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.                                                                                                                                                                                               

Japan has top be on the top of the travel bucket list of anime fanatics like me. The temples, the old streets, the manga centers--it's like being in one of our favorite anime. Ah! Our promised land (haha!). 2011 was the first time I set foot in the Land of the Rising Sun. It was for a youth exchange program though. I didn't get to see the parts of Japan that I have always dreamed of visiting. So, yeah! After five long years, I decided to embark on a solo trip to Japan. I took the last flight from Tacloban to Manila. By 7:30pm, I'm already at NAIA T3. My flight the next day was at 5:15am

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I checked in at a capsule room in The Wings at T3 so that I can rest. I was able to sleep despite the noise around the hall. The capsule room was small and comfy. It had all the necessities you need. Towels and toiletries are provided. Shower and light meals are free if you get a capsule bed. Otherwise, it will cost you Php 300.00. Aside from the sleeping capsule rooms, The Wings also offers a lot of other services. Check out their website for the complete details.

The capsule beds. Small but comfy.

At 2:30am, I checked out from The Wings and breezed through the check-in and immigration counters. I'm just happy that there were no long queues today. At 5:15am, we took off. The ride was long. Though I slept for the most of it, it was still loooong and tiring. It would be so nice to be in business class (Ha! In my dreams!).

view from my window seat

We arrived at Narita 15 minutes ahead of our arrival time. Great! Narita is still the same Narita from 5 years ago. After being cleared by the immigration and picking up my luggage, the fun starts. Mentally I'm up to the challenge but emotionally, I am horrified. First task was to look for a currency exchange counter. Done. Second, look for the 3-day ticket passes. Done. Last, make my way to the hostel. This was very tough. Being a non-reader of Nihonggo, it was hard to decipher what was written in the ticket. Good thing I found a nice Japanese lady to ask. Note that if you get a Sky Access ticket, there is an assigned car and seat for you. I just found out about this when I thoroughly checked my ticket and deduced correctly.

Note: Remove your passport covers when going through immigration. Use of phones and taking pictures while on queue is prohibited.

After a very thorough research, I decided not to purchase a JR Pass. I thought I will not be able to maximize the use or at least be break-even with the ticket cost. The JR Pass is good for travelers who plans to visit Tokyo-Kyoto-Tokyo, Tokyo-Osaka-Hiroshima, or something that requires you to ride the shinkansen for at least two times. Plus, there's a lot of local passes that you can probably opt to buy.

In Tokyo, I bought the the Keisei Skyliner and Tokyo Subway 3-day pass. this ticket gives you unlimited rides on the Tokyo Metro and Toei subway lines and a one-way/roundtrip ride on the skyliner from Narita to city center. It comes in different packakges. Check their website here.  Note that Tokyo train system is very complex but efficient. So always read signs, double check the platform number, and don't be shy to ask for assistance.

You can buy online or at their desk at Narita International Airport.

Tired of walking? No problem. hire a rickshaw. It might cost you a lot though. But you'll get a ride and a tour guide.

Shopping!!

The weather was nice today--not so cold, not hot either; thus, a big crowd

Gankake, a wooden tablet where you can write your prayers and wishes in.

The brightly lit Akihabara

Manga-lovers' heaven!

One of the most strenuous part of planning a trip is making an itinerary and an approximation of expenses to be incurred for the whole duration of the trip. And it really is a big help when people/travelers are sharing their version of travel itineraries online.

So, here's mine. This was supposed to be our travel itinerary for our SG trip last July but after 3 days of walking around Singapore, we were so tired that we decided not to pursue the overnight trip to Johor Bahru and Legoland.



Happy planning!

the obligatory photo with the globe

There are many ways to get to Universal Studios. You can get there by taking a taxi, bus, train, cable car, or by the boardwalk. If you haven't tried riding a cable car, this may be your opportunity. Just get to Harbourpoint MRT and walk towards the Harbourpoint cable car station. A roundtrip ticket will cost about SGD33. Alternatively, you can take the monorial at Harbourpoint MRT. This will cost SGD4 (including the SGD1 entrance fee to Sentosa).

But for people who prefers walking, you may walk all the way to Sentosa. Just look for the Sentosa Boardwalk outside Vivo City mall. Entrance fee is SGD1 but it is waived until December 31, 2016.


There are so many things to do in Sentosa. If you're short of budget, you can just get on the free shuttle buses, explore the island, lounge in the beach, and take a lot of photos.

Hey! Let go of my foot!

Universal Studios Singapore is just of the many destinations in Sentosa. Admission fee will cost you SGD74. But if you have more budget, you can get the universal express ticket. With this ticket, you no longer have to worry about the long lines at every ride. Mind you, waiting time can be as long as 4 hours for just one ride!

The 'Hollywood Walk of Fame'

Welcome to New York?!

Ever wondered how some scenes from our favorite movies got produced? Well, Spielberg Cinema will give you a glimpse of how it is to be in the movie-making process. It was so cool!

For thrill-seekers, USS got the ride for you. You must try the Galactica roller-coaster--it's one hell of a ride! The transformer's ride is also a must-ride. I say, it is the best ride in USS.

This is gonna be the best ride of your life!

Ancient Egypt

Souvenir shops are located in almost every corner of the park. You can choose from a lot of variety of items. Get the bundled ones and you can save a little bit more.

In a land far, far away....