Tokyo - Japan

Tokyo 

Asakusa - Tokyo’s Timeless Blend of Tradition & Charm

Marunouchi - Tokyo’s Stylish Gateway to Luxury & Heritage

Akihabara - Tokyo's Electric Oasis

Shibuya: Tokyo’s Iconic Crossing and Fashion Hub

Ginza - Tokyo's Glittering Heart of Luxury and Style

Shinjuku -Tokyo’s Neon Wonderland and Urban Playground

Koto - TeamLab Planets -Tokyo’s Futuristic Art at teamLab

Chūō Nihonbashi: Tokyo’s Exclusive Pokémon Store and Fan Haven

Asakusa

Our first encounter with Tokyo was the area of Asakusa. We stayed in Cyashitsu Ryokan Asakusa for 3 nights, which included 2 1/2 days visits.

What to see & do in Asakusa:

Sensō-ji, Asakusa

The main attraction of Asakusa is the famous Sensō-ji buddhist temple which is free to visit. Senso-ji is the oldest temple in Tokyo. It's the temple of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva who symbolises the mercy of all Buddhas and draws 30 million worshippers every year. If you choose your date accordingly you will get to see one of their celebrations.

There are several traditions you can follow when you are there.

1  You should wash your hands in the chozuya, you must start by holding the ladle in the right hand. Pour the water over your left hand, then hold the ladle in the left. Pour water over your right hand, then return the ladle to that hand.

2 Once you have bought your stamp book called Goshuincho, you should get it stamped.

You can buy the Goshuincho in a bookstore or a tourist shop but also at shrines and temples at the Goshuin counter. We got ours at the Sensō-ji; when you buy one, the local goshuin is usually included.

At most shrines or temples you can hand over the Goshuincho to a staff member. Open it up on an emply page and they will put a red stamp and inscribe extra details in black ink.

These Goshuincho serve as proof of pilgrimage but for us tourists it's a wonderful souvenir.

3 You can draw omikuji fortune teller :

Shake the container and slide out one of the sticks of the small hole at the end.

There will be a number on it (in Japanese)

Go to the matching drawer and take out your omikuji

If you get a good fortune, keep it just like Sebastian did

If you have a bad fortune, you tie it up to a designated place

Nakamise-dori Street, Asakusa

Between the Kaminarimon Gate and the Hozomon Gate, you have Nakamise-dori Street which is packed with people and stalls selling all sorts of souvenirs, from samurai swords to matcha tea and sweet treats.

This street is the main street to or from Sensō-ji, we happened to start with the temple first but it's up to you. When we visited it was decorated with foliage to celebrate Autumn.

On the corner in front of the Kaminarimon Gate, you will find the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. You can pop in and find information about the local sights and cultural events. Grap a map and go to the 8th floor and get a great view of the Asakusa from their observation terrace.

Hoppy street, Asakusa

Hoppy street is basically a street lined with izakayas (Japanese pubs) where you can eat and drink. Each izakaya has its speciality and most of them have seating outside. It's simple, authentic and packed. It's difficult to recommend an izakaya because you just go along with your 'gut feeling', you can also go for bar hopping on Hoppy street.

Hoppy does not come from hopping but from a drink by the same name that is similar to beer produced by a company called Hoppy Beverage. A popular way to drink Hoppy is to dilute it with shochu (distilled alcohol) or other liqueurs.

Hidden gem called Ninja Bar in Asakusa

This bar is definitely hidden!

It's located underground on the Asakusa lower shopping Street going to the Ginza line subway (right next to the Kebab factory). If it looks like you are going the wrong way, you are nearly there.

True to its name, you will be served your drinks by a Ninja. You have a HUGE choice of sake and beers. They may be some tourists but it's so worth it!

Shopping 24/7 in Asakusa

Everything around you is so overwhelming when you arrive in Tokyo. So we decided to dive in the deep end and explore a discount store called Don Quijote (I agree with you it doesn't sound Japanese) but wait until you go inside.

