8 days beginning of December booked, yes 8 days is classed as not long enough but it is what it is and it’s still awesome I’m getting all this travelling in before it gets to the point I’m not self mobile..
anyways we are treating it as a long weekend city break type thing.. stopping in Shinjuku and I think the furthest we may travel to is Yokohama..
aside from parks/temples/shrines/museums the things that spark interest.
Takeshita St
Shubuya Parco
Tokyo Kabukicho Tower
Akihabara Electric Town
Cosmo Clock 21
I know a couple of you have mentioned the inflated pricing on retro stuff in those areas and the tubers I watch agree but I’m really only looking at bargain bin need repairing stuff..
This that have been in those areas what have you done.. spring baths, food ??
also is Suica card, Revolut and cash the way to go?
Comments
Shrines - 100% do Meiji and Senosji/Asakusa. They're both amazing. Meiji is near Takeshita St/Harajuku
If you're into sushi then the Tsukuji fish market is a good wander, and great food all around. There is then a good boat ride up the river that stops right by Asakusa, which makes a nice combination.
Japan does still use cash more than the west, but honestly we were able to use Apple Pay quite a lot when we went this year, which surprised me. Credit cards and contactless payments are definitely a thing. We've never bothered with Suica, but I think @RaymondLin has so may be able to advise better
I can give a long list of food if helpful, but it'll all be gluten free stuff. Still happy to give recommendations though!
Money....Suica Card, if you have iPhone, go to Add travel card, it's right there and you can add money to it today, at today's exchange rate. Otherwise, I would buy Yen through a card like Wise or Revolut, and then take cash out from 7-11 or Lawsons they all have ATM inside. (Suica might only be top up with Amex only though, but you can test it)
Japan is a cash society but a lot of new places, new trendy cafes run by younger people are now cashless, so it's good to have both.
Use Suica then on your phone to go around all the city routes, even to Yokahama. Btw, if you think you are overwhelmed when looking at the Tokyo subway map, think of it like this....
The light green Yamanote Line is basically our Circle Line. Most of the stuff you want to do is on this - Harajuku, Shinkuku, Shibuya, Akihabara, Ginza etc. In the center of this circle are things like the Emperor's Castle. Outside this circle are Tokyo Skytree to the north east, Cat Temple to the west, Yokohama to the South. Less than 1% of tourists go north of Tokyo, fun fact.
Your list of things to spark interest, hmmmm, just shopping stuff and my view on them.
Takeshita St - Crepes shops, sticker shop, and full of tourists, it's not what it used to be in the 90's
Shubuya Parco - Great shopping mall, Nintendo Store, Capcon store, nice roof top.
Tokyo Kabukicho Tower - Actually not been since it's quite recently built.
Akihabara Electric Town - It's changed a lot, lots of anime merch stuff, but the retro game scene is expensive there. Find a HardOff or BookOff another part of town for retro games instead.
Cosmo Clock 21 - I only saw it in the day.
As for Onsen, I don't know any natural ones inside Tokyo, there will be bath houses call Sento, which is more like tap water and these are dying out too.
Onsens are more of a Japan version of our Spa, you go there to relax. Sento is where you go get cleaned. But remember the bath part is for relaxing, the actual cleaning is done sitting on a stool with a shower and bucket.
Things I suggest to do....
Go to Ikebukuro - It is a lesser known and lesser travelled version of Akihabara. It has Sun Shrine City, which has the original Pokemon store.
If you need a bin or toilet, look for a nearest Konbini, get a bottle of water just to be a customer and use their facilities. There are also PET bottles bins by most vending machines if you need a bin.
I recommend also a day trip to Enoshima, Kamakura and Kawagoe (which has a Kyoto vibe)
A day trip by either bus or train to Lake Kawaguchi to see Mt Fuji is also easily doable.
Best view of the city from a skyscraper is Mori Tower and Shibuya Scramble roof top. Both are open top, both can see Mt Fuji on a clear day.
There are not many places to sit down in Japan, it's just doesn't, there is also a lot of walking so take regular breaks in many of the cafes they have.
As for food, depends what you like.....I could write an essay on it.
Cocoichibanya is great for Japanese curry.
Any Ramen store is fine, Ichiran however is overrated, if you must go, don't go to one with a long queue, people waiting 45mins for Ichiran is crazy. If the machine is all in Japanese, Top LEFT is usually their most popular main item.
A lot of places have iPad now for ordering, from Sushiro to Yakiniku Now! with English names and prices.
I've done 8 days in Japan, even managed several day trips out of Tokyo from it too, it's doable, easy.
And a note on one place to head if you want good hot springs - Hakone. It's only about an hour on the train from Tokyo iirc and basically a spa town. Just be aware some venues don't let you in with tattoos (yakuza connotations yay...) and you have to be naked
it will be the 3rd trip of the year, already been Tenerife then going Turkey or Greece next month, not decided yet leaving it as last minute as we can to save ££s.
We then want to get a couple of cruises in but they can wait until I’ve done all I can do whilst my walking is still manageable.
@RaymondLin is yer man and he's posted some fantastic pictures of his Japanese travels elsewhere in the forum :-)
If you want to visit Ghibli Museum....the EASIEST way to get tickets is through Klook, otherwise it is a lottery through their terrible site, releases in batches. Klook cost a fraction more and it includes a "walking tour" between the station to the Museum. It's about £20 or something?
Not sure how mobile you are but if you can do it, Team Labs is great, there is also another Gundam in Odiba.
it’s not far from hotel at all, and following the map also revealed a Don Quijote very near hotel.
The ghibli/gundam scene is not for us.
Things you should know about Donki….
1 - I think it’s tax free when spent over 5000 yen, just need to show your passport
2 - the til that serves customer who wants the tax deducted, are never the main one but a random on on like the 5th floor, because everyone is spending a minimum of 5000 yen, it takes a while to queue.
3 - because of point above, I do my Donki shopping haul at like midnight, because they often open 24hrs.
4 - Careful where you walk…if there is a curtain, there’s usually sex toys or adult material behind that area. This apply to lots of shops in Akihabara too. Oh….the adult sections are usually the top floor or the basement.
have you ever been Shinjuku Golden Gai? It’s not far from hotel and looks like a place I’d like to go but have read about lots of the bars are locals only and tourists should have a guide so you know which bars you can go.
Speaking of street food, it is BAD etiquette to walk and eat, don’t do that. First, there are no bins in the streets and 2nd you will get looks, 3rd you might end up bumping against someone. If you get some food at street front stall, you will see signs by the stall to tell you eat at a designated area.
Yeah there are definitely some more open than the really trad ones - def worth googling
of course there are lots of hidden ones too and that’s where the fun is, shoes off, chopsticks etiquette are the famous ones. Not blowing your nose is another. Person nearest to the lift buttons presses all the buttons is one (if you are a salaryman at work), the correct side of the escalator, don’t wear deodorant (wear non-perfume ones instead)…etc
but I did watch one today, recent walkabout showing the new Harajuku building, there is one on one corner and they have built a new one on the opposite corner almost mirroring just one is more modern looking.. it looks superb..
anyways to the question, if I’m on a decent legs day and went to Shibuya with the mindset of walking to Shinjuku, is there something to see and do from one end to the other??
also they are installing a new fountain structure in Yoyogi Park… I’m hoping it’s complete by December as the pics of it look amazing.
also, what is you’re preferred payment for metro?
Ta