Welcome to Tokyo!

At long last, I’ve made it to Japan! The country has been at the top of my list for ages, and for good reason. The culture, food, history and nature have all intrigued me. Tokyo has been a thrilling (if a bit intimidating) city in which to kick things off! 

I landed Wednesday evening and made my way into the city via train, which luckily was much easier than anticipated. The hostel I booked is in Shinjuku and would be my home base for the next six evenings. After the few hours it took to go from disembarking the plane to checking in at the hostel, I was exhausted, and let myself crash after making a mandatory konbini (convenience store) run for some new snacks. 

I was up pretty early the first few days and opted to use the jet lag to my advantage. I broke my exploration of the city down into a few key zones to save time and money on public transit. 

Shibuya / Shinjuku

My first full day started off with a stroll to Meiji Jingu, a beautiful Shinto Shrine near Yoyogi Park. The walkways leading into the Main Shrine areas were lined with what looked like ancient trees, although they were apparently planted just about a century ago, designed to mimic an old growth forest. The grounds were very quiet, and it was the perfect place to leave an offering and express appreciation for the good fortune and blessings that led me here. 

On walking out the other end of the shrine grounds, I entered Yoyogi Park and opted for a stroll around. It was just started to drizzle and made for a peaceful stroll, enjoying the bird calls and quiet oasis within the city. Though rain might not be what most hope for on vacation, the heat and humidity in Tokyo have been stifling and have me wishing for drizzly days more often than not! 

Later in the morning, I headed over to Harajuku Town, home of all things kawaii! I strolled down Takeshita Street, which is the main shopping thoroughfare and glanced in at the many animal cafes (think shiba inus, capybaras, and baby piglets!) and gacha game stores. I made my way to a restaurant called Menchirashi for lunch and tried their viral carbonara udon - in my humble opinion, it definitely lived up to the hype and was a worthy first meal in Japan! Firm, bouncy noodles in a rich egg and cream sauce - fabulous. I could eat multiple bowls of this. :) 

With my appetite momentarily sated, I headed further into the heart of shibuya, strolling through some of the busier malls as the rain really started to come down. I can see now why so many people come to Japan with an empty suitcase! I’m not much of a shopper and tend to blow most of my money on food and experiences, but I think next time I come to Japan that may have to change. So many of the stores were super cute boutique styles and things were catching my eye left and right. Not to mention all of the beautiful art and ceramics…  

Once the rain let up a bit, I headed towards the famous Shibuya Crossing - I must say, a bit overhyped when you’re actually in it! It didn’t feel too busy while walking across, but I ended up heading to the Share Cafe on the 3rd floor of the building overloooking the Crossing and it was much more impressive from above. Such good people watching! 

As I strolled back to the hostel, I opted to pass through the Shinjuku Gyoen Gardens. The landscaped areas were stunning and divided into several distinct, themed sections. It was a perfectly peaceful stroll and a nice end to a first full day in Tokyo. 

Tsukiji / Ginza / Asakusa

On my second day it absolutely poured the whole day! I had to decide early to just commit to getting soaked and enjoy the day regardless. I started with the TeamLab Planets interactive art installation, which had everything from literally immersive water and light exhibits through to the forest park and hanging flower gardens. I thought this was so fun and different from anything I’ve done before - would definitely recommend! 

For a second breakfast, I fought my way through the typhoon over to Tsukiji Outer Market to enjoy some street food. I started with a strawberry daifuku (one of my best bites of the trip, honestly - had to go back for another) and then enjoyed a sampler of various fatty tuna cuts from a nigiri vendor. Delicious and filling! I popped into a little cafe as well to avoid the rain and enjoyed an ice matcha while taking a little reading break. 

When I was revived enough to brave the rain again, I headed up on a walk through Ginza and then took the metro over to Kappabashi Street, aka Kitchen Town. I enjoyed some window shopping and drooled over all of the beautiful ceramicware I would have purchased if I had more room in my luggage.

Asakusa was my final area of the day to explore. Nakamise Shopping Street and the surrounding vendor areas were still surprisingly crowded, but at least were covered from the brunt of the rain. The approach to Senso-ji Temple was beautiful, made even more so by the strength of the rain. It was running down the curved roof tiles in perfect rivulets that ended up looking like undulating bubbles as they approached the edge. Water from the roof was funneled off into massive cauldrons on the ground level and it all looked quite impressive. I think I enjoyed it more in the rain than I might have in the sunshine!

Hardy tourists braving the rain to explore Senso-ji.

Minato / Azabudai

I took it a bit easier on my third day and started off at the Imperial Palace and Gardens. I’d been hoping to join this morning’s free tour, but it was unfortunately cancelled due to some palace events. This week, a new and current final male heir to the throne in Japan’s monarchy came of age, for the first time in 40 years. So understandably, they’ve got a lot going on at the moment!

I opted for a stroll down to see the Tokyo Tower and enjoyed sitting in the waterfall park by its base for a while before going cafe hopping once again (perhaps my favorite solo travel hobby). I spent the evening wandering around Shinjuku a bit more and trying out the famous ramen solo dining spot - Ichiran! Fun and tasty. 

While I spent another couple nights in Tokyo, my days were busy with daytrips - stay tuned for dispatches from Kamakura, Enoshima, and Nikko!