Travel Diary: 5-Day Free Trip to Tokyo 2023
Following last month's trip to Kansai, here is a record of my 5-day free trip to Tokyo in June 2023, including information on food, accommodation, and transportation.
ℹ️ℹ️ℹ️ The following content is translated by OpenAI.
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[Travel Diary] 5-Day Free Trip to Tokyo 2023
Following last month’s trip to Kansai, here is a record of my 5-day free trip to Tokyo in June 2023, including information on food, accommodation, and transportation.
8-Day Free Trip to Kansai in May 2023
After my previous post, “[Travel Diary] 2023 Kansai & 🇯🇵 First Landing”, I quickly returned to Japan just a week later.
You might wonder why I didn’t just stay in Japan and take the Shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo. The reason is that the Tokyo trip was actually the originally planned overseas travel, while the Kansai trip was just a spontaneous addition.
Plus, I didn’t want to deal with changing my flight and accommodation, and I didn’t want to spend a week working from Japan (I believe travel should be purely for enjoyment), so I returned to Taiwan after the Kansai trip.
Looking back, I’m glad I did; that week, Japan was hit by a super typhoon, causing flooding, Shinkansen suspensions, and overcrowded stations. If I had stayed in Japan that week, I probably wouldn’t have had many places to go. (Finally, I wasn’t the rain god anymore! 🌧️)
The Tokyo Trip Crew — Three Single Guys
Me, my current colleague (Sean), and my former colleague (James Lin); Sean and James are college classmates. (Yes, the industry is that small! XD)
For information on Japan’s entry requirements and other tips, please refer to the previous post.
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Pre-Trip Preparations
Although the Tokyo trip was the originally planned overseas trip, we had only been talking about it until I finalized the Kansai trip. It was only then that we started planning and executing the Tokyo itinerary.
Fun
{:target="_blank"}](/assets/9da2c51fa4f2/1*DB9YKp-hY9VAiMClqU_MpQ.png)
For places I haven’t been to, I remain an ENFP free spirit, feeling that anywhere is fresh and exciting; thus, I mainly took charge of the flights, accommodation, and transportation. The attractions were decided based on what my travel companions wanted to see or what we felt like doing at the moment.
Sean and James handled most of the planning. We needed to buy tickets in advance for Disneyland (Sea), the Gundam in Yokohama, and Shibuya Sky, so we purchased those tickets two weeks before departure.
If you don’t buy tickets in advance, you might find no available spots when you arrive.
This time, I brought along the leftover ¥60,000 from my last trip, and I ended up with about ¥5,000 left.
This was because I encountered issues with my Visa card at a drugstore in Shinjuku and had to pay cash for over ¥10,000 worth of items, plus I wanted to spend all my cash before leaving.
Additionally, I almost couldn’t make it back; when buying tickets to Narita Airport at Tokyo Station, my card wouldn’t work, and I had to scramble to gather enough cash for the fare.
Travel
🛫
Since this trip was only 5 days long, I prioritized early departure and late return for the flights. I used SkyScanner to find suitable flights.
Taoyuan <-> Narita
- 6/7
EVA Air BR 18408:00 TPE -> NRT 12:25 - 6/22
EVA Air BR 19520:40 NRT -> TPE 23:20
Round trip: $17,086
I made a mistake here; I shouldn’t have booked three tickets under one name. Each person should buy their own ticket because using a credit card to purchase tickets provides travel insurance.
Later, I found out that flying from Songshan to Haneda wasn’t much more expensive and was more convenient. Orz.
Travel insurance: Done
📲
I also bought a 5-day unlimited SIM card from KKDAY for about $500. ( Japan eSIM Card | Daily High-Speed, Unlimited Data Plans )
🚈
As with my previous trip, I used a Suica card with my iPhone. My friend, who has an Android phone, had to buy a Welcome Suica limited-time card (which was the only option available at Narita Airport).
Accommodation
Since we were only going to Tokyo, I looked for a place where we could stay for four days without changing hotels. As the date approached, all the chain hotels like Toyoko Inn and APA were fully booked. I had to use Agoda to find a hotel located centrally with access to train and subway stations.
Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo-Shiodome — 4 Nights
It’s right next to Shiodome Station, making it easy to get to Odaiba or Shinjuku.
To reach other locations, you need to walk to Shimbashi Station (about a 10-minute walk), and it takes another 10 minutes to get from Shimbashi to Tokyo Station (1-2 stops away).
Overall, it was convenient, reasonably priced, and had good reviews. The actual stay was clean and comfortable, and the room wasn’t too small.
Since there were three of us, the layout included two beds and a sofa bed (which felt just like a regular bed).
Total for 3 people: NT$23,894
CHO Stay Capsule Hotel - The Only Airport Capsule Hotel in Taiwan | Taoyuan Airport Capsule Hotel | Taoyuan Airport Hotel | Taoyuan Airport Hotel | 桃園空港 ホテル — Day 0 Overnight
This trip was a bit special because we had an 8 AM flight, and we all started from Taipei. We planned to arrive at the airport by 6 AM, so we had to leave home around 4-5 AM. Plus, the excitement of going out made it hard to sleep, so we hardly got any rest.
A few days before departure, we decided to stay overnight at the airport. I heard from friends that there was a capsule hotel at Taoyuan Airport, so I decided to give it a try!
Location: On the 5th floor of Terminal 2, south side; it’s about a 5-minute walk down to Terminal 2.
The rooms include double rooms, triple rooms, quadruple rooms, and single beds (about 16 beds in a room).
When we booked, only single beds were available.
1 person NT$1,500
Day 0 Departure
Basically, I just unloaded the items I bought in Kansai, took out some clothes and supplies, and then repacked my suitcase before heading out.
The airport express check-in currently doesn’t allow for checking in for flights the next day, so I had to carry my luggage to Terminal 2.
Sean & Me & James
After arriving at Terminal 2, I went straight up to the third floor to the departure hall. Once there, I found the observation deck at the south side of the 22-26 shopping area (walk to the end on the right side of the hall).
At the end, I saw the escalator going up.
At the top of the escalator, you’ll find a hotel entrance with a distinctly Taiwanese style.
Taoyuan Airport Capsule Hotel
After checking in, we could drop off our luggage and then head out to find something to eat.
Eating and drinking are prohibited in the rooms. During our stay, each person received a tea bag that we could ask the front desk to brew for us, and we could enjoy it at the bar outside. We also filled out a membership form to receive a free towel.
The entrance had earplugs available for free.
Hallway
The bathroom facilities were very new, clean, and comfortable. There were two toilets, five shower rooms, and two hairdryers (one Dyson), along with body wash and shampoo provided. You just need to bring your own towel and toiletries.
Men’s Bathroom
To the left upon entering, there was a luggage room for storing bags, and the bed layout was as follows:
Dormitory Beds
Each bed had its own mirror, desk, lamp, curtains, and trash can. I slept on the upper bunk, which had a thick mattress, so I didn’t have to worry about disturbing the person below me.
The mattress was not only thick but also long enough; at 176 cm, I had no issues sleeping comfortably. The environment was clean, the lighting was warm, and the air conditioning was very comfortable. The only unavoidable factor was that if someone snored, it could be heard. (That’s why they provide free earplugs at the entrance.)
However, I wasn’t bothered by the noise; as long as it was warm and relaxing, I could sleep well. I ended up sleeping soundly until morning, waking up just before 6 AM to wash up and check out (I made sure to get plenty of rest before heading abroad).
Thankfully, we had made a reservation the night before; there were other travelers who wanted to check in on-site, but there were no available spots.
In the morning, I leisurely enjoyed the airport view:
I initially thought it would be crowded at 8 AM, but I was lucky that there were hardly any people.
If I had known, I would have slept until 7 AM at the capsule hotel before coming down!
Waiting for the Flight
This time, the boarding gate required taking a shuttle bus (which mainland Chinese netizens refer to as a ferry bus).
