We learned you can pre-book an Uber. We also learned there is a reservation fee for doing so. There was also a time surcharge, time and base fare. If possible, try to book an Uber at the time you need it to avoid those surcharges. We caught the 645AM flight out from Taipei to Okinawa, Japan with Eva Air (1hr30min flight). We put the remainder of our receipts in the donation box at airport before we left. Hopefully one of them wins & goes to help the community.
It was 24-27°C in Naha, Okinawa. It felt more of a hot heat and less humid but its a tropical place so humidity changes depending on time of year. It actually was slightly chilly at night.
We took the bus to our hotel for ¥240. We stayed at Hotel Cocktail Stay Naha. With only an hour of sleep, Bev crashed so I went on with the day’s plans.
Walked to Kokusai Dori main walking street. Grabbed lunch at Pork Tamago Onigiri. I got the Abura Miso ¥440. It’s been awhile since I’ve had Spam but it’s the one good thing USA has provided for fusion foods. Similar to Hawaii, it’s quite popular in Okinawa.
Drink vending machines are everywhere. I found one that had drinks for ¥100. All forms of electrolyte drinks are welcomed with the heat & dehydration that is me.
Not too hot & perfect amount of wind, so I walked to Shurijo Castle. The walk was structured until it wasn’t. Certain roads looked like San Francisco w/angled inclines.
Visiting the Castle grounds ¥400, it symbolizes the history & culture of Okinawa from the Ryukyu Kingdom. The main buildings were unfortunately destroyed by a fire in 2019 but you can still walk the castle grounds. They are hoping to have it rebuilt by 2026 but they are trying to source natural material as similar to the original build. Walked through the Cobblestones of Kinjo Town – 300 meters of the road remain with the limestone road remains of the Ryukyu kingdom
The observation deck there is lovely to see above Naha. A 10 minute walk from the castle, brings you to the remains of the Kinjo Cho Stone Pavement. This is where high ranked people use to reside.
Walked through the Tsuboya Pottery Street – local craft shops selling all forms of pottery & ceramics including versions of Shisa (guardian lion).
Made my way back to Makishi Market & surrounding shopping arcade. Had to grab the Sata Andagi (Okinawan Donuts) ¥200 from Matsuhara Confectionary 松原屋製菓. I got the brown sugar and purple sweet potato ¥100ea.
Another treat you must try is Chinsuko Shortbread cookies ¥260.
Bev met up with me for dinner. We went to Yunangi ゆうなんぎい where they open at 530PM and you know it’s good that there is a line that goes around the corner. Better to line up early before it opens to get first seating. We were at the cut off point for the first round of patrons as the place is small and cozy. Good thing the people eat at a good pace. We ordered the A Set (Okinawa fish, Rafute (Pork Belly), Fu Champlo (corn beef & veggie stir fry), Inamurachi (Okinawan pork miso soup), Mimija (pigs ear), Jimami, Jimami (peanut tofu), Karasu tofu, (salted fish) & Kubuirichi – simmered slice kombu. We also added on a plate of spare ribs all for ¥4010.
Okinawa has a different charm to it. It is the Hawaii of Japan. With the USA influence, it has created it’s own fusion of sorts.
Okinawa is known for:
-Island beaches, scuba diving, waterlife
-Taco Rice Bowls
-Blue seal ice cream
-Salted anything
-Bitter gourd
-Shikuwasa (Similar to a Lime – calamansi – sweet & sour tang)
-Pineapple
-Mango
-Purple sweet potato (beni imo)
-Spam
-Awamori (Okinawan Moonshine)
Pimped out UberTPEDonating the rest of the receiptsSanrio Airport themedOur ride to Okinawa with Eva AirGachaponThe bus we took to get into Naha from the airportPork Tamago OnigiriAbura Miso Tamago OnigiriShurijo CastleCobblestones of Kinjo TownTsuboya Pottery StreetShishaMatsuhara Confectionary 松原屋製菓brown sugar and purple sweet potato sata andagi Blue Seal Ice CreamRetro vibes all aroundSpamAwamoriGourdYunangiWe ordered the A Set (Okinawa fish, Rafute (Pork Belly), Fu Champlo (corn beef & veggie stir fry), Inamurachi (Okinawan pork miso soup), Mimija (pigs ear), Jimami, Jimami (peanut tofu), Karasu tofu, (salted fish) & Kubuirichi – simmered slice kombu. We also added on a plate of spare ribs
04/19/23
Okinawa, Naha, Japan
We had lunch at Restaurant Mikasa Matsuyama お食事処 三笠 松山店 run by a bunch of sweet obachans (Aunties) – serving up amazing food for a great price. We ordered the Yakiniku pork meal set ¥750 & Champon Mikasa style ¥650. Oishi!
The day started with wind and rain so we were happy we didn’t end up booking a ferry ride to an island. We did however make our way to Naminoue & Naha beach. We dipped our legs into the East China sea. We also went to Naminoue Shrine that is built cliffside but the gates were locked so we couldn’t explore the inner courtyard past the main shrine.
Walked back to Kokusai Dori and explored the area in search of all things purple sweet potato for Bev. I got a Mango Smoothie from Pop Place ¥600. Down the street I saw another drink stall and it featured 2 things Okinawa is known for – Bitter Gourd & Shikuwasa in juice form ¥400. It was a little too intense and that aftertaste lingers.
We stopped for little purple sweet potato snacks and sat on a bench trying them all out. Walked through Heiwadori.
We ended up having dinner at Makishi Public Market. The original building is under renovations as it was getting too old so they have a second location up and running. The first floor have all the vendors that sell fresh fish, sea grapes and meats. The second floor features restaurants right beside one another. You can order from their menu or purchase ingredients from the first floor and have them prepare on the second.
We ate at Dotonbori まちぐゎー食堂 道頓堀 on the second floor. I ordered the Sashimi set meal ¥1350 and while I’m in Okinawa, I had to try their Awamori (15%) ¥400 – it went down smooth but packs a punch.
Yakiniku pork meal setNaminoue BeachNaminoue ShrineNaminoue & Naha beach areaKokusai DoriMango SmoothieBitter Gourd & Shikuwasa juiceShishaBeni Imo (Purple sweet potato) & other snacksHeiwadoriMakishi MarketAwamoriSashimi set meal
04/20/23
Okinawa, Japan
Our plans for the day didn’t start off smoothly & well, it kind of continued that way. We detoured but in the end found Avis/Budget Car rentals to grab our car for the day.
We drove a cozy Nissan & made our way to our first stop – Cape Maeda (1hr15min drive away). The drive was incredibly slow. All the way through with Route 58 – it is a 50-60KM/H speed limit but it’s the only one to get you anywhere up the coast.
Once we arrived to Cape Maeda, the clouds turned & crazy downfall of rain started & just wouldn’t let up. ¥100 for parking. 92% humidity which made us sticky but also it was cool out. There were still loads of snorkelling and scuba diving happening. We weren’t able to get any clear views so we moved on.
Our second stop was not a flop. Onna no Eki Nakayukui Market おんなの駅 なかゆくい市場 – great stop for local Okinawan food. It is food court style with a grocery store inside as well. I ordered Squid tempura ¥100, Fried chicken ¥350, Okinawa pancake ¥250 & dark Brown sugar pancake ¥180. Bev order a Soba noodle soup.
