Tokyo and Kyoto and Cherry Blossom Season - KLM WBC
Mar 28, 2015, 3:29 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NCL
Programs: FB Plat; BAEC Gold
Posts: 930
Day 1 Tokyo - Fighting the jet lag with the magic of Coke!
So I've made it, what the hell do I do now? No doubt the tranquility of the airport on arrival has helped with the transition. Despite the lack of sleep I feel relatively good although some fresh air wouldn't go a miss.
I've got two jobs before I get the train into Tokyo. First is to collect the pocket wifi I ordered online (£29 / 6 day hire) which I bought at the same time as my JR rail pass. Making my way up to the 4th floor for the post office, again, I made a slight detour after missing the sign. Once I did find the post office a quick check of my passport and I was on my way. Back down 5 floors to the basement and the JR ticket office to pick up my rail pass. A short queue of similarly arriving passengers resulted in a 15 minute wait which included completing a collection form. I was only able to reserve seats for the NEX into Tokyo so I would need to do others later in the day.
Once complete, I had just missed a train so a 30 minute wait until the next and time to set up the pocket wifi. Leaving promptly at 1045 all was going well until 20 minutes into the journey when tiredness smacked me in the face and I was craving some fresh air. After 55 minutes we were at a Tokyo staton and a short walk to my hotel which is located within the station building. On arriving I managed to negotiate a 2pm check in as I was told there were no rooms available immediately. I had hoped to grab a few hours sleep but I would need to stay awake a little longer.
Hotel and Tokyo Station Building
Deciding to get some fresh air I headed to the Imperial Palace to take photos and get my bearings. A longer walk covered Ginza and the surrounding area then I was back at the hotel by 4pm to check in and work out the plans for later in the evening. The saviour in the end was a mixture of fresh air, small lunch and the illicit substance of Coke, sorry Coca Cola. The sugar did its job and give me a second wind or was it a fourth?
First Cherry Blossom
Dont fancy Senew tonight!
Check in was quick and I was escorted to my room where my luggage had already been left. Overall impressions of the hotel are excellent, very well appointed, everything is pristine and the staff cannot do enough for you.
My room is a good size, especially from what I have seen by Tokyo standards. Plenty of room for a solo traveller with a comfortable bed and very nice marble bathroom with a fantastic shower head and a rain shower which revitalised my weary body. A further note of quality is a button which I found when going to sleep. Something really annoys me in hotel rooms is where there are six or seven different lights which require a relay of switches to be able to achieve darkness when going to sleep. At the side of my bed I have one button which cuts all lights at a simple press without the need to do orienteering before sleep.
Token toilet control panel photo
Being based in the station building means the layout is not totally conventional. There are 8 bars, restaurants and cafes all over the hotel on different levels and sections. Getting to these is through a series of corridors, lifts and secret handshakes. There are two lifts in my area but only one goes to the atrium and breakfast lounge on the 4th floor.
Corridor snug
A quick unpack, shower and I made my way to the bar to catch up on news on my laptop and started to edit my TR. The intention was to stay as far away as possible from my bed! By this time I thought it too late to get a power nap in, once my head hit the pillow I could see myself leaving the room again that night.
The bar I choose was behind a big oak door, originally I thought it was closed but behind the door revealed the bar. There are probably only 15 seats including 7 at the bar, luckily it was around 5pm before the rush but it soon filled up.
Report editing
Not wanting to drink too much I visited to the JR ticket office to make my seat reservations for my Kyoto trip and Narita return. For both trips my request to be on Mt. Fuji side was accepted. This took all of two minutes and I headed across the road to a shopping mall with a terrace garden to take more photos and get a city view at night. After a quick bite to eat in a bar I was back in the hotel and was asleep by 2030, probably within seconds of my head hitting the pillow. Here's hoping to be refreshed tomorrow.
More practice needed on long exposure
So I've made it, what the hell do I do now? No doubt the tranquility of the airport on arrival has helped with the transition. Despite the lack of sleep I feel relatively good although some fresh air wouldn't go a miss.
I've got two jobs before I get the train into Tokyo. First is to collect the pocket wifi I ordered online (£29 / 6 day hire) which I bought at the same time as my JR rail pass. Making my way up to the 4th floor for the post office, again, I made a slight detour after missing the sign. Once I did find the post office a quick check of my passport and I was on my way. Back down 5 floors to the basement and the JR ticket office to pick up my rail pass. A short queue of similarly arriving passengers resulted in a 15 minute wait which included completing a collection form. I was only able to reserve seats for the NEX into Tokyo so I would need to do others later in the day.
Once complete, I had just missed a train so a 30 minute wait until the next and time to set up the pocket wifi. Leaving promptly at 1045 all was going well until 20 minutes into the journey when tiredness smacked me in the face and I was craving some fresh air. After 55 minutes we were at a Tokyo staton and a short walk to my hotel which is located within the station building. On arriving I managed to negotiate a 2pm check in as I was told there were no rooms available immediately. I had hoped to grab a few hours sleep but I would need to stay awake a little longer.
