Shopping and Food Trip in Tokyo

My first trip to Japan was 3 years ago during Cherry Blossoms season. We explored Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo for 10 days. I fell in love with Japan for its culture, food, sights, cleanliness, efficiency, arts, industrial design, kawaii stuff, hi-tech inventions, bidets and warm toilet seats (haha...), their beautifully-designed manholes, shopping and the people (I just think the Japanese are the most polite and humble people).

Last month, I got a chance to visit Tokyo again.   It was with my high school friends.   When I travel with this group of friends, the agenda is usually to catch up, dine and shop. So definitely no cultural activities on this trip. Haha….

It was still winter during our visit and we experienced snow on our first 2 days. Though I’ve been to snow-covered areas before like Mt Fuji (just at the foot not at the peak! Wahaha…) and glaciers in Iceland, this is the first time I experienced falling snow. :)

It was super cold! The coldest temperature during our stay was 2°C (but felt like -5°C since there was hale). Brrrr….

I easily get cold so Tokyo's weather was torture for me. If we were to stay outdoors all the time in that kind of weather, I think the only way I could survive was to wear all the clothes I brought all at the same time and look like a Michelin mascot.  Wahaha… But because our agenda was shopping and dining, it meant minimal time outdoors. Whew!

Anyway, sharing with you some of the restaurants we tried and shopping places we went to:

Ichiran - Best Ramen place. If you google it, top results would mention that it's (probably) the best ramen place in Tokyo. The downside of it being very popular is there is usually a long queue. We had to wait for about 45 minutes to get accommodated.

Here’s how you usually order ramen in Japan. There’s a vending machine at the entrance where you punch your orders and pay. The machine will generate your order stubs.

While waiting to be seated, you’ll be given a slip of paper to fill out your taste preferences.

Ichiran has only limited seating capacity (each black peg below represents a seat - I counted all the pegs and there are only 28.).

But turnover is fast as most people dine solo. Eat and run. :)  Most ramen places in Japan are actually conducive for dining solo - usually the tables are bar type facing a wall or counter, instead of family tables. Here’s how Ichiran’s interior looks like -

For extra privacy, Ichiran has dividers so your dining space looks like a booth but if you’re eating with friends, you can slightly open the dividers.

When you reach your designated booth, there's a small window where a personnel would collect your order stubs and taste preference sheet.

After a few minutes, the personnel will serve your steaming hot ramen and all your extra orders like seaweed, garlic, egg, etc.

I just dumped everything on the bowl. Super tasty and yum! I think I finished my bowl of ramen in just 15 minutes - excited to thaw myself from the cold. Haha...

One of my friends said that on Instagram, other than ramen, Ichiran's next most photographed subject is its toilet because of its wall of multiple rolls of toilet paper.  Check it out -

You'll never have to worry about running out of toilet paper with this. Haha..


Matsumoto Kiyoshi - where to buy personal care and beauty products.   The Japanese have such beautiful skin which is the most powerful testimonial to try Japanese-made beauty products. :)

Matsumoto Kiyoshi is a drugstore chain that is a popular shopping place to get your fix of Japanese beauty products. They have branches all over Tokyo and there's one right across Ichiran.

               

My friends had a ready list of their favorite, tried and tested Japanese beauty products. In just a few minutes, their shopping baskets were loaded while mine had only 4 items - 2 facial wash, sunblock and a lip balm.  Wahaha....

For those who know me, I don't wear make-up. But while at Matsumoto Kiyoshi I tried to be open to the idea and asked my friends what they had in their basket - maybe they are worth trying.  They patiently explained to me what each one was for. Apply this on the face,  mix this color with this, wash off with this, cleanse with this, moisturize with this everyday, scrub with this every week - it was too complicated for me!!!    One day, if I post a status that says "It's complicated",  think no further.  Maybe I am just talking about make-up. Wahaha...

BTW, what I discovered while at Matsumoto Kiyoshi is that Shisheido has various brand extensions which are way more affordable than the Shiseido products we see in Duty Free or Shiseido stores in our country.  My favorite Shiseido product is the Multi-Defense UV protector SPF50 (the sunblock in white bottle) but I was so happy to know that they have more affordable product lines in Japan like the Shiseido Anessa line which has sunblock that costs half the price of the Multi-Defense UV protector.  :)

BIQLO - Bic and Uniqlo combined in one mall.   Bic Camera is a popular store in Japan but it doesn't just sell cameras but also home appliances, accessories, personal computers, bags, liquor, toys, etc.

