Tokyo Day 2

October 15, 2015

I woke up early today with full of excitement. Why? Cause it's my birthday!!!
This is also the first time I am celebrating my birthday abroad, and in Tokyo, nonetheless.

So I just ate at Kai Hostel, where they offer free breakfast, coffee, juice and milk. I even got a banana for dessert. I ate a lot because I know it will be a long day for me.

Before you go around Tokyo, my tip for you is to get this tourist leaflet, which is available on train stations, just go the nearest JR Station. Tokyo's rail system is impressively systematic, making it easy for one to go around the largest city in the world (in terms of population, which is at 37 million).

The Tokyo Travel Map is so easy to use! I survived Tokyo without WiFi access. It lists down all the top tourist spots in the city and tells you which train station to get off.

Also, get a one-day pass for the MRT for 1,000 yen (400 pesos), if you plan to get around a lot! The shortest distance costs around 270 yen, so I think the one-day pass is already a good deal.

The first tourist spot I wanted to see was the Imperial Palace, which is located at the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo.

The Imperial Palace is like a fortress surrounded by an artificial body of water similar to that of traditional castles

The entrance gate to the Imperial Palace grounds

Upon entry, tourists are greeted by an even bigger gate

Inside the palace grounds are serene traditional Japanese gardens

Next stop: Tokyo Sky Tree

At 2,080 feet, Tokyo Skytree is the tallest structure in Japan, and the second tallest structure in the world, after Burj Khalifa in Dubai. 

At the grounds of the Tokyo Skytree

 The view from the top is just breathtaking! 

2,000 feet off the ground! whew!

Next stop: Asakusa

This is the Senso-ji Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo

It's rare to see a traditional Japanese house at the heart of Tokyo. I think they converted this one into a restaurant. It's located in one of the surrounding alleys in Asakusa.

Last stop for Day 2: Tokyo Dome City

I don't have a clear photo of Tokyo Dome but this is what it looks like: 

Photo credits to: Voltasone (YouTube)

Located at Bunkyo, Tokyo Dome City is an entertainment complex that houses an amusement park, a shopping mall, a spa, and a 43-story hotel.

Photo credits: Tokyo Dome City

The boutique mall here has plenty of gift shops, souvenir stalls and fashion brands. It also has an ABC Store, a famous apparel department store in Japan, where I got my nice pair of Nike Kaishi, which is similar to the more popular Nike Roshe, but with a hint of Japanese. It was on sale, I got it only for 6,000 yen (2,650 pesos).

End of Day 2 in Tokyo

###

Tokyo Day 1

October 14, 2015

On my 4^th day in Japan, I traveled from Osaka to Tokyo via the Shinkansen, or more popularly known as the ‘bullet train’. I got the JR Pass, a ride-all-you-can badge, which I can use to go anywhere in Japan via trains and buses under the Japan Railways (JR) Group. I purchased the JR pass in Manila (in Reli Tours and Travel) for ¥29,000 or Php 12,000. It’s good for seven days, which is fair enough since a one-way Shinkansen ride from Osaka to Tokyo costs about ¥15,000. I’ve always wanted to try riding a bullet train, so I guess this is worth it. And it was!

Image source: www.darkroastedblend.com

This is how the bullet train looks like inside. The seats are similar to the ones in the airplanes, although with more leg room and more comfortable. And guess what, there are no seat belts! That's how confident the Japanese are with their Shinakansen technology; zero casualties since its introduction in the 1960s!

At 300 kilometers per hour, this train is indeed as fast as a bullet. My camera struggled to capture the images, with most vertical lines becoming slant. The view of Japan’s countryside is nonetheless breathtaking to look at.

By bus, it would take around ten hours to reach Tokyo (from Osaka), but via the Shinkansen, it will only take less than three hours, cutting the travel time by as much as 70%.

We left Osaka at around 12 noon and arrived in Tokyo around 3:00 PM. We stayed at Kai Hostel, which is a really nice backpacker inn located at the Roppongi area, which is known for its vibrant nightlife and fancy lifestyle. The place is frequented by foreigners and expats and the vibe is quite similar to the Salcedo and Legazpi neighborhoods of Makati in the Philippines.

The common areas of the Kai Hostel: the living room, the lounge, and the cafeteria, which offers free breakfast, daily!

