Tokyo, Japan: July 1-5, 2023

Mom and I decided to visit Japan this summer - our maiden visit to the Land of the Rising Sun. Since we were traveling independently, I did some research before our departure. This was part of the adventure, and I enjoyed planning what to see, where to go, and what to eat/buy.

After booking our flights and hotels, I also booked (and prepaid for) a business pocket WiFi. I chose the most popular Japan Wireless Business (Pocket) Wifi rental for 11 days with pick-up from NRT on July 1st and drop-off (via mail) on July 11th. The discounted rental rate (with a coupon code) for 11 days was just US$50.80 (¥6,936), and it included a Softbank 4G LTE device (up to 5 connectivity), free power bank, unlimited data, and a download speed of 95 Mbps.

I also exchanged USD to Japanese Yen while I was in Singapore. The market rate turned out to be 1 USD to 141.88 JPY. It was a really good rate and the best time to visit Japan.

Day 1: Saturday, July 1

Our Scoot flight landed at Narita International Airport at 6:15 a.m., and after clearing immigration and customs, we made our way to the low-cost airport bus counter that was right in front of the customs exit in Terminal 1. We waited about 15 minutes for the counter to open at 7 a.m. The price per adult for a NRT to Tokyo Station ride was just ¥1,300 ($9.16), and we chose the earliest departure time of 7:40 a.m. Then we walked to JAL ABC counter on the left South Wing domestic area on the same level/concourse to pick up the Business Pocket WiFi package. Inside the envelope were the WiFi device, a charger, a power bank, a pouch, a return envelope, and instructions on how to get set up. On the walk back to the bus stop, we bought a snack at the airport: 2 egg salad sandwiches (¥476; $3.35), 2 green tea drinks (¥256; $1.80), and a plastic bag (¥3;$0.02); total was ¥793 ($5.59). We waited at bus platform 7 which was right in front of the low-cost bus ticket counter. While waiting, I connected to the WiFi, and it worked after a few minutes of initiation. The airport bus journey took just an hour from 7:40 to 8:40, and we slept most of the way. It was a very clean and efficient system, and I highly recommend it as it was more economical than other bus options, trains, or taxis. Luggage could be stored in the overhead compartment above the seats or in the storage below.

We arrived at Tokyo Station to a rainy Saturday morning. While there, I proceeded to buy 2 Shinkansen (bullet train) reserved tickets to Kyoto for departure on July 5th. The cost was ¥13,970 ($98.46) per passenger, and we would be leaving at noon and traveling on Nozomi 27 from Tokyo Station with arrival at Kyoto city zone at 14:15. Next, I also got registered Suica cards for mom and me. I deposited ¥2,000 ($14.10) per card though ¥500 ($3.42) was deducted as a deposit for the card. We used this Suica card extensively for metro (and bus) rides in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. We could top up the balance in station machines.

Then we walked about 15 minutes from Tokyo Station to Hotel Sardonyx Tokyo. On the way, we popped in at our first convenience store (Lawson) for a cup of coffee and to rest and shelter briefly from the rain. Mom bought a long black umbrella for ¥1,650 ($11.63)!

From there, we walked a few more minutes to Hotel Sardonyx Tokyo. We arrived a few minutes past 10, which was too early to check in, so we left our bags at the reception and went out to Ameyoko despite the rain.

We took the metro to Ameyoko Plaza or the Ameyoko (Ameya Yokocho) neighborhood to look for bargains and street food in the traditional, historical Tokyo district of Ueno in northern Tokyo. It was a short 3-minute walk from the hotel to the Hatchobori Station. We boarded the grey Hibiya Line to Naka-Okachimachi Station. Total commute was about 12 minutes. 

From the station, we walked about 5 minutes (450 m) to Yatai Hamachan for good quality food at reasonable prices. We waited in line for 30 minutes before its opening at 11:30 a.m. This was our introduction to the Japanese culture of waiting patiently in line for food. By the time it opened, we were tired and famished. The place was small and rustic, but the servers and cooks were young and hardworking. The servers were courteous and proactively presented me with an English menu without me asking for it. We had grilled scallop with butter (¥500), sashimi (3 kinds for ¥950), tempura (various) and kaisen bukkake don (raw fish rice bowl; ¥650); we spent ¥4,190 ($29.53) there.