It is open 24/7 and sells food, cosmetics, appliances, souvenirs... you are bound to walk out of there with some food you have never tried in your life, and you will probably enjoy it.

Tea ceremony in Asakusa

When you are in Japan, don't miss out on a tea ceremony.

The tea ceremony we attended took place in the morning at Shizu-Kokoro - Chado School in the back streets of Asakusa quite close to our hotel. It was recommend to us by a friend who lived in Tokyo for 6 months and it is was incredible.

We were offered a private ceremony for the 3 of us with the master of tea ceremony, Ms Mika Haneishi, and her assistant and it lasted one hour. You can of course join others instead of getting a private ceremony.

This beautiful experience was unique, humbling and spiritual and not just about drinking matcha tea.

Tokyo Skytree, Sumida

It's nice to cross over the Sumida river from the area of Kaminarimon Gate, Asakusa to get to Skytree in Sumida, it will take you about 15 minutes.

You will pass the famous golden 'turd', it's a golden flame on top of the Asahi building in Sumida. We wanted to go and grab a beer on the bar on the top floor, the Asahi Sky Lounge, but there was a private event taking place that day.

The Tokyo Skytree tower is 634 m tall, and you get enjoy a 360° view of the Tokyo cityscape from the observation deck.

We went there just before the sunset so we got to enjoy the day time view as well as the night time once all the city lights are turning on.

Marunouchi

Tokyo Station

The red brick Tokyo Station was restored in 2012 to its original state with underground train tracks, shops and restaurants.

The Tokyo station is also where we activated our JR passes. There are two Japan Rail Pass Exchange counters in that station, one by the Marunouchi North Exit and the other by the Yaesu North Exit. Both are open from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. You can expect a queue but the employees are very efficient and speak English so you will be well taken care off.

This is where you will be taken the Shinkansen to either Kyoto, Osaka or Hiroshima and don't forget to buy bento box meal near the bullet train ticket gates, it's the only trains in Japan where you can eat and drink.

From the Central exit of the Tokyo Station, you cross the road to Manunouchi House, a rooftop situated on the 7th floor of the Shin-Marunouchi building with a great view of the Station. You can order food from 9 different restaurants and bars and eat outside on the terrace.

Imperial Palace

A 10 minutes' walk from the Tokyo Station, you have the Imperial Palace. I must say we did not visit it due to the lack of time and the visiting hours did not suit us. You must fill out an online application or apply in person to visit the site. A guided tour is free of charge and organised through the Imperial Household Agency The tour takes 75 minutes at 10:00 and 13:30 every day except Mondays, Sundays an national holidays.

Ginza

Ginza is just a short walk south of Tokyo Station.

It is the heart of luxury shopping, you will find every fancy store imaginable. One square meter in Ginza is worth over ten million yen, making it one of the most expensive real estate in Japan. 

You must visit the biggest Uniqlo flagship store in the world. A must-do on your bucket list is to have a custom embroidery done on your Uniqlo bag or t-shirt. Please make sure you don't wait the last day in Japan to do so, that was our mistake, it can sometime take up to a week depending on the demand.

You will find the best presents in Ginza Loft, but I warn you, you will be spending a small fortune. They have the cutest selection of small sake bottles and jugs, that you can keep after drinking the sake. They have cosmetics, stationary, home and kitchen, and so many other goodies.

I'm not going to go through all the great stores but just stroll around and enjoy.

Even if you don't want to get yourself a Louis Vuitton bag, you should check out their Espace Louis Vuitton, a glass box on the top floor of the Louis Vuitton building designed by Japanese architect Jun Aoki, that hold exhibitions of new contemporary artworks.

Chūō Nihonbashi: Pokémon Store 

We went all the way on 'Pokémon' with a stay in the Pokémon room at the Mimaru hotel so we also visited the Pokémon Center Tokyo DX & Pokémon Cafe. It was full of them, wherever you looked, on the shelves, the walls and even the food in the cafeteria.

