I took NH844 and arrived in Haneda Airport at 6:30 am.
On this day, I planned to visit Shinjuku(新宿) and Okachimachi(御徒町) on this day.
Immigration card:
People including Japanese are also asked to fill in customs card. I am sorry but I forgot to take the picture of customs card.
Free Wi-Fi:
In Japan, a lot of organizations provide Free Wi-Fi. One of those examples is that the telecom Softbank offers “Softbank free Wi-Fi passport”. As their website says, tourists can use free Wi-Fi in Japan. Not only do they offer Wi-Fi for free, but they also have about 400,000 hotspots. In other words, tourists can join them in a lots of places such as fast food restaurants, coffee shops, major stations, hotels, etc.
Website: http://www.softbank.jp/en/mobile/special/freewifi/en/
As soon as I finished my procedure of entering Japan, I went to Haneda Airport International Terminal Station (羽田空港国際線ターミナル駅) to take the Keikyu Airport Line.
The transport from Haneda Airport to Shinagawa:
I stayed at Toyoko Inn Tokyo Shinagawa-eki Takanawa-guchi (東横イン品川駅高輪口) during my stay this time. The accommodation is near Shinagawa Station (品川駅). I took Keikyu Airport Line (京急空港線) from Haneda Airport International Terminal Station (羽田空港国際線ターミナル駅) to Shinagawa Station.
Tips:
- Tourists can buy Suica card (transportation card) at the information center beside the entrance of Keikyu Airport Line. If you have had Suica card, you can also add value there.
- I arrived at Shinagawa station in 20 minutes.
- I walked about 2 minutes from the Takanawa exit (高輪口) of Shinagawa Station to Toyoko Inn Tokyo Shinagawa-eki Takanawa-guchi
Toyoko Inn Tokyo Shinagawa-eki Takanawa-guchi
It’s about 7:30 am. Even I am their member, I could not enter my room until 3 pm. So I finished my check-in first, and then left my luggage there and started visiting Tokyo.
The information of Toyoko Inn Tokyo Shinagawa-eki Takanawa-guchi
How to book: through their website.
Address: Address: 4-23-2, Takanawa Minato-ku, Tokyo c 108-0074 Japan
Check-in / check-out time: 4 pm (3 pm for members) / 10 am
Breakfast: included
TEL: +81-(0)3-3280-1045
Price: 3 nights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) JPY 23,085 (for member)
Safe: Yes
Free Wi-fi: Yes
Map:
Daytime itinerary: Shinjuku (新宿)
My first attraction, which is also my favorite area, was Shinjuku.
My itinerary in Shinjuku:
A. Ichiran Ramen
-> B. Bicqlo
-> C. Lumine Est
How to get there:
By train: JR Yamanote Line outer (clockwise) circle (JR山手線外回り・渋谷・新宿方面) from Shinagawa Station (品川駅) to Shinjuku station (新宿駅).
Tips: 1. JR Yamanote Line is circle line, which means you can arrive at your destination anyway. If you don't want to waste time, you must make sure that the direction is correct.
2. I recommend an app “NAVITIME”. It is a good app to plan your route since train and MRT system is crazy in Tokyo.
3. Compared to taking buses, it is easier and faster, but you need to walk more.
By bus: “品97” from Shinagawa-eki Takanawa-guchi (品川駅高輪口) to Shinjuku (新宿)
Tips: 1. Tap Suica as soon as you get on the bus.
2. The bus shows the names of the stops on the board in Japanese, Chinese and English.
3. There are a couple of bus stops in Shinjuku, so tourists can choose the nearest stop to get off.
4. I recommend an app “都バスNAVI”. It is a good app to find out the bus routes, timetables and maps.
5. Compared to taking trains, you can save more energy, but it is a bit difficult and slower.
Breakfast: Ichiran Ramen (一蘭ラーメン)
My fist stop in Shinjuku is Ichiran Ramen. It is from Kyushu (九州) and very famous for their taste and seats. Seats? Why?
The reason why they are famous for their seats is every seat is single one. You do not need to worry about that someone including waiters or waitresses disturbs you. It especially suits me since I travel alone.
They have a lot of branches, but usually crowded. Customers are likely to wait in a long line during meal time. In my opinion, the best time you come here is in the early morning before 9:00 am. I always eat here about 8:00 am and then do not need to wait.
Website: http://www.ichiran.co.jp
Address: Shinjuku 3-34-11 ピースビルB1F
Business hours: 24 hours
↓entrance
↓Vending machine. Customers need to buy tickets here.
