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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/RedStarRedTide on 2024-11-18 20:23:39+00:00.
This was my first time in Japan and my first international trip. I want to thank the people in this sub for giving me advice and tips on luggage, wifi access, and neighborhoods to visit. This was my original post regarding itinerary help.
About me: I am an Asian American from the United States in my early thirties. I studied basic travel phrases for a couple months prior to my trip, so I had some words down for ordering food, shopping, and small talk. I went with a group of three other friends (two of them went to Japan last year) but we stayed in separate locations in Tokyo. I was exploring solo around 70 percent of the time.
Day One (Monday) - Landed at Haneda
Flew Japan Airlines and the experience and food were excellent. Had two meals and snacks so I felt satisfied. I barely slept during the nearly 12 hour flight with only a brief nap. I also forgot my earbuds at home so I was extremely bored and passed the time talking to my friend.
The first part of the trip was rocky. We landed in Haneda at the same time as several other flights. Going through immigration was horrific. It took us nearly an hour and 45 minutes to clear the gates where the passport checkers were. The lines were long and winding and the ventilation was poor with barely any air conditioning coming in. This was easily the worst part of the trip.
We went to currency exchange, picked up our Welcome Suica cards, and I picked up my pocket wifi at the ninja wifi counter (obtained through Japan Wireless) since my phone does not support esim. We took our respective trains to our lodging and luckily did not get lost.
I stayed at Hotel Sardonyx Ueno which was a couple blocks from Okachimachi Station. The hotel was excellent but the rooms are small. The hotel has coin laundry which costs 600 yen for a 2 hour wash and dry cycle. The staff were nice and I got checked in quickly. I checked in around 10:15 PM. I was unsure of what to eat so in desperation, I went to the local McDonald's (lol) and picked up some fries and a burger.
Day Two (Tuesday) - Ueno Park - Ameyoko Shopping District - brief detour to Asakusa
I spent the first day exploring the "home base" of Ueno. I was out and about around 7:45 AM. I went to Komeda's Coffee for a cup of joe and ordered a tonkatsu sandwich which came with toast and egg. It was a great way to kick off the trip with some caffeine and a bite.
I explored Ueno Park which was a short walk away. The park was peaceful and quiet as I passed by the Saigō Takamori statue. I walked by some shrines and Takenodai Square. The park was beautiful and walkable. It was clean and the trees and foliage were well kept. Unfortunately, the Tokyo National Museum was closed due to Culture Day so I elected to go back to Ameyoko Shopping District by taking the train at Ueno Station.
I went and explored Ameyoko Shopping District. There are loads of stalls and eateries including markets, tea shops, izakayas, ramen shops, clothing stores, and arcades.
The highlight of the night was a haircut appointment I had booked in October for Hiro Ginza Ueno. It was 10,120 yen for a 90 minute haircut, shave, and head spa. It was very relaxing and I was happy to start my trip with a fresh cut. Although there was a significant language barrier, I was extremely satisfied with the haircut and service.
I did a very quick trip to Asakusa to wrap up the evening since my friend wanted to grab some beers. The bar was small but lively. Beer is always good!
Day Three (Wed) - Asakusa - Sumida Park - Tobu Railway Musuem - Tokyo Skytree
I walked along the big street Inaricho station is located on to Asakusa. It took about 35-40 minutes to reach the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. I grabbed coffee along the way. Kaminarimon, Nakamise Dori, and Senso-ji along with the surrounding areas were beautiful but packed full of people. This was around 10-10:30 AM.
After visiting the temples, I went inside Don Quixote Asakusa and the surrounding areas. The store was full of items - luggage, cosmetics, snacks, electronics, clothes, etc. It was a bit overwhelming though.
Sumida Park was next. It was very quiet with a few bikers, and dog walkers. It was a bit drizzly and gloomy but I still had fun getting my steps in along the river.
Tobu Museum is a small but enjoyable railway museum. Thanks to u/dougwray for suggesting! There were no crowds at all so I had a leisurely stroll inside. The historical train carriages were fascinating and you can walk and sit inside most of them.
