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’s historic charm and Atami’s spectacular fireworks festival. Discover seamless transport tips, immersive experiences, and local highlights for a memorable trip.
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Table of Contents
[Travelogue] 2025 Tokyo Area — Kawagoe Little Edo and Atami Sea Fireworks Festival 5-Day Free Travel
5 Days 4 Nights Tokyo City + Suburbs Independent Travel: Complete Guide to Transportation and Experiences for Atami Fireworks Festival and Kawagoe Day Trip
Summer Fireworks in Atami
Taking advantage of starting a new job, I first fully charged my energy. Revisiting Tokyo — experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime Japanese fireworks festival and a day trip to Kawagoe near Tokyo.
Last Trip Itinerary
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 readers can check it out here.
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) — Strolling in Ueno, Return Trip
Shibuya Sky
Shibuya Sky tickets are very popular, so be sure to purchase them in advance.
Official Website
Sales start time: 11:00 PM Taiwan time. Tickets for entry dates +2 weeks later can be purchased.
Please register as a member and familiarize yourself with the purchase process before buying on the official website. The ticket holder’s name can be a nickname; it does not need to match the passport name exactly.We bought tickets for the 18:40–18:59 night view slot. You can also choose an earlier time to watch the sunset or the last session at 21:00 after dinner.
Other purchase channels: KKday Shibuya SHIBUYA SKY Observatory Ticket｜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
Free entry with no paid seating at the beach release event. It’s within walking distance from JR Atami Station. For safety, 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 lot of tickets, but it is still recommended to purchase them in advance before departure.
Other purchase options: 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 previously saw on Instagram.
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, as same-day visits may have no availability.
Free cancellation if the itinerary changes before the date.
Time: 16:30–17:30
Price: ¥3,080 JPY per person for one hour basic fee + ¥880 per person on-site for 5 minutes of close interaction with otters.
But later research showed that another place, カワウソ_若林の家, seems better with longer interaction time.
Travel
Flight — Japan Airlines
Outbound September 13: JL802 Japan Airlines — 10:00 TPE Taoyuan International Airport T2 -> 14:25 NRT Narita Airport T2
Return Trip 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 running that day, I bought the tickets in advance.
Sales start time: Tickets for dates +4 weeks later can be purchased 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 on booking platform) per person
Skyliner Keisei Electric Railway Ticket (~= 41 minutes)
This is probably the fastest way to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo city center (Ueno).
No unreserved seats available
KKday Purchase: Skyliner Keisei Railway Ticket
Buying online in advance is cheaper, and you can reserve seats at the station, offering great flexibility.
Price: NT $912 (round-trip two tickets) per person
Note that when buying a round trip on KKday, you receive two separate tickets. Don’t mistake this for purchasing the wrong ticket.
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 services offer airport transfers that are affordable, safe, and fast. You can compare prices and choose on your own.
Taipei Metro -> Taoyuan Airport
Price: NT $752 per unit
eSIM
Also purchased the unlimited 5G eSIM directly on KKday. This time, there were no issues or slowdowns while using it in Tokyo, Atami, and Kawagoe.
- KKday Purchase: Japan eSIM Unlimited Data KDDI / Softbank
Price: NT $309 / 5 days / unlimited data
Visit Japan
Accommodation
Because the booking time was close to the departure date, after comparing prices and convenience, I chose to stay near Shimbashi Station. (Last time I stayed in Shiodome, but I found Shimbashi more convenient.)
Daiwa Roynet Hotel Shimbashi, Tokyo (4 nights)
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Tokyo Shimbashi Daiwa ROYNET Hotel
About a 2-minute walk from Shimbashi Station, very close.
Stay for five days and four nights without changing hotels.
Price: NT$ 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 Luggage and Check-in Baggage
Assigned to counter number 1 at the far corner, already completed online check-in, went straight to check in luggage. However, the people ahead took a long time, so it took about 30 minutes to finish the luggage check-in.
~= 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 assistant mentioned a promotion where new members get a coupon, making the 50ml price NT $5,500, cheaper than buying in Japan (about NT $5,800).
Latest Price List for 2025 — 50ml:
Taiwan Store Price: NT $7,600
Taiwan airport store duty-free price: NT $5,500 (promotional price)
Tax-refunded price at Japanese stores: about NT $5,700
Japan Airport Store Duty-free price: about NT $5,200 🤩 — I bought it this time only after leaving Narita Airport Terminal 2 departure area.
