Introduction
Tokyo is a city with lots to do and lots to eat - it's one of my favorite places that I've traveled to. The locals are friendly, the food is amazing, and navigation is a piece of cake. Japan is a place everyone wants to visit once in their lifetime for good reason - there's just so many good things to say! I loved it so much that I decided to visit twice in the span of 4 months and I have zero regrets.
My first visit to Tokyo was undoubtedly a lucky coincidence because my flight to Sydney required about a 19 hour layover in Tokyo in both directions. It was a cheap fare on a fantastic airline (ANA) so I jumped on the opportunity. The plane ticket was pricey but it was such a great decision.
In general, I thought that Japan was pretty safe because there aren't a lot of hecklers and beggars, but just make sure you apply common sense and traditional travel safety tips. Also, the best food I ate in Japan wasn't at any luxurious restaurants - it was usually metro stations that had the best food! A lot of the metro stations have relatively cheap restaurants where you order off of a vending machine. You basically select your meal, pay at the machine, and it gives you a ticket. Then, you give the ticket to the cook and they make your food and give it to you!
My first visit to Tokyo was undoubtedly a lucky coincidence because my flight to Sydney required about a 19 hour layover in Tokyo in both directions. It was a cheap fare on a fantastic airline (ANA) so I jumped on the opportunity. The plane ticket was pricey but it was such a great decision.
In general, I thought that Japan was pretty safe because there aren't a lot of hecklers and beggars, but just make sure you apply common sense and traditional travel safety tips. Also, the best food I ate in Japan wasn't at any luxurious restaurants - it was usually metro stations that had the best food! A lot of the metro stations have relatively cheap restaurants where you order off of a vending machine. You basically select your meal, pay at the machine, and it gives you a ticket. Then, you give the ticket to the cook and they make your food and give it to you!
Day 1
My flight from Los Angeles landed at Haneda Airport at around 5:20am, but I was surprisingly full of energy and ready to explore. Navigating through the airport was not challenging at all even though I don't know Japanese. After getting through immigration and customs, I decided to just sit down and take a rest for a while to plan my day. At the arrivals hall, there are coin lockers where you can store baggage, a tourist desk that sells train tickets, subway passes, etc., places to get a SIM card and pocket WiFi, and buses to other places in Japan.
Getting to the city center from Haneda is incredibly easy - I went to one of the machines and bought myself a PASMO card, which could be used on all public transportation in Tokyo and even in some convenience stores and vending machines (they have a lot of vending machines that sell anything you could imagine). It's much easier to use the PASMO card than deal with cash for every ride you take on the subway. However, the system is distance-based, so the further you travel the more expensive it is. I never needed to use a bus or take a taxi because the subway was just so convenient and easy to use. If you use the subway with Google Maps, it's pretty easy to get around. Signs and announcements are repeated in English.
I decided to head to Ueno Park for my first stop of the day. It was still pretty early in the morning but there were so many people out and about. There were lots of elderly Japanese men and women jogging and meditating. I also saw a lot of dogs! It was very cute. After walking around the park for a while, I decided to head to the Tsujiki Fish Market.
Getting to the city center from Haneda is incredibly easy - I went to one of the machines and bought myself a PASMO card, which could be used on all public transportation in Tokyo and even in some convenience stores and vending machines (they have a lot of vending machines that sell anything you could imagine). It's much easier to use the PASMO card than deal with cash for every ride you take on the subway. However, the system is distance-based, so the further you travel the more expensive it is. I never needed to use a bus or take a taxi because the subway was just so convenient and easy to use. If you use the subway with Google Maps, it's pretty easy to get around. Signs and announcements are repeated in English.
I decided to head to Ueno Park for my first stop of the day. It was still pretty early in the morning but there were so many people out and about. There were lots of elderly Japanese men and women jogging and meditating. I also saw a lot of dogs! It was very cute. After walking around the park for a while, I decided to head to the Tsujiki Fish Market.
