Tokyo is every tourist’s dream! This city is so rich in its beauty, culture, and food. I have been to Tokyo three times already but I still cannot get enough. The possibilities are endless in wandering around in this city, from their cute cafes (including animal cafes!), endless restaurants, spas, temples, and beautiful city architecture. The people are so friendly and helpful, and it is easy to get around with the convenient subway stations. For your first trip to Tokyo, here are some must-see for you to experience.
I know travel restrictions are still in place, but most of us have been itching to go somewhere for ages now. Here's to hoping that we will be rid of this COVID pandemic soon! For now, let's stay at home, but it doesn't hurt to be overly prepared for your next big trip right???
Get Traditional at Asakusa Temple - Asakusa is an amazing neighborhood full of tradition in a city as modern as Tokyo. A really fun experience to do on a mild day is to reserve a kimono fitting in one of the stores near Asakusa Temple. I had an amazing time at my kimono fitting! I got to choose from a variety of beautiful kimono patterns and the employees were very thorough, intricately wrapping me with clothes and towels underneath for padding (I went on a cold day, which is not recommended, but I was warm with the added padding), putting on my kimono, and even doing my hair so that it went perfectly with the outfit. I was so amazed at the amount of effort put into every step!
After I was in full traditional Japanese clothing, I headed towards Asakusa temple. It was so fun to walk past a myriad of street vendors and try some of the street food. Once I reached the temple, it was a beautiful sight and a perfect photo opportunity to commemorate the experience.
Shop (or Window Shop) at Ginza - Ginza is the capital of high-end shopping in Tokyo. It is also the most expensive area in Tokyo where apparently one square meter is worth 30 million yen! Although this district is unafforadble for most of us, it has some amazing cafes and reasonably priced clothing stores as well. Luxury storefronts in Ginza include Gucci, Bvlgari, Hermes, Chanel, and Louis Vitton just to name a few, but there there are also stores like Gu, Uniqlo, H&M, and Zara here.
You might feel a bit overwhelmed when you walk around Ginza, so I definitely want to recommend a place to start, which is Tokyu Plaza Ginza! The bottom of this plaza has the best Tully's Coffee for you to catch a breath. The interior of this particular Tully's is definitely Ginza-worthy. Another hidden gem of this plaza is the top floors of this plaza that have the bestttt selection of restaurants! There is one restaurant with revolving sushi and it is legitimately the best sushi I have ever had! The cuts were so generous and the prices were reasonable too!
Amusement Park and Spa Day at Tokyo Dome City
Tokyo Dome City is another really great place to visit because it is literally an amusement park located in the heart of the city! You could really spend a whole day here with