5 days in Tokyo, Japan

Where do I even begin?

I spent 10 days in Japan in July 2023 and it blew my mind. I barely scratched the surface of what Japan has to offer but one thing I can confirm is that it’s a traveler’s dream. My itinerary went as follows:

• 5 days in Tokyo

• 1 day in Hakone

• 2 days in Kyoto

• 2.5 days in Osaka

• 0.5 days in Hiroshima

In this post, I will focus on the Tokyo portion because there is an information overload and this post could end up being 10,000 pages long. I’m going to share my accommodation recommendations, personal transport tips, and the best things to see and eat that I experienced during my trip. Please do yourself a favor and download Japanese offline in the Google Translate App on your phone and thank me later <3

How to get there

By Air: Tokyo has 2 major international airports located near the city- Haneda International Airport (HND) & Narita International Airport (NRT). Both are connected to the city center via rail and bus. I flew into Narita from Dublin (IE) via Doha with Qatar Airways (lucky me) as part of a bigger trip that took me from San Francisco to Ireland to Japan and back to San Francisco. If you are based in the US you will find many airlines offering flights to either airport. If you are budget-conscious, look into Zip Air, a new budget airline offering flights from Tokyo to the West Coast including LAX, San Jose, and San Francisco. I flew back from Narita to San Jose for around $400 one-way direct. The crux is the Zip Airplanes are very basic albeit comfortable but with no TV screens for the 11 hours of flight and any additional luxuries are extra including checked luggage, food, pillows, earphones, etc. This didn’t bother me, I downloaded some Netflix to my phone and filled up on 7-Eleven snacks before boarding. would I fly with Zip Air again? Yes, I would.

By Train: After arriving at Narita Airport, you can pick up a ticket for the Narita Express Train to all the major train stations in central Tokyo. I paid around $30 for a 1-way ticket to Shinjuku Station which took around 1.5hrs. The train ticket collection is kind of confusing when you arrive but there are loads of train station employees who can help you to book your ticket and assign your seat. FYI, the Narita Express is part of the JR network and you can use your JR pass on this route. Insider Tip: Any train lines that identify as JY trains also seem to work for the JR pass, at least that was my experience so often, when you are looking for a “JR” line, follow the signs for JY. I would also recommend purchasing your ticket at the desk with a person, the machines are intimidating when you get off an 11 hour flight and the culture shock hits.

Where to stay

Tokyo is huge and there are many different districts where you may choose to stay based on your requirements. I stayed in 2 different accommodations in different neighborhoods during my stay and I loved both – Shinjuku and Shibuya.

1. BOOK AND BED in Shinjuku. This is a literature-themed hostel in the heart of Shinjuku and only a few minutes walk from Shinjuku Station. The rooms are capsule-style and are built in to one big room surrounded by nooks and crannies for reading books, browsing your phone or simply admiring your surroundings. I stayed here for 1 night, it cost around $50 and I loved it. Perfect for solo traveling. The capsules were basic but had night lights, an outlet and a storage space beneath for your luggage. If you are travelling in a couple, I did notice this amazing double room they had with floor to ceiling glass walls and views of the city. I plan to snag this on my return visit in the future!

Another thing I loved about this hostel was its cafe. Never in my life have I had such an aesthetically pleasing and delicious egg sandwich.

The location is also a huge selling point for this hostel. It’s near Shinjuku Station (And the huge 4D Billboard Cat) as well as being in the heart of the neon streets of Shinjuku and the Golden Gai. This whole area comes alive at night and you will be spoiled for choice of restaurants and bars.

2. Mustard Hotel in Shibuya. Bad news folks, upon writing this post, Mustard Hotel is showing as permanently closed. Sad to hear this because I really enjoyed this hotel. I won’t bother getting into it too much in that case but I’ll share some photos and maybe inspire you to book one of their hotels in another city. Their vibe is stark white everything with a pop of yellow. The windows had black out shades and there was a shared kitchen on the top floor. Breakfast was included each morning in the restaurant in the lobby and overall was budget-friendly and comfortable. The only downside was it was a 15-minute chaotic walk to the nearest stations, Shibuya and Ebisu.

Activities by Day

Day 1:

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building View Point (Free $$)

• Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

• Mieji Jingu

• Harajuku Street

• Tokyo Tower/Zojoji Temple

• Shibuya Crossing

I’m going to start my 2nd day in Japan as Day 1 because it was my first full day. Get your walking shoes on. I clocked up around 30,000 sightseeing steps on my first full day in Tokyo. I checked my bag into the luggage hold at the Hostel and set off from Shibuya to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to enjoy the free 360 views of the city. I did come back here another evening for dusk and the views were even better. You might not know this about Japan but they have red Eki Stamps to collect at many of their tourist areas and train stations so if you remember to, bring a little notebook and see how man you can collect, starting here.

Next stop is Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden which had a small entrance fee (I can’t remember how much). A few things to note here, this is a beautiful park with plenty of available toilets, drinking water and cafes but apart from the gardens themselves, my favorite part of this location was the National Parks Discovery Center located near the entrance. It contains a treasure trove of interesting information about Tokyo’s many National Parks from snowy mountain ranges to coral reefs to rainforests that I had no idea existed in Japan and will most definitely feature on my next itinerary (see below for inspo).

After leaving the Park, you might have an appetite and this is a perfect time to find a 7Eleven and try some of the many unusual culinary delights they have on offer. Highlights for me were fried chicken, fruit sandwiches and cold teas but that’s a whole other blog post.

