Tag Archive for: Tokyo

3 days in Tokyo

We will tell you how you can enjoy the most beautiful sights without hurry and to the maximum, even if you are in Tokyo just for a long weekend or for a stopover. Here is our itinerary: 

 Arrival:

Depending on when you arrive at the airport, the first day is not much for sightseeing. We used our day of arrival to get some orientation, a first impression and to plan our next days. 

The best way to get to the city center is by bus or train from the airport. Depending on the way you would like to plan your stay in Japan, at the airport you can get various tickets for long-distance trains or buses that can be combined with the Tokyo Metro ticket. It is important that you buy it directly at the airport, as certain offers are only valid for tourists outside Japan and you get the best deals on the spot. 

Day 1:

We started our Tokyo explorer tour at Imperial East Garden. The metro went from Komagome to Nagatcho metro station and from there we took a short walk to the East Gate. Depending on what direction you come from, you can also get off at the stations Otemachi, Takebashi, or Nijubashi-mae. The access to the park is free of charge and it not only invites to linger but also offers an insight into Japanese culture and history.

TOKYO JAPAN

Right next to the park is the imposing Imperial Palace. Particularly impressive are the massive gates and bridges that lead to the Palace. Here we had a nice photo break because of the special atmosphere between the traditional palace and the modern skyscrapers. 

TOKYO JAPAN

 

Passing the Kusunoki Masashige Statue, we headed to the metro at the Meiji – Jingumae Station. From here we began the walk through the Yoygi Park along the so-called Torri (Gates) to the Meiji Shrine, which was dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife Shoken. We spent a lot of time here.

TOKYO JAPAN

 

In the evening during the blue hour (just before sunset) we marveled the lights and the happenings in Shibuya. Shibuya is probably the station that represents Tokyo best. The shopping district with its neon signs illuminate the streets in many colors. Apart from many lights and shops, the streets are filled with lots of people! If you want to see how many they are exactly, you should treat yourself with a coffee at Starbucks at the Shibuya crossing, where you can wait for the green light of the pedestrian lights and watch the streams of people. Madness!

We also had dinner in Shibuya, here you can find plenty of restaurants but beware: in Japan, often credit cards are not accepted in restaurants or hostels. That evening we went to bed with great impressions about the city.

TOKYO JAPAN

Day 2:

Day two took us to Shinjuku to the government building. The 243-meter high building itself is worth seeing, but the reason for our visit was the viewing platform. With the metro we reached the station Tochomae. From here, after the security control, you can get in the west or the south tower. Both towers have a viewing platform open to visitors from 09.30. Admission is free. The south tower is open until 17.00 and the north tower is open until 22.30. Note that some Mondays and Tuesdays during the month, one of the towers is closed. The view is incredible. You can see the other towers (Skytree and Tokyo Tower) as well as temples and parks.

TOKYO JAPAN

 

We were particularly lucky that day when we visited the tower, the sky was very clear and Mount Fuji showed us its imposing side. After a detailed visit, we have examined the stamp of the tower. We could find souvenir stamps with great symbols at many tourist places and metro stations.

TOKYO JAPAN

 

Our next stop was a culinary highlight, the Tsukiji fish market, the largest fish market in the world. It is easy to reach, from the Tsukiji metro station just follow the smell of the fish. In the big market, there are not only fish, but also many other treats for your heart desires. The market is expected to move this year. For early risers, a visit to the tuna auction gives visitors at around 3.00 in the morning the chance to witness the auction, which is worthwhile.

TOKYO JAPAN
TOKYO JAPAN
TOKYO JAPAN
TOKYO JAPAN
TOKYO JAPAN
TOKYO JAPAN

 

After a little refreshment at the fish market, we strolled through the Ginza district, known for its luxury shops and boutiques. The metro took us from Ginza to Kamiyacho Station, from where we could admire the Tokyo Tower, which resembles the Eiffel Tower (French people would probably contradict me). We decided not to go up there, as we already got a great view in the morning from the government building. In the towers, Tokyo Tower and Skytree, an entrance fee is required. But also from below they offer a great view.

TOKYO JAPAN

 

Our last night in Tokyo took us back to a colorful neighborhood, this time to Akihabara. The neighborhood with the eponymous metro station is the home of the anime and manga. Pure sensory overload! Not that we are the biggest manga or anime fans, but a visit is definitely worth it. The last evening we spent in our favorite Sushi restaurant (see post: Welcome to Tokyo). It was time again to say goodbye. 

