Japan Trip Pt. 3 - Back in Tokyo
Find part 1 and 2 here.
SOME QUICK INFO:
Date: Mid April 2023
Shinjuku Hotel: Toyoko Inn Tokyo Shinjuku gyoemmae
Kyoto Hotel: Fuji Hotel Kyoto Gojo
Asakusa Hotel: APA Hotel Asakusa Kaminarimon Minami
5% KLOOK discount code for select hotels and activities: KATRINAGEMKLOOK
Day 6
K Y O T O → T O K Y O
I finally get a break from waking up at dawn xD I took my sweet time to walk to Kyoto Station from Fuji Hotel Kyoto Gojo after checking out, passing the massive and impressive Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. But first I stopped by a well reviewed cafe near the station - Kurasu Kyoto Stand. And because I had a weird appetite in this trip, I got a chai latte, not coffee. In a coffee shop that prides themselves in Kyoto coffee. Yeah.
The chai was good and spicey, and the staff were super friendly. And if I ever find myself in Kyoto again, I’ll be sure to try the coffee xD
At the station, there is an Isetan mall. I decided to check out the basement for food and last minute souvenirs. After going around, I got myself a matcha canele, a lotus leaf jelly, some chocolate coated biscuit and matcha powder for a friend.
Got my Shinkansen ticket and got on the train back to Tokyo~
For my last leg of the trip, I decided to stay in Asakusa. I haven’t been to this part of Tokyo, and after some research, I saw Asakusa Station had a direct express line to the airport (makes a few stops in between but cheaper than Narita Express), so I wouldn’t have to worry about changing stations.
For my hotel, I chose APA Hotel Asakusa Kaminarimon Minami. It’s close to the station exit (with a direct line to the airport), and the Senso-ji Temple/Nakamise-dori. Don’t be confused if you choose to book this hotel though! There’s 2 APA hotels right beside each other with identical names xD
After checking in, I wanted to go around and get dinner. I was craving for yakiniku again and wanted to try Yakiniku Like after seeing it on several vlogs. Unfortunately, I should’ve gotten the regular beef cuts to compare because I was really disappointed with their wagyu cuts. Adding salt to the wound was seeing another yakiniku/wagyu place down the street that looked more delicious at around the same price range 🥲
Then it was time to head to Don Quijote to buy some souvenirs! Do note that if you avail for tax free (5,500 yen +), there’s a separate counter and they pack the goods in a different kind of plastic which you’re not allowed to open while in Japan. No one checked at either airports though.
Got some candy, chocolates, face masks and salon pas HAHA
Day 7
A K I H A B A R A & A S A K U S A
It rained the whole day for my last day in Tokyo but that didn’t stop it from being a good one. I met up with a friend from high school and it had been YEARS since we’ve seen each other. Before making my way to Akihabara for the meetup, I stopped by a cafe that was the only one open at 8am - Lucent Coffee. I decided to try a drip and it was so good! Such a nice mood on a rainy morning.
Then it was time to head to Akihabara and meet my friend, Whit. I was amazed at the people lining up electric/gaming shops, granted it was Saturday morning, I’m also not a gamer or techy, and only wanted to see what’s there and to look for gachapon souvenirs for my nieces and nephews. Gachapons and claw machines are so very tempting and so easy to spend money on. I had to control myself xD
It was super nice to catch up and eat some Japanese curry. Thanks for showing me around and tagging along in the rain, Whit! xD
After we split, I headed back to Asakusa to go to the temple and Nakamise-dori to maybe try some street food, and check out GU, 3Coins and Uniqlo. Since it was raining, I didn’t get any portraits with temple anymore but I was happy to find the 2 street foods that I wanted to try - skewered mochi in a sweet/savoury sauce and skewered sugar glazed strawberries. I was surprised at how soft and chewy the mocha is (loved it!). The strawberries were sweet as expected but not really something I’d get again.
Next, I went to GU but didn’t like anything. At UNIQLO, I stumbled across their custom printing area and decided to ask about their embroidery service. I had gone to their Ginza location and was told there was a 3 week wait for embroidery so I didn’t really have high expectations but thought to ask anyway. And I’m so glad I did, because guess what? The lady said it would only take 1 hour. ONE HOUR vs 3 WEEKS!!! I quickly grabbed the bag I wanted to have embroidered, fit the other things I wanted to get, and paid for everything. Note that they only seem to allow newly bought items for this service because I also wanted to have my the same bag that I had purchased here in the PH to be embroidered but was declined. The service costs 700yen.
Next, I dropped by 3Coins - I want to say it’s like a mix of Daiso’s prices and Muji’s aesthetic (but more feminine?), and mostly seemed to be priced at 300 yen (hence 3 (100) coins). They had hair accessories, home and travel organizers, baby stuff, and a pet section! I was so happy to find a couple of string and feather wands for Maple (my cat) at only 300 yen each. Super good quality, too!
For dinner, I came across Zen’ya, a restaurant that was full of locals, and had an okonomiyaki photo but turns out they specialize in monjayaki - something new to me, so I decided to try it. From their Google reviews, they’re pretty popular and you need to list your name down as the wait can take a while. Looking around at other tables, I was kind of scared that I wouldn’t be able to finish it because it does consist of rice, mochi, optional cheese, among other ingredients. After going through their wide range of options, I went with the squid ink with cheese.
Turns out they cook it for you, and my server, Ren, was super friendly and chatty, and mentioned doing an exchange in New Zealand (after I asked her how she learned English). NZ is one of my fave if not my fave country! Maybe it’s a sign to visit NZ again soon hahaha
Back to the monjayaki - it was pretty good! Consistency-wise, I would say it’s a cheesier risotto. As expected, I couldn’t finish the whole thing (I get full easily though).
Full belly and happy shopping day, I went back to my hotel to pack my stuff (always a challenge).
Day 8
T O K Y O → P H
On my last morning in Tokyo, I went for breakfast at February Cafe. They open at 8:30am but when I got there at around 8:40, there was a line already, and the seats were all taken. One of the perks of solo travel though is bar seating - and I luckily got one of the last 2. I’ve been eyeing the flan and couldn’t not get it + a set meal of toast and coffee. Of the three, it was the one that I least expected to like and that was the simple buttered toast. The flan was disappointing D: Honestly, leche flan is better, and the coffee wasn’t great. But I’m glad that toast was because I still smile thinking about it xD
It was time to head to the airport and before you click off, there’s one last souvenir that I recommend you get: LeTao Cheesecake. It’s to die for if you like cheescake. Super creamy, almost ice cream like but doesn’t feel all too heavy. You can get it at the gift shop after immigration and also by the gift shop at Gate 87. They do recommend it for short travel times though (for me it was around 6-7 hours to my house from buying it).
And that’s it for this trip to Japan! Thanks for reading!
