WHAT SHOULD I DO BEFORE I GO TO TOKYO?
1. Plan your trip beforehand
It might be useful to write down a list of all the places you wish to visit, and map out how you want to get there. Not all places are reachable by the normal Subway and Metro, so you might want to purchase Shinkansen (Bullet Train) tickets, or map out your route using other modes of public transport. If you wish to visit Tokyo Disneyland, it is always a good idea to purchase your tickets online beforehand to skip the (massive) queues. You can also call them to check how many people they are expecting on your intended date of visit, so you can schedule your trip. (I will be posting another guide on tips & tricks for your next visit to Tokyo Disneyland, so stay tuned!)
2. Buy Shinkansen Tickets
A ride on the Japanese bullet train is of course an eye opening experience, but also an expensive one. It is a lot cheaper to purchase Shinkansen tickets outside of Tokyo, so it might be a good idea to contact your local travel agency to ask about cheaper Shinkansen tickets. If you intend to commute by Shinkansen regularly during your stay, try to get day passes to save costs. That said, it is still possible to visit most places without using the Shinkansen. If you are planning to visit the Gotemba outlet store: the only outlet store with a Maison Margiela outlet, then yes, you need to take the Shinkansen.
3. Change foreign currency
Duh.
I’VE ARRIVED. NOW WHAT?
1. Buy Subway/Metro Multi-Day Passes
It is very likely that you will need to commute a lot using the Metro and Subway. To cut costs, purchase the 3 day passes from the Narita International Airport. They sell it at the best price there. Each 3 day pass costs 1500Yen (RM55) and you can start using it at any time during your trip; but you have to use it 3 days consecutively. If you happen to lose your pass, do not hesitate to communicate with any officer at the help desk. Alternatively, you can try checking the lost and found area to see if they’ve found your pass. If you do not intend to use the Subway or Metro 3 days consecutively, you can also purchase the 1 day ticket from any Metro station. You will still save costs.
2. Get the English language Subway/Metro Map
Navigating around Tokyo with the Subway map is very very easy. Just pick up a copy from your nearest station and you should be able to travel anywhere with it. Alternatively, you can search your route by keying in your origin and destination to www.jorudan.co.jp and will give you the easiest and cheapest route to your destination.
3. Get Mt. Fuji tour tickets
If you plan on visiting Mount Fuji, get in touch with a travel agency to purchase tour tickets. The costs should include the bus trip to Mount Fuji, an English-speaking tour guide, and a meal. A trip to Mount Fuji will usually take up the whole day, so keep a day fully available!
4. Brush up on your hand gestures
Communicating with the locals is rather challenging because a vast majority of them don’t speak English. If you have ZERO background in the Japanese language (like me), the easiest way to communicate is to use hand gestures. Most of the time they will end up referring you to an English-speaking staff. Some of the younger people in Japan can speak English minimally; it really depends on your luck. In tourist areas such as Ginza, the staff can speak English, so it shouldn’t be much of a hassle while you’re there. Even though it is difficult to communicate, the people there are very patient and always willing to help! Be nice, be polite and they will do the same for you.
5. Avoid shops run by foreigners
While visiting places like Harajuku and Ameyoko, it is highly recommended to avoid shops being run by foreigners. You will notice them right away. Most of the time they are trying to capitalize on the trust of foreigners and locals alike to get an extra buck off you. DO NOT BUY “DESIGNER” GOODS THERE. They are inauthentic. If you really want to buy authentic designer goods, go to Ginza. My sister unknowingly walked into one of their stores, and a foreigner who was working there tried to sell her a plain white T-shirt for 12,000 Yen (RM420). Rumor has it that there are people who walk into bars owned by these foreigners, and they walk out bankrupt and unable to pay off their debts. In this case, the triads are friendlier.
WHERE DO YOU RECOMMEND I VISIT AND WHAT SHOULD I DO THERE?
1. Harajuku & Omotesando
Take a train to the Omotesando station on the Hanzomon line.
I call Harajuku “the place for quirky things”. You can find a lot of interesting stuff here: knick-knacks, costume shops, small cosmetic shops, Puri photobooths (the ones where they hyper enlarge your eyes), and much more! There is a Lush store here for those of you Lush fans reading this. They sell a lot of interesting snacks here; a definite must-try is the giant cotton candy and the crepes.
There is a 6-storey H&M here if you plan to do your shopping. The sales here are reasonable, so wouldn’t kill to pay a visit!
Otemotosando is only a 2-minute walk away from Harajuku. They have plenty of well-known shops here: Gap, Maison Margiela, Louis Vuitton, MAC, Jimmy Choo, and the list goes on. Even if you’re not planning to buy from any of these stores, a walk down Omotesando is a beautiful experience. Alterntively, you can watch the hustle and bustle of the place from the 2nd storey of Starbucks. The view at night is beautiful!
