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The Obligatory Tsukiji Fish Market Visit When in Tokyo, Japan

Is it true that hindsight is always 20-20? Well, when it comes to deciding on places to go then I think it is true. Perfect example, for me, was the time when we decided to visit the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Japan. Coming from a country who loves seafood, it’s always a default choice for me to choose sea food options. Of course, Japan is known for having one of the best of the best sea food viands, especially hello sushi, sashimi, and California maki! Little did I know that after a few months of my visit, the wholesale market of Tsukiji Market, which was also known as the "inner market" and famous for its tuna auctions closed for good. So, let’s throw a bit of throwback photo-story of the place!

Actually, the Tsukiji Market is still open for business. It’s just that one portion of which moved to a new site in Toyosu, and it is now known as Toyosu Market. Having said that, it means, technically, you can still go and visit the Tsukiji Market, but you won’t get that all-inclusive experience, especially if you are also looking for that “tuna / fish auction” experience. There are still fish market tours; there are still restaurants; there are still seafood bargains, but it’s now more on the touristy side of things, doing a special focus on just seafood food finds. If you like that local adventure that showcases that history-filled auction of almost everything underwater, like sea urchins to whales, and of course, tuna – then you better skip the current Tsukiji Market and just go straight to the Toyosu Market.

So yes, back to the photo-story here: one not so fine weekend golden hour, we decided to hit Tsukiji Market to search for the best tuna restaurant in the area. Before reaching the actual area, we managed to roam around the nearby neighborhood, which was quite a surprise: it did not smell like fish or anything. It was very laid back, like a clean puppy just lying in bed kind of relaxed vibe.

Once we reached the Welcome to Tsukiji Market signage, that’s where the authenticity happened. We saw Japanese characters everywhere, with 1% English characters, and prices that were slashed like a discounted professional. We passed by stores that were offering so much free tastes of their fishes, you could easily get full just doing that! Crabs, crabs, and more crabs everywhere too!

The key takeaway, or in this case – dine in, is that you’ll definitely have to try their sushi – sashimi platter. The price range around 2,500 YEN to as high as 5,000 YEN. No one can argue that these platters aren’t the best, because they truly are. These are not your stereotypical orders from any Japanese restaurants in town. These are made fresh, with the fine-tuning and artful way of craftmanship done by these Japanese chefs. Everything tastes like delicious butter, one that melts in your mouth and wraps around your heart because it’s so good. Definitely the kind of Tsukiji Market experience you’ll want to do, with or without the tuna auction experience.

Odawara Castle

In the western portion of the Kanagawa prefecture, a less than 2 hour train ride from Tokyo, you will reach the city of outstanding Odawara, which is quite famous for its feudal era castle known as the Odawara Castle. It’s also the city known as the springboard to the Onsen area (Hakone), and even the next line-up of sightseeing area (Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park). As a matter of fact, Odawara is easily accessible from Tokyo and Yokohama, and actually even from Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka. So, the hype about the place is real and credible, and if you are like me, you probably would just like to search for a quick and easy blog read that’s less on the talkative text heavy comprehensive Odawara Japan Guide, but more on the shotgun of photos! You are in luck, because I have more than a handful here, taken just post-winter pre-cherry blossom season.

I’ve considered doing an Odawara Day Trip before heading from Odawara to Hakone to meet some folks and see the famous Fuji mountain. And honestly, doing an Odawara Day Trip that’s completely DIY is doable, even for the noobs out there, and even if you speak zero Japanese. There are so many English translations here, so not much to worry about. Also, the city is quite walkable, without the fast paced stress that you’ll find in Tokyo, so you just might be able to easily finish the whole day touring around Odawara. If you are considering a half day kind of trip though, it’s also doable, but always include the Odawara Castle as part of your itinerary.

Even before reaching the Odawara Station, preparing and waking up extra early just to catch the first train headed to Odawara was exciting. Japan is notoriously known for organized chaos during rush hour, so experiencing that at around 7 in the morning is quite intense! No need for coffee since it’s a bit of a shocker. BREAKING NEWS: Japan Train Station Experience is REAL! Good thing, everything kicked in into relaxation mode as soon I got my real canned coffee (which is common in Japan), while traveling via the Romancecar.