Shibuya

Shibuya Crossing

There is no need to introduce Shibuya Crossing, it's so iconic. To be honest, I did not expect that many people crossing at the same time, most of them filming on their phone including me.

Hachikō statue

If follow the paw prints at Shibuya Station you will find get to Hachikō, this dog is Shibuya Station’s mascot. Every day Hachikō waited patiently at the station for his master to come home from work. After the owner died, Hachikō continued to wait in the same spot every day until his own death.

3D billboards

From Shibuya Crossing, on Shibuya Center Street above Yamashita Honki Udon look for Shibuya’s adorable 3D panda billboard.

Shibuya Sky

We splashed out for the Shibuya Sky attraction and added the roof seat with champagne. It's worth it, not only do you get to sit down and drink whilst enjoying the view, you also have access to a corner of the roof to take photos without any queue.

Meiji Jingu

This Shinto shrine is surrounded by forest and gardens, a really breath of fresh air in a big city. The sacred forest is completely man-made with 170,000 trees donated from around the country and planted by volunteers in 1920's.

Just like Senso-ji, you have a purification fontain before entering the sacred area near the main sanctuary. You will also find a wall of small tablets conveying visitor's gratitude and wishes to the gods. You can buy them at the counters of the shrines.

Apart from the sanctuary, you must see the Sake barrels along the gravel road entrance to Meiji Jingu

Akihabara

Akihabara (秋葉原) is Tokyo's dazzling district of digital delights, also known as "Akiba" by locals and "Electric Town" by visitors

Akihabara's streets are lined with towering electronics stores, anime emporiums, and gaming havens, their facades decorated with larger-than-life anime characters and eye-catching advertisements.

Here are some of the electronics stores that we went to:

• Yodobashi Camera: Nine floors of every gadget imaginable

• BicCamera: A maze-like wonderland of electronics

The main gaming stores

• Super Potato: Retro gaming paradise

• Club SEGA: arcade games and crane machines

Ginza

Ginza is a central Western Tokyo neighbourhood. It’s just a short walk south of Tokyo Station.

This is the heart of luxury stores,

Chūō Nihonbashi: Pokémon Store

Shinjuku - Tokyo’s Neon Wonderland and Urban Playground

Hibiya Godzilla Square

Hibiya Godzilla Square is in Shinjuku just a few blocks outside Ginza.

The Godzilla, towers over the Toho Cinema in Shinjuku, and even gets to roar from time to time, where its eyes light up.

You can check it out up close and personal on the rooftop of the Hotel Gracery.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden was originally built as a garden for the Imperial family, but after the war it became a national park for everyone to enjoy for a small fee.

On the grounds there are two lakes linked by a small river, overlooked by a Imperial Rest House that was a gift from Taiwan.

In sakura season, the park is home to over 1500 cherry trees of beautiful pink cherry blossoms, and it becomes very popular viewing spot.

In autumn, you can admire the chrysanthemum flower beds and arrangements on temporary display during this exhibition at Shinjuku Gyoen.

3D Cat Billboard

You have to check out the cutest 3D Cat Billboard, located just outside Shinjuku Station.

Watch the playful cat poses, stretches and waves his tail with everyone else.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is often visited by tourists for its free observation decks. It was the tallest building in Tokyo until it was overtaken by the Midtown Tower in 2007.

On sunny days, you can spot famous landmarks such as Mount Fuji, the Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower and Meiji Shrine.

Koto - TeamLab Planets -Tokyo’s Futuristic Art at teamLab

I was not convinced of this attraction, figuring it was a little gimmicky but boy was I wrong! I advice you to book it beforehand.

TeamLab is a interactive museum full of artworks, immerse yourself in a room called Infinite Crystal Universe, another one filled with spheres of light, a floating flower garden and many others. Just to let you know you need to take your shoes for some attractions.

We go to spend over 2 hours enjoying each room and I would highly recommend you take your time and enjoy it.