Tag: itinerary

Tokyo 2023: ODAIBA, TEAMLAB PLANETS TOKYO & TOKYO DISNEYLAND Photoblog [October 2023]

Many months ago, my friends and I visited Tokyo for a little over a week. We have been around Tokyo as a group since 2015. We have also been around the city individually in the following years. We carefully decided to choose the places we wanted to go. We did not aim to see everything. In fact, we kept our itinerary open and flexible.

In the previous Tokyo 2023 blogs, I shared with you details and photos of our experiences in Roppongi, Yokohama, Shibuya, Tsukiji, Gotokuji, Ginza, Asakusa, Ueno, and Shinjuku. I also shared a detailed do-it-yourself blog about our Fujikawaguchiko day tour. Today, I will share bits and pieces about our visit to Odaiba, teamLab Planets, and Tokyo Disneyland.

Plane Tickets

My friends and I scored our tickets from Cebu Pacific Air’s ₱1 base fare anniversary sale in March 2023. We got our return Tokyo tickets for ₱7,116.72 per person, including 7 kilograms of carry-on luggage, 20 kilograms of checked luggage, and a complimentary standard seat per sector.

In the last few weeks, I shared my flight experiences with Cebu Pacific Air on flights to and from Tokyo. I hope you can check out these flight reports: Cebu Pacific Air 5J 5056 Manila to Tokyo Narita and Cebu Pacific Air 5J 5055 Tokyo Narita to Manila.

Accommodation

My friends and I only chose one accommodation for the whole trip. We stayed with Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel, a budget-friendly and excellent hostel on the quiet side of Ginza. We stayed in their private twin rooms and six-bed mixed dormitory rooms.

I featured Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel in one of the recent hostel of the day posts. I hope you can check out that feature and review here.

Going Around Tokyo

Going around Tokyo can be quite challenging. Instead of thinking about which specific route or subway or train line to take, my friends and I opted to just use our IC cards throughout the trip. We did not avail of a subway pass or an unlimited train pass.

Basically, we searched our destination via Google Maps and followed either the fastest train option (if we were in a hurry) or the most economical or cheapest train option (if we were not chasing anything). Thankfully, we found every destination we intended to go to. Thank you, Google!

Odaiba

Odaiba is an entertainment and shopping hub on the man-made islands of Tokyo Bay.

My friend and I went to see the Statue of Liberty and the Odaiba Seaside Park from its observation deck. We went to DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, had lunch, and saw the life-sized Unicorn Gundam. We came back to DiverCity to have dinner and check out the place at night.

Nearest Train Station: Daiba Station (Yurikamome Line)

TeamLab Planets Tokyo

teamLab Planets Tokyo is a museum that lets people walk through water, be one with the flowers, and become one with the world. Everyone goes in barefoot to feel the elements and enhance the experience.

We pre-booked our timed tickets via Klook and paid ₱1,392.13 each after promotions and discounts. The teamLab Borderless in Azabudai Hills was yet to open during our October 2023 visit.

Nearest Train Station: Shin-Toyosu Station (Yurikamome Line)

Tokyo Disneyland

Who does not know Disneyland? Tokyo has its own Disneyland and the world’s only Disney Sea. My friends and I enjoyed a full day of rides, shows, and experiences.

We pre-booked our tickets via Klook (again) and paid ₱3,076.63 each after discounts and promotions. We went there during the theme park opening, stayed the whole day, and left after the disappointing fireworks display. We still had a nice day at the theme park.

Nearest Train Station: Maihama Station (JR East Keiyō Line)

Thank you for joining me in today’s photoblog. Have you been to these places? Which one do you like the most and why? Is there a specific place that caught your interest or attention? Feel free to share them in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? You may also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you stay tuned for more Tokyo 2023-related content in the future. Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Tokyo 2023: SHINJUKU, ASAKUSA & UENO Photoblog [October 2023]

Late last year, my friends and I flew to Tokyo for a little over a week. We have been around the city as a group in 2015 and individually in the following years, so we did not aim to see everything. We took things easy, kept our itinerary open, and enjoyed the city’s vibe.

So far, we have been to Roppongi, Yokohama, Shibuya, Tsukiji, Gotokuji, and Ginza, as per the previous posts. Today, allow me to share with you some details and many photos of our visit to selected places in Shinjuku, Asakusa, and Ueno.

Plane Tickets

My friends and I got ₱1 base fare tickets to Tokyo during Cebu Pacific Air’s anniversary sale last March 2023. We paid ₱7,116.72 each for a return ticket to Tokyo, including 7 kilograms of carry-on allowance, 20 kilograms of checked luggage allowance, and a complimentary standard seat.