It was hot and crowded, but we made it to the boarding gate:
Bye 🇹🇼
Arriving at Narita Airport
Hey 🇯🇵
Day 1 Shibuya, Parco, Shibuya Sky
From landing to reaching the immigration hall took about 15 minutes, and by the time I picked up my luggage and cleared customs, it was already around 1 PM.
I made a silly mistake when transferring to the Narita Express; I directly tapped my Suica card to enter the station. It turned out that the entire express train had reserved seating, so I had to go back, buy a ticket, and then re-enter the station (later I found out that I could have bought a ticket at the platform machine).
Eventually, I boarded the Narita Express at 2 PM heading to Tokyo Station.
As we enjoyed the scenery, seeing the Tokyo Skytree meant we were getting close.
After arriving at Tokyo Station, I transferred to the subway to Shimbashi Station, then walked to Shiodome.
The hotel was hidden inside an office building, which was quite unique:
At first, I thought I had walked into an office building by mistake, but as I went further in, I found the hotel.
After dropping off our luggage, we took a moment to rest: Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo Shiodome
(The video was shot later, so it’s a bit messy XD)
Heading to Shibuya
This intersection is a must-visit; it reminds me of the challenges in “Alice in Borderland.”
{:target="_blank"} — Alice in Borderland](/assets/9da2c51fa4f2/1*rjQEXXaBd3lelmlZEmYgkQ.png)
Netflix — Alice in Borderland
Shibuya Parco — Gyu-Kaku
We lined up to taste the famous Gyu-Kaku, arriving around 5:30 PM, and waited about 45 minutes for a table.
I ordered a set that included Kobe beef hamburger, Kobe steak, soup, and ice cream ($3,355 yen):
The staff set the initial cooking level to about 1, and I had to grill it on the iron plate to my preferred doneness. Gyu-Kaku
Here’s the translated text in naturalistic English, keeping the original markdown image sources:
Make sure to use two pairs of chopsticks: for hygiene reasons, use the metal ones for cooking and the bamboo ones for eating, alternating between them.
Kobe steak is incredibly delicious, juicy and tender, with no beefy smell at all 🤩; the hamburger patty is also good, but a bit greasy.
Shibuya Parco — A Store Dedicated to the Self-Mocking Polar Bear
I accidentally bought a few things.
Shibuya — Shibuya Sky
Fortunately, Sean bought tickets in advance; if we had tried to buy them on-site, we wouldn’t have been able to get in.
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It was quite dark and a bit windy up there, and you can’t bring bags (there are lockers available). Besides a bar in the corner, there are no other facilities or light pollution, making it great for taking photos and enjoying the night view.
You probably need to make a reservation for the bar, and its hours coincide with the visiting hours.
After returning to the hotel, we ended the day with a set of sake, instant noodles, and snacks.
The tofu skin instant noodles were really tasty.
Day 2: Yokohama Gundam, Odaiba, Shinjuku
On the second day, we rushed to the 10 AM Gundam show, taking the train to Sakuragicho Station and then transferring to a cable car and walking to the Gundam factory.
Yokohama Gundam
The weather was fantastic!!
The Gundam show ran from 10 AM until noon, with different scenes in each performance; however, since I’m not a Gundam fan, I just tagged along and enjoyed the spectacle.
I must say it was quite impressive, with intricate details, movements, and sound effects.
There was also a merchandise store inside selling Gundam models and exclusive items.
Sean’s completed Gundam model.
Since I’m not a Gundam enthusiast, I browsed around a bit, watched a few performances, and then left.
Odaiba
Next, we headed to Odaiba. The train from Shiodome to Odaiba was really cool, offering views of Fuji TV and the entire Odaiba landscape.
Upon arriving in Odaiba, we first checked out the Statue of Liberty.
It’s a 1/7 scale replica of the Statue of Liberty in New York, symbolizing the friendship between Japan and France.
Walking a bit further, we turned around to see Fuji TV, which has been destroyed multiple times by the characters in “Police Story.”
Continuing a bit further, we found a mall where we had takoyaki and Taiwanese fried chicken.
