Travelogue 2023 Tokyo 5-Day Free and Easy Trip

[Travelogue] 2023 Tokyo 5-Day Free and Easy Trip

Record and travel information for a 5-day free and easy trip to Tokyo in June 2023, following the Kansai region trip last month.

2023/05 Kansai Region 8-Day Free and Easy Trip

Following the previous post “Travelogue] 2023 Kansai Region & 🇯🇵 First Landing”, I quickly returned to Japan a week later.

You may wonder why not stay in Japan and take the Shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo directly? The reason is that the Tokyo trip was actually the originally planned overseas trip, while the Kansai region trip was just an impromptu decision.

Plus, I didn’t want to change flight tickets, accommodations, and have to Work From Japan for a week (I believe in pure enjoyment when traveling), so I returned to Taiwan after the Kansai region trip.

Looking back, it was a good decision to return; because during the week I returned to Taiwan, Japan was hit by a super typhoon, causing flooding, Shinkansen suspension, and overcrowded train stations; if I had been in Japan that week, there wouldn’t have been many places to go. (Finally, not the rain god anymore!)

Tokyo Trip Group - Three Single Men

Myself, current colleague (Sean), and former colleague (James Lin); where Sean and James are university classmates. (Yes, the industry is that small XD)

For information on entering Japan and other insights, please refer to the previous post.

KKday Promotion

One-stop purchase for Tokyo area transportation, experiences, and tickets: “Disneyland tickets, SHIBUYA SKY observation deck e-tickets, Tokyo-Narita Airport Keisei Railway tickets, Tokyo subway day pass, Tokyo Skytree tickets, Toyosu teamLab, Japan sim/eSim cards, Tokyo Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio tickets, buy now, use now, Asakusa kimono experience, rickshaw rides, Asakusa houseboat, hedgehog cafe, Lake Kawaguchi day tour”

Pre-Trip Preparation

Although the Tokyo trip was the planned overseas arrangement, we only talked about it until the Kansai region plans were almost finalized. It was only then that we started planning and executing the Tokyo trip.

Joy

tripmoment

For places I haven’t been to, I am still an ENFP spontaneous type, finding everywhere fresh and exciting; so I mainly took care of the general direction of flights, accommodations, and transportation; we decided on attractions based on where other travel companions wanted to go or where we felt like visiting at the moment.

Joy, mainly handled by Sean & James, we planned to buy tickets in advance for Disneyland (Ocean), Yokohama Gundam, and Shibuya Sky; so we bought the tickets two weeks before departure.

If you don’t buy them in advance, there won’t be any available slots on-site.

This time, I brought the remaining Japanese yen from the last trip, around $60,000, and ended up with around $5,000 left.

Because my Visa card couldn’t be used at a drugstore in Shinjuku, I had to pay over $10,000 in cash for cosmetics, and I decided to spend all the remaining cash.

Also, I almost couldn’t return; when buying a ticket from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport, my card couldn’t be used, and I had to scramble to gather enough cash for the fare.

Journey

🛫

Since this trip was only for 5 days and time was limited, we prioritized early departure and late return flights; we directly checked SkyScanner for flights with suitable timings.

Taipei <-> Narita

6/7 EVA Air BR 184 08:00 TPE -> NRT 12:25
6/22 EVA Air BR 195 20:40 NRT -> TPE 23:20
Round trip: $17,086

There was a mistake here, you shouldn’t buy three plane tickets for one person, each person should buy their own ticket because using a credit card to purchase tickets will provide travel insurance.

Later, I found out that flying from Songshan to Haneda wasn’t much more expensive and was more convenient Orz.

Travel insurance: Done

📲

Similarly, purchase a 5-day unlimited data SIM card on KKDAY for about $500.

🚈

Same as the previous post, I used the Suica card directly on my iPhone, but my friend with an Android phone had to buy the Welcome Suica limited-time card (ask at Narita Airport, that’s the only option available).

Accommodation

Since this trip was only to Tokyo, I looked for a hotel where we could stay for four days without changing locations. As it was close to the travel date, there were no available rooms at the Tokyo branches of Toyoko Inn or APA; I had to search on Agoda for a hotel near the middle of Tokyo with access to train and subway stations.

Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo-Shiodome — 4 nights

Located at Shiodome Station, providing direct access to Odaiba or Shinjuku.

To go to other places, you need to walk to Shimbashi Station (about 10 minutes), and from Shimbashi to Tokyo Station is another 10 minutes (1-2 stops away).

Reasonably convenient, reasonably priced, with good reviews. The room was clean, comfortable, and not too small. Since there were three of us, the room had two beds and a sofa bed (which was as comfortable as a regular bed).

3 people total NT$23,894

CHO Stay Capsule Hotel at Taoyuan Airport — Overnight on Day 0

This trip was special because our flight was at 8 a.m., and we were all departing from Taipei. We needed to catch a 6 a.m. flight, so we had to leave home around 4-5 a.m. Considering the excitement of going out and the difficulty in falling asleep, we wouldn’t have gotten much rest.

Therefore, a few days before the trip, we decided to stay overnight at the airport the night before. I found out that there was a capsule hotel at Taoyuan Airport, so we decided to give it a try!

Location: On the south side of Terminal 2, 5th floor, right below Terminal 2 (about a 5-minute walk down)

The rooms available were double rooms, triple rooms, quadruple rooms, and single beds (approximately 16 beds per room).

When we booked, only single beds were available.

1 person NT$1,500

Departure on Day 0

Basically, I unpacked the items I bought in the Kansai region, took out some clothes and essentials, repacked my suitcase, and then set off.

Currently, you can’t check in for the airport express for the next day’s flight, so I had to carry my luggage to Terminal 2.

Sean & Me & James

Upon arriving at Terminal 2, I went straight to the departure hall on the third floor. From there, I found the location to the south side shopping mall observation deck (walk to the right at the end of the hall).

Walk to the end and take the escalator up.

At the top of the escalator, you’ll see the entrance to a Taiwanese-style hotel.

Taoyuan Airport Capsule Hotel

After checking in, you can store your luggage and then go out to eat.

Eating is not allowed in the rooms. Each of us received a tea bag upon check-in, which we could ask the front desk to brew. We sat at the bar counter near the door to drink it. They also provided towels for joining the membership on-site.

Earplugs are available at the entrance for free.

Corridor

The bathroom facilities were new, clean, and comfortable. There were two toilets, five shower rooms, two hairdryers (one Dyson), and shower gel and shampoo provided. Guests need to bring their own towels and toiletries.

Men’s Bathroom

Upon entering, there is a luggage room on the left. The layout of the beds is as follows:

Dormitory Beds

Each bed had its own mirror, desk, lamp, curtain, and trash can. I slept on the top bunk, and the mattress was thick enough that I didn’t disturb the person on the bottom bunk when moving around.

The translation of the Markdown content is as follows:

The mattress is not only thick but also long enough, 176 CM, so sleeping is not a problem; the environment is clean, the lighting is warm, and the air conditioning is very comfortable; the only irresistible factor is that snoring from others can still be heard (so free earplugs are provided at the door).

But I’m not afraid of noise, as long as it’s warm and relaxing, I can sleep well; so I slept until dawn, directly brushing my teeth and checking out at nearly 6 o’clock (slept full and satisfied, then went abroad).

Fortunately, we had a reservation the night before, and when other guests wanted to check in on the spot, there were no more available spots.

In the morning, leisurely enjoy the airport view:

I thought it would be crowded at 8 am in the morning, but luckily there were hardly any people.

If I had known, I would have slept in the capsule hotel until 7 o’clock and then come down!

Waiting for Boarding

This time, the boarding gate required taking a shuttle bus (referred to as a shuttle bus by mainland netizens).

It was hot and crowded, but I still made it to the boarding gate:

Bye 🇹🇼

Arrival at Narita Airport

Hey 🇯🇵

Day 1 Shibuya, Parco, Shibuya Sky

It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the plane to the immigration hall, and by the time you actually pick up your luggage and go through customs, it’s already around 1 pm.