Hotel and Tokyo Station Building
Deciding to get some fresh air I headed to the Imperial Palace to take photos and get my bearings. A longer walk covered Ginza and the surrounding area then I was back at the hotel by 4pm to check in and work out the plans for later in the evening. The saviour in the end was a mixture of fresh air, small lunch and the illicit substance of Coke, sorry Coca Cola. The sugar did its job and give me a second wind or was it a fourth?
First Cherry Blossom
Dont fancy Senew tonight!
Check in was quick and I was escorted to my room where my luggage had already been left. Overall impressions of the hotel are excellent, very well appointed, everything is pristine and the staff cannot do enough for you.
My room is a good size, especially from what I have seen by Tokyo standards. Plenty of room for a solo traveller with a comfortable bed and very nice marble bathroom with a fantastic shower head and a rain shower which revitalised my weary body. A further note of quality is a button which I found when going to sleep. Something really annoys me in hotel rooms is where there are six or seven different lights which require a relay of switches to be able to achieve darkness when going to sleep. At the side of my bed I have one button which cuts all lights at a simple press without the need to do orienteering before sleep.
Token toilet control panel photo
Being based in the station building means the layout is not totally conventional. There are 8 bars, restaurants and cafes all over the hotel on different levels and sections. Getting to these is through a series of corridors, lifts and secret handshakes. There are two lifts in my area but only one goes to the atrium and breakfast lounge on the 4th floor.
Corridor snug
A quick unpack, shower and I made my way to the bar to catch up on news on my laptop and started to edit my TR. The intention was to stay as far away as possible from my bed! By this time I thought it too late to get a power nap in, once my head hit the pillow I could see myself leaving the room again that night.
The bar I choose was behind a big oak door, originally I thought it was closed but behind the door revealed the bar. There are probably only 15 seats including 7 at the bar, luckily it was around 5pm before the rush but it soon filled up.
Report editing
Not wanting to drink too much I visited to the JR ticket office to make my seat reservations for my Kyoto trip and Narita return. For both trips my request to be on Mt. Fuji side was accepted. This took all of two minutes and I headed across the road to a shopping mall with a terrace garden to take more photos and get a city view at night. After a quick bite to eat in a bar I was back in the hotel and was asleep by 2030, probably within seconds of my head hitting the pillow. Here's hoping to be refreshed tomorrow.
More practice needed on long exposure
Mar 28, 2015, 6:57 pm
#20
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 225
How 'pocket' is it? small enough to fit in your jeans? and how about battery life? I'm in doubt between getting pocket wifi or just a prepaid 3g simcard for my Japan trip.
Mar 28, 2015, 7:56 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NCL
Programs: FB Plat; BAEC Gold
Posts: 930
Upload and download speeds are quicker than my wifi back home!
Mar 29, 2015, 4:34 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NCL
Programs: FB Plat; BAEC Gold
Posts: 930
Day 2 Tokyo - Cherry blossom time
So how long could I stay asleep in order to adjust properly? Surely after being awake for over 24 hours I would need the alarm to prod me out of bed.
Wrong! At 2am, after five and half hours sleep I was awake and unfortunately ready to get up. I tried until 4:30 to get back to sleep but it just wasn't working. I decided to edit the text and photos for the next instalment of my TR and post online. Then shower, breakfast and make a plan for the day.
Wow, what a setting for breakfast in the atrium of the hotel. A lovely environment to down a couple of cappuccinos, fruit and read the paper. Lots of variety on offer in the buffet with a Japanese side and western options. The staff as ever are very attentive.
I had decided to head for Ueno area to see cherry blossom and Tokyo Skytree. I wanted to go to the Skytre on a clear day, which at the minute Tokyo wasn’t however looking ahead at the weather today looked the best option. I checked HyperDia for train times and lines to set off around 8:30.
Getting the train was relatively easy and within 8 minutes I was in Ueno. At this time in the morning the park was already busy and I soon made my way into the main path running through the park to see my first proper cherry blossom. I had planned my day to include the Tokyo National Museum so I had around 45 minutes before that opened. I walked all around the park, visiting the shrines, making a wish and watching the world go buy. How many photos can one need of blossom. Well I can tell you, never quite enough. The only minor problem was the cloudy morning, especially after the clear day yesterday. I'm still happy with my photos however I may return later in my stay if its a clear day, when there is even more bloom.