The takoyaki was average; there were too many pieces, making it a bit overwhelming. The fried chicken was quite unique; although it was labeled as Taiwanese karaage, it was actually a Japanese-style chicken cutlet (thin and boneless) fried with Taiwanese-style batter. It was different from actual Taiwanese fried chicken, but I still told the staff it was delicious and that I was from Taiwan 🤣.
I initially planned to buy some clothes and shoes at the Odaiba department store, but as we got closer, I noticed the subway could take us to Shinjuku, so we suddenly changed direction and headed to Shinjuku.
Shinjuku
We started shopping and exploring.
I stopped by La Labo to smell the Tokyo-exclusive GAIAC 10 fragrance.
I found it quite subtle… woody notes… hard to detect. (But I still ended up buying it on Day 4.)
In the end, I only bought some clothes, pants, and cosmetics at the department store. As the weather started to turn cloudy and rainy, we headed back to the hotel.
We ended the day with food again.
The hot dog was delicious, and the fruit wine was great!
Day 3: DisneySea
We set off early, and the weather was drizzly that morning.
We bought tickets for DisneySea, not for Disneyland. The beautiful castle is only in Disneyland; to enter DisneySea, you need to take an internal train.
After entering the park, we started trying to get tickets for shows or attractions, but we didn’t win any. In the end, we purchased front-row seats for the evening fireworks show, “Believe! - Sea of Dreams” (you can also watch from the outside without buying a ticket, as the show takes place in the harbor’s public area).
The rain kept getting heavier, so we first bought Mickey raincoats from a nearby shop:
I thought the quality was quite good, and there were cute Mickey or Minnie designs (in deep red) to choose from, plus they weren’t expensive!!
Fortunately, it stopped raining in the afternoon!! I’m not a rain man!!
After buying the raincoats, we rushed to the “Toy Story Mania”:
There were a lot of people, and we waited about 100 minutes to get in:
The game involves two players (one person plays against a machine) using buttons to shoot at projected balloons to score. It’s very fun, but not too thrilling, making it perfect for couples or families.
Next to it, there was Mr. Potato Head’s interactive theater performance and a small souvenir shop:
Such cute plush toys of Forky!!
Next, we went to “Soaring: Fantastic Flight,” another popular attraction:
After queuing, before the ride starts, there’s a scene that sets the story of an explorer, with paintings on the wall that are actually high-definition screens with animations and narration—very impressive!
The theater features a spherical giant screen and a 4D experience (the seats move forward and backward, and you can smell different scents); the content showcases landscapes from around the world, such as the prairie, which has the scent of grass. It’s stunning and suitable for everyone!
We purchased a fast pass for this.
After enjoying these two attractions, it was close to noon, and we started looking for food. Since all the restaurants were full, we had to settle for snacks like pizza and chicken legs.
As we came out with our food, the harbor performance “Colorful Celebration” was about to start:
After eating, we wandered around the park and checked out the souvenir shops:
Once we digested a bit, we started queuing for “Journey to the Center of the Earth”:
It took about 90–100 minutes to wait, and by the time we got on, we had fully digested our food; otherwise, it would have been too intense XD.
The ride is a recreation of the movie “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” with impressive scenes and immersion; at the end, there’s a drop and a slight acceleration (a feeling of weightlessness). It’s thrilling but not to the point of making your legs weak, making it suitable for those looking for a bit of excitement.
After that, we went to “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” to relax a bit:
There weren’t many people, and the experience simulates the feeling of diving in a submarine (though it’s likely a simulation), with very low thrill levels, making it suitable for small children.
After that, we continued to stroll and eat:
The Mickey ice cream bars were super cute but very sweet, and there was also Anna Bell (Rena Bell).
We kept walking and taking pictures; the park is really large, and I didn’t take any photos of the animated dreamlike scenes:
At the end of the park, we hopped on the “Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull”:
It wasn’t as thrilling as the Journey to the Center of the Earth (no weightlessness or speed), but it featured immersive scenes from the Indiana Jones movie, which I found interesting and fun.
