Tokyo Area Travel Guide｜Kawagoe Little Edo & Atami Fireworks Festival 5-Day Itinerary
Explore Tokyo and nearby attractions with a 5-day itinerary covering Kawagoe Old Town and Atami Fireworks Festival. Discover transport tips, local experiences, and event insights for a seamless trip.
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Table of Contents
[Travelogue] 2025 Tokyo Area — Kawagoe Little Edo and Atami Sea Fireworks Festival 5-Day Free Travel Trip
Tokyo City + Nearby Areas 5 Days 4 Nights Free Independent Travel, Atami Fireworks Festival and Kawagoe One-Day Trip Transportation and Experience Complete Guide
Summer Fireworks in Atami
Taking advantage of the start of my new job to fully recharge, Revisiting Tokyo — experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime Japanese fireworks festival and a day trip to Kawagoe near Tokyo.
Last Trip
Last time, in the [Travelogue] 2023 Tokyo 5-Day Free Trip, I visited Tokyo in June 2023. It wasn’t as hot as in September. The main places I went to were: Tokyo Tower, Shibuya Sky, Skytree, Asakusa Kaminarimon, DisneySea, Yokohama Gundam, Yokohama Cable Car, Odaiba, Shinjuku, and the Imperial Palace.
Interested friends can check it out.
Fun
Day 1 (09/13 Sat) — Arrive in Tokyo, Shibuya, Shibuya Sky
Day 2 (09/14) — Kawagoe Day Trip, Evening Shopping in Ikebukuro
Day 3 (09/15 Mon) — Tokyo Station Underground Mall, Atami Fireworks Festival
Day 4 (09/16 Tue) — Azabudai TeamLab, Harajuku Shopping, Harajuku HARRY Otter Café
Day 5 (09/17 Wed) — Stroll around Ueno, Return Trip
Shibuya Sky
Shibuya Sky tickets are very popular, so be sure to buy them in advance.
Official Website
Sales start at 11:00 PM Taiwan time. Tickets for admission dates up to 2 weeks ahead are available for purchase.
Please register as a member and get familiar with the purchase process before buying on the official website. The ticket holder’s name can be a nickname; it does not need to exactly match the passport name.We bought tickets for the 18:40–18:59 night view time slot. You can also choose to see the sunset earlier or attend the last session at 21:00 after dinner.
Other purchase channels: KKday Shibuya SHIBUYA SKY Observatory Tickets｜Instant Use
Price: ¥3,400 JPY/person
Atami Fireworks Festival
Atami Fireworks Festival official website.
2025 Fireworks Dates: 3/23, 4/20, 4/28, 5/31, 7/25, 8/5, 8/8, 8/18, 8/25, 9/15, 9/23, 10/13, 11/3, 11/24, 12/7, 12/19.
Fireworks Time in July and August: 8:15 PM~8:40 PM, 25 minutes
Fireworks Time in Other Months: 8:20 PM~8:40 PM, 20 minutes
The beach is open to the public for free, with no paid seating. It is within walking distance from JR Atami Station. To be safe, just make sure to book your round-trip JR tickets or accommodation in Atami in advance.
It is highly recommended to bring your own picnic mat! It is highly recommended to bring your own picnic mat! It is highly recommended to bring your own picnic mat!
We attended the fireworks show on 9/15 at 8:20 PM.
Azabudai TeamLab (teamLab Borderless: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM)
There are quite a few tickets available, but it is still recommended to purchase them in advance before departure.
Other purchase channels: Tokyo teamLab Borderless Digital Art Museum Tickets
Price: ¥4,800 JPY/person
ＨＡＲＲＹ Harajuku Terrace Otter Café
The cafe where you can interact with otters, which I saw on Instagram before.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DPBKurVD99c/
There are branches in other areas of Tokyo as well. Check the official website.
Booking in advance is recommended; same-day visits may have no availability.
Cancellations before the date are free of charge.
Time: 16:30–17:30
Price: ¥3,080 JPY per person for one hour base fee + ¥880 per person on-site for 5 minutes of close interaction with otters.
Travel
Flight — Japan Airlines
Outbound September 13: JL802 Japan Airlines — 10:00 TPE Taoyuan International Airport T2 -> 14:25 NRT Narita Airport T2
Return September 17: JL809 Japan Airlines — 18:10 NRT Narita Airport T2 -> 18:10 TPE Taoyuan International Airport T2
Price: NT $12,324 per person
JR Shinkansen Tokyo <-> Atami (~= 45 minutes)
Because I was worried there might be no trains on the day, I bought the tickets in advance.
