You can practically buy these passes anywhere!

Passes to choose from

How to use guide

Kinkaku-ji/Kitano Area map taken from NaviBus brochure

It is recommended to go there early in the morning or just before it closes to avoid packs of tourists

I arrived at Kinkaku-ji Temple at 9am. It's a weekend and there were a lot of tourist groups already. It was crowded and I didn’t get to enjoy much of the Golden Pavilion. The temple was breathtaking and seemed to sparkle under the sun. I wonder if that's real gold. (haha!) Aside from the pavilion itself, there are also a lot of other things to see in the site like its wonderfully landscaped gardens and others. I bought omamoris again, by the way.

Admission fee is at 400yen.

The rock garden here is one of the symbols of Kyoto. Opening hours is from 8am-5pm. Admission fee is at 500yen.

Ginkakuji/Okazaki area map taken from NaviBus brochure

Gate to the temple

View from the top

Opening hours: 8:30am-5:00pm. Admission fee is at 500yen

The timing just wasn't right =(

Summary of today's itinerary and expenses

Among all areas in Japan, Kyoto is the most visited. Why? Basically, for much of its history, Kyoto was Japan. It is here where you’ll find all the things that are Japanese—temples, shrines, gardens, storehouses. And for tourists, this is the Japan that they want to see and experience

A FREE simple point-to-point Navi bus guide

For budget travelers: Check your brochures and you may just have discount coupons! More savings!

Take note that you need to be on the right stand. This map proved to be very helpful.

Honestly, I had a long list of places to visit during my 3-day stay at Tokyo. Day 2 was supposed to be dedicated to exploring the most crowded and most visited areas in all of Tokyo; meaning, a lot of walking. However, I was not in the mood to go sightseeing so I decided to do less walking and just relax.



First stop is Tokyo National Museum (TNM). I always make it a point to visit the country's national museum. There are so many things that I get to learn and understand when I visit museums. I just think though that a visit to TNM would probably be more effective if you join an English tour. Though I'm not really sure if there are free guided tours.

Ueno Park is quite large and getting to your destination might be tricky. Good thing there's a lot of guide maps located in various areas. Look for the English ones though!

Tokyo National Museum Main Building--looks big from the outside, even bigger in the inside.

Tokyo National Museum holds the largest collection of Japanese arts and articrafts. So if you're planning to visit only one museum in Japan, make this the one.

Intricately made kimonos which were used by royalties back then.

Next stop is Korea town. It was not on my itinerary but I really wanted to have a taste of the Korean culture. So, Shin-okubo Koreantown is the place to go. If you're a big fan of K-Pop groups then, this place is a must-visit. A lot of stores selling K-Pop albums, fan merchandise, korean cosmetics and beauty products sprawl along the streets. Honestly, I was expecting something more Korean but all I saw were several stores selling same items. However, there were a lot of restaurants offering authentic Korean dishes. This was enough for me.

Harajuku is very near Shin-okubo Koreantown; and this became my next stop. I did a lot of window shopping and a bit of actual shopping. I also visited the famous Meiji-jingu. As you approach Meiji-jingu, you'll pass by a regal boulevard lined up with high-end boutiques. This is Omote-sando, one of the best places in Tokyo to see contemporary architecture.




Meiji-jingu is Tokyo's grandest Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Be ready to do a lot of walking. It may take 15-20 minutes walk from the Harajuku JR station to the shrine. Just enjoy the cool breeze and serenity of the place and you wouldn't feel tired. Not at all. A towering 12m wooden torii gate marks the entrance to the shrine.

It's customary to bow upon passing through a torii--the boundary between the ordinary and the sacred.

Before entering the shrine, purify yourself by pouring water over your hands at the temizuya.

Buy yourself an ema (wooden plaques), write your wish, pray hard. It might just come true.

Another popular spot in Harajuku is Takeshita-dori. This is Tokyo's famous teen-fashion bazaar where a lot of trendy shops--big and small--sell a lot of kawaii stuff. This street is very popular among the younger generations; thus, can easily be packed.

Takeshita-dori at night.

With the numerous stores lined up along Takeshita-dori, you'll definitely anything and everything you're looking for.

My last stop for the day is Akihabara Electric Town. Being an anime-lover, this is the one place that I cannot miss. I went in to a lot of manga stores, shopped for plastic models of my favorite One Piece characters, and hoarded a lot of gatcha-gatcha!

Manga haven! Unfortunately, they sell a very limited number of English-translated manga.

How to get to Tokyo National Museum: Take JR Yamanote Line to Ueno. Exit at Ueno-koen. TNM is open is open from 9:30am-5:00pm from Tuesday to Thursday. Entrance fee for adults is 620yen while for kids it's 410yen.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
How to get to Shin-okubo Koreantown: Take JR Line to Shin-okubo. Facing the street, turn right and continue walking until you see the first K-Pop store.  

How to get to Meiji-jingu: Take JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku. Take Omote-sando exit. Meiji-jingu is open is open from dusk til dawn, year-round. FREE.                                                                         

How to get to Akihabara Electric Town: Take JR Yamanote Line to Akihabara. Exit at Electric Town exit. Note that most manga stores closes at 8:00pm.