So what's with combining Bic and Uniqlo? From what I heard, the idea of BiQlo came about so that while women are shopping in Uniqlo, men can hang out in Bic. How cool is that? :)

Can't remember how many floors BIQLO has but it's a happy place for Uniqlo shoppers. :)  

There's one floor occupied by Uniqlo's sub-brand called GU and it has automated counters that look like ATMs like the ones in the photo below.

You just put all the stuff you're buying at the bottom compartment then the machine scans all the items, summarizes what you're buying, and tells you how much is your total. You can pay via credit card or cash.

After paying, you may take out the stuff from the machine then put them into your eco bag or if you don't have one, you can get a bag from the store counter.

BTW, if you're going to Japan and you don't have thermal clothing, I suggest you just get 1 set from the local Uniqlo store in your country, then buy everything you need when you reach Japan coz it's way cheaper there.

Numazuko - Conveyor belt sushi resturant.  How can you not eat sushi when in Japan?   :)

One of my friends love to check Yelp for highly-rated restaurant recommendations nearby so that's how we discovered Numazuko after our BIQLO trip.

  

Fresh and yummy sushi. :)

Tokyu Hands - where to get all kinds of Japanese stuff.    Tokyu Hands has arts & crafts, travel accessories, home accessories, bags, stationery, tools, beauty products, etc.   Lots of beautifully-designed, functional and unique items. :)  I got a handful of travel accessories like vacuum seal storage bags and compact umbrellas with beautiful Japanese prints.  

Odakyu - another Japanese department store where you can do your shopping.  If it were near Christmas season, I would have done some Christmas shopping already.  There are just so many high quality and reasonably-priced items.

Shibuya Crossing. This is the only tourist landmark we went to. Haha... My memory of Shibuya Crossing during my first trip in Japan was eating in a ramen place just a few meters away from this busy intersection.

And while at Shibuya Crossing, don't forget to visit Hachiko - 

Hachiko

Within close proximity of Hachiko's statue, spotted this Hachiko manhole nearby. :)

While in Japan, be mindful of manholes - Japan has the most beautifully-designed manholes. Check this out -

What's the story behind Japanese manholes? In the 1980s when Japan was about to deploy the sewer systems outside of the major cities, the projects were met with resistance. Someone suggested the idea of customized manhole covers where communities can reflect their cultural identity, landmarks, local festivals, flowers, symbols, etc. on the manhole cover design and the idea clicked.

Toritake - yummy yakitori.   Most of us in the group love yakitori so we unanimously agreed that we just had to enjoy a yakitori meal while in Tokyo. :)

Super yum!

What I realized though while checking the menu is that their yakitori are just the basics -  chicken, pork, beef, chicken skin, mushrooms, chicken liver, etc.  I was looking for combinations like bacon-wrapped aoki mushrooms or bacon-wrapped asparagus like what they serve in yakitori restaurants in Manila but they don't have anything like that so not sure if those were just created for our local palate.

Godzilla. We were walking towards Don Quijote and guess whom we spotted?  Godzilla! Can you spot him in the photo below?   

There you go ----

I heard that there was a time when Godzilla was used for a promotion - they made him clutch a cup of mouthwash.  Haha...

Don Quijote - tax-free shopping.  Don Quijote is called Donki for short by the Japanese. This is a discount chain store that offers electronics, accessories, clothing and even groceries. And yes, it's tax free. Don't forget to bring your passport.

What's generaly great about most stores in Japan is even if they aren't tax-free, it's so easy to get tax refunds. They have designated counters within the stores for tax rebates.   Just make sure to bring your passport all the time.

Getting around Tokyo.   Spotted these beautiful Japanese women in their kimonos when we boarded a train. But nope, we didn't take the train most of the time coz the rail system in Japan is a bit confusing since there are several lines owned by different operators.   To get around, we took a cab or uber but it could really be expensive like.  Cab fare is way cheaper than uber though.  Uber fare for a 3km ride or 15-min ride for example is about 2,184 yen or about Php1,000.   Yikes, right?!

Accommodation. We booked through Airbnb but unfortunately the unit owner cancelled our original accommodation 2 weeks before the trip and assigned us different units. Our unit was at the third floor and there was no elevator.  Huhu... To top it off, the heater of the room assigned to us wasn't working (waaaa...).  I had to wear winter clothing to sleep! Wahaha... And our pillows didn't have any case - I had to use my laundry bag as pillow case. Haha.... I actually didn't mind sleeping with my laundry bag as my pillow case but to have no heater during winter?  Torture.   

We gave feedback to the owner the next day but there was no action.  Fortunately, one of my friends who was staying at the Grand Hyatt Regency kindly offered to adopt us. How could you say no to that?:) 

So here's the beautiful view from my friend's room at the Grand Hyatt Regency where we bunked in. Haha....

