We all have our own reasons why Japan is close to our hearts.. it could be those unique and amazing places, the best sakura, the impressive technology, or the good food.. but for me, it’s as simple as how they embrace minimalism.

Every year, I aim to visit Japan and for some reasons, I never end up going.  This year, it has finally materialized (plus the family).  Because I was travelling with a group and limited time, the trip seems to be one of the few that needed to be thoroughly planned.

Here is the 2-day Tokyo itinerary (our first leg in Japan), arranged according to proximity so as to save time and transportation cost. Prepare to exceed your goal of 10,000 steps/day:

 

Shibuya Crossing

The intersection in front of Shibuya Station, also known as The Scramble, is hailed as the busiest intersection of the world. I’d say it would give you that ultimate Tokyo feel (especially after seeing that Fast & Furious – Tokyo Drift scene, you’d wander how busy and cosmopolitan it looks in real life).

 

Hachiko Statue

Everyone must have watched and cried over the Hachiko film, which tells about a loyal Akita dog who waited for his owner everyday at Shibuya station even after the latter has died (for more than 9 years!).  How to get to Hachiko statue: you wouldn’t have a hard time finding this as it has it’s own Hachiko Exit at Shibuya Station, and you will see this first before you get to the crossing.

 

Meiji Shrine

 

This Shinto shrine is my favorite among the places in Tokyo.  As a nature lover, to see a forest in the middle of a busy city is just amazing.  How to get to Meiji Shrine: take the JR Yamanote Line and alight at Harajuku Station.

Akihabara

Another place that you must not miss in Tokyo is the electronics haven, Akihabara.  It’s quite easy to reach this shopping district since Akihabara station is operated by JR East, Tokyo Metro and Metropolitan Intercity Railway.  Right after getting out of the subway, I got my first try of Pablo cheesecake (too bad I didn’t get the chance to taste my favorite Bake cheesecake in Japan).  Even if you’re not into manga, anime or computer stuff like me, I’d say this place is still worthwhile — we even got to discover the best Japanese curry we’ve ever tasted (see food below).

Tsukiji Fish Market

One good thing about travelling in Asia is you don’t just get to see the most amazing places but you also get to indulge on the very distinct Asian cuisines which other non-Asian countries may lack.  Having said that, one of top reasons why tourists visit this country is to try the authentic Japanese food.  Skip the theme parks and head to the biggest and busiest fish market in the world and you won’t regret it — food is so good and fresh, we actually stayed longer than expected.  The funny thing is, I didn’t get to see a lot of tourists around Tokyo until we reach Tsukiji where many foreigners rush and queue for seafood and ice cream.

Shibuya Center Gai

We weren’t really planning to go for shopping but we passed by this vibrant and narrow street in Shibuya in search for Onitsuka Tiger shoes (which I have been hoping to buy at a cheaper price in Japan).  Center Gai has some nice colorful branded shops and fast food stores like Wendy’s First Kitchen and Burger King.

While shopping is quite tough in Tokyo as everything is quite expensive, there were actually some good finds at Shibuya 109, a chic department store where you would chance upon some trendy and budget-friendly clothes.

 

Celebrating Mom’s Birthday

We celebrated mom’s birthday in Tokyo, her favorite city in Japan with the abundance of ichigo (Japanese for strawberry)!  Because strawberry is very famous here and my sister and I seemed to have the same preference, we ended up surprising mom with the same cake!

 

Food Recommendations

Fish Market

What’s not to miss in Japan? A visit to the food market! Tsukiji Nippon Fish Market has a tuna auction as early as 05:25 am (for the first 60 visitors).  Though we didn’t get to reach the place that early, we were able to enjoy what it offers, from the freshest seafood to sweetest white strawberry.

 

Ramen

We got to try ramen in all the cities we visited in Japan:  Kyoto Takabashi Honke Daiichi is definitely a must-try and good value for money, Ichiran in Osaka is one of the best though I feel it’s a bit hyped up..but the first ramen we’ve tasted in Tokyo, Ramen Kan (らーめん漢) is, by far, the best ramen I’ve had.

 

Japanese Curry

Though I love to travel, I’m not really a foodie, nor am I into Jap curry but I had a change of heart after trying this at Go!Go! Curry at Akihabara. The pork curry is indeed tasty and has good value for money.  Another good vending machine experience! 🙂

AirBnB or Hotel?

If you are travelling as a group, it is way cheaper and you’ll have more advantages when you opt for AirBnB, which we did when we were in Kyoto and Osaka.  However, for Tokyo, we wanted to conveniently stay near the train station and, unlike Osaka, it’s quite hard to find AirBnB that’s walking distance from the station.  Luckily, we found Oak Hotel Edo via Agoda which is very close to Morishita station.  This Jap hotel experience in terms of cleanliness is beyond impressive to think that it only costs $S46/person (we booked room for 4 and it’s very spacious!).  I’d say another benefit though of booking a hotel is that you can leave your luggage before/after checkout while you’re wandering around the city, which may not be the same for AirBnB and you’ll end up leaving the luggage at a coin locker.

Transportation

We purchased  a 2-day Tokyo Metro Adult Pass from Changi Recommends, which was sulit (good value for money) since it covers Tokyo Metro Line and Toei Line.

Personally, I feel like Japan seems very different yet familiar at the same time.  It’s different in the sense that they own a very rich and unique culture, as well as distinct lifestyle. Nevertheless, it somehow looks familiar to the city that I’m currently at (Tokyo appears to be similarly modern, fast-paced and clean as SG).  Also, it greatly helped that I was able to retain a few basic Nihongo words/phrases (and be able to read train stations displayed in Hiragana) — suddenly the city didn’t look so foreign anymore 🙂