Tokyo Take 2
Tokyo is easily one of my favorite cities I’ve visited. As a kid watching Sailor Moon (and stanning over it) I would think to myself how cool it would be if Crystal Tokyo was a real place. While you won’t live for 1,000 years in the real Tokyo, it is far from a consolation prize.
I took my first trip to Tokyo, Japan in May of 2017 and it is still one of my favorite vacations to date. I spent six days there and it didn’t feel like nearly enough time, so I decided to go back. This time I spent just 2 days in the city but my itinerary was very targeted.
My primary mission this time around was to view the cherry blossoms in full bloom and I was lucky enough to have booked for the perfect weekend to do so. Second was to visit the resting place of the 47 Ronin, and third was to visit the Ramen Museum, bonus points if I managed to score another premium pancake.
I tackled the entire to do list in two days plus a visit to the Monster Cafe and Asakusa. My thoughts below:
Cherry Blossoms: One word - BEAUTIFUL. I stayed in Centurion Ueno Ladies Hostel which is directly across the street from Ueno Park which is teaming with cherry blossom trees. There are plenty of festivals held around the city this time of year, but I found it to be worthwhile enough to get up early in the morning and stroll through the park before it got even more crowded. At 7:30 am there were plenty of people already camped out to picnic for the day underneath the trees.
Ramen Museum: You need to make a stop here if you are a ramen fan and you need to come hungry! Upstairs you can take a quick gallery walk to read all about the origins of ramen and how it has evolved over time. You’ll also find a gift shop where you can shop ramen themed trinkets AND ingredients to take home and make your own custom ramen. Downstairs is where all the tasty magic happens. There are several restaurants serving up bowls of a variety of different ramen. Many of them offer the option of purchasing a mini bowl so that you have room to try others. Be warned, even the mini bowl is a substantial serving size of noodles. Don’t leave without stopping by the bar and getting some Hokkaido dairy ice cream. Trust me; just do it.
Sengakuji (Resting Place of 47 Ronin): If you are familiar with the story of the 47 Ronin, then you must put this on your itinerary. It's a very peaceful site and I saw several people there paying their respects. There are also some nice cherry blossom trees here too, if you’d like to kill two birds with one stone.
Asakusa: This was my favorite spot during my first visit to Tokyo. There is so much life and activity around Asakusa and Sensoji temple. If you want souvenirs, this is the place. If you want street food and snacks, this is the place. If you want photo opps, this is the place. I could spend several hours here just walking around visiting all the vendors and food stalls. Try on a yukata (and buy it if you can’t so no, like me) and have some fresh mochi and dango (one of my favorite snacks).
Sensoji Temple at Asakusa. Photo by J. Lynn
Premium pancake: I know pancakes probably don’t get most people excited and I understand. But what you need to understand is that a premium pancake is not your average flapjack. It’s not a flapjack at all. It’s actually more of a souffle. IN my first trip, this was easily my favorite meal so the second time around I had to have it again. The first time, I tried the tried and true plain version with some maple syrup which I highly recommend. On my second go round, I opted for the version drenched in chocolate ganache and all I can say is “WOW”. The premium pancake stands at least two inches high but it is not dense at all, it’s quite light and airy. Most importantly, it’s delicious and you will never look at pancakes the same way again. There are several cafes that serve this but I’ve managed to have it both times at Hoshino Coffee which has several locations in Tokyo.
Premium pancake at Hoshino Coffee. Photo by J. Lynn
Monster Cafe: If you are looking for sensory overload, then this (or the robot restaurant) is for you. Kawaii Monster Cafe is located in Harajuku and from what I can tell is a pretty popular spot. I would recommend having a reservation to avoid waiting in line. Walking into this place is like falling down the rabbit hole in Wonderland. Are there monsters? Yes. Are they terrifying, not at all. It’s more like if Lisa Frank decided to create a monster themed restaurant. There is a carousel in the middle of the restaurant and several different themed rooms to dine in. Expect a show, at some point during your meal some hostesses get up on the carousel for a song and dance number with the house monster. They also call up a volunteer from the audience so don’t be shy. I prefer a more quiet dining experience but I must say, my friend absolutely loved it and had the time of her life! The cutesy colorful monster theme does not stop at the decor, you will find it all throughout the menu as well. If you ever wanted to eat like a cartoon character then this is your chance.
Dessert at Monster Cafe. Phot by J. Lynn
Tips:
Do your research! There are a ton of things to do and see in Tokyo, so make sure you know what your “must see/do” items are before you get there.
Wear comfortable shoes. The first time around we walked almost 10 miles a day just exploring the different neighborhoods.
Get an IC card. You can get passes to/from the airport that include tourist passes for the metro system. This is great if you plan on staying within the metro which you likely will for the most part. The Ramen Museum is outside of the metro area so you would need to buy an additional train ticket to and from there. I had an Icoca card from my trip to Kyoto last year that still had a bit of credit. I found this to be very helpful for the trips that didn’t fall on the metro lines. It's a toss up in price, but I’d say if you will be coming back at any point OR if you also plan to travel to other parts of Japan during your trip then an IC card to load with yen is the way to go vs the tourist pass.
My Suggested stops: If you want more detailed info on the other places I’ve visited in Tokyo feel free to leave a comment or hit the contact page. Here are my top highlights below.
Mt. Fuji
Ghibli Museum (for any fans of Ghibli movies such as Spirited Away)
Asakusa and Sensoji Temple
Ramen Museum
Shibuya
Metropolitan Government Building (for the views)
Sengakuji
Budget:
RT flight from Manila on Cebu Pacific ~$280
Kesei Skyliner pass (to/from airport + 48 hour metro subway access) ~$50
Two nights at Centurion Ueno Ladies Hostel ~ $150
