It’s Japan!!!! Definitely one of the dream places that I’ve always wanted to visit and non of anybody had any bad comments about it after returning from their trip there. So yeah a day before my birthday, I flew to Japan!! 😛
This was also my first time taking the Japanese airline, All Nippon Airways (ANA) that provides so far the best service I’ve ever had onboard. Surprisingly the price for ANA this time was comparable with our local budget airline Airasia so ANA it is!
Only if I can get this view from the plane!!!
Nah this is the actual photo. Was just playing with a bit of photoshop on the previous photo 😛
So once we touched down, we took the Narita Express that took up to 90 minutes ride from Narita Airport to Shinjuku station. It would be great if you get a return tickets for the Narita Express cause it’s cheaper than buying separately. So it was a very chill experience along the way and by the time we landed it was almost 4pm in Japan time so sunset was just in time (sunset in Winter is earlier).
We checked into Ibis Hotel Shinjuku and it was already dark and we were soo soo hungry!!!
The first night in Japan and I already fell in love! Look at the street and the lights!
Not to mention it was colddddddddd.
The flow of my blog will be according to the timeline that I was in Japan so if you happen to see any place you’d like to visit or interested, please jot it down and feel free to ask me more about it!!!
Classic fact about the metro that everyone’s so so quiet and they stood so still in their own position. The fact that it was so safe being there, I didn’t mind being cramped tightly in the crowd.
The next morning we visited the famous Blue Bottle Coffee at Aoyama. Talking about Aoyama, ohh it’s just an indulgence just to walk around the streets with beautiful architectures around all the small alleys.
Checklist list ticked: to have that blue bottle paper cup 😛
The doughnut balls on the left was so so so good you must try!!! and we tried the lemon poppy seed cake too.
Then we continued strolling around the streets and kept being amazed by everything we’ve seen.
Another fact about Japan is that the light and shadow are coordinating perfectly with each other.
#ootd with the architecture of Prada Aoyama is a must as the structure was designed in diamond-honeycomb like and the light refraction makes it shine perfectly.
We then took metro to Ginza and came upon this street.
Japanese pop culture never dies ❤
Second day was basically exploring the city’s interesting corners and feeling the cold.
It was my birthday!!! So this was my birthday dinner (Happy Birthday to me!!!) and it was one of the best! This was at Izuei Honten, which is an unagi specialist that serve really really good unagi with reasonable price.
Waking up super early the next day for the exciting experience at Sensō-ji. It is an ancient Buddhist temple located at Asakusa.
It was already super packed around 9am in the morning.
You can find a lot of interesting Japanese street food and cute souvenirs along the street towards the main temple.
And for the girls, you can rent Kimono and walk around the streets to have a closer experience of being a Japanese.
Never skipped the Japanese Strawberry Mochi aka Ichigo Daifuku when you’re in Japan cause their strawberries are super huge and sweet!
The temple itself was so magnificent and you can follow the Japanese traditional prayer and have your blessings there.
Ok continued exploring the streets 😛
Next destination was the Tokyo Skytree and you can check on the tickets here.
We only went up to the 350th floor and this was already the view!!!!
There are stores selling merchandise and souvenirs as well as skytree cafe that has their signature softserve!
Look at this!! I was and am speechless….
Next morning we took a super early 6am train to Hakone then Fuji for 3 days. Make sure you get your Hakone-Fuji 3 days express pass at Odakyu Station for only less than RM400 and it includes the return ticket Odakyu-Hakone-Fuji-Odakyu, ropeway pass. pirate cruise tour and almost all the bus accessible around Hakone and Fuji unlimitedly within 3 days.
Hehe bento is unavoidable in the train!!
After we arrived at Hakone Station, we had to transit to another train to Gora which is where our hotel located.
Look at this cute red vending machine hiding by the railway.
So yeah this happened when we got out from the wrong side of the train going to our hotel and there’s no route for us to walk over, so we had to wait for the next train lollllll.
Hoorayyyyyy we’ve finally arrived at Laforet Club Hakone Gora.
I got so excited to be trying out Yukata for the first time in my life. It was super comfortable as you know, nothing inside :))))) Hahahahah It was also my first time trying onsen!!! It felt so so so good especially during Winter! This is the private onsen in the room and they do have the public pool too.
This is also the first hotel I’ve ever stayed that I did not have to wear my shoes at any part of the hotel including lobby. We were given the complimentary Japanese traditional socks so that we were to wear around in the hotel.
It’s interesting that everyone is wearing the same yukata at the breakfast lounge.
The next day, instead of taking the train back to Hakone station, we chose to walk a lil and there are so many traditional architecture worth seeing.
From Hakone station, we took the local bus with our freepass to checkout the Hakone Shrine and the famous Torii by lake Ashi.
Then we used the freepass for the pirate cruise that bring us around to witness the magnificent Mt. Fuji!
Look at this!!!!! That little white cap on the peak of Mt. Fuji is so elegant!
From the cruise, we did not go back to where we boarded but another pit stop so we could take the Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani, where the sulfur craters are located.
