Tokyo Travel Guide
Japan Trip Overview:
Travel month: April
6 days in Tokyo
4 days in Osaka, Kyoto & Nara
Visiting Japan for the first time was a dream come true! There is something so magical about this vibrant city that made me fall completely in love from the moment we landed. My husband Johnny and I stayed in Japan for a total of 10 days with six days in Tokyo and four days in Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara. We didn't get the chance to explore everything that we wanted to but still had the most amazing time - I guess that just means we have to come back again, which I don't mind at all! ;-)
In this Tokyo travel guide, you will find the places that we explored and ate at along with some travel tips that we learned while navigating around the city!
How did we get there?
When we were researching tickets to Japan we were so excited to find out that Japan Airlines had direct flights from San Diego to Tokyo! It was the best airfare deal we could find and it saved us a trip of driving up to LAX to board a flight. We flew economy class and the flight time was 11 hours. The service was absolutely amazing and the food provided was one of the best airline meals I've ever had. Extremely thoughtful and well serviced. There are two airports to choose from when flying into Tokyo: Narita, and Haneda. We decided to fly into Narita because of the Narita Express Train that takes you directly into Tokyo with stops at the following stations: Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station, and Shibuya Station.
Where did we stay?
We chose to use Airbnb for the majority of our stay in Tokyo and stayed at the Hyatt Centric Ginza for our last night. I have a hotel review of the Hyatt Centric Ginza if you want to learn more about our stay. The areas that we stayed in were the Shinjuku and Koto Districts. Definitely, do your research on which areas/places you plan to visit often and book accommodations that are closer to it! Even if you can't get accommodations that are centrally located, it takes around 20 min max to get around the city with the convenience of all the trains.
- Places to explore -
Asakusa
Things to Do:
Sensoji Temple
Nakamise Shopping Street
a great place to try local snacks and go souvenir shopping. It's a really narrow street and get's extremely crowded!
FOOD TO TRY:
Asakusa Kibidango Azuma
Stop by this popular booth that sells Kibidango, a Japanese dumpling made from millet and mochi rice flour coated with soy bean powder. It's made to order and the lines are usually pretty long for these sweet treats!
Ginza
Things to Do:
If you're looking to experience the best fashion, beauty, art, and luxury that Tokyo has to offer, head over to the neighborhood of Ginza! It's centrally located and a great neighborhood to walk around, shop and sightsee!
Shibuya
Things to Do:
Shibuya Crossing
Rumored to be one of the busiest intersections in the world! Amidst the chaos of people crossing the street in all directions, it's definitely a bucket list item to check off when visiting Tokyo!
Harajuku
FOOD TO TRY:
Reissue Cafe was one of the top foodie places I wanted to visit during our trip! When you start doing research on Tokyo, you'll find a bunch of pictures with cute 3D Latte art! So we had to go and try it out! They have a selection of characters that you can choose from for them to make or you can show them a picture of a character and they'll create it! I chose Totoro and Johnny showed them a picture of an anime character he likes and they were able to recreate it! It is pricey for a cup of Cafe Latte but it was still tasty and totally unique!
Totti Candy Factory is known for its giant rainbow cotton candy! I'm not usually a big cotton candy fan but I knew I wanted to try it and also do it for the photo opp! ;-) To my surprise, it was really good, with each layer being a different flavor!
Ueno Park
Things to Do:
Ueno Onshi Park
We were walking around the Ueno district and stumbled upon this beautiful park area! Inside the park houses the Ueno Zoo, museums, and lake! We didn't visit the zoo or museums but we did take a swan boat out for a ride!
Tonkotsu Ramen Hakata Furyu Ueno
This is where we ate our first bowl of ramen on our trip and guys let me tell you it was so good! We ordered the garlic oil tonkotsu ramen (spicy & non-spicy) and we were blown away! The broth was so good, not too creamy and not watery, the noodles were fresh and had a great bite to it. Also, all of the toppings were perfect including the soft boiled egg! I mean look at that color and texture! Lastly, our favorite thing about this restaurant was that they offered FREE EXTRA NOODLES BEFORE 2PM! So naturally, we had to get 2 more plates of extra noodles. ;-)
Ichiran Ramen
We didn't really eat at chain restaurants during our trip but we could not resist having a meal at the popular Ichiran Ramen! There are multiple locations scattered around Tokyo and all over Japan.
