Tokyo
28 October 2024
Tokyo was a fever dream. We wandered through Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Akihabara in a daze. I played retro games in an arcade, ate the best sushi of my life, and sat beside a stranger celebrating his birthday alone with a tonkatsu dinner.
Day 1
- HEY (Hirose Entertainment Yard)
From Kanazawa, we took the bullet train to Tokyo. It’s an unusual way to approach the famous city, but I enjoyed it. When we arrived, we checked into our hostel, where we left our things, then set out with our only goal being to see the city.
HEY (Hirose Entertainment Yard)
HEY (Hirose Entertainment Yard) in Tokyo’s Akihabara is an arcade lover’s dream, with floors packed full of everything from retro classics to modern fighting games. We spent hours hopping between rhythm games, shooters, and retro games. I could have spent a week in there without getting bored. I discovered that a drum game called Taiko no Tatsujin is one of my favorites. I have no experience or aptitude for drumming, it’s just fun. HEY is a perfect slice of Tokyo’s arcade culture.
Lawson is proof that Japan has perfected the art of the convenience store. Shelves are lined with perfectly packaged onigiri, fresh sandwiches with crusts cut off, and addictive Japanese fried chicken. I have never eaten so many popsicles in my life as we did in Asia, thanks to convenience stores like 7/11.
Day 2
- Imperial Palace East Gardens
- Ueno Park
- Tokyo National Museum
Imperial Palace East Gardens
The Imperial Palace East Gardens are quiet and open, with old castle walls, wide lawns, and a few koi ponds scattered along the paths. Stone gates break up the greenery, and from one hill you can see the Tōka Gakudō music hall, its mosaic walls adding some color to the otherwise gray day. It’s calm and slow-moving, a sharp contrast to the city noise just outside the trees.
Ueno Park
Ueno Park is one of Tokyo’s biggest green spaces, filled with museums, shrines, and plenty of paths to wander. On our way to the Tokyo National Museum, we came across Hanazono Inari Shrine tucked inside the park. Its row of red torii gates made for a quiet, unexpected moment before diving back into the crowds and the museum’s exhibits.
Tokyo National Museum
Tokyo National Museum is Japan’s oldest museum and holds an incredible collection of art and artifacts from across the country’s history. Samurai armor, ancient pottery, Buddhist statues, and delicate kimonos are just a few of the highlights spread across its multiple buildings. It’s quiet and easy to wander, offering a clear look at how Japan’s culture has evolved over centuries.
Walking back to the hostel, I felt like my body rebelled against every step I took. I thought at that time that I was just unreasonably tired for some reason. After getting back to the hostel and showering, I felt my body aching and knew I was sick. I got into bed and pulled the sheet and comforter over my head because I was very cold. I fell asleep after a long time. I woke up in the middle of the night and was very hot. I kicked off the comforter.
Day 3 - Shinjuku
Shinjuku
When I woke up, I miraculously felt normal again. I did have a pretty bad headache, though. We got packed and out the door at 11:00 am. We switched hotels, which was my idea. It was a pretty bad idea. Somehow, I didn’t check the location of the Airbnb I had booked. It’s super far from the action, and it took us about 2 hours to get there from the hostel.
We dropped off our bags and took the metro to Shinjuku. It was pretty cool walking around and taking in the sights of the famous area. There were signs and lights everywhere. It looked just like the imagined Tokyo I had built in my mind’s eye. The Godzilla head felt very “Tokyo”. In Shinjuku, the pulse of the city is elevated. It feels like a lot is going on at any time of the day or night. It was my favorite area in Tokyo. A big part of that was thanks to lunch.
We went to a sushi bar for lunch, and it was incredible. It’s located in central Shinjuku and is called Uogashi Nihon-Ichi. It’s the best sushi I have ever had. The seared eel and salmon with mayo were particularly good. The spot is very small, with two sushi chefs serving from behind a bar surrounded by tools of their trade and raw fish. There is only room for something like 6-10 people at a time. Eating here is my number one recommendation for anyone visiting Tokyo. I want to go back so badly.
