Don’t let that jet lag hit you just yet! My only mantra on any of my trips is “you can sleep on the plane!” So, shake it off and put your best walking shoes on cause we’re off to explore the capital of Japan… Tokyo!
First things first, let’s talk geographically. As mentioned above, Tokyo is the capital of Japan and it encompasses 23 wards that make up central Tokyo. In this blog, we’ll be covering Shibuya, Shinjuku, Koto, Ginza, and Asakusa District in 3 days. And trust me, this isn’t enough time but is a great start for first time visitors. I hope you’re ready cause we’re off to another adventure.
Side note: My husband and I decided to make Tokyo our last stop on our Japan trip since this is where we will be flying out from… and let’s be real, where we would be doing most of our shopping. Who wants to lug all those extra bags around Japan if you don’t have to? If you didn’t pack at least 2 empty luggages with you, you’ll probably find yourself buying some extra ones at Don Quioto. You laugh now… but it’s true.
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How to get there & Stay
We arrived to Tokyo from Osaka via the bullet train, as I mentioned in my previous blog, be sure to take some time to explore Tokyo station. It’s huge, filled with shops and restaurants, and is pretty easy to get lost here; heck, you could probably spend half your day at the station too. So, if you’re not in a rush, I definitely recommend making some time to look around. (If you want more information about using Japan’s metro, check out my Kyoto blog!)
We ended up getting a hotel in Ginza, which is a great location if you plan to do a lot of shopping in this area. That way you can drop off your bags to your room instead of carrying it around. Our hotel was The Gate Hotel Tokyo by Hulic, which I would probably rate a 2.5 out of 5. Personally, I felt that it was a bit far from the station, which was about a 10 mins walk. And oddly, you had to take an elevator up to the lobby, just to take the elevator from the lobby to your floor, which ours was a few floors below the lobby level. Oh, and we had to ask to switch rooms once we checked-in since the room was not completely clean. So, no I wouldn’t recommend this hotel to stay at, but would recommend staying in Ginza in general.
Shibuya
After leaving our bags at our hotel, we made our way to Shibuya Scramble Crossing, also known as the busiest crosswalk in the world. Wait for the pedestrian light to signal your time to cross, and walk in any direction with fellow visitors and locals. The madness of the crossing is somewhat exhilarating and just really cool to be a part of. Near the crossing, you can also visit the Hachiko Statue; stand in line for your chance to get a picture or view it from afar. The Hachiko Statue honors the real and loyal dog, who used to wait for his owner at the Shibuya Station after his daily commute. Even after his owner’s passing, Hachiko still waited at that same station everyday for the next nine years for his owner to return. The statue made in honor of Hachiko is a symbol of unwavering loyalty… who’s cutting the onions?
After your turn crossing the Shibuya Scramble, it’s now time to see it from atop. Head on over to Shibuya Sky, where you can see the hustle and bustle of the city and people resembling ants. Shibuya Sky is an open air observation deck located on the 47th floor of the Shibuya Scramble Square. It’s a bit confusing to get there, as my husband and I got lost and had to ask for directions. But you’ll know you’re in the right building if the first floor is a department store and you have to go up to the 14th floor, where you will switch to another elevator after getting your tickets scanned to the 47th floor. Keep in mind that this observation deck requires a time slot to enter, and you cannot be late. (I think they give you 15 mins to enter during your time slot or else you missed your chance.) The pricing depends on the time of day that you go, of course, sunset would be the first to sell out and cost a few extra yens to enter, but once you get there, you can stay as long as you like. Shibuya Sky offers a 360o view of the city and even a turfed area for you to rest and people watch. Take that infamous picture of you going up the escalators with the amazing view in the background or really anywhere around the roof top. I had a great time here and definitely recommend going. TIP: If you can’t get a time slot or it’s not in your budget to go, there are other areas that offers a similar view for free. You can go to the 11th floor on the Sky Lobby or the 2nd floor of the Starbucks to get a view too. I didn’t personally go to one of these but I read about it in a lot of other blogs.
Get a pair of glasses done in an hour! My husband and I both wear glasses and decided to get a new pair (or three in my case) because why not? We stopped by JINS, where the customer service was excellent. We decided to get our visual exam done as well, which the employees where great at, even with a language barrier. Doing the eyes exam did add another hour to our stop here, so if you’re confident in your prescription, you can skip this part and just pick out your frames and lens!
