Tokyo Travel Guide 2019 | Video
If you don't follow me on instagram, you may not know that I was in Japan this past week! My dad had a business trip and my sister Bella and I were able to join him! Despite having just a few short days there, we managed to jam-pack a lot of stuff in 3 days. If you're looking to visit, keep on reading (and watching) to see what to do there in 2019. We did not have nearly enough time to venture out to other cities with a trip this short, and honestly, I think 3 days was not even enough time for Tokyo itself! But hey, I'll take what I can get. Don't forget to watch the vlog Bella and I did below to see everything in action!
Day 1
We flew into Haneda airport- you can take the train from the airport which is very useful. The way to the hotel we took a cab, but it wound up costing around $50, when a train ticket was about $5 per person. Screenshot that google maps route to your hotel before you take off to prevent any stress when you arrive! We stayed at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel, which we didn't have any say about since it was my dad's trip. I didn't mind the hotel, but I wouldn't stay in that area if I were you, as I didn't find that there was much to do there. The closer you are to places you want to go, the less travel time you need! The Prince Hotel is a chain, so you can find multiple locations all over the city.
We arrived in the afternoon, so by the time we got ready at the hotel it was dinner time. We stopped by Jiromaru Yakiniku, a standing Japanese BBQ restaurant that fits maybe 8-10 people. This was on my list due to my friend Thu's recommendation from her Tokyo blogs and it didn't disappoint. The menu is fully Japanese, so our server Yoichi picked a bunch of beef cuts for us to grill on our personal grill. The wagyu was AMAZING. It's like Korean Barbecue on crack. If we were staying longer I'd have gone back for sure. Afterwards, we just walked around the restaurant neighborhood, Shinjuku. I loved Shinjuku- it's such a cool area and there's a ton to see on every corner. We checked out some of the conbini (convenience stores)- 7-Eleven, Lawson, and Family Mart. We walked past the Robot Restaurant, but decided not to go because I didn't want to spend $80 on a ticket. For dessert, we sipped on some boba from Pearl Lady, which was nothing special- we have so much better in LA. My sister played some games at the gaming center which are sprinkled all over the city, and then we ended the night early so we could get an early start for our first full day in Japan!
Day 2
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We woke up and grabbed a quick hotel breakfast before heading to Shibuya and Harajuku. We started the day at the Meiji Jingu Shrine, which was absolutely stunning with the famous sake barrels. Walking to the shrine through a path of trees was like being in a rainforest- which made sense because it was actually raining too. I liked the purification ritual at the water fountain a lot. We got our poem fortunes and I got my lucky #6 which was fun.
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Afterwards, we headed to Harajuku. We grabbed some sweets at Strawberry Mania (that custard daifuku is insane) and then did some shopping at Stylenanda, WEGO, and B Side Label. As if we didn't have enough dessert (the limit does not exist in my book), we grabbed another super cute soft serve at Eddy's Ice Cream before heading to Shibuya. After more shopping at Loft (probably my favorite store to shop- they have everything from beauty to souvenirs to stationery and more!), we grabbed some Gyoza at a shop called Harajuku Gyoza Lou. The gyoza was amazing and so affordable. Under $10 for 2 people! We capped off the afternoon in Shibuya by hitting up the famous crossing and Hachikō memorial statue.
After a quick breather at the hotel, we visited the Pokémon Center Tokyo DX, which was cool but not a must-see unless you're a big Pokémon fan and want to buy some merch. By the time we were done there it was time for a late dinner. We headed back to Shibuya to try Gyukatsu Motomura, which does beef katsu that you finish cooking yourself on a little hot stone. The beef melts in your mouth- it's so good and such a reasonable price.
Naturally, I had to visit a few bars. I checked out Shibuya's Golden Gai and visited Albatross. Afterwards I realized I was at their sister bar and not the OG, but it was still a super fun experience. The bar is tiny, seats maybe 5 people at the main bar max. Bars in Tokyo have covers since they're so small- but they'll usually also give you a little snack while you drink which is fun.
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After that, I walked to Ben Fiddich, which was a bit more of a fancier experience- there is no menu, it's entirely bartender's choice. I had a drink made with Japanese Whisky, Gin, and Blackberry. The attention to detail from this bartender was insane, like an art. He wiped off the mouth of each bottle after using it, and they taste drinks before serving by putting a bit of it on their hand with a bar spoon instead of using a straw. By the time I finished my drink, I was exhausted- it was nearly midnight and I'd been awake since 5:45!
Day 3
I was laying in bed in the morning and got to feel an earthquake- so crazy! My sister slept through it, but once she woke up we headed out for the day. We visited the Tsukiji Fish Market and got some delicious daifuku at Soratsuki for breakfast- the custard one from yesterday was still my favorite. We got some more substantial food at Lawson- my sister got an Onigiri and I grabbed an Egg Salad sandwich. If the convenience stores in the USA were anything like this I'd probably be saving a lot more money on lunch. So tasty.
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We headed to Asakusa and visited the Sensoji Temple, which was breathtaking with the 5-story pagoda. There is a row of shops as you walk to the temple which worked well for snacks and souvenirs. We visited two shrines (Hie and Nezu) that both have those famous red-orange torii gates which symbolize vitality and protection from evil. You bet those were my fave photo op! Hie was my favorite. After Nezu, we were hungry but I didn't have anything bookmarked nearby, so I did some googling and found Takajō, a shop that makes their own hand cut soba noodles. It was a restaurant where you had to take your shoes off and sit on the floor, which was cool to experience.
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Then we stopped by Ippodo to buy some matcha. I don't like matcha, but my sister does, so I got her a nice set since she couldn't join us. Then, we headed to Kit Kat Chocolatory to buy some bougie Kit Kats. It was so bougie they even pack your purchases in an insulated bag with an ice pack so they don't melt!From there, we checked out Tokyo Tower and Zojoji Temple and did some shopping before meeting my dad and his coworkers for dinner.
They took us to Tsukada Farm, close to our hotel in Shinagawa. At this place we tried their specialty, chicken served raw in the middle. I figured it was worth a try once, but I definitely wouldn't try it again, even though it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it'd be.
Day 4
Our last day we didn't get to do too much unfortunately, so we really just did the hotel breakfast and did some souvenir snack shopping. Taking the train to the airport was super easy- make sure to return your Pasmo card at the desk because you get a refund! We wanted to get to the airport early to shop, but there honestly wasn't a ton of options at Haneda Airport. We did pick up some Tokyo Banana, some more Kit Kats, and I snagged a bottle of Japanese Whisky, so it wasn't too bad. Unfortunately, food was kinda scarce too, so I'd recommend eating beforehand because the food we did have (Udon) wasn't amazing. Overall it was an amazing whirlwind trip- I can't wait to hopefully go back and get to explore Tokyo more and venture out to other cities!Check out this handy Google Map below, featuring everywhere I went, plus, the places I wanted to go to but missed out on! I hope it helps you plan your trip to Tokyo!
