TOKYO Summer 2023
Date: 18 - 22 July
Flight: MAS ( Kch - KL- Narita, Kl-Kch)
Airasia (Haneda- KL)
Accommodation: Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku Hotel
| | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 |
BREAKFAST | | MOB | konbini | Noa Cafe Ginza | Konbini |
MORNING | | Arrived at Narita Airport 0700 hrs Narita Express to Shinjuku Check in to Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku | Daytrip to Mt Fuji Mt Fuji Fifth Station | St Ignatius Cathedral Ginza Shopping Street
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LUNCH | | Ramen @ Shinjuku | Mt Fuji Bento Owakudani | Ippudo | Harajuku Gyozaro |
AFTERNOON | | Kimono @ Asakusa Sensoji Temple | Owakudani Hakone Cable Car Lake Ashi Pirate Ship Gotemba Premium Outlet | Kabuki Show @ Kabukiza | Window shopping @ Shinjuku Limobus from Hotel to Haneda Airport Dinner @ Haneda |
DINNER | Plaza Premium KlIA MH 088 To Narita 2300 hrs | Tsukuji Sushi @ Takashimaya | Gyukatsu Motomura @ Shinjuku | Uobei Genki Sushi @ Shibuya
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Hello Tokyo!!
I got my airplane ticket in March, a Spontaneous trip when I needed to redeem my Enrich points. One way Kuala Lumpur to Narita required 16000 points for redemption of one way. Just pick any date on the calendar. Good choice, there are 2 days of public holiday in a week ( awal Muharram and Sarawak Day).
It's Summer, so it will be hot and humid. Don't worry, there is always something exciting in Tokyo, Japan.
As usual, I prefer an overnight flight and arrive at my destination in the morning. Quite good for economy flight, a seven hours flight from Kuala Lumpur to Narita. Prior to departure, I had a good variety of food and a good shower at Plaza Premium, which made the journey more comfortable. Slept tru the flight. 2 main meals on the flight and 1 snack. Free flow of drinks (wine, juices, sodas, coffee etc). I didnt really watch the in-flight entertainment and prefer to have good sleep and rest for the next day.
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| MH 088 |
Day 1
Arrival at Narita Airport around 0700 Hrs, very smooth immigration check and custom clearance. From there, I got myself a 'Suica Card", a card used for all trains/metro in Tokyo. Purchased a 1-way ticket on Narita Express that brought me to Shinjuku Station. It costs me 3250 JPY. The journey on Narita Express is approximately 45 mins. A very convenient transport if stay around Shinjuku.
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| Narita Arrival |
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| Suica Machine (near JR Ticket Counter) |
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| Morning at Tokyo 29 C |
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| Inside Narita Express ( same train I used my last trip to Tokyo) |
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| In front of Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku |
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Around Shinjuku
walking distance to the hotel |
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| First Ramen shop near Shinjuku St (900 JPY) |
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| it's getting hotter |
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| In front of Sensoji Temple |
After Kimono Fitting at Kimono rental Asakusa. Strolled along Nakemise Market and Sensoji Temple. Temperature was around 33C and it was very hot and humid.
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| Nakamise Market |
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| In front of Sensoji Temple |
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| Sensoji Temple |
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| Random pic @ Sensoji Temple |
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| Selfie |
After few hours walking around Nakemise Market, It's time to go back. I had damn good bath tub shower. The Hotel was reasonably good with full amenities. The room size is Tokyo standard. it's rare to get big space room.
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| Standard Room |
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Takashimaya Shopping mall (opp the Hotel)
I had dinner at Takashimaya. there was a lot of restaurant at level 12 to 15. |
Chose to go to a sushi bar. it's Tsukiji Sushi at Takashimaya.
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| sushi bar @ Tsukiji Sushi at Takashimaya |
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| salmon |
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octopus
The seafood was very fresh. The whole dinner cost around 2000 JPY, (4 sushi plate and 1 fish salad).
Happy tummy and times to call it a day! Goodnite from Tokyo.
Day 2
 | | View from 13th Floor Hotel |
Wake up early and sunrise was quite early in Tokyo. I had breakfast in the room. Varieties of food bought at Family Mart. Today I have bought a one-day trip to Mt Fuji. It was a bus trip from Shinjuku to Fifth station Mt Fuji.
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| On a unique road to Mt Fuji. You can hear a song when passing by this road. |
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| Our tour guide |
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5th Station Mt Fuji
Summer is also a climbing season for hikers to the peak of Mt Fuji |
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| The famous Melon Bread |
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| 5th Station |
My previous trip to view Mt Fuji was to Oshino Hakkai. It was in April ( Spring). Similar fate, both trips I wasn't in luck to capture beautiful Fuji.