Since the weather took a turn for the worst and majority of the places we had originally wanted to go were outdoor activities, we had to cut them out (Cape Manzamo, Kishimoto soba-ya, Bise Fukugi Trees, Emerald Beach & King Tacos). We drove straight North up to Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium ¥2180. The biggest attraction there is the whale shark. There is the Ocean Expo Park outside which on a sunny day would have made the trip there much more worthwhile.
It was still cool to see some unique sea-life but I guess it was underwhelming for us considering we had scuba & snorkelled with some of these sea creatures earlier on this trip in the Philippines in their natural habitat.
We were hoping the weather would change for the better after our visit to the Aquarium but unfortunately it didn’t. It was a straight drive back to Naha (2hr).
Once back, we grabbed little complimentary snacks via our hotel in the lounge at the restaurant next store. For dinner, we went to Mikado お食事処みかど also run by more sweet Obachans. We ordered the curry katsudon ¥750 & fried corned beef & veggies ¥650.
Back to Kokusai-dori for last minute purchases & for Bev to get her last scoop of Blue Seal Ice cream.
All in all, this had been the only day which our original plans detoured due to weather out of the 65 days thus far of the trip. We were really blessed and grateful.
All the signals and signs for driving in JapanThe emergency protocolCape MaedaRunning back to the car protecting my cameraOnna no Eki Nakayukui MarketSquid tempura, Fried chicken, Okinawa pancakeSata Andagi – deliciousdark Brown sugar pancakeOkinawa Churaumi AquariumSnacks at the lounge of the hotelMikadocurry katsudon & fried corned beef & veggiesShisha
04/21/23
Okinawa – Tokyo, Japan
Remember to keep your gas receipt to show when returning the car rental.
Dropped off the car near the airport (free shuttle included to airport) and had breakfast at the Naha Airport. There are loads of restaurants and shops before you go through security as it’s more limited once you are through. There are no sit down eating areas past security. So if you want to get last minute gifts before leaving Okinawa, do it before you go through security.
Airport meal at Royal Snack Court. I got Taco rice ¥1078. It sounds as it seems. Taco ingredients on rice – not worth airport prices to try it. It’s a thing in Okinawa courtesy of USA. King Tacos is apparently the place to try it in Naha.
We flew with Jetstar to Tokyo (2hr). At the airport, I also grabbed my first gachapon (vending machine-dispensed capsule toys that are “blind” random) of the trip. We waited at the airport because Bev’s boyfriend Eric was flying in to join us for the Japan leg of the trip. I love Narita Airport’s design. The interior is themed as an inside running track that goes throughout the airport which is both useful and fun.
So many options to get out of the airport and into the city. Timing wise and for efficiency sake, we ended up taking the JO blue line run by JR (1.5hr) direct ¥1340. We had ordered JR Passes but we didn’t want to activate them yet but also activating at the Airport is a hassle and usually long lines.
Checked into our hotels (I stayed at Sotetsu Fresa Inn Tokyo-Kinshicho) and went for dinner at Shinjidai Izakaya known for their Chicken Skin skewers – salt, pepper & hot – delicious. We ordered karaage, Pickled cucumbers, 2 types of veggies, egg yolk on rice, gizzard skewers, garlic skewers and fried gyōzas. Including 2 beers, it all cost about ¥5400 for 3 people.
Taco Rice BowlWhale shark planeNarita AirportGachapons at Narita AirportAnime Deck at Narita AirportEric’s arrived!Caught the JR train into TokyoTokyo-KinshichoChicken Skin skewers – salt, pepper & hot, karaage, Pickled cucumbers, 2 types of veggies, egg yolk on rice, gizzard skewers, garlic skewers and fried gyōzasThe Japan gang’s first meal together at Shinjidai Izakaya
98 days, 8 countries, 38 cities, 25 flights, 4 car rentals & endless amounts of buses/trains rides.
This trip was called the RoverlyFriendshipTour as we indeed met friends along the way in every country minus New Zealand.
My last big trip was Sept-Oct 2019. I am so grateful I was able to do it because no one knew what the following 2.5 years would encompass due to the pandemic. This trip had been in the works for such a long time.
This is the most ambitious and longest trip I have planned extensively. My friend Beverly, who is a teacher, had said to me a few years back “Hey Ro, I don’t know where I’m going but you are coming with me on a big trip one day”. Finally in 2023 it was time.
I had asked Beverly where she wanted to go as this was her once-in-a-lifetime trip and she started naming places – Australia, New Zealand & Japan were top contenders. I normally wouldn’t try to put expensive countries together but for this trip, we sure did. Luckily, with my friend Winnie, who I went to Europe with back in 2019, we had made an extensive alternate itinerary for a potential 3-month Australia & New Zealand trip if we just so happened to catch a flight deal (which we did not hence we went to Europe instead). I used this 3-month itinerary as my starting point.
The only section I didn’t plan was Philippines and Bali, Indonesia.
With semi-budget in mind and comfort as a top priority as well as compromise, this trip was planned and booked. I started working on this itinerary as early as March 2022 with it coming to fruition as of October 2022 when we booked our main one-way flight to Auckland. Lots of trial and errors but hey, we did it.
If you didn’t already know, when I travel, I don’t go away for a laid-back vacation but rather to absorb and experience as much as I can in a reasonable timeframe. This one, was a whirlwind.
To begin with, the countries we went to: (Layover in LA, USA & Nadi, Fiji) New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan & I added on South Korea (my friend Jenn joined for this leg) for myself with a stopover in Vancouver before heading back to Toronto. 81 days for Beverly and 98 days for myself.
I have previously been to New Zealand, Australia & Japan (parts of it) so I wanted to make sure Bev & her partner Eric (who joined for Japan) were able to experience the quintessential things the first timers should experience but also expansive to the things I wanted to see and do that I have been intrigued with and never accomplished in my past travels.
We booked and paid for majority of the trip before we left for the trip. This definitely made it less stressful to not be planning and booking things during our trip. Especially being such an intricate trip with so many countries, it had to be planned ahead of time. Biggest pet peeve is wasting time while travelling trying to figure out what to do during the trip.
Tours
Majority of the tours booked were through Klook. A Hong Kong based online booking platform connecting travellers to local operators. The perks of using Klook is there are usually discount codes floating around so you can purchase your booking cheaper than booking directly sometimes. You also accrue credits for future bookings.
We also used Viator for many of our Tours in Oceania. If you can find the tour companies on your own, you might actually find a better deal directly.
This is a long section but here is info I gathered for each country I went to. I hope this helps your planning!
The itinerary will be below all of this. Good luck.
New Zealand – NZD – NZD$
Visa – Download the NZeTa app and apply for your NZ Visa – cheaper via the app as opposed to applying online. – 17NZD + 35NZD tourism levy
-Credit card over cash but cash is still accepted
-Tipping is not common – Tour guides – 5% or $5 if you do decide to
-Need to go up to the register to pay for meals
-They are all about being more sustainable/eco/green although their garbage system isn’t as advanced in public – we saw general waste or glass bottles but not compost nor paper products.