That's Mt Fuji right there -

Spotted a drone circling the area - 

And there's a view of a beautiful park below -

With such beautiful view, we didn't have to leave the room anymore. Haha.... 

But wait, there's more.  Other than the yummy daily breakfast, there was also cocktails everyday (which I think is one of the perks of my friend's hotel club membership).  But since I don't really drink, it's the food that I looked forward to.  Haha...  

Anyway, here's the last shot I took before we checked out of the hotel. :)  I just thought the shadows of the trees at the park were so beautiful.

BTW, sorry, I didn't indicate the exact locations of the places we went to because I couldn't remember.   That's the downside of taking cabs and uber, you just depend on them to bring you to your destination without really thinking.  Haha.... Plus when I'm traveling with a group of people who know the place better than me or who have done research, I just tag along.  It's so refreshing to tag along for a change when you're usually the navigator in most trips. :)    

Top 5 reasons to fall in love with Japan

I want to end my series of blogposts about Japan with a summary of why I find Japan as one of the best destinations.   It's a given that it's a beautiful place - so many things to see from nature, amusement to technology and architecture.

But here are the top 5 reasons why I fell in love with Japan (beyond its tourist attractions):

1.  People.  I find the Japanese very courteous, gracious, patient and friendly.  For me, they are the most consistently courteous and friendly (despite of the language barrier).  Wherever you go, whether in a restaurant, store or tourist attraction, they would cheerfully welcome and thank you (even if you don’t end up buying anything).   

They are also very honest.  When I was having a hard time with coins, I would just let the cashier count for me.  There was a time when I was purchasing something and I asked the cashier if it was ok to pay in coins (I brought out a handful of coins!) and she cheerfully counted my accumulated coins which totaled 6,000+ yen (mostly 100 and 10 yen coins).  I didn’t even see any trace of annoyance on her face. 

Here are more honest deeds: 

One of our tour mates left her camera inside the toilet at Sanrio Puroland.  When she realized it, we were on the bus on our way to our hotel in Tokyo already.  Our tour guide called Sanrio Puroland and explained the situation.  Sanrio Puroland found the camera and made arrangements to send the camera to our next hotel destination. 

Another tour mate left her jewelries in a hotel room in Osaka and again, the jewelries were returned. 

2.  Food.  If you love Japanese food - ramen, sashimi, sushi, shabu-shabu  - you know what I mean. Yum, yum, yum.  You can also check out my earlier blogpost - Food trip in Japan.

3.  Art.  Everything you see in Japan is so pleasing to the eyes – food, packaging, stationery, shrubs, the way they wrap gifts and even their staircase rails and manholes!   If you haven't read the fascinating story about Japanese manholes, check out my earlier blogpost on why the Japanese have beautifully-designed manholes.

Here are some random shots of the beautiful and kawaii (cute or adorable) things I saw in Japan:

We also went to this stationery store in Ginza called Ito-ya because our Japanese guide that day (a cousin of my tour mate) had to get a refill for his fountain pen and guess what?  We spent an hour sifting through 5 floors of stationery and supplies.  We fell in love with Japanese prints.

4.  Toilets.  I used to read all about Japan’s hi-tech toilets and it was such a treat to be able to experience it first hand! Haha... Heated toilet seat, trash can with sensor, sensor-based flush, and sensor-based sound effects!  In a toilet in one luxury store in Ginza, birds started chirping as soon as I sat on the toilet seat. haha...   

5.  Freedom of self-creativity.  You can wear whatever you want to wear, however you like to wear it, and people won't give you a second look.  Not that I wore something radical (maybe I should have tried!  Haha...) but it was refreshing to see people not throwing secret glances when they see someone sporting an unusual style.   I think their respect for individuality is very high and transcends race and color.  

And for all these reasons, I know I will be back.  :)

Basic etiquette and tips when visiting Japan

Source

I did some reading on basic Japanese etiquette before our trip since I am not that familiar with the Japanese culture. Here are the top 10 most useful tips I learned:

1. It is respectful to bow when thanking, greeting, congratulating or apologizing.   There are different types of bows with varying degrees but I think the simplest way to understand the bow is - the lower bow, the more intense is  your intention e.g. more respect, more thankful, more sorry, etc.  

2. When riding an escalator, always stay on the left side.  Those who wish to overtake walk on the right side.   Even when walking along a passageway, always stay on the left side.   Japanese vehicles are right-handed so the orientation is opposite to ours.

