So, we spontaneously decided to go Japan and here we are!
Accommodation
Exploring the neighbourhood at night ~
As usual, we buried ourselves in the sea of AirBnb lisitings and eventually managed to find this cosy apartment which was 5 minutes walking distance to the nearest JR Tamachi (1 station away from Shinagawa on the Yamanote line) and metro Mita station! Convenience is our top priority cos it will really shave off a lot of travelling time. Plus, it was $40 per person / night, and pocket wifi provided! We also had a fun time exploring the neighborhood at night which was a maze of izakaya and full of loud and happy Japanese.
P.S. I was also secretly happy that the apartment is Instagram-worthy. Haha.
P.S. I was also secretly happy that the apartment is Instagram-worthy. Haha.
Flight
Only 5 passengers in the Scoot Biz area, including us! Shiok.
We only spent $450 each for our flight tickets to and fro. #budgetglennychuf On a side note, we were denied to check in when we returned, cos we were late for 5 minutes. We didn't know the train to the airport had a fixed schedule. Boo. I was all ready to sleep at the airport cos the only available flight was the next day afternoon, but Glenn did the math and proudly announced that we had more than enough budget to stay at an airport hotel, So yay to one more day in Japan!
Glenn says good things happen to people who miss their flight. We were supposed to transit in Taipei, but due to the typhoon, our flight became a direct flight to Singapore instead! We were really lucky cos this means reaching Singapore earlier and not having to take the cab home! #budgetglennychuf
Breakdown of flight tickets:
Air Asia - $210
Scoot Biz - $240 (including 20kg check in baggage each + meals + priority boarding / check in = best deal ever)
Transport
We purchased the Suica card for the first few days before utilizing our JR pass that was valid for 7 days use. The Suica card is like our ez link, but in Japan, you can use it not only to take trains, but also pay for your purchases (which some merchants in Singapore are starting to implement) and also to buy stuff from their vending machines.
For those interested to buy the JR pass, do note that it cannot be purchased in Japan itself. A 7 day pass costs about S$300, but if you are thinking about purchasing a round trip Shinkansen ticket, the JR pass would have paid for itself, and not to mention you can also use it on all JR transportation!
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- Places We Visited in Tokyo -
Ameyayokocho Market
We stumbled upon the Ameyayokocho Market opposite the Ueno station and decided to take a look as there was still some time before we could check in. The market was bustling with people selling seafood and convenience products. There's a lot to see at this market, so do visit if you happen to be in the area! (Eg, on your way to Ueno Zoo)
Tsukiji Fish Market
Sushi Dai would be the first thing that people think about when you mention Tsukiji Fish Market. But, we are not crazy enough to wake up at 3am for sushi, however awesome it might be. We went on the day that the market was closed so as to avoid the crowd. It was still nice to take in the sights and sounds of the outer side of the market.
Our main purpose of visiting the market was to get some dried goods for my mom ...
And trying some awesome grilled scallop, which was totally worth our SGD$5!!!
Doutor Coffee
Doutor Coffee is like the Starbucks of Japan, you'll easily find it almost everywhere. They serve delicious mille crepe at a reasonable price of about ¥380 (S$4). That is half the price of what you get at Lady M, and tastes even better in my opinion. The coffee and sandwich above is a set meal that costs about ¥500. (S$5.50)
Fukuro No Mise Owl Cafe
To get a slot for the the Owl Cafe, you'd need to reserve a space at the shop itself (They don't do phone reservations). Reservations starts 1 hour before opening hours, so make sure you get your timings right before going there.
We arrived there 2 hours before opening, and for some reason, we missed the sign about the reservation timing. So when we came back 2 hours later (1400 hrs), we realised that the place had already been fully booked for the next 2 hours. We booked the 5pm slot and decided to head to Tokyo Station for a walk before going back there.
It may seem inappropriate for the owls to be awake in the morning since they are nocturnal creatures, but the owls there seemed very well cared for and they even have off days where the owls are off limits to human interactions. At the start of the 1-hour session, the staff will give a briefing on the do's and don'ts when interacting with the owls, then it's free and easy with them!
You can't actually tell but this dude was sooo heavy!
All ready for Hogwarts!
This was the only activity throughout the trip which we paid about SGD$20 for and both of us agreed that it was worth the experience of getting up close and personal with the owls. Highly recommended!
Gontran Cherrier
There is just something about Tokyo bakery / patisserie that makes all the baked goods look so yummy and tantalizing! There is no lack of fresh breads whenever we need something to fill our tummies in between meals.
We spotted Gontran Cherrier after we exchanged for our JR pass at Shibuya station, and just had to go in and grab some bread! There was such a variety of breads and everything looked so yummy I couldn't decide what to get. I'm thankful that Glenn is the more composed one and managed to choose a few breads to try out of the wide selection. They are nothing we tasted in Singapore, a must try in Tokyo!
Another bakery we wanted to try was Sizuya Bakery in Kyoto, but didn't have time to cos we were rushing for our train home. If you're heading to Kyoto, try it and let me know!