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| Bento Lunch in the shape of Mt Fuji |
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| Shopping Stop at Gotemba Premium Outlet |
Good offer at GAP outlet and managed to get a Japanese Brand bag (
ace.)
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| Bridge connecting the outlet ( East/ west) |
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| Gelato |
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| Gotemba Premium Outlet ( my second visit) |
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| this is at Owakudani or hotspring |
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| egg boiled in hot sulfur, which is said to have many benefits. |
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Pirate Ship Cruise at Lake Ashi
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Before Boarding
Back to Shinjuku and we (with my newly met friend in the tour), a chef from Langham Hotel GoldCoast, we went for BBQ dinner. Waiting in line for this dinner was around 1 hour. It's worth waiting. Cutlet pork/wagyu beef for around 400 grams with rice and other condiments with drink was around 3000JPY.
 | | Waiting in line for Gyukatsu Motomura, Shinjuku |
 | | Worth waiting |
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| Wagyu beef Cutlet Grilled on Hot Stone |
Day 3
Day 3 , today will be Light and Easy day. This morning I visited St Ignatius, Yoyogi. There are mass services in Japanese, English and Indonesian.
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| In front of St Ignatius, Sophia Dori Avenue |
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| School next to the St Ignatius Church |
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| Inside the Church |
After visited St Ignatius Church, I got train ride to Ginza. Ginza is where the high end shopping mall. There is the tallest Uniqlo (Flagship shop).
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| GAP at Ginza |
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| 12 Floor uniqlo building at Ginza |
Take a break for brunch at Noa Cafe, Ginza. Blueberry Waffle with black coffee.
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| Blueberry waffle |
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| uniqlo |
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| Uniqlo |
Short walk to Kabukiza for Kabuki Show. Unable to secure a ticket for the show that week. Miracle at Yaguchi Ferry. There are Full show ticket ( around 3000JPY) for 3 hours show, or single act show (around 1000JPY). A full show consists of 2-3 single act shows. Single act show only available depend on availablity.
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| Kabukiza |
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| outside Kabukiza, Ginza |
This is a nice ramen cafe. there are few branches of Ippudo.
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| Ippudo |
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| Ramen + Gyozora |
Bought duty free items from drugstore and sealed. It is not allowed to be opened in Japan. Some of the good catch from Tokyo are like; Japanese shampoo, conditioner,face cleanser and Japanese Hot Balm. Purchases of 5000 JPY and above are tax exempted. Most of the shops are Duty-free shops.
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| Sealed Duty Free Items |
Evening comes, after packing my luggage, last but not least, it's a must to go to Shibuya. It's just a few-stop train from Shinjuku.
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| Part of Shibuya |
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| Uobei Sushi, Shibuya |
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| Shinjuku Pet Shop |
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I just love Dessert at Family Mart
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Day 4
Today is the last day, Hotel check-out will be at 11am. I plan to rest in the house until check out. After Hotel check out, I have another day before going to Airport around 4pm and the flight at 11pm.
A quick walk around Harajuku and lunch at Harajuku. Harajuku is another fashion street and is very crowded. As it was on Saturday.
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| Harajuku |
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| Harajuku from bridge |
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| Gyozora Harajuku |
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| soft taufu |
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| Gyozora |
on the way back to the hotel, I just had a glimpse of New Woman Mall at Shinjuku and had this yakitori.
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| Outside the Hotel, waiting for limo bus direct to Haneda Airport |
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| while waiting in line for the restaurant at Haneda |
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| Salmon with salmon roe |
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| Food Hall at Haneda Airport |
From Haneda Tokyo, I am taking Airasia because of strategic timing and I do not have to rush in the morning for a morning flight. Previous trip, I was on MAS, which is a morning flight around 10 a.m. It's not too bad, as I am staying at Shinjuku, Narita Express directs Shinjuku to Narita for around 1 hour.
For now, the Tokyo experience never fails me, even if it is a burning summer. I can say this year, it's a gastronomic trip around Tokyo.
As the COVID measures have been lifted recently ( around May 2023), no requirement for COVID tests, vaccines, or quarantine. Traveling to Japan is like prior to the pandemic.
It's good to have travel insurance with covid coverage. ETIQA 360 ( RM200).
For the internet, I used celcom Roaming for 7 days ( RM56), which was very reliable with unlimited
data.
A Standard mid-range hotel per night around Shinjuku was around rm500/nite, it was around RM350/nite pre pandemic.
One Meal per person was around 2000-3000 JPY. A bowl of ramen was around 900-1200 JPY.
One day trip to Mt Fuji + Pirate Ship Cruise + Owakudani + Gotemba Outlet trip was purchased from KLOOK for around MYR 400.
Narita express (NEX) Narita- Shinjuku JPY 3250
Limo Bus Shinjuku - Haneda JPY 1300
Definitely will come back and I love Tokyo and the food!!!
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