3. Keep your phone on silent mode when you are on a train or a bus.  

4.  When sitting on the floor for women, place your hands on your lap and your legs tucked under you or sit with both legs to one side.   For men, they can sit with their legs crossed.

5.  When eating a bowl of rice, hold the bowl in one hand (instead of setting it down on the table) and use your other hand to hold the chopsticks.

6.  When having miso soup, drink from the bowl.

7. Slurping noodles is ok. It is not considered bad manner.

8.  After using chopsticks, put them in front of you facing left.

9. When paying at a cashier, don't give the money straight to the cashier by hand. Place your payment on a small tray (small trays are usually placed on the counter).  When the cashier gives your change, use both of your hands to receive the change.  The same applies when handing out and receiving your credit card, calling card, gift, package or items you purchased.  As a rule of thumb, always hand out and receive with your both hands to show respect.

10.  There's no tipping but don't forget to say thank you or arigato. :)

More places to see in Tokyo

Here are more places we saw in Tokyo, Japan.  

On the right side of the photo below is the Asahi Beer Headquarters (golden building).   

That golden thing which looks like a chili pepper to me is called the Asahi flame designed by Philippe Starck.  Our tour guide said it represents the frothy foam of beer.    

Spotted this Nissan car which is shaped like a beetle.  Nice.

We also went to the Diver City which is a shopping mall.  But nope, we didn't go there to shop but...

to see the Gundam robot.  Haha... How tall is it?  It's 60 ft tall.  For some perspective, check out the spectators at the foot of the robot. 

Here's the front view of the Gundam robot.  We were able to catch the robot exhibition where the robot moves (complete with sound effects and music).  

But I am more of a Voltes V and Daimos kid.   I couldn't remember watching the Gundam series.  Or maybe I am having memory lapses already.  Haha... 

Walking distance from the Diver City is a replica of the Statue of Liberty with its back on the bay.  Our tour guide kidded us that it's because people love to take photo ops in Japan. Haha...

Behind the Statue of Liberty replica is the Rainbow bridge.  If you can see the buildings behind the bridge, that's central Tokyo.  Diver City (where Gundam is) and the replica of the Statue of Liberty are located in a place called Odaiba which is an artificial island in Tokyo (or what we call a reclaimed area).  

We had dinner at Odaiba and here's the view of the statue and Rainbow Bridge from the restaurant in the evening.

During our free day in Tokyo, other than visiting the Meiji Shrine, we also went around Ginza.  

In Ginza are upscale department stores - which means a place where I can't afford anything. Haha... 

Since we were a bit early when we got there and most department stores were still closed, we stayed first at the Starbucks branch across Mitsukoshi.  That Starbucks branch happens to be the first Starbucks in Japan.

I don't usually buy souvenir Starbucks mugs because they are too bulky to bring home but for the first time, I decided to get one - the only thing I could afford in the Ginza area. Haha... 

We also got 1-day train passes to save on transpo costs and when we got off the Shibuya station, this is what greeted us - Hachiko!

I have never watched the movie because I think it's too sad for me, but years before the movie, I have already read Hachiko's story.  If you don't know the story, here's the gist:  A Japanese professor took Hachiko as his pet in 1924.  Since then, Hachiko would go to the Shibuya station at the end of the day to wait and greet the professor.  This was their daily routine until one day in 1925, the Professor suffered hemorrhage and died.  But every single day in the next 9 years, Hachiko still came to the train station to wait for the professor.  Hachiko died in 1935 but after almost 80 years, Hachiko's memory still lives on.  

This is the Shibuya crossing which is a popular location for films and shows such as "Lost in Translation" and "The Fast and the Furious:  Tokyo Drift."

Here's another view of the Shibuya crossing.  During rush hour, they say that there are about 500 people crossing every time the pedestrian light goes green. Wow.

At the second floor of Tsutaya (that big building in the crossing) is a Starbucks - a popular place to watch the Tokyo scene.  All the seats by the window face the crossing.  They say this Starbucks is a consistent contender for the busiest Starbucks branch in the world.   

We also went around Harajuku and Ometosando while in the city. They are also shopping districts.  

And this is Tokyo by night.   

At past 9pm, a lot of lights in office buildings are still on.  Some of the windows I saw are not tinted and since we passed by flyovers, through the windows, you could clearly see employees still working on their computers.  

They say the Japanese are extremely hardworking.  On our flight to Osaka, I was seated beside a Filipina who works for a school in Osaka.  She shared with me that her Japanese colleagues (and the Japanese in general) would report for work even if they are sick because they don't want to put the burden of their work deliverables to their co-employees.  :)