– Words with wh would be pronounced as f/ph sounds
-Besides downtown Auckland, there weren’t many places where we saw high rises. Basements aren’t a thing there. Insulation doesn’t really exist either as the weather fluctuates a lot but you also don’t want to trap the heat in as the sun is no joke.
-Homes don’t really have “yards” as space is more utilized with homes being built closer together and one in front of the other type of deal.
Driving – Left side of the road.
-Outlets – Type I plugs have three flat pins, with two angled to form an inverted ‘v’ at the top and one running straight down underneath
Australia – AUD – AU$
-Download Australian Eta App – apply for your Visa – 20AUD
-Opal Card – Sydney Transit – but you can also pay with credit card. Perks of Opal card is discount for seniors and it will tell you your transit history. The final total gets adjusted every few weeks.
-Credit Card over cash but cash is still accepted at majority of places.
-Credit card use in Sydney – If you are eating out on a weekend or a public holiday – there is an additional charge. There are also extra surcharges when using credit card.
-Tipping is not common
-Need to go up to the register to pay for meal
-You can scuba dive however it is called a Discovery Dive
-Driving – Left side of the road. you can go 5-10KM over speed limit but that’s about it. If driving on the highways, there are cameras that will calculate your average speed from point A & B so be careful and don’t speed!
– Insulation doesn’t really exist (double brick build with no insulation + metal roofs – great advantage to have solar panels) as the weather fluctuates a lot but you also don’t want to trap the heat in as the sun is no joke. You also won’t find basements here.
-Perth was a dry heat but no humidity.
-Hobart was cooler than I thought it would be but ranged from 8-25C.
-Sydney came in hot with humidity and high rises in the city.
-Outlets – Type I plugs have three flat pins, with two angled to form an inverted ‘v’ at the top and one running straight down underneath
Singapore – SGD – S$
–SGArrivalCard – free and can apply online 72 hours before arriving to Singapore.
-EZ Card – Metro card – max a day for rides is 2-3SGD – top up at convenience stores but only with CASH
-No Uber in Singapore – Download Grab or Gojek
-Credit card over cash (BUT cash for smaller food stalls/local vendors especially hawker stalls)
-Tipping is not common as (10% service charge + 7% GST is automatically included)
-Cheers! – Yum Seng!
-Outlets – Type G has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern
Philippines – PHP – ₱
-Cash over card – credit card can be used in certain places but the infrastructure isn’t the best for it.
-Tipping – If you do decide to, between 50-100 pesos; high end – 200 pesos. If you are tipping a specific service provider, tip directly. 10% to Taxi drivers, restaurants (check if SC appears; if it does service charge is added), tour guides.
-Cheers! – Mabuhay!
-2 Prong outlets
Indonesia – IDR
-Visa – On arrival – $35USD
Use this QR code for faster customs
-Download Grab and/or Gojek – scooter rides will be cheaper and faster to get around if you are in a rush.
-Cash over card in smaller areas (local vendors/food stalls); in more touristy areas card is better.
-If bringing cash to do currency exchange with, USD & AUD will get you the best exchange rate. Trying to exchange smaller bills like $1-5, they will charge you a lower rate.
-Stay away from Semenyak as it’s over run by foreigners. Canggu (Chang-goo) is still the “hidden” spot and great surf spot. Ubud (oo-bood) is more central in the island and where yoga enthusiasts can retreat to.
-Outlets – Type C & Type F – 2 round pin prongs
-Use bottle water to drink and wash your teeth with as
Taiwan – TWD – NT$
-Easy Card – you can order online via Klook for Airport pick-up – you can add TWD on it as well, TWD400 for a week is a good start to gauge – must pick up before 11PM!
-Easy Card – Can also purchase card from any convenience stores but top up only with CASH. If you re using it strictly for transportation, 500TWD goes a long way. You can use your Easy Card to purchase things as well
-Uber is available
-You can also purchase via Klook a Train ticket from TPE Airport to Taipei Main Station for a discounted price – you can purchase one way or round trip – You will receive a purple plastic chip as your token to tap for the train – Must pick up before 11PM
-Bring cash – especially for many of the food establishments or LINE Pay or wechat
-Cash is still pretty necessary especially buying smaller items at stalls/ shops.
-Easy to withdraw money from ATM’s – we found we didn’t get charged foreign exchange fees. Take out money from local banks rather than international banks like the companies you have back home for a cheaper rate.
-Tipping is not common. Tour Guides – 10%.
-Cheers! 乾杯! (kan poe/pe!) 呼乾啦! (ho͘ ta là!)
-3 prong outlets
-Mix of squat and western toilets
-toilet paper goes into bins not the toilet
-Cars drive on the Right side of the road
-There are mosquitoes
Japan – JPN – Yen – ¥
-2 prong outlets
-Travel – Customs – When flight attendants are handing out papers on the plane, grab it. Ours were waving them very nonchalantly and then when we arrived, we had to go find them and fill it out on paper. There are QR codes but you might need to download the app. I had registered online before arriving however the website wouldn’t load at the airport.
-Haneda Airport is closer to the city than Narita. From the airport you can take the JR train into the city which is the cheaper option.
-You need your Passport on you if you are using the JR Pass OR at least a photocopy / digital copy including your visitor visa stamp
-Keeping your Passport on you while in Japan is great for Tourist discounts. Spending $50CAD or over for tax free.
-When purchasing items, it will show you the price before tax but also in brackets price with tax included.
-There are tons of smoking rooms/areas as people still smoke cigarettes.
-Garbages are hard to find – should not eat and walk around.
-It is rainy season in June & September – try to avoid these times to visit
-¥2000 isn’t taken in many machines outside of Okinawa
-Japan Travel by Navitime – Use the app to figure out train times although I found Google Maps to work better overall for navigation.
-JR Pass – If you are planning on purchasing a JR Pass, you should purchase before leaving your home country – maximum 3 months prior to your trip. It can only be purchased by non-Japanese citizens. You can purchase 7, 14 or 21 day passes. it takes a bit a time to get the passes delivered and must be activated within the 3 months. You can calculate the fares per trip and figure it out if the JR Pass is worth it for your travels. There are 2 versions of the JR Pass – Ordinary & Green Class Premium. Purchasing in Toronto, for pick-up or delivery – JTB & Kintetsu. I found Klook to the be the cheapest option. *As of October 2023 the price of the JR Pass will increase 77%*.
-Reserving JR Shinkansen seats – individual/group. You can reserve one of your tickets at the desk where you got it activated. Otherwise, you can goto the Shinkansen ticket machines and reserve seats there if you want to reserve. You will need to know your passport number every time you reserve a ticket. At the machine, press english then bottom left will say JR Pass Rail. Then it will ask how many ppl you are travelling with. Click how many – this saves you time from individually trying to book the same train if booking for multiple people. Just make sure you know your departure location and arrival location – it will try to auto fill. Choose a timeframe and search. Many options will appear. Choose your timeframe then you can choose the car type and even see the seat map if you are reserving. You can book in advanced as well.
-To use the JR lines/Shinkansen, you will need to insert your JR Pass into the gate. If you have reserved a seat, when you go through, put both your ticket and JR pass in together. The ticket for the ride will disappear after the ride is complete. REMEMBER TO GRAB YOUR JR PASS after going through the gate.