My first meal in Tokyo was from Yoshinoya, which is very different from the one in Manila. In Tokyo, it’s more like a home-cooked meal rather than a fast-food one. I had salmon and beef yakiniku. Super yummy!

Ivy and I went to Tokyo Tower first, to see the panoramic night view of the city:

Tokyo Tower was built in 1958, standing at 1,092 feet (333 meters). The elevator can take you to the observation deck at the 250^th meter, offering a breathtaking view of the city. The design was inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France and it’s easy to tell why. It is the tallest structure in Japan until the Tokyo Skytree beat it in 2012. Oh by the way, you have to pay ¥800 just to get to the top. It's worth it! But if you are on a tight budget, go to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku, which is not as high as Tokyo Tower but at least it can give you a bird's eye view of the city for free.

And then we went to Odaiba, an entertainment center built on reclaimed land similar to the Mall of Asia in Manila. We went to see the life-size Gundam, the Rainbow Bridge, Toyota Exhibit and the Statue of Liberty! Yes, they have it there! Lol.

Gundam Cafe has the most extensive collection of Gundam merchandise items. The menu also offers Gundam-inspired food, such as the Gundam Wings. Lol. Too bad, the restaurant was already closed when we got there but the shop is still open. I got to buy a Gundam model kit for a friend back home. 

The Rainbow Bridge and Japan's Statue of Liberty

Toyota Exhibit

Just before we went home at around 11 PM, we ate again at an Italian-Japanese restaurant, which I think is a bizarre yet unexpectedly perfect combination.

My mom always cooks spaghetti when I was young. And she always puts egg on top. Surprisingly, when we ordered pasta, there’s also an egg on top! Wow, my mom remembers me on my birthday, even if I'm in Japan! Lol.

Ivy and I ordered two pizzas, three-cheese and a veggie one! By the way, Ivy is also celebrating her birthday on October 15th so it's a double treat!

We also had baked mussels to complete our meal. By the way, we also had salad but we finished it before I even get to snap it. Hungry souls right there!

This is also the time when I learned something new again about Japan. When I handed over my cash to Ivy, I folded the ¥1,000 bill in front of her, and she gave me a horrified look! Little did I know that this is a big no-no in Japan! The Japanese do not like their bills to be folded, scratched or crumpled. That’s probably the reason why the Japanese bills I’ve been getting are all in mint condition.

Image source: rter.info

We went home shortly after... 

This has been a long day and tomorrow I get to see more of Tokyo.

Back at the hotel, I got to spend my birthday eve with these fellow backpackers, whom I just met at the lounge. They were all fun to be with. We drank beer, played music and talked about our travels and our respective countries of origin. From left: me, James from Australia, Viviane from Switzerland (who gave me Swiss chocolates, thank you, btw!), this guy from Belgium (I forgot his name, sorry) and Niall from Ireland.

This is one of the perks of staying at a hostel (as compared to Airbnb) because you get to meet exciting people from all over the world, with each one having a fantastic story to tell.

###

Japan, Japan!!!

It has always been my dream to go to Japan. Growing up in the Philippines, I've always watched anime! Hence, I got familiar with Japanese culture through Slam Dunk, Yuyu Hakusho (Ghost Fighter), Pokemon, Dragon Ball Z, and more recently, Naruto and Death Note, to name just a few.

I went to Japan last October 10 to 19, 2015 to celebrate my birthday week. I splurged. So this travel itinerary may not be advisable when on a budget. I maximized my Visa and Master credit cards (don't do this at home, lol) on top of my JPY 80,000 pocket money.

My flight was from NAIA Manila to Osaka Kansai Airport; the flight was only 3.5 hours long and it was already 8:30 PM when we landed in Kansai. This is my first travel abroad (and alone!) after my trip to Singapore in 2009 and in the US (many years ago) and so I was extremely excited! As we were about to land, I was peeking outside my window and Osaka's skyline at night was just breathtaking to look at. "I am in Japan, I am in Japan!!! Un-be-ri-ba-be-ra (unbelievable)!"

