21/04/2019
Tokyo with My Friends: A 5-day, Kid-Free, Girl-Friend's Trip & Tips:
It’s a real treat being able to take a girl’s trip. My two girl-friends and I decided to take a quick trip halfway across the world to explore Tokyo, Japan. Here is my itinerary and a few tips that could help make your visit and experience unforgettable.
Day 1:
We flew out of Seattle to Narita airport.
From the airport, we took an airport limousine bus to the hotel. (TIP: You can buy bus tickets from the airport itself for around $30- you do not need prior reservations. The bus runs every hour and takes about an hour to get to the city center).
We checked in at Okura Hotel in Roppongi. We found the staff to be super friendly, hospitable, and helpful.
That evening, we had booked the Robot Restaurant show at 9:45pm (previously booked thru Expedia activities). After freshening up, we took a cab to the show. Cabs are very accessible and you do not need to make arrangements ahead of time. Robot Restaurant is in Shinjuku, which is about a 19 minute cab ride. Everyone is really well-dressed here, even the cab driver wears a 3 piece suit. The 9:45pm reservation is the last show for the night and it lasts roughly 90 minutes. The show is electro-pop and high pitched with disco, neon lighting.
After the show ended we went upstairs for a drink – they have a full bar. What got my attention was this drink - a nice sweet, sparkling sake called Ichinokura Suzune (green bottle).
Then we headed to Golden G*i in Shinjuku and checked out some crawl bars. Hunger strikes after a few sakes. We stumbled upon a sushi place next to Mister Donut Shinjuku on Yasukuni Street. We had an amazing sushi meal at 3:00 am and it was mind blowing --super fresh and delicious. Because it was so late in the night, no reservations were needed and we were seated promptly. (Tip: tipping is not customary here). Being out late at night didn’t haunt us girls at all, we felt safe.
Day 2:
We began the morning at the hotel gym. The gym has an amazing roller machine for the calves and a massage bed-- definitely worth checking it out.
Our plan for the day was to take the subway to see the Sensoji Temple. (TIP: for the subway-maps are available. Google Maps on your phone can be helpful, too. Metro cards are available through machines and you can pick different languages on the machines. There is a button to ask for assistance if you need).
Once we got to our stop, we decided to have lunch first. We found a random Shabu Shabu spot (hotpot dish of thinly sliced meats and vegetables boiled in water and served with dipping sauces). An absolute must-do when in Tokyo!
Then we headed to see the temple- it is truly a divine site! Give yourself at least an hour to walk around and get a sense of the place. It's definitely calming and zen. There are hundreds of souvenir shops. (TIP: Good pricing to pick up Japanese and Ichimatsu dolls, bookmarks, Japanese clothing (kimonos and hakamas). You should also look for freshly made Japanese desserts. Our observation was that the Japanese are very cultural.
In the evening, we changed scenes and headed to Shibuya, to experience the world's busiest crossing. We took the Ginza line to Shibuya station. 3.6 million people use it every day, making it the world's busiest train station passenger wise. When you walk out, you instantly experience the world's busiest crossing, bustling with pedestrians and vehicles. Our favorite view was from the world's busiest Starbucks.
Day 3
We booked a tour through Panoramic Japanese Tours company. It was the Spectacular Mt Fuji with 4D package. We began the day with taking a cab from Okuru Hotel to Ritz Carlton Tokyo, where our tour guide asked us to meet him.
We drove for an hour and went to a beautiful Japanese garden, where u can get Fuji cookies, try out some fresh green tea smoothie, and get this water which is believed to make you look 10 years younger. We then headed to the Ninja town,
First we had a delectable meal included in the package and then we had some time to watch the ninja show for an additional cost and visit the souvenir store.
Every trip to Mt Fuji can be different, you only get to see a clear view of Mt Fuji 100 days in a year. We were definitely lucky enough to experience it. The highest you could go is the 5th station and we were able to go up to the 4th station. On our way back we stopped at the Fuji amusement park to get a vivid 4D experience (a flying simulator ride with a short movie of the four seasons in Mt Fuji). It's a must-do experience for the entire family, including children and elderly. Then we headed to Lake Kawaguchi, where we got the best shots of Mt Fuji. After this, we made it to the centerpiece of Tokyo: The Skytree. The Skytree height is 634 meters (which is as high as a 192-story building!) There are 2 observation decks, a restaurant, a cafe, and a gift shop. The views are just spectacular! When you come to the ground floor, there are lots of underground restaurants to explore. A lot of restaurants have imitations of the food outside their place, just a brilliant idea! People are very courteous and show respect by bowing their heads. The three of us noticed, everywhere we went, how clean and tidy the city was.
Day 4:
Started off the day with shopping at Don Quijote (A convenience store with groceries and household items)
After shopping we took a train to Harajuku – its been the center for affordable, casual and subculture fashion and a favorite spot for young people. we walked around and did some more shopping- the Japanese treats are so unique in each market. We bought a sandwich from a vending machine, it was super fun.
Then we took a train to Akihabara, the Mecca of electronics. You can find everything from the newest computers, cameras, televisions, mobile phones, electronic parts and home appliances. Many shops also offer tax free shopping to foreign vistors. Another interesting thing was to experience cafes where you can pet them. If you are into petting owls, definitely check out the owl cafe.
Day 5:
The day to say Sayonaro to this wonderful place!
Since our flight was at 5:30pm, we had only the morning to explore. We took the subway “H” Hibiya line to Tsukiji station. Walked 5 minutes and got to the Fish market, its called Tsukiji. So many different stalls and seafood to try, it was hard to choose where we should have our last meal. It was pouring rain, but that didn’t bother any of us one bit. We had sushi for breakfast and Kirin Japanese beer.
(tip: you can buy fresh wasabi to bring back home)
Our tummies and hearts were so full after this incredible experience!
A must-do for you, your friends and family!