You'll be handed an order sheet where you can pick your toppings and spice level (there are English translations listed ) then pay at the vending machine before getting seated.
It was such a cool experience having the Ramen delivered right in front of you! There's a curtain in front of your table and if you want to order more noodles or toppings you just press a button and they'll be delivered immediately!
The Ramen here lives up the hype! Everything was so good, their signature broth and noodles were perfect, it was never too salty and had so much flavor mmm... If you want to see our reactions and experience at Ichiran you can watch it here!
Chiyoda
Things to Do:
Chidorigafuchi Park
Our goal was to take a rowboat out to view the cherry blossoms but we missed the season by a few days, unfortunately. It was still beautiful nonetheless and we decided to venture out onto the moat anyways! If you have the chance to visit during cherry blossom season, then this is a must-do activity! It cost around 5-10 Japanese yen to rent the boat for 30 mins.
FOOD TO TRY:
Kushiage Shinjuku Tatsukichi
Located on the 2nd floor of the Tokyo Midtown Hibiya Building. It's a beautiful center filled with shopping, a food hall, and a movie theater. It can be a little bit difficult to navigate because there are no English signs so look for the picture listed above on the directory and head to the 2nd floor! We randomly stumbled upon this restaurant around dinner time and it was nothing short of delicious! The dish they serve here is called Kushiage, which is a Japanese dish of deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables.
At first, it was a little intimidating because we didn't know where to go but the hostess helped us get to our seats at the bar and from there the Chef started explaining to us our place setting and the various sauces to dip our skewers in. It was such a wonderful experience watching the Chef prepare and fry each skewer with precision, I think we ate around 12 skewers each! NOTE: The Chef will continue to prepare skewers for you until you politely let them know that you're full and done with your meal. :)
Nemuro Hanamaru Sushi
This was the first conveyor belt sushi restaurant we've ever eaten at and it was so cool being able to experience it here in Japan! This restaurant is located on the top level of the Kitte Department Store.
We waited in line for 45 minutes to eat here and it was totally worth it! I couldn't believe how generous the portions were for each piece of Nigiri! I mean look at that scallop!
At a conveyor belt sushi bar, you're charged by how many dishes you consume and each plate represents a different price point depending on what it is. I think our bill turned out to be 3,800 Japanese Yen which is around $35 USD.
Tim Ho Wan
Tim Ho Wan is a Chinese Dim Sum chain known as the world’s most inexpensive Michelin starred restaurant. Originating in Hong Kong, there are now several restaurants spread across Asia and two locations in the U.S. ( Waikiki and NYC ).
The Tokyo location opened on our second to last day of our trip so we had to go and try it! We waited in line for an hour to eat here and it was so good! I grew up eating Dim Sum with my family and I was impressed by the quality of Tim Ho Wan! They stuck to a pretty condensed menu with classic dishes like Har Gao (steamed shrimp dumplings), Sui Mai (steamed pork dumplings with shrimp) and Baked BBQ Pork Buns.
The portions were great, everything was cooked perfectly and not dried out! If you've encountered overcooked Har Gao - you know what I mean! Or eating a BBQ Pork Bun with barely any filling! Thank goodness this was not the case! :)
Shinjuku
FOOD TO TRY:
Pablo
If you love dessert, then you definitely have to stop by Pablo to try their cheese tarts! It looks like a giant cheesecake but the texture is so different! It has a flakey buttery crust and filling that's very smooth, creamy and fluffy at the same time without being too heavy and sugary.
CoCo Ichibanya Curry
We ate here our first night after arriving late into the city! Even though it's a chain restaurant with location branches in the United States too, the curry turned out to be really good and affordable! It totally hit the spot after a long day of travel!