We continued to explore:
We also took the “DisneySea Waterway” and the “DisneySea Electric Railway” since our feet were sore; it was nice to see the scenery along the way. These are more like transportation facilities within the park, without any special ride effects.
As evening approached, we started shopping and taking photos:
I have to say, it’s easy to go a bit crazy shopping because there are so many 40th-anniversary limited items; I also took a photo with the Earth.
As the performance time approached, we headed back to the harbor and found a spot to sit on the ground.
As mentioned earlier, we purchased general seating for the show.
The entire performance was an immersive experience, featuring music, projections (the volcano in the background erupts!), lasers, fireworks, and storylines involving DisneySea characters… all combined beautifully. You definitely need to stay until the evening to watch the show to get your money’s worth.
After a full day at Disney, my takeaway is that all the attractions are very immersive; they aren’t just simple rides but aim to let visitors feel like they’re part of the characters and scenes. Although they may not be as thrilling as Universal Studios, I found them very enjoyable; the evening fireworks show is a must-see!
There are so many cute merchandise items that you need to control your spending (watch out for impulse buying)!
As for food, we just ate whatever; I think it would be better to bring your own food.
If time allows, you should spend two days at both the land and sea parks; the sea park doesn’t have the dream castle or parades like the land park QQ.
Outside JR Maihama Station, there’s one last merchandise store where you can shop, and I browsed around a bit before reluctantly leaving.
After returning to the hotel, we continued our daily routine; today we had soy sauce instant noodles, melon fruit juice (delicious!!), Akoya’s plum wine (delicious!!), and oolong shochu (not much flavor, not good).
Day 4: Tokyo Tower, Meiji Shrine, Le Labo, Kameari Police Station, Asakusa Senso-ji, Skytree
After a good night’s sleep, I started thinking about today’s itinerary (crazy ENFP style). The only thing we all had planned together was the Skytree in the evening; in the morning, my friends went to Akihabara, so it was a day for me to explore Tokyo alone.
Tokyo Tower
I checked the map and saw that Shinbashi wasn’t far from Tokyo Tower, so I decided to head there first.
When I stepped outside, I found out that there was a serious delay on the subway due to an incident. Since Google Maps showed it wasn’t far, I decided to walk (about 20 minutes):
Feel free to let me know if you need any further modifications or additional translations!
Here’s a naturalistic English translation of the provided text, while keeping the original markdown image sources intact:
Walking alone through the streets of Tokyo, the weather in June is pleasantly warm, with a nice breeze blowing.
I came across a vendor selling hot roasted sweet potatoes by the roadside.
As I made my way to Tokyo Tower, I passed through a park called “Tokyo Metropolitan Shiba Park.” The view of the tower through the branches here is quite charming:
Continuing along the path, I soon arrived at the base of Tokyo Tower.
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Inside the tower, I purchased a Top Deck ticket. This not only allowed me to go to the very top of the tower but also included a guided tour (with Chinese audio) and a commemorative photo! (The experience was fantastic.)
The tour featured animated murals similar to those at Disney, where two characters were having a conversation about constructing a landmark building in Japan. One of the architects’ other works is the Tsutenkaku in Osaka.
The morning view of Tokyo from above is also quite nice; in the third photo, you can see the Skytree in the distance, which I plan to visit later tonight.
Finally, here’s a free commemorative photo of my successful ascent!
Meiji Shrine
After visiting Tokyo Tower, I checked the map and decided my next stop would be Meiji Shrine.
After exiting the subway, I walked quite a distance (about 30 minutes) to reach Meiji Shrine.
Interestingly, I happened to witness a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony while I was there:
After completing my visit at the main hall, I left.
I found Meiji Shrine to be quite solemn and serious, and later, when I went to Senso-ji Temple, it felt too crowded with tourists.
My next stop was Kameari, the setting of “Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo,” a show I grew up watching, and I wanted to see what it looked like. On the way, I first stopped by Le Labo in Omotesando to take another whiff of their fragrances.
