It has been more than a month since I came back from Tokyo trip with mum. We went for spring vacation for its captivating HANAMI aka cherry blossom viewing. It was 8 days trip, from 13th to 20th April 2012, and the best thing was...it was fully sponsored by hubby for my early 34th birthday celebration. *UBER BLISS*
Our flight departed at 6 morning, reached Changi International Airport at around 4 a.m. Hence, my super sleepy and make-up free face. I continued to doze off during the 7 hours flight. We had aisle seats, and very lucky enough, there's a vacant seat next to us....so I lied myself flat with bent legs....to catch some sleep. On and off, I woke up for some toilet breaks and meal, while catching a very touching Korean movie, 'ALWAYS'....I sobbed a few times, but trying not to let others know.
We reached Narita Airport, Tokyo at around 2.15 p.m. local time. Japan is 1 hour ahead Singapore. So here we were, with our feet standing firm again on the Land of the Rising Sun!
We proceeded to the custom, had our passports checked and stamped, went straight to collect our luggages. Japan is very systematic and organized in every way, even when you are queuing for luggage, make sure you do not push the carts beyond the marked zone, so as not to block others.
Initially I planned to get myself a local SIM card for my I-phone usage. Unfortunately, it was out of stock. It will only be restocked the next day....so I used my data roaming service during my entire stay in Tokyo.
Next, we headed straight to JR East Travel Service Center located in Narita Airport Terminal 1, after getting some help and direction guide from a staff, who held a signage, read "ASK ME". They spoke fluent English, surprisingly. We bought the Suica & N'EX package which costs 5,500 yen per person, with a round-trip Narita Express train ticket between Narita Airport and Shinjuku, along with 1,500 yen preloaded Suica smart card to navigate around Tokyo. The Suica & N'EX package is available only to foreign passport holders.
After getting our NEX tickets, we scurried to the train terminal which is just a stone throw away from the JR Servise Center. The next departure was 2.45 p.m., so everything was in a dash. If we missed the train, we had to wait for another 30 minutes for the next train. But like I have told you, Japan is so systematic, the staff was so efficient, not only we managed to get our tickets fast, albeit the beeline in the counter, we successfully hopped into the right cabin just in time before the door closed behind us! Just waved your tickets (fyi, we were running like mad hauling heavy luggages) to one of the staffs working in the train terminal, they will show you your correct cabin.
Chain and lock your belongings when you travel with NEX, remember to memorise your keyed password to unlock before arriving at your destination. Follow a simple instruction, pasted on the side wall, for usage.
We were heading to Shinjuku, and it took us 1 hour and 25 minutes, to be exact.
Below were our NEX tickets, make sure you always keep it with you, in case somebody will check on the ticket. Look at the numbers circled in RED, we were sitting in cabin 7 with seat number, 7C and 7D.
Yay, we arrived in Shinjuku. However, to our dismay, we did not know which exit to follow to get to our hotel. This is because Shinjuku Station serves as the main connecting hub for rail traffic between central Tokyo and its western suburbs on many lines, which is said to be used by millions of people per day, making it the busiest train station in the world in terms of number of passengers, with over 200 exits!
We headed blindly, lost in the crowd, towards one of the nearest exit, hailed a cab, and after some hand-signaling and showing the driver our hotel map, finally, the taxi driver used his GPS to drive us to our destination. One useful tip, always standby a map, best if it's in Japanese, as some taxi driver can't even read address or roads' name in English. The fare was so expensive, once you hop into a taxi, the minimum fare is 700 yen, which is roughly S$11.
Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku is just less than 10 minutes drive away. After we explored around, we found that there were actually a few exits leading to our hotel, with the nearest Shinjuku JR South exit is just 5 minutes walking distance! It's so convenient!
Tadaah....reached our hotel, introduce you the main entrance of Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku, I would definitely recommend this hotel to first-timer who travel to Tokyo...it is very conveniently located...with many places of interest around, the service is good, the friendly staffs speak fluent English, and most importantly, the room is neat and span!
After we dropped our belongings in the hotel room, we roamed around not too far from Sunroute Hotel. We saw the first vending machine and got each ourselves coffee. Mine was a hot one whereas mum had cold. The first encounter was always a mesmerizing one, but not for long....vending machines are everywhere in Japan, and you were not fascinated anymore after the first day!
They do have a wide array of coffee drink...
This was a shot at a junction nearby Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku, where I was about to cross to get to JR Shinjuku, South Exit.
Our very first meal in Tokyo....Yoshinoya. Seriously, I wasn't impressed with the meal at all. And I can't gauge if Yoshinoya in Singapore serves better meal, as I have never been one before in Singapore. One thing I can describe the experience, Yoshinoya suits those who are on budget, those who want a very filling meal without burning their pocket. It comes in set meal with a huge bowl of sushi rice, and small portion of meat or fish.....however you can always replenish the pickles placed at the side of your table.
My salmon and beef set....came with rice and soup.
Whereas mum had pork belly set...
Many guys in black suit, hopped into Yoshinoya to grab a quick dinner.
Next we stopped at Takashimaya Times Square, to buy our Disneyland admission tickets, costed 6200yen for an adult, and 5500 yen who is considered a senior citizen.
The Disney tickets sale counter is located in a departmental store, children section, at 9F of Takashimaya Times Square.
Albeit many cute Disney souvenirs displayed, but I did not bother to take a look, as I wished to get the stuff from Disneyland itself.
However, I got myself a lady shirt and a polo shirt for hubby. Guess what...a pink polo for him and in size M, as he normally wears size M. But the cutting is much smaller than I imagined. Goodness me, luckily he succumbed to my choice, as he could not say NO for what I have picked for him...hehehee
Taking pictures with Burberry friendly staffs. The girl actually looks very sweet...admire those Japanese girls with their perfect skill in make-up...so natural and yet make their complexion so dewy and flawless.
Went to the tax refund counter, after buying the goods.
We strolled around the basement for its food and confectionary section.
The fruit section.
Bought some croquette with creamy crab meat filling. It is mainly made of potatoes with ingredients like vegetables (onions and carrots) and seafood (prawns or crab meat) or chicken in white sauce, breaded and deep-fried. The inside melts when it is served hot.
A lingerie shop in Lumine, nearby Takashimaya too.
The lighted up streets in Shinjuku.
It comes with assorted fish balls, fish cakes, atsuage (deep fried tofu), hard-boiled eggs, konnyaku and some vegetables which are simmered in soy sauce based broth. Oden usually tastes much better after days, as all the ingredients absorb the goodness flavour from the hot broth.
Bought green tea drink and some onigiri with different fillings for supper before calling it a day.
Onigiri or rice ball, is a Japanese food made from white rice formed into triangular or oval shapes and wrapped in nori (seaweed). Traditionally, an onigiri is filled with pickled ume (sour plum), salted salmon, or any other salty or sour ingredient as a natural preservative. Because of the popularity of onigiri in Japan, most convenience stores sell onigiri with various fillings and flavors.
The last onigiri on the right (in picture below), is with ume filling (sour plum). Personally, I hate ume onigiri the most. But nevertheless, onigiri is a convenient food for take out, very filling, yummy (only if you choose the correct fillings unknowingly as you can't read japanese), and economical...as its the cheapest food available in Tokyo, costs around S$2 plus for one.
Thats our first day activities in Tokyo, before tucking ouselves in bed. Stay tuned for more!
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