2. Shibuya
Home to the busiest street crossing in the world, and the statue of Hachiko. If you plan to cross the street crossing, hold on tight to your friends! The best place to view the crossing is from the 2nd floor of Starbucks. There are plenty of interesting places to shop here, including the Shibuya 109 complex, a 7 storey Bershka, a 6-storey Forever 21, and plenty more. To those of you who wish to purchase drugstore cosmetics, pay a visit to the biggest Matsumoto Kiyoshi in Shibuya. It is a tax-free shop, so be sure to ask the counter lady about the terms to get tax exemption from your purchases. Good news for Lush fans, there’s a store here too! There are plenty of varieties for eateries there in Shibuya: a standing sushi restaurant, a standing steak bar, an automated sushi restaurant, Pablo cheesecake and many more! During my visit to Shibuya, I had sushi at Genki sushi, a completely automated restaurant. How it works: the staffs seat you in a numbered chair, and there is a monitor in front of you. You order the sushi you want from the monitor, and the sushi is delivered to you on a track (like train tracks!) Once you’re done, you take your clipboard and bring it to the counter to make payment. Cool right?
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| Shibuya! |
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| Genki Sushi in Shibuya |
3. Tokyo Disneyland & Disneysea
Self explanatory. If you do plan to visit, do stay for the fireworks show at night! It’s recommended that you buy the 2-day passes and spend a whole day in both Disneyland and Sea respectively. But if you only have one day to spend: go for Disneyland if you’re looking to rekindle old memories of Disney, go for Disneysea if you’re looking for exhilarating rides. I will detail this in my Disney tips post!
4. Tokyo Sky Tree
A trip to Tokyo wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the SkyTree! It’s best to visit at night because the lighting brings out the beauty of the SkyTree in a whole new light. If you come out of the train station, go up to the 4th floor. There is an outdoor viewing area where you can lounge around with the SkyTree in the background. While you’re there, be sure to visit the Cheese Garden cheesecake shop as well as the Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory on the 2nd floor. They’re very generous with samples, so don’t hesitate to ask! My favorite discovery while at SkyTree was of course the Terada Mokei architectural model series on the 4th floor. (My now new hobby!)
5. Tsukiji Market
Tsukiji Market is a fish market. They sell the freshest fish in Tokyo here: one shop I saw was selling live prawns, lobsters and crabs. If you’re interested to see what a Big Tuna auction is like, line up early in the morning (around 6) and hope you’re one of the lucky 100 people they let in to the auction every day. There are plenty of small shops selling dried seaweed, tidbits, dried foods, quality knives and many more in Tsukiji market. Take your time to explore the place. While you’re here, do not miss out on the opportunity to try out any of the sushi/fish restaurants: the fish they sell are extremely fresh and delicious. The cuttlefish I had was so fresh that it felt like it was melting in my mouth. If you’re going to Tsukiji in the summer, they usually sell fresh oysters that you can eat right out of the shell. If you’re not a fan of raw oysters, the shops also offer baked oysters. There are many standing noodle soup shops on the outer area of the Tsukiji market. Many people crowd around the only table there and enjoy their noodles.
6. Ginza
The most posh place in Tokyo. Everything sold here is either designer, or going-to-be-designer. Many people visit Ginza just to get the feel of the place. Ginza is also home to the 6-storey Apple store: something we don’t see in Malaysia. Food at Ginza is expensive; but if you want to get a quick snack that is reasonably priced, head over to the basement of the Matsuya Ginza department store. They have dozens of kiosks and stalls selling stuff like baked goods, buns and so on. You can also buy nicely packaged gourmet treats like chocolates as gifts from here; there is also a Bvlgari chocolate stall. I tried the curry buns: let’s just say that curry in Malaysia is much more different than curry in Japan.
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| Ginza at night |
WHAT SHOULD I BE AWARE OF?
ON THE SUBWAY
If you plan to take subway during peak hours, unleash your inner demon and be ready to squeeze and push. Usually, there will be a man outside the train who is responsible to SQUEEZE everyone into the train. BEWARE of your personal belongings and keep an eye over your bag/purse.
FOOD
Food in Japan is expensive. One meal will cost you an average of 1000 to 1500 Yen (RM35-RM55). Food portions there are relatively big: a bowl of noodles can be shared between 2 people. Not only that, it is also rather difficult to find halal restaurants around. (You can find a list of halal restaurants here: http://www.muslim-guide.jp/restaurant/) If you have the option to cook at the place you are staying, use it to save costs and to avoid any ambiguity on how the food there is handled. Groceries are cheap in Japan, though they may not have as much of a variety of greens as they do in Malaysia. Bring along some spices when you visit: for example curry powder, chili, garlic and onions. (You will not find any chili in Japan, garlic and onions there are very expensive)
GETTING AROUND
The sun sets really early during winter (4pm-ish local time), so it gets dark out really early in the evening. It doesn’t affect much of the activity in Japan, but it does help to plan where to go before the sun sets.
Because of the cold weather, you will get hungry easily. Bring along snacks like a Tupperware of sushi, some bread with you when you’re out exploring. Bring a warm water flask with you too.
Shops there usually open at 6-7 in the morning. It might be a good idea to explore these places early to experience something new.
That’s all for Tokyo Cruisin’ Part 2. Stay tuned for tips & tricks to make the most out of your Disney trip.
Share with me your questions and experiences in the comments box below!
Love this!! Hehe
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