Tokyo is a wonderful place. It used to be very expensive, but 20 years of economic slowness has made it quite affordable. You can indulge yourself in history, modern culture, consumerism and lots of food. I’ve been to Tokyo many times and when people ask “what should I do in Tokyo” I can finally stop repeating myself and tell them to read this blog.
Here’s what I’d consider to be 2 perfect days in Tokyo.
Kick the day off with a cheap brekkie - you can get a Japanese curry for less than $5 at one of a million different eateries. Just head towards your local JR or subway station and you’ll find something. Try for less than 400Y.
Now let’s head over to my favourite suburb, Shibuya. You can get there via Subway (or JR) so it’s easy to access. Our goal here is to absorb the main pedestrian crossing where seemingly millions of people cross the street at once. It has to be seen to be believed. Once you’ve absorbed this spectacle from street level a couple times, head up to Starbucks and enjoy a latte while you marvel from above. You might need two coffees as most shops don’t open until 10 or 11 am, so take your time.
Guitars, mate! Shibuya has it all.Once you are caffeinated and have given the shopkeepers time to awake it’s time to dive into the surrounding streets to take in the consumerism-gone-mad experience.
Some of my favourites include Bic Camera (many stories of electronics, cameras, computers, etc), Tokyo Hands (a massive multi story craft and hobby shop - everything from doll houses to sheet metal) not to mention all the shoe, music, fashion (go to Shibuya 109), and everything else you could ever dream of shops.
From here we will walk to the wonderful weirdness of Harajuku. You might pass some cheap ramen shops on the way, so if you’re starving, grab some lunch on the way. Harajuku has been a hangout for alternative dressers for many years.
You’ll see lots of youngish (teens and twenties) guys and gals wearing everything from lacy maid outfits to anime character costumes. It’s best in the evenings and Sunday afternoons, but there’s always something to see. Must-sees include the costume and fashion shops where the displays pour out into the lane. Fashion accessories, cheap jewellery, crepes and H?agen-Dazs - what else could you want?
2 days in Tokyo? Yes, just 2. Street scene in HarajukuOk - we’ve seen enough fashion - let’s head off to the markets of Ueno for some bargains and a great feed. Ueno is famous for three things - shopping, a big park and eating. It can be reached easily on the JR line or by subway.
This is where the locals come to get stuff cheap - clothes, bags, shoes, seaweed, snakes, fresh seafood and lots more! Merchants range from tiny market stalls to massive department stores. When you get off the train, simply walk across the major road and lose yourself in the alleys of Ueno.
As for dinner - the backstreets of Ueno provide a multitude of choice and fortunately most restaurants display their offerings in the window or a glass display case out front.
Recommendations? Try Izakaya for a wide selection of “bar foods” to enjoy with a beer or some sake. Yakiniku is the Japanese take on Korean BBQ - great fun in Ueno with many offering all you can eat and drink packages and you’ll even get a bib to keep the BBQ flavour off your clothes!
This is a busy day, so wear comfortable shoes!
First up is Tsukiji is Tokyo’s fish market and it’s huge. Every morning very early (like still the night before for many of us), there is a huge auction for the giant frozen tuna. Some fish will sell for US $40,000 or more so apparently it’s quite exciting to witness although I’ve never made it there on time to see that happen. (You can also sign up for a Viator Tokyo walking tour that includes the fish market with a local guide, very helpful.)
Getting there by 6 or 7am will still allow you to see more types of sea creatures then you could ever imagine. Barrels and tubs filled with mysteries of the deep. You can grab a slab of tuna or salmon sashimi for later consumption. Aisle after aisle of merchants display their specialties in the main huge warehouse.
Check out the ice-cutting area: they saw through massive blocks of ice in order to dole it out to the fish mongers. There are some old style noodle shops in the area so you can grab some breakfast nearby once you’ve exhausted your fishy smell tolerance.
Our next stop Asakusa, the home of Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest temple. The best way to get to Asakusa is on the Tokyo Cruise Ship Company’s ride up the Sumida River departing from Hinode Pier. The river boat passes under 12 low bridges and you can sit back and enjoy the views of all sorts of old and new buildings and factories as you sail towards the temple at Asakusa.
Jeff on his way into the shrine at AsakusaWatch out for the golden poo – I have no idea what it signifies, but it’s my favourite weird architectural feature.
It’s only a couple minutes walk from the pier to Senso-ji where you can engage in some quiet meditation in the temple before exploring the grounds and surrounding markets. (You can also take a guided tour of the shrine.) Other attractions in the area include a traditional drum museum and a lot of cooking utensil stores including some that sell the famous plastic food replicas, so you can bring your favourite Japanese dish home with you!
If you’re into Beer History as I am, you can visit the Kamiya Bar – possibly Tokyo’s oldest. The morning I dropped in there were elderly patrons sipping beer and nodding off around the place and you can join them for a glass to whet your appetite for some lunch if you so desire.
Asakusa has been a popular entertainment area through the 20th century so there are lots of choices for lunch. Keep your eyes peeled and you might even catch a glimpse of one of Tokyo’s few remaining Geisha’s who reside in Asakusa.
From here we’ll be jumping on the subway to get to either Otemachi or Tokyo station, from where we can walk to the Imperial Palace East Gardens entrance. Japan’s Emperor and his extended family live in the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Palace consists of a large mostly green area in the center of Tokyo with one area open to the general public – the Eastern Gardens. Be sure to check that they are open on your planned day. They contain the ruins of Japans tallest tower in 1638 as well as a devine traditional Japanese Garden.
You can easily spend a couple hours wandering around absorbing the beauty and history here. (Here’s a tour option that includes the Imperial Palace.)
Tokyo's Imperial PalaceTo wrap up the day I’d recommend strolling over to Marunouchi to enjoy the views and sunset from one of the restaurants from the 36th floor of the Marunouchi Building. We visited “Breeze of Tokyo”, a modern Japanese fusion place whose concept is “A high-quality amusement place for adults”.
I wouldn’t claim it lived up to that but the views over Tokyo Station and The Imperial Palace are wonderful and we even saw the sun setting over Mount Fuji. There are also a number of other restaurants on the Marunouchi Building’s top floor including a more traditional Japanese food option for those wanting to keep up the historical theme.
-Jeff Lewis
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