Firstly,I'd like to apologize (again) that i wasn't able to post for a very long time! My computer broke down 3 months ago and it's still on repair; Hopefully my files there will be backed-up as soon as possible. This is also why I couldn't post my blog entry about my trip to America! ;( Though anyhow, I really hope it'll be fixed.
It feels soo good to be back in Japan!! Me and my family went on a trip to Tokyo last November 2. We stayed at Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku district. I love it that the place is just a walking distance from the shopping centres ❤️
Shinjuku by day :)
Shinjuku even has a foodie outskirt which is like a 'karinderya' version in Manila.They sell foods like sukiyaki,sushi and mostly,ramen.Eating ramen by the street vendor is a must-try! It's amazing on how they make it in less than 5minutes and you can ask for a refill of soup. But of course, additional toppings and noodles have a fee.
You can also find the popular Robot Restaurant around the district.The show there usually starts at 5pm and unfortunately, we weren't able to see how these two dolls worked.
Our first shopping night was spent at Don Quijote and Yodobashi. Both stores have at least 6 or 7 floors suitable for the shopaholic turistas. Donki/Don Quijote is not just an ordinary department store; I have gone to its branch in Fukuoka last year but they sell different stuff here in Tokyo. One of its specialty is the exclusive flavors of Kit Kat!
*Flavors: Vanilla bean, red bean,shinsu apple, new york cheesecake,wasabi,matcha,strawberry,saki
Other than that, they sell cosplay costumes, decorated socks (which I really found soo adorable!) and Sanrio goodies.Its upper floors contain gadgets,beauty and cosmetics which are good finds.
Meanwhile, Yodobashi is more of an electronic store. Although it also has a floor that has a cosmetics section,most of the products are gadgets and appliances. The gadgets are definitely a must-buy,I should say but always ask for assistance when buying; Almost all of them are programmed in Japanese.
Then we ended our first night at Hooters.
TOKYO DAY TOUR
Part of our package was a half day tour at Tokyo courtesy of Hato Bus Tours.So our first stop? Tokyo Tower!
It felt like seeing the Eiffel Tower at first glance but this one's also a beaut!
We went to the top-most floor and the view was breathtaking. Each floor has a photo-op booth and a floor window to see the bottom view from above the tower.
Not only that,there's a section in the tower that sell souvenirs and refreshments. Most of it are tower plushies, biscuits, ballpens and key chains.I love how the biscuits are made in different shapes and sizes; I believe some it are shaped as a tower!
You can also check out the "One Piece" attraction on that same floor but it has a different fee from our package.
After that,we went near the Imperial Palace to take a few pics of this lovely scenery filled with bonzais.I wonder if these trees were filled with cherry blossoms during March. ;D
Then our tour ended in Asakusa mainly in Senso-ji which is a popular Buddhist temple built in the 7th century.
In spite that it is their place of worship, it was very crowded as the temple's main hall has several wishing pits from tossing a coin on a pond,candle lighting and tying a piece of paper that says your good or bad fortune.
Yours truly at Kaminarimon Gate ;)
And from the temple grounds lies Nakamise Shopping Streets. This reminds me of Portobello Road in London as the whole stretch is lined up with local finds and souvenirs.They do sell similar items but with different prices (and some shops go on sale at random hours).Currently,this is the place to be if you want to buy an Anello bag ;) Me and my mom get to buy it there for as low as 3,600 Yen.
Another must-try is the street foods that they are selling here from rice crackers,mitarashi-dango and taiyaki(my most favorite!)
so here's the authentic Taiyaki in red bean flavor ❤️ It comes in sweet potato as well and it is very delicious too!
to be continued...
*credits to Hato Bus Tours for our half day Tokyo tour. Check out their site for rates of their Tokyo tour packages!