Feeling stuffed after lunch, we went in search of a new medium-sized check-in luggage. We saw many stalls selling fresh seafood, but we were too full to eat. We browsed in a few shops selling luggage but settled on one (west of the tracks) that offered the best tax-free price. I found a luggage with a TSA lock for just ¥6,980 ($49.20) and also bought a Converse bag for Dad for just ¥6,210 ($43.77). After that, we walked a few minutes to Mihashi Ueno Main Shop for Japanese sweets and various kinds of anmitsu. Again, there was a line to sit down to eat. The anmitsu with matcha ice cream was really delicious. Every bite was flavorful - from the anko red bean to the sweet mandarin orange, mochi, and jello with black honey. The matcha ice cream's slight bitterness complemented the rich sweet flavors of the anmitsu. It was truly heavenly. The other dessert, however, was a cold, salty, soy-based jelly-type noodles which we weren't a fan of. We spent about ¥1,320 ($9.30) for 2 desserts. 

It was 2 p.m. when we finished our desserts, so we took the metro back to the hotel. The rain had stopped, and the sun was out. We were able to check in earlier at 2:20 since the room was ready. I paid ¥54,842 ($386.54) for 4 nights. Room 615 was a corner room at the end of the hallway; it was spacious and modern. We showered, changed into hotel PJs, and rested for the rest of the day.

At 7 p.m., we got up to grab dinner from the Lawson convenience store right across from the hotel. All the goodies cost ¥2,519 ($17.75). We fumbled with heating up the food as the microwave was in Japanese, and the numbers for heating time were confusing. We got help from a young man who spoke some English - I quickly picked up that many of the younger Japanese could understand or speak some English, more so than the older generation.

Day 2: Sunday, July 2

At 7 a.m., we had an early breakfast of 2 hotel room drip coffee and last night's convenience-store bought tuna salad mayo onigiri and 2 soft-boiled eggs. They were so delicious! The egg was so well seasoned. The yolk was creamy and slightly salty. Nothing I've had before. The tuna onigiri was flavorful too. We went back to sleep and got up at 8-ish.

At 9, we took the metro to Misojyu for breakfast #2 of a miso soup and onigiri combo in Asakusa. Of course there was a long line of people waiting to dine-in, but at least the weather was nice, bright, and sunny. When it was our turn, we managed to sit for their last breakfast service at 10 a.m. - their breakfast service typically starts at 8 a.m. Each breakfast set cost ¥770 ($5.43) and came with a bowl of miso soup, an onigiri, and half a soft-boiled egg. Mom wasn't impressed with the food. She said the tuna mayo onigiri and soft-boiled egg we had that morning was much better. Though I concurred, the dining experience was nice. Their dining area upstairs was decorated in Japanese calligraphy which I appreciated.

Then we walked toward Sensoji Temple, which was built in 645 and hence is the oldest temple in Tokyo and a symbol of Asakusa. Along the way, we saw plenty of artisanal and souvenir shops and restaurants - so much to see, buy, and eat in Asakusa! Mom found great buys of shoes and bags, while I bought two hand bags for just ¥1,300 ($9.16) and a fridge magnet for ¥200 ($1.41).) Mom also bought some snacks and accessories. We had ice cream at Canele et Creme Glacee. We picked the cafe chocolate and banana honey and almond flavors. They were delectable - creamy, fresh, and sweet to the right amount. Each scoop cost ¥480 ($3.38).

After taking obligatory shots of Sensoji Temple, we walked down Nakamise-dori Street which connects the main gate of Sensoji Temple, the main hall, and Kaminarimon Gate. The street was crowded with locals and tourists, many of whom wore rental kimonos. It was almost noon, hot and sunny, so we needed another energy boost. Ginkado Asakusa's strawberry daifuku mochi caught our eye - each piece was ¥400 ($2.82). We bought two: one custard and one green tea. The mochi and filling inside were soft and tasty, and the strawberry was fresh and sweet - SO good! We also had a cup of refreshing iced cold orange soda water for ¥700 (or $4.93).

At the Kaminarimon Gate, we saw several young rickshaw drivers looking for customers. They seemed so fit and energetic. We passed on their service and walked to Sumida River, taking many photos of the Tokyo Skytree in the background along the way. It's the tallest tower in the country. We opted out of visiting it since we're not fans of tall structures. During our walk, we chanced upon Asahi's odd art piece called the Golden Flame on the top of its HQ. It was bizarre looking - rather than a flame, it looked more like my cat's waste in my opinion. We strolled along the river and rested on a bench in the shade while enjoying the river view and cool breeze. 

