Whilst In Tokyo...

Spending six days in Tokyo was one of the highlights of a recent three week trip to Japan. 

I guess it’s a place like London, Paris or New York- A city that you might have a clear picture of before you've ever been there, through its portrayal in film and TV... But how much of that can you trust? The notion that I had over-huped the city in my mind did occur to me, but I was still really eager to visit for myself and see how it matched my expectations. 

Those expectations were that it would be crazy, cool and super busy. 

I have to say that I was not disappointed at all. I’m going to describe the great things I did in Tokyo to give ‘at a glance’ ideas for other travellers, as well as transport and capsule accommodation.

Including:
Food
Drink
Shibuya Crossing
Ghibli Museum
Pokemon Centre and Hello Kitty Store
DisneySea
Metro
Skylines & Shrines
Odd Cafes
Robots
Capsule Hotels

Food

What do you think of when I say ‘food’ and ‘Tokyo’ in the same breath?

I’m fairly confident that sushi will be the first thing (though ramen noodles would also be a fair bet). It does not appeal to all, and many could be put off by the notion of raw fish. But for those willing to try it, where's best to go?

Just order on the screen...

Although I am not a huge fish lover myself, but I have discovered a great appreciation for sushi. At the Uobei restaurant, in Shibuya, the experience of choosing delicious sushi has been made so simple.

Each seat has a computer screen which shows you pictures of the sushi and a description in English which is perfect for unsure foreigners like myself. You choose at your own pace rather than the pressure of a waiter hovering around you. Once you’ve selected via the screen it comes along minutes later. It's prepared to order and is delivered by a little train. 

Sounds odd, yet lovable? That for me is a feeling which extends to many more aspects of Tokyo too.

...and here it comes!

I ate there twice and the bill came to around 700yen (4.4GBP, 6.2USD) per person on both enjoyable occasions that I ate there. Queues will be long but they go down quicker than you’d expect, so don’t be put off if you arrive and there is a long line. 

Fitting with the theme of sushi is the Tsukiji fish market, well known as the largest wholesale fish market in the world. It exists to serve the many restaurants in Japan with the freshest seafood every day. I didn’t see the tuna auction at 5am because the metro wasn’t running then, but I did gain access to the wholesale market which opens to the public at 9am.

Huge pieces of fish being carefully prepared

Wandering around and taking in the great variety of seafood available, including octopus and shark, was quite an eye opener. Animal lovers will wince at live crabs in buckets of sawdust and fish being wrapped in plastic bags and sent off still wiggling- I did leave soon after seeing some of these things. That said, if you can avoid the more unkind stuff, seeing the scale (haha?) of this market and the variety of what’s on offer can be interesting.

Drink

With only seven seats in total,
this is the entire place!

In the most populated city in the world, space is everything, and micro bars are an eye catching example of this. I squeezed up a narrow and steep flight of stairs to squash myself into a bar with a total capacity of seven guests and one barman. 

It was a very cozy experience being the only patrons present. Not being able to speak any Japanese to the barman could have been awkward as he tried to busy himself at a maximum distance of 08 meters away but the intimacy part of the charm.

I would encourage a visit to one of these impressive establishments as I’ve never seen them outside of Tokyo and I think they need to be seen to be fully appreciated.

Expect charges of 500 yen just to sit and higher-than-average drink costs, but also bear in mind that 700yen (4.4GBP, 6.2USD) for a bottle of beer is and you’re paying for the privilege.

I also went to a place called Aquabar which is by Shinjuku-sanchome station. Its not as unique as the microbars, but still worth popping into for an unusual aperitif or dining experience. Walls here are ceiling-high fish tanks where creatures gently propel themselves along, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

Shibuya Crossing
Both the Uobei sushi and the microbar I went to were in Shibuya, so what else does this area feature?

Well it features the Shibuya crossing, otherwise known as the 'busiest pedestrian crossing in the world'. When I heard about this I was a little interested, and didn't get why it was so often touted as a must-see. But since I wanted to go to Uobei on my first night in Tokyo, I ended up there anyway. 