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 we took this time was a BOEING 737–800 model, which is a bit old.
But I only found out after returning that the plane offered free one-hour onboard WiFi.
10:06 Departure
JAPAN AIRLINES In-flight Meal
Although the plane is a bit old, the in-flight meal was 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 is a bit damp, and the weather is cloudy. It seems it rained heavily earlier. After arriving, 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 your pre-purchased Skyliner Keisei Railway ticket to the staff to exchange it for the next available train ticket.
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, 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 transportation costs needed for this trip while waiting for the train. (But I personally find using Suica on my iPhone very convenient and easy!)
Follow the signs for the “Keisei Line” to enter the station, then find the corresponding platform to wait.
~= 15:42 Boarding
Many types of trains stop at this platform, so please make sure to confirm before boarding; staff will also announce along the way, and you can show them your ticket for verification. Narita Express is fully reserved seating, no non-reserved seats , do not board without a ticket.
The seats on the Narita Express are spacious enough to fit a 28-inch suitcase; if it feels tight, you can place your luggage in the areas in front or behind 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 Ginza Line at G station, heading towards Shibuya, then transfer at Ueno-hirokoji to Shimbashi station.
16:50 Arrive at Tokyo Shimbashi Daiwa ROYNET Hotel
Just a short walk from Shimbashi Station, very convenient!
The hotel provides a wide range of free amenities, including face masks, bath additives, earplugs, and portable mouthwash, among others.
It’s somewhat like the trip to Hiroshima and Okayama the year before last, staying at the “Rifumax Okayama Kurashiki Ekimae Hotel.” The room was very small, feeling like a single room but with a double bed.
The drawbacks, besides being small, include that the room fridge has no freezer function.
After dropping off our things, we set off for Shibuya.
18:30 Queue to enter Shibuya SKY
On the first floor of Shibuya Scramble Square, find the elevator to the “Shibuya SKY” observation deck. After queuing for the elevator, show your QR code to the ticket inspector to enter the line for admission. (Ticket will be scanned upon entry)
You can see the Shibuya Crossing from here.
After arrival, first use the free lockers to store your belongings. Selfie sticks and similar items are prohibited.
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.
The rooftop night view, but compared to last time, the weather was worse this time—foggy with a light drizzle.
After walking all the way down, passing by the bar, the view here is also nice:
19:45 Return to Shibuya Crossing
Coincidentally, 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, where I want 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 shop in the same food court.
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 fried skewers are delicious and not greasy, and the braised beef rice is flavorful and filling.
Note that the fried skewer shop charges an extra basic cabbage fee (お通し) , I actually 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 capsule toy shop and went in to explore.
Nothing I want to twist here, retreat!
Good night! Tokyo
Bought a late-night snack and went back to the hotel to rest.
Day 2 (09/14) — Kawagoe Day Trip, Shopping in Ikebukuro
09:30 Head out and have breakfast at McDonald’s — McDonald’s Shimbashi Hibiya Exit
The same waffle ham, cheese, and egg burger!
I visited this McDonald’s last time as well. The downside is that it is old, not very clean, and has no self-order kiosks.
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. The time starts counting once activated online:
Go directly to the station office at the side and show your QR code to the staff to enter and exit the station. (No seat reservation needed)
11:00 Take the Tobu Tojo Line Kawagoe Express — towards Ogawamachi (Saitama Prefecture) — via Kawagoe
11:26 Arrive at Kawagoe Station
After exiting from the station office at the far end, I first picked up a tourist brochure and decided to take the 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. We finally took the Me 01 from Platform 3.
As long as you recognize “東武 バス ”, use the Kawagoe Pass (Train + Bus) without any special exchange; just show the QR code screen to the driver when getting off.
Do not tap your Suica card when boarding if you are using a pass.
11:55 Arrive at Hikawa Shrine
Hikawa Shrine
The shrine is small, with many pinwheels and wind chimes.
Doll-style method for removing bad energy:
Wind Chime Blessing and Ema Area
Sea Bream Omikuji
There are several fish ponds where you can catch your own sea bream omikuji XD I caught the red one, which means a year of safety and good luck.
Great luck!