While you wait for your glasses to be done, walk on over to Marion Crepes for a snack. Honestly, this was hands down the best crepes I’ve ever had. We ordered the creme brûlée crepe and it was so delicious that my husband and I each had to have our own.
Go luxury vintage shopping. If you love vintage accessories and have a pretty penny to spend, this may be for you. Tokyo has several vintage, previously loved item stores that you can stop by. I stopped by AMORE Vintage Omotesando and QOO to look at some bags. These locations carried items from Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, etc. and all were in great condition. I do have to admit that the prices were still out of my budget, so I left empty handed but it honestly was fun just to see a lot of bags that are no longer made.
If you haven’t had enough fun, head on over to Takeshita St. This pedestrian only street is lined with funky clothing shops, cafes, and restaurants. We also saw many arcades and claw machines shops while strolling through, as well as accessories and trinket stores. You can also stop by a cat cafe or get one of those famous rainbow cotton candy from Totti Candy Factory. This street was so lively, filled with locals and visitors alike, that you can feel the energy buzzing in the air.
If you’re not done shopping, stop by Don Quijote for anything that you need and for things that you didn’t even know you needed. Do I need to say anything more? Just be prepared to spend at least an hour or two here.
Another stop on our itinerary was to Meiji Jingu Shrine to see the sake barrels. However, we didn’t get the chance to visit here with our limited time; but if you’ve visited this shrine, let me know what you thought of it and if it was worth a visit.
Shinjuku
During the evening, my husband and I took the train to Shinjuku. Our first stop was to Omoide Yokocho, also known as Memory Lane, to visit the narrow alleyway lined with traditional Japanese pubs and restaurants. This alleyway felt very nostalgic as it was lined with lanterns, shop signs, and welcoming store front employees. We stopped and ate at a ramen shop here, which again, don’t be shy! It is first come, first served, so if there’s an open seat, go ahead and sit! Omoide Yokocho was beautiful and definitely worth a stop, even if it’s just to stroll through the alleyway. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
After your blast to the past moment, head on over to see Godzilla’s head at the Shinjuku Toho Building. It’s a great spot to just take some fun and silly pictures.
To end that night, my husband and I stopped by a claw machine store for some good hearted fun. But watch out! Playing can become addictive! You can find shops like this all around the city, just find one that has something that you like. On our way back to the station, we also stopped by to see the 3D cat billboard. The graphics were amazing and very realistic. It was definitely mesmerizing to watch the billboard before heading back to the hotel.
If you have time, stop by Golden Gai, Tokyo’s red light district. We didn’t stop by since most of the district are local bars, which isn’t really our thing (drinking, I mean). If you visit Shinjuku during the day, you can also visit Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo’s largest park containing 3 main sections: Japanese Traditional Garden, French Formal Garden, and English Landscape Garden.
Koto
Start your day bright and early at Toyosu Market, where you can watch from the observation deck, fresh tuna and other seafood being sold to restaurant vendors. Honestly, it can’t get any fresher than that! Toyosu Market was the former Tsukiji Fish Market; in it’s new location, there are three buildings that you can visit, the Fish Wholesale Market Building, Fish Intermediate Wholesale Market Building, and Fruit and Vegetable Market Building. The Fish Wholesale Market building is where you can see fresh tuna being auctioned at 5:30 and 6:30 am, this building also has a few restaurants that you can dine in at and some shops selling kitchen items and apparels. We stopped by a restaurant here for some omakase and did some light shopping. But truthfully, I would just skip the buildings and head straight to the food market located outside the buildings. My husband and I had much more fun trying the street foods and popping into shops in the outdoor market. We got the try tamagoyaki (egg omelete, which was sweeter than I expected), matcha, matcha ice cream, custard ice cream, and more! It was at this point where my husband and I regretted filling our bellies with omakase beforehand because we really wanted to try everything. I would rank this as my third favorite market that we visited on our trip and I would highly recommend it! It had something for everyone of all ages!
After you’re nice and stuffed, head on over to TeamLAB Planet for some immersive activities. TIP: Be sure to reserve a time slot before, as they do sell out of tickets. I’ve been to a lot of interactive museums, but holy moly did this one exceed my expectations. As you make your way through the museum, you will encounter all sorts of different rooms, engaging your sense of sight, touch, and smell. My favorite rooms were the mirror and lights room and the water room that had projections of fishes that seemed to be in the water with you! TIP: Wear shorts/pants that you can roll up!! Girlies, I know we love a cute dress/skirt but the mirror room also has mirrored floors, and as you guess, it will reflect all your goods to everyone. This will also be beneficial in the water rooms too, as some of the water rooms went up to my knees. However, if you get there and realized that you forgot to wear shorts/pants, TeamLAB offers a pair to you for free. My husband and I spent a good 2 hours here and upon leaving we both agreed that this was the best immersive museum we have ever been to.