Sale Time: Tickets for dates +4 weeks ahead can be purchased starting at 11:00 PM Taiwan time
You can purchase from the official website or through KKday / Klook (compare prices yourself)
What we bought:
- Tokyo 14:57 -> Atami 15:42 — Kodama 735
- Atami 22:02 -> Tokyo 22:48 — Kodama 752
Price: NT $1,882 + NT $56 (seat preference fee from booking platform) / person
Skyliner Keisei Railway Ticket (~= 41 minutes)
This is probably the fastest way to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo city center (Ueno).
No unreserved seats
KKday Purchase: Skyliner Keisei Railway Ticket
Buying online first is cheaper, then reserving seats at the station offers great flexibility.
Price: NT $912 (round-trip for two tickets) / person
Note that when you buy a round-trip ticket on KKday, you will receive two separate tickets. Don’t mistake this for an error.
Kawagoe Pass (Train + Bus) (~= 30 minutes)
Tobu Tojo Line Round Trip: Ikebukuro Station -> Kawagoe Station or Kawagoeshi Station
Unlimited rides on Tobu buses all day (including Tobu Koedo Loop Bus)
Please note: There are Seibu and Tobu buses; this ticket is for Tobu.
KLook Purchase: Kawagoe Discount Pass
No need to exchange; just redeem online before use and show the QR code to the train or bus driver.
Price: NT $214/person
Airport Transfer
KKday Airport Transfer Booking / Klook Airport Transfer Booking
Currently, both K’s offer airport transfers that are affordable, safe, and fast. You can compare prices and choose on your own.
Taipei Metro (Shuangbei) -> Taoyuan Airport
Price: NT $752/Taiwan
eSIM
Also purchased the unlimited 5G eSIM directly from KKday. This time, no issues or speed throttling were encountered while using it in Tokyo, Atami, and Kawagoe.
- KKday Purchase: Japan eSIM Unlimited Data KDDI / Softbank
Price: NT $309 / 5 days / unlimited data
Visit Japan
Accommodation
Because the booking time was close to the departure date, after comparing prices and convenience, I chose to stay near Shimbashi Station. (Last time I stayed in Shiodome, but Shimbashi felt more convenient.)
Daiwa Roynet Hotel Shimbashi, Tokyo (4 nights)
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Tokyo Shimbashi Daiwa ROYNET Hotel
About a 2-minute walk from Shimbashi Station, very close.
Stay for five days and four nights without changing hotels.
Price: NT$ 18,404/4 nights/2 people/standard double room, about NT$ 2,300 per person per night.
Ready to go! Let’s start!
Day 1 (09/13 Sat) — Arrive in Tokyo, Shibuya Sky
06:50 Take airport shuttle
07:20 Arrive at Taoyuan Airport Terminal 2
07:30 Pack and Check-in Luggage
Assigned to counter number 1 at the corner, I had already completed online check-in in advance and went straight to check in my luggage. However, the people ahead took a long time, so it took about 30 minutes to finish the luggage check-in process.
~= 08:20 Complete security check and immigration clearance
There were quite a few people early in the morning. I finished security and immigration around 8:20 and went to the second floor to have a Mos Burger for breakfast. The assigned boarding gate was also the farthest one, D1.
Terminal 2 Departure Duty-Free Shop Le Labo
Unexpectedly found Le Labo at Terminal 2 departure duty-free shop. The sales clerk mentioned a current promotion: new members get a coupon discount, making the 50ml price NT $5,500, cheaper than buying inside Japan (about NT $5,800).
Latest Price List for 2025 — 50ml:
Taiwan store price: NT $7,600
Taiwan airport duty-free price: NT $5,500 (promotional price)
Tax-refunded price at Japanese stores: approximately NT $5,700
Japan Airport Stores Duty-free price: about NT $5,200 🤩 — I bought mine at Narita Airport Terminal 2 after passing through security this time.
While wandering around the airport waiting for boarding, there are two rows of free massage chairs next to D1 The North Face (you can get free tokens from nearby stores to use them).
09:40 Head to the gate to prepare for boarding
The plane I took this time was a BOEING 737–800 model, which is a bit old.
But I found out after returning that there was a free one-hour WiFi service on the plane.
10:06 Departure
JAPAN AIRLINES In-flight Meals
Although the plane is a bit old, the in-flight meal is really good: hamburger meat sauce pasta, a small bowl of cold soba noodles with tofu skin, and lemon pudding for dessert (delicious!).
