Tokyo Recap & Travel Guide
TOKYO was an unexpected trip that I booked last minute. I take at least one international trip a year, and the past few years have been heavy in Europe. This was actually my first time back in Asia since 2012 or so. Tokyo is magical. It can also be overwhelming and I can see how this may be too busy of a city for some people, but I think it re-sparked something in me. In some ways, it reminded me of the hustle and bustle when I lived in NYC. For this trip, I had absolutely no itinerary. I simply had a high level idea of what I wanted my trip to be like (mostly food adventures), but I took it day by day and did things depending on my mood. I travel much differently than I used to and found that I’ve become more Type B when it comes to planning. I wanted this Tokyo trip to be relaxing and a reset in some of the chaos that has been happening the last few months. Below are some highlights - you’ll see that I plan my travel around eating :)
PACKING
These days, I tend to pack extremely light. Even with international travel, I have my backpack for my laptop and a carryon luggage. I don’t like to check things in and wait for luggage upon arrival.
Turtl Pillow - I don’t know why I waited so long to travel with a neck pillow. This was my first time testing out a Turtl Pillow on a long flight and I liked it! It’s much more compact and is almost like a scarf around your neck.
Packing cubes - I can’t travel without packing cubes anymore. It helps keeps everything organized. I have the full set and use the large cube for every day clothes, the medium for workout clothes/gear and the small for intimates and pjs.
WHAT TO SEE
Since this was my second time in Tokyo, I already had visited most of the tourist attractions. Here are some new ones places that I visited this time around (plus a repeat). I really wanted to visit the teamLAB Borderless exhibit, but heard the wait lines were long so I didn’t get a chance to see this. This would be the one thing I would have changed in my itinerary.
Sensoji Temple (Asakusa) - The most popular Buddhist temple in Tokyo. Extremely colorful, visitors enter through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), which is a symbol of Asakusa and Tokyo. Leading to the temple is a shopping street called Nakamise, where you can purchase Japanese snacks and pastries, souvenirs, etc.
Meiji Jingu Shrine (Harajuku) - A beautiful shrine right by the Harajuku train station. I loved this place because it reminded me of Central Park in NYC. In the middle of a concrete jungle is this shrine that’s surrounded by trees and it slowed life down. It was a nice escape and made me appreciate the greenery and tranquility the city has to offer.
Shibuya Crossing (Shibuya) - I’ve been before, but not during the day. The busiest cross street in Tokyo and worth observing for a few traffic cycles. You may even spot the tourists who participate in the Mario Kart race driving. Sitting at the Starbucks on the second floor allows great viewing of the crossing!
Tokyo Disney Sea - Tokyo Disneyland has two parks - Land and Sea. Sea is unique to Tokyo and the central theme is water. It’s a great half day adventure for those who are Disney lovers. It was also just the start of the Halloween theme and they served Halloween inspired foods. I’m eating a pumpkin churro in the picture above.
Galaxy Harajuku (Harajuku) - an exhibit built by Samsung phones. It’s 7 floors of exploring their products, but in a very stylish way with LED lights and screens. I particularly loved all the floors with cameras to show you a range of what their products can do. 4F was my favorite because of the LED paneled room with mirrors.
Tokyo Game Show - an annual conference for game developers, similar to GDC or E3 in the United States. Reminded me a bit of ComicCon since there were also cosplayers.
WHAT TO EAT
I like to eat. Sometimes I think I workout so I can eat. Since I didn’t do any advanced planning for this trip, I didn’t make reservations to eat at super fancy Japanese places. In general, I feel that random restaurants you find on the street are probably better than what you can get in the US anyway. Below are my favorites that I had on this trip.
Udon Shin (Shibuya) - best udon I have ever had in my life. Super flavorful, thick and chewy noodles and a simple atmosphere. You have options of choosing between hot and cold udon. This is located right by Fuunji.
Fuunji (Shibuya) - famous for their tsukemen (dipping ramen). I found this gem the first time I visited Tokyo when it was less well known and blogged about, but the second time around was just as delicious!
Ichiran Ramen (Shibuya, but many locations) - the most famous ramen in Tokyo. It’s much better in Tokyo than in Brooklyn, NY (it’s also half the price). You order and pay at a vending machine and get seated at individual stalls to enjoy your ramen. You can also buy prepackaged ramen and soup base to take home!
Tomita (Narita Airport) - another famous tsukemen restaurant opened by Chef Tomita. They are also featured in a documentary called Ramen Heads. Tomita opened a second location at the Narita airport since the original location was so busy and not all tourists were to try it during their Tokyo trip. It is located on the 4F in terminal 1, before going through security.
Gyukatsu Motomura (Harajuku) - probably one of the best meals I had in Tokyo. The beef is lightly coated and fried, sliced up and you can cook it some more on a hot stone. It was flavorful, tender and a flavor explosion.
Standing Bar Sushi at Tachigui Sushi Uogashi (Shibuya) - a place to eat good quality sushi - no chairs, just standing and very much eat and go. I loved this concept, especially dining solo.
Black and white sesame ice cream at Gomaya Kuki (Harajuku) - THE best black sesame ice cream I’ve ever had. It was so rich in black sesame flavor and the white sesame was a great complement to it.
Green tea lattes at Deus Ex Machina (Harajuku) - I loved the ambiance of this cafe. It was very airy, open, a lot of wood and just the right amount of grunge. There are motorcycles inside as well as a gallery and store. I had their green tea latte, which was perfect to sip on while people watching. The also hold yoga classes in the basement on Sundays.
One Happy Pancake (Harajuku) - fluffy, souffle pancakes. How can you not? The hype is real. I can’t even describe this justice. You just need to go eat it and try it for yourselves.
Cocktails at Bar Ishinohana (Shibuya) - I happened to stumble upon this place after having sushi for dinner. They have standard cocktails as well as seasonal ones. Another tourist who frequents Japan often told me that they thought I was lucky to have found this bar because they consider it to be the best bar in Tokyo.
Cocktails at Ben Fiddich (Shinjuku) - this has to be one of the most famous cocktail bars in Tokyo. It’s tucked away in a side street and not clearly labeled. There is no menu, you simply tell the bartenders your spirit of choice and flavor profile. My drink was gin based pureed with kiwi, mint and local honey. It was probably one of my most favorite drinks I’ve ever had. They use extremely fresh ingredients and have so much artistry in their craft!
WORKING OUT
It seems like studio fitness and gyms are much less prevalent in Tokyo. I know there are a few Gold’s Gyms around the city, but drop in rates are expensive. I averaged walking about 10-12 miles a day exploring Tokyo and I opted to work with the limited equipment at the hotel gym. Here is an earlier post of mine about staying fit while traveling. I couldn’t lift heavy during my trip, but had access to some cardio equipment and dumbbells. Below is the rough full body workout I did in mornings. 15 reps of each exercise, 3x through:
Warmup: basic stretches (world’s greatest stretch for hip opener, inch worms for hamstrings), 5 minute fast walk on treadmill
Lower body: goblet squats, sumo squats, curtsy lunges, hip thrusts
Upper body (arms): 3 variations of bicep curls (regular, hammer, wide), overhead shoulder press, side laterals, Arnold press, triceps
Upper body (chest and back): chest press, bent over rows, back flies
Core: v-ups, Russian twists, plank hold + side dips
SAYONARA
Until we meet again, Japan. It can’t come soon enough.