While this coastal city is a place for good food, mountain viewing, beach bumming, and maybe checking in at the Odawara Hilton, for me, the highlight about Odawara is the Odawara Castle itself. It is essentially a reconstructed castle at the entrance to Hakone. There are a whole lot of cherry blossoms, plum blossoms, and lotus blossoms here; truly a pretty sight, especially around late March to early April. Inside the castle premises, there’s the Odawara Castle Historical Museum, which showcases interactive displays on the history of the castle. It’s about ten minutes walking from the Odawara Station, and you can easily spend at least two to three hours hanging around the area. Since you’re there, maybe you may want to check out the snow monkeys monkeying around the cage!

Odaiba: Finding the Unicorn Gundam Statue in Tokyo

Odaiba (お台場) is no bespoke place for travelers and locals who would like to see a different kind of grandness in Japan. Even if it is a huge man-made island along Tokyo Bay, the area is quite developed, to the point that it has increasingly been recognized as a tourist attraction also.

As a matter of fact, this reclaimed land offshore Shinagawa is one of the venue locations in the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics. Of course, knowing this, it must be part of anyone’s itinerary, when visiting Tokyo, Japan, right?

It made it into our bucket list, so we found ourselves waking up a bit early than normal, struggling to endure the chaos that is known as the Tokyo metro, and good thing we made a fruitful arrival to see Odaiba’s popular shopping and sightseeing places.

It may seem to be a bit hard to get to Odaiba, whether you are a Tokyonite or a tourist, but what I think would really make you interested to do so is the fact that the Odaiba station is an adventure in itself. Just because I am a fan of old school and busy train stations, it does not mean that I favor this one so much – but yes, maybe that’s the reason. Since Odaiba is known to be one of the entertainment and shopping districts in Tokyo, you’re kind of guaranteed to have that daily cultural chaos that Japan is famed for. Busy but orderly and far from noisy, so Odaiba!

After running through the Odaiba map available on almost every corner around the area, we navigated our way to the Odaiba Rainbow Bridge first. It’s quite near the Odaiba shopping malls, so before we grabbed a bit of local takoyaki, we joined the Japanese bandwagon in taking sunset shots around the Odaiba Rainbow Bridge. The backdrop is one of a kind! It’s like a saturated version of the Aurora Borealis lights embroidered around the Odaiba Rainbow Bridge, and looks even better, because of the golden hour.

Aside from the Odaiba Ferris wheel, the decks Tokyo beach, the Fuji TV building, and the Aquacity Odaiba, the biggest highlight here is the Gundam Front Tokyo. I’m no anime or gundam fan, but for this one, man – Japanese creativity at its finest. This complex opened at around April 2012, and has a multitude of entertainment, shopping and dining options. It has the Gundam Base Tokyo located in DiverCity Tokyo Plaza where you can find this ginormous robot that’s shockingly animated! Every kid (and even adults) wanted to climb the life-size robot and be the cool pilot of this fascinating world! There’s even a short movie skit that you can enjoy, both in the widescreen and in the whole body of the gundam statue. Talk. About. High-tech. Amazing.

bowdywanders.com Singapore Travel Blog Philippines Photo :: 8 Places to Get Your Obligatory Coffee Drink in Tokyo

8 Coffee Shops and Restaurants in Tokyo, Japan

Even if tea is a staple in Japan, you’ll be glad to know that coffee is considered an everyday drink too! One of the world’s most captivating cultures also has their own coffee flair that is not only extraordinary, but also something that you would want to pursue while in Japan. Like its neighbor country Korea, Japan has their traditional approach to how they prepare their coffee drinks, even if nowadays you can rely on the modern approaches. Specialty coffee shops and retro-cool kissaten (traditional coffee houses) are still prevalent across Tokyo alone, and you’ll really have a good time having your compulsory coffee chase. While visiting Japan, I had the chance to try out some of the most memorable and impressionable coffee drinks – here are my eight recommended places for you to go to and try their coffee drinks.

Cafe de Crie – A Cup of Happiness

Official Website: https://www.pokkacreate.co.jp/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cafe-de-Crie/154742157885145

Because *ROYAL PARK HOTEL* does not have breakfast, Yesterday I have investigated the location of the good breakfast. . Just around the corner of the alley, near a street cafe: P *CAFE' de CRIE'* The appearance of the coffee shop feels like Dandy or Yike Coffee on our side. . But it was attracted by the above text: D *a cup of happiness ~ a lot of happiness* Indeed; in the absence of sleep last night. . Have a cup of aromatic coffee in the morning. . Have a happy caffeine ㄛ~V~ Read more: http://rainbow4213.blogspot.com/2015/11/cafe-de-crie.html