I wrote flight reports about our flights from Manila to Tokyo Narita on Cebu Pacific Air 5J 5056 and Tokyo Narita to Manila on Cebu Pacific Air 5J 5055. I hope you can check both.

Accommodation

We stayed at Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel during this trip to Tokyo. We initially got a private room with a toilet, then transferred to the 6-bed mixed dormitory a few days later. We found the hostel to be quiet, wallet-friendly, and amazing.

I wrote about this beautiful hostel in one of the newest hostel of the day features. I hope you can read the hostel feature here.

Going Around Tokyo

Going around Tokyo can be quite challenging. Instead of thinking about which specific route or subway or train line to take, my friends and I opted to just use our IC cards throughout the trip. We did not avail of a subway pass or an unlimited train pass.

Basically, we searched our destination via Google Maps and followed either the fastest train option (if we were in a hurry) or the most economical or cheapest train option (if we were not chasing anything). Thankfully, we found every destination we intended to go to. Thank you, Google!

In this same trip, my friends and I took a do-it-yourself day tour to Fujikawaguchiko. Check out my post about this DIY day trip here.

Shinjuku

Shinjuku is a bustling commercial, entertainment, and administrative district of Tokyo. The city houses Shinjuku Station, one of Tokyo’s biggest and busiest train stations.

My friend and I first checked the three-dimensional cat billboard and then walked towards Godzilla Head above the TOHO Cinemas Building. We had dinner at Gyukatsu Motomura and eventually walked around the adult-oriented nightlife area of Kabukicho. We went out of the nightlife hotspot and walked our way back to the retail/shopping area.

Nearest Train Stations: Shinjuku Station, Shinjuku-Sanchome Station, Seibu-Shinjuku Station, Shinjuku-Nishiguchi Station, and many more.

Asakusa

Asakusa is one of the few areas in Tokyo that retains its old and traditional vibe. You will see a lot of traditional buildings, craft shops, and food stalls in this famous district.

We got off Asakusa Station and walked near the Sumida River. We talked about the famous ancient Buddhist temple, Sensō-ji (also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple). We walked along Nakamise-dori Street and tried some local delicacies.

Nearest Train Station: Asakusa Station (Ginza Subway Line, Asakusa Subway Line, and Tobu Railway)

Ueno

Ueno is famous for its museums and the spring-favorite destination, Ueno Park. It also has temples, shrines, and monuments that showcase the rich history of Japan.

My friends and I went to Ueno Park back in 2015, so we visited Ameyoko Shopping Street during this trip. We walked around and checked out different shops. We also had one of the best (and cheapest) takoyaki during this trip.

Tip: Ameyoko Shopping Street is one of the best places to buy chocolates and souvenirs. The prices here are relatively cheaper compared to the prices in other parts of Tokyo.

Nearest Train Stations: Okachimachi Station (JR Yamanote Line and JR Keihin-Tohoku Line) or Ueno-Okachimachi Station (Oedo Subway Line)

Thank you for joining me in today’s photoblog. Have you been to these places? Which one do you like the most and why? Is there a specific place that caught your interest or attention? Feel free to share them in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? You may also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you stay tuned for more Tokyo 2023-retaled content in the future. Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Tokyo 2023: TSUKIJI OUTER MARKET, GOTOKUJI & GINZA Photoblog [October 2023]

In October 2023, my friends and I flew to Tokyo, Japan, to rediscover the city. We were around Tokyo in 2015, but we only visited selected places due to limited time. We were new travelers back then.

In the next few weeks, I will share with you the places we visited. Please note that we did not aim to see everything on this trip. We carefully chose the places we wanted to go to and took our time going around. We also kept our itinerary open and flexible for possible last-minute discoveries and changes.

Today, I will show snippets from our visit to Tsukiji Outer Market, Gotokuji, and Ginza. Prior to visiting these places, I, together with my friends, had been to Roppongi, Yokohama, and Shibuya.

In case you missed it, we were in Tokyo back in October 2015. Check out this post to learn more about that trip.

Plane Tickets

My friends and I booked ₱1 base fare tickets to Tokyo during Cebu Pacific Air’s anniversary sale back in March 2023. We paid ₱7,116.72 each for a return ticket to Tokyo, including 7 kilograms of carry-on allowance, 20 kilograms of checked luggage allowance, and a complimentary standard seat.