-If you do decide to take the shinkansen bullet trains, those are the only trains you can technically eat on. make sure to leave some time to explore the station and grab an ekiben (meals that you can take onto the train to eat and they are usually made to highlight local regional ingredients.
-There are plenty of luggage lockers at the train stations to store your luggage for the day or a few hours. Comes in S, M & L sizes.
-Suica / Pasmo Card – Can be used for transportation but also used to pay for other things – luggage lockers, convenience stores – top up with CASH only
-Public Transit – If you are buying individual tickets, look at the big map above the ticket machines and wherever the stop is that you want, there will be a number with it and that is the cost to get there
-Each station in Tokyo will have a letter and number indicated the stop. the number under it when you are on the train if you see 2,4,6 is the amount of time it will take to get to it. A plus is that the trains announce each stop in Japanese and English and sometimes Mandarin.
-Drive on the left side of car and road
-Can flush toilet paper
South Korea – KRW – WON – ₩
-Credit card can be used in majority of places however cash is key for markets and smaller food establishments as well as topping up your metro card
-Google Maps doesn’t really work in Korea – You will need to use/download Naver Maps
-Uber doesn’t really exist in Korea however you can download Kakao T.
-Cars drive on the right side
-Outlets are the 2 round prong
-Korea’s transportation system is good and offer fee Wi-Fi. The Metro system is the fastest and most affordable way to get around Seoul. Subway fares start at W1350/ride and rates go up after the first 9.97KM. You are allowed up to 4 transfer to another subway line or a bus for free within 30 minutes.
-T-Money card – W2500 and can add W1000, W5000 or W10,000 – can be used for trains & buses but also used for taxis across Korea. – If you don’t want to keep your T-Money card, you can get refunded for your card at Incheon International Airport when you leave the country. Top up at convenience stores/Metro stations but only with CASH
-Tipping is not common
-Cheers! – 건배 [乾杯] (geonbae)
Congrats, you’ve made it all the way to the itinerary. If you thought that info above was a lot then hold on to your seats as I’ve been told my actual itinerary is very overwhelming to look at.
Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Week 5Week 6-7Week 8Week 9Week 10Week 11Week 12Week 13Week 14-158 Countries in 98 days
Check out my Amazon page for gear that I personally use and products similar to those I pack on my travels (many of which are listed below).
As a photographer, my priorities for travelling always have been photography first. This time around, unlike my Peru – Machu Picchu trek, my walzflex 120mm film camera made an appearance once again.
For 14 days of travel through Japan, I decided against a rolling hard case luggage. I have since replaced my Kata Camera bag with a new bag from PRVKE as my personal camera bag and my trusty Yellow North Face Basecamp Duffel as my main luggage, My philosophy when travelling is purchase only as much as you can carry back.
This is how I roll when travelling these days (North Face Basecamp Duffel + camera backpack)
The new camera backpack – PRVKE 21
Camera backpack in action
Japan Packing List
14 days
Wearing onto Plane
1 pair of tights (Underarmour are my choice of preference)
Woke up early to goto Arashio-beya Sumo Stable 荒汐部屋(Japan, 〒103-0007 Tōkyō-to, Chūō-ku, Nihonbashihamachō, 2 Chome−４７−２) to watch sumo wrestling practice as the big sumo wrestling tournament takes place next month. This particular beya has windows that you can watch from and you aren’t allowed to enter the building. There are other beya’s where you can enter and sit down to watch them practice however for those ones you cannot leave until the practice is over or it is considered disrespectful. You also cannot sit with the bottom of your feet facing the ring as that is also disrespectful. You also should bring a gift of some sort (snacks or something) to offer to the sumo wrestlers as a sign of appreciation for their hard work. We walked back to the hotel and just relaxed a bit and repacked.
We were running out of yen but luckily good timing as it was our last day. We were trying to figure out what was our best option to not spend the remainder of our money until needed but also get through the next few hours with out luggage. We decided to just head to Tokyo station and figure it out then. We arrived at Tokyo Station using our JR pass from JR Akihabara. The line to reserve tickets for the trains was long and I needed to charge up my pasmo card however didn’t have enough time to and I didn’t have access to one inside the station. We walked around, found food and sat in the food emporium and ate before our NEX express train to Narita Airport. The express train takes an hour. I then picked up the final requests I had from my cousin to pick up certain items and last meal of Japan trip – 15 McNuggets. Our flight offered 2 free checked in bags and I gave in and checked in my bag (hoping the kit kats survive). Good thing I did check it in as I needed my hands to grab the last purchases in Japan. 11-11.5hr to ORD. Smooth ride and fixed my jet leg I think. Unfortunately, our flight home from ORD got delayed 3.5 hours due to bad weather in Toronto.
All in all, a wonderful trip and I was very ambitious with my itinerary and wasn’t able to accomplish some of the items on there but its a lesson learned and all about going with the flow. I was able to reunite with 2 friends in Tokyo & Osaka and also meet up with my volleyball friend as she was travelling visiting family and spent 2 days with my crew and I. Only 1 bag of kit kats got squashed – still tastes just as good.
Overall, all the places I’ve visited, Osaka is still my favourite. The vibe is just perfect – not too busy like Tokyo but also has its little boroughes with stylish people and of course the copious amounts of delicious food anywhere you look. The weather is perfect as well with city and nature somewhat meeting. Japan is somewhere I could visit again and again and never feel like I have fully explored what the country has to offer. I do love the culture and especially the architecture however I can go without the slow walkers, the slow escalators, the not covering their mouth while coughing or sneezing and the not moving out of the way when walking and bashing into the next person.
Who knows, maybe the next time round will be Taiwan & Okinawa.
We woke up early and packed. We had about an hour and half before we needed to check out so we walked around America-mura and grabbed morning takoyaki at Kogaryu – 大阪アメリカ村 甲賀流 本店 (Japan, 〒542-0086 Ōsaka-fu, Ōsaka-shi, Chūō-ku, Nishishinsaibashi, 2 Chome−2−18−4) which is on the Michelin Star list and for good reason – the octopus was just so much more flavourful than many I have eaten in the past. Mike dropped one – that was a sad moment. Before we checked out of the Airbnb, we wanted to be hip and sit on the wooden patio outside of AKTR/Sporty Coffee shop スボティコーヒー. I purchased Sporty blend coffee beans – sourced from Wakayama for my pops (1380y). We grabbed all our stuff and took the train to Shin-Osaka where we dropped off our luggage – the main JR station was already packed with bags but I cut and saved a large locker for Mike & Manwai. 300y for a small locker. We took the train to Umeda station and went to find Kayo at her work. For some reason, I didn’t check where she worked and I assumed it was Umeda station because she mentioned it earlier however her workplace is located at the Whity Umeda so it would’ve been Higashi Umeda station we should’ve gotten off at.
We surprised Kayo at work but she actually surprised us because she had gotten the photos she took on her camera the previous day printed and gave them to us with personalize notes inside. She went on lunch break and we went to Okonomi Yukari which was also in this underground mall. Back to the mall for a second, this mall has over 200 shops and averages 600,000 visitors a day – so confusing to walk through – think Toronto’s underground Path but 5x bigger. Now back to food. Okonomi Yukari serves for majority of its menu – okonomiyaki – a savoury japanese pancake made with flour, eggs, shredded cabbage with meat and topped with a variety of condiments like bonito flakes, mayonnaise, sweet brown sauce etc.