On the way to the fish market, I couldn't resist myself and had to buy some takoyaki - it's so expensive in the US and it's a food I really enjoy. I got some for around 580 yen and it was absolutely amazing.
The fish market was one of the most interesting sights I've ever seen. It's a pretty cool market that sells all sorts of seafood and some of it gets pretty wacky (I tried squid on a stick). You can get pretty adventurous here if you're in the mood! There are a lot of sit-down places as well, as you'll see a lot of people trying to usher you into their restaurant. They usually sell pretty similar things like sushi and sashimi, but I didn't get a chance to try it.
After eating at the fish market, I headed towards Tokyo Station in search of a particular store that exclusively sold Domo items (Domo is a Japanese cartoon that I'm a fan of). The inside of the station could almost be described as a mall because there's a lot of stores and small eateries inside. On the way, I saw a store that sold tasty egg tarts. When I got to the store, it did not disappoint as it was everything I imagined it to be. I would have bought out the whole store but I didn't have the money or the luggage to bring it all with me! I ended up just buying a Domo key chain that I still hang on my backpack.
After ogling at all the Domos, I headed towards Asakusa to see the Senso-ji temple. On the way, there are lots of little shops and restaurants selling all sorts of things. I decided to stop and buy a matcha ice cream cone which tasted amazing.
Senso-ji is a very cool temple but it was REALLY crowded when I went. It's really hard to get a nice picture with no tourists in the background but I still highly recommend going. You could also do this thing where you get a fortune after paying a small amount. You can either get a "good" or "bad" fortune, but I got the good one! I guess life is looking up. There are also small gardens and smaller temples you can explore around Senso-ji, which I think is also very cool. Afterwards, I decided to explore the area around Asakusa where there is also a huge pedestrian street if that's your scene.
After seeing the temple, I had to start heading back towards the airport to catch my flight. While I was at Shinagawa Station transferring subway lines, I stopped at a small shop to get a bowl of udon. While I was ordering, the lady said something I didn't understand but I just nodded because I didn't want to show that I didn't know Japanese. Then, my udon ended up being cold udon! It was something I wasn't used to but I still thought it was very good.
Once I got to the airport, I got my luggage from the coin lockers and decided to take a short shower before my flight to Sydney. The shower facility is in the international arrivals hall, off to the side and it's only 1030 yen. They provide everything you need (towels, body soap, hair dryer, etc.) but you are on a time limit so make sure you don't spend too long in the shower! It was very clean and very refreshing, which I felt like was well spent. After going through security and such, I got a small gift for my friend at the duty free shop before getting on the plane - and I was surprised to find out I had a whole row to myself! That was a great ending to an amazing first day in Tokyo.
Once I got to the airport, I got my luggage from the coin lockers and decided to take a short shower before my flight to Sydney. The shower facility is in the international arrivals hall, off to the side and it's only 1030 yen. They provide everything you need (towels, body soap, hair dryer, etc.) but you are on a time limit so make sure you don't spend too long in the shower! It was very clean and very refreshing, which I felt like was well spent. After going through security and such, I got a small gift for my friend at the duty free shop before getting on the plane - and I was surprised to find out I had a whole row to myself! That was a great ending to an amazing first day in Tokyo.
Day 2
Once again, my flight from Sydney got into Tokyo pretty early in the day. I decided to relax by getting a milk tea and finalizing my plans for the day. Then, I headed off to Tokyo Sky Tree, where I was looking for the huge Pokemon store (relive my childhood, you know?). On the way, I got onigiri from a convenience store, which was amazing - I wish it was cheaper in the States.
Tokyo Sky Tree is a HUGE mall with a lot of shops and things to do. I was initially overwhelmed but I was focused on getting to the Pokemon shop first. But first, I stopped by a small store to buy some makeup products my sister wanted me to look for. I probably spent a good half hour just video chatting her over LINE and asking her which products she wanted - I never knew so many make up products existed. I ended up asking the shopkeeper for help and she was able to point me in the right direction. After that, I saw a small restaurant that had a special on a tempura bowl. I'm a huge sucker for tempura, so I ate my 2nd meal of the day (it's not even noon yet) but I had zero regrets because it was so good. Eventually, I finally found the Pokemon Center.