0830 and already busy with people
The birds also taking in the blossom
Entering Tokyo National Museum there is a permanent exhibition and two temporary collections. I decided to go with one extra consisting of Masterpieces of Buddhist Sculpture from Northern Japan, the two exhibitions combined with a visit to the Asian gallery took around 2 hours which concluded with a walk in the gardens where I bought a coffee. I didn't realise until half way around the permanent exhibition that I was going the wrong way, against the flow but by that time I decided it was too late. The Japanese Buddhist exhibits were very good, dating back to about 650 AD, hand carved wood with lots of detail. An advantage I had here, by the way it was one way so I couldn't make that mistake again, was that I didn't need to keep pace people's slow speed in the line carving its way through the gallery but I could stand back and see over people heads in front of me. Very handy.
Tokyo National Museum
Samurai armour
Samurai helmet
Egyptian mummy
By the time I left the sun was shining and it was getting warmer. Time to remove the jumper whilst others were still in coats and scarfs and head to Tokyo Skytree. I had debated on how to get there with it being served by the metro and open top bus. I didn't have a metro card and it being after midday it seemed a waste to buy a bus ticket so I decided to walk. Google maps told me 3.8km and 45 minutes. Obviously as a man knowing better than a computer I thought it would be quicker with my long stride. Surprisingly given that I was not the expert on the city I had arrived to yesterday jet lagged, it took exactly 45 minutes, however I did stop to buy a drink. That took all of 1 minute so didn't hold me back. It was a nice walk to see Tokyo from another angle, away from the main crowds and the weather was nice so no harm done.
I found my way to the winding queue for the Skytree ticket office which was moving slowly. As luck would have it I noticed a fast track desk for international guests with only one person in the queue. Checking my credentials, foreign visitor, check, no patience to stand in a queue, check, like to take the easy option, check, I thought this is the one for me. Within a split second I made my way over and double checked with the line attendant and she agreed I met the criteria. For a price of ¥2800 I had access to the viewing platform through a fast track queue and straight into the lift. The attendant was attempting to do a selling job on me for the service which apparently cost a little extra however it was a waste of time. I already had my money out and was ready to pay. Apparently the other queue would not get me to the top before 4pm, this being 1230. I could quite well believe it walking past the queues approaching the lift. I would recommend this to any foreign visitor, it's not exactly well signposted so look out for it.
Some people feel conspicuous when using these queues in airports, etc. I didn't on this occasion, in fact give me an umbrella and I could of imitated a tour group leader by the way I hustled through the lines. approximatly 4 minutes after buying a ticket and 50 seconds in the lift I was 400 meters in the air and looking out over Tokyo.
I had hoped for a clear day to catch Mt. Fuji in the photos. It was certainly clearer than the morning but the haze hadn't quite burnt off and that impacted on the view as can be seen by the photos. It is closed on Mondays and when I looked at the weather for Sunday it was showing a rain and clouds so today was my only day to do it.
Tokyo Skytree
Hazy view west
Glass floor
Going down
Once I had my fill of photos, views and a sit down to rest my limbs I made my way down and headed for some lunch. Being lunchtime everywhere was busy so I decided to take the easy choice and stop looking and head for the McDonalds I had seen. More writing about food and restaurants to come.
That was my itinerary done for the day so I looked at what I had in reserve or that could be moved from another day. The whole itinerary is not as complexed as it sounds. I had divided things up to certain areas so I had a clear plan of what I needed and wanted to do and to maximise travel.
The Edo-Tokyo museum was such an attraction which, when I checked was in a rough direction back to the hotel and most importantly for my tired legs had a JR station next to it. After another 3k walk I found myself at the ticket desk. Now this exemplifies Japanese service, I queued for almost 2 minutes ready to pay my ¥650 for the permanent exhibition on the history of Tokyo and how it's had developed and transformed through the centuries. Once I got to the front an inexplicable thing happened. The lady told me today was free and proceeded to apologise several times for me queuing. I professed to her it wasn't a problem but she seemed totally offended that I had queued. Anyway I bowed and went on my way without the need for a ticket.
Japanese life
First affordable Japanese car by Subaru
Replica first set of traffic lights which were positioned near my hotel
Japanese lanterns which were used to appeal for missing people by writing their details on a lighting for people to see
As an add on to the day I was pleased I visited the museum, as originally, it was on the may visit list. The museum exhibited the history of Tokyo and the milestones of the city. Very interesting and informative on how the city had transformed from essential agriculture and imperial rule to what it is now.
A short walk to the station got me on the train back to my hotel at 4pm, did I mention I was awake at 2am. I decided to watch some news, which I knew really meant having a nap so I set my alarm for 6pm and drifted off. Waking before my alarm, I showered and headed out to Shibuya. I was still feeling tired but didn't want to waste a night if I had the chance. 25 minutes later I was watching and photographing a maze of people on the Shibuya crossing, lots of neon lights and Tokyo life in general.
Panoramic Shibuya Crossing
After this is thought some food and a beer was on the menu. Now comes my major issue so far. The general point isn't a criticism it's just the way it appears to me and perhaps my interpretation of things. The one point on the waiter is a criticism as you may see.
