Footloose and fancy free, after spending the manic months in the office, I guess it's time to satisfy another crave for that wanderlust. So, after consulting with my husband, I opted in for Tokyo, Japan as the destination for our adventure.
My reasons for this are twofold. First, it has been my dream since I was 5 years old to visit this Tokyoites' capital. Perhaps because I've read too many of Japanese comic books or eat way too often of ramen. Second, my baby sister is currently living there with her family so it is also a good idea to drop her a visit.
I guess when the time was right, luck did knocking at my door. I got a very good deal from a friend to fly to Tokyo. Without thinking twice, we (my husband & I) packed our things and jetted off. I felt tremendously excited, beyond belief.
The travel journey from Jakarta to Tokyo takes more or less 8 hours on a plane - just the perfect timing for a snooze. So, we opted in for a night flight.
Arriving in the morning at Tokyo's time, we were refreshed by the gentle touch of a beautiful sunbeam coming through the big squared glass windows of Haneda airport. The airport was very clean and quiet. Everything was done in an orderly manner and the interior looked utterly dapper.
Prior to our arrival, we were told that taxis here were seriously expensive. Hence, we did not bother to hail a cab. We dragged our suitcases and went straight to the interconnected train station as soon as we got out of the airport.
Then I found the ticket machine. I stood there for a few minutes feeling clueless and bewildered on how to navigate that thing. Almost all the writings were in Japanese and I had zero knowledge on the language. Thank goodness, we were helped out by a fellow tourist who seemed to understand on how to operate that thing. He touched such and such buttons and voila, our tickets were ready to use. Arigato gozaimazhu!
Standing inside the train, I began to open Tokyo's underground/tube map. When I opened it, trust me, I got another headache. Their tube map really looked like a tangle thread that seemed impossible to be fixed. Don't panic, I said that to myself. I began to look on the map closely.
Still, the map confused me. I got lost eventually. But, fret-not, the Tokyoites, though do not speak much English, are indeed very friendly and super helpful. They showed me the direction and even walked me down to the right station line. Wow, what a hospitality!
We finally reached and managed to get out of our last tube station. Outside the station, we could feel the fresh and mildly cold Tokyo's air. Suddenly, all the dirts from Jakarta's air were instantly washed away. I could even smell the freshly cut and trim grass and walked down the road without any hassles.
For accommodation, we opted in for AirBnB in this trip. If you wonder that the lodging issue revolves in a hotel's rate, chances are you are right. Hotels rate in Tokyo are extremely pricey (the same with their taxi fares). But, this is not the reason why. We just had that urge to experience living like the locals. Price wise, yes we can save a bit by using AirBnB. But, it's not that much cheaper compared to a hotel room.
I must admit that this was our first experience with AirBnB. The result? I really recommend it! After a series of emails and whatsapp messages, we managed to arrive at our host's place safe and sound. The location is at Shinjuku district, central Tokyo. Truth be told, I was a bit worried before we arrived at his place.
I was afraid (if not terrified) if the host advertised a bogus apartment. Thank God, he was actually an honest and reliable person and nothing bad happened. Too bad, we did not get the chance to meet him in person. Oh well....
Our apartment is small but very functional. It reflects the Japanese culture that really considers space availability and functionality seriously. All of our much needed amenities is neatly provided, including a carry-on wifi, which turns out to be such a useful device.
When you travel in Tokyo, make sure you are connected to the internet. Google maps really help you in navigating your ways. If you are still lost, ask the locals.
Having settled our lodging we then went on to explore the famous Harajuku district. Have you ever heard about Harajuku style? Maybe the "Harajuku Girls" song of Gwen Steffani's rings a bell?
Harajuku offers that unique Japanese fashion style which some may found quirky, but interesting at the same time. You cannot find it elsewhere in the world but for this place.
So, we strolled down along the Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) which was a narrow pedestrian street with a lively atmosphere offering the cutting-edge of Japanese street fashion famous among Japanese teenagers. Caveat, this place is utterly flooded by the sea of meats, aka tourists. If you do not like crowded and jam-packed street, then this place won't be your cup of tea. I suggest you to skip this area to avoid disappointment.
At the time we visited, almost everything was on sale. My husband bought toys for his best friend's son. And I just enjoyed a window shopping experience looking at cute things (which I will never wear - LOL) and of course observing just how many styles the gothic Lolita girls have in common.
Not far from here there are lots of shops with international brands. After a few hours of walking and going in and out the shops we felt extremely hungry. So we headed off to Shibuya area and tried Ichiran ramen.
Trust me, never in my life that I saw a ramen joint with a very long queue. I almost gave up on this food at some point, but manage to get inside eventually. When I tasted the ramen, I couldn't be more so grateful for that queue cause turns out, everything was worth the queue! It was the best ramen experience I've ever tasted in my life. I'll write a separate blog post about it and keep you posted.
After Ichiran, we spent some time to walk around the surrounding area. A few hours later we felt all beat and super exhausted. We decided to call it a day.
I promise I'll share more places to explore. But let's leave that for tomorrow...
Meanwhile...nighty night.........
To be continued...
Great post! Let's travel again soon, beb!
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