Another view of Mt Fuji from the top of Owakudani.
This is the Chinese name for Hakone.
Then we headed to the Torii and it’s freaking huge and the wind almost blew us away.
Getting some #ootds after completing all the mandatory destinations.
Just me and my vending machine. Can I have one at home??????
and we found this cute 7-11 by the cliff.
Back to Hakone station. Oh yeah for convenience we dropped our baggage at Hakone station so we did not have to travel back to hotel as we needed to depart to Kawaguchiko station on the same day.
Finally arriving at Kawaguchiko and means we were closer to Mt Fuji! How cute even the car plate number starts with Fujisan.
Our home for another night, Royal Hotel Kawaguchiko.
Morning light shines through the window beautifully
and I have Mt Fuji behind me, this cannot be anymore perfect.
Yes we woke up to this lake right in front of our hotel!
Hi Mt Fuji, you are everywhere! ❤
So we walked around Kawaguchiko for a bit then took the local bus to Lake Kawaguchiko.
Then we came upon this primary school by the lake and the adorable Japanese kids were doing sports, hmm more too just having fun hahaha.
After that, we headed to Chureito Pagoda, that is located at the hill top overlooking Mt. Fuji.
Unfortunately the weather turned so sunny and the sunlight was too bright that day so couldn’t get a really good photo. Yes this is the view! Basically walking up to this Pagoda is one hell of a workout! Trust me don’t take the stairs, take the curve sloppy route instead, it’s a lot easier though it may no seem so.
All the residence from the top.
That’s the end of our 3 days in Hakone-Fuji and taking the train back to Shinjuku!
First thing back to Shinjuku, Food!!!!!! This was at Ichiran Ramen, Yummehhhh
Ramen ended the previous night pretty well especially after the journey of bus ride from Kawaguchiko back to Shinjuku. The next day we dropped by Fuglen Espressobar and they have pretty decent coffee though, up to my personal favorite.
Who doesn’t love doughnut right?:P
Since we only had a doughnut in the morning so here we were at Shake Shack Shibuya!!! I’ve been wanting to have it again after my first time at Dubai 4 years ago and finallyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!! It’s definitely one of the best fast food I’ve ever had.
After feeding our tummies, we walked to Tokyo Plaza and it’s got a pretty amazing view from the rooftop.
Hi traffic light! (I mean the colors of the cabs hehe)
The next day we woke up super early again, ok not super early but still early hahah, for a trip to Tsukiji Market! Yasss seafood and tamago!!!!!
That was the huge grilled scallop that I had, it was so fresh and juicy. Ignore my sleepy swollen face in the morning pls.
Then you’ve got all kind of seafood being served in different ways along the market. It’s kinda confusing for a first timer like me to walk around as it spreads out to different directions.
She’s so gorgeous wearing the traditional Kimono.
and the not to be missed Tamago!!!!
We’ve tried this humongous crab stick was yummeh too.
Eheh bumped into go kart with costume on the road. Yes you can rent it with the costume and drive in the city.
Next stop, About Life Coffee, was where I had the best coffee in Tokyo. It’s just a small corner lot with only 2 bench outside the shop and some standing spots besides the coffee machines, tiny but best coffee!!
Another coffee stop at Saturday Surf NYC at Daikanyama and at the same time we got to shop for their products too.
The seats are actually at the balcony overlooking the streets of Daikanyama, pretty dope isn’t it?
Seems like a day full of eating. Next if you’re looking for an affordable and good sashimi restaurant, you should try out Sushino Minori.
Ooopss doughnut again! This was at Doughnuts & Coffee.
Pink is obviously the concept of this cafe so they made everything so Instagrammable. However the doughnut was too sweet and coffee was not good though 😦
The Doughnuts & Coffee was en route to visit the Tokyo Tower and here I was!
Waited for sunset and the tower was lit beautifully.
That was the last night in Japan and we decided to have Izakaya for our dinner. Was looking for quite a few back at Shinjuku but never seemed to have a decent one until we thought of this street. This was where I took the first picture on the first night when we first landed. It’s called Shosuke. Trust me they serve really really good and comforting food from fried udon to yakitori and paired with Japanese draught beer, BEST!!!!
On the last morning before departing to the airport, we dropped by Shibuya for the last cafe visit called Little Nap Coffee Stand.
and I fell in love with this quote from them saying ‘I’d rather enjoy a cup of coffee than taking photo’, which cannot be totally true as taking photos is my passion but it’s funny though.
So nah, I took a photo of stranger enjoying his coffee, that’s perfect! 😉
That wraps up my 10D9N trip to Tokyo, Japan and it’s the best best country that I’ve ever visit so far. I finally understand why so many of my friends make Japan as the annual holiday destination.
ps special thanks to my gears Olympus OMD EM1 Mark 2 and the lenses for all the photos that I’ve captured as my best memories.
Japan, I’ll see you again ❤
Konichiwa, beautiful land of culture! It's Japan!!!! Definitely one of the dream places that I've always wanted to visit and non of anybody had any bad comments about it after returning from their trip there.
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