Tokyo 5-Day Travel Guide｜Top Tips for Food, Stay & Transport
Explore a detailed 5-day Tokyo itinerary covering essential food, accommodation, and transport tips to optimize your trip experience and avoid common travel hassles.
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This post was translated with AI assistance — let me know if anything sounds off!
[Travelogue] 2023 Tokyo 5-Day Independent Trip
Following last month’s trip to Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe, 2023/06 Tokyo 5-Day Independent Travel Record and Food, Accommodation, and Transportation Information
2023/05 Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe 8-Day Independent Trip
Following the previous post “[Travelogue] 2023 Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe & 🇯🇵 First Landing,” I returned to Japan again just a week later.
You asked why not stay in Japan and take the Shinkansen directly from Osaka to Tokyo. The reason is that the Tokyo trip was the originally planned part of the overseas travel, while the Keihanshin trip was just an extra detour.
Since I’m too lazy to change flight tickets and accommodations, and I don’t want to work from Japan for a week (I believe when you travel, you should fully enjoy it), I’ll return to Taiwan right after visiting Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe.
Looking back, I’m glad I came back; during the week I returned to Taiwan, Japan faced a super typhoon, causing floods, Shinkansen suspensions, and station overcrowding. If I had stayed in Japan that week, there probably wouldn’t have been many places to visit. (Finally, it’s not the 🌧️ rain god anymore!)
Tokyo Trip Group — Three Single Men
Me & current colleague (Sean) & former colleague (James Lin); Sean & James were college classmates. (Yes, the industry is that small XD)
For information on entering Japan and other insights, please refer to previous article.
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[Tokyo Kimono Rental Recommendation!] Tokyo Asakusa, Japan | Kimono Experience (Asakusa’s first Japanese magazine-style kimono shop, only a 3-minute walk from Kaminarimon)
Pre-Trip Preparation
Though we said the Tokyo trip was part of the planned overseas travel, it remained just talk; only after finalizing most of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe plans did we begin planning and actually executing the Tokyo part.
Joy
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For places I haven’t been to, I still act like an ENFP and go with the flow, finding everything fresh and exciting. So, I mainly handle the big picture like flights, accommodation, and transportation. As for attractions, I decide based on where my travel companions want to go or where I feel like going at the moment.
Fun was mainly handled by Sean & James. We planned to buy tickets in advance for Disneyland (Sea), Yokohama Gundam, and Shibuya Sky; so we purchased the tickets two weeks before departure.
If you don’t buy tickets in advance, there will be no available seats on-site.
This time, I brought the leftover from last time, 60,000 yen, and ended up with about 5,000 yen left.
Because the Visa card was declined at a drugstore in Shinjuku, I had to pay over ¥10,000 in cash for cosmetics, and I decided to spend all the remaining cash.
Also, I almost couldn’t return at the end. When buying the ticket to Narita Airport at Tokyo Station, I couldn’t use a card, so I had to collect cash little by little to pay.
Row
🛫
Since this trip is only 5 days and time is limited, I prioritized flights with early departure and late return. Because the dates are close, I went straight to SkyScanner to find flights with good times.
Taoyuan <-> Narita
6/7
EVA Air BR 18408:00 TPE -> NRT 12:256/22
EVA Air BR 19520:40 NRT -> TPE 23:20
Round trip: $17,086
Here is a mistake: You should never buy three plane tickets by yourself. Each person should buy their own ticket because credit card purchases of plane tickets include 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
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Same as the previous article, iPhone users can directly use the Suica card. My friend, who has an Android phone, could only buy the limited-time Welcome Suica card (asked at Narita Airport, it was really the only one left).
Accommodation
This time, I only went to Tokyo, so I looked for a hotel where I could stay for four days without changing rooms. Since it was close to the date, the Tokyo chain hotels Toyoko Inn and APA were fully booked. I had to use Agoda to find a hotel near the center of the Tokyo map with train or subway stations nearby.
Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo-Shiodome — 4 nights
You will arrive at Shiodome Station, from where you can go directly to Odaiba or Shinjuku.
If you want to go to other locations, you need to walk to Shimbashi Station (about 10 minutes). From Shimbashi to Tokyo Station, it takes about another 10 minutes (1–2 stops away).
It is quite convenient and reasonably priced, with decent reviews. Staying there, the room is clean and comfortable, and not too small.
Since there are three people, the layout includes two beds plus a mattress on the sofa’s upper bunk (which feels just like a bed when sleeping).
3 people total NT$23,894
Machi Kusayasu Kōkan CHO Stay Capsule Hotel - The Only Airport Capsule Hotel in Taiwan | Taoyuan Airport Capsule Hotel | Taoyuan Airport Hotel | Taoyuan Airport Hotel | Taoyuan Airport Hotel — Day 0 Overnight
This trip was special because we had an 8 AM flight and both of us were departing from Taipei; planning to arrive at the airport by 6 AM meant leaving home around 4–5 AM. Plus, the excitement and nervousness about traveling made it hard to fall asleep, so we barely got a few hours of rest.
A few days before departure, I decided to stay overnight at the airport the night before. A friend told me that Taoyuan Airport has a capsule hotel, so I decided to give it a try!
Location: On the 5th floor of the South Side of Terminal 2, right above Terminal 2 (about a 5-minute walk downstairs)
The rooms include double rooms, triple rooms, quadruple rooms, and single beds (about 16 beds per room).
When we booked, only single beds were left.
1 person NT$1,500
Day 0 Departure
Basically, I just unload the things I bought in the Kansai region, take out some clothes and supplies, then reorganize and pack them back into the suitcase before heading out.
The Taoyuan Airport MRT pre-check-in service currently does not support next-day flights, so you still have to carry your luggage to Terminal 2.
Sean & Me & James
After arriving at Terminal 2, go straight up to the third-floor departure hall. Once there, find the location of the 22–26 South Mall Observation Deck (facing the hall, walk all the way to the right).
Walk to the end and take the escalator up.
As soon as you get off the escalator, you will see the hotel entrance with a strong Taiwanese style.
Taoyuan Airport Capsule Hotel
After check-in, you can first go in to drop off your luggage, then head outside to find food.
No eating or drinking is allowed in the room. For this stay, each guest receives a tea bag, and the front desk can help brew it. You can enjoy it at the bar by the entrance. Filling out a membership form on-site comes with a free towel.
Earplugs are available at the entrance for free.
Corridor
The bathroom facilities are new, clean, and comfortable. There are two toilets, five shower rooms, and two hairdryers (one is a Dyson). Shower gel and shampoo are provided; just bring your own towel and toiletries.
Men’s Bathroom
On the left upon entering, there is a luggage room to store bags. The bed layout is as follows:
Bunk Bed Dormitory
Each bed has its own mirror, desk, lamp, curtain, and trash bin; I slept on the top bunk, and the mattress was thick, so I didn’t worry about disturbing the person below when moving around.
The mattress is not only thick but also long enough; sleeping at 176 CM is no problem. The environment is clean, the lighting is warm, and the air conditioning is very comfortable. The only unavoidable issue is that snoring can still be heard. (Therefore, free earplugs are provided at the entrance.)
However, I’m not afraid of noise; as long as it’s cozy and relaxing, I can sleep well. So I slept until dawn and only got up close to 6 a.m. to wash up and check out (fully rested before traveling abroad).
Fortunately, we had booked the night before. When other travelers tried to check in on-site, no rooms were available.
In the morning, start by leisurely enjoying the airport view:
I originally thought it would be crowded at 8 AM, but I was lucky—there were almost no people.
I should have just stayed in the capsule hotel until 7 AM before coming down!
Waiting at the airport
This time, the boarding gate requires taking a shuttle bus (called a “ferry bus” by mainland Chinese netizens).