We walked around the city all day stopping in stores to check out anything that happened to catch one of our eyes. We got ramen for dinner, but the broth was made from anchovies and was too fishy for me. We walked back to the metro and ended up getting on the wrong one (wrong direction). We then took it back and got on the right one and walked 30 minutes to our guesthouse. It’s a small 2-bedroom house in the suburbs.
Day 4 - Shibuya
- Meiji Jingu
- Nintendo Tokyo
- Shibuya
We woke up late as usual, and Indi wasn’t happy about it. We walked towards the metro station, and Indi found a place with dessert dog head pastries for breakfast, and I found a cheap barbershop. I waited in line and then sat down in the chair, but the barber was telling me something in Japanese and motioning to the other side of the room. I gathered he wanted me to walk over there. I found a vending machine with two options. One said haircut. I pressed “haircut” and put in the 1300 yen. I then returned with he small ticket the machine had issued and handed it to him. The haircut was cheap and fast, but not particularly good – just what I was expecting based on the reviews. All of their clients besides me were old men with very little hair, so I knew what I was getting myself into from the get-go.
Meiji Jingu
I met Indi at a shrine – Meiji Jingu. We arrived at nearly the same time because her train sat in place 20 minutes before departing. The shrine was cool, and we saw what looked to be a marriage procession. Meiji Jingu is a peaceful Shinto shrine tucked inside a forested park right in the middle of Tokyo. The long walk through towering trees and massive wooden torii gates feels out of place in eclectic Tokyo. The shrine itself is simple and elegant.
At the entrance to Meiji Jingu, you’ll stumble upon a wall of sake barrels. They’re decorative offerings from sake brewers across Japan, donated to honor the gods and the spirit of celebration. Across from them, you’ll see French wine barrels, a nod to cultural exchange.
Gyoza are Japan’s take on dumplings—crispy on one side, tender on the other, and filled with garlicky pork and cabbage. They’re cheap and good! We ordered more than we had expected because they were so good. Order after order disappeared with the soy-vinegar sauce with a splash of chili oil. I highly recommend Harajuku Gyozarou in Shibuya as a lunch stop.
Iyoshi Cola is a Japanese craft cola that needs to go mainstream. It is so tasty and original! It’s made with warm spices and citrus. I wish it were sold in the States. I got mine from an Iyoshi vending machine outside of their storefront. There was a long line, so I didn’t stop. But after trying it, I wish I had.
Nintendo Tokyo
Nintendo Tokyo is a gamer’s pilgrimage spot tucked inside Shibuya Parco, just a short walk from the crossing. It’s the first official Nintendo store in Japan, packed with exclusive merch you won’t find anywhere else—plushies, shirts, consoles, and collectibles from Mario to Zelda. The store was packed; it felt like it could have been twice as big and still be full. Indi took these photos from the balcony of the building, I don’t have any good photos from inside.
Shibuya
From there, we went to the famous Shibuya Crossing and walked around. It was pretty awesome. It was Tokyo as I had imagined it. Tons of people and lights and billboards and the hum of living people going about their business. We went into Starbucks for a view of Shibuya Crossing. In the same building, on the 7th floor, they had a Hunter X Hunter themed cafe, which was pretty sweet but cost $10 for entry and had no windows of Shibuya crossing, which seems like a missed opportunity. In the basement, there was a store selling all things Akira. They even had giant sculptures from the movie. At that time, I had not seen the movie, but I could still appreciate the art.
For dinner, we went to a conveyor belt sushi place, which was good but not great.
We took the metro back to the guesthouse. Before showering, I chatted with Nick – the host. His wife doesn’t speak much English, so she didn’t say much. We talked about how he is ½ Chilean and was on a TV show where he was flown to Chile to meet his grandma. It was a very interesting conversation. I lived in Chile, so we talked about that for a while, and also Indi and I’s travel through Asia.
Day 5
- Sensō-ji
I’m doing a poor job of tracking our path through the city because it was a little erratic. But, at this point, we were staying in Wise Owl Hostel, close to Tokyo Skytree. This was my favorite hostel in Tokyo.