↓Customize your noodle
↓When you are ready, press the red button to inform the waiters.
↓Ramen
That is really delicious.
Shopping for electronics, medicine and budget clothes - Bicqlo (ビックロ)
Besides Ramen, Japan is famous for their electronics, medicine and budget clothes. The place where you must go is Bicqlo. Bicqlo means Bic Camera and Uniqlo. Bic Camera is the biggest electronic gadget chain in Japan. They also offer medicine and cosmetics in Bicqlo branch. Regarding Uniqlo, it is renowned for budget clothes. For tourists, Bicqlo is a great place to shop for electronics, medicine and budget clothes in one time.
However, I took overnight flight and was a bit tired. I just went to Bic Camera to shop for electronics and medicine. The best thing is they can deliver to my hotel. I do not need to carry heavy purchases back to my hotel. Also, the shipping fee was affordable. It was only 637 Yen.
Website: http://www.biccamera.co.jp/shopguide/index.html
Address: Shinjuku 3-29-1
Business hours: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Lunch: Gyutan Sumiyaki Rikyu (利久牛舌)
After shopping a lot, I needed to recharge my batteries.
So I went to eat lunch!
I headed off towards Lumine Est. It is a department store and inside the Shinjuku JR station building. There are a lot of restaurants in the 7F and 8F. I chose this restaurant which is famous for Japanese style beef tongue.
Website: http://www.gnavi.co.jp/rikyu/zenkoku_map.html
Address: Lumine Est Shinjuku 7F
Business Hours: 11:00 am ~ 11:00 pm
Gyutan means beef tongue. It is grilled and really yummy!
↓ Entrance
↓ Seats
↓ Lunch set, including starter, soup and main course – beef tongue.
After lunch, it was about 2:00 pm, which means I could get a room when I arrived at Shinagawa. I decided to go back to Toyoko Inn Tokyo Shinagawa-eki Takanawa-guchi first and took a nap.
Dinner: Kura Sushi Shinagawa Station
Taking a nap makes me feel energetic!
For avoiding myself from waiting in a lone queue, I decide to eat dinner at 5:00 pm.
This restaurant is near Shinagawa-eki Takanawa-guchi. I walked there in 10 minutes from Toyoko Inn Shinagawa. It is one of the must eat at restaurants in Tokyo as well. The most special thing about this restaurant is the way of delivering food. It is different from traditional sushi bar. Not only can you pick up the dishes you want on the belt, but they also sent your dish in front of you through the belt.
Website: http://www.kura-corpo.co.jp/store/detail/220
Address: 東京都港区港南2丁目17-1京王品川ビル2F
Business Hours:
Weekday: 11:00~23:00
Weekend and Public Holidays: 10:20~23:00
↓ Exterior
↓ Customers can pick what they want on the belt. Also, customers can order through the tablet. For languages, besides Japanese, you can also choose English and Chinese.
↓ When your dish is ready, they will notice you via the tablet and send it in front of you.
↓ After you finish your dishes, you can throw them into the machine.
↓ Most of the dishes are 100 Yen each. However, some dishes are more expensive and you can not throw them into this machine because of its size. You still need to call the waiters to count how many dishes you eat even though every dish you eat is 100 Yen.
↓They even sent soup in front of me
↓ Other dishes
In my view, this is an interesting and budget restaurant. Tourists must try!
Evening: Okachimachi(御徒町)
After dinner, it is time to go shopping!
Let’s go to Okachimachi!
This area is one part of Ueno. There are hundreds of shops here. As soon as you step out the Okachimachi station, you will find them.
How to get there: JR Yamanote Line inner (counterclockwise) circle (JR山手線内回り・東京・上野方面) from Shinagawa Station (品川駅) to Okachimachi station (御徒町駅).
As I was saying, Uniqlo is a good clothing shop chain. They have a super big shop in Okachimachi. It is just beside Okachimachi station. I had been too tired to shop for clothes in the morning, so I shopped here for a lot in the evening.
Website and map: http://fr.mapion.co.jp/map/uc/PoiInfo?vo=mbml&grp=uniqlo&kencode=13&tcode=1005&poi_code=10101478
Address: 東京都台東区上野3-27-12 御徒町吉池本店ビル
Tel: 03-5812-1081
Business Hours: 10:00~21:00
Shopping and eating made me exhausted! However, I could not wait to wear Japanese traditional costume on the next day.
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