If you don’t have enough coins, you can exchange money with the shrine staff. Volunteers nearby can help translate the fortune for free in English. If you get a bad fortune, just tie it to the shrine 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 Kiiikawa MOGUMOGU Honpo Kawagoe branch.
Seibu — Koedo Loop Bus
While waiting for the train, I saw a cool sightseeing bus with music — it was the Seibu Transportation Koedo Loop Bus; Tobu’s pass cannot be used. You can pay with a transit card or buy the “ Loop Pass “ issued by Seibu Railway.
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 not as large as when it first opened. We arrived on-site and scanned the QR code to book the next time slot at 13:40 (there were still available spots); if you want to avoid missing out, you can book online in advance.
Yoshikawa MOGUMOGU Main Store Kawagoe Branch Reservation and Pre-Draw Ticket Website (Click Here).
Please note: One phone number corresponds to one account, which corresponds to one person. You can only make one reservation per day, per time slot.
13:40 Arrive at the store entrance on time to queue for entry
The stock of products is abundant, with some items limited to a maximum purchase quantity per person. You can pay extra to play the capsule toy machine.
My Loot:
Sweet Potato Bunny has floppy ears and is super cute!
Product list and prices can be found on the official website.
Large Sweet Potato Bunny: ¥2,970 JPY / Small Sweet Potato Kiikawa: ¥1,870 JPY
There are also Miffy and Snoopy specialty stores
Bought Kawagoe rice crackers and brown sugar sweet potato sticks at the 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 the tour, it was nearly 14:00, and I was really hungry and tired.
Former 85th Bank Head Office Main Building
Walk to a second-floor café in a historic building, grab a quick bite, then continue on.
If I weren’t so hungry and it wasn’t so 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, very beautiful:
The terrace is a public area and can be accessed without any purchase.
15:30 Toki no Kane (Time Bell Tower)
Continue strolling through the Koedo shopping street to the Toki no Kane (Time Bell Tower).
Bought takoyaki rice crackers from a nearby stall 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, with many things to browse.
Chikawa Cafe (THE GUEST cafe & diner Ikebukuro) 、 Chikawa Ramen (Chikawa Ramen Pork)
Upstairs, there are two Kiikawa restaurants. The café was fully booked when I passed by, but the ramen shop allowed entry with on-site queuing.
Next to the line, there is a nearby resale shop where you can buy restaurant series items from 吉伊卡哇:
17:45 Gyutan Yaki Sendai Henmi Ikebukuro PARCO Branch
Approaching dinner time, we decided to eat at a department store and finally chose to have beef tongue at Parco.
18:00 Draw a ticket for the next day’s Chiikawa TOKYO Station Giikawa Tokyo Station numbered ticket (want to see the baby series)
Loading converted… Didn’t get it QQ, very popular.
Start eating after drawing:
This shop should have been tried as takeout elsewhere, the beef tongue texture and flavor are very good, and the soup tastes like beef broth and is very tasty!
19:00 Shopping in Ikebukuro
After eating, continue shopping.
Ikebukuro is also very lively, with many people and plenty of shops.
Chiikawa Park
Chiikawa Park is also here, but it was already closed since it was late.
19:15 Sunshine City — Gashapon Ikebukuro Main Store — The World’s Largest Gachapon Shop (3000+ machines)
Walked all the way to the world’s largest capsule toy store to hunt for treasures.
In the end, there wasn’t much to grab. Although there were many machines here, nothing special caught my eye, and the categories were quite messy, making it overwhelming to browse.
20:10 Return to Ikebukuro Station — Head back to the 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 First Avenue, Atami Fireworks Festival
Planning to take the 14:57 Shinkansen to Atami.
Highlight of this trip — Atami Fireworks Festival; slept in and headed out late in the morning.
11:10 Tokyo Station
Near noon, first look for 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
A nostalgic good taste, last time in 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 authentic aroma of beef; before I knew it, it was all gone!
12:20 Start exploring Tokyo Station Underground First Avenue
The underground mall is very crowded, featuring almost every IP you can think of: Sanrio, One Piece, Jump Store, Rilakkuma, Acorn Republic, Snoopy, Chiikawa, and more.
Chiikawa baby Tokyo station
Did not get a numbered ticket, so could only pass by and take photos. The stock seemed abundant, and there were very few people (feels like they controlled the crowd too little?).