After resting on the bench, we meandered back to the shopping area and along the way, found another sanctuary from the heat: Coffee Shop Carib. Their strong air conditioning swiftly cooled our hot, tired bodies. I ordered iced Viennese coffee, while Mom had iced lemonade. We also tried their large flan served with cream, mandarin oranges, pineapple pieces on the side, and a cherry on top. Their service was impeccable. Once we sat down, we were given a glass of iced water and a wet towel to wipe our hands. Though the decor looked retro, it was comfortable. It's not your typical Starbucks. I rather enjoyed my time there; we spent about ¥2,250 ($15.86) at the coffee shop.

Next, we found our way to Rox shopping mall and Asakusa Rox shopping mall across the street. We spent most of the afternoon having a wonderful time shopping in both places. There were so many brands like Muji, Daiso, 3Coins+, Honeys discount store and a number of smaller shops including a bookstore and a mobile company under one roof. It was my first foray into the Japanese culture of having to remove shoes in the fitting room and putting on a face cover to avoid staining clothing items.

By 3:30, we had finished shopping, so we walked about 10 minutes to Otafuku for an early oden dinner. The restaurant opened at 4, and we were their first customers of the day. They are an over a century-year-old restaurant that has been using the same broth since 1945. We had a selection of items including daikon, cabbage rolls, egg, fried tofu, and squid ball. Including appetizer and green tea, the total was ¥5,440 ($38.34). Was it worth it? I would say yes for the novel experience, but I probably wouldn't return if I were craving oden as a local. It seemed over-priced with all the add-ons, and honestly the broth wasn't robust in flavor. Most items were rather flat or bland to the taste.

We walked another 10 minutes to Inari Station to catch the grey Hibiya line back to the hotel after dinner. On the way, we stopped in at Lawson again to get the next day's breakfast: our go-to 2 tuna and egg salad sandwiches (¥558 or $3.93), tuna salad onigiri (¥135 or $0.95), and 2 bottles of chilled cafe latte (¥300 or $2.11). The total was ¥996 ($7.02), including a plastic bag (¥3 or $0.02). The soft-boiled eggs were sold out unfortunately.

Day 3: Monday, July 3

I had a lazy morning. While drinking coffee, I people-watched the Hotchobori Crosswalk from the hotel room window. The crosswalk was busier than the weekend. It was morning rush hour, and many men carrying a black backpack were heading to work. At around 10-ish, we headed to Shibuya. I found the Shibuya Scramble Crossing underwhelming as it was smaller than what I'd imagined. We had brunch of charcoal-grilled fish meal at Echigoya Santayu. It was a mere 3-minute walk from the crossing. There was no line as we were their first customers of the day, though the office crowd starting streaming in while we were eating. I certainly enjoyed the novel experience of having to remove our shoes to enter the traditionally decorated restaurant. We sat at a table on tatami mat. I cheered the option of being able to sit cross-legged to eat, while Mom preferred to put her legs down below the table. The meal was truly delightful and filling, and it cost around ¥1,850 for both of us.

After lunch, we walked to Mega Don Quijote Shibuya Honten, just a few minutes away. We bought Alfort mini chocolate bars, green tea-flavored Kit Kat cookies, Hello Kitty and Hachiko cookies, chopsticks, and Ichiran Ramen souvenir box among others. The purchases were tax-free since we spent over ¥5,500. We had to present our passports, and the items were packed and sealed in a dedicated bag that could only be opened outside of Japan. We were told to keep the receipt for a possible inspection at the airport of departure (which we learned later on weren't checked at all).

Next, we walked about 3 minutes (270 m) to Shibuya Loft for more shopping. It was a feast for the eyes from the stationery in the basement to the unique Zakka culture (i.e., the Japanese appreciation of cute and stylish everyday knick-knacks) on the highest floor. After this, we were done with window shopping. We were too tired to lug around a huge bag of stuff with us, so we returned to the hotel and rested in the room for a couple of hours.

At 5 p.m., we left the hotel and walked towards Tokyo Station (about 15 minutes away) for kaiten sushi dinner at Sushiro Yaesu Underground Shopping Mall. The whole process from placing party information and getting a seat to ordering food and processing payment was automated. It was frankly very smooth and easy. There was no wait at all as we sat down at table 33 immediately after entering our party details. The sushi was fresh and a great value at just ¥150 for the basic plate (typically 2 pieces per plate). We ate to our heart's content and paid just ¥2,210 for 12 items.