When transferring to the Narita Express, I made a mistake at the beginning by swiping my Suica card at the entrance; it turned out that all seats on the Narita Express were reserved, so I had to exit, buy a ticket, and then re-enter the station (later I found out that you can apparently buy tickets directly at the platform machine inside the station).

Later, I took the Narita Express departing at 2 o’clock to Tokyo Station.

Enjoying the scenery along the way, when you can see the Tokyo Skytree, it means you’re almost there.

After arriving at Tokyo Station, I transferred to the subway to Shimbashi Station, then found my way to Shiodome.

The hotel is hidden inside an office building, very unique:

At first, I thought I had walked into someone’s office building by mistake, but it turned out to be the hotel.

Drop off luggage, take a rest: Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo Shiodome

(The video was filmed later and is a bit chaotic XD)

Heading to Shibuya

You must visit this intersection, reminiscent of the challengers of the border of the afterlife.

— Alice in Borderland

Shibuya Parco — Gokumoku-ya

Queue up to taste the famous Gokumaru House around 5:30 PM, and after about 45 minutes of waiting, there will be seats available.

I ordered the Kobe beef hamburger + Kobe beef steak + rice ice cream combo ($3,355 Japanese Yen):

The staff helped set the doneness level to about 1 minute, and you have to flip it yourself on the iron plate to cook it to your preferred doneness. Gokumaru House

Here, it is important to use two pairs of chopsticks; for hygiene, use the metal ones for cooking and the bamboo ones for eating, alternating between them.

The Kobe beef steak is delicious, juicy, tender, and has no gamey taste 🤩; the hamburger is also good but a bit heavier.

Shibuya Parco - Polar Bear Store for Self-Deprecation

Accidentally bought some items.

Shibuya - Shibuya Sky

Luckily, Sean bought the tickets early; otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to get in.

KKday SHIBUYA SKY Observatory E-Ticket Tokyo

It’s dark up there, a bit windy, and you can’t bring bags (lockers are provided).

Apart from a bar in the corner, there are no other facilities or light pollution, making it great for taking photos and enjoying the night view.

You probably need to make a separate reservation for the bar, and it has the same opening hours as the visit.

Back at the hotel, it’s still sake, instant noodles, and snacks to end the day

The tofu skin instant noodles are delicious.

Day 2 - Yokohama Gundam, Odaiba, Shinjuku

Early the next morning, rushed to the 10 AM Gundam performance, took a train to Sakuragicho Station, then transferred to a cable car + walked to the Gundam Factory.

Yokohama Gundam

The weather is super nice!!

[_KKday Japan Yokohama GUNDAM FACTORY YOKOHAMA & Yokohama Marine Tower Set Ticket_](https://www.kkday.com/zh-tw/product/149471-gundam-factory-yokohama-marine-tower-set-ticket-japan?cid=19365&ud1=9da2c51fa4f2){:target=”_blank”}

The Gundam performance lasted from 10 AM until noon, with different storylines for different sessions; however, since I’m not a Gundam fan, I just enjoyed the spectacle.

But I have to say it’s very spectacular, the details, movements, and sounds are very delicate.

There are also peripheral specialty stores inside, selling Gundam models and exclusive products.

Sean’s Gundam Finished Product

Because I’m not a Gundam fan, I just walked around, watched a few performances, and then left.

Odaiba

I headed to Odaiba, the tram from Shiodome to Odaiba is cool, along the way you can see the Fuji TV station and the whole view of Odaiba.

Upon arriving at Odaiba, let’s first see the Statue of Liberty in Odaiba.

It is 1/7 of the Statue of Liberty in New York, symbolizing the friendly relationship between Japan and France.

A little further ahead, looking back, you can see the Fuji TV station that has been destroyed many times by Arale in Dr. Slump.

A little further ahead, you can go to the mall to eat takoyaki and Taiwanese fried chicken?

Takoyaki is average, too many octopus pieces make it greasy; the fried chicken is quite special, although it’s labeled as Taiwanese-style, it’s actually Japanese fried chicken (thin, boneless) coated with Taiwanese flour for frying. It’s different from Taiwanese fried chicken, but I still told the staff it’s delicious, and that I’m Taiwanese 🤣.