I previously wrote about both Manila to Tokyo Narita (5J 5056) and Tokyo Narita to Manila (5J 5055) flights under the Flight Reports section. I hope you can check them out.

Accommodation

My friends and I booked only one accommodation for this trip. We stayed with Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel, an amazing and budget-friendly hostel on the quiet side of Ginza.

I wrote about our stay at Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel in the previous hostel of the day feature. I hope you can read here why I consider this hostel to be my new favorite property in Tokyo.

Going Around Tokyo

Going around Tokyo can be quite challenging. Instead of thinking about which specific route or subway or train line to take, my friends and I opted to just use our IC cards throughout the trip. We did not avail of a subway pass or an unlimited train pass.

Basically, we searched our destination via Google Maps and followed either the fastest train option (if we were in a hurry) or the most economical or cheapest train option (if we were not chasing anything). Thankfully, we found every destination we intended to go to. Thank you, Google!

In this same trip, my friends and I took a do-it-yourself day tour to Fujikawaguchiko. Check out my post about this DIY day trip here.

Tsukiji Outer Market

Tsukiji Outer Market is one of Tokyo’s food havens. It has a wide range of food stalls, restaurants, retail, and wholesale shops that locals and visitors can enjoy. The central wholesale market used to be in this area until the Tokyo government recently transferred it to Toyosu.

We went to and walked around the outer market around lunchtime. We saw long lines at food stalls and restaurants. My friend and I ended up having high-quality Japanese beef skewers for lunch.

Nearest Stations: Tsukiji Station (Hibiya Subway Line) or Tsukiji Shijo Station (Oedo Subway Line)

Gotokuji

Gotokuji Temple is Tokyo’s lucky cat temple. The famous Buddhist temple, located in Setagaya Ward, is home to thousands of luck-inviting cat figurines.

We went to Gotokuji after Tsukiji Outer Market and spent some time around the temple complex.

Nearest Station: Gotokuji Station (Odakyu Odawara Line)

Ginza

Ginza is one of Tokyo’s upscale shopping districts. It is home to numerous department stores, luxury brand boutiques, art galleries, and fine-dining restaurants. It is one of the best places to go shopping. Name a shop or a brand, and you will find it here.

It was one of the nearest shopping districts to our hostel. My friends and I walked around Ginza a few times during this trip.

Nearest Stations: Ginza Station (Hibiya, Marunouchi and Ginza Subway Lines) & Yurakucho Station (JR Yamanote Line, JR Keihin-Tohoku Line and Yurakucho Subway Line)

Thank you for joining me in today’s photoblog. Have you been to these places? Which one do you like the most and why? Is there a specific place that caught your interest or attention? Feel free to share them in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? You may also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you stay tuned for more Tokyo 2023-retaled content in the future. Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Tokyo 2023: ROPPONGI, YOKOHAMA & SHIBUYA Photoblog [October 2023]

In October 2023, my friends and I flew to Tokyo, Japan, for a few days. We have been around the city since 2015 and on separate trips a few years ago, but we wanted to re-visit the beautiful Japanese capital.

Over the next few weeks, I will share with you bits and pieces of the places we visited and things we did around the city. My friends and I did not aim to check out everything about the city. We carefully chose the places we wanted to go and kept our daily itineraries open for last-minute discoveries and changes.

Today, I will share with you snippets of our trip around Roppongi, Yokohama, and Shibuya.

In case you missed it, we were in Tokyo back in October 2015. Check out this post to learn more about that trip.

Flights

My friends and I scored ₱1 base fare tickets to Tokyo during Cebu Pacific Air’s anniversary sale back in March 2023. We paid ₱7,116.72 each for a return ticket to Tokyo, including 7 kilograms of carry-on allowance, 20 kilograms of checked luggage allowance, and a complimentary standard seat.

I wrote about both Manila to Tokyo (5J 5056) and Tokyo to Manila (5J 5055) flights. I hope you can check out both flight reports.

Accommodation

My friends and I stayed at the Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel during this Tokyo trip. We decided to base ourselves in this comfortable and valuable hostel near Ginza shopping district and Outer Tsukiji Market for a little over a week.

I wrote about our stay at Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel in the previous hostel of the day feature. I hope you can read here why I consider this hostel to be my new favorite property in Tokyo.

Going Around Tokyo

Going around Tokyo can be quite challenging. Instead of thinking about which specific route or subway or train line to take, my friends and I opted to just use our IC cards throughout the trip. We did not avail of a subway pass or an unlimited train pass.