This shop was a childhood dream come true. They sell Pokemon themed everything, from stuffed animals to the games to pencil cases. I splurged a little and bought myself a small Pikachu key chain which I hang in my car. On the way out, I stopped by another store and bought my sister a Hello Kitty water bottle. I was beginning to doubt how I would be able to take all of this back on the plane, but I thought that I could figure it out later.
I got out of the mall and started to head towards Shibuya to see the Shibuya Crossing. The area around Shibuya is filled with shopping, food, etc. I would recommend just walking around and taking it all in because it's a lot to see! I personally think that Shibuya Crossing is something you definitely have to see, and Google Maps can get you there. You'll definitely want to walk across the crossing a few times just to absorb the fact that so many people are walking everywhere at the same time. It's definitely a surreal experience.
The best place to get a picture that I know of is the Starbucks at one of the corners. You'll have to really look for it, but if you pretend you want to get a coffee you'll see that the actual place they ring you up for orders is outside. Take the escalator to the second floor where you'll probably see a few other tourists trying to get a picture as well. Just wait around and someone will eventually leave. Then, just take your time and take pictures because it's a cool place to just people-watch for a good hour or so. The workers might tell you to move if you don't have an actual Starbucks drink but don't worry about that too much.
Tokyo Sky Tree is a HUGE mall with a lot of shops and things to do. I was initially overwhelmed but I was focused on getting to the Pokemon shop first. But first, I stopped by a small store to buy some makeup products my sister wanted me to look for. I probably spent a good half hour just video chatting her over LINE and asking her which products she wanted - I never knew so many make up products existed. I ended up asking the shopkeeper for help and she was able to point me in the right direction. After that, I saw a small restaurant that had a special on a tempura bowl. I'm a huge sucker for tempura, so I ate my 2nd meal of the day (it's not even noon yet) but I had zero regrets because it was so good. Eventually, I finally found the Pokemon Center.
This shop was a childhood dream come true. They sell Pokemon themed everything, from stuffed animals to the games to pencil cases. I splurged a little and bought myself a small Pikachu key chain which I hang in my car. On the way out, I stopped by another store and bought my sister a Hello Kitty water bottle. I was beginning to doubt how I would be able to take all of this back on the plane, but I thought that I could figure it out later.
I got out of the mall and started to head towards Shibuya to see the Shibuya Crossing. The area around Shibuya is filled with shopping, food, etc. I would recommend just walking around and taking it all in because it's a lot to see! I personally think that Shibuya Crossing is something you definitely have to see, and Google Maps can get you there. You'll definitely want to walk across the crossing a few times just to absorb the fact that so many people are walking everywhere at the same time. It's definitely a surreal experience.
The best place to get a picture that I know of is the Starbucks at one of the corners. You'll have to really look for it, but if you pretend you want to get a coffee you'll see that the actual place they ring you up for orders is outside. Take the escalator to the second floor where you'll probably see a few other tourists trying to get a picture as well. Just wait around and someone will eventually leave. Then, just take your time and take pictures because it's a cool place to just people-watch for a good hour or so. The workers might tell you to move if you don't have an actual Starbucks drink but don't worry about that too much.
After people-watching for a while, I walked around Shibuya and stumbled upon a revolving sushi bar. I was feeling very hungry so I walked in and was not disappointed at all. They charge you by plate, but I was able to stuff my face relatively cheaply! My total bill came out to be less than anything they charge you in the US. Plus, all the sushi was very fresh and tasted amazing.