Miami Garden Shibuya Ekimae Hachoko Hiroba

Official Website: http://miami-garden.jp/

So I soldiered on and well... my experience was the complete opposite to the reviews. I ordered bruschetta, mushroom spaghetti in a cream sauce, and a glass of merlot. The service was very fast -- my food came quickly which was great as I only had an hour before most stores in the area would close. They had some interesting "Japanese Italian" items on the menu -- such as pasta with soy based sauces. I didn't go for any of those since I wanted something familiar! There are plenty of seafood options for Pescatarians, but only a few vegetarian options. Read more: https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Restaurant_Review-g1066456-d1692067-Reviews-Miami_Garden_Shibuya_Ekimae_Hachoko_Hiroba-Shibuya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html

Cafe Miami Villa

Official Website: http://miami-garden.jp/

I'd been shopping with my young son in Character Street and we were looking for somewhere to sit and snack. Fortunately we found this place which certainly had nice decor and a few local customers. We were tired so didn't really pay attention to the prices but it was still not overly expensive. I ordered the mushroom risotto and my son wanted the tiramisu. I also ordered an ice lemon and chilled orange juice. Actually, the food was really delicious. The tiramisu was also excellent, so much so that my son ordered a second one. The chilled juice was good too. Read more: https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Restaurant_Review-g14129528-d8803974-Reviews-Cafe_Miami_Villa_Tokyo_Grand_Roof_Front-Marunouchi_Chiyoda_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefectu.html

SQUARE Cafe 東日本橋 本店

Official Website: http://www.squarecafe-tokyopizza.com/honten-menu.html

Cafe where you can eat delicious pizza, Square Cafe @ Higashi Nihonbashi. It's been a long time since the Hamacho store is always only in the East Japan Bridge, and the shops in Motei Mabuchicho! There is a pizza bowl at this store where you can get authentic pizza. The smell of pizza when you enter the shop. The smell of the shop with the kind of pizza that is baked from time to time. Read more: https://retty.me/area/PRE13/ARE15/SUB1503/100000063230/reports/

Cafe Crepe – Roppongi Hills

Official Website: http://www.cafe-crepe.co.jp/

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cafecrepe.roppongihills

The Oldest Crepe Shop in HARAJUKU since 1977. The first spciality crepe shop in Harajuku.

We are careful about who cares about using eggs and milk as it is ahajujuku-style crepe with whipped cream, ice-cream, and fresh fruits in a freshly made crepe, it is fast becoming a In Our Raw Water Ingredients. We Also Only Start Cooking After Receiving An Order. The Skills Used To Cook Our 40Cm Crepe Are Amazing! Often Featured In TV Shows, We Also Get Frequent Celebrity Visits. Read more: https://www.yelp.com/biz

Mister Donut

Official Website: https://favy-jp.com/topics/430

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Japan.NO1.MisterDonut/

Originally, they served the same doughnuts which were sold in the states, but after purchasing trademark, they started to create original doughnuts for Japanese consumers. The most famous one and No.1 selling donut is PON DE RING. It is extra chewy and fluffy. It comes in glazed, brown sugar, chocolate frosting, chocolate frosting with chocolate doe. Read more: http://tokyofood.blog128.fc2.com/blog-entry-108.html

The Roastery by Nozy Coffee Café

Official Website: https://www.tysons.jp/roastery/

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Roastery/205104586336842

Good coffee, some nice outdoor seating, free wifi and a bustling vibe. Obviously run by massive hipsters because by default they serve their Espresso in a champagne flute – ask them for a normal espresso cup when you order. If you’re looking for a place to plug in your laptop and check your email, there are counters with power outlets provided. Located on Harajuku’s quirky Cat Street. Read more: https://tokyocheapo.com/restaurant/roastery-nozy-coffee/

Doutor Japanese Coffee

Official Website: https://www.doutor.co.jp/

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fun.Doutor.Fan/

Doutor Coffee is one of the biggest cafe chain with over 1100 shops all over Japan. As they serve great and reasonably-priced coffee and food in a relaxed atmosphere, Doutor is frequented by all types of people, young and old. Japan has a lot of coffee shops and cafes. Out of all of them, DOUTOR COFFEE is one of the most famous and popular coffee shops. Some grab a cup of coffee before work, some study or talk with friends at the cafe, and others have breakfast, lunch, or desserts. They offer cheap, quick, and great coffee, food as well! Read more: https://favy-jp.com/topics/487