I always wanted to visit Tokyo but never got around to it as I gathered it would cost the same as going to Europe, USA, or Australia. Which, in truth, it is, if not more expensive. Finally the opportunity arose towards the end of January, right smack in the middle of winter. And after this trip, I only have good to say about Tokyo - how well mannered the service staff is, how clean and discreet the restrooms are, how delicious and delightfully presented the food is. The only two setbacks, would certainly be expenses an extremely complicated train map.
Here is my Tokyo travel schedule for a 5 day holiday. I was there earlier for work, and got the chance to visit Tokyo Disneyland, which to me, is probably 30 percent bigger than Hong Kong Disneyland with more thematic rides. A great 'wow' factor is the huge variety of Disneyland gifts available for purchase. Being in Disneyland is like being in another world. where there is no poverty, and only happy, happy people.
If you are very much like me, who likes a little bit of everything - from sightseeing, to food tasting, to shopping, and making the best use of time, this is certainly a travel itinerary you would like to consider.
Day 1 in Tokyo
I stayed at Shinjuku Washington Hotel, Tokyo which to me is a huge disappointment - dark and cramped with sufficient space only to walk. It is not even near the Shinjuku Station. If a hotel is to be that small, I would rather they jazz it up with light colors using a retro scheme. The only benefit I must say of this hotel is that they offer free wifi in the lobby and free LAN connection in the rooms. The first thing before we checked into the hotel was to visit the The Imperial Palace. Be sure to reserve a walking tour where you get to see the inside of The Imperial Palace. I was surprised given how the Japanese are so elaborate about everything else, The Imperial Palace actually looks very plain and simple. Before of after the walk, if you should feel a little peckish, do check out the basement of Marunouchi Building. We found it only because there was a huge sign with all the food options - if you can't read Japanese, these signs are a total help!
After that we ended the day going to Asakusa which is one of my favorite places in Tokyo. It is essentially a shopping street called the Shin-Nakamise Shopping Street leading up to Sensoji Temple. The street itself would probably take 30 minutes for a slow browse with many little tourist trinkets and Japanese snacks to contemplate purchase. You can veer off to the little lanes, in particular Dempoin Dori (Dempoin Street) which is just before hitting the temple. I like this street as I feel like I have been transported to another era - those old Japanese shows I used to watch on television.
Day 2 in Tokyo - Shinjuku
Okay another plus of staying at Shinjuku Washington Hotel was that it was just 5 minutes walk from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office - the place to get an aerial view of Tokyo including Mt. Fuji. Of course it's best to go on a clear day and to go to the South Observatory. I love it also because viewing it is FREE! In Tokyo, where everything is so expensive, you seem to enjoy freebies a whole lot more! After the breathtaking view, I headed to Shinjuku Station where I simply walked the malls. To me there is nothing that holds me to Shinjuku really, as it's just skyscraper buildings and huge malls. I particularly like Lumine 1 basement for the selection of little eateries. I stopped at Sunday Brunch to try the strawberry custard tart which was totally heavenly though it probably cost the same as a bowl of noodles. Well, sometimes you just got to splurge on desserts! I particularly like strolling between ODAKYU, MYLORD, Mosaic Street (which is a cozy little street with a couple of lovely coffee joints). Fashion in these malls are extremely varied in collection, though all carrying the same sweet Japanese style clothing, impeccably tailored. I would think one outfit would probably set you back by US$100. Strangely enough, I would actually purchase shoes in the malls. Because of the long distances the Japanese locals have to walk, ladies shoes are both fashionable and sturdy.
I ended the day by taking a quick train ride to Shibuya, just to look at the famous busy crossing at night and headed back to the hotel.
Day 3 in Tokyo - Ueno
Today I was in for my adventure. I almost gave up going to Ueno as I could't figure out the map. However, as I boarded the Ginza Line with intention to go Shibuya, I realized the train actually went to Ueno. So I just continued my journey! I walked through Ueno Park to check out the Tokyo National Museum. Ueno Park must certainly be beautiful in spring with all the cherry blossom trees lining the path! After completing my museum tour, which I got some lovely views of Japanese kimonos, pottery, and screens I headed to some full out local shopping. Ameyayokocho has to tiny narrow streets that takes about an hour to walk through lined with seafood, Japanese snacks, sportswear, cosmetics, fashion, and loads of food outlets. Be sure to have a meal before heading back. I love this area as it smells locals, where you see locals actually buying stuff, and if you can take the din the sellers make! If I had a choice, I would actually stay here to really browse through the shops thoroughly.