14:39 Landed at Narita International Airport, Japan (14 minutes delayed)
The floor was a bit damp, and the weather was cloudy, indicating it had rained heavily earlier; upon arrival, we started the Narita Airport ground game (it takes about 5 minutes to walk from the plane to immigration).
~= 15:05 Complete immigration procedures and collect luggage to exit the airport
After exiting the airport, take the escalator down to the “Railway” direction. Find the “SKYLINER & KEISEI INFORMATION CENTER” counter and show the QR code of the Skyliner Keisei Railway Ticket purchased online. The staff will exchange it for a ticket for the next train.
Note that there are other railway INFORMATION CENTERS at the station, please make sure to identify the INFORMATION CENTER shown in the picture.
Missed the 15:16 train, so can only take the 15:42 one.
At the station, you can buy Welcome Suica (must be used within 28 days) and use the regular Suica card recharge machines. You can top up the amount needed for your trip while waiting for your train. (But I personally use Suica on my iPhone for convenience and ease! )
Follow the signs for the “Keisei Line” and find the corresponding platform to wait.
~= 15:42 Boarding
This platform serves many train types, so please confirm before boarding; staff will also make announcements along the way and may check your ticket. Narita Express requires reserved seats for all cars, no non-reserved seating. Do not board without a ticket.
The seats on the Narita Express are spacious enough to fit a 28-inch suitcase; if it’s tight, you can place it in the front or rear luggage areas of the car, or on the luggage rack (just be careful when taking it down).
The weather is cloudy.
16:23 Arrive at Keisei Ueno Station
After getting off, follow the signs to the underground passage to take the G Ginza Line towards Shibuya, Ueno-Hirokoji, and then to Shimbashi Station.
16:50 Arrive at Tokyo Shimbashi Daiwa ROYNET Hotel
It’s just a short walk from Shimbashi Station, very convenient!
The hotel provides many free amenities, including face masks, bath additives, earplugs, portable mouthwash, and more.
It’s somewhat like the trip to Hiroshima and Okayama the year before last, staying at the “Rifumax Okayama Kurashiki Station Front Hotel,” where the room was very small, feeling like a single room but with a double bed.
The drawbacks, besides being small, include the room refrigerator lacking a freezer function.
After putting down our things, we headed to Shibuya.
18:30 Queue to enter Shibuya SKY
On the first floor of Shibuya Scramble Square, find the elevator to go up to the “Shibuya SKY” observation deck. After queuing for the elevator, show your QR code to the ticket inspector to queue for entry. (Ticket will be scanned upon entry)
You can see the Shibuya Crossing from here.
After arriving, first use the free locker to store your belongings. Selfie sticks and similar items are not allowed.
Revisiting Old Places , gained quite a bit of weight compared to two years ago.
The escalator has two sides, one going up and one going down, both are great for photos.
Rooftop night view, but compared to last time, the weather was worse this time—foggy with a light drizzle.
After walking straight down, passing by the bar, the view here is also nice:
19:45 Return to Shibuya Crossing
The third season of “Alice in Borderland” is about to premiere, so let’s revisit the scenes; it feels like there are many more people than before.
Cross the street and head straight to Shibuya Parco, aiming to eat at Gokumiya.
20:00 Arrive at Shibuya Parco
Unfortunately, Gokumiya was sold out (will come back in a few days), so we tried another kushikatsu (fried skewer) shop in the same food street.
20:15 Kushikatsu Arata Shibuya Parco
Ordered several signature fried skewers, double meat fried skewers, a bowl of beef brisket rice, and two drinks, totaling ¥6,340 JPY.
The Japanese-style crispy skewers are tasty and not greasy, and the beef brisket rice is flavorful and satisfying.
Note that the fried skewer shop charges an extra basic fee for cabbage (お通し) , I forgot the exact amount, but it should be around ¥ 300 per person.
21:30 C-pla Shibuya
On the way back to the station after eating, I passed by a large C-pla gacha shop and went in to hunt for treasures.
Nothing I want to twist here, retreat!
Good night! Tokyo
Buy some late-night snacks and head back to the hotel to rest.
Day 2 (09/14) — Kawagoe Day Trip, Ikebukuro Shopping
09:30 Head out and have McDonald’s breakfast first — McDonald’s 新橋日比谷口店
The same waffle ham, cheese, and egg burger!
