I’ve wanted to visit Japan for years, and we’ve talked about doing a stopover in Tokyo on our way to or from Bangkok… Well, we finally put it on our itinerary and hit Tokyo for 5 days on our way back to the States from Bangkok. It didn’t disappoint! We spent 5 full days eating in Tokyo. Such a cool city, and I was constantly impressed with how clean and well-run this city is.
Our first night, we got to catch up over dinner with friends who happened to be in Tokyo at the same time on their way to go skiing. I searched around Google Maps and found some options and this ramen shop was one of the highest rated places, it was close and there was a chance we could get in, so we went! This place was hands down the best ramen we’ve ever had. It was so good we came back for a second visit. I can’t remember the name or find it, but I will and update this later.
First day: Walking Tokyo
We spent our first day walking around Tokyo, seeing some sights, enjoying some local bites and coffee. It was a Sunday and we were surprised at how quiet this city is. It’s crazy! I mean, it was Sunday yes… so things were quiet anyway. But, even the next day on Monday morning, “rush hour,” I felt like the city was almost silent compared to pretty much anywhere else – especially just having come from Bangkok.
The weather was chilly, the light was great and I loved shooting photos around Tokyo.
The Fish Market
We went to the fish market and had the only sushi we ate the entire time we were in Japan! Surprising right? We were surprised, but what we realized is we really do have some great sushi options back home in America and really seized the opportunity to eat other Japanese food.
One of the best things I ate in Japan was this Wagyu beef from a street stall. It was tender, soft, cooked perfectly, and so flavorful. Never had anything else like it.
Senso-Ji Temple
We walked and walked from the fish market and finally got to the Asukusa area of Tokyo.
I didn’t realize it before visiting Japan, but Tonkatsu & Japanese Curry is one of my favorites. I’ve had it a few times since in the States, but it’s nowhere near as tasty as it was in Tokyo. The pork was perfectly fatty, the curry was so flavorful. MMMMmmmm! We found this little spot on our way back to our hotel and it looked great, so we stopped in for dinner. Happy bellys.
Mt. Fuji
I really wanted to see Mt. Fuji, but we didn’t have a lot of time in Tokyo so we decided to skip it this trip. But after being in Tokyo for 2 days, I said let’s just do it! So we booked a bus tour to take us out to Mt. Fuji and back and I’m happy we did. I’ve always been more of a mountain person and seeing Mt. Fuji was definitely a bucket list experience. The area was beautiful.
Hired a Photographer
This is the first time we’ve hired a photographer on a trip, and we thought it was great. A local who speaks perfect English and knows all of the best photo spots around Shibuya and Shinjuku. It was fun, and we didn’t have to worry about getting good photos together. Highly recommend and we’ll do it again next time we travel.
Don’t Forget the Booze
One of my favorite bourbons is the Blanton’s Takara Red. Bourbon is made in America, but this one is produced exclusively for the Japanese export market, which means it’s only sold in Japan and some other countries… but not in America. Annoying. You can get it in the States, but it’s usually over $200/bottle. I had heard you can get it in Tokyo for $90/bottle. I found it for $120 and snagged four of them. Liquor Mountain in Kabukicho right next to Shibuya was solid, they had ton of good stuff on the shelves.
Last day in Tokyo
We got up early on our last day to see the Hie Shrine, one of those iconic places you always see photos of. Going early was definitely a good move, there was no one else there, so getting some good photos was easy without the crowds of people.
One of the two restaurants we came back to eat at a second time was this “Beef Tongue” spot. Yes, you read that right. BEEF TONGUE. Nina didn’t think that I would eat it! But, it was absolutely delicious. Before this, I had only ever experienced beef tongue Mexican style which isn’t my favorite. It sounds strange, maybe even awful. But, I’m telling you… eat it! It’s delicious. So tender and flavorful.
This spot was called Yakiniku Beef Tongue Lemon Shinjuku and there’s pretty much always a line. It’s small, but things move relatively quickly. We waited for 20-30 minutes the first time and that was dinner time. The second time we came was when they opened, and I think we were the second group into the restaurant.
Here’s a link to the restaurant
After that, we went back to our other favorite restaurant of the trip – a ramen shop and we got right in here as well since it was early. The first visit with our friends, we probably waited 30-40 minutes. The cold ramen was the best. Sounds weird, but that’s the ticket. You dip your cold ramen noodles into the hot broth. So tasty. Best ramen I’ve ever had. It’s called: Ramen Tatsunoya Shinjuku Otakibashidōri
Here’s a link to the ramen shop
And that wrapped up our quick 5 days in Tokyo. We can’t wait to go back again! Next time, we’ll likely try to spend time in Kyoto as well.