Basically, we searched our destination via Google Maps and followed either the fastest train option (if we were in a hurry) or the most economical or cheapest train option (if we were not chasing anything). Thankfully, we found every destination we intended to go to. Thank you, Google!

In this same trip, my friends and I took a do-it-yourself day tour to Fujikawaguchiko. Check out my post about this DIY day trip here.

Roppongi

We visited the bustling neighborhood of Roppongi. We started our day with a Sunday mass at the Franciscan Chapel Center (Roppongi Catholic Church). We had an early lunch at Matsuya, then we walked towards Roppongi Hills to check out some shops. We initially planned on visiting Mori Art Museum, but we were told that the museum had just closed for an exhibition change.

Yokohama

After Roppongi, we took the train to Yokohama, the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture. We walked around Queen’s Square Yokohama, walked towards the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris Wheel, and walked towards Cosmo World. We also tried our luck with the Cup Noodle Museum, but we did not find entry slots that fit our schedule. We ended up walking to Yokohama World Porters and trying the famous Hawaiian snack, malasadas (fried dough), from Leonard’s Bakery.

Afterwards, we took the train and went to the famous Yokohama Chinatown. We lined up for freshly-fried xiao long bao and bought snacks and drinks that we liked. We spent the rest of the afternoon in the vibrant neighborhood.

Shibuya

After Yokohoma, we took the train back to Tokyo and headed over to Shibuya. We passed by the Hachiko Statue and the famous Shibuya Crossing. We walked around the area and checked out some shops and restaurants. We also checked out the nearest Don Quijote branch. We ended our day with a dinner at Yoshinoya.

Thank you for joining me in today’s photoblog. Have you been to these places? Which one do you like the most and why? Is there a specific place that caught your interest or attention? Feel free to share them in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? You may also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you stay tuned for more Tokyo 2023-retaled content in the future. Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Tokyo 2023: FUJIKAWAGUCHIKO – Successful Do-It-Yourself Day Tour to See Mount Fuji + Tips on How to Plan Your Own Trip [October 2023]

Last October 2023, I, together with some friends, flew to Tokyo for a few days to re-explore the city and to see what had changed since our previous visits. I went to Tokyo in 2015 with the same set of friends. I have also passed by the city multiple times after that 2015 trip, when I went to Fujikawaguchiko and Takayama in 2017, when I flew to Sapporo in 2018, and when I went to Nagano back in 2019. I have not been around Tokyo for a while, so I thought it was the perfect time to visit and stay longer in the city.

One of the most famous day trips outside of Tokyo is a visit to Fujikawaguchiko, or Hakone, to see the beautiful and famous Mount Fuji. On one of our days in Tokyo, my friends and I decided to go on a do-it-yourself trip to Fujikawaguchiko to see Mount Fuji (again) and to explore the town at our own pace. Allow me to share with you everything about this do-it-yourself day tour, from transportation to the route taken and to the places we visited.

Disclaimer: All the information below is true and correct as of October 14, 2023, our day trip day. Please note that schedules, fare costs, and other details can change at any time. Also, we missed Mount Fuji’s snow cap by 2 days. The first snow cap for the autumn 2023 season showed up two days later.

Fujikawaguchiko

Fujikawaguchiko is a Japanese resort town in Yamanashi Prefecture. This famous town surrounds one of Fuji’s five lakes, Lake Kawaguchiko. It is one of the best places to see the beautiful Mount Fuji. The town is one of the most popular day trip destinations from Tokyo, with thousands of visitors each day.

In case you missed it, I visited Fujikawaguchiko back in 2017. I stayed in town for 2 full days and 2 nights, and I got the chance to see Mount Fuji in its glory. Check out the previous trip here.

Tokyo ⇿ Fujikawaguchiko

Fujikawaguchiko is a little over 110 kilometers away from Tokyo Station. The fastest and most comfortable way to go to Fujikawaguchiko from Tokyo and back is by taking the highway buses that run between these two places. These buses leave from multiple areas in Tokyo, such as Tokyo Station, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Akihabara, and a lot more. All these buses terminate their service at Kawaguchiko Station.

My friends and I booked our bus tickets with Willer Express and chose the earliest departure (6:50 a.m.) from Tokyo Station Yaesu South Exit. On the way back, we got the 5:30 p.m. schedule from Kawaguchiko Station back to Tokyo Station. The return bus ticket cost us ¥4,120 each. My bank charged me ₱1,618.10 for the ticket, including the foreign transaction service fee.