If you haven’t had enough shopping, you can visit the neighboring Daimaru Department Store or continue walking to other nearby underground shopping streets.
14:00 Tax Refund and Luggage Storage at Tokyo Station
For tax refunds 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, and since the luggage counter closes at 8:00 PM, I looked for coin lockers to store my belongings. There are many lockers available here as well.
After dropping off 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 from the Nihonbashi exit of the Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen.
For e-tickets purchased in advance on KKday / Klook, there is no need to exchange tickets. Simply scan the QR code on your phone at the blue gate sensor to enter.
Entering the station will print out a ticket (for easy information checking or ticket inspection on the train), but entry and exit still require using 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: The fireworks festival ends with large crowds, so please purchase your Shinkansen tickets in advance.
After exiting the Shinkansen, you still need to go through the conventional line ticket gate (just show the staff your ticket QR code to exit).
The weather is cloudy, but the good thing is it’s not too sunny!
The Glorious Yakiniku Journey
Walk straight through the shopping street and keep going down to reach the beach.
Route as shown in the image, 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 around the location shown in the above picture. You can walk to Higashikaigancho and wait on the beach further back. You can also go into the water here, and there are shared restrooms and shower facilities nearby for changing. (However, it’s recommended to check in advance, as some facilities seem worn out.)
You can also enjoy a distant view of Atami Castle from Atami Beach.
17:00 Atami Sunshine Beach
It doesn’t feel necessary to arrive in Atami so early; there are fewer people than expected. You can still find beach spots before around 18:30, and even by the 20:20 fireworks display, there are still places available.
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 Crowds at the beach near the fireworks release time
There are many people on the trail behind.
20:20 Fireworks Festival Begins
The fireworks had several parts and lasted 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 the venue
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 crowd, and there are many people entering the station. If you take the local train line, you need to queue and enter slowly. If you have already purchased a Shinkansen ticket, you can directly use the manned gate on the right to pass through and then go up from the local line to board the Shinkansen.
Originally worried about tight timing, so I bought the 22:02 train ticket from Atami back 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 keep going, but heavy rain in other areas caused all trains to be delayed.
~=22:25 Board the train (delayed 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
Well-rested, take the bus out.
10:10 Arrive at Azabudai no Mori
I thought Azabudai no Mori only had JP Tower, but it turns out it’s a whole complex of fragmented buildings with many department store counters and dining 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 luggage 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 in the real world. The interactions include light and shadow, mirrors, spheres, pillars, leaves, mist, and more. Almost all are 360-degree full scenes, providing a highly immersive experience.
No maps are provided, so you need to explore all exhibition rooms on your own. If girls wear skirts and worry about exposure, aprons are thoughtfully provided at the entrance.
Before entering each room, staff usually provide instructions, mostly asking visitors 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
We left around 12:15, but can’t guarantee we saw everything; if not for hunger, spending two to three hours inside would not be an issue.
HARBS Azabudai Hill Store
After visiting teamLab, there is a HARBS right outside. Let’s have a fruit mille crepe cake to fill our stomach a bit.
Signature Fruit Mille Crepes (Mille Crepes/ミルクレープ) 1 slice ￥1,050 + minimum order of one drink.
Inside there is melon (very sweet and delicious) + banana + kiwi.
13:20 Tokyo Tower
Visited last time and went up (please refer to the previous travelogue) , this time just passed by to take photos.
Take the train to Harajuku.
14:00 Harajuku
Right outside, I saw Kiikawa again and again. On the upper floor of Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku is the Kiikawa Bakery.
Chiikawa Bakery Chiikawa Bakery
The bread and jam shop on the left requires a numbered ticket for entry; the doll merchandise store on the right does not.
(Because I just happened to pass by, I didn’t go in)
Food: Bakery section.
The nearby stores have plenty of stock, but I already have enough 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
Afterward, we visited another nearby Kiddy Land for a stroll. (But this store doesn’t have Kiikawa)
There are many IPs like Snoopy, Sanrio, Pokémon, Rilakkuma, and more.
By the time we finished strolling around, it was almost 3:00 PM. We had only eaten a slice of fruit mille-feuille for lunch and felt a bit hungry, so we casually picked a highly rated American burger joint we 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 overwhelming.