I loved it! Pedestrians pile up as cars zig-zag through the intersection, and then all the pedestrian crossing lights turn green at the same time, so that people pour in like oozing custard. 

Mmm, custard.

Its dizzying to imagine how many people are in the area at any one time, especially during the weekends, but its cool to be a part of it. The standard place to go to oversee the crossing is the first floor of Starbucks, which gives great views.

Ghibli Museum

It probably says 'Advance tickets only'
or something :/

The famous animation museum of Studio Ghibli is just outside of central Tokyo, in Mitaka, which is easy to get to by train from Tokyo Station or Shinjuku Station.

Please don’t turn up expecting to get a ticket! I don’t want you to be as disappointed as I was :( you can only get tickets in advance. Tickets can either be purchased online or from Lawson shops, which are convenience stores located in many places in the city. 

The Lawson terminals are all in Japanese but the shop assistants may be able to help if you can communicate with gestures. I think buying them in advance would be better though as I believe they sell out regularly.

Beware: tickets are 1000yen but there are some unscrupulous people online selling them for 6000yen, with the extra 5000yen as a ‘handling fee’. That extra is extortion so don’t be ripped off.

So basically, I didn't go, but I hope others will be more fortunate.

Pokemon Centre and Hello Kitty Store 
Like so many of my generation, I grew up playing Pokemon on my Gameboy Colour and spending a sickening amount of money on Pokemon trading cards.

The Pokemon Store is inside the 'Mega Tokyo mall' and there are loads of other shops there to browse, plus an aquarium. The store itself is not small and has large models of Pokemon celebrities such as Mewtwo, Charizard and, of course, Pikachu. Unsurprisingly, a huge amount of the store is Pikachu merchandise, including the famous yellow mouse in costume... as other Pokemon (!?). If you’re a Pokefan it’s a fun place to go even if you’re not interested in making any purchases, though if you’re doing a short trip then you might choose to skip it.

Pikachu masquerading as fellow Pokemon...
Makes sense?

Hello Kitty is not a particular love of mine, but I thought the flagship store would be worth checking out as it is a brand I pair with the Japanese image. If you’re interested in going, the store is in a shopping mall accessed through Ginza station. Whilst I'd not personally consider this a must see attraction, if you’re popping by it might be a good place to buy a souvenir.

DisneySea

I probably go on and on about DisneySea and how its a park that is only in Tokyo. 

That's right- whilst Tokyo Disneyland is not a totally unique park, with many similarities to other Disneylands, DisneySea is one of a kind. It still has various worlds to explore but they all fit the marine theme, and instead of the iconic Cinderella Castle, there is a looming volcano island which you can enter and even contains a great rollercoaster.

Building a volcano in the worlds most populated city?
Not a small task

I won't say too much about the park as you'll know right now whether you want to go or if its not your thing. I admired the attention to detail that all Disney parks have and the day was fantastic. If you are going, ask at the ticket booth about 'fast track' for rides. Its free, and can really help you out during the day.

Multi Metro Confusion

I won’t say too much about this as the metro is not too difficult to navigate if you keep a map with you. But do bear in mind that there are two metro systems in the city Tokyo Metro (TM) and the Odeo Line. You can use both metro providers in a single trip, but its more expensive to use both than if you are able to stick to just one.

Hopefully you don't find it as complicated as the map makes it out to be..

 

For example, the unlimited one-day rail pass is 600yen (3.7GBP, 5.3USD) for TM lines only an 1000yen (6.3GBP, 8.8USD) for both Tokyo Metro and Odeo lines. If you are buying single journey ticket then look at the map first: If you have to change between rail networks then get a combination ticket and not a TM only one. Choose the right ticket or you’ll have to buy more than one for a single journey. I learned this from making mistakes and wasting money :/

I think this guy was stressing about getting
the wrong ticket... not sure though

Skylines and Shrines
The Tokyo Skytree is the icon of the Tokyo skyline and does look awesome to see. You might like to see it after visiting Senso-ji as its one metro stop away. However for views that are free, head to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building near Shinjuku station. There’s a special lift that goes from floor one to forty-five and the views are sensational. For best results, go as the sun is setting to appreciate the city twice- day and night!