After eating, I headed towards Don Quixote, which is a huge chain megastore (I think the one in Shibuya is the biggest). It's a huge discount shop selling anything you can think of (Japanese snacks, stationary, cosmetics, sex toys (I'm not joking), etc.) and it's absolute heaven. Just be prepared to spend some time and money here because you'll be overwhelmed at everything that's offered. I personally think that the best thing in this shop is the Japanese snacks, especially the Kit Kats. Definitely splurge on the Kit Kats when you're there because all of the flavors are very unique and tasty, and they don't sell them in the US. Don't forget to bring your passport because after you buy your stuff, you can go back into the store and get a tax refund on some of the things you bought.
After I spent a ridiculous amount of money, I took the subway to Shinjuku to eat at Piss Alley, which I was excited to visit because there were a lot of articles online that said there were lots of things to eat here. When I visited, I realized that was definitely a true statement. All the walkways are very small, but it's packed to the brim of small bar-style restaurants where only around 10-15 people could be seated at a time, all while serving amazing Japanese food. I ended up waiting to eat some soba at this one stall, and it was worth the wait. The bowl was so simple yet so tasty and cheap at the same time. I was a happy camper! By then, it was time for me to go back to the airport for my flight to LA.
After eating, I headed towards Don Quixote, which is a huge chain megastore (I think the one in Shibuya is the biggest). It's a huge discount shop selling anything you can think of (Japanese snacks, stationary, cosmetics, sex toys (I'm not joking), etc.) and it's absolute heaven. Just be prepared to spend some time and money here because you'll be overwhelmed at everything that's offered. I personally think that the best thing in this shop is the Japanese snacks, especially the Kit Kats. Definitely splurge on the Kit Kats when you're there because all of the flavors are very unique and tasty, and they don't sell them in the US. Don't forget to bring your passport because after you buy your stuff, you can go back into the store and get a tax refund on some of the things you bought.
After I spent a ridiculous amount of money, I took the subway to Shinjuku to eat at Piss Alley, which I was excited to visit because there were a lot of articles online that said there were lots of things to eat here. When I visited, I realized that was definitely a true statement. All the walkways are very small, but it's packed to the brim of small bar-style restaurants where only around 10-15 people could be seated at a time, all while serving amazing Japanese food. I ended up waiting to eat some soba at this one stall, and it was worth the wait. The bowl was so simple yet so tasty and cheap at the same time. I was a happy camper! By then, it was time for me to go back to the airport for my flight to LA.
Places I Didn't Have a Chance to Mention
Akihabara - It's similar to Shinjuku, but the famous thing here is that there are lots of arcades (think of it as a cross between a Boomers and a casino on a much larger scale) with an anime theme.
Imperial Palace - I would definitely recommend walking through here for a good half of the day because there's a lot of history and pretty buildings to see and it's also very pretty!
Muji and Daiso - There's probably one that's close to you but try to go to one in Japan - they're much bigger and better in Japan than in America!
Imperial Palace - I would definitely recommend walking through here for a good half of the day because there's a lot of history and pretty buildings to see and it's also very pretty!
Muji and Daiso - There's probably one that's close to you but try to go to one in Japan - they're much bigger and better in Japan than in America!
Tip: Night Buses
When you want to get to another city in Japan, usually people think of the bullet train. If you have the chance, I would recommend taking the bullet train just because it's very fast and efficient. But to save some money, night buses are a REALLY good option and are way better than anything in the US (Greyhound, Megabus, etc) and it’s reasonably priced.
The company I used was Willer Express– just do a search on Google, go on their website and translate it to English and put in your dates and destination (I took a night bus from Tokyo to Osaka and back). The Tokyo-Osaka route I took had the same general route, but different stops along the way – you have to look at the buses’ route carefully and see there’s a stop you want (ex. for Tokyo, Shinjuku vs. Akihabara vs. Tokyo Disneyland – they're all in “Tokyo” but if you put all of these on a map they’re quite far from each other).
They have a lot of different buses with different amenities with small differences in cost but my general hand-wavy summary is that you’ll have your own seat (they’re pretty spacious) with a curtain around it so you really have maximum privacy (if you want this you’ll have to book a bus with that 1-1-1 configuration) and the seat reclines pretty far with a foot rest (depends on the bus) and might have a small table or light.