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
Located in Shinjuku, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building provides free observation decks for good panoramic views of Tokyo! Other than observation decks. the two observatories also house cafes and souvenir shops. There is also a tourist information center and a mini fair selling local products! We went up to the North Observatory as it opens till late.
Won't say no to free observation decks!
Azabu Juban Shopping Town
We almost walked past this restaurant without realising that this was the Soba place on my to-try-list!
Azabu Juban is a non touristy neighbourhood and we liked it for that. I had a list of what to try from there and thought I should share cos they're very awesome!
Mamegen - Traditional Japanese snacks made of beans and peanuts
Naniwaya Souhonten - Taiyaki
Sarashina Horii Souhonkei - Soba
Nico - Donut
Nico - Donut
Cat Cafe
We visited the Nekorobi in Ikkebukuro, located on the third floor of a ulu building.
The cafe runs by the hour, and payment is made only when leaving so you don't have to commit to a specific timing, This also prevents you from over/under paying. Unlike cat cafes in Singapore, lockers are provided to keep your bags and you may change into the slippers that they provide. Nekorobi also has a vending machine which you can help yourself to.
We went early in the morning but some of them were already sleepy ~
This was the most playful and smallest of the lot!
We enjoyed ourselves very much at this cat cafe, taking photos of and playing with the feline!
Mutekiya Ramen
We went at 2pm thinking that we would be able to avoid the lunch crowd, but we thought wrong. It was raining but that didn't stop anyone from queuing at Mutekiya Ramen! There is no avoiding the queue at all.
A tiny space feeding a lot of hungry souls.
Glenn was all praises for the Tsukemen! He loves thick and hard noodles so this was perfect for him.
Super thin gyoza skin packed with delicious ingredients!
I ordered the Honmaru Men which is one of the shop's specialty and also the local favourite. The thick broth was just too good. Don't be fooled by the small piece of char siew which looks tough, it was full of bite and melts in your mouth!
When it comes to the best ramen in Tokyo, people would think Ichiran first. We beg to differ. Ichiran is only the best probably because they are the most well known, but there are hidden gems such as Mutekiya as well. Try it when you are there!
UFO Catcher
We decided to try our hands at one of the claw machines after seeing
Look at how happy Glenn was!
Kaiten Sushi Shop
Some of the times when we were hungry, we would just pop into any kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi shop (because Glenn is a not a big fan of raw items and is happy whenever he gets to choose what sushi he wants) and have the most delish sushi ever! Kaiten sushi chains are usually inexpensive (unless you choose those colored plates that are more expensive of course) and we would spend about $7 to $10 each.
Yoyogi Park
We decided to visit Yoyogi Park as it was near Meiji Shrine, and was greeted by music from afar when we reached the park. We decided to follow the source of the music and was surprised to find that they were having a weekend flea market with a live stage where Paddy Field, this ragtag group of musicians, were playing melodious Irish tunes. Glenn was so mesmerized by the music, he wanted to buy their album, but sadly they didn't have any.
Here comes Queen Elsa ~
Also got a pizza to share from a mobile pizza store!
Super love the positive vibe of this flea market! The sellers were so friendly and willing to share with us the products that they are selling even though we do not speak the same language.
Meiji Shrine
I wasn't expecting the long walk into Meiji Shrine but Glenn kept me entertained by making up stories of some random ninja fights that supposedly happened thousand years ago.
We even managed to catch 2 wedding processions!
The Gindaco
All the tako are of the same fillings and you can choose from different sauces as toppings. Ordered the Takoyaki with mentaiko sauce to try and the tako was so fresh!
Best Takoyaki ever deserves a picture with me just like every other best foods ever.
P.S.: A few days ago, we chanced upon The Gindaco at Raffles City. We were very excited to see it in Singapore, but we sort of expected the standard to differ. Indeed, it tasted nothing like the one in Japan, and they have so little flavors here as well.
Harajuku
Other then the Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park, Harajuku is of course well known as the centre of Japanese teenagers' fashion culture.
But lazy people like us chanced upon the Starbucks rooftop terrace in Tokyu Plaza and decided to just rest our feet there.
Ichiran Ramen
The queue that quickly formed behind us ~
The panel that shows vacant and occupied seats.
We're probably the only ones not a fan of Ichiran Ramen, The only thing I liked about it is the thin and springy noodles, but any ramen in Japan is better than those in Singapore so we're not complaining.
Prior to the trip, I read that we have to purchase ramen tickets from the vending machine and I can only imagine how stressful it was going to be. However, at this Harajuku outlet, the staff led us to purchase ramen ticket 2 by 2, which made it slightly less stressful for first timers like us.
No doubt it was an interesting experience having the staff delivering the noodles through a small window, though it lacks the human touch because all you can see is the staff's hands.
We chanced upon Ice Monster on our way to our next destination. There was a queue and we decided to give it a try if we pass by it on our way back. Thankfully we did, and there wasn't much of a queue, because it is easily one of the best shaved ice we've eaten.
Prior to the trip, I read that we have to purchase ramen tickets from the vending machine and I can only imagine how stressful it was going to be. However, at this Harajuku outlet, the staff led us to purchase ramen ticket 2 by 2, which made it slightly less stressful for first timers like us.