It’s hot and crowded, but I still made it to the boarding gate:
Bye 🇹🇼
Arrival at Narita Airport
Hey 🇯🇵
Day 1 Shibuya, Parco, Shibuya Sky
It takes about 15 minutes to walk from getting off the plane to the arrival hall. By the time you pick up your luggage and clear customs, it’s already around 1 PM.
When transferring to the Narita Express, I initially made a silly mistake by tapping my Suica card to enter the station; however, the entire express train requires reserved seats. I had to exit the station, buy a ticket, and then re-enter (later I realized it might be possible to buy a ticket directly from the platform machine inside the station).
Then took the 2:00 PM Narita Express to Tokyo Station.
Enjoying the scenery along the way, seeing the Tokyo Skytree means you’re almost there.
After arriving at Tokyo Station, transfer to the subway to Shimbashi Station, then find your way and walk to Shiodome.
The hotel is hidden inside an office building, which is quite unique:
At first, I thought I had entered the wrong building and walked into an office tower, but as I went further inside, it turned out to be the hotel.
Drop off luggage and take a rest:
Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo Shiodome
(The video was filmed later, so it’s a bit messy XD)
Going to 渋谷 (Shibuya)
This intersection is a must-visit shrine, reminding me of the challengers in “Alice in Borderland.”
{:target="_blank"} — Alice in Borderland](/assets/9da2c51fa4f2/1*rjQEXXaBd3lelmlZEmYgkQ.webp)
Netflix — Alice in Borderland
Shibuya Parco — Gokumiya
Queued to taste the famous Kyokumiya. Arrived around 5:30 PM and waited about 45 minutes to get a seat.
I ordered the set meal with Kobe beef hamburger steak + Kobe beef steak + soup rice ice cream (¥3,355):
The staff sets the doneness to about 10% cooked, so you need to pick it up yourself and cook it on the iron plate to your preferred doneness.
極味屋
Here, be sure to use two pairs of chopsticks; for hygiene, use the metal ones for cooking and the bamboo ones for eating, alternating between them.
Kobe beef steak is incredibly delicious, juicy, and tender inside, with no beefy odor 🤩; the hamburger patty is also good but a bit greasier.
Shibuya Parco — A Specialty Store for Self-Deprecating Polar Bears
Accidentally bought some.
渋谷 — Shibuya Sky
Luckily, Sean bought the tickets early; buying them on-site would have meant no entry at all.
It’s very dark and a bit windy up there. Bags are not allowed (lockable storage lockers are provided).
Except for a bar in the corner, there are no other facilities or light pollution, making it great for photography and night views.
Reservations for the bar should be made separately; opening hours are the same as visiting hours.
Back at the hotel, still enjoying sake, instant noodles, and snacks to end the day
Tofu skin instant noodles are so delicious.
Day 2 Yokohama Gundam, Odaiba, Shinjuku
Early the next day, rushed to the 10 AM Gundam show. Took the train to Sakuragicho Station, then transferred to the cable car and walked to the Gundam Factory.
Yokohama Gundam
The weather is super nice!!
The Gundam show runs from 10 AM until noon, with different sessions featuring various storylines; but since I’m not a Gundam fan, I just glanced through casually.
But it must be said, it is very spectacular, with detailed, precise movements and sounds.
There are also nearby specialty stores selling Gundam models and exclusive merchandise.
Sean’s Gundam Finished Model
Since I’m not a Gundam fan, I just walked around, watched a few shows, and left early.
Odaiba
Change to go to Odaiba. The train from Shiodome to Odaiba is very cool, offering views of Fuji TV and the entire Odaiba area along the way.
After arriving at Odaiba, first take a look at the Statue of Liberty in Odaiba.
It is one-seventh the size of New York’s Statue of Liberty, symbolizing the friendship between Japan and France.
A little further ahead, looking back, you can see Fuji TV, which was destroyed many times by Ataru in the “Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo” series.