Tokyo Skytree was phenomenal. I reunited with my friends here and bought combo tickets for the Tembo Deck and Galleria. Imho it was well worth it. I got to the ticketing booth at 3:55 PM and was able to choose the 4:00 PM entry time. The views left me speechless and we stayed for pictures as it transitioned into nighttime with all the glittering lights.
Day Four (Thursday) - Akihabara - Tokyo Dome - Ichigaya
Walked from the hotel to Cafe Lapin at around 9 AM. The cheese toast and coffee were delicious! It wasn't your run of the mill grilled cheese sandwich. The cheese was soft and gooey but had substance. The coffee was rich and bold.
Afterwards I walked to Akihabara which took around 18-25 minutes. It was around 10 AM and most stores were still closed so I decided to walk to Higashi-Nihombashi to visit the Sakazen Large Size Specialty Store. This is a great store if you're a bigger guy like me who wears XXL-XXXL clothing. The selection was decent and I was able to pick up a button down. Took the train back to Akihabara to meet with friends and explored the model kit shops like Tamtam, Warhammer Cafe, and Popondetta Akihabara (thank you u/dougwray again!).
Dropped off my purchases at the hotel and took the train to Tokyo Dome. I am a huge baseball fan so this was a must see. The NPB season had ended in October but the shops, mall, spa, and amusement park were still open. Tokyo Dome City is massive.
Lastly, I ended the night with a head spa appointment I booked at Mr. Head by Ichigaya Station. It was 90 minutes of blissful massage for 11,200 yen.
Day Five (Friday) - Ginza
Started the morning at 8:35 AM at Glitch Coffee in Ginza. The shop opens at 9 AM so I went around the block for 15 minutes before coming back. Big mistake. There was already a small line and there were about 12 people ahead of me. I finally entered at around 9:35 AM. I paid 2000 yen for a coffee (roughly $15) per their recommendation. It was easy to drink and smelled wonderful like fruit but I didn't think it was worth 2000 yen lol. Definitely recommend coming here during opening. There was a line for at least 30-40 yards when I exited the shop.
Walked around Tsukiji Outer Market around 10:15 AM. The market was packed full of people and I didn't feel like trying some of the yummy snacks since the lines were long. Headed back to Ginza and explored shops like Montbell, Porter, etc. I headed to Tokyo Station afterwards for lunch at Tokyo Ramen Street. I got lost trying to leave Tokyo Station but eventually got to Marunouchi Square which was gorgeous. I am a big fan of the old-school looking train station! The plaza is huge and spacious - perfect for photos. I turned around and entered the Kokyo Gaien National Garden. This place was massive but I wasn't sure how much I could explore. The trees and grass were well kept and the views through the garden to the city were superb. I walked through the garden paths and exited back to Ginza.
I explored more of Ginza including the Uniqlo Flagship Store but the narrow aisles and huge crowds weren't as fun. Unfortunately, my feet were in significant pain that day and I had to cut my evening short by coming back to Ueno.
Day Six (Saturday) - Ueno
This was a rest/laundry day owing to my poor feet. I bought some teas and matcha for my family in Ameyoko early in the morning at 10 am when the shops opened up. I went back to the Tokyo National Musuem since it was closed on Tuesday. The pieces were excellent but imo somewhat limited. There were swords, pottery, wall dividers, artwork, sculptures, and more. Note: I only got the regular ticket but it seems like the premium ticket would be the better investment for more access.
Had Magurobito in Ueno for an early sushi dinner. I took advantage of there being no line and sat at the counter. The chef makes sushi according to your selection off a menu. The fish and seafood were delicious and it was relatively affordable (15 pieces for around $31 USD). In retrospect, I should have eaten more sushi on the trip but my body was constantly craving ramen. Went back to the hotel to start the laundry cycle and went back out to Ameyoko for some more food.
Day Seven (Sunday) - Return to Ginza
This was a shopping-focused day. I had to make up some of the time lost on Day Five. I started off the day at the Tamiya Plamodel Factory. The facility was clean, bright, and family-friendly. I think Tamtam or Yodobashi Camera have a bigger selection of model kits, but the packaging at Tamiya Plamodel Factory seem cleaner and newer.
Did some more exploring in Ginza. Went into various malls like Ginza Six which was chalk full of boutique go...
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