Mieji Jingu is a large park with a Shrine, and Tall Gates at each entrance and is located in a huge, dense forest not too far from Harajuku, which is my next stop. Now I won’t lie, Harajuku was slightly disappointing and didn’t live up to the hype. I didn’t see any Harajuku girls or even much of a fashion we associate with it. It was dense with tourists all after the same thing. There was great shopping in the form of vintage stores and shops that sell bits and bobs (You know what I mean) so that redeemed it but overall, another tourist trap.

The day I visited Tokyo Tower/Zojoji Temple, there happened to coincide with the Tanabata Festival which is a festival celebrated by lighting lanterns. At the Zojoji Temple they light 1000’s of candles and line them up along the steps in front of the temple. Im not going to lie, I queued up for over an hour just to get a glimpse of the beautiful scene but let me tell you, it was a hunger games just to get “the shot”.

The final stop of the day is the infamous Shibuya Crossing at night. I took a seat upstairs at the Starbucks and enjoyed the view. Is it overrated? Yes. Am I glad I saw it? also Yes. It was time for a huge bowl of noodles at this stage and where better to go as a solo traveller than to Ichiran Ramen (a chain ramen restaurant all over Japan) for the most delicious noodles and beer you could ever want. I recommend going spicy and adding all the extras.

Day 2:

• Omoide Yokocho (Piss Alley)

• Shibuya Miyashuta Park

My friends arrived to join me on day 2 and we ended up basically repeating day 1 so if Day 1 seemed like a like a lot of walking to you, I recommend breaking it up into 2 days, especially if you’re staying in Shinjuku or Shibuya. We hit up some lunch at Omoide Yokocho (Piss Alley) which is a narrow, colorful maze of streets dotted with bars and restaurants. There were plenty of locals and tourists alike eating here so it felt authentic and the Soba noodles we got were delicious. One cultural thing I noticed here is the locals don’t hang around once they finish eating, they take whatever stool is free, eat quickly, and leave even faster. This would never happen in Ireland or the US…

Moving swiftly along to dinner, we found the coolest collection of restaurants & bars a short walk from the Shibuya Crossing at Shibuya Miyashuta Park. Dumplings, lanterns, and a real-life sumo-wrestler, what more could you want? Loved the vibes here, and would definitely recommend it. I mean, look….

Day 3:

• Nakamise-Dori Shopping Street

• Sensō-ji

• Akihabara District (Gaming Paradise)

• The best noodles I’ve ever had

Nakamise-Dori, is the Asakusa District, is a street full of stalls, selling every type of gift, souvenir, household item, art, toys, and food that you can think of. Now bear it mind, it’s at the foot of the famous Sensō-ji Temple and a stone’s throw from Hoppy Street so it’s busy about 100% of the time. I visited in the thick of the July heat and it was tough going but I absolutely loved it. I actually bought some chopsticks here and since returning home and using them, they are superior to any other chopsticks I’ve eaten with at any restaurant outside of Japan. A great gift for a loved one if you’re in the market.

This whole area (Asakusa) is a foodie’s dream. We had out first bite of authentic sushi, katsu sandwiches, egg tarts, and a matcha pancake ice cream because why not?

A quick stint on the metro and a full belly later we arrived at the Akihabara District to enjoy the spectacle of the lights, signs, and stores that are famous among the gamer community. A worthy pit stop but that’s all it was (to me anyways).

The grand finale for day 3 was eating the most delicious Soba Noodles I’ve ever had at Tokyo Abura Soba near Shibuya Station. Did we queue for these noodles, yes but it was worth it 100 times over. You place your order on a vending machine, take a seat at the bar and watch the chefs prepare your meal. Again I went with the spicy, no regrats (Grammarly, leave me alone).

Day 4:

• TeamLab Planets Tokyo

• Tsukiji Fish Market

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building at Night

• Shinjuku/Golden Gai

TeamLab Planets is not for everyone but it’s definitely for me. I LOVED this interactive museum located in the Koto City part of Tokyo, a short ride on the metro. I booked my tickets months in advance because I didn’t want to take any chances so bear that in mind if you want to go here on your trip to Japan. It satisfied my expectations, only downside as always, are the crowds it attracts.

A short bus ride from Planets is the world-famous Tsukiji Fish Market. Now, I will preface this by saying any of the food I tried here did not set my world on fire and I wonder if doing a food tour here would have been a better idea so you can avoid any of the mediocre stalls and shoot for the best bites. It’s a short walk to the Ginza District from here. We strolled around the looked at the shop windows but unless you have a fat wallet, this area probably won’t offer you a lot of fulfillment, think 5th Avenue vibes.

Wrapping up day 4 with some views of Tokyo at night, which is when the city really comes alive. All expectations will be met, I assure you. The neon signs, the smell of Yakitori, and the inviting tiny bars that can only fit 5 or 6 people in the Golden Gai are endearing and gorgeous. It makes me wish I was a night owl and not a 31-year-old granny (jokes). Tomorrow is a travel day so an early-ish night it is.

Day 5:

• 7eleven

• Bullet Train from Tokyo to Hakone

Day 5 is a bitter goodbye to Tokyo so we took a quick trip down to 7Eleven to stock up on snacks before hopping on the Bullet Train and heading south to Hakone, Kyoto & Osaka. You can pick up tickets for teh bullet train at any station with your JR pass (or without) using the kiosk or by going to a JR desk. I recommend picking them up a day in advance to get a good choice of train times and window seats!

Any so concludes 5 days in the wonder Tokyo. There is so much more to see and do when what’s included here but I can only report on what I seen and experienced. I hope this information is helpful in planning your next trip to Tokyo. Future me will be posting all about Hakone, Kyoto & Osaka soon.

Sayōnara

Liv

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