Sensō-ji
We got out of the hostel earlier than usual. We went to a Sensō-ji – Tokyo’s oldest temple and probably its busiest. The approach through Kaminarimon Gate and along Nakamise Street is lined with shops selling snacks and souvenirs. The press of people made walking slow going. Inside, the temple grounds open up with the striking red main hall and a five-story pagoda, where incense smoke drifts as visitors pray.
After that, we went to another location of the standing sushi bar we liked so much in Shinjuku. It wasn’t as good as the other location, but it was still really good. I decidedly do not like conger eel, but love freshwater eel. The best nigiri of the day was seared fatty salmon with salt.
After lunch, we wandered around the town until dark. We perused thrift stores and a book off, and eventually made it to some denim stores, but it was almost double the price of Kamakura.
We decided to part ways for dinner. Indi went to a ramen joint, and I went to the Tonkatsu place I love. Next to me was a guy who pointed to a piece of paper that said “Happy Birthday” and showed a photo of fried shrimp. He presented his ID to the woman behind the counter. They had a short exchange before she returned to the kitchen. I meant to ask him if it was his birthday today and wish him a happy birthday before leaving, but I forgot. I’m disappointed in myself for having done that. He was alone.
Day 6
- GiGO Akihabara
- Tokyo Tower
- Wagyu buffet
GiGO Akihabara
For our last full day, we decided to shop and go to arcades. I somehow directed us to the wrong arcade and instead went to one I had saved. It turned out to be pretty cool – full of retro arcade machines. GiGO Akihabara is five floors of flashing lights, blaring game music, and people glued to machines. The claw games are everywhere, stacked with plush toys that look easy to win until you’ve fed them a small fortune. Rhythm games are taken seriously here; players move so fast their hands blur, while fighting game stations host quiet, merciless battles. It’s loud, crowded, and strangely hypnotic. I played an adventure game that I saw a guy play for a long time, and found it was super fun. I looked it up and found that it’s available for digital download on the Switch. It’s called Warrior of Argos or Rygar. I have since downloaded it. It’s tough as nails and have little hope left of ever completing it, even on easy mode with 5 lives.
I had lunch at the standing sushi bar in Ueno again, and Indi went to a gyoza place. At this point, I knew exactly what I wanted and ordered everything in one go. If only I could teleport to this sushi bar in this instant.
Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Tower is Tokyo’s red-and-white steel icon. A 333-meter nod to the Eiffel Tower that’s taller and redder. Built in 1958, it offers two observation decks—the Main Deck at 150 meters and the Top Deck at 250. Supposedly, on clear days, Mount Fuji is visible. Inside, there are shops and more arcade games. We played this boat racing VR game that was simple but fun.
Wagyu buffet
Wagyu beef is Japan’s crown jewel of meat, famous for its intense marbling—those delicate veins of fat that melt like butter when cooked. It practically dissolves on your tongue. We had 1.5 hours to eat as much as we could. You go to the front and ask for the cuts you want and the quantity. You then take the meat back to your table and cook it yourself. It was amazing.
We wrapped up Japan with a masterclass on how to stumble at the finish line. Left the hostel late, fumbled a couple of train connections, and watched every minor delay snowball into a full-on disaster. By the time we were standing near the airport, the train we needed had left, and the next one arrived in 20 minutes. Our flight was with a budget airline that forces you to check in in person. The desk agent confirmed what we already knew: we were screwed. It was the first and last flight we missed on our Asia trip, and by far the costliest.
So we bought a next-day ticket to Seattle, booked a random hotel, and I spent the rest of the day floating somewhere between sedation and apathy, courtesy of half a Xanax. Dinner was cup ramen, entertainment was Spirited Away, and the night ended with Indi asleep while I stared at the ceiling thinking about our bad life choices.
The next morning, we checked out, killed time in the lobby, and took a bus back to the airport like two people determined not to screw it up twice in a row. We ate ramen, I bought a neck pillow, and breezed through security hours too early. It was a terrible ending to a great trip.
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