Tokyo Japan Adventure 2014

I'm no traveler or frequent flyer, but I do dream of exploring more of the world someday. I'm the type who works very hard to be able to go on trips and I do go on vacations to reward myself. I enjoy the thrill of going to foreign places and delving in their culture. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to travel to Japan and to experience much favor from the Lord in this trip. Our Japan trip was completely DIY. Thanks for the great help of our friend and host who did the amazing job of doing our itinerary.

This post is a bit lengthy because I found it really hard to summarize a 9-day vacation :)) I hope readers will get something out of this anyway and help you plan your Japan adventure :)

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We arrived at Narita Airport and first thing to do was get some Yen. It’s always better to bring US Dollars as pocket money instead of Philippine Peso because not all banks accept PHP. The first foreign exchange we went to didn’t accept PHP and so we had to sell our USD first and look for another one.

TIP #1: They limit PHP exchange in the airport to Php 10,000.00 only per person so if you’re exchanging more than that amount, it’s good to bring someone else with you so you can exchange more :)

TIP #2: Narita Express tickets are sold at JPY 3,000 for one person but they give 50% discount to foreigners (one way only). Do not buy from a machine and make sure to present your passport to the ticketing officer. Also remember to adjust your watch or phone time right away so you will not miss your train!

We went to Shibuya station and we had a really hard time going to our exit! Although there were signs leading you where to go, they didn’t have an escalator or elevator that leads straight to our gate. We had to go back and forth, up and down the only elevator we found a couple of times to find our way. We ended up on the wrong gate but the officer still allowed us out anyway. I really think that they should consider putting an elevator accessible to all gates in all stations that the NEX stops at. Ideally, a lot of people passing through those stations carry luggage and it’s really hard to go up and down the stairs with a 30 kg bag with you.

For first timers, Hachiko in Shibuya may be the best meeting place. Although we went out at the wrong exit, finding or asking people where Hachiko is was a breeze. We then crossed Shibuya for the first time to have some good ramen lunch.

We then went home to our friend’s place in Kawasaki (near Motosumiyoshi station) to drop off our bags. We also had to be home at a certain time to await the delivery of our pocket WiFi (details about our rental here). After resting for a few minutes, we started our walking tour. We are a bunch who loves to walk. There are a lot of other things you notice when walking rather than riding a train or cab. I love it also because I get to stop (to take pictures or observe something more closely) whenever I want to. We walked to Yokohama and then rode a train from Hiyoshi to Daikanyama station. From there, we walked towards Shibuya, this time reaching the other side first and ended at the famous crossing.

The highlight of our night was Shibuya crossing of course. It's crazy beautiful! We went up to Starbucks (the one seen in our photo above) to get a good view. It wasn’t easy to get seats but patience is a virtue.

Day 2 was pretty steady. Our friend still had work so we were on our own for that day. We walked to Yokohama again and just met with our friend for lunch. Tempura in my belly made me a happy bunny! We then went on our way to Shibuya.

 

TIP #3: Download the trains.jp app. You just need to type in your starting and end points and it will suggest different routes on how to get there. You can also compare the price and travel time for every option. The fares shown in the app aren’t updated though so you need to double check that. But overall, it helped us a lot during our whole stay!

It was a rainy Tokyo day so we didn’t feel like doing much. We just looked for H&M, Starbucks, and did a lot more walking.

TIP #4: Always bring your passport with you! While we were walking looking for H&M, a policeman approached us and asked if we were tourists. He asked for our passport and looked at our visas. After realizing that we’re not TNT’s or anything, he left and let us be. Hehe. I usually just bring a photocopy when I’m on tour and this was a good day to actually have it in my bag!

After staying in Shibuya for a few hours, we went to Harajuku. They say it’s the center of Japanese youth culture and fashion. We used the trains.jp app of course and now also put GPS to good use. You gotta love technology and I'm especially thank for it in times like these! We went there because we wanted to see cosplayers and people in various outfits but we saw only a few. We still had a good stroll and we also found Evangelion store which my boyfriend really wanted to visit. We ended the day shopping at Daiso. It’s almost at the end of the Harajuku strip and it’s a 4 story building full of JPY 100 goodness! It’s of course cheaper than the Japan stores we have here in the Philippines (ours is priced at Php 66 or Php 88) and we definitely enjoyed ourselves :)

Day 3 was also steady. We just went to and walked around Ginza. It is the place to visit if you want to go shopping for high end / luxury goods. We then met up with our friend and walked to the beautiful Tokyo station, and then walked some more to find dinner. Yummy Japanese curry this time :)

Day 4 was Disney day! We had a (very) long trip going there. We had to switch trains, I think, 5 to 6 times. Again, we used the trains.jp app to know all the transfers we had to do. Before going to Disney, I asked around and researched a bit about which one we should visit between Disneyland and Disney Sea, and ended up going to the latter. 

There were a lot of people (we didn’t expect less anyway) but steady for the most part. The theme park was humongous! We only rode a few rides because of the long lines.