Sun goes down, lights come up!

While not boasting the huge number of temples and shrines as Kyoto, Tokyo does have some decent ones to see. To pick one I would offer Senso-ji which is next to Asakusa station, and free to enter. In particular, the gardens surrounding the temple are sensational and are a relaxing break from the busy streets of the city.

Excellent gardens will be just
what you expected of Japan

In the streets encircling the temple there are many small shops selling souvenirs, and so it’s worth a stop if you want to buy some tat. I now own a flannel with a cat embroidered on it for reasons not clear to me.

Unusual Cafe
Talking of cats, there are a few cat cafes in the Asakusa area too. Whilst I know these aren’t unique to Tokyo, it did fit my theme of doing what I would class as unusual things. I had a nice green drink with a ball of ice cream in it (no idea what it actually was) whilst in the company of several happy felines. 

The waitresses had many toys to excite the cats with and some were happy to leap about and show off. Others, in true cat style, weren’t slightly interested in socializing and concentrated on pretending we weren’t there.

Mysterious green drink and an itinerary of felines

I would mention that there are also cafes where women dress as French maids, but my girlfriend did not see this as the best use of our time.. But its something to bear in mind- as is some sort of monster themed café.

Calaugh Cat café: calaugh.com  
A café of rescued cats: http://asakusanekoen.com/
Monster café:http://kawaiimonster.jp/pc/en/concept/

Robots (!?)

I missed out on seeing the 18 meter high, 35ton, ‘life-sized’ Mobile Suit Gundam robot but I did see something even better. The Robot Cabaret Show at Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku. Growing up with the idea (mainly from shows like Takeshi’s Castle) that Japan was totally wacky, I wanted proof of this whilst I was here.

As it turns out, this was the perfect remedy for my desires. The restaurant itself is dazzling and everything shines in near dizzying proportions. I didn’t realize, but the Robot Cabaret is world famous, with the likes of Katy Perry, Macklemore and Norman Reedus (Walking Dead!) having enjoyed it.

Chainlink fence for safety.. though I'm sure robo-rex could have
destroyed it and devoured me if he felt like it

I won’t spoil the show, but now that I’ve seen a mechanical T-rex battling evil alien robots as they fire missiles at it, I am satisfied. If you want to taste the stereotypically crazy side of Japan, its worth the 35GBP ticket price. 

  

Capsule Life
After doing all of that in one day you'll need a really good rest*. There are so many choices in a city this big that it will be hard to choose. I went for accommodation that was also an experience in itself, a capsule hotel. Instead of a room, you rent a small sleeping space which comes with pajamas and slippers. You lock you luggage away and get clean towels, bedding and nightwear each day if you please.

It was small but it did the job

If you thought that the lack of space mean a lower price tag… well that’s not exactly the case. Six nights in Tokyo Kiba Hotel cost me 27,000yen (170GBP, 238USD), but the location was great (a minute from Kiba station) and I think spending a similar amount on a standard hotel would mean being further out of the city. I did enjoy excellent bathrooms which were equipped with a sauna and Jacuzzi, as well as toothbrushes and shampoos etc for free. The experience of being in one of these hotels I’d heard of was worthwhile, so consider it if you’re up for something different.

Top tip: the capsule does not have a real door, just a little screen you roll down. Just so you're fully informed!

*don't try to do it all in one day.

So there you have it, a few Tokyo tips. I really have good memories of being there and I'm so pleased that I spent a good amount of time there. Let me know if you've got any essential tips of your own, or if you found this useful, in the comments below.


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