I originally planned to buy clothes and shoes at the department store in Odaiba, but when I was close, I saw that the subway could go to Shinjuku; so I suddenly turned and headed to Shinjuku.

Shinjuku

Started shopping around.

Went to La Lebo to smell the Tokyo-exclusive scent of GAIAC No. 10.

It feels light… woody… can’t really smell it. (But I still bought it on Day 4)

In the end, I only bought clothes, pants, and cosmetics at the department store, and as the weather started to turn gloomy and rainy, I returned to the hotel.

Ended the day with eating

Hot dogs are delicious, and the fruit wine is good!

Day 3 Tokyo DisneySea

We set off early, and the weather was overcast and rainy in the morning.

[_KKday Japan Tokyo Disney Resort Tickets Tokyo Disney Resort_](https://www.kkday.com/zh-tw/product/19252?cid=19365&ud1=9da2c51fa4f2){:target=”_blank”}

We bought tickets for DisneySea, not Disneyland. The beautiful castle is in Disneyland; to enter DisneySea, you need to take the park’s tram.

After entering the park, we started drawing lots for performances or entry, but didn’t win any. In the end, we purchased front-row seats for the evening fireworks show “ Believe! ~Sea of Dreams~ “ (you can also watch it from the outside, the show is in the harbor public area).

As the rain got heavier, we went to a roadside shop to buy Mickey raincoats:

I personally think the quality and material are quite good, and there are cute Mickey or Minnie patterns (deep red) to choose from, and they are not expensive!!

Luckily, it didn’t rain after noon!! I’m not a rain man!!

Bought raincoats and headed straight to “ Toy Story Crazy Game House “:

There were a lot of people, waited for about 100 minutes to get in:

The game involves teams of 2 people (1 person can play with a computer) operating buttons to shoot and score with projection balloons, high fun factor, low excitement, suitable for couples or families.

There is also Mr. Egghead’s interactive theater performance and a small souvenir shop nearby:

Very cute hugging brother doll!!

Next is “ Soaring: Fantastic Flight “, also a popular amusement facility:

After queuing to enter, before the game starts, there will be scenes introducing the adventurer’s story, paintings hanging on the wall are actually high-resolution screens with animations and speech, very impressive!

The theater, ball-shaped giant screen + 4D experience (seats will rise and move forward + air scents); the content is landscapes from around the world, for example, the great plains will have the scent of grass; very stunning, suitable for everyone!

Here we bought the fast pass.

After playing these two facilities, it was close to noon, so we started looking for food. Since the restaurants were full, we could only find snacks like pizza, chicken legs… etc.

Just as we came out with food, the Harbor Show “ Colors of Christmas “ started:

After eating, we started wandering around the souvenir shops in the park:

After digesting, we started queuing for “ Journey to the Center of the Earth “:

It takes about 90-100 minutes, just enough time to fully digest, otherwise it would be too exciting XD

The content is a replica of the movie “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, with impressive scenes and immersion; at the end, there will be acceleration and a slight descent (feeling of weightlessness), the excitement is stronger but not to the point of feeling weak in the legs, suitable for friends looking for a bit of excitement.

After coming out, we went to the nearby “ 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea “ to relax:

Not many people, the content is a simulated feeling of diving in a submarine (but it should be simulated), very low excitement, only suitable for young children.

After sitting down, we continued to wander around and eat:

Very cute but very sweet Mickey ice cream bars, and Anna Belle (Lena Belle).

Continued to walk around and take pictures, the park is really big, just took some scenery shots, didn’t take any pictures of animated fantasy scenes:

After reaching the end, we went to ride “ Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull “:

No deep-sea exploration adventure (no weightlessness and not that fast down), the content is an immersive scene from the movie Indiana Jones, personally I find it interesting and fun.

Continuing to skim through:

Also took the “ Disney Sea Ferry Route “ and “ Disney Sea Electric Railway “ because my feet were sore from walking, and the scenery along the way was nice; more inclined towards the transportation facilities within the park, without any special amusement effects.