This McDonald’s was visited last time as well. The drawbacks are that it is old, the environment is not very clean, and there is no self-order kiosk.
10:50 Arrive at Ikebukuro Station (Take Yamanote Line)
Transfer to the Tobu Tojo Line to go to Kawagoe.
We purchased the Kawagoe Pass (Train + Bus) online in advance, and activated it online to start the timer:
Go directly to the ticket office next to the platform and show the QR code to the station staff to enter and exit the station. (No seat reservation required)
11:00 Take Tobu Tojo Line Kawagoe Limited Express — Bound for Ogawamachi (Saitama Prefecture) — Via Kawagoe
11:26 Arrived at Kawagoe Station
After exiting from the station office at the very edge, I first picked up a tourist brochure and decided to take a bus to the farthest Hikawa Shrine, then walk back while sightseeing.
Exit directly from the second-floor pedestrian bridge and go downstairs to the bus boarding area.
11:35 Waiting for the bus at Kawagoe Bus Station
Both Platform 1 and Platform 3 have many trains going to Hikawa Shrine. In the end, I took the Me 01 from Platform 3.
As long as you recognize “東武 バス ”, use the Kawagoe Pass (Train + Bus) without special exchange; just show the QR code to the driver when getting off.
Do not tap your Suica card when boarding if you are using a day pass.
11:55 Arrive at Hikawa Shrine
Hikawa Shrine
The shrine is small and has many pinwheels and wind chimes.
Doll Ritual for Removing Negative Energy:
Wind Chime Blessing and Ema Area
Sea Bream Omikuji
There are several fish ponds where you can fish for sea bream omikuji XD I caught the red one for a year of safety sea bream.
Great luck!
If you don’t have enough coins, you can exchange money with the shrine staff. Volunteers nearby can help translate the fortune in English for free. If you get a bad fortune, just tie it to the shrine (which means to ward off bad luck).
12:45 Leave Hikawa Shrine
After taking some photos and walking around, we left Hikawa Shrine at about 12:45, ready to head to Koedo Street and 吉伊カワ MOGUMOGU Honpo Kawagoe store.
Seibu — Little Edo Loop Bus
While waiting for the bus, I saw a cool sightseeing bus with music — it was the Seibu Transportation Koedo Loop Bus; Tobu passes cannot be used. You can pay with a transportation card or buy the Seibu Railway issued “Pass”.
13:20 Chiikawa Mogumogu Hompo Kawagoe 吉伊卡哇 MOGUMOGU 本舗 川越店
There are many cute babies at the entrance, featuring the sweet potato series exclusive to Kawagoe.
Although there is still full-day capacity control, the crowd is less than when it first opened. We arrived on site and scanned the QR code to book the next available slot at 13:40 (there were still seats). If you’re worried about missing out, you can book online in advance.
Giikawa MOGUMOGU Honpo Kawagoe Store reservation and advance ticket lottery Ticket URL (Click Here).
Note: One phone number equals one account, which means one person. You can only make one reservation per day and per time slot.
13:40 Arrive at the store entrance on time to line up for entry
The stock of products is ample, with some items limited to a maximum purchase quantity per person. You can also pay extra to play the capsule toy machine.
My Souvenirs:
Sweet Potato Bunny has floppy ears and is super cute!
Product list and prices can be found on the official website.
Big Sweet Potato Bunny: ¥2,970 JPY / Small Sweet Potato Jiikawa: ¥1,870 JPY
There are also Miffy and Snoopy specialty stores
Bought Kawagoe rice crackers and brown sugar sweet potato sticks at a roadside souvenir shop
The seafood is delicious; the original flavor is quite firm. The brown sugar sweet potato sticks are like Taiwan’s brown sugar sweet potato chips but in stick form.
After finishing, it was nearly 14:00, and I was really hungry and tired.
Former 85th Bank Main Building
Walk up to the second-floor café in a historic building, grab a quick bite, then continue on.
If it weren’t for being too hungry and it being late, I would have wanted to queue for soba noodles.
After eating, walk out to the terrace to take photos:
Here you can get a bird’s-eye view of Ichibangai Shopping Street, which is very beautiful:
The terrace here is a public area and can be accessed without any purchase.
15:30 Toki no Kane (Bell of Time)
Continue strolling through the Little Edo shopping street to the Time Bell Tower.
Bought takoyaki senbei from a nearby vendor as a snack.
Taisho Romantic Dream Street (Shopping Street)
Finally, we passed through Taisho Roman Street and took a bus back to Kawagoe Station, preparing to return to Ikebukuro.
