland Hotel for the rest of our stay.

And now, The Cure.

My friend Jack asked, “What’s the malady?” When I posted “The Cure” on FB. My response: needing more eyeliner.

Why am I including this concert in my blog? I’m counting last night as the beginning of this vacation. I attended The Cure in concert at Shoreline Amphitheater and it was incredible. The show was sold out with around 22,000 people in attendance. They played three sets, a total of 29 songs. I researched some of the recent playlists from their Southern California shows so I could get an idea of the songs they’d be playing. (I do this regularly for concerts. I like to hear any songs I might not be familiar with. I generally make an Apple Music playlist to become familiar with the setlist.) I’m really glad I did this because I’m a casual Cure fan, familiar with a dozen or so songs. They went deep into their 40 year catalog and played songs I wasn’t too familiar with until my research. I found some new favorites from their setlist and it was great to see them play these new favorites live.

Here’s the setlist if you’re interested.

I got home around 1am and got up at 7am for our flight to Vancouver.

We checked into the Versante Hotel and then headed out for lunch/dinner.

I was in the mood for fish and chips and Mike is always in the mood for fish and chips so we found this little place.

This place was featured on The Food Network’s Diners Drive-in’s and Dives.

A sweet Canadian lady talked our ear off at the Fish Counter. It was lovely. She recommended Coco et Olive for dessert. We were so stuffed so we brought home some cake (cleverly named if you’ve read or seen Matilda) and a cookie for later.

An Uber back to the hotel and we are laying in bed watching the planes on approach to land. I love plane watching.

Tomorrow we fly to Tokyo. Thanks for following along!