Once you buy your ticket you’ll get an email confirmation with a designated pick-up point which you want to go to on the day of your trip. What I did was that I took the point and tried to look it up on Google Maps and replicate their exact map perfectly so I wouldn’t go to the wrong place. Then I saved the point as a “starred” destination in Maps so I could refer to it once I was in Japan. When you get to the stop, a guy will be there. Just show him your email confirmation and he’ll check your name on a list he has, then you can put your bag under the bus, etc.
I was really worried at this point because I thought I would screw up because I don’t know Japanese but I didn’t really need to speak – just go to your assigned seat and get settled. They may or may not say the stops/announcements in English so you kind of have to gauge where you’ll be getting off – what I did was that I set an alarm 10-20 minutes before I was supposed to get off and keep track of my progress through Maps. In terms of the bus, think of it as being on a plane as they dim the lights and all that stuff.
The company I used was Willer Express– just do a search on Google, go on their website and translate it to English and put in your dates and destination (I took a night bus from Tokyo to Osaka and back). The Tokyo-Osaka route I took had the same general route, but different stops along the way – you have to look at the buses’ route carefully and see there’s a stop you want (ex. for Tokyo, Shinjuku vs. Akihabara vs. Tokyo Disneyland – they're all in “Tokyo” but if you put all of these on a map they’re quite far from each other).
They have a lot of different buses with different amenities with small differences in cost but my general hand-wavy summary is that you’ll have your own seat (they’re pretty spacious) with a curtain around it so you really have maximum privacy (if you want this you’ll have to book a bus with that 1-1-1 configuration) and the seat reclines pretty far with a foot rest (depends on the bus) and might have a small table or light.
Once you buy your ticket you’ll get an email confirmation with a designated pick-up point which you want to go to on the day of your trip. What I did was that I took the point and tried to look it up on Google Maps and replicate their exact map perfectly so I wouldn’t go to the wrong place. Then I saved the point as a “starred” destination in Maps so I could refer to it once I was in Japan. When you get to the stop, a guy will be there. Just show him your email confirmation and he’ll check your name on a list he has, then you can put your bag under the bus, etc.
I was really worried at this point because I thought I would screw up because I don’t know Japanese but I didn’t really need to speak – just go to your assigned seat and get settled. They may or may not say the stops/announcements in English so you kind of have to gauge where you’ll be getting off – what I did was that I set an alarm 10-20 minutes before I was supposed to get off and keep track of my progress through Maps. In terms of the bus, think of it as being on a plane as they dim the lights and all that stuff.
Day Trip: Osaka
|
If you have time for a day trip, I would recommend going to Osaka! You can spend a few hours to a day and have a great time regardless. I only had the chance to spend a day here, but here are the top two things I did:
Osaka Castle Park - It's pretty cool to just walk through the park and around the surrounding area - you'll feel a very medieval vibe. If you want to go inside the actual castle and climb all the way to the top, it costs some money but I didn't have the chance to do it! Dotonbori - This places has so much food to eat it's not even funny - I would recommend just walking up and down the street and looking at what strikes your eye. I would definitely come with an empty stomach! I ended up eating at a revolving sushi place which was pretty tourist-y but I was starving. It was really good and they price by plate, which would still be cheaper than anything you get in the US! |
Side Trip: Tokyo DisneySea
If you have the time, I would definitely recommend visiting the Disney Resort in Tokyo. I only had time to go to DisneySea but it was way different from the Disneyland in CA and DisneySea is supposedly a very unique Disney park compared to HK, Paris, etc. (if you had to make a choice, go to DisneySea – I LOVED it)! I would recommend a whole day at each park, and the whole resort is somewhat pretty small – you’re most likely going to get off at the JR Maihama station, and then there’s a Disney Resort Line that takes you to the parks and the hotels in a circular fashion but you could always walk (the Resort Line costs money).