16:25 Return to Kawagoe Station, take the Tobu Tojo Line back to Ikebukuro
17:10 Ikebukuro Station Parco
After returning to Ikebukuro, first explore the department stores at Ikebukuro Station. There are Parco and Tobu Department Store, offering many things to browse.
THE GUEST cafe & diner Ikebukuro 、 Chikawa Ramen Pork
Upstairs, there are two Jiikawa restaurants. The café was fully booked when I passed by, but the ramen shop allowed walk-in customers with a queue.
Next to it, there is a merchandise resale shop where you can buy restaurant series goods:
17:45 Gyutan Yaki Sendai Henmi Ikebukuro PARCO Branch
Approaching dinner time, I decided to eat at a department store and ended up choosing beef tongue at Parco.
18:00 Draw for next day’s Chiikawa TOKYO Station ticket (want to see the baby series)
Loading converted…. Didn’t get it QQ, very popular.
Start eating after drawing:
I think I have taken out food from this place before before. The beef tongue’s texture and flavor are great, and the soup tastes like beef broth and is very delicious!
19:00 Shopping in Ikebukuro
After eating, continue shopping.
Ikebukuro is also very lively, with many people and numerous shops.
Chiikawa Park
Chiikawa Park is also here, but it was closed since it was late.
19:15 Sunshine City — Gashapon Ikebukuro Main Store — The World’s Largest Capsule Toy Store (3000+ Machines)
Walked all the way to the world’s largest capsule toy store to hunt for treasures.
In the end, I didn’t buy anything. Although there were many machines here, I didn’t see anything special, and the categories were quite messy, making it overwhelming to browse.
20:10 Return to Ikebukuro Station — Return to Hotel to Rest
Tonight’s Late-Night Snack:
Classic tofu skin instant noodles + convenience store fried chicken + alcohol.
Day 3 (09/15 Mon) — Tokyo Station Ichibangai, Atami Fireworks Festival
Planning to take the 14:57 Shinkansen to Atami.
Highlight of this day — Atami Fireworks Festival; slept in and headed out late in the morning.
11:10 Tokyo Station
Approaching noon, first find food inside the station.
There is also a Gokumiya at Tokyo Station, but it gets very crowded. It opens at 11:00, and many people are already lining up by then. It looks like the wait time is about an hour.
Turn around and go eat Kobe beef across the street.
Kobebeef Daia Tokyo Station Store — 神戸牛ダイア 東京駅店
The nostalgic good taste, last time I went to Kobe, I specially went to eat Kobe beef (Kissho-kichi), the price in Tokyo is about ¥8,000 JPY more expensive than in Kobe (Prime Kobe beef sirloin 220g Tokyo ¥39,160 / Kobe ¥31,600).
Just like the nostalgic taste, the meat is tender, with no off-flavors, only the natural aroma of beef; before I knew it, it was all gone!
12:20 Start exploring Tokyo Station Underground First Avenue
The underground mall is crowded, featuring almost every IP, including Sanrio, One Piece, Jump Store, Rilakkuma, Acorn Republic, Snoopy, Chiikawa, and more.
Chiikawa baby Tokyo station
Did not get a ticket, so just passed by to take some photos. The stock looked ample, and there were few people (maybe they controlled the crowd too loosely?).
If you haven’t had enough shopping, you can visit the nearby Daimaru Department Store or continue walking to other surrounding underground shopping streets.
14:00 Tax Refund and Luggage Storage at Tokyo Station
For tax refund on shopping at Tokyo Station, you can go directly back to the first floor and find the tax refund counter opposite the Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen Nihombashi Exit.
Bought some items, but since the locker counter closes at 8:00 PM, I looked for coin lockers to store them. There are many lockers available here as well.
After storing the luggage, I went to the food court to buy some snacks to eat on the way.
14:30 Prepare to take the train to Atami
Also entering the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen at the Nihonbashi entrance.
For e-tickets purchased in advance on KKday / Klook, there is no need to exchange for a paper ticket. Simply use the blue gate and hold your phone’s QR code close to the sensor to enter.
Entering the station successfully will print out a ticket (for easy reference or onboard inspection), but entry and exit still require the mobile QR code.
14:57 Depart Tokyo for Atami
A quick snack break.
15:42 Arrive at Atami
Welcome to the 2025 Atami Sea Fireworks Festival!
Official reminder: There will be large crowds after the fireworks festival, so please purchase Shinkansen tickets in advance.