No doubt it was an interesting experience having the staff delivering the noodles through a small window, though it lacks the human touch because all you can see is the staff's hands.
Ice Monster
We chanced upon Ice Monster on our way to our next destination. There was a queue and we decided to give it a try if we pass by it on our way back. Thankfully we did, and there wasn't much of a queue, because it is easily one of the best shaved ice we've eaten.
Initially we wanted to order one to share, but the shop required each customer to order one item each. We kind of regretted after ordering two big bowls as we realized we could have ordered a side item. Only it wasn't a mistake at all. We ordered the Pearl Milk Tea shaved ice and a Mango shaved ice and they were both super delicious!
Ippudo Ramen
This outlet that we visited in Shibuya was full of energy and friendly staff who made us feel very welcomed in the shop. If I were to pick between Mutekiya and Ippudo, Ippudo would win hands down. You know the broth is good when Glenn finished the entire bowl of goodness and other customers asking for second serving of noodles. I can have this everyday!
Midori Sushi
Aburi Set
I will never forget how Uni Sushi tastes like. :')
We visited slightly after lunch hour and there was already a snaking queue at Midori Sushi. Even though we waited for about 40 minutes, it was so worth it! You know how people always say the food and everything in Japan is so expensive? With the exchange rate so favorable towards SGD, it's no longer so. A decent sushi place in Singapore costs even more!
Ueno Zoo
I don't think we can ever emphasize how much we love zoos, especially when the zoo is humongous but the entrance ticket is so cheap! Can you imagine Ueno Zoo only costs ¥600?!!
Even though it doesn't look like it, the food sold in the zoo were delicious and definitely not overpriced like how our local tourist attractions practice.
Here's to 5 hours well spent!
Shimokitzawa
As you can already tell from the photos, Shimokitazawa was a rather laid back neighborhood that we visited. If you are looking for a change of pace from the bustle of Tokyo, Shimokitzawa is the place to visit.
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- Day Trip to Kyoto -
Nara Deer Park
Arrived in Kyoto after a 3hr ride on the Shinkansen!
The first thing we did when we reached Kyoto was to visit the Nara Deer Park!
Selfie with a deer!
Free roaming deers ~
Initially, I imagined the park to be serene and peaceful with all the deers roaming freely. I got the latter right but totally wrong about the peaceful part. It was nothing peaceful. There were people screaming all over the place and being chased by the deers.
The deers are very smart. They know when someone has bought the deer cookies and will pester them for it. When the person has no more cookies left, the deers automatically stop harassing them and look for new targets!
Gion District
We set out to the Gion District in hopes of catching a glimpse of a Geisha.
But sadly, we only spotted tourists in kimonos and not a single Geisha.
Nevertheless, we made the best out of it by getting some delectable cookies from Patisserie Gion Sakai and chiffon cake parfait from Tsujiri! Not sure if the shop was just about to close when we were leaving (the one with Glenn paying at the counter) or they were waiting for us to leave so that they could close for the night, they closed the shop the moment we stepped out of the shop.
The cookies were really very nice and costs about SGD$6 a box! Next best alternative to bring home as gifts if you do not want to bring home the usual Tokyo Banana.
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- Day Trip to Osaka -
Osaka Castle
One does not simply not visit Osaka Castle when in Osaka.
Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
My face when we are about to wear the kimono.
My face when I realized that kimono rentals were fully booked for the rest of the day.
I only have myself to blame as I decided to visit Osaka Castle first instead of Osaka Museum. I was really disappointed we were not able to rent the kimono and yukata and walk around, pretending we are Japanese. We could only watch other people enjoying themselves in kimono. Boo. Be sure to go there early for kimono rental if you are interested!
Shinsaibashi
Last ramen meal at Shi Ten Noh Ramen ~
At Dotonburi, we bought Calbee Takoyaki potato sticks and Osaka banana!
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On our way to the boarding gate, we stopped by a DIY booth and learnt to make some Japanese souvenir to bring home! Apparently, the obasan prefered Glenn's final product than mine. Haha!
I think we were super lucky during this trip because some of the places / shops we visited were not on our itinerary. We chanced upon them just like that! It is definitely a must to plan and have an itinerary when travelling overseas, but it is also equally important not to stick to it rigidly and miss out on things along the way to the next destination. Best part of just going with the flow is that you'll find yourselves chancing upon good places that was not part of your plan.
We each brought SGD$1000 worth of Japanese yen and nobody believed that it would be enough for 10 days. But, we proved them wrong! Well of course if you're a luxury traveler, it will definitely not be sufficient.
Japan has been really kind to us, other than the rainy days (which was everyday in Tokyo) due to incoming typhoon. Now, we can't wait for an excuse to go back to Japan again!
We each brought SGD$1000 worth of Japanese yen and nobody believed that it would be enough for 10 days. But, we proved them wrong! Well of course if you're a luxury traveler, it will definitely not be sufficient.
Japan has been really kind to us, other than the rainy days (which was everyday in Tokyo) due to incoming typhoon. Now, we can't wait for an excuse to go back to Japan again!
*Prices stated are based on memory and may not be exact. :P
** Exchange rate is SGD 1 = ¥92
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