After my Ueno exploration, I took the Ginza Line and stopped over at Ginza to watch the day turn into night. To me, the best night scene to take pictures would actually be at Ginza itself. The streets are just filled with branded shops with their individual buildings. I particularly liked the Mikimoto miniature garden art piece. It is probably aimed at calming the person before spending the thousands on pearls. I headed to Matsuya Ginza which is I presume the higher end of malls and checked out the basement food hall. If there is one thing one must do is to always check out the basement food halls. Everything is so beautifully packaged. A friend told me that an hour before closing many of the food hall outlets will go on sale as the fresh food need to be gotten rid of.
Day 4 in Tokyo - Harajuku
I finally got the hang of the train map. To me the two most important lines are the JR Line and the Ginza Line to get to most of the places I wanted to go. Today, being a Sunday, going to Harajuku is a must. I left the hotel early for breakfast at Harajuku. After that I headed to the Meiji Shrine which is a 20 minute walk. If one is early you can actually catch a wedding in procession. I arrived around 9.30am and did enjoy watching a couple in procession and another taking some pictures. After that I walked the Takeshita Dori street which is probably the place to find the cheapest clothing you can find in Tokyo, apart from Ueno. The youngsters throng the area so expect to walk at an ant's pace. You probably can complete the street in an hour and then continue with Harajuku Road, which houses unique little fashion outlets. After that I made my way to Omotesando which is another branded street lined with cherry blossom trees. After the shopping adventure, I went over to Yoyogi Park, which is just after the entrance of Meiji Shrine where I got to see many different groups performing either dance or acting. It's a huge park which I think would be lovely to see again in spring or autumn. I am amazed that many Japanese actually come to the park to take a stroll with their families on a weekend.
Before the evening ended, I went back to Shinjuku and walked the Shinjuku Southern Terrace towards Tokyu Hands (which to me is probably the mall with the most decent prices).
Day 5 in Tokyo - Shibuya
My last day in Tokyo was spent in Shibuya. I only had the day here before I headed to Narita for an overnight stay. Shibuya is a lovely place filled with lots of street brands like H&M, Forever21 as well as Shibuya 109, the Japanese local shopping paradise. It is also lined with lots of little eateries. I love this place! A totally girl kind of hangout! Of course like any tourist, I bought a drink and sandwich at Starbucks to enjoy the view of the Shibuya crossing, the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world.
What can I buy in Tokyo?
- Japanese cosmetics found in many of their local pharmacies
- Sturdy walking shoes or boots (from the malls of course)
- Japanese umbrellas - saw them at SGD8 which is a steal
- Green Tea Kit Kat (found in the airport)
- Japanese crackers (at FamilyMart where it is cheaper - for personal consumption of course)
Tips to keep warm in Tokyo
- Mouth masks: amazing cheap and effective to keep the cold air out and allow you to breath the moist air that you give out. You thought it was for people with flu/cough, but it serves an additional purpose as well!
- Bath salt: soaking in a tub of bath salt helps to ease the ache in the muscles after walking the day and keep the heat on longer
Day 1 in Tokyo
I stayed at Shinjuku Washington Hotel, Tokyo which to me is a huge disappointment - dark and cramped with sufficient space only to walk. It is not even near the Shinjuku Station. If a hotel is to be that small, I would rather they jazz it up with light colors using a retro scheme. The only benefit I must say of this hotel is that they offer free wifi in the lobby and free LAN connection in the rooms. The first thing before we checked into the hotel was to visit the The Imperial Palace. Be sure to reserve a walking tour where you get to see the inside of The Imperial Palace. I was surprised given how the Japanese are so elaborate about everything else, The Imperial Palace actually looks very plain and simple. Before of after the walk, if you should feel a little peckish, do check out the basement of Marunouchi Building. We found it only because there was a huge sign with all the food options - if you can't read Japanese, these signs are a total help!
 |
| The Imperial Palace |
After that we ended the day going to Asakusa which is one of my favorite places in Tokyo. It is essentially a shopping street called the Shin-Nakamise Shopping Street leading up to Sensoji Temple. The street itself would probably take 30 minutes for a slow browse with many little tourist trinkets and Japanese snacks to contemplate purchase. You can veer off to the little lanes, in particular Dempoin Dori (Dempoin Street) which is just before hitting the temple. I like this street as I feel like I have been transported to another era - those old Japanese shows I used to watch on television.