Walk a little further to the mall to eat takoyaki and Taiwanese fried chicken?
Takoyaki is too greasy if you eat too many pieces; the chicken cutlet is quite special. Although it says Taiwan karaage, it is actually Japanese-style chicken cutlet (thin and boneless) fried with Taiwanese batter. It’s different from Taiwanese chicken cutlet, but I still told the staff it was delicious and that I’m Taiwanese 🤣.
I originally planned to shop for clothes and shoes at a department store in Odaiba, but as I was approaching, I noticed the subway could take me to Shinjuku; so I suddenly changed direction and headed to Shinjuku.
Shinjuku
Start shopping and exploring around
Went to La Lebo to smell the Tokyo-exclusive GAIAC No. 10 scent.
It feels very light… woody notes… hard to detect the scent. (But I still went for it on Day 4)
Finally, I only went to the department store to buy clothes, pants, and cosmetics. When the weather started to turn rainy and cloudy, I returned to the hotel.
End the day with food as usual
Hot dogs are delicious, and fruit wine is tasty!
Day 3 DisneySea
Set off early in the morning; the weather was drizzly and overcast.
We bought access to the ocean, not the land. That beautiful castle is only on the land; to enter the ocean area, you need to take the park’s shuttle train.
After entering the park, we tried to draw tickets for shows or entry, but didn’t win any. Finally, we purchased front-row seats for the evening fireworks show “Believe! ~Sea of Dreams~” (you can also watch from outside without buying tickets, as the show takes place in the harbor public area).
The rain got heavier, so I first went to a roadside shop to buy a Mickey raincoat:
I personally think the quality and material are quite good. There are also cute Mickey or Minnie (dark red) designs to choose from, and they are affordable!!
Luckily, it stopped raining after noon!! I’m not a rain guy!!
After buying the raincoat, head straight to “Toy Story Mania!”:
There were many people, and I waited in line for about 100 minutes before getting in:
The game is played in pairs (or against AI if alone), where players press buttons to shoot projected balloons and score points. It is highly fun and low in intensity, making it perfect for couples or families.
Next to it, there is an interactive show featuring Mr. Potato Head and a small souvenir shop:
A very cute Brother Bao plush toy!!
Next is “Soaring: Fantastic Flight Images,” another popular attraction:
After lining up and before the game starts, there will be a scene introduction featuring the explorer’s story. The paintings hanging on the wall are actually high-resolution screens with animations and voiceovers, creating an impressive effect!
The theater features a spherical dome screen plus a 4D experience (seats rise and move forward, with air and scent effects). The content showcases landscapes from around the world—for example, the grassland scenes include the scent of the prairie. It’s very impressive and suitable for everyone!
Here, we purchased the express pass.
After enjoying these two attractions and approaching noon, we started looking for food. Since the restaurants were all full, we had to settle for snacks. We casually ate pizza, chicken legs, and so on.
Holding food, the harbor show event “Together in Colorful Celebration” just started:
After eating, start strolling around the park and visiting souvenir shops:
After digesting, we started lining up for the “Journey to the Center of the Earth”:
It takes about 90–100 minutes, just enough to fully digest it, otherwise it’s too intense XD
The content recreates the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth, with impressive scenes and immersion; at the end, there is acceleration and a slight downward drop (weightlessness), offering strong excitement without making your legs weak. It’s suitable for friends looking for a bit of thrill.
Afterwards, we went next door to “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” to relax a bit:
Not many people. The content mimics the feeling of a submarine launch and exploration (but it is likely a simulation). It is not very thrilling and only suitable for young children.
After the ride, continue exploring and eating:
A cute but very sweet Mickey popsicle, and also Annabelle (Lina Bell).