LE LABO Aoyama Store
To be honest, I’m not that interested in Le Labo; I personally prefer Ormonde Jayne perfumes, and Le Labo gives me a mass-market vibe.
After smelling a few, I bought Another 13, which has a strong scent. I also succumbed to the trend and purchased the Tokyo-exclusive Gaiac 10, both in 15ml as souvenirs.
Le Labo perfumes are packaged and labeled on-site (which takes about 15–20 minutes), and you can customize your own label. I chose “ZhgChgLi” for the one I like, and for the Tokyo scent, I awkwardly asked the staff which one represents Japan; he said ♨️ 😝.
The prices for Le Labo in Japan are as shown above, and with tax exemption, Another 13 was about 1,000 yen less.
The Tokyo-exclusive Gaiac 10 was more expensive, costing 16,800 yen even after tax exemption.
Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo
After my shopping, I continued on to Kameari (which is quite far).
As soon as I exited the station, I saw a statue of the characters from Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo:
I checked the map and headed to Kameari Park first:
It was just an ordinary park, with many kids playing soccer. There was a statue of a character sitting on a bench, but it was surrounded by kids’ belongings, so I didn’t take a photo.
I found out online that the nearby Ario department store has scenes from Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo and an amusement park, so I continued walking (about 10 minutes):
Once inside, I was a bit disappointed; it was almost certain that Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo is no longer being maintained as an IP (young people don’t watch it anymore…). Aside from the statue at the station, the park scenes have been transformed into an amusement area (with claw machines).
The worst part was the gacha machine at the entrance; the character’s eyes were broken and not repaired, making it all feel quite sad. In the end, I got a police officer in hot pants from the gacha and left feeling a bit disappointed.
I checked the map and took a bus to Asakusa, which was closer. It took about 15 minutes to find the bus stop and check the route:
On the way to the bus stop, there were hardly any people or tourists, and the bus route was not translated on Google; I had clearly entered a non-touristy area.
I had a bit of a mix-up when getting on the bus because in Kyoto, you pay after getting off, so I stood there confused, not understanding Japanese, until a kind Japanese passenger told me to pay at the front.
The ride was quiet and comfortable; Japanese drivers wait until passengers are seated and ready to get off before starting the bus. I leisurely made my way to Senso-ji Temple.
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There were so many tourists at Senso-ji Temple! It was incredibly crowded, and I could only find angles to take photos.
As I continued deeper into Senso-ji, the crowds were overwhelming. I hadn’t planned to buy anything, just to walk around and look; however, I stumbled upon a bean shop that was surprisingly delicious, so I bought some as souvenirs.
After reaching Senso-ji, I took a few photos and then left.
By this time, it was getting close to evening, so I slowly made my way toward the Skytree.
A distant view of the Skytree from Senso-ji.
Skytree
Since it was still early, I decided to walk and enjoy the scenery along the way.
The closer I got, the larger it appeared.
Upon arriving at the Skytree, I first wandered around the shopping mall inside and ordered a cup of Hokkaido strawberry ice cream to take a break.
We didn’t get the Top Deck tickets for the Skytree, only the middle observation deck, with entry at 7 PM.
When we first went up, it wasn’t dark yet, so I snapped a few casual photos:
After sunset, the view of Tokyo’s nightscape was stunning:
In the first image, the Tokyo Tower is visible in the upper left corner; it was quite dark inside, and the glass reflected too much light, making it hard to take selfies.
I managed to take a somewhat decent selfie XD
Before leaving, I took one last look back for a photo.
For my final night, I dined at an izakaya and captured some night scenes along the way:
Grilled Chicken
The weather in Japan turned bad today; I didn’t expect to see the Tokyo Tower and some unique art installations on my last day while passing through Shiodome.
Last Night’s Late Night Snack
Nothing beats Nissin instant noodles paired with convenience store fried chicken 🤤! A few days ago, I bought melon-flavored juice, and today I got strawberry; both were delicious. I don’t remember the sake, but these two should be pretty standard.