After exiting the Shinkansen, you still need to pass through the conventional line ticket gate (just show your ticket QR code to the staff to exit).
The weather was cloudy, but the advantage was that it wasn’t too sunny!
The Glorious Yakiniku Journey
Walk straight through the shopping street and continue down to reach the beach.
Route as shown in the picture above, first head to Lawson to buy some food and drinks, then go to the beach for a picnic and wait for the fireworks.
The fireworks are launched roughly at the location shown above. You can walk to Higashikaigancho and wait on the beach further back. Here, you can also go into the water, and there are shared restrooms and showers nearby for changing. (However, it’s recommended to check in advance, as some facilities seem to be old and poorly maintained.)
At Atami Beach, you can also enjoy a distant view of Atami Castle.
17:00 Atami Sunshine Beach
It doesn’t feel necessary to arrive in Atami so early; the crowd is not as large as expected. You can still find beach spots before around 18:30, and even if the fireworks start at 20:20, there are still places available to watch.
18:00 Atami Fireworks Festival Beach Crowd
You can see that at 18:00 there are still many seats available, or many people come early to lay down picnic mats to reserve spots and then walk around nearby, returning just before the fireworks start.
A little further ahead around the Sky Deck area, there is a small night market selling food (though the cost performance is not great):
There are restrooms around the beach, so you don’t have to worry about not having access.
20:15 Beach Crowd Near Fireworks Release Time
There are many people on the trail behind.
20:20 Fireworks Festival Begins
The fireworks had several parts, lasting until 20:40 (20 minutes). My favorite part was the grand display covering the entire sky. Unfortunately, the humidity was high today, so the smoke lingered and didn’t disperse well towards the end.
20:45 Start Leaving
There were many people leaving, but everyone moved slowly and orderly toward the station; it was downhill coming in and uphill going back (tiring).
21:05 Return to Atami Station
It takes about 20–25 minutes to walk back to Atami Station due to the large crowd, and there are many people entering the station. If you take the local train line, you need to queue slowly to enter. If you have already purchased a Shinkansen ticket, you can go directly through the manned gate on the right, then cross to the local line platform to transfer to the Shinkansen.
Originally worried about tight timing, I bought a 22:02 ticket from Atami to Tokyo; judging by the situation on site, the earlier 21:26 train would have been more than enough.
21:20 Arrive at the station and wait for the train
The Shinkansen here is very spacious and the air conditioning is cool.
Bought a can of apple soda to recharge, but heavy rain in other areas caused all flights to be delayed.
~=22:25 Board the train (delayed by nearly 20 minutes)
~= 23:10 Arrive in Tokyo
Transfer to the Yamanote Line back to Shimbashi.
~= 23:40 Return to the hotel to rest
What a fulfilling day!
Day 4 (09/16 Tue) — Azabudai TeamLab, Harajuku Shopping, Otter Café
After a good sleep, take the bus out.
10:10 Arrive at Azabudai Forest
I thought Azabudai no Mori only had JP Tower, but it is actually a whole complex of fragmented buildings with many department store counters and food options.
First, go to a café for breakfast and to wake up.
10:50 Head to teamLab Borderless: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM (Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza B, B1)
There is no map inside. If you want to explore everything, you can first get the official guidebook outside.
Turn right for a free storage area. After storing your items, show your ticket to the staff to enter.
11:00 teamLab Borderless
teamLab is truly amazing, featuring various magical and creative scenes that feel unreal. The interactions include light and shadow, mirrors, spheres, pillars, leaves, mist, and more. Almost all are 360-degree immersive environments, providing a strong sense of immersion.
There is no map; you need to explore all the exhibition rooms on your own. If girls wear skirts and worry about exposure, aprons are thoughtfully provided at the entrance.
Before entering each room, there is usually a staff member giving instructions, mostly asking not to touch anything and to walk carefully.
There are restrooms inside, but you need to find the signs yourself or ask the staff.
The photos also look very magical.
To have seen something is to have missed seeing something else
Left around 12:15, but can’t guarantee everything was seen; if not for hunger, spending two to three hours inside would not be a problem.
HARBS Azabudai Hill Store
Right after visiting teamLab, there is a HARBS nearby. Let’s have a fruit mille crepe cake to settle our stomach.
Signature Fruit Mille Crepes (Mille Crepes/ミルクレープ) 1 slice ￥1,050 + minimum one drink order.
Contains melon (very sweet and delicious) + banana + kiwi.