Keep walking and snapping photos. The park is really big. I only took pictures of some decorations and didn’t capture any animated or fantasy scenes:
At the end, I went on the “Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull”:
Not as thrilling as a journey to the Earth’s core (no weightlessness or rapid descent), the content features immersive scenes from the Indiana Jones movie. Personally, I found it fun and enjoyable.
Continuing with a quick overview:
Also took the “DisneySea Ferry Line” and the “DisneySea Electric Railway” because my feet were sore from walking. It was nice to enjoy the scenery along the way; these are more like park transportation facilities without special amusement effects.
As evening approached, we started shopping heavily and taking photos:
I have to say, it’s easy to go crazy buying because there are many 40th anniversary limited editions; also took a photo with the Earth.
Close to the show start time, begin walking back to the harbor and sit on the ground in the seating area.
As mentioned earlier, we purchased regular seats for viewing.
The entire show offers a strong immersive experience, including music, projections (a volcano erupts at the back!), lasers, fireworks, and DisneySea-related character stories… all well integrated. You must stay until the evening to watch the full performance to get your money’s worth.
My full day at Disney taught me that all the attractions are highly immersive. They are not just rides but aim to let visitors fully embody the characters and scenes. Although they are less thrilling than Universal Studios, I found them very entertaining. The nighttime fireworks show is a must-see!
Many cute merchandise items—control your hands (stop yourself from buying)!
For food, I eat randomly and think it’s better to bring my own food from outside.
If time permits, plan for two days—one on land and one at sea. The sea portion does not include the Dream Castle or the land parade QQ.
Outside JR Maihama Station, there is one last official merchandise store where you can buy souvenirs. I browsed there once more before reluctantly leaving.
After returning to the hotel, continued the daily routine; today had soy sauce instant noodles, cantaloupe juice with pulp (delicious!!), Qiuyas’ plum wine (delicious!!), and oolong shochu (tasteless, not good).
Day 4 Tokyo Tower, Meiji Shrine, Le Labo, Kameari Udon Police Station, Asakusa Kaminarimon, Skytree
After a good night’s sleep, I started planning today’s itinerary (typical crazy ENFP). The only group activity is visiting Tokyo Skytree at night; in the morning, my friends went to Akihabara, so it’s a day of solo exploration in Tokyo.
Tokyo Tower
Looking at the map, Shimbashi is not far from Tokyo Tower; so we decided to go there first.
Stepping outside, I found a serious delay on the subway. Checking Google Maps, the distance wasn’t far, so I decided to walk instead (about 20 minutes):
Walking alone on the streets of Tokyo, enjoying the scenery. In June, it’s not too hot yet, and the breeze feels very pleasant.
Encountering a vendor selling hot roasted sweet potatoes by the roadside
When walking quickly to Tokyo Tower, I passed through a park called “Tokyo Metropolitan Shiba Park.” Viewing the tower through the branches here offers a unique perspective:
Continuing along the footpath of the hill, you will reach the base of Tokyo Tower.
After entering the tower, I bought a Top Deck ticket; it not only allows access to the top of the tower but also includes a guided tour (with Chinese audio) and a souvenir photo to commemorate the visit! (Great experience)
The guided tour features murals similar to the moving ones at Disney yesterday XD. Two predecessors are having a conversation, discussing the construction of a iconic Japanese building. The same architect’s other work is the Tsutenkaku Tower in Osaka.
The morning aerial view of Tokyo is also nice. In the third photo, the distant tower is the Skytree, where we will go in the evening.
Finally, here is the free summit success commemorative photo!
Meiji Shrine
After visiting Tokyo Tower, I checked the map and decided to head to Meiji Shrine next.
After exiting the subway, I walked a long way (about 30 minutes) to reach Meiji Shrine.
A special moment was encountering a traditional Japanese wedding and watching from the side:
Finally, after completing the worship at the main hall, we left.
I found Meiji Shrine to be more solemn and dignified, while later at Senso-ji Temple, there were too many tourists, making it feel very crowded.