I found the sailor moon makeup my friends were looking for at Its Demo. We made our way back to Shin-Osaka station and off we went. 3 hours to get back to Tokyo – We forgot to ask for mountain side view seats as we pass Mt Fuji heading to Tokyo. Luckily, I woke up hearing a phone taking burst photos and I got up and got a shot of Mt Fuji for the 1-2 minutes it appeared as the shinkansen speeds past at 300KM/HR.
Our Osaka AIRBNB
Amerikamura
Kougaryu – Michelin star Takoyaki
Female-only cart
Visiting Kayo at work
Okonomiyaki
Our original plan was to leave Osaka early in the morning to Nagoya and purchase tickets to watch a baseball game at 6PM (Dragons vs Tigers) and leave Nagoya by 8PM latest to make it back to Tokyo but it was a little too ambitious I suppose. Cassie also followed us back to Tokyo but went to Shinagawa first. We continued onwards to check in to our Capsule hotel – Grids Akihabara(Japan, 〒101-0031 Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Higashikanda, 2 Chome−８−１６) – we booked a private quad capsule room with shared showered but sink and toilet in our room. Tokyo was really windy that day.
Once we settled in, we made our way to Shinjuku to Comme Ca to pick up Mike’s jacket. We met up with Cassie at Tokyu Hands (Kit Kat Chocolatory was on the lower level but closed about 15-20 minutes before we got there). We had passed this cool looking pop-up shop looking food truck and restaurant so we decided to check it out instead of joining Chi & Karen in Harajuku for gyozas because it was cold and this was also closer. The restaurant is called Sanagi Shinjuku サナギ 新宿 (Japan, 〒160-0022 Tokyo, 新宿区Shinjuku, 3 Chome−３５−６). It is a asian tapas restaurant that serves thai, chinese, japanese and other asian cuisine. The place is very eclectic. There are multiple rooms all designed differently. One area looked very cafe like, another had benches with paper lanterns adorning the ceiling, we sat in the area where you sit on the floor and had neon lights. The washrooms also featured different aesthetic – the unisex washroom had pennants covering the ceiling, the women had stuffed dolls and the mens something else.
We ordered a whole bunch of things and drinks. I got their local Dove and Peach sake and then a shochu wine drink – all in all, a very fun way to end out time in Japan for sure. I have been very dehydrated this trip (little known fact – I am a very dehydrate person in general) so drinking this much (I went for the hard stuff I know) made me even more dehydrated and I guess low blood sugar. As we were getting off the train, my vision went a little white and fuzzy but all was good with a little sports drink in me and I was fine.
Closest I’ve gotten to watching the Hanshin Tigers play a baseball game
Eki-ben
eki-ben
Mt Fuji view from the shinkansen
Our Capsule Hotel – semi private ensuite
Sanagi Shinjuku
Sanagi Shinjuku
Sanagi Shinjuku
Sanagi Shinjuku
Sanagi Shinjuku – the washrooms are decorated with different themes
The original plans as to visit Chidori-fa-guchi Park during the day but it was raining so we opted out of it. We met up with Kanako again at Tokyo station by the popular gin no suzu bell (which was actually confusing to find). We had to go reserve tickets for the afternoon but then Mike wanted to drop off their other bag to the lockers which was even more confusing to get to and ate up some time. Got the bag near our main luggage locker and finally off we went to Shimokitazawa.
We aimed to start our day early but we got there really early that nothing was opened and it was pouring rain. Everything in Shimokitazawa seems to open around 11AM. The only good thing about thing being closed is that the gates to some of the stores are nicely decorated or graffitied. We walked out of the station and wandered all the way to the bottom of Shimokitazawa area and then turned back around and stopped by the arcade which was one of the only things somewhat opened.
We did purikura photos to kill time. We then wandered again searching for food – mainly Italian but we couldn’t find a place or it wasn’t opened but Kanako pointed out a conveyor belt sushi place that was opened and also rather cheap 108-110y a plate. We went to Kaisen Misaki ko – 海鮮三崎港.
There was a mini bullet train delivering orders from the iPad but also the normal conveyor belt that goes around where you can pull plates off. Kanako and me ate like beasts. The price of plates is designated by the colour of plate and once you finish eating one, you stack them. When you are done, the person comes around and counts the amount of dishes and their colours. Individually, both of us (Kanako & I) ate more than Mike and ManWai combined but it was good quality and cheap that in the end, it only totalled roughly $15CAD especially since we added them on Line App and you get 1 plate automatically off.
Back into the rain but this time we decided to walk the other side of the station and I was so sad that it was raining so hard and I didn’t bring my umbrella so I couldn’t shoot all the characters in this neighbourhood as its known for its hipsters. We stumbled upon a couple of stores – vintage – second hand etc. Finally stopping at a corner, we spotted a store on the second floor selling only raw Japanese cotton denim goods called Beauty of Life or something like that. Very cute little shop and I picked up 3 denim woven bracelets.
Right beside the store we saw some these neon lights and something about avocados. Since we needed a break from the rain we went in to a drink break. Madosh Cafe where everything on the menu has avocado. Just finishing a large conveyor belt sushi meal, all we could stomach was a drink. Kanako and I ordered the avocado and coconut smoothie 1000y while Mike and Manwai the Avocadoacino (unlimited refills) and a tiramisu. They had a sign in their window reading that if you tag them on social media using their hashtags, they will give you a free avocado. I did it but completely forgot to ask or show the post to receive it.
Our plan of attack was to continue back towards Tokyo station with a stopover at Meguro River which is a well known spot for cherry blossoms that hang over the river and when blossomed, it is truly a sight to be seen. We looked outside and the rain didn’t seem to be letting up so we had to forego those plans and decided check out Recipe Mall nearby that had 2 floors of Uniqlo, Daiso, a fabric store and a grocery store. Once we got warm and a little drier, we took he train back to Tokyo Station where we parted ways with Kanako and grabbed ekibens (meals made especially to be eaten on long train rides at the station) before departing for Kanazawa.
Our arrival into Kanazawa was later in the evening and once we go to the station, we had to go find the local bus that would bring us to our Airbnb. Our Airbnb was located in the basement of an apartment building however it was raised up so we were actually overlooking the riverside and you can see the bridge. We called it an early night and tried to do laundry with their 2-in-1 machine however the drying portion wasn’t quite working that well. The apartment is actually quite large to Japanese standards. It was a 1 bedroom apartment with 1 bed but could easily fit the 3-4 futons they had in the closets. We watched a few episodes of Terrace House before I falling asleep. Going into this trip, a bunch of us got hooked on Terrace House and because we were in Japan, We were able to watch Japan Netflix which has the most recent releases of the show which aren’t offered in North America for a few months.