Day Tour Route

My friends and I arrived at Tokyo Station Yaesu South Exit around 6:30 a.m. We went to a nearby convenience store and bought food for the bus trip. We went back to the bus boarding area and got on the bus a few minutes before the scheduled departure time. At exactly 6:50 a.m., we left Tokyo Station and took a 2.5-hour bus trip to Mount Fuji Station.

We got off at Mount Fuji Station, or Fujisan Station, the stop before Kawaguchiko Station. From here, we took the local bus (¥100 fare) to Shimoyoshida Station. We passed by the famous Honcho Street, but we did not get off the street.

From Shimoyoshida Station, we walked and hiked up to Arakurayama Sengen Park and got a glimpse of Mount Fuji with the famous Chureito Pagoda. We hiked up further and found a covered rest area where we spent a considerable amount of time resting and relaxing while looking at Mount Fuji and enjoying the cold weather.

We walked down the hill and back to Shimoyoshida Station. We took the 13-minute Fujikyuko Local Line train (¥310 fare) to Kawaguchiko Station. Then, we walked to the famous nearby Lawson convenience store and had lunch inside. We crossed the street and took photos of this convenience store from the other side of the road.

After having lunch and taking photos, we walked back to Kawaguchiko Station and took the red sightseeing bus to Oishi Park in Lake Kawaguchiko. The bus trip took close to an hour due to traffic and multiple stops, and it cost ¥570 per person. We skipped the maple corridor because it was too early for the autumn leaves.

We walked along the Flower Street in Oishi Park, took some photos, enjoyed the view of Mount Fuji with the red kochia (summer cypress) plants and other flowers, and got ourselves a cone of soft-serve ice cream perfect for the not-so-cold weather. At quarter before 4:00 p.m., we took the same red sightseeing bus back to Kawaguchiko Station. We paid another ¥570 bus fare per person. We spent the remaining time at Kawaguchiko Station and waited for our bus to arrive.

We boarded our bus a few minutes past 5:30 p.m. We left Kawaguchiko Station right after sunset and arrived at Tokyo Station before 8:00 p.m.

Do-It-Yourself Day Tour Tips

I have been to Fujikawaguchiko twice, and I want to share some tips on how you can make the most of your do-it-yourself trip.

First, identify the top places you want to visit. Fujikawaguchiko is a big resort town with many great places to visit. It is impossible to go to all these places in just a day. Like what we did above, we have identified Arakurayama Sengen Park, Chureito Pagoda, Lawson Kawaguchiko Station, Lake Kawaguchiko, and Oishi Park as the only places we want to see on this day tour. Either you stay for a few days in town or you go back for the others in the next visit.

Second, figure out the route you want to take. As much as possible, refrain from going back and forth between places. To save time and make the most of the day tour, plan the route you want to take on your day tour. Plan, but do not over plan.

Third, always check the weather forecast before planning what day you will visit Fujikawaguchiko. This will give you an idea of when the best day is to go to see Mount Fuji in its glory.

Fourth, make the most of the day tour by taking the first bus out of Tokyo. You will have more time to go around the town if you take the earliest bus out of Tokyo. Also, make sure to visit the bus boarding place at least a day before your trip to know where you will go on the day of your trip.

Fifth, book your bus tickets ahead of time, up to at least days before your desired day trip. While bus tickets can be bought on the day of your tour, there is no guarantee that you will get your preferred schedule or trip time. Bus tickets are available at the Willer Express website.

Sixth, be knowledgeable of the train and bus trip schedules and intervals. This will help you navigate your schedule on the day of the trip.

Seventh, do not forget to bring a bottle of water or tumbler with drinking water. The day tour has a lot of walking and hiking. You will surely need water to get through the day.

Eighth, relax and enjoy every single moment of the day trip. Do not let any small inconvenience ruin your beautiful day with Mount Fuji.

Ultimately, it is ideal to stay in Fujikawaguchiko for 2-3 days if your schedule and Japan itinerary allow you to do so. If not, I hope the tips above will help you plan your do-it-yourself Mount Fuji day trip.

This sums up our Mount Fuji day tour from Tokyo on October 14, 2023. I hope I gave you some information on how to do it yourself. I also hope you found the tips helpful in planning and executing your own do-it-yourself trip.

Do you have any questions about Fujikawaguchiko or anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comment section below. You may also send you questions via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s write-up about the DIY Fujikawaguchiko trip. Please stay tuned for more Tokyo 2023 travel blogs. Before you go, I hope you can like, follow, and share my social media pages, Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.