TIP #5: They display waiting times on the entrances of rides but those aren’t really accurate and usually take less. So if you really like a ride, just get in line and practice patience because it’s going to be worth it in the end.

TIP #6: Just like any theme park, Disney Sea has a spectacular show right before they close. We went to look for a spot before 7:00pm and all the really good areas were already taken. Try to plan out everything you want to ride or do in the park and then start finding a spot around 6:00pm. It’s a long wait before the show but I’m sure you could also use the rest.

Day 5 was a busy day for us. We first went to Tokyo Sky Tree. 

TIP #7: Be there early! They will not let you in at the time you arrive. They will just hand you a paper which indicates a time you need to be back (3 hours later) to actually get tickets and enter the observatories.

Since we now had a few hours to spare, we decided to just go to Asakusa. We thought of just walking but we wanted to maximize our time in Asakusa so we opted to ride the train this time. It’s a good place for some food tripping. We had Yakisoba, Karaage, and Snow Cone. Yummm.

We then went back Tokyo Sky Tree. We just opted for the lower observatory which costs JPY 2,060 per person. We had to line up again, of course – but it. Was. Worth. It. Amazing city view!

TIP #8: Each elevator going up the observatories has a theme. You might want to take a video on your way up. And then before you exit the observatory, go check out the glass floor. There were too many people that time but it was still pretty cool.

We then went to Roponggi Hills to go up the Mori Tower for a night city view this time with Tokyo Tower in sight. Unlike the Tokyo Sky Tree, this one had an open air roof deck so it was windy. There were fewer people here as well so we were able to chill a bit and take our precious time.

Day 6 was Kamakura day! I was especially excited for this one because it’s outside Tokyo. We left extra early today but seems like everyone else in Japan did the same (hehe) our commute was kind of difficult since the train was full to the brim. I love Kamakura because it’s such a peaceful place – lots of temples, right in the middle of nature, and a good place to experience and see Japanese culture. You can enter at just JPY 300 per person. 

TIP #9: Go try out the traditional tea time. It’s at JPY 1,000 per person. A bit pricey but it was really cool. We just had to observe those served before us so we can follow them when they bow, or how they drink from the cup and all. It was a good experience plus there’s cake! :P

We had lunch before riding the train again to go to Kotoku-in to see the statue of Amida Buddha. We actually had to transfer to a local train to get there but we would waste so much time if we waited in line (hello Golden week) soooo we chose to walk. It’s good that there were signs so we didn’t get lost and a lot of people were walking anyway. It’s a 2 kilometer walk from the central station in Kamakura. You can enter at JPY 200 per person. Of course, we had to try some Japanese snacks while on our way :)

After 2 days of hardcore touring, we decided to rest a bit for Day 7. We ate brunch in Motosumiyoshi before riding our train. We went to Odaiba to see the Rainbow Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and Gundam.

TIP #10: On the last train to Odaiba, try to ride the tip of the train. Uhmazing view! (It's in my Japan video part 3) :)

After some sightseeing, we just did some shopping and had a light snack and then headed to Ueno for dinner and of course, some more shopping. Ueno, they say, is the “divisoria” of Japan. We had a good stroll and we bought all our pasalubong there. We had a good dinner too :)

Day 8 was probably our longest day since we woke up at 5:00am (I think) and left for Tsukiji market. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it in time for the auction and guided tour but the upside was that we were first in line for the sushi restaurants! THE BEST. FISH. I’VE EATEN. IN. MY. LIFE. I haven’t tried sushi (or anything raw, for that matter) until this trip but I’m glad I finally did! I think we spent around JPY 2,000 to 3,000 per person - a bit pricey but definitely worth it. I would wake up at 5:00am again just to eat sushi that good, that authentic, and that fresh! After breakfast, we just went inside the market and took lots of pictures. I'm sure my chef boyfriend and his chef best friend definitely enjoyed this morning :)

TIP #11: If you really want to witness the auction and guided tour, well, wake up early and research your route going to Tsukiji. You'll have to walk far from the train station to the market so try not to get lost (and waste time) on your way there.

TIP #12: If you haven't had enough of city views, try the Government Metropolitan Building. Although this one has a smaller observatory, lesser people go here and it's absolutely free.

We also walked around the Izakaya part of Shinjuku (at day time haha) and made our way to Hanazono Shrine. We walked a lot and did a little shopping too. There were also a lot less people now so it was definitely a nice and quiet trip.

TIP #13: I know I mentioned earlier for you to always bring your passport, but this time for shopping purposes. Some stores offer discounts to foreigners just as long as you present to them your visa :)

We then went back to Shibuya. After 8 days, we'll finally get to have a picture with Hachiko. We also did some photo op at a graffiti wall and had yummy Yakitori dinner!

Day 9 story is written here. Haha.

I’ve documented our trip in videos. I made this just as we went along our tours so it turned out to have 3 parts hehe. You can find them here: PART ONE, PART TWO, and PART THREE.

Credits to Hiro and Josh for the pictures! I miss our Japan adventure! (Obvious ba hahaha)

I can't wait to go back to Japan! :)