If you haven’t joined and booked with Airbnb yet, follow the link and get credits for your first booking. www.airbnb.ca/c/ruu
I woke up extremely early and decided to finally go for a morning walk – it was quiet but cold however I wanted to chase that morning light. Once everyone was awake and fully packed, we split up once again with Mike, Manwai & myself dropping off our bags at Tokyo station – East Maouranchi Line. We wanted to go back to Chidori-ga-fuchi however, it was a late start (we left around 830-9AM) we wouldn’t have enough time to go back and also make it out to Mitaka for our Ghibli Museum reservation for noon.
We had to take 2 JR rails to get out to Mitaka, which took around an hour. We decided to walk from the station and it was such a nice walk over. We lined up once we got there and were let in earlier than our 12 reservation. Purchasing the ticket a month prior was one of the most stressful things to do as every 10th at 10am (Japan time) the tickets for the following month are released and they sell out like hotcakes for 1000y (if you use tour agencies – it costs a lot more but guarantees tickets). Our actual ticket was a 3 piece film strip of different clips from different movies under the Studio Ghibli banner – mine was from Howl’s moving Castle. You are however, NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE PHOTOS INSIDE THE MUSEUM. They have a permanent collection which is filled in a room showing the different techniques they had done with the drawing and filming or movies as well as claymation. It was absolutely my favourite room of the museum especially the spinning cylinder with the robot and the birds.
The only place in the building you are allowed to take photos is when you are going to the rooftop where the giant robot statue is after you walk up the spiral staircase. The museum also features a gift shop which is always packed but filled with tempting items exclusive to the museum visit. I ended up purchasing a postcard with one of my favourite scenes from my favourite movie – Whisper of the Heart, a wooden keychain with a bell inside the bunny, a postcard that pops up to become a 3D card of the actual museum in a mario bros gameboy type of style and a mini toy of the entrance of the museum. There is also a cafe below but the line up was long so we opted to cross the street to Lawson and pick up a few items to bring back to the park behind the museum and have a little picnic – be warned – there are no garbage cans. The weather was rather nice but a little on the chillier side.
We took the Studio Ghibli bus back to the Mitaka station however it feels like its taking the long route.
6AM
The lockers at Tokyo Station
Train to Mitaka – Ghibli Museum
Walk decided to walk
Ghibli Museum!
Ghibli Museum
This was our ticket to Ghibli Museum
The robot on top the building
stairs to the robot
The souvenir shop!
Technically not allowed photos indoors but from outside the gift shop
Beautiful architecture
We proceeded to make our way to Shinagawa and got there a little early and decided to find a little cafe called Zakkat Cafe nearby to warm up before Maricar. I ordered the peach and apricot tea (450y).
Perfect little place to warm up before heading over to the Shinagawa location for Maricar. Our guide was Ike and once we got there, we paid upfront (course A at Shinagawa – 5PM (to get sunlight to sunset to night time driving) 6000y with a trip advisor or Facebook review, showed our international drivers license and then proceeded to choose our costume for the ride. There are Mario bros characters and non-Mario cart characters or you can opt to bring your own. I dressed as Usavich ウサビッチ Usabitchi, from Usagi. Make sure to carry your international and normal drivers license with you as your drive around. There is a little pouch on the cart that can fit these licenses and as well as your cellphone and extra batteries. *NOTE* I suggest you bring extra go pro batteries if you can and also don’t start it up right away. Get use to driving the first 10 minutes and save your precious battery for the better sights along the way like the landmarks – Tokyo Tower, Shibuya Crossing, Roppongi etc considering it is about 2-3 hours of driving around.
Cameras are allowed (strap around your neck) but not allowed to shoot when driving as instructed by the guide. You can have a max of 12 per session with a guide in the back and one in the front as you will be driving with normal Tokyo traffic. Be warned now that you will be inhaling exhaust from all the carts for 2-3 hours so be prepared. They give you a quick lesson on how to operate the go kart and off you go. Turn key on, take step on brake (left foot), release handbrake, put car into Forward, press the yellow ignition lever, apply pressure to gas (right foot) and ready to go. The brake needs a little more pressure to stop more accurately. There are hazard lights for when you pull over and signal lights that you need to press the middle to cancel the signal. There is no throwing bananas allowed nor bumper cars.
The lead guide will signal to you when you will be driving in single file and when we will be driving double side-by-side. Anytime you are stopping at a red light, you will go double lines and there will be a few turns where its double turning in the same lane. The carts are rather safe for not having seatbelt or helmets and can average speeds of 60-70KM/HR. If you are doing night driving remember to dress warm. The experience is completely worth the price.
Shinagawa Station
Zakket Cafe
Maricar!
All dressed and ready to go!
Saving Princess Peach
My go kart
Maricar!
Tokyo Tower!
The Maricar crew at Tokyo Tower
Sunset!
“drifting” through Roppongi
Shibuya Crossing!
The costumes
Maricar!
Once we finished our 2 hour adventure around town, we ordered a Uber and went to our next destination which also doubled as our accommodations for the night – Ooedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba. Once you arrive, you take off your shoes and place them in a shoe locker before going to the front desk and checking in. You receive a wristlet with your locker number and key and it acts as your credit card during your duration at the onsen. Next step, you go over to the yukata rentals and choose what design you want and your colour sash – you need to know how tall you are in CM to get a proper fitting yukata. Once you have your yukata you proceed to the change rooms and change out of your street clothes but leave on your underwear (for women, bras are optional but keep your panties on underneath). The yukata goes on with left folding under right which is shown in the signs around the locker room. Once you have gotten the yukata on, you wrap once the sash around and make a nice bow in the front then turn it around so the bow is facing the back.
Once that is completed, you can then proceed to the main area where it is somewhat themed to look like the olden days with all the dark wood paneling and lanterns everywhere. There are game stalls, arcades and food options everywhere that you pay for with your wristlet. I ordered a cold soba noodle dish.
The onsen has 2 main areas for those who plan on staying overnight to sleep – the relaxation room not he second floor with reclining couches with televisions – similar to first class seats on airplanes – this is a first come, first serve basis. There is a mixed relaxation room but also a women only one. The other sleeping area is located downstairs where they repurpose a room where they would eat into a laying down sleeping area.
Now onto the onsen itself. Once we digested our food after playing a few games, you get separated by gender and go into the spa. Once in the room, you choose a locker, grab a small and big towel and strip down. You take everything off and place it into the locker and take only the small towel with you. You enter the onsen and rinse off. If you prefer, you can do a full rinse off at the shower stalls before entering. Hair if possible should not be in the water. There are multiple baths all different temperatures. In the far left corner once you enter, there is an area with 4 laying down jets, 3-4 soaking tubs then 3 giant soaking areas. There is a mist and a dry sauna and of course a cold bath. There are also 2 big soaking areas outside and 4 are individual tubs.
My favourite part was actually the slightly colder pools as I saw myself falling asleep in them but also the whole going from hot sauna to cold bath was the best. Once we finished, we went into the shower stalls (2 westernized standing showers near the main door or the sitting stalls with mirrors) shampoo, conditioner and body wash are provided for you. Once you are clean, head back into the main onsen change room and dry off and get dressed. There are also face lotions, hairbands, shower caps, toothbrushes with toothpaste already on them.