15:40 Shopping in Harajuku
After eating, continue strolling around Harajuku until evening (16:30) to visit the reserved Otter Café.
Just wandered around and ended up at the same Le Labo store 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 Cafe
Go to the top floor of this building and take the stairs beside it up.
The venue is small, with three outdoor pools where three otters roam around. You can buy snacks to feed them (¥880). (They will reach out their paws)
The coffee is made by the vending machine itself. (Buy 30 minutes and get 1 cup free)
The venue itself is not very large. In the middle, there is a paid interactive otter area (extra charge required), next to it is the Totoro interactive area (extra charge required), and on the other side is a free hedgehog interactive area, along with a few otters inside a fenced enclosure.
We added ¥880 per person for a 5-minute close interaction with the otters; otherwise, you actually can’t touch them.
17:20 Otter Petting
There were quite a few visitors interacting with the otters, so it wasn’t our turn until 17:20. The staff kept track of the time.
You can gently pet his belly while he’s eating; the 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 per person for one hour. Except for the hedgehogs, there is no interaction with other animals, and the coffee is just from a vending machine. Although the staff are quite 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 typical size of a regular café and has otters running around.
Later research showed another place, カワウソ_若林の家, seems better with longer interaction time.
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 after a short wait, we were able to get a seat.
18:55 Seated at Gokumiya
I ate too many hamburger steaks at lunch and felt quite full. I ordered the pure beef steak set on the left, and the juice was delicious.
Last time we had the hamburger steak + beef steak set Just remember to bring two pairs of chopsticks: metal chopsticks for grilling and wooden chopsticks 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 browsed 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 get some money and buy cosmetics at a drugstore. After returning to the hotel to rest, we got ready to say goodbye to Tokyo.
Ate too much meat, let’s just have dessert tonight!
Also, a colleague bought donuts for us at I’m donut? Harajuku. (No line in Japan, unlike in 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 luggage storage counter inside the station.
Later found it was not cost-effective 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 access it inside the station without going outside in the sun (but it’s easy to get lost inside the station); to use the lockers there, 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, and 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 safety.
The station staff can speak Chinese (I just didn’t realize at first that he was speaking Chinese).
Spend the final moments strolling around Ueno.
Yodobashi Ueno
There is also a second store next door.
Walk All the Way to Ueno Marui Department Store for Shopping
Across is another exit of Ueno Station. Ueno Station is really huge…
The general location is shown in the image above.
12:00 Visit Marui Department Store
There is a gacha capsule toy area to explore 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, buy Sugar Butter Tree as a souvenir.
Finally, I returned to the Park Exit to pick up my luggage, took a long walk, 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 is quite spacious.
I reluctantly said crossing the street leads to Skyliner Keisei Ueno. (Not sure if there’s a closer exit, 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 Depart for Narita Airport
Just stopped by a convenience store on the way to buy some food and drinks to recharge.
15:03 Arrive at Narita Airport Terminal 2
Once you go straight up, you will reach the international departures.
I originally planned to eat at the newly opened Shake Shack burger at Terminal 1 新開幕的 Shake Shack 漢堡, but I was too tired to go.
15:40 Completed check-in
After checking in my luggage, I went straight to line up for immigration (tired).
16:00 Complete security check and immigration clearance
Walk towards the 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 Duty-Free Shops and Souvenir Stores Shopping
Narita Airport duty-free shops really have everything. Besides luxury goods, skincare, tobacco, and alcohol, there are also well-stocked souvenir stores with a wide variety of items. Prices are generally similar to or even cheaper than outside. If you haven’t bought enough, you can take advantage of last-minute shopping before boarding.
17:05 Le Labo
Actually, without specifically looking for it, I unexpectedly found La Lebo at Narita Airport in 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-free price in Japan at ¥28,500.
Finally, I impulsively bought a 26–30ml (airport exclusive size) bottle, actually paying 3,720 TWD.
17:30 Head to the boarding gate and wait for the flight
Gate 67B is in a remote corner, quite far away; unfortunately, there were no 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 very 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 one-hour WiFi access.
The airplane meal was also excellent, featuring curry pork cutlet rice and Häagen-Dazs dessert.
21:07 Return to Taiwan
Souvenirs
Thank you for reading
Thank you for joining me on this five-day trip to Tokyo. I hope the information in this article helps with your next trip.
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to contact me.
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