When you're visiting the park, consider these tips:
- If you want to get tickets in the US beforehand, you CANNOT buy them online on their Disney website unless you have a Japanese credit card. To get around this, I used a third party (Klook) to buy the ticket – look up how many days you want and buy the appropriate ticket. Print out the email and bring to the park on the day.
- You can exchange the printout for an actual ticket for like 100 yen or something which I recommend because it’s a nice souvenir and it’s way easier to deal with when getting Fastpasses. To do this, you’ll want to wait in line at the ticket office to do the exchange.
- Check the hours on the Disney website beforehand – daily hours vary!
When you visit, definitely spend some time and just appreciate the architecture/buildings/etc of the park – the detail is impeccable and it’s what makes the park really pretty and special (it's personally my favorite part)! On the day, I would get there at least an hour beforehand because Japanese people are insane and wait in line a few hours before the park opens to be the first one inside. If you go too late in the day, the lines are supposedly very, very long (think Disneyland CA on a weekend during the summer).
When the park finally opens, there is a very orderly stampede rushing towards Toy Story Mania, which is the park’s most popular ride but you’ll want to go get a Fastpass for Toy Story/Tower of Terror and then head to the second tier of most popular rides (10000 Leagues Under the Sea, Finding Nemo, etc). If you do some research online, you can really maximize your day in the part. There’s a lot of articles out there that show you how you can do your visit. Toy Story Mania is supposedly very similar to the Toy Story ride in Disney California Adventure, so if you’ve been on that you can pass on Toy Story.
The food is really good (try the different flavored popcorns, I had the curry one and it was surprisingly tasty)! Take advantage of the Fastpass system – if you’ve been to Disneyland before you probably know this, but read more about this online to maximize your visit.
Lodging at the Disney Resort
If you can find a good deal on one of the official/Disney-affiliated hotels, snatch those up. I got a really good deal on hotels.com at the Tokyo Bay Maihama Hotel Club Resort for around $70-$80 USD for one night. The hotel itself is REALLY nice for the price I got,
My room had two beds, a hot water boiler, pajamas, slippers, a nicely stocked bathroom, outlets near my bed, a heater/AC, and a nice view of the parking lot with the volcano at DisneySea in the distance. The staff was really helpful, I was able to drop off my bags in the morning, go into Tokyo for the day, and then come back at night to pick up my bags and check in. At check in, the guy could clearly see I was struggling with not knowing Japanese so he was super helpful in terms of checking in! In my opinion, the hotel was way nicer than anything I’ve stayed in the US. I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough!
When the park finally opens, there is a very orderly stampede rushing towards Toy Story Mania, which is the park’s most popular ride but you’ll want to go get a Fastpass for Toy Story/Tower of Terror and then head to the second tier of most popular rides (10000 Leagues Under the Sea, Finding Nemo, etc). If you do some research online, you can really maximize your day in the part. There’s a lot of articles out there that show you how you can do your visit. Toy Story Mania is supposedly very similar to the Toy Story ride in Disney California Adventure, so if you’ve been on that you can pass on Toy Story.
The food is really good (try the different flavored popcorns, I had the curry one and it was surprisingly tasty)! Take advantage of the Fastpass system – if you’ve been to Disneyland before you probably know this, but read more about this online to maximize your visit.
Lodging at the Disney Resort
If you can find a good deal on one of the official/Disney-affiliated hotels, snatch those up. I got a really good deal on hotels.com at the Tokyo Bay Maihama Hotel Club Resort for around $70-$80 USD for one night. The hotel itself is REALLY nice for the price I got,
My room had two beds, a hot water boiler, pajamas, slippers, a nicely stocked bathroom, outlets near my bed, a heater/AC, and a nice view of the parking lot with the volcano at DisneySea in the distance. The staff was really helpful, I was able to drop off my bags in the morning, go into Tokyo for the day, and then come back at night to pick up my bags and check in. At check in, the guy could clearly see I was struggling with not knowing Japanese so he was super helpful in terms of checking in! In my opinion, the hotel was way nicer than anything I’ve stayed in the US. I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough!