[Travelogue] 5-Day Free Trip to Tokyo in 2023
Following last month’s trip to Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe, 2023/06 Tokyo 5-Day Free Travel Record and Food, Accommodation, and Transportation Information
2023/05 8-Day Free Travel in Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe
Following the previous article “[Travelogue] 2023 Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe & 🇯🇵 First Landing,” I quickly returned to Japan just one week later.
You asked why not stay in Japan and take the Shinkansen directly from Osaka to Tokyo. The reason is that the Tokyo trip was the original planned overseas travel, while the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe visit was just an extra side trip.
Added the hassle of changing flight tickets and accommodations, and not wanting to do a week of Work From Japan (believing that when you travel, you should purely enjoy it), so after finishing Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe, we returned to Taiwan first.
Looking back, I’m glad we returned; because the week we went back to Taiwan, Japan was hit by a super typhoon causing floods, Shinkansen suspensions, and crowded stations. If we had stayed in Japan that week, there probably wouldn’t have been many places to visit. (Finally, not the 🌧️ rain god anymore!)
The Tokyo Trip Group — Three Single Men
Me & current colleague (Sean) & former colleague ( James Lin ); Sean & James were college classmates. (Yes, the industry is really that small XD)
For information on Japan entry and other insights, please refer to previous article .
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Japan・Tokyo \| Edo・Asakusa Kaminarimon・Skytree \| Rickshaw Experience
Pre-Trip Preparation
Although we always said the Tokyo trip was our planned overseas trip, it remained just talk; only after our Kansai trip was mostly confirmed did we start planning and actually executing the Tokyo itinerary.
Fun
For places I haven’t been to, I remain an ENFP free spirit and find everything fresh and exciting. So, I mainly handle the big picture like flights, accommodation, and transportation. As for attractions, I decide based on where my travel companions want to go or how we feel at the moment.
Fun was mainly handled by Sean & James. We planned to buy tickets in advance for Disneyland (Sea), Yokohama Gundam, and Shibuya Sky; so we purchased the tickets two weeks before departure.
If you don’t purchase tickets in advance, there will be no available entry slots on-site.
This time I brought the leftover 60,000 yen from last trip, and ended up with about 5,000 yen left.
Because my Visa card was declined at a drugstore in Shinjuku, I had to pay over ¥10,000 in cash for cosmetics and medicine. I also wanted to use up all my cash in the end.
Also, we almost couldn’t get back at the end. When buying the ticket to Narita Airport at Tokyo Station, card payment was not accepted, so we had to gather cash from various places to pay.
Line
🛫
Since this trip is only 5 days and time is limited, I prioritized flights with early departure and late return. Because the dates were close, I directly used SkyScanner to find flights with good times.
Taoyuan <-> Narita
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6/7
EVA Air BR 18408:00 TPE -> NRT 12:25 -
6/22
EVA Air BR 19520:40 NRT -> TPE 23:20
Round trip: $17,086
Here I made a mistake: you should never book three tickets under one person’s name. Each person should buy their own ticket because credit card purchases include travel insurance.
Later, I found that flying from Songshan to Haneda wasn’t much more expensive and was more convenient. Orz.
Travel Insurance: Done
📲
Also bought a 5-day unlimited data SIM card on KKDAY for about $500. (Japan eSIM Card｜Daily High-Speed, Total Unlimited Data Plan )
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Same as the previous article, I used a Suica card directly on my iPhone. My friend, who has an Android phone, could only buy the limited-time Welcome Suica card (asked at Narita Airport, and this was the only option left).
Accommodation
This time we only went to Tokyo, so we looked for a hotel to stay for four days without changing. Since it was close to the date, all Tokyo chain hotels like Toyoko Inn or APA were fully booked. We had to use Agoda to find a hotel near the center of Tokyo with access to train or subway stations.
Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Tokyo-Shiodome — 4 nights
Exit here is Shiodome Station, from where you can go directly to Odaiba or Shinjuku.
If you want to go to other places, you need to walk to Shimbashi Station (about 10 minutes). From Shimbashi to Tokyo Station is also about 10 minutes (1–2 stops away).
It’s quite convenient and reasonably priced with decent reviews. In reality, the stay was clean and comfortable, and the room was not too small.
Since there were three of us, the layout included two beds plus a mattress on the sofa’s upper bunk (which felt just like a bed).
Total for 3 people: NT$23,894
町．草休行館 CHO Stay Capsule Hotel - The Only Capsule Hotel at Taiwan Airport \| Taoyuan Airport Capsule Hotel \| Taoyuan Airport Hotel \| Taoyuan Airport Hotel \| 桃園空港 ホテル — Day 0 Overnight
This trip was special because we had an 8 AM flight, and all of us were departing from Taipei; planning to arrive at the airport by 6 AM meant leaving home around 4–5 AM. Plus, the excitement and nervousness about the trip made it hard to fall asleep, so we barely got any rest.
So a few days before departure, we decided to stay overnight at the airport the night before. A friend told me that Taoyuan Airport has a capsule hotel, so we gave it a try!
Location: Just on the 5th floor of the south side of Terminal 2, going downstairs leads to Terminal 2 (about a 5-minute walk down)
The rooms include double rooms, triple rooms, quadruple rooms, and single beds (about 16 beds per room).
When we booked, only single beds were left.
1 person NT$1,500
Day 0 Departure
Basically, I just unpacked the things I bought in the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe area, took out some clothes and supplies, then reorganized and packed them back into the suitcase before heading out.
The Taoyuan Airport MRT pre-check-in currently does not support next-day flights, so you have to carry your luggage to Terminal 2.
Sean & Me & James
After arriving at Terminal 2, go straight up to the third floor departure hall. Once in the departure hall, find the location of the 22–26 South Mall observation deck (facing the hall, walk all the way to the right).
Walk straight to the end and take the escalator up.
As soon as you get off the escalator, you’ll see a hotel entrance with a strong Taiwanese style.
Taoyuan Airport Capsule Hotel
After check-in, you can store your luggage first, then go outside to find food.
No eating or drinking is allowed in the room. Each guest receives a tea bag at check-in, and the front desk can assist with brewing. You can sit at the bar near the entrance to drink. Filling out a membership form on-site grants a free towel.
Earplugs are available at the entrance for free.
Corridor
The bathroom facilities are very new, clean, and comfortable. There are two toilets, five shower rooms, two hairdryers (one is a Dyson), and provided body wash and shampoo. You only need to bring your own towel and toiletries.
Men’s Restroom
Upon entering, there is a luggage room on the left to store bags. The bed layout is as follows:
Dormitory Bed
Each bed has its own mirror, desk, lamp, curtain, and trash bin; I slept on the top bunk, and the mattress was thick, so I didn’t worry about disturbing the person below when moving around.
The mattress is not only thick but also long enough; at 176 CM, sleeping was comfortable. The environment is clean, the lighting is warm, and the air conditioning is very comfortable. The only unavoidable issue is that snoring from others can still be heard. (Therefore, free earplugs are provided at the entrance.)
However, I’m not afraid of noise; as long as it’s cozy and relaxing, I can sleep well. So I slept until almost 6 a.m. before washing up and checking out (fully rested before traveling abroad).
Fortunately, we had booked the night before. When other travelers tried to check in on-site, there were no rooms left.
Woke up early and leisurely enjoyed the airport scenery:
I originally thought it would be crowded at 8 AM, but luckily there were hardly any people.
I should have just stayed in the capsule hotel until 7 AM before coming down!
Waiting for the flight
This time, the boarding gate required taking a shuttle bus (called a “ferry bus” by mainland Chinese netizens).
It was hot and crowded, but we 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 arrival hall. By the time you pick up your luggage and clear immigration, it’s usually around 1 PM.
When transferring to the Narita Express, I initially made a silly mistake by tapping my Suica card to enter the station. However, the entire train requires reserved seats, so I had to exit the station, buy a ticket, and enter again (later I found out you can actually buy tickets directly from the platform machines inside the station).
Later, we took the 2 PM Narita Express to Tokyo Station.
Enjoying the scenery along the way, seeing the Skytree means you’re almost there.
After arriving at Tokyo Station, transfer to the subway to Shimbashi Station, then find your way and walk to Shiodome.
The hotel is hidden inside an office building, which is quite unique:
At first, I thought I had entered the wrong building and walked into an office tower, but as I went further inside, I found the hotel.
Drop off luggage and take a break:
(The video was shot later, a bit messy XD)
Going to 渋谷 (Shibuya)
You must visit this intersection to pay homage; it reminds me of the challengers in “Alice in Borderland.”
Netflix — Alice in Borderland
Shibuya Parco — Gokumiya
Queued to taste the famous Gokumiya, arrived around 5:30 PM, waited about 45 minutes to get a seat.
I ordered the set meal with Kobe beef hamburger steak, Kobe beef steak, and soup rice with ice cream (¥3,355):
The staff sets the doneness to about rare (level 1), so you need to pick it up yourself and cook it on the iron plate to your preferred doneness.
Here, be sure to use two pairs of chopsticks; for hygiene, use the metal ones for cooking and the bamboo ones for eating, alternating between them.
Kobe beef steak was super delicious, juicy, and tender inside, with no beefy smell 🤩; the hamburger steak was also good but a bit greasier.
Shibuya Parco — A White Bear Specialty Store That Complains About Itself
Accidentally bought some.
渋谷 — Shibuya Sky
Luckily, Sean bought the tickets early; buying them on-site would have meant no entry at all.
It is very dark and a bit windy up there. Bags are not allowed (there are locked lockers provided).
Besides a bar in the corner, there are no other facilities or light pollution. The view is great for photography and night sightseeing.
Reservations for the bar should be made separately. The opening hours are the same as the visiting hours.
After returning to the hotel, it was still the trio of sake, instant noodles, and snacks to end the day.
Tofu skin instant noodles are really delicious.
Day 2 Yokohama Gundam, Odaiba, Shinjuku
Early on the second day, we rushed to catch the 10 AM Gundam show. We first took the train to Sakuragicho Station, then transferred to the cable car and walked to the Gundam Factory.
Yokohama Gundam
The weather is super nice!!
The Gundam show runs from 10 AM until noon, with different storylines for each session; however, since I’m not a Gundam fan, I just tagged along for a quick look.
But I have to say it was spectacular, with detailed movements and refined sounds.
There are also nearby specialty stores selling Gundam models and exclusive merchandise.
Sean’s Completed Gundam Model
Since I’m not a Gundam fan, I just browsed around and watched a few shows before leaving.
Odaiba
Changing to head to Odaiba, the train from Shiodome to Odaiba is very cool, offering views of Fuji TV and the entire Odaiba area along the way.
After arriving at Odaiba, we first went to see the Statue of Liberty in Odaiba.
It is one-seventh the size of New York’s Statue of Liberty, symbolizing the friendship between Japan and France.
Walk a bit further forward and look back to see Fuji TV, which was destroyed many times by Ataru in the series “Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo.”
Walk a little further to the mall to eat takoyaki and Taiwanese fried chicken?
Takoyaki was average and too many pieces felt greasy; the chicken cutlet was quite unique. Although labeled as Taiwanese karaage, it was actually a Japanese-style cutlet (thin, boneless) fried with Taiwanese batter, different from typical Taiwanese chicken cutlets. Still, I told the staff it was delicious and that I’m Taiwanese 🤣.
Originally planned to shop for clothes and shoes at the shopping mall in Odaiba, but near arrival, I noticed the subway could take me to Shinjuku; so I suddenly changed direction and headed to Shinjuku.
Shinjuku
Start walking around and exploring the shops
Went to La Lebo to smell the Tokyo-exclusive GAIAC No. 10 scent.
It feels very light… woody tone… hard to smell it clearly. (But I still went for it on Day 4)
Finally, we just went to the department store to buy some clothes, pants, and cosmetics. When the weather turned rainy and cloudy, we returned to the hotel.
End the day the same way—with food
Hot dogs are delicious, and fruit wine is tasty!
Day 3 DisneySea
Set off early in the morning, with continuous rain and overcast weather that day.
We bought tickets for DisneySea, not Disneyland. That beautiful castle is only in Disneyland; the entrance to DisneySea requires taking the park’s internal train.
After entering the park, we tried to draw tickets for shows or entry but didn’t win any. Finally, we purchased front-row seats for the evening fireworks show “Believe! ~Sea of Dreams~” (you can also watch from outside, as the show is in the harbor public area).
The rain got heavier, so we first went to a roadside shop to buy Mickey raincoats:
I personally think the quality and material are quite good. There are also cute Mickey or Minnie designs (in dark red) to choose from, and they are affordable!
Fortunately, the rain stopped after noon!! I’m not a fan of rain!!
After buying raincoats, we headed straight to the Toy Story Mania!:
There were many people, and we waited in line for about 100 minutes:
The game involves two players per team (a single player can play with the AI), pressing buttons to shoot projected balloons for points. It is highly fun and low in intensity, making it ideal for couples or families.
Next to it, there is an interactive show featuring Mr. Potato Head and a small souvenir shop:
A very cute Hug Brother plush toy!!
Next is “Soaring: Fantastic Flight Image”, another popular attraction:
After queuing for entry, before the game starts, there is a scene introduction featuring the explorer’s story. The paintings hanging on the walls are actually high-resolution screens with animations and voiceovers, creating an impressive effect!
The theater features a spherical dome and 4D experience (seats rise and move forward + air scents); the content showcases landscapes from around the world, such as the scent of the grasslands during the prairie scenes. Very impressive and suitable for everyone!
Here we bought the Express Pass.
After enjoying these two attractions and nearing noon, we started looking for food. Since the restaurants were full, we could only find snacks. We casually ate pizza, chicken legs, and so on.
Holding the food, the harbor show “Colorful Celebration” just started:
After eating, we started walking around the park and browsing souvenir shops:
After digesting, we started planning the “Journey to the Center of the Earth”:
It takes about 90–100 minutes, just enough time to fully digest, otherwise it’s too intense XD
The attraction recreates the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth, with impressive scenes and immersion. At the end, there is an acceleration and a slight drop (weightless feeling), providing a strong thrill without being too intense. It’s suitable for those looking for a bit of excitement.
Afterward, we went next door to “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” to relax a bit:
Not many people. The content simulates the feeling of a submarine launch and exploration (but it’s probably a simulation). It’s not very thrilling and only suitable for young children.
After the ride, continue exploring and eating:
A very cute but very sweet Mickey popsicle, and also Annabelle (Rinabelle).
Keep walking and taking photos. The park is really big. I only took pictures of some scenery and didn’t capture any of the animated or fantasy scenes:
At the end, we also took the “Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull”:
Not as thrilling as a journey to the center of the earth (no weightlessness or fast drops), the attraction features immersive scenes from the Indiana Jones movies. I personally found it fun and enjoyable.
Continue with a quick overview:
We also took the DisneySea Ferry Line and the DisneySea Electric Railway because our feet were sore. It was nice to enjoy the scenery along the way; these are more like park transportation options without special ride effects.
As evening approached, we started shopping extensively and taking photos:
I have to say it’s easy to go crazy buying things because of many 40th anniversary limited editions; also took some photos with the Earth.
Started walking back to the harbor close to the showtime and sat on the ground to enter.
As mentioned earlier, we purchased standard seating tickets.
The entire show offers a strong immersive experience, including music, projections (the volcano erupts at the back!), lasers, fireworks, and DisneySea character storylines… all well integrated. It’s definitely worth staying until the evening to watch the full performance to get your money’s worth.
The whole day at Disney felt very immersive. The attractions are not just rides but aim to let visitors fully engage with the characters and settings. Although it’s less thrilling than Universal, it’s definitely very fun. Be sure to watch the fireworks show at night!
So many cute souvenirs, gotta control my hands (hand chopping)!
As for food, we ate randomly and felt it might be better to bring our own meals from outside.
If time allows, spend two days on land and sea. The sea park doesn’t have the Fantasy Castle or land parades QQ.
Outside JR Maihama Station, there is one last official merchandise store where we shopped a bit more before reluctantly leaving.
After returning to the hotel, continued the daily routine; today had soy sauce instant noodles, melon juice (delicious!!), Akiya’s plum wine (delicious!!), and oolong shochu (tasteless, not good).
Day 4 Tokyo Tower, Meiji Shrine, Le Labo, Kameari Udon Police Station, Asakusa Kaminarimon, Skytree
After a good night’s sleep, I only started planning today’s itinerary (typical crazy ENFP). The only plan with everyone was the Skytree at night; in the morning, my friends went to Akihabara, so it was a day for me to explore Tokyo alone.
Tokyo Tower
Looking at the map, Shinbashi is not far from Tokyo Tower; so we decided to go there first.
Stepping outside, I found that the subway had a serious delay due to an accident. Checking Google Maps, the distance wasn’t far, so I decided to walk instead (about 20 minutes):
Walking alone on the streets of Tokyo to enjoy the scenery. It’s not too hot in June, and the breeze feels very pleasant.
Selling hot roasted sweet potatoes by the roadside
When walking quickly to Tokyo Tower, I passed through a park called “Tokyo Metropolitan Shiba Park.” Viewing the tower through the branches here offers a unique charm:
Continuing along the footpath, we arrived at the base of Tokyo Tower.
After entering the tower, we bought Top Deck tickets; besides reaching the very top of the tower, it includes a guided tour (with Chinese audio) and comes with a souvenir photo! (Great experience)
The guide showed murals similar to the animated ones at Disneyland yesterday XD Two predecessors were having a conversation about building a symbolic Japanese structure. The same architect also designed the Tsutenkaku Tower in Osaka.
The morning bird’s-eye view of Tokyo is also nice. In the third photo, you can see the Skytree in the distance, where we will go in the evening.
Finally, here is the free commemorative photo of the summit success!
Meiji Shrine
After visiting Tokyo Tower, we checked the map and decided to head to Meiji Shrine next.
After exiting the subway, we walked a long distance (about 30 minutes) to reach Meiji Shrine.
A special moment was accidentally witnessing a traditional Japanese wedding nearby:
Finally, we completed our worship at the main hall and then left.
I found Meiji Shrine to be more solemn and serious, while later at Senso-ji Temple, there were too many tourists, making it feel very crowded.
The next stop is Kameari, where the long-running manga “Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo” (Urong Police Station) is set—I wanted to see what it looks like. On the way there, I stopped by Le Labo in Omotesando to smell their scents again.
LE LABO Aoyama Store
Actually, I’m not very interested in Le Labo. I personally prefer Ormonde Jayne’s perfumes, and Le Labo feels to me like a brand that sells packaging to the masses.
After sampling several, I bought Another 13, which has a strong scent; I also followed the trend and bought the Tokyo-exclusive Gaiac 10, both in 15ml as souvenirs.
Le Labo perfumes are packaged and labeled on-site (about 15–20 minutes), allowing you to customize your own label; 13 is my personal favorite, so I chose “ZhgChgLi,” and 10 represents Tokyo. I asked the staff in broken English which one represents Japan, and he said ♨️ 😝.
The prices for Le Labo in Japan are as above. With tax exemption, the final price is 13,000 yen minus 1,000 yen.
The Tokyo-exclusive Gaiac 10 is more expensive, costing ¥16,800 after tax exemption.
Kameari Udon Police Station
After buying, continue on to Kameari (Kameari is really quite far).
Right outside the main station exit, there is a statue of a character from “Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo” (Udon Police Station):
Check the map and first head to Kameari Park near the back exit:
It’s just an ordinary park QQ, with many kids playing soccer inside. There was a statue of a person sitting in the style of A-Liang on a park bench, but it was covered with many kids’ bags and belongings, so I didn’t take a photo.
Checked online and found that the nearby Ario department store has scenes and a park from the “Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo” (Udon Police) series, so we continued walking there (about 10 minutes):
After entering, my mindset collapsed. It’s almost certain that the creators no longer maintain the KochiKame IP (young people don’t watch it anymore…). Aside from the statue of the character outside the station, from the daily park in front to the so-called KochiKame theme park, only the sets remain. Beyond the sets, the area has been converted into an amusement park with claw machines.
The worst was the Ah Liang gashapon machine at the entrance. The eyes of the Ah Liang figure were broken and never fixed, making it look very sad. In the end, I got a hot-pants cop and left feeling disappointed.
Taking the bus to Asakusa is closer according to the map. It took about 15 minutes to check the route and walk to the bus stop:
On the way to the bus stop, there were almost no people or tourists. The bus route at the stop isn’t even translated on Google; we’ve truly arrived in a non-tourist area.
When boarding the bus, there was a mix-up because in Kyoto you pay when you get off. So I just stood there cluelessly when getting on, and since I couldn’t understand Japanese, I only realized to tap my card at the front when a kind Japanese passenger said “pay pay.”
The ride was quiet and comfortable. Japanese drivers always wait until passengers are seated or have stood up to get off before starting the vehicle. We leisurely arrived at Senso-ji Temple.
KKday Japan・Tokyo \| Edo・Asakusa Kaminarimon・Skytree \| Rickshaw Experience
There are really, really many tourists!! It’s so crowded, I could only find angles to take photos.
Continue walking deeper into Senso-ji Temple; there were so many tourists. I originally didn’t plan to buy anything, just wanted to take a look. Along the way, I tried this bean shop, and it was surprisingly delicious, so I bought some as souvenirs.
After arriving at Senso-ji Temple, there were still many people, so we just took some photos and left.
At this time, it was nearing evening, and we slowly started moving towards the Tokyo Skytree.
View of Tokyo Skytree from Asakusa Temple.
Tokyo Skytree
Since it was still early, we walked and enjoyed the scenery along the way.
KKday Tokyo Skytree Observatory Ticket / Enjoy Package Tokyo Subway 24-hour Ticket / Sumida Aquarium
Getting closer and closer, growing bigger and bigger.
After arriving at Tokyo Skytree, we first strolled around the mall inside and ordered a cup of Hokkaido strawberry ice cream to take a break.
We didn’t get tickets for the Top Deck of the Skytree, only the middle observation deck. Entry was at 7 PM.
It was still not dark when we first arrived, so I casually took a few photos:
After sunset, you can overlook the entire Tokyo night view, which is very beautiful:
The Tokyo Tower can be seen in the upper left corner of the first photo in the distance; the interior is quite dark, and the glass causes reflections, making it difficult to take good selfies.
Managed to take a shot XD
A final glance back before leaving.
On the last night, we dined at an izakaya and took photos of the night scenery along the way:
Charcoal-Grilled Chicken
The weather in Japan started to turn bad today. Unexpectedly, I could see Tokyo Tower and some special installation art every day passing by Shiodome, but I only stopped to appreciate it on the last day.
Late-night snack on the last night
Nissin instant noodles are still the best, especially with convenience store fried chicken 🤤! A few days ago, I bought muskmelon juice with pulp, and today I got strawberry juice—just as good. I don’t remember much about the sake; these two are probably just average.
Day 5 National Diet Building, Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, Return Trip
After waking up, I went to store my luggage. Like on Day 4, I explored Tokyo casually on my own. Since the flight was at night, I still had most of the day to wander around. The weather was cloudy and rainy.
Thinking about the Japanese landmark of the National Diet Building I saw in the gashapon machine at Tokyo Skytree yesterday but haven’t visited, I decided to head there first.
National Diet Building
One interesting event was encountering an extremist protest in Japan on the street:
Driving a promotional vehicle loudly near the National Diet Building, he was stopped by the police who removed his loudspeaker; later, he sped through a red light to escape. With police everywhere, it was a bit scary.
Passing by the National Diet Building, we saw the main gate was closed, so we didn’t go in (it seems you can enter for a tour through the side gate?):
Took a quick photo from afar as a souvenir, then headed down towards the Imperial Palace.
Imperial Palace
The Imperial Palace is really huge; just walking from the outermost entrance took nearly 30 minutes.
No translation needed for the image markdown.
After reaching Tenshudai, we left as the Imperial Palace was not open for visits that day.
We walked for almost another hour to return to the Tokyo Station area (we could have taken the subway for just one or two stops, but I prefer walking around the streets to enjoy the scenery).
Tokyo Station
It was nearly noon, so we wandered around Tokyo Station; just to prove we wouldn’t get lost, but we were too lazy to line up at the famous souvenir shops.
The last meal was tempura soba.
Stopped by a liquor store and bought one large and one small sake to bring back to Taiwan; the clerk was also Taiwanese.
Return Trip
Around 4 PM, we returned to the hotel to pick up our luggage and slowly made our way to Narita Airport.
A corner of Shinbashi before leaving.
For the return trip, we went directly from Shimbashi to Narita Airport. Due to schedule issues and plenty of time, we took the Toei Asakusa Line Airport Express, which took about 1 hour and 15 minutes; however, you cannot use card or Suica to buy tickets, so we had to scramble to gather enough cash for three tickets and almost couldn’t afford it.
Arriving at the airport around 5:30 is still very early.
After passing immigration, there was still plenty of time, so we grabbed a quick bite to fill our stomachs and did some last-minute shopping at the duty-free store.
I found that if you want to buy Dassai sake or common souvenirs (Shiroi Koibito, banana cake, etc.), they have everything here. Just buy them here XD
Dassai is priced similarly to what I bought at Tokyo Station.
Boarding, Hey 🇹🇼:
The weather in Japan was very bad, making the journey quite shaky (dead fish eyes), more thrilling than the rides at Disneyland. We even had to stop dining together for a while; fortunately, we arrived safely back in Taiwan.
After going through immigration and customs, it was about 00:12. Taking an unlicensed taxi back to Taipei took until around 01:30; took a shower and went straight to sleep, ending this trip.
Epilogue
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For insights on Japanese culture, please refer to the previous article “[Travelogue] 2023 Keihanshin & 🇯🇵 First Landing”.
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Japanese time notation uses a 30-hour system; for example, 25:00 means 1:00 AM, which is pretty cool.
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You really need to carry at least around 10,000 yen in cash to avoid situations where cards or Vias cards are not accepted.
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Thanks to my travel companions this time, Sean INFJ and James ISTJ, the planning masters; Sean took charge of deciding how to play Disney, which rides to go first, and which fast passes are more worthwhile.
The catchy song that kept playing repeatedly after returning to Taiwan.
KKday Promotion
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Japan eSIM Card｜Daily High-Speed, Total Data, Unlimited Data Plans
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SHIBUYA SKY Observatory Electronic Ticket｜Buy Now, Use Immediately
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Japan・Tokyo \| Edo・Asakusa Kaminarimon・Skytree \| Rickshaw Experience
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