The next stop is the turtle I’ve seen since childhood—Kameari from the “Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo” (Kochikame). I want to see what it looks like. On the way there, I’ll stop by Le Labo in Omotesando to smell their scents again.
LE LABO Aoyama Store
Actually, I’m not very interested in Le Labo. I personally prefer Ormonde Jayne’s perfumes, and Le Labo feels to me like it’s marketed to the mass audience.
After sampling several, I bought Another 13 for its strong scent; I also followed the trend and bought the Tokyo-exclusive Gaiac 10, both in 15ml as souvenirs.
Le Labo perfumes are packaged and labeled on-site (about 15–20 minutes), allowing you to customize your own label; 13 is my personal favorite, so I chose “ZhgChgLi,” and 10 represents Tokyo. I asked the staff in broken English which one represents Japan, and he said ♨️ 😝.
The price for Le Labo in Japan is as above. With tax exemption, it comes to 13,000 yen minus an additional 1,000 yen.
The Tokyo-exclusive Gaiac 10 is more expensive, costing ¥16,800 after tax exemption.
Turtle Has the Wulong Police Station
After buying, continue heading to Kameari (Kameari is really quite far).
Right outside the main station exit, there is a statue of the characters from “Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo”:
Check the map and head to the Turtle Park near the back station for a stroll:
It’s just an ordinary park QQ, with many kids playing soccer inside. There was a park bench with a statue of a person sitting cross-legged, covered with many children’s bags and belongings, so I didn’t take a photo.
Check online for the nearby Ario department store, which has scenes and a playground from the manga “Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo,” then continue walking (about 10 minutes):
After entering, my mindset collapsed. It’s almost certain that the creators no longer maintain the “Wulong Police Station” IP (young people don’t watch it anymore…). Besides the portraits of people coming out of the station, from the everyday park in front to the so-called Wulong Police Station amusement park, only the sets remain. Beyond the sets, it has been converted into an amusement area (claw machines).
The worst part was the A-Liang capsule toy machine at the entrance. The eyes of the A-Liang figure were broken and never fixed, making it look very miserable. In the end, I got a hot pants detective and left feeling disappointed.
Taking the bus to Asakusa is closer according to the map. It took about 15 minutes to check the route and walk to the bus stop:
On the way to the bus stop, there were almost no people or tourists, and Google couldn’t even translate the bus routes; we had truly arrived in a non-tourist area.
When I got on the bus, I made a mistake because in Kyoto, you pay when you get off. So I just stood there clueless when boarding, and I couldn’t understand Japanese. It wasn’t until a kind Japanese passenger said “pay pay” that I realized I needed to go to the front to tap my card and pay.
The ride was quiet and comfortable. Japanese drivers always wait until passengers are seated or have stood up to get off before starting the vehicle. We leisurely arrived at Senso-ji Temple.
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There are really a ton of tourists!! It’s so crowded, I can only find angles to take photos.
Continuing deeper into Senso-ji Temple, there were too many tourists. I originally didn’t plan to buy anything and just wanted to look around; along the way, I tried this bean shop, and it was unexpectedly delicious, so I bought some as souvenirs.
There were still many people at Senso-ji Temple, so I just took some photos and left.
At this time, it was nearing evening, and we slowly started moving toward the Tokyo Skytree.
View of Tokyo Skytree from Senso-ji Temple.
Tokyo Skytree
Since it was still early, we walked along the way to enjoy the scenery.
Getting closer and bigger.
After arriving at Tokyo Skytree, first take a stroll inside the shopping mall, and order a cup of Hokkaido strawberry ice cream to relax.
We didn’t get tickets for the Top Deck of the Skytree, only for the middle observation deck. Entry was at 7 PM.
When I first arrived, it was still not dark, so I casually took a few shots:
After sunset, you can overlook the entire Tokyo night view, which is very beautiful:
The top left corner of the first picture shows Tokyo Tower in the distance; the interior is very dark, and the glass reflects light, making it difficult to take good selfies.