As the evening approached, started shopping and taking photos:

Had to admit it was easy to go on a shopping spree because of many 40th-anniversary limited editions; also took photos with the Earth.

Approaching the start time of the performance, started walking back to the harbor and sat on the ground upon entry.

As mentioned earlier, we also purchased regular seats for viewing.

The whole performance experience was very immersive, including music, projections (the volcano will erupt at the back!), lasers, fireworks, Disney Sea-related character plots… all combined very well, definitely worth staying until the end of the evening to watch the performance.

After experiencing the whole day at Disney, my impression is that all the facilities are very immersive, not just simple amusement facilities, but aiming for visitors to immerse themselves in that character and scene; although not as thrilling as Universal, I find it very entertaining; the fireworks show at night is a must-see!

There are many cute souvenirs, need to control your hands (stop shopping)!

Ate random food, think it’s better to bring your own food from outside.

If time allows, it’s better to spend two days on land and sea, the sea part lacks the dreamy castle and the parade on land QQ

Outside JR Maihama Station, there is still a last peripheral specialty store to shop at, took one last stroll before leaving reluctantly.

After returning to the hotel, continued with the daily routine; today had soy sauce ramen, cantaloupe fruit juice (delicious!!), Akaya plum wine (delicious!!), and oolong shochu (tasteless, not good).

Day 4 Tokyo Tower, Meiji Shrine, Le Labo, Kameari Ryotsu Police Box, Asakusa Kaminarimon, Tokyo Skytree

After a good night’s sleep, started thinking about today’s itinerary (crazy ENFP), the only thing everyone did together was Tokyo Skytree at night; in the morning, friends went to Akihabara, it was a day to explore Tokyo alone.

Tokyo Tower

Looking at the map, Shinbashi is not far from Tokyo Tower; decided to go there first.

Upon leaving, found out that there was a serious subway accident causing delays, so decided to walk instead (about 20 minutes):

Walking alone on the streets of Tokyo, it’s not too hot in June, enjoying the breeze.

Encountered a vendor selling hot roasted sweet potatoes on the roadside.

When approaching Tokyo Tower, passed by a park called “Tokyo Metropolitan Shiba Park⁩” and viewing the tower through the branches from here offers a unique perspective:

Continuing down the mountain road, arrived at the base of Tokyo Tower.

[_KKday Japan Tokyo Tokyo Tower Main Observatory Tokyo Tower E-Ticket_](https://www.kkday.com/zh-tw/product/12271-japan-tokyo-tower-observatory-e-ticket?cid=19365&ud1=9da2c51fa4f2){:target=”_blank”}

Upon entering the tower, purchased Top Deck tickets; besides being able to go up to the top of the tower, the ticket includes a guided tour (with Chinese audio) and a complimentary souvenir photo of the visit! (Great experience)

The guided tour features interactive murals similar to those at Disneyland yesterday 😆, with two predecessors in conversation, discussing the construction of a iconic Japanese building, with the same architect having another work being the Tsutenkaku in Osaka.

The morning view of Tokyo from above is nice, with the third image showing the Skytree to visit at night.

Finally, a free commemorative photo of the successful tower climb!

Meiji Shrine

After visiting Tokyo Tower, checked the map and decided to head to Meiji Shrine.

After getting off the subway, walked a long way (about 30 minutes) to reach Meiji Shrine.

A special encounter was witnessing a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony happening at the shrine:

Finished the visit at the main hall and left.

Found Meiji Shrine to be more solemn and serious, while Asakusa Temple felt crowded with tourists.

Next stop was the iconic Kameari - Kameari Park, where I wanted to see how it looks; on the way there, stopped by Le Labo in Omotesando for another sniff.

LE LABO Aoyama Store

Honestly, I’m not that interested in Le Labo; I prefer Ormonde Jayne perfumes personally, and Le Labo gives me a mass-market packaging vibe.

After a sniff, bought Another 13, a strong scent; and inevitably, also bought the Tokyo-exclusive Gaiac 10, both in 15ml as souvenirs.

Le Labo perfumes are packaged and labeled on-site (takes about 15–20 minutes), allowing customization of your own label; I chose “ZhgChgLi” for 13, my personal favorite, and 10 represents Tokyo, asking the staff in broken English which one represents Japan, and he said ♨️ 😝.

The prices for Le Labo in Japan are as shown, with an additional discount for tax exemption on 13.

The Tokyo-exclusive Gaiac 10 is more expensive, costing $16,800 Japanese Yen after tax exemption.

Kameari - Kameari Park

After shopping, continue to walk towards Kameari (Kameari is really far).

As soon as you exit the station, there are statues of characters from the Ueno Police Station:

Checked the map and went to Kameari Park near the back station for a stroll:

It’s just an ordinary park, with many children playing soccer inside. There is a statue in a sitting position, covered with children’s belongings, so I didn’t take any photos.

Checked online and found that there is a scene of the Ueno Police Station at the Ario department store nearby, so I continued walking (about 10 minutes):

Upon entering, I was disappointed. It’s almost certain that the popularity of Ueno has declined (young people don’t watch it anymore…). Apart from the statues at the station exit, from the ordinary park in front to the so-called Ueno Police Station amusement park, only the set is left, and outside the set, it has been transformed into a playground (with claw machines).

The saddest part was the gachapon machine at the entrance, with the eyes of the character broken and not repaired, giving a desolate feeling. In the end, I got a detective in hot pants from the machine and left feeling disappointed.

Checked the map and took a bus to Asakusa, which is closer. It took about 15 minutes to check the route and walk to the bus stop:

There were hardly any people or tourists on the way to the bus stop, and even Google Translate couldn’t translate the bus route; I had truly arrived in a non-touristy area.

I made a mistake when boarding the bus because in Kyoto, you pay when you get off, so I stood there blankly after boarding the bus, not understanding Japanese. It wasn’t until a kind Japanese passenger said “pay pay” that I realized I had to swipe my card to pay at the front.

The journey was quiet and comfortable, with Japanese drivers waiting for passengers to sit down and get up before starting the bus. We swayed all the way to Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa.

KKday Tokyo Asakusa Rickshaw Tour Japan

KKday Tokyo Kimono Rental Recommendation! Tokyo Asakusa Kimono Experience

There were so many tourists!! It was so crowded that I could only find angles to take photos.

Continued walking towards Senso-ji Temple, there were just too many tourists. I didn’t plan to buy anything, just wanted to take a look around. Along the way, I found this bean shop unexpectedly delicious, so I bought some as souvenirs.

After visiting Senso-ji Temple, there were still many people, so we took some photos and left.

As it was getting close to evening, we started moving towards the Tokyo Skytree.

Senso-ji Temple overlooking the Tokyo Skytree.

Tokyo Skytree

Since it was still early, we continued to enjoy the scenery along the way.

KKday Tokyo Skytree Observatory Advance Ticket Japan

Getting closer, it kept getting bigger.

After arriving at the Tokyo Skytree, we first strolled around the shopping mall inside, ordered a cup of Hokkaido strawberry ice cream to take a break.

We didn’t buy tickets for the Top Deck at the Tokyo Skytree, only for the middle observation deck, entering at 7 p.m.

When we first went up, it wasn’t dark yet, so we took a few casual photos:

After sunset, we could overlook the entire night view of Tokyo, which was very beautiful.

In the top left corner of the first picture is the distant Tokyo Tower; it was quite dark inside, and the glass reflected light making it difficult to take selfies.

Managed to take one picture XD

Before leaving, we took one last look back.

On the last night, we ate at an izakaya and took some photos of the night views along the way:

Charcoal-grilled Chicken

Japan’s weather turned bad today. It was unexpected to see the Tokyo Tower every day passing by Shiodome, along with special art installations. We finally stopped to appreciate it on the last day.

Last Night’s Midnight Snack

Still, Nissin noodles are delicious, especially with convenience store fried chicken 🤤! Bought melon juice a few days ago, and today bought strawberry juice, both were delicious; can’t remember the sake, so they were probably average.