Woke up at 6AM. The original plan was to wake up and do a day trip to Endoshima, Yokohama & Kawasaki area to visit the Endoshima sea candle, beach, Ramen museum, Japan’s largest Chinatown, the Cup Noodle Museum and Kawasaki Warehouse (giant arcade that is designed to look like the Forbidden City of Kowloon) however the prior day exceeded the groups energy threshold (we walked 29KM). Instead we decided to turn the day into a shopping – stay in Tokyo kind of day.
It was indeed a rainy day but luckily majority of the day was light rain. Now with John and Glenn with us, we all woke up rather early all starving. We walked over to Sushi Zanmai (Japan, 〒104-0045 Tōkyō-to, Chūō-ku, Tsukiji, 4 Chome−4−11−9) and ate our breakfast around 8AM (meal was more like lunch or dinner options) very early. I got the deluxe chirashi-don (1480y) and it was amazing and fresh. An assortment of 13 freshly selected types of seafood that covered a bed of rice.
After breakfast, our group split up with different intentions of what to do for the day. Stores don’t open until roughly 11AM so we wandered around. We passed by one temple where people were setting up their own booths for what looked like a flea market. I ended up browsing through one tent where this elderly couple had trays of old Japanese wooden toys where the heads bobbled. I restrained myself and only bought 3 for 1500y. We continued walking and made our way to Don Quijote where we spent a large amount of time purchasing items. Don Quijote is what you would say the Wal-mart of Japan would be because it has anything and everything you need whether its electronics, makeup, candy, food to laundry detergent. If you spend over a certain amount, you can present your passport (2nd floor cashier) and receive tax-free savings HOWEVER, if your purchase contained consumables (food) they will seal your purchase and you are not allowed to consume any of it or open the packaging until you have left Japan or potentially face a consumption fee at the customs.
We continued on after our rather large purchase (ok large for me). Stopped by a 100y store, BICQLO (5-7 floors of Uniqlo and Bic Camera), Comme Ca, Muji and a smaller more local Daiso. Cassie met up with us in Shinjuku for lunch and we went to a restaurant in a basement – Sutameshi DonDon – Tama Merchant building B1, B2, 3-34-14 Shinjuku Ku, Shinjuku – opened 24HR – Shinjuku where you order by a machine (luckily there was english and photos). I ordered the Sutameshi with cheese (780y) and you get an egg on the side to mix in. I had a runaway egg as I cracked it directly onto the my bowl where a bed of melted cheese acted as a ramp to throw it out of the bowl. Apparently, I did it all wrong. They give you a separate little bowl to crack the egg in and then stir it before you try to combine it with your meal. After lunch, we continued walking in the spritz rain to Awake which serves dango – delicious mochi desserts.
Glenn finally made it!
Cutest barriers
I love these buildings that split the steets
Chirashi Deluxe!
Stumbled upon a flea market in a temple
Old Japanese wooden toys
I bought the 3 on the right – 2 are bobble heads
Godzilla!
Sutameshi – The egg should be cracked into the bowl and stirred before being added to the bowl
Cutest barriers
Dango!
With the amount of shopping we did, our baggage was getting heavy so we returned back to you share loft and unpacked and repacked it into our luggages while we waited for our remaining 2 friends to join us. At this point of day, John and Glenn were enroute to Nara/Osaka and Cassie was exploring on her own and meeting up with Atene in Roppongi. We ended up waiting back at the share loft for Karen and Chi’s arrival. Their flight got delayed by an hour and we ended up napping a little too long waiting their arrival.
First thing on the list for the night – Chidori-ga-fuchi park – The park was illuminated to showcase the cherry blossoms but of course that brought out the crowds. It was a big walk around the park where it led to a dead end which you would then need to walk back from. It was a lovely view but I still wish I was able to see it during a nice sunny day.
Since Karen and Chi just landed, they really wanted to see Piss Alley and Golden Gai. We kept getting turned around at Shinjuku Station and went in a circle a few times before re-orienting ourselves in the correct direction to where we were the first day in Tokyo. We ended up eating at Tori-en Izakaya (Japan, 〒160-0023 Tokyo, 新宿区Nishishinjuku, 1 Chome−２−４) in Piss Alley where we sat on the second floor and ate a bit of everything.
We got back to the share loft and all of us started to repack our bags as we needed to create a overnight bag and go store our luggages at train stations since we were planning on staying overnight at the onsen.
That jet lag never seems to amaze me. Woke up at 5AM and couldn’t fall back asleep. Eventually everyone woke up and stated they were hungry after discussing pancakes that were too far away at a restaurant that wouldn’t be opened for another 2-3 hours. We opted for the best alternative – 7-Eleven. We grabbed some hot food as well as onigiri (my old friend who saved me the last time around in Osaka).
We hopped on the train to meet my friend Yuko at Asakusa Station – Tsubasa Station however somehow we opted to walk part of the way there that made me a little late to meeting her. I met Yuko back in 2011 when I went on a Contiki tour of Europe – 7 countries in 10 days where we sat on a coach bus together whether we liked it or not but luckily our group was the better of groups as opposed to the examples we saw interacting with other groups. She was in school when I met her and she was studying music I believe. She is now a marketing researcher.
I had chatted with Yuko for a bit prior to the trip about a festival called the Asakusa Kannon-ura Ichiyo Sakura Matsuri – 4 Chrome, Taito – She had never been to it and we wanted to attend. This courtesan parade is held on the second Saturday of April each year. It consisted of a closed off street north of the Senso-ji Temple where there would be cute Japanese children in procession as well as Geisha/ Oiran Dochu procession to follow and ending off with a drumming performance.
The Oiran Dochu Procession (おいらん道中) in the Edo period was the procession of the Oiran courtesan accompanied by young females to a client’s residence after formal invitation. The Tayu (the top ranking woman) would wear tall footwear in which they would take strides dragging their feet in figure 8 patterns while holding the shoulder of a man (their body guard) to steady her. The steps would be slow but highly exaggerated to gain attention. The Tayu were witty, self-confident and skilled in calligraphy as well as ikebana (flower arranging). The young females that accompanied the Tayu were meant to become prostitutes. The Oiran courtesans were at the highest of standards of being companions and being entertained by them was expensive that it could put a castle into debt. Although they would be paid handsomely, the Tayu could decline an invitation.
This procession is put on by volunteers to commemorate the history of the Oirans of North Asakusa, which was the red light district of the past.
We got there rather early for opening remarks and then the first round of children came at 1045AM waving fake cherry blossom branches and also a little brass band. The next rounds of kids were suppose to come but we decided we were hungry and went on our way to venture for food. The area of Taito is actually quite charming and I really liked the feel of the streets. We walked over to Senso-ji Temple where tons of cherry blossoms and their huge row of markets lined the front of the temple that both started and end with giant red lanterns. We of course did our fortune (100y) – if you get a bad fortune you must tie it up so that they can burn the bad fortune you received away. I absolutely hate being in crowds – what is worst is touristy crowds. We had such a large group that we ended up losing partial group halfway through the walk through the market but we gathered back together. We left Yuko in charge of finding us a good place to eat for lunch. We found ourselves on the second floor at a restaurant called Owariya (1-7-1 Asakusa) that specializes in shrimp tempura and soba noodles. I ordered the Kashiwa A-Seiro with stirred chicken sauce (1,100y)
Back to the festival for the actual Geisha procession – It was actually quite slow and not as eventful as I’d hope but none the less an experience. I ended up getting pulled to the front by an older Japanese lady because she saw me with cameras and so I sat down so everyone could see over me. The procession was very intricate because a few of the geishas were wearing shoes that were 10 inch platforms and slowly they kept dragging their feet in a figure 8 pattern. There were people dressed up with fox masks on who were dancing with ornate colours and fans – that was my favourite part.