TOKYO JAPAN

Departure: 

Due to the great traffic connections in Tokyo and everywhere in Japan, we used our last day before departure for a special highlight. After we said goodbye to our Hostel, we took the Metro to Asakusa, from where we were only a few steps away from Sensoji Temple. The oldest temple in Tokyo is surrounded by a market and offers a great view of the Skytree, the highest tower in the city. On and around the temple were many visitors, tourists and locals as well with kimonos. After a detailed exploration tour we went to our next city to Yokohama. 

TOKYO JAPAN

 

Our 3 days in Tokyo were a great success for us. Of course, the biggest city in the world can not be explored in 3 days and there was so much more to see in Japan. We are satisfied with our route, we saw everything we wanted and had enough time at the stops. Especially in the parks, we took a lot of time and witnessed the beginning of spring and flowering.

More of Tokyo? Click here for the gallery.

/by

Welcome to Tokyo!

Our time in the Russian Federation came to an end, when we boarded the flight from Vladivostok to Tokyo with the Russian airline S2. What we expected in the biggest city in the world? Rush, air pollution, industry …? Our first impression happened to be very different. What we noticed first: It was warm! In Russia we were constantly exposed to cold temperatures, between -6 °C to -24 °C. So the 13 °C that we were welcomed with at our arrival in Japan felt very pleasant.

Already at the immigration control everything was running fast and coordinated. We took the express train with 160 km / h directly into the city centre. At this point, it would have been cheaper to go by bus, but the experience was worth it. We bought a Combi-Ticket, which allowed us to use the subway in Tokyo for 72 hours.

When we arrived at Komagome Station near our hostel, we were surprised to find a peaceful place with nice houses and a small park. It was so incredibly quiet, even as we turned into the pedestrian area, it did not get louder. Maybe it was because people were just quiet, the cars were not honking or racing madly. Everyone here is integrated, respectful and considerate.

TOKYO JAPAN

 

When we found our small hostel after a little confrontation with Google Maps, we refreshed ourselves and set off to explore the area. In the street of our hostel there were many different restaurants. Actually, we were looking for sushi but a noodle house caught our attention. Unfortunately, we found nothing there to take our attention so we moved on. Suddenly a huge plastic sushi appeared in a window. We were not sure what to think about it, but we wanted to take a look inside anyway.

TOKYO JAPAN

 

The small restaurant (Izakaya) was completely empty, apart from a businessman that was quietly enjoying his dinner. Izakaya are typical Japanese restaurants, built like small bars with a counter, where you can also eat. You sit together with other guests at the bar and watch as the cook prepares the food. The friendly waitress, that could speak good English, gave us a place. The businessman, that was sitting right next to us, also spoke perfect English and immediately engaged us in a conversation.

The restaurant had a menu but only written in Japanese on wooden pieces. We understood that there was a large selection of sushi and the waitress explained the individual set menus. Each one of us chose a menu for 600 yen (about 4.60 euros) and a beer. Alex and I quickly understood that this was a great price, as the menu included 7 different Nigiri sushi, 6 different Maki, a bowl of miso soup and a little greeting from the kitchen.

JAPANESE FOOD TOKYO
JAPANESE FOOD TOKYO
JAPANESE FOOD TOKYO
JAPANESE FOOD TOKYO
JAPANESE FOOD TOKYO
JAPANESE FOOD TOKYO

 

Being a guest in Japan

With the time, the restaurant filled up and through the warm atmosphere we were quickly involved in the conversations with all the other costumers. We told them about our trip and they were very impressed by the idea. They also let us know that we have landed a real jackpot with this restaurant because as per them it was one of the best local restaurants in the area.

An elderly man wanted to offer us even more food and another gave us his business card and said we should definitely stop by his hotels when we are in the area. (Giving business cards is considered a great honor in Japan). Honestly, we were a bit overwhelmed with so much attention, but it was a very nice welcome to Tokyo. The older gentlemen left the restaurant after a short time as they had to go back to work. The farewell was very friendly and the waitress told us that one of them paid our full bill. We really would not have expected that. It was unbelievably nice and this positive first impression of this cosmopolitan city remained until the end.

The metropolitan area of Tokyo is home to more than 38 million people. Everything, but really everything is well thought out and no matter where you look, there is order and structure. But, nevertheless, tradition plays an important role in Japanese culture.

Would you like to see more pictures of Tokyo? Click here.

/by