From all travels i was lucky to do, Tokyo is one of the most vivid in my memory.
Tokyo is that one of a kind capitale that makes you feel strongly disoriented, lost, overwhelmed... and yet more than eager to see more, experiment more, stay more and come back.
There are many, many things to see and do and one article would certainly be not enough to give them all...and i am not sure it is what i would like to share as there are also many good travel guides that will give you road maps and not to be missed lists you need, Lonely Planet in first place.
So no road maps on how to explore Tokyo in 5 days but a few tips to enjoy your travel.
From Europe, your flight will be in average 13 hours...
- if you can, get your body prepared to endure several time zones by slightly putting yourself in japanese time.
- get into comfy clothes, keep some all purpose hydrating cream or at least a rich one for your face (my absolute favorites are to be found at Aesop (perfect facial hydrating cream and sublime replenishing night mask) and Clinique (moisture surge intense and night mask of the same line-up), drink a lot of water... and, yes, i know it will make you visit the terrible tiny (and not always nice) bathrooms of the plane...but it will make you move a little and arrive in the best conditions to face jetlag as i am sad to say it is really quite impossible to avoid it.
- all companies are offering a large variety of movies and tv shows through individual tablets... a long flight can be a way to finally watch movies you have missed, yet, i would recommend a LoFi playlist on your phone to get you to relax and rest. my favorite LoFi channel, Chillhop Music, can be found on both Spotify and Napster.
- if like me you can not travel without a paper travel guide... i mean, what better than a travel guide associate to a light note book to keep notes, receipts, doodles and little "souvenirs" from your travel ? My two guides for Tokyo : the traditional but always useful Lonely Planet and the funny Cool Japan Guide from Abby Denson. if you are more of a paperless person, i would recommend to check https://trulytokyo.com/ by Chris Rowthorn.
- 13 hours flight is also more than enough to prepare you "i do not to miss that" list if you did not have time to do it before. If Japan is your dream travel, you certainly do not want to miss some places and i completely get it. still Tokyo is covering 2 190km2 so checking the map and organise a bit your list will help you to enjoy your trip. my advise : check your list according your interests/passions and not only the "must see" places... it is your Japan travel !
I travelled to Tokyo third week of march, i was dreaming since a long time of "Sakura" season in Japan and was not disappointed even if it was the early beginning of it... the full bloom came the week after i was back home but weather was really nice with an average of 16° making the long walks easy.
Tokyo's subway is quite easy, most of the time, and i would definitely recommend to buy a card at your arrival at airport. PASMO and SUICA are the two cards you can buy and charge with the amount you chose.
Good to know, both cards can also be used in small grocery stores like 7Eleven.
SUICA would be my advise as it can support apple and google pay.
Good to know, both cards can also be used in small grocery stores like 7Eleven.
SUICA would be my advise as it can support apple and google pay.
You will find wifi access in most coffeeshops and there are some wifi points in main tourists places like in Tokyo central station... still check your operator before and adjust data if necessary... using google maps can be quite data consuming if like me you tend to get lost !
if paper is your thing more than following a blue point on your phone, Periplus Tokyo map will be your best friend all along your trip.
Alike many capitale cities, Tokyo is expensive and if you travel on a budget, it may be challenging when it is about hotel rooms. spring is definitely an awesome season but also one of the most desirable for tourists... so prices will tend to be more high and availability more tight.
two areas i would recommend are Roppongi and Shinjuku. Asakusa, Ueno and Yanaka, the older areas of Tokyo, are also offering good locations and small budgets good deals.
3 tips :
- Hotel Remm Roppongi (available on booking.com) for comfortable nights after a long day stroll in the city... and all the japanese modern comfort : massage chair and the incredible multi-functions loo that one has definitely to experiment when in Japan !
- Book and Bed Shinjuku (https://bookandbedtokyo.com/en/)... while in Tokyo and travelling on budget, why not try a capsule hotel ? the concept of capsule hotel is simple : your room while basically be the size of your bed and you will share bathroom and commun spaces with others travelers. it maybe a challenge for your privacy but tested, i must say Book and Bed was truly a great experience.
- one night in japanese traditional ryokan will make your stay in Tokyo complete. i stayed one night at Ryokan Asakusa Shigetsu (available on booking.com) as its emplacement was ideal to explore the area around Sensoji temple.
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