I wasn't starving but I definitely needed something to eat and more importantly a beer. Restaurants in Tokyo tend to be small and specialise in certain dishes which results in a queue forming at busy times. This I understand, but for me eating alone in Tokyo doesn’t make it easy and the one thing I find uncomfortable when travelling, especially in the evening. I would prefer to blend into the background with a book or browsing on my phone when having my meal.
Shibuya isn't short of food outlets and I had seen a Ramen restaurant which looked nice but to be honest I bottled it as the menu outside had no English, so I couldn't distinguish between the meats they were serving. I kept walking looking for restaurants as I went, when I seen a TGI Fridays and a Spanish / Italian Fusion place. Looking at the menus the fusion had salads and meats which I was happy with so I entered. I was met by a waiter who, after me asking for a table, then proceeded to usher me out saying "TGI Friday" repeatedly. I tried to ask again but he was having none of it. Whilst this was going on a Japanese couple walked in without protest, I didn't see how they got on but I would assume they were treated with a little more cooperation. This was the only let down so far.
Deciding to bite the bullet I went into TGI’s, got a beer and a chicken Caesar salad and forgot about it. Compete with a cocktail show right in front of me, I will now be in a load of teenage girls videos and photos as they watched on in amazement at the mixers and sprints flying through the air. The show concluded by mixing spirits and pouring them colour coded into shot glasses from the mixer, very impressive.
Again the meal was not expensive, equivalent to £11 for 2 beers and a salad. After paying, I walked around some more and got the train back to my hotel.
So how long could I stay asleep in order to adjust properly? Surely after being awake for over 24 hours I would need the alarm to prod me out of bed.
Wrong! At 2am, after five and half hours sleep I was awake and unfortunately ready to get up. I tried until 4:30 to get back to sleep but it just wasn't working. I decided to edit the text and photos for the next instalment of my TR and post online. Then shower, breakfast and make a plan for the day.
Wow, what a setting for breakfast in the atrium of the hotel. A lovely environment to down a couple of cappuccinos, fruit and read the paper. Lots of variety on offer in the buffet with a Japanese side and western options. The staff as ever are very attentive.
I had decided to head for Ueno area to see cherry blossom and Tokyo Skytree. I wanted to go to the Skytre on a clear day, which at the minute Tokyo wasn’t however looking ahead at the weather today looked the best option. I checked HyperDia for train times and lines to set off around 8:30.
Getting the train was relatively easy and within 8 minutes I was in Ueno. At this time in the morning the park was already busy and I soon made my way into the main path running through the park to see my first proper cherry blossom. I had planned my day to include the Tokyo National Museum so I had around 45 minutes before that opened. I walked all around the park, visiting the shrines, making a wish and watching the world go buy. How many photos can one need of blossom. Well I can tell you, never quite enough. The only minor problem was the cloudy morning, especially after the clear day yesterday. I'm still happy with my photos however I may return later in my stay if its a clear day, when there is even more bloom.
0830 and already busy with people
The birds also taking in the blossom
Entering Tokyo National Museum there is a permanent exhibition and two temporary collections. I decided to go with one extra consisting of Masterpieces of Buddhist Sculpture from Northern Japan, the two exhibitions combined with a visit to the Asian gallery took around 2 hours which concluded with a walk in the gardens where I bought a coffee. I didn't realise until half way around the permanent exhibition that I was going the wrong way, against the flow but by that time I decided it was too late. The Japanese Buddhist exhibits were very good, dating back to about 650 AD, hand carved wood with lots of detail. An advantage I had here, by the way it was one way so I couldn't make that mistake again, was that I didn't need to keep pace people's slow speed in the line carving its way through the gallery but I could stand back and see over people heads in front of me. Very handy.
Tokyo National Museum
Samurai armour
Samurai helmet
Egyptian mummy
By the time I left the sun was shining and it was getting warmer. Time to remove the jumper whilst others were still in coats and scarfs and head to Tokyo Skytree. I had debated on how to get there with it being served by the metro and open top bus. I didn't have a metro card and it being after midday it seemed a waste to buy a bus ticket so I decided to walk. Google maps told me 3.8km and 45 minutes. Obviously as a man knowing better than a computer I thought it would be quicker with my long stride. Surprisingly given that I was not the expert on the city I had arrived to yesterday jet lagged, it took exactly 45 minutes, however I did stop to buy a drink. That took all of 1 minute so didn't hold me back. It was a nice walk to see Tokyo from another angle, away from the main crowds and the weather was nice so no harm done.