Forced to take a photo XD
A final glance back before leaving.
On the last night, enjoy some izakaya food and capture night scenes along the way:
Charcoal-Grilled Chicken
The weather in Japan turned bad starting today. I didn’t expect to see Tokyo Tower and special installation art every day passing through Shiodome. I only stopped to appreciate them on the last day.
Midnight Snack on the Last Night
Nissin instant noodles still taste the best, especially with convenience store fried chicken 🤤! A few days ago, I bought cantaloupe juice with fruit pulp, and today I got strawberry juice—just as tasty. I don’t remember the sake; these two are probably so-so.
Day 5: National Diet Building, Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, Return Trip
After waking up, I went to drop off my luggage. Like Day 4, I explored Tokyo alone and spontaneously, as my flight was in the evening and I still had most of the day to wander around. The weather was gloomy and rainy.
Thinking of the capsule toy machine at Tokyo Skytree yesterday, I saw a Japanese landmark featuring the National Diet Building, which I had never seen before, so I headed there first.
Parliament House
One interesting event was encountering an extremist Japanese protest on the street:
Driving a promotional vehicle loudly broadcasting near the Parliament building, he was stopped by the police who removed his loudspeaker; later, he sped through a red light to escape, but with police everywhere, it was quite scary.
After passing by the Capitol and seeing the main entrance closed, we didn’t go in (it seems you can enter for a tour through the side door?):
Take a quick photo from afar as a souvenir, then head down towards the Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Palace
The Imperial Palace is really huge; just walking from the outermost entrance took about 30 minutes.
After reaching the Tenshudai, we left. The Imperial Palace was not open for visits that day.
Walked for almost another hour and returned to the Tokyo Station area (you can take the subway, but it’s just one or two stops; I prefer walking around the streets to enjoy the scenery).
Tokyo Station
It was nearing noon, and I wandered around Tokyo Station; just proving I wouldn’t get lost, but I was too lazy to wait in line at the famous souvenir shops.
The last meal was tempura soba.
Stopped by a liquor store and bought one large and one small bottle of sake to bring back to Taiwan; the clerk was also Taiwanese.
Return Trip
Around 4 PM, I returned to the hotel to pick up my luggage and slowly headed to Narita Airport.
A corner of Shinbashi before leaving.
For the return trip, we went directly from Shinbashi to Narita Airport. Due to schedule issues and plenty of time, we took the Toei Asakusa Line Airport Express, which takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes; however, you cannot use IC cards or Suica to buy tickets, so we had to scramble to gather enough money for three tickets and almost couldn’t afford them.
Arriving at the airport around 5:30 is still very early.
After leaving the country, it was still early, so I grabbed a quick bite to fill my stomach and then made a final stop at the duty-free shop.
I found that if you want to buy Dassai or common souvenirs (Shiroi Koibito, banana cake…), they have everything here. Just buy them here XD
Dassai and I bought it at Tokyo Station for about the same price.
Boarding, Hey 🇹🇼:
The weather in Japan was very bad, with constant shaking (dead fish eyes), more thrilling than Disney rides, causing meal times to be paused; luckily, we finally arrived safely in Taiwan.
Going through immigration took about 12 minutes. Taking an unlicensed taxi back to Taipei took until around 1:30 AM. Took a shower and went straight to sleep, ending this trip.
Postscript
For insights on Japanese culture, please refer to the previous article “[Travelogue] 2023 Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe & 🇯🇵 First Landing”.
Japanese time notation uses a 30-hour system; 25:00 means 1:00 AM. It’s pretty cool.
You should always carry at least around 10,000 yen in cash to avoid situations where cards or Vias cards cannot be used.
Thanks to my travel companions this time, Sean INFJ / James ISTJ, the planning experts; Sean controlled the trip by deciding how to play Disney first and which fast passes were worth buying.
The catchy song that keeps playing on repeat after returning to Taiwan.
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