 |
| Asakusa |
 |
| Shin-Nakamise Shopping Street |
Okay another plus of staying at Shinjuku Washington Hotel was that it was just 5 minutes walk from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office - the place to get an aerial view of Tokyo including Mt. Fuji. Of course it's best to go on a clear day and to go to the South Observatory. I love it also because viewing it is FREE! In Tokyo, where everything is so expensive, you seem to enjoy freebies a whole lot more! After the breathtaking view, I headed to Shinjuku Station where I simply walked the malls. To me there is nothing that holds me to Shinjuku really, as it's just skyscraper buildings and huge malls. I particularly like Lumine 1 basement for the selection of little eateries. I stopped at Sunday Brunch to try the strawberry custard tart which was totally heavenly though it probably cost the same as a bowl of noodles. Well, sometimes you just got to splurge on desserts! I particularly like strolling between ODAKYU, MYLORD, Mosaic Street (which is a cozy little street with a couple of lovely coffee joints). Fashion in these malls are extremely varied in collection, though all carrying the same sweet Japanese style clothing, impeccably tailored. I would think one outfit would probably set you back by US$100. Strangely enough, I would actually purchase shoes in the malls. Because of the long distances the Japanese locals have to walk, ladies shoes are both fashionable and sturdy.
I ended the day by taking a quick train ride to Shibuya, just to look at the famous busy crossing at night and headed back to the hotel.
Day 3 in Tokyo - Ueno
Today I was in for my adventure. I almost gave up going to Ueno as I could't figure out the map. However, as I boarded the Ginza Line with intention to go Shibuya, I realized the train actually went to Ueno. So I just continued my journey! I walked through Ueno Park to check out the Tokyo National Museum. Ueno Park must certainly be beautiful in spring with all the cherry blossom trees lining the path! After completing my museum tour, which I got some lovely views of Japanese kimonos, pottery, and screens I headed to some full out local shopping. Ameyayokocho has to tiny narrow streets that takes about an hour to walk through lined with seafood, Japanese snacks, sportswear, cosmetics, fashion, and loads of food outlets. Be sure to have a meal before heading back. I love this area as it smells locals, where you see locals actually buying stuff, and if you can take the din the sellers make! If I had a choice, I would actually stay here to really browse through the shops thoroughly.
 |
| Ueno Park |
 |
| How beautifully the food is packaged in Tokyo |
I finally got the hang of the train map. To me the two most important lines are the JR Line and the Ginza Line to get to most of the places I wanted to go. Today, being a Sunday, going to Harajuku is a must. I left the hotel early for breakfast at Harajuku. After that I headed to the Meiji Shrine which is a 20 minute walk. If one is early you can actually catch a wedding in procession. I arrived around 9.30am and did enjoy watching a couple in procession and another taking some pictures. After that I walked the Takeshita Dori street which is probably the place to find the cheapest clothing you can find in Tokyo, apart from Ueno. The youngsters throng the area so expect to walk at an ant's pace. You probably can complete the street in an hour and then continue with Harajuku Road, which houses unique little fashion outlets. After that I made my way to Omotesando which is another branded street lined with cherry blossom trees. After the shopping adventure, I went over to Yoyogi Park, which is just after the entrance of Meiji Shrine where I got to see many different groups performing either dance or acting. It's a huge park which I think would be lovely to see again in spring or autumn. I am amazed that many Japanese actually come to the park to take a stroll with their families on a weekend.
 |
| Takeshita Dori |
Before the evening ended, I went back to Shinjuku and walked the Shinjuku Southern Terrace towards Tokyu Hands (which to me is probably the mall with the most decent prices).
Day 5 in Tokyo - Shibuya
My last day in Tokyo was spent in Shibuya. I only had the day here before I headed to Narita for an overnight stay. Shibuya is a lovely place filled with lots of street brands like H&M, Forever21 as well as Shibuya 109, the Japanese local shopping paradise. It is also lined with lots of little eateries. I love this place! A totally girl kind of hangout! Of course like any tourist, I bought a drink and sandwich at Starbucks to enjoy the view of the Shibuya crossing, the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world.
 |
| Shibuya |
- Japanese cosmetics found in many of their local pharmacies
- Sturdy walking shoes or boots (from the malls of course)
- Japanese umbrellas - saw them at SGD8 which is a steal
- Green Tea Kit Kat (found in the airport)
- Japanese crackers (at FamilyMart where it is cheaper - for personal consumption of course)
Tips to keep warm in Tokyo
- Mouth masks: amazing cheap and effective to keep the cold air out and allow you to breath the moist air that you give out. You thought it was for people with flu/cough, but it serves an additional purpose as well!
- Bath salt: soaking in a tub of bath salt helps to ease the ache in the muscles after walking the day and keep the heat on longer