I found my way to the winding queue for the Skytree ticket office which was moving slowly. As luck would have it I noticed a fast track desk for international guests with only one person in the queue. Checking my credentials, foreign visitor, check, no patience to stand in a queue, check, like to take the easy option, check, I thought this is the one for me. Within a split second I made my way over and double checked with the line attendant and she agreed I met the criteria. For a price of ¥2800 I had access to the viewing platform through a fast track queue and straight into the lift. The attendant was attempting to do a selling job on me for the service which apparently cost a little extra however it was a waste of time. I already had my money out and was ready to pay. Apparently the other queue would not get me to the top before 4pm, this being 1230. I could quite well believe it walking past the queues approaching the lift. I would recommend this to any foreign visitor, it's not exactly well signposted so look out for it.
Some people feel conspicuous when using these queues in airports, etc. I didn't on this occasion, in fact give me an umbrella and I could of imitated a tour group leader by the way I hustled through the lines. approximatly 4 minutes after buying a ticket and 50 seconds in the lift I was 400 meters in the air and looking out over Tokyo.
I had hoped for a clear day to catch Mt. Fuji in the photos. It was certainly clearer than the morning but the haze hadn't quite burnt off and that impacted on the view as can be seen by the photos. It is closed on Mondays and when I looked at the weather for Sunday it was showing a rain and clouds so today was my only day to do it.
Tokyo Skytree
Hazy view west
Glass floor
Going down
Once I had my fill of photos, views and a sit down to rest my limbs I made my way down and headed for some lunch. Being lunchtime everywhere was busy so I decided to take the easy choice and stop looking and head for the McDonalds I had seen. More writing about food and restaurants to come.
That was my itinerary done for the day so I looked at what I had in reserve or that could be moved from another day. The whole itinerary is not as complexed as it sounds. I had divided things up to certain areas so I had a clear plan of what I needed and wanted to do and to maximise travel.
The Edo-Tokyo museum was such an attraction which, when I checked was in a rough direction back to the hotel and most importantly for my tired legs had a JR station next to it. After another 3k walk I found myself at the ticket desk. Now this exemplifies Japanese service, I queued for almost 2 minutes ready to pay my ¥650 for the permanent exhibition on the history of Tokyo and how it's had developed and transformed through the centuries. Once I got to the front an inexplicable thing happened. The lady told me today was free and proceeded to apologise several times for me queuing. I professed to her it wasn't a problem but she seemed totally offended that I had queued. Anyway I bowed and went on my way without the need for a ticket.
Japanese life
First affordable Japanese car by Subaru
Replica first set of traffic lights which were positioned near my hotel
Japanese lanterns which were used to appeal for missing people by writing their details on a lighting for people to see
As an add on to the day I was pleased I visited the museum, as originally, it was on the may visit list. The museum exhibited the history of Tokyo and the milestones of the city. Very interesting and informative on how the city had transformed from essential agriculture and imperial rule to what it is now.
A short walk to the station got me on the train back to my hotel at 4pm, did I mention I was awake at 2am. I decided to watch some news, which I knew really meant having a nap so I set my alarm for 6pm and drifted off. Waking before my alarm, I showered and headed out to Shibuya. I was still feeling tired but didn't want to waste a night if I had the chance. 25 minutes later I was watching and photographing a maze of people on the Shibuya crossing, lots of neon lights and Tokyo life in general.
Panoramic Shibuya Crossing
After this is thought some food and a beer was on the menu. Now comes my major issue so far. The general point isn't a criticism it's just the way it appears to me and perhaps my interpretation of things. The one point on the waiter is a criticism as you may see.
I wasn't starving but I definitely needed something to eat and more importantly a beer. Restaurants in Tokyo tend to be small and specialise in certain dishes which results in a queue forming at busy times. This I understand, but for me eating alone in Tokyo doesn’t make it easy and the one thing I find uncomfortable when travelling, especially in the evening. I would prefer to blend into the background with a book or browsing on my phone when having my meal.
Shibuya isn't short of food outlets and I had seen a Ramen restaurant which looked nice but to be honest I bottled it as the menu outside had no English, so I couldn't distinguish between the meats they were serving. I kept walking looking for restaurants as I went, when I seen a TGI Fridays and a Spanish / Italian Fusion place. Looking at the menus the fusion had salads and meats which I was happy with so I entered. I was met by a waiter who, after me asking for a table, then proceeded to usher me out saying "TGI Friday" repeatedly. I tried to ask again but he was having none of it. Whilst this was going on a Japanese couple walked in without protest, I didn't see how they got on but I would assume they were treated with a little more cooperation. This was the only let down so far.
Deciding to bite the bullet I went into TGI’s, got a beer and a chicken Caesar salad and forgot about it. Compete with a cocktail show right in front of me, I will now be in a load of teenage girls videos and photos as they watched on in amazement at the mixers and sprints flying through the air. The show concluded by mixing spirits and pouring them colour coded into shot glasses from the mixer, very impressive.
