Tradition meets trend: here’s everything to do in the bustling hub of Tokyo, Japan
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Seen picturesque photos of Japan flooding your Instagram feed recently? I’m not surprised.
Not only is the Yen at an all-time high, but the food and the culture are something that has kept me coming back to Japan time and time again. From 7/11 to hidden bars, here are some of my must-dos in this ramen-clad city.
Where to stay
It may be daunting looking at hotels in Japan, but the train system is great if you want a cheaper option to stay slightly further away from the busier areas. I’ve stayed in Shimokitazawa, Shinjuku, Nakameguro, Nishi-Nippori, Asakusa and in the heart of Shibuya, and I loved every hotel for different reasons. Want to be in the hustle and bustle? Stay in Shibuya. But if you prefer somewhere quieter, Asakusa, Shimokitazawa and Nakameguro are great, and are easy to get around.
Japanese hotel rooms tend to be on the smaller side, so I would suggest upgrading your room if you are travelling as a couple or with friends. I am quite fussy with my hotels, and I found the three-star options beat the five-star hotels back home. I found Western hotel chains to be the most expensive, and to be honest, the local hotels are amazing.
The bustling streets of Shibuya Scramble Crossing at night.
Where to eat and drink
There is an absolute plethora of amazing restaurants in Tokyo – every suburb has their own hidden gems. Obviously, you can find incredible ramen, katsu, okonomiyaki, yakitori and sushi in Tokyo, but don’t discount the other cuisines too: I had the most amazing pizza at Seirikan in Nakameguro and Ol by Oslo Brewing Company in Shibuya has a great taco truck outside, perfect for pairing with an ice-cold beer, cider or G&T.
Pizza from Seirikan is just as good (IMO) as Napoli Pizza.
When it comes to Japanese fare, if you chat with anyone I know, they’ll tell you how obsessed I am with ramen. I’ve made it my mission to find the most authentic bowl in Canberra now that I am back, but for the real deal in Tokyo and if you have never tried ramen before, I would recommend Afuri Ramen (specifically their spicy Yuzu Ratan Ramen), Ippudo (their classic Tonkotsu) and of course, Ichiran (be prepared to wait at least an hour at peak periods).
For ramen connoisseurs, I am going to let you in on a little secret:you need to head to Otsuka, around half an hour from Shibuya. Here you will find Kitaotsuka Ramen, owned by a Mongolian couple. This rich pork broth is loaded with hand-cut noodles, plump pork belly pieces and spicy mince. It’s so rich, but honestly, it’s the only place that is a non-negotiable visit whenever I am back in Tokyo.
My all-time favourite ramen at Kitaotsuka. I think this is in the top three dishes that I have ever eaten (a big call!).
Sweet treats more your thing? The Little Bakery Tokyo has my favourite matcha and donut combo. You also have to check out the markets near Senso-Ji temple in Asakusa for my favourite Daifuku strawberry mochi.
Fresh strawberries, chocolate custard and chocolate mochi!
If you are missing Australian coffee, zip to Coffee Supreme, Glitch Coffee Roasters, Brooklyn Coffee Roasters and CIBI Tokyo. For evening drinks, the newly opened Lost Bar has to be one of my favourites that I discovered on my last trip.
The most delicious matcha and latte from Brooklyn Roasting Company.
The September special at LOST – this tasted like Grape Fanta.
Where to visit
A quick Google brings up some great options to get your steps up: Senso-ji Shrine, Tokyo Tower, Shibuya Sky, Imperial Palace, Tokyo Museum and of course, Tokyo Disneyland. They are a must-do for your first time in Japan.
One of my favourite ways to pass the time is grabbing some salmon onigiri from my favourite conbini (7/11) and having a picnic in Ueno Park in the sunshine. Bonus points if it is Sakura season!
If you want a day trip out of Tokyo, Hakone is where you can hopefully spot Mount Fuji! It is about 90 minutes one way from Shibuya to Gora station. If you want to make a weekend out of it, you can even stay at a traditional ryokan and take a dip in the onsen (similar to a Swedish bath) to relax. My favourite place to stay is Hakone Tent in Gora.
Tokyo Disneyland is a fun day out!
What to know before you get to Tokyo
I don’t speak any Japanese?
To preface, I speak a little bit of Japanese: I studied the language in high school, and I went on an exchange back in 2018. It can get me around the country fairly easily, but if you are a complete beginner, I suggest learning the pleasantries before you go (hello, goodbye, thank you, one of these please etc). Google Translate works really well over there and has the image-to-text feature, which can totally help in a pickle.
Tokyo is a business city, so you are more likely to be able to find signs in both Japanese and English (and other languages) at the train stations and bus stops. If in doubt, Google Translate!
How to navigate Tokyo like a pro
When travelling around Japan, I have always brought my trusty IC card with me, rather than purchasing a JR Pass.
An IC Card (called Suica in Tokyo) is similar to a MyWay pass – something that you load and top up as needed at the train station. You can purchase a WelcomeSuica pass before you leave Australia that is valid for seven days, a regular Suica in country (valid for 10 years after their last use), or if you are an Apple user (sorry Android!), you can load your Suica card on your phone for easy access. And it’s as simple as tap and go at the gate, and you’re ready to travel.
My go-to travel companion, the trusty Suica!
The JR Pass has been a popular choice for tourists in the past, however, with the price increase last year, I have found the JR Pass not worth my money, as I am often doing a round trip between Tokyo and Kyoto, or just sticking to one city in my travels.
The whole country pass lasts for seven, 14- or 21-days, and allows you to ride the JR Lines across the whole of the country. It also allows travel on the shinkansen (bullet trains) and other forms of transport such as the Narita Airport Express.
The seven-day pass for an adult starts at $510, and $211 for kids. If you are interested in purchasing the pass, you must do it before you leave Australia, and only activate it once you arrive. This fare calculator is a great tool to see if it is worthwhile for your trip.
Google Maps is a lifesaver in Japan, as it tells you the entrance, exit and Platform that you need to go to in order to get to the place that you are going. It’s saved me many times in Shibuya station (IYKYK).
Transport your luggage
One other tip that I have, that many people don’t know about, is the fact you can transport your luggage from hotel to hotel via the Yamato Luggage Delivery. Just ask the front desk, before midday, the day before checking out, if you can ship your luggage to the next hotel.
Honestly, this is the best advice I can give, as you don’t have to lug around heavy suitcases. We just packed a duffle with essentials, which was so much easier to carry around when we were transiting from place to place.
Depending on the size of your bag, the cost can vary, but for reference, my husband and I shipped two 30kg suitcases from Tokyo to Osaka for $50 in total.
Budget
Like anywhere in the world, you can really splash out in Japan or keep it fairly budget-friendly. Flights from Sydney or Melbourne can be around $1500 per person, depending on the season. Full disclosure: we paid on points for our most recent flights. For hotels, we aimed for around $150-$200 per night and on our most recent trip, we were under this budget for the majority of our travel.
Food-wise, a bowl of ramen costs around $15 on average, onigiri from 7/11 is about $2.50, and a good coffee is about $8. Omakase (fancy, multi-course set meals) can be as expensive as $150-200 per person, but they are totally worth it if you want a traditional experience – and it’s cheaper than what you can get here in Australia.