13:20 Tokyo Tower
Visited before and went up (please refer to the previous travelogue) , this time we just passed by and took some photos.
Take the train to Harajuku.
14:00 Harajuku
Right outside, I saw Giikawa again and again. On the upper floor of Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku, there is Giikawa Bakery.
伊卡哇麵包店 Chiikawa Bakery
The bread and jam shop on the left requires a numbered ticket for entry; the doll shop on the right does not.
(Because I just happened to pass by, I didn’t go in)
Food: Bakery Section.
The nearby shops have plenty of stock, but I already have sweet potatoes and can’t buy more, so I just looked around without purchasing.
Kiddy Land キデイランド 原宿店
Afterwards, I went to another nearby Kiddy Land to browse. (But this one doesn’t have Gii Kawa)
There are many IPs like Snoopy, Sanrio, Pokémon, Rilakkuma, and more.
Strolling around, it was almost 3:00 PM. I had only eaten a piece of fruit mille-feuille for lunch and was a bit hungry, so I casually picked a highly rated American burger joint I passed by to eat.
14:50 The Great Burger
The specialty is wagyu mini burgers.
The taste is pretty good, but eating too much can be quite greasy.
15:40 Shopping in Harajuku
After eating, continue strolling around Harajuku until evening (16:30) to go to the reserved Otter Café.
Just wandering around, I ended up at the same Le Labo perfume shop where I bought perfume last time. In 2025, the price for 50ml perfume in Japan is ¥31,350, and after tax refund, it’s about ¥28,500.
16:30 HARRY HARAJUKU terrace Otter Café
Go up the stairs beside it to the rooftop of this building.
The venue is small, with three pools outside where three otters roam around. You can buy snacks (¥880) to feed them. (They will reach out their paws)
The coffee is from a vending machine that you operate yourself. (Buy for 30 minutes and get 1 cup free)
The venue inside is not very large. In the center, there is a paid interactive otter area (additional fee required), next to it is the paid Totoro interactive area (additional fee required), and on the other side is a free hedgehog interactive area, along with several otters inside a fenced enclosure.
We added ¥880 per person for a 5-minute close interaction with the otters; otherwise, you can’t actually touch them.
17:20 Pet the Otters
There were quite a few visitors interacting with the otters, and it wasn’t our turn until 17:20. The staff kept track of the time.
You can pet him while he’s eating and flipping his belly; his fur is very soft.
Overall: The rating might only be around 2.5–3 stars
The overall venue is too small. The basic fee is only ¥3,080 JPY per person for one hour. Besides the hedgehogs, there are no other interactive animals, and the coffee is just from a vending machine. Although the staff are gentle with the animals, the other otters resting nearby or those in the outdoor pool have very limited space to move, which feels a bit sad.
It seems different from the size of a typical coffee shop and has otters running around.
18:00 Head to Shibuya
18:20 Queue at Gokumiya
It’s still early, so I came to Shibuya again and started with a meal at Gokumiya.
At this time, there weren’t many people, so I only had to wait a short time before eating.
18:55 Seated at Gokumiya
I ate too many hamburger steaks at lunch and felt a bit tired of them. I ordered the pure beef steak set on the left, and the juice was delicious.
Last time I had the hamburger steak + beef steak set Just remember to bring two pairs of chopsticks: metal ones for grilling and wooden ones for eating.***
Signature — Imari Steak + Gokumiya Hamburger Beef Prices:
Small (120g): ¥2,480 JPY
Medium (160g): ¥2,850 JPY
Large (200g): ¥3,180 JPY
Jun Imari Steak Prices:
Medium (130g): ¥2,480 JPY
Large (180g): ¥3,280 JPY
Upgrade Package: ¥450 JPY
Multiple Soups, Salads, and Ice Cream
Personally, I think it’s just okay.
The price is very affordable.
Shopping and Buying Cosmetics
At the department store, I stopped by the fragrance section and bought two bottles along with a pillow spray to try at home.
After eating, we strolled around Shibuya a bit more, then went back to the hotel to buy some cosmetics at a drugstore. After returning to the hotel to rest, we got ready to say goodbye to Tokyo.
Ate too much meat, so let’s just have dessert tonight!
Also, a colleague bought us donuts from 原宿 I’m donut? Harajuku. (No lines in Japan compared to Taiwan)
Day 5 (09/17 Wed) — Ueno Station, Return Trip
10:50 Leave before the final check-out time
Goodbye Shinbashi.
Take the Yamanote Line to Ueno.
11:10 Arrive at Ueno Station
Didn’t explore much; worried about not finding a place to store luggage, so I used the locker counter inside the station.
Later I found it not really worth it because you have to pick up items and pay to enter the station, plus it’s expensive; the main point is that it’s out of the way.
Later I found out that the Skyliner Keisei Ueno is at Ueno Station Yamashita Exit or Shinobazu Exit You can reach it inside the station without going outside in the sun (but it’s easy to get lost inside); to use the lockers here, you need to walk back (about 15 minutes), and there are many coin lockers there as well.
Exit here and you’ll be at Ueno Zoo. Turn left, get ready to reserve your seat for the Skyliner Keisei Ueno.
Finally saw the Skyliner Keisei Ueno Station.
Since all Skyliner seats are reserved, it is recommended to book your seat early for peace of mind.
The station staff can speak Chinese (I just didn’t realize they were speaking Chinese at first).
Spend the last moments strolling around Ueno.
Yodobashi Ueno
There is also a second store next door.
Shopping all the way to Ueno Marui Department Store
Opposite is another exit of Ueno Station. Ueno Station is really huge…
The general location is shown in the image above.
12:00 Shopping at Marui Department Store
There is a gacha capsule toy area on the second floor.
Got a Shinkansen ticket capsule toy.
I also got hooked and bought a ReFa heart-shaped massage brush at Loft.
Ate a croissant here to fill up.
13:20 Return to Ueno Station
Also, stop by to buy Sugar Butter Tree as a souvenir.
Finally, I returned to the park exit to pick up my luggage, walked around a large loop, and then went back to Keisei Ueno.
The route is a bit strange; you need to go down to the platform first, then exit from another exit to reach Shinobazu.
This underground passage has many coin-operated lockers, and they are mostly empty.
I couldn’t bring myself to say it, but crossing the street leads directly to the Skyliner Keisei Ueno station. (Not sure if there’s a closer exit; I didn’t wander around to avoid getting lost.)
14:10 Return to Skyliner Keisei Ueno, prepare to take the train to Narita Airport
14:20 Departure to Narita Airport
Just stopped by a convenience store on the way to grab some food and drinks to recharge.
15:03 Arrive at Narita Airport Terminal 2
Follow this path all the way up to reach the international departures.
I originally planned to eat at the newly opened Shake Shack burger in Terminal 1, but I was too tired and didn’t feel like going.
15:40 Complete check-in and baggage drop-off
After checking in my luggage, I went straight to line up for departure (exhausted).
16:00 Complete security check and immigration clearance
Walk towards the direction of smaller numbers to reach the central connecting hall, where you can find food and shopping.
First, go to JAPAN FOOD HALL B1 to grab something to eat
16:25 Snack time
Ordered a tempura shrimp soba with draft beer.
Actual cost: 955 TWD (Airport prices are just expensive…)
16:50 Shopping at Duty-Free and Souvenir Shops
Narita Airport duty-free shops really have everything. Besides luxury goods, skincare products, and alcohol, there are also well-stocked souvenir stores with a wide variety of items. Prices are generally similar to or cheaper than outside. If you haven’t bought enough, you can make your final purchases before boarding.
17:05 Le Labo
Actually, without searching specifically, I unexpectedly found La Lebo at Narita Airport’s Fa-So-La DUTY FREE Cosmetics & Perfumery. According to the official website, both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 have it.
Even more surprising is the price, 50ml — ¥25,700, which is cheaper than the tax-refunded price of ¥28,500 within Japan.
Finally gave in and bought a 26–30ml bottle (airport exclusive size), actually paid NT$3,720.
17:30 Head to the boarding gate and wait
Gate 67B is in a remote corner, quite far away; unfortunately, I didn’t see any vending machines selling peach water along the way.
17:50 Boarding, Goodbye Tokyo!
The aircraft model is BOEING 737–800, the same as on the way here.
Narita Airport was extremely crowded; originally scheduled to depart at 18:10, but ended up waiting in line until nearly 19:00 to take off
Japan Airlines Free In-Flight WiFi
I accidentally discovered that the plane offers free WiFi for one hour.
The airplane meal was also excellent, featuring curry pork cutlet rice and Haagen-Dazs dessert.
21:07 Return to Taiwan
Souvenirs
Thank you for reading
Thank you for joining me on this five-day Tokyo trip. I hope the information in this article helps with your next journey.
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If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me.
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