Again the meal was not expensive, equivalent to £11 for 2 beers and a salad. After paying, I walked around some more and got the train back to my hotel.
Mar 29, 2015, 5:49 pm
#23
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
This is interesting - it had never occurred to me that a lot of visitors probably do request the side with a view of Fuji. While I (a westerner) have only ridden this route a few times, in retrospect I have always been placed on the Fuji side, after just asking for a random seat reservation. I wonder if they do this by default when space allows?
Also re: restaurant ordering, two things will be your friends - ramen shops with ticket machines and places in dept. stores/malls/food courts with the plastic replicas of each dish out front. Can't go wrong with either.
Also re: restaurant ordering, two things will be your friends - ramen shops with ticket machines and places in dept. stores/malls/food courts with the plastic replicas of each dish out front. Can't go wrong with either.
Last edited by arlflyer; Mar 29, 2015 at 6:02 pm
Mar 29, 2015, 8:34 pm
#24
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LHR
Programs: GlobalEntry, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 198
Something really annoys me in hotel rooms is where there are six or seven different lights which require a relay of switches to be able to achieve darkness when going to sleep. At the side of my bed I have one button which cuts all lights at a simple press without the need to do orienteering before sleep.
Deciding to bite the bullet I went into TGI’s, got a beer and a chicken Caesar salad and forgot about it. Compete with a cocktail show right in front of me.
Great TR, I think I might have to convince my wife to go to Japan, now that I have an itinerary to copy!
Mar 30, 2015, 2:19 pm
#25
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Lincoln UK/BKK
Programs: BAEC Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 423
Great report so far, and will be reading the rest with interest as I'm going to Tokyo for four nights in June myself for first time.
Which pocket wifi company did you use?
Cracking info on the Skytree fast track line! I plan to visit it so rocking up as foreigner should be no problem!
Thanks
Which pocket wifi company did you use?
Cracking info on the Skytree fast track line! I plan to visit it so rocking up as foreigner should be no problem!
Thanks
Mar 30, 2015, 7:12 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NCL
Programs: FB Plat; BAEC Gold
Posts: 930
Great report so far, and will be reading the rest with interest as I'm going to Tokyo for four nights in June myself for first time.
Which pocket wifi company did you use?
Cracking info on the Skytree fast track line! I plan to visit it so rocking up as foreigner should be no problem!
Thanks
Which pocket wifi company did you use?
Cracking info on the Skytree fast track line! I plan to visit it so rocking up as foreigner should be no problem!
Thanks
I ordered my rail pass and pocket wifi from www.japan-rail-pass.com.
Mar 30, 2015, 7:38 pm
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NCL
Programs: FB Plat; BAEC Gold
Posts: 930
Day 3 Tokyo - New versus old - A day of wrong decisions or 'key learnings' in today's management speak
The day again started early, 4am and awake with no chance of getting back to sleep. My cold had focused itself in my throat so I was coughing and spluttering most of the day. I now cough and talk like a 80’s club comic. At 6am I cut my loses to edit and post my day 1 TR onto the thread.
Breakfast at 8 was similar to yesterday, I had decided to head over to Odaiba Island and the best way I could see of doing this without using the Metro was to buy a ticket for the hop on bus. This way I would see some more of Tokyo and if time allowed I could use the other colour lines.
The first bus isn't until 10 so I had a later start which I used for a 30 minute power nap to try and get a little more function into my body. Waking at 4, editing a TR and breakfast is tiring work! It didn't help too much but any sleep is better than nothing at the minute.
Bus ticket bought and departure bang on 10am we looped around to the Tokyo Tower and then into the Island via the bridge. I managed to get a few shots of the harbour area whilst the sun was shining. If you are planning to use these buses and you're in Tokyo over a weekend I would recommend this as the best time to do it. Traffic was almost none existent at this time in the morning which give an easy passage through. Even on the way back in the afternoon it was clearer that what I had witnessed on Friday and Monday. So much so, the commentary wouldn't have time to finish each point as we had already moved on.
Tokyo Tower
Onto the Freeway
Harbour Area
First, I visited the Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation which is home to the Asimo robot. I didn't realise there was only set times to view it in action, these are 1100, 1400 and 1600 hours and the show is only 10 minutes long! When this is the clear attraction it seems a little silly for such a short performance, fortunately I'm used to this type of thing following Newcastle United around the country for football matches! There I pay for a ticket and if I see a performance for half the match its a bonus. The main difference at this museum was that I couldn't even drown my loses in the pub after! Please bear this in mind if deciding to visit.