Day 5 National Diet Building, Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, Return Trip

After waking up and storing our luggage, like Day 4, I casually explored Tokyo because my flight was in the evening, so I had most of the day to wander around, but the weather was gloomy and rainy.

Remembering seeing a gachapon machine at the Tokyo Skytree yesterday with Japanese representative landmarks, I hadn’t seen the National Diet Building, so I headed in that direction.

National Diet Building

One interesting thing was encountering a protest by Japanese extremists on the way.

Driving a promotional vehicle near the Parliament House, loudly broadcasting, was stopped by the police who removed his loudspeaker; later, he accelerated through a red light to escape, with police everywhere, a bit scary.

Passed by the Parliament House and saw the closed gate, so didn’t go in (seems like you can enter from the side gate for a visit?):

Took a distant photo as a souvenir and then continued walking towards the Imperial Palace.

Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace is really big; it took about 30 minutes just to walk from the outer entrance.

After reaching the Tenshukaku, left as the Imperial Palace was not open for visitors that day.

Took about another hour to walk back to Tokyo Station (could have taken the subway, but it’s only one or two stops; I like to walk around the streets and see the scenery).

Tokyo Station

Around noon, wandered around Tokyo Station; just to prove that I wouldn’t get lost, but too lazy to line up at the famous souvenir shops.

Had tempura soba noodles for the last meal.

Bought a large and a small bottle of sake from a liquor store to take back to Taiwan; the store clerk was also Taiwanese.

Return Trip

Around 4 PM, went back to the hotel to pick up luggage and slowly made my way to Narita Airport.

A glimpse of Shinbashi before leaving.

Returned directly to Narita Airport from Shinbashi because of the schedule and plenty of time; took the Toei Asakusa Line Airport Express, which takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to arrive; couldn’t use a card or Sucia to buy tickets, so at that moment, pooled together the ticket money for three people, almost couldn’t afford it.

Arrived at the airport around 5:30, still early.

After going through immigration, still had plenty of time, so grabbed a bite to eat and did some last-minute shopping at the duty-free shop.

Found everything from Tanjirō to common souvenirs (Shiroi Koibito, banana cake, etc.) here, so just bought them here XD

The price of Tanjirō here is about the same as what I bought at Tokyo Station.

Boarded the plane, Hey 🇹🇼:

The weather in Japan was very bad, the flight was shaky (fish-eye effect), more thrilling than Disney’s rides, even had to stop dining at one point; luckily, safely arrived back in Taiwan.

The customs clearance took about 12 minutes, and taking a taxi back to Taipei took about 1:30; taking a shower and going straight to bed, ending this journey.

Afterword

For insights into Japanese culture, please refer to the previous post “[Travelogue] 2023 Kansai & Kobe & Osaka & 🇯🇵 First Landing”
The Japanese time notation is in a 30-hour system, where 25:00 represents 01:00 in the early morning, very cool.
It’s really necessary to have at least around 10,000 Japanese Yen on hand to avoid situations where you can’t use a card or can’t swipe a Vias card.
Thanks to my travel companions, Sean INFJ/James ISTJ, the planning masters; Sean is in charge of deciding which Disney attractions to visit first and which FastPasses are worth buying.

The brainwashing song that kept playing after returning to Taiwan.

KKday Promotion

One-stop purchase for transportation, experiences, and tickets in the Tokyo area: “Disneyland tickets, SHIBUYA SKY Observatory electronic tickets, Tokyo-Narita Airport Keisei Railway tickets, Tokyo subway one-day pass, Tokyo Skytree tickets, Toyosu teamLab, Japan sim/eSim cards, Tokyo Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio tickets, buy now, use now, Asakusa kimono experience, rickshaw, Asakusa houseboat, hedgehog cafe, Lake Kawaguchi day tour”

More Travelogues

For any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me.

===

本文中文版本

===

This article was first published in Traditional Chinese on Medium ➡️ View Here

Travelogue 2023 Tokyo 5-Day Free and Easy Trip