Day 5: National Diet Building, Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, and Return Trip
After waking up, I dropped off my luggage and, like Day 4, explored Tokyo at my own pace since my flight was in the evening, giving me half a day to wander. The weather was cloudy and rainy.
I remembered seeing a gacha machine at the Skytree yesterday featuring the National Diet Building, which I hadn’t seen before, so I headed there first.
National Diet Building
One interesting thing I encountered on the way was a protest by Japanese extremists:
They were driving a promotional vehicle loudly broadcasting near the National Diet Building. After being stopped by the police, they dismantled their speaker. Later, they sped through a red light to escape, and there were police everywhere; it was a bit scary.
I passed by the National Diet Building, but the main gate was closed, so I didn’t go in (I think you can enter through a side door for a visit?):
I took a distant photo as a memento and then headed down toward the Imperial Palace.
Imperial Palace
The Imperial Palace is really vast; it took me almost 30 minutes just to walk from the outer entrance.
After reaching the keep, I left since the inner palace was not open for visits that day.
I walked for almost another hour back to Tokyo Station (I could have taken the subway, but it was just one or two stops; I prefer to walk and enjoy the scenery).
Tokyo Station
By this time, it was close to noon, so I wandered around Tokyo Station. I just wanted to prove to myself that I wouldn’t get lost, but I was too lazy to queue at the famous souvenir shops.
For my last meal, I had tempura soba.
I also picked up a large and a small bottle of sake to take back to Taiwan from a liquor shop, where the staff happened to be Taiwanese.
Return Trip
Around 4 PM, I returned to the hotel to pick up my luggage and slowly made my way to Narita Airport.
A last glimpse of Shimbashi before leaving.
This translation aims to maintain the original tone and context while ensuring it reads naturally in English.
On the way back, we headed directly from Shimbashi to Narita Airport. Due to the schedule and having plenty of time, we took the Toei Asakusa Line Airport Express, which takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. However, we couldn’t use our cards or Suica to buy tickets, so we had to scramble to gather enough money for three tickets, and we almost couldn’t afford it.
We arrived at the airport around 5:30 AM, which was still quite early.
After clearing immigration, we still had time, so we grabbed a quick bite to eat and took one last stroll through the duty-free shops.
I found that if you want to buy Dassai or common souvenirs (like Shiroi Koibito or banana cake), they have everything here, so it’s best to buy them at the airport XD.
The price for Dassai was about the same as what I found at Tokyo Station.
Once we boarded the plane, hey 🇹🇼:
The weather in Japan was quite bad, and the plane was shaking a lot (like a dead fish eye), even more thrilling than the rides at Disney. We had to stop our meal for a while; thankfully, we arrived safely in Taiwan in the end.
After going through customs, it was around 00:12. We took a white taxi back to Taipei, arriving around 01:30. After a quick shower, I went straight to bed, marking the end of this journey.
Postscript
- For insights on Japanese culture, please refer to my previous post “[Travelogue] 2023 Kyoto, Osaka & First Landing in Japan](../76d66c2e34af/).”
- Japan uses a 30-hour time format, where 25:00 means 1:00 AM. How cool is that?
- Make sure to keep at least 10,000 yen on hand to avoid situations where you can’t use your card or Visa.
- Special thanks to my travel companions, Sean (INFJ) and James (ISTJ), the planning geniuses; Sean was in charge of deciding which Disney rides to do first and which fast passes were worth it.
After returning to Taiwan, I kept hearing this catchy song on repeat.
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More Travelogues
- [Travelogue] 2024 San’in Region, Shimane, Izumo, Matsue, Tottori, Himeji, Osaka, Kobe 7-Day Solo Trip
- [Travelogue] 2024 Second Visit to Kyushu 9-Day Free Trip, Entering via Busan → Hakata Cruise
- [Travelogue] 2023 Hiroshima and Okayama 6-Day Free Trip
- [Travelogue] 2023 Kyushu 10-Day Solo Trip
- [Travelogue] 9/11 Nagoya One-Day Flash
- [Travelogue] 2023 Kansai 8-Day Free Trip
If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me.
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