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!
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.