I got into the museum just as the 1100 show was finishing. Entry price was ¥620, which I managed to pay using my loose change counted out when waiting in the queue. When I put this in the basket you would think the cashier had not seen coins before. Making quite a big play she had to count 1 x ¥500 and 12 x ¥10 hardly safe counting at the bank of Japan. The main reason I mentioned the price was that I thought it was cheap and thank god. Other than the robot, which I had gone back to the lab, cupboard or wherever, I totally missed the point of the whole place. Very little of interest here for me, exhibits were worded in both Japanese and English but this didn't help at all. I didn't see how things were linked and what the real purpose was. Hundreds, if not thousands of Japanese appeared to be loving it but it wasn't for me. Give me a temple, cherry blossom or national history anytime over this. Had I seen the Asimo robot display it would only of prolonged the visit for 10 mins but at least it would of given a purpose.
Baby Robot
Adult Robot
Asimo Robot
Next on the agenda was the Sony Explorascience but not before some lunch. I found a little Italian place which accepted me unlike last night. Must just be the Italian / Spanish fusion places with a dislike. Pizza and beer ordered and I was happy sitting on the balcony even though it turned overcast with a slight chill in the air. Whilst having lunch I went onto Tripadvisor to see the reviews of the Explorascience and they were mixed, some saying it was great other saying it was a waste of time geared to children. As I had time to kill before the next bus I had nothing to lose.
Travelling down to the Sony area I paid my entrance fee, again not much more that ¥600, and entered. As with the first museum I'll get my overal comment in first, this was another waste of time. We have a theme occurring today and its a shame that they’ve happened consecutively. This place was recommended in my tour book as a place for Sony lovers. I wouldn't really class myself as a Sony fanboy but I've owned the Playstation since the first version and I have my RX-100. This was just a typical Japanese arcade environment. It reminded me of the old Metroland inside the Metrocentre (Gateshead, UK) which also had lots of screaming kids and the overriding smell of sick as small children often stuffed their face with candy floss, hot dogs and fizzy drinks before going on the Pirate Ship. The place has since closed down and the site has been decontaminated.
This place didn't quite have the odour but it did have some overexcited children running around in a dark environment with lots of neon lights. I walked around and within 10 minutes I had had my fill. The best part was when I made my way to the gents and a screen above the urinal measures how much water you pass. 180ml if you interested, must of been the Moretti over lunch!
With an hour to kill before the bus I walked around and visited the replica Statue of Liberty and browsed the shops. I couldn't wait to get out of this place as it reminded me of a run down seaside town in the UK which had seen better times. It was crawling with visitors though so I guess it just wasn’t for me.
Fuji TV Building
Back on the bus I made my way around the loop and was in my hotel by 4pm. I decided to get a nap, if I had been a dwarf (impossible for me in Japan) I would of been drowsy. The cold and lack of sleep was catching up severely.
These connections at the top of the towers are to stop the buildings swaying during earthquakes. They are not walkways as they appear.
Tokyo Theatre
After a two hour slumber I awoke and my fortunes changed. A quick shower to ensure I was definitely awake and I headed out to find some food. Once again I walked through the Kitte Centre in the hope that the crowds would be less on a Sunday, the streets at this time certainly were. Unable to dodge the lines I headed across the road to the Marunouchi building and found a sushi restaurant with no queue. I made my way in slightly nervous, and was immediately given a seat at the bar. Ordering an 11 piece and a beer I sat back and watched the guys do their thing. I thoroughly enjoyed the food, it was the first time I've had proper sushi like this and I enjoyed the environment and watching these masters at work. All this for less than ¥4500. It only occured to me after that perhaps I should of asked for a table in the corner. Only once I started eating did I realise that my chop stick skills and etiquette were under scrutiny. All passed well though and I thanked the people and left happy.
On the walk back to the hotel I stopped at a bar for a Kirin and to write up the second half of this report. A day of mixed blessings but I don't regret any of it.
The day again started early, 4am and awake with no chance of getting back to sleep. My cold had focused itself in my throat so I was coughing and spluttering most of the day. I now cough and talk like a 80’s club comic. At 6am I cut my loses to edit and post my day 1 TR onto the thread.
Breakfast at 8 was similar to yesterday, I had decided to head over to Odaiba Island and the best way I could see of doing this without using the Metro was to buy a ticket for the hop on bus. This way I would see some more of Tokyo and if time allowed I could use the other colour lines.
The first bus isn't until 10 so I had a later start which I used for a 30 minute power nap to try and get a little more function into my body. Waking at 4, editing a TR and breakfast is tiring work! It didn't help too much but any sleep is better than nothing at the minute.
Bus ticket bought and departure bang on 10am we looped around to the Tokyo Tower and then into the Island via the bridge. I managed to get a few shots of the harbour area whilst the sun was shining. If you are planning to use these buses and you're in Tokyo over a weekend I would recommend this as the best time to do it. Traffic was almost none existent at this time in the morning which give an easy passage through. Even on the way back in the afternoon it was clearer that what I had witnessed on Friday and Monday. So much so, the commentary wouldn't have time to finish each point as we had already moved on.