When I got outside the airport, the cold weather dawned on me, it was already October and winter is just around the corner. I immediately saw Burger King and ordered a burger value meal as I was very hungry! At first, I was not familiar with the Japanese yen (JPY) so when the cashier gave me coins as change after I paid a 1,000 bill, I was shocked! 1,000 yen is equivalent to 400 Philippine pesos (PHP). Damn, that was an expensive burger. Well, welcome to Japan! :) 

I was going to reside in a condominium booked thru Airbnb located somewhere in Namba, Osaka. I will be meeting Ivy who is coming from Tokyo, at Namba Station--a good 45 minute-train ride from Kansai Airport (costs 930 Yen) whew! Another thousand bucks taken away from me.

During the train ride, even though it was already dark, I kept looking outside the window, carefully looking at the houses--the neighborhood--in Japan, something I only used to visualize through the countless anime series I've seen. When I got to Namba Station, Ivy was nowhere to be found. I panicked! "Oh no! What do I do now?" I got no data on my phone, no wifi access at that time. Luckily, as I was about to pick up the payphone (yes, they still have it in Japan--old-school!), I saw Ivy, we grabbed some food and took the night off.

Day 1: Osaka City Tour

Ivy and I woke up early to meet another friend of mine, Jendell, who has been in Japan for two years now. Our first stop was at Abeno Harukas, the tallest building in Japan at 984 feet (built in 2014).

And then we realized we haven't eaten breakfast yet so we grabbed some onigiri (rice + toppings wrapped in nori) at the Family Mart nearby. Wow. It's my first time to ever try onigiri in my life. It was heaven to my taste buds!

Image source: isitveganjapan.com

Our next stop was at Shinsekai, an old district in Osaka, that houses some delectable cuisines. After all, Osaka is the culinary capital of Japan. Yum!

On our way to the Osaka Castle, we chanced upon a beer festival, where we gulped gallons of beer in various flavors (okay, gallon is an overstatement). I'm feeling so lucky on my first day in Japan!

Ah at last, we arrived at the historic and scenic Osaka Castle (Osakajo), which was built in 1583 but due to wars, it was subjected to continuous destruction and countless rebuilds. Today, it remains a proud cultural tourist spot.

From the top: me posing before the bridge, the castle's gate, Jendell and Ivy by the river, and Osaka's view from the top of the castle. Osakajo is a fortress in the middle of the city surrounded by a lake designed as additional protection during the warring era.

 

Posing in front of the Osakajo; Jendell and I with a Samurai!!!

After Osakajo, we went to NHK Osaka, one of Japan's national broadcasting companies, where we toured a mini museum of television. We didn't stay here long since we can already hear our stomachs rumble.

While we were walking on the way to the restaurant, I noticed that I kept seeing this yellow lane on the sidewalk, so I asked Jendell, "What the hell are these yellow lines for?"

Jendell: "Oh, that is like a foot Braille for the blind people, so they can travel with a guide even if they are alone"----waaah!! First world problem! Solved!!! Japan is just so advanced.

So after all that walk, we rewarded ourselves at a traditional sushi house--where sushi eternally comes out from a rotating belt. Check it out: "Itedakemasu!"

I couldn't remember how much sushi I downed that lunch... All I remember is I got so full. Authentic sushi, finally!

After lunch, we went inside a mall. I can't remember its name 'cause it was connected to the underground train station, where there are plenty of boutiques. The entire passage was filled with various stores, restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, etcetera.

 

Ah, first day in Japan and I got to see all these high-tech stuff; a virtual tuxedo, an electric sports car, and a robot assistant!

As the sunset was drawing near, we went up the Umeda Sky Building, where we met the cold mist and enjoyed the spectacular 360-degree view of the city.

Please excuse my emo moment at the love lock found in the rooftop: "Can you 'fill' my heart?"

When evening came, we went to our final stop for the day, the Dotonbori at Minami (Namba), where I finally got to see the famed Glico Man!

Ivy and I, munching on our authentic takoyaki.
It is less salty than what's available in the Philippines, and the octopus filling inside was quite generous as well! Wait, this is just our pre-game before the main course!

We ate at a Japanese curry restaurant, I forgot what it's called. I was too hungry to take photos at this time so I just ate. Besides, my phone was already low batt.

This is what's left of me after a long day of walking, eating and drinking:

End of day 1. Tired yet Happy

###