Our Tokyo Itinerary! — Travel with the Allens

Tokyo was absolutely not what I expected. I feel naïve saying it now, but I expected Tokyo to feel like Bangkok… I mean we’re in Asia right? But it surprisingly felt similar to New York City… except much cleaner and switch the pizza for yakitori. Tokyo, for me, was basically everything I want in a city: incredible food, efficient transportation, safe streets and friendly people. Here’s our itinerary of what we did on our trip to the Japanese capital.

Friendly tips:

- Beware of Shinjuku Station! Oh good heavens, this place is by far the largest train station I’ve ever seen and has level on level of restaurants, shops and of course, subway and train platforms. Its beyond confusing, so just be prepared to get lost and know that it will be okay. You’re usually not far from a ticket station or information booth where there is someone who speaks enough English to point you in the right direction.

- Get your international driver’s license before going to Tokyo. Here’s why: There is a company called Maricar that sets customers up with Mario themed costumes and a go cart and takes you on a tour of the city. We did not get to participate because we didn’t have our international driver’s licenses. And I’m still crying about it today. So please, do this so I can live vicariously through you.

- I highly recommend staying at an AirBNB while in Tokyo. I’m a fan of AirBNB for all trips, but especially in Japan. In Tokyo, the hotels are super expensive, yet somehow there are still AirBNBs for 100 bucks a night. We were very happy with ours which was off the Marunouchi line in Shinjuku.

Day 1: Tokyo

- Arrive in Tokyo. We flew direct from San Diego (for a very affordable price) so for us, we left in the afternoon and arrived in the afternoon in Tokyo (time zones are cray). Anyway, after checking into our AirBNB, we went straight to Shinjuku to see if our expectations for the bustling nightlife of Tokyo is what we had envisioned. It was everything I had imagined, with an extra level of sensory overload. Bright lights, TONS of people, great food, eclectic bars (that’s an understatement) and great people-watching. We ended our night in Golden Gai at a teeny tiny bar where we befriended some fellow ex-pats.

We caught up with some friends who were also traveling Japan and wedged ourselves into some tiny watering holes in Golden Gai!

Day 2: Tokyo: Harajuku and Ginza

- We started Day 2 by going to Meiji Shrine is Harajuku. I would recommend, if you’re not too jet lagged, waking up early to avoid the crowds. This shrine is lovely and is located in a beautiful park.

- For lunch, we wandered over to Eatrip in Harajuku. This place is an amazing deal for lunch and feels like a little oasis in the middle of bustling Harajuku. I recommend making a reservation.

- In the evening, we went on a food tour with Arigato Japan through the neighborhood of Ginza. I would highly recommend doing something like this on your first night or two. Our food tour highlight: Eating chicken shashimi… it’s an experience!

Beautiful and delicious cuisine right next to local craftsmen and beautiful floral arrangements at EatTrip in Harajuku

Day 3: Tokyo: Harajuku and Shibuya

- Harajuku has some awesome coffee shops, so spending a morning here is really lovely. However, make sure you look at the times these spots are open – we found that some coffee shops in Japan don’t open until 10:00 or even 12:00! (the horror!) Some we recommend are Deus Ex Machina and Streamer Harajuku.

- Since you’re already in Harajuku, if you’re craving the stereo-typical Harajuku experience, you might as well wander over to Takeshita-dori street. I cannot say this was my cup of tea, but if you feel like you need to see it, go for it..

- Something I was told afterward that we missed out on in Harajuku was crepes. Apparently they’re amazing? So you should probably get a crepe while visiting the neighborhood.

- Another place we didn’t get to experience was Gyoza-ro. We’ve heard great things about this gyoza shop, but didn’t get o experience it first hand because the line was LONG. So get there early and tell us how delicious is it is.

- In the late afternoon, we headed to Shibuya Crossing to experience the busiest cross walk in the world. It’s definitely a site to see. Wander up to the second floor of the Starbucks, or you can get a table at L’Occitane Café for an equally awesome view.

- For dinner went to an awesome Ramen spot called Kiraku. It is a quick walk from Shibuya crossing but is somewhat hidden. The restaurant is small with no frills, and the Ramen is BOMB. Trust me, once you find it, you’ll be happy you did.

Deus Ex Machina Cafe in Harajuku - Stop by for vintage moto, steaming espresso, and morning community yoga

Day 4: Tokyo: Tsukiji Market, Shopping in Ginza and Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

- We started our morning on the early side with a trip to Tsukiji Fish Market. We didn’t do the 5:00 am fish auction, but we did get there around 7:30 to experience the morning hustle of the market. It’s a great place to see some of the famously expensive fruit that is so popular in Japan (seriously, google it). You can also get some really delicious sushi and sashimi for cheap. Breakfast sushi is a thing people, embrace it.

- For lunch, we had the most epic sushi experience at Kyuby. The atmosphere is intimate but casual and the sushi is the best we’ve ever had. Seriously. Check out Brooks' restaurant review for more info.

- While you’re in Ginza, definitely do some shopping. Some personal highlights for me were the twelve story Uniqlo and the Mitsukoshi shopping mall. The food court on the basement level is a site to see. And a surprise perk, there is a Laduree shop on the second floor of the mall!

- In the afternoon, we headed back over to Shinjuku to visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. This is a great place to go for free view of Tokyo from the 45th floor.

Take in Tokyo from the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Building!

Day 5: Sensoji Temple, Edo Tokyo Museum

- We woke early to visit Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa before the crowds arrived. This temple is a must-see while in Tokyo. The enormous lanterns that greet you at the entrance make it a unique place to photograph.

- A great place visit prior to leaving this area is the Asakusa Visitor Center. It’s right across the street from the market stalls that lead up to Senso-ji. You can go up to the 7th floor and get a great view of Asakusa and a nice perspective of the Tokyo Sky Tree, which truly is a monster of a structure. We didn’t go to the top of the Sky Tree since we had already seen the view from the Metropolitan Building, but this is definitely something you could add to your itinerary while in Asakusa.

- In the afternoon, we visited the Edo Tokyo Museum and it was a great place to get acquainted with Tokyo’s history. I would highly recommend this spot if you’re visiting Tokyo with school-aged kids, as there were plenty of interactive exhibits. This is also a great activity to do on a rainy day.

- For dinner, we returned to Golden Gai to eat some more delicious ramen at Nagi. This place is tiny, so don’t be alarmed if there’s a line in the alley when you arrive. It’s a great experience and worth the wait.

Senso-Ji Temple as the crowds begin to arrive