Tokyo Tower
Onto the Freeway
Harbour Area
First, I visited the Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation which is home to the Asimo robot. I didn't realise there was only set times to view it in action, these are 1100, 1400 and 1600 hours and the show is only 10 minutes long! When this is the clear attraction it seems a little silly for such a short performance, fortunately I'm used to this type of thing following Newcastle United around the country for football matches! There I pay for a ticket and if I see a performance for half the match its a bonus. The main difference at this museum was that I couldn't even drown my loses in the pub after! Please bear this in mind if deciding to visit.
I got into the museum just as the 1100 show was finishing. Entry price was ¥620, which I managed to pay using my loose change counted out when waiting in the queue. When I put this in the basket you would think the cashier had not seen coins before. Making quite a big play she had to count 1 x ¥500 and 12 x ¥10 hardly safe counting at the bank of Japan. The main reason I mentioned the price was that I thought it was cheap and thank god. Other than the robot, which I had gone back to the lab, cupboard or wherever, I totally missed the point of the whole place. Very little of interest here for me, exhibits were worded in both Japanese and English but this didn't help at all. I didn't see how things were linked and what the real purpose was. Hundreds, if not thousands of Japanese appeared to be loving it but it wasn't for me. Give me a temple, cherry blossom or national history anytime over this. Had I seen the Asimo robot display it would only of prolonged the visit for 10 mins but at least it would of given a purpose.
Baby Robot
Adult Robot
Asimo Robot
Next on the agenda was the Sony Explorascience but not before some lunch. I found a little Italian place which accepted me unlike last night. Must just be the Italian / Spanish fusion places with a dislike. Pizza and beer ordered and I was happy sitting on the balcony even though it turned overcast with a slight chill in the air. Whilst having lunch I went onto Tripadvisor to see the reviews of the Explorascience and they were mixed, some saying it was great other saying it was a waste of time geared to children. As I had time to kill before the next bus I had nothing to lose.
Travelling down to the Sony area I paid my entrance fee, again not much more that ¥600, and entered. As with the first museum I'll get my overal comment in first, this was another waste of time. We have a theme occurring today and its a shame that they’ve happened consecutively. This place was recommended in my tour book as a place for Sony lovers. I wouldn't really class myself as a Sony fanboy but I've owned the Playstation since the first version and I have my RX-100. This was just a typical Japanese arcade environment. It reminded me of the old Metroland inside the Metrocentre (Gateshead, UK) which also had lots of screaming kids and the overriding smell of sick as small children often stuffed their face with candy floss, hot dogs and fizzy drinks before going on the Pirate Ship. The place has since closed down and the site has been decontaminated.
This place didn't quite have the odour but it did have some overexcited children running around in a dark environment with lots of neon lights. I walked around and within 10 minutes I had had my fill. The best part was when I made my way to the gents and a screen above the urinal measures how much water you pass. 180ml if you interested, must of been the Moretti over lunch!
With an hour to kill before the bus I walked around and visited the replica Statue of Liberty and browsed the shops. I couldn't wait to get out of this place as it reminded me of a run down seaside town in the UK which had seen better times. It was crawling with visitors though so I guess it just wasn’t for me.
Fuji TV Building
Back on the bus I made my way around the loop and was in my hotel by 4pm. I decided to get a nap, if I had been a dwarf (impossible for me in Japan) I would of been drowsy. The cold and lack of sleep was catching up severely.
These connections at the top of the towers are to stop the buildings swaying during earthquakes. They are not walkways as they appear.
Tokyo Theatre
After a two hour slumber I awoke and my fortunes changed. A quick shower to ensure I was definitely awake and I headed out to find some food. Once again I walked through the Kitte Centre in the hope that the crowds would be less on a Sunday, the streets at this time certainly were. Unable to dodge the lines I headed across the road to the Marunouchi building and found a sushi restaurant with no queue. I made my way in slightly nervous, and was immediately given a seat at the bar. Ordering an 11 piece and a beer I sat back and watched the guys do their thing. I thoroughly enjoyed the food, it was the first time I've had proper sushi like this and I enjoyed the environment and watching these masters at work. All this for less than ¥4500. It only occured to me after that perhaps I should of asked for a table in the corner. Only once I started eating did I realise that my chop stick skills and etiquette were under scrutiny. All passed well though and I thanked the people and left happy.
On the walk back to the hotel I stopped at a bar for a Kirin and to write up the second half of this report. A day of mixed blessings but I don't regret any of it.
Mar 30, 2015, 10:29 pm
#29
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Join Date: May 2002
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Mar 31, 2015, 1:31 pm
#30
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,263
Great TR so far! I found the Ramen shops in Tokyo to be a single diner's dream...individual seats w/ dividers. You also pay a machine outside, so no real contact with any employees as your Ramen is handed to you through a curtain opening.