Tokyo Disneyland & Tokyo DisneySea
Things to Do:
Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea
If you're a big Disney fan like me then you know you have to stop by the Tokyo Disneyland Resort to check these two international parks off your bucket list ;-) It was so magical and we loved seeing the similarities and differences of both parks compared to the ones back home in the states.
There's so much to talk about in regards to both parks so stay tuned for a separate Travel Guide dedicated to Tokyo Disney! But if you're curious about our Disney adventures and the food we ate, you can watch our Tokyo Disneyland vlogs below!
Roppongi Hills
Things to Do:
Mori Tower: Tokyo City View
For breathtaking views of the Tokyo skyline, head over to Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills to the Tokyo City View observation deck to get a 360 view! If you're feeling really adventurous, for an extra fee, you can head up to their Sky Deck rooftop for an unobstructed view of Tokyo!
I recommend going later in the afternoon to get your money's worth so you can see Tokyo during the day and also the sunset for night views!
Travel Tips & Advice
- Transportation -
Get familiar with the train systems before your trip - watch YouTube videos to get a sense of the environment.
Know when the high traffic times are. Be aware of when people are going to and leaving work. The trains get extremely packed. Even though everyone is very nice and considerate, just be extra cautious if you're navigating the train station with your luggage.
Speaking of carrying bags, if you are planning to travel around the city with your suitcase, I highly recommend just booking a taxi to get to your destination. We were just able to flag them down as they came by. We carried a total of 4 suitcases and traveling with them through the train station was not a fun thing to do and felt like we were being inconsiderate by taking up more space. So even though cab fares can be a bit pricey, they are totally worth it for the convenience. But in the end, if you choose to take the trains with your luggage, remember to look for elevators in the station! They are a lifesaver instead of carrying them up and down the stairs. We totally forgot about elevators until the end of our trip because it can get pretty overwhelming in the station with a large number of people walking by. But you got this! :)
When riding escalators make sure to step off to the left side and leave the right open for those in a hurry to pass.
When taking the trains, you will line up to the side of the train doors and let passengers exit before you enter. It's amazing how efficient and considerate everyone is when it comes to boarding trains.
Traveling around the city will mainly comprise of walking and taking the trains, so I highly recommend purchasing a Suica card. It's a rechargeable prepaid smart card that allows you to take most public transportation (metro, buses, trains, monorail).
Carry cash to refill your Suica card. The ticket kiosks do not accept American credit cards. If you're looking to withdraw cash, we went to the currency exchange inside Tokyo Station.
If you're looking to visit other cities in Japan during your trip, you must purchase a Japan Rail Pass in advance before arriving in Japan. Activate it once you are ready to use it. The Japan Rail Pass is valid on all JR National Trains and Shinkansen Bullet Trains (we took this to get to other cities - Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara) and Narita Express to get to the airport. For detailed information in buying, activating and using the Japan Rail Pass click here for official guidelines.
- dining -
When dining out, you do not need to leave a tip!
If you're hungry and looking for a snack, stop by any 7/11 location! They're literally everywhere and have some great food and drink choices. I was obsessed with eating salmon onigiri and drinking milk tea. Stock up on water here!
Some restaurants take credit card (make sure you have one that can be used internationally) but mostly cash.
Most restaurants require you to order and pay via a vending machine before sitting down. After you pay, a ticket will be distributed that you'll hand it over to the restaurant's waiter or waitress to place your order.
After breaking apart wooden chopsticks, do not rub them together to try to get the "splinters" out because that'll imply that you think the chopsticks are cheaply made. Another chopstick etiquette is to never stick them straight up in a rice bowl because it's incredibly taboo and is a reminder of funerals and bad luck.
When dining out, most of the time you'll pay ahead of time at a vending machine or the bill will be delivered to you. After you receive the bill, head up to the cashier to pay.
Simple Japanese phrases to use for dining:
Thank you. Arigatoo gozaimasu.
Excuse me. Sumimasen.
Yes. hai.
No. iie.
Water. Mizu.
Delicious. Oishi
Thank you for reading my Tokyo guide, I hope you have a wonderful time traveling to Tokyo!
For a more in-depth look at our trip check
out my Tokyo Travel Vlogs below!