Since Shinjuku is best to visit at night for the neon lights, we headed there after dinner, stopping at Omoide Yokocho first. Also known as Piss Alley, it's an old-fashioned narrow izakaya alley with lantern lights. Mom wasn't impressed with the so-called Memory Lane. It was tight and smoky, and we were glad we had our dinner first before heading there. Then we ambled to Kabukicho, a red light district with lots of colorful neon lights. The area was definitely not our cup of tea. I wondered if the bright neon lights were necessary to compensate for the seedy darkness of what lied behind the love hotels and karaoke joints. As we meandered back towards the metro, we serendipitously found Godzilla and the famous 3D giant calico cat (kyodai mikeneko) on display.

On the way back, we came across Giolitti in Shinjuku Station. Their gelato was insanely expensive and unappetizing. Two cones with two flavors (each) cost ¥1,944!! There wasn't even enough sitting in the small space, so I had to stand until a couple left their stools and freed up their seats. The place was also hot and stuffy. I definitely do not recommend it.

It was a long and tiring day. After getting some breakfast food from Family Mart diagonally across from the hotel, we returned to our room, totally bushed.

Day 4: Tuesday, July 4

We got up at 8:30 a.m. and rode the metro at 8:55 to Tsukiji (Seafood) Market. We boarded the "Women Only" train car at that time - I totally support this as an added layer of protection for women commuters during the morning rush hour. From the station, we walked some distance and found an indoor air-conditioned fish market first. It wasn't touristy, and the fresh seafood on display was a sight to behold. We saw sea urchins, abalones, tuna, octopus, to name a few. The environment was cool, calm, and pleasant - not your typical loud, smelly, and dirty fish market. We were impressed.

A few minutes away was the outdoor market, which was crowded with tourists. We didn't have sushi or sashimi at the outdoor market as they seemed over-priced (compared to the sushi we had at Sushiro the night before). There were long lines at some stores that were hyped up by social media. No thanks, we passed. Instead, we bought these items: tamago for ¥150 each, 2 packs of green tea powder for ¥760 each, saba (¥800) and akou (¥900) meal sets and green tea for ¥1,900 (soulless compared to the awesome grilled fish meals we had at Echigoya Santayu in Shibuya), dorayaki with red bean paste and apricot for ¥300; Mom also bought packs of dried scallops and abalones.

From Tsukiji Market, we rode the metro to Yoyogi Station at 11-ish to visit the Meiji Shrine. Near the station, we stopped in at a McDonald's to have a break - a cup of large coffee, small fries, and a medium coke cost ¥610. From there, we walked a fair distance to Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingu). Completed in 1920, it's one of the greatest/most popular Shinto shrines in Japan. It is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. It's free to enter, but there's a small fee to visit the Meiji Jingu Gardens (¥500) and Meiji Jingu Museum (¥1,000) - both of which we passed. I loved the green park in the middle of the city. It was a nice and quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan area. In the middle of the park lies the main shrine which is well-known and maintained. 

We walked to the shrine's main entrance (which was close to Harajuku) and exited. Along the way to Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) in Harajuku, we came across the cheapest plant-based ice cream (2 for ¥100) at IKEA. It was refreshing and the best bang for the buck in this city hands down. From Takeshita Dori, we took in sights of teenage kawaii pop culture (read: great people/fashion watching). I had a large banana ice cream crepe with whipped cream and chocolate topping for ¥620 from Sweet Box (near the entrance). Many products were catered to the younger, teenage generation, so we didn't buy anything in Harajuku. 

Finally, we took the metro to our last destination of the day: Ginza for shopping. We went to Marronnier Gate Ginza 2's UNIQLO's flagship store and supposedly the largest brand in the world. There, we bought tax-free clothing items like wireless bras that are light and comfortable, light-weight tops that are cool and fast-drying, and my favorite long black dress, the material of which I simply love! I spent ¥15,855 there and saved ¥1,585 in taxes. We also went to Daiso on the 6th floor and bought a few more things, spending ¥1,642 there - it was a great value as many of their Daiso items were priced at just ¥100 each (much cheaper than the Daiso in Singapore, Phnom Penh, or California)! There were also Threeppy and Standard Products stores adjacent to the Daiso store on this floor.

All in all, Tokyo was a great introduction to Japan. We were amazed at how orderly, clean, and efficient it was in Tokyo (or Japan, in general). I loved the graphics and designs on display. The food was fantastic. The subway system was a little challenging to maneuver with the various platforms, lines, underground malls, and stations, but we managed. The pocket WiFi was invaluable and worked like a charm. We used it for navigating, communicating, and translating. Now onwards to the next Japanese city - Kyoto!

Next Post: Kyoto, Japan: July 5-8, 2023

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