Our share loft AIRBNB in Shinjuku
The crew
Cherry blossoms in full bloom
We all matched the bright colours with our rain jackets and joined the parade
Sensō-ji
We got our fortunes done – mine was good!
Kashiwa A-Seiro with stirred chicken sauce
The crowd waiting for the parade to start
Oiran Dochu
Oiran Dochu
We decided to leave and skipped the drumming to grab ice cream. Not regular old ice cream but 7 levels of matcha green tea ice cream at Suzuki-en. Cassie’s high school friend who she hadn’t seen since high school – Atene joined us. Atene now lives in Yokohama and works for the government but studied architecture. We went to line up at Suzuki-en to be told we need to head to another building – their waiting room which literally was a waiting room for the extended line about a block away from the main store. Once our number was called, we were handed tickets and back we went to the main building where awaited the employees to serve you your level of choice for matcha or 4-5 other varieties of ice cream. Since we had such a large group, we all opted to get a double scoop and get each level of matcha possible. I grabbed a level 6 cone for Kanako and myself a level 3 & a level 7. My volleyball friend Kanako was in Hiroshima/Shizuoka visiting her grandparents but had a few days off to roam around so she took the train and joined us for half the day. You can definitely taste the difference in each level of matcha and in the end, I truly preferred the level 7 although it did taste a little powdery.
As a group, we decided to continue on together to Omotesando area. Slowly but surely made our way through Senso-ji temple to get to the trains and off we went. Omotesando is the high end shopping area with a lovely and large street that reminds me of Queen St West meets Yorkville in Toronto or Tokyo’s Champs-Élysées. We ended up walking through Omotesando Hills, a shopping mall and residential space designed by 1995 Pritzker recipient Tadao Ando. The design has this staircase in the middle that spans 3 floors. The staircase is used for runway shows from time to time. We visited a few galleries and artist’s stores and ended up at Tokyu Plaza (designed by Hiroshi Nakamura). The entrance has a giant mirrored escalator entrance and a beautiful rooftop (which we never made it to). We took some photos before Kanako said her goodbyes and went on to meet with her other friends.
We walked over to Yoyogi park where it was jam-packed with people (it was a weekend to begin) with white cherry blossoms adorning the park especially concentrated into one area. The hanami (cherry blossom) viewing brought people out in droves picnicking with tarps under all the trees and tons of locals and tourists basking in the white glow of the cherry blossoms. At this point, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom in Tokyo.
Atene’s original plan was to get us to Roppongi but with the sheer amount of people in our group and how much walking we accomplished that day (29KM), we finished off our night in the Shibuya area. We walked through Shibuya Crossing and had dinner at Tsukada No Osusume that specializes in the Miyazaki region – mangoes, chicken and miso. They had this miso jam/dip that was so flavourful and you are able to purchase as well. For the amount of drinks and food we ate, the bill came out to about 16,000y.
Of course when in Japan, you just need to try out the purikura(プリクラ) – japanese photo booths. Let me tell you, we looked all kinds of wrong and different but funny. After all the excitement of purikura, we walked over to the subway station that has a bridge up where there is a famous mural by a Japanese artist as well as clear views (as clear as a window with the crisscross wire in them can be) where you can watch the whole Shibuya Crossing play out. We called it a night after we watched people cross a few times as Yuko and Atene still had a bit to go to get home and we were all in food coma mode.
Glenn’s journey to Japan has been a trek to say the least. He arrived at 1AM after 38 hours at Chicago airport. Turns out that someone made a fake bomb and brought it on the plane (not working) but nonetheless that that person was able to make it pass security and onto the plane.
Asakusa neighbourhood
Suzuki-en
The actual waiting room a block away for Suzuki-en
The 7 levels of matcha ice cream
The ice cream!
We all got different levels to try – Level 7 is amazing!
The full crew for the day heading to Omotesando
Omotesando Hills
Kanako on the Hills (stairs)
Tokyu Plaza
Tokyu Plaza
Yoyogi Park – Hanami – Cherry blossoms in full bloom
Flew out of Toronto with Mike, Manwai & Cassie while Glenn was on another flight (Cassie was with ANA and the rest of us with United). This trip had started off badly for Glenn as his flight leaving for Chicago never left Toronto as there was an unmarked luggage that got aboard the plane from San Paulo.
We arrived in Chicago and Cassie caught her flight about 30-45 minutes before us. The main flight was about 12 hours and we got upgraded to economy plus. We originally booked with ANA but they are partnered with United so not as great as I wish it would be. No outlets but at least a screen to watch limited shows and movies.
We finally arrived at Narita Airport (half hour early) to 20C degree weather. Humid. We went up to the 4th floor towards the restaurants to meet Cassie who arrived earlier. We proceeded to the lower level to the JR pass lineup to activate our pass. It was an hour wait but still very hot. We ended up making new friends from New Jersey – Jennifer & Francis.
Once we activated our pass, we reserved our seats for the train to head to our Airbnb nearby Kawadacho Station in Shinjuku. 110 minutes into town from Narita. We arrived to find John, drop off our things and head to Shinjuku-Nishikichi to make our reservation time for Robot Restaurant. We opted for the show no meal but each ticket comes with 1 free drink ticket. We stopped by BIC Camera and got Cassie a Sim card – 21 days 5GB – $32CAD-ish. Walked over to Robot Restaurant with our reservation and then got another voucher and grabbed food at a nearby little restaurant before finally getting our actual ticket and heading inside. There is a holding area – lounge with a few performances and where we can redeem our drink tickets – oolong tea and alcohol mix – who would’ve known. I saw photos of the washrooms before we went which are ridiculously decorated but single stalls and the line was way too long to use/view them. The show takes place in the basement and I mean basement (it must be massive behind those curtains though to house all those robots). We went down 3 more levels and then got seated in our reserved seats. Sensory overload and I’m still not even sure if it was amazing or not. I mean, It was definitely bright, loud and shiny with high energy for sure with tons of dancing and “fighting”.
On a train to Shinjuku
Robot Restaurant – The main waiting area
Robot Restaurant
Robot Restaurant
Robot Restaurant
Robot Restaurant
Robot Restaurant
We left and grabbed some good old KFC then walked Golden Gai and Piss Alley. Golden Gai is a series of 3-5 streets that are riddled with small establishments that serve drinks and some bar food. The bars can hold 4-8 people at most. We didn’t participate but got to see the nightlife on a Friday night. We walked over to Piss Alley which was more open but we got there a little late in the night that the izakayas were closing. We started to head back to realize that the trains stop around 1230-1AM and had to find an alternate route back to our Airbnb. We ended up taking 2 taxis as they wouldn’t take 5 in one. I didn’t sleep until 230AM but I did get my SIM card to finally work.
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