On my way back to the UK from Australia I stopped in Tokyo for 5 days. Japan is on many people’s travel bucket list and this guide goes through where to stay, what to do and very importantly what to eat! Tokyo, and Japan as a whole, is one of the more mono-cultural places I’ve been too so will also cover what to expect and how to get around the city.
Where to stay in Tokyo?
Tokyo is a huge city. Although it has a very good transport system it can take a few hours to get from one part to another, similar to London. If I went again I would stay in Shinjuku or Shibuya as this is where you’ll want to visit most. To save money I stayed at a beautiful hostel (Nui Hostel) near Kurumae station. This had good public transport links, was closer to Narita airport and I could walk to Senso Ji temple and the tea ceremony I had booked on one of the days.
What to do in Tokyo
There is so much to do in Tokyo that I think everyone’s trip probably looks quite different depending on what they enjoy, so I will list out here what I did each day:
Day One: booked a Street Kart experience around Shibuya. You’ll need a 1949 International Driving Permit from your home country for this. Back in the UK I got mine from a local Post Office. It was more intense than I realised with the karts having gears, indicators etc and really paying attention to road signs in case you get separated from the group: you are on main roads with cars, lorries etc going 45 miles per hour. But it was super fun! There are a range of onesies to choose from: I went for Sonic the Hedgehog!
After this I went to Yoyogi Park to look for some remnants of cherry blossoms (the Sakura Season had recently finished), ate my way through the city (more info later on where and what to eat) and tackled the Shibuya Crossing. This is a range of zebra crossings going across each other so it is quite the experience.
From Shibuya I walked to Harajuku where people watching for the Harajuku girl fashion was amazing. This is where they have an Otter Family Cafe you pay equivalent of £10 cash (everything in Japan is cash by the way so make sure you bring plenty with you) and get 20 minutes to play with very cute otters. This is down Takeshita Street which also have the sign at the end by the station which periodically turns into a camera where you can see yourself. Round the corner there is a Cafe (Anakuma Cafe) where you order on a screen but are then served by a bear hand through a wall which is a very unique experience!
Day Two: Disneyland and DisneySea! Two months before your planned visit you can buy tickets on the Tokyo Disney website. I got a full day ticket for Disneyland around £40 GBP and then a week night evening pass (where you can enter the park after 5pm) for Disney Sea which was £20GBP. So overall this was cheaper than a 1 day Disney ticket to Paris or Florida. This might be because in 2024 the Japanese Yen has really dropped so its actually the cheapest time to travel around Japan. Although it was a long day I’m glad I did both on one day as it meant I could make the most of my short time here. Many Disney fans reckon Tokyo DisneySea is the best Disney Park in the world. Although I enjoyed it, especially the Believe! Sea of Dreams night show on the water, I preferred Tokyo Disneyland. The Beauty and the Beast ride is certainly my favourite of any Disney Ride and it also has the original Splash Mountain, plus Pirates of the Caribbean has a more intense drop. Its a Small World and Peter Pan are also the best versions I’ve been on compared to Paris and Orlando. There are also a range of Disney themed snacks which any Disney fan has to try:
- chicken and egg bao bun (shaped like Mickey Gloves) from Good Time Cafe in Toon Town
- Mickey shaped nuggets at Tomorrowland Terrace
- Mike Wazowski melon bread at Sweetheart Cafe at World’s Bazaar
- Toy Story alien mochi (stall is outside Tomorrow Land)
- Raspberry and Peach Minnie ice lolly (various locations)
Day Three: after a very long day before, this was more of a slow pace. I had a kimono wearing and tea making ceremony which was amazing. So much care and detail goes into putting on a kimono, you also get your hair done with this experience. Also learnt a lot about Japanese culture in the tea making ceremony. After this I went to Senso Ji Temple which was great but I preferred it when I went at night on my last evening as its a lot quieter and is spectacular all lit up. This was another day that I ate lots of starred restaurants on my Google Maps. I got on the train to Shinjuku to see the tall buildings, temples and little side streets.
Day Four: On my last full day I went to Mount Fuji which is only seen 88 days on the year and I was lucky enough to book on one of those days! There was one sunny day so I arranged my day trip for then as clouds are what stop you from seeing it. Although you could book your own train ticket I went with a tour from Tokyo as there are various viewpoints which is easier to get to by car/coach. As I booked on Get Your Guide it meant I could rearrange 24 hours before for it to be on the day with the best weather that week. If you do this tour be sure to pay the Ninjas a visit and take part in Ninja Darts. The bullet train on the way home is a great experience especially if you’re not visiting another city/have another opportunity to try these iconic high speed trains.
Day Five: was a travel day as my flight was 11am! But I still managed one more egg salad sandwich from 7-Eleven..
What to eat in Tokyo
Japan hand down has the best 7-Eleven (yes even compared to Thailand). $1 (70p) tuna mayo onigri was a daily staple along with the egg salad sandos which were just heavenly. They also feature creme brûlée ice cream and the strawberry and cream sandwiches. With so much walking around Tokyo this is the perfect place to grab a snack or breakfast on the go.
Vending Machines. Yes not the healthiest or best coffee but so convenient! There are 60 million vending machines in Japan so it would be rude not to.
Anakuma Cafe Harajuku for the famous Bear serving you coffee through a hole in the wall
Japanese fluffy pancakes- I went to Benitsuru which was nice but given the price (the most expensive meal I had in Japan) not worth it.
Sushi Kikumasa- this was right by my hostel a very small family run place which offered high grade sushi at affordable prices. I went for the recommended set menu and couldn’t finish it all. Although it wasn’t all my cup of tea I really enjoyed the scallop and octopus sashimi which I’d never tried before.
McDonalds- I have to try McDonalds in every country I go to. I know, pathetic. But Japan has the best- teriyaki burgers and the option to have nuggets rather than fries as a side? Elite!
Ichiran Shibuya- this was my favourite meal in Japan (par 7 Eleven of course). The pork ramen with mushrooms and egg was delicious and so worth the 50 minute wait outside (which was more like 30 minutes). You have your own little booth to eat in so perfect for solo travellers or couples who would like some time apart in peace!
Candied strawberries from Strawberry Fetish at Takeshita Street
What to buy in Tokyo
Senso Ji Temple has lots of stalls leading up to it which is great for souvenirs. As it was my Mum’s birthday when I was coming home I got her a traditional Japanese tea pot from a store 10 minutes away from there. Traditional Tea Pots range from £20 to thousands so make sure you use your currency converter app when working out the price from Yen!
How to get around Tokyo/Japan
Google Maps is very helpful even telling you which exit to take. To buy a train ticket you need cash when you use the machines before going through the barriers. There are tow main lines: JR and Metro so it might be that you need to buy a metro ticket to get to one station and then buy a JR ticket to get to your final destination but it was actually a lot more straightforward than I thought it would be.
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