To end the night, my husband and I booked a real life Mario Go-Karting activity with Tokyo Bay shop. This adventure lets you drive on the streets of Tokyo wearing funny customs and hats with a tour guide, obviously. Be ready for some fun and some stares but it was definitely worth the thrill. On our drive, we got to go on Rainbow Bridge and see Tokyo tower. Your guide will give you some interesting facts at your stops and even take pictures of you! The 2 hours adventure went by quickly and was so much fun! So if you can swing it in your budget, I would recommend this activity! TIP: You will need a passport and an international driver license to be able to participate. (We got our international ID with AAA.) You will also need to book this in advance as spots runs out. Finally, be on time! They are very prompt with timing and will leave you if you are late. Lucky for me and my husband that we basically got a private tour as the other group did not arrive on time and we left at 7:30pm on the dot. Unfortunately for the group, they were left behind as we were driving off.
Ginza
Ginza would be your destination to shop. This area has a good mix of luxury and affordable stores. If shopping is a priority on your trip, this is the place to be. If not, you can definitely skip. TIP: If you buy clothes in Japan, be sure to size up. Most of the clothes in Japan is made of cotton, unfortunately for us, we bought so much clothes, not realizing a majority of it were going to shrink after the first wash!
Before we did any of our shopping we stopped by Tsukiji Outer Market, because who likes to shop while being hangry? This was my second favorite food market during our whole visit and it’s huge! Seriously, it was so good that my husband and I went twice. Here you’ll find a wide variety of food to choose from and snacks of all sorts for you to try. How do you decide what to try? Well, my husband and I basically stood in any line that was long. We usually don’t do this as we have been catfished a lot by the long lines and viral videos, but this time it seemed to be the best way to try all the best food. We understood why people were standing and waiting in line once we got to taste the food. We definitely loved the grilled tuna, which I think we stood in line 3 times to get more. We stopped by a stall that served fresh tuna, and boy did that not disappoint; we went and ate it again. I had an absurd amount of tanghulu because the fruits were way more delicious compared to the U.S. and got to try all sorts of nuts, hand-rolls, mochis, and a pressed shrimp cracker. Definitely a must visit!! And best to go on an empty stomach.
Asakusa District
Our final stop in Tokyo is to Asakusa District, I know, I can’t believe it’s almost over too. Head on over to Senso-ji Temple, the oldest temple in Tokyo. You’ll be amazed with just the first gate, called the Thunder gates, where you can take a picture with the red paper lanterns. Then as you enter the grounds, you will be met with the market, Nakamise, where you can find souvenirs, art, food, etc. After your trip through the market, you will find yourself at the temple, where you can revel in the architecture and the beautiful ceiling paintings.
After your time at the temple, take a 12 mins bus ride to Kappabashi Street, also known as Kitchen Town. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the giant chef head on a building. Kappabashi Street is the best place for professional and inspiring chefs. It is one of the best places to find a hand crafted Japanese knife. There are also many stores along the way that sells kitchen appliances, ceramics, and tools. My husband and I had a great time here looking for a Japanese knife and ended up with one at Tsubaya knives. The employee here took his time explaining the knives to my husband and helped him find the perfect one to take home. I would highly recommend this place if you’re in the market for a chef’s knife or if you just wanted to upgrade your set.
Overall View
Well folks, that’s a wrap on our Japan trip! I hope you had the best time reading about it as I did telling you about it. My favorite activities that I did was definitely eating at all the food/fish markets, TeamLAB, and street car racing. I really enjoyed my time here, but 8 days is definitely not enough to explore all that Japan has to offer, it is a great start though! Now, I can understand why so many people revisit Japan. The people are friendly, it’s clean, and the cuisine is one of the best!
I hope that you found what you needed in my blogs, if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below!
Be sure to check out my other blogs to complete your research:
The Best Day Trip Itinerary to Osaka
Your Ultimate Day Guide to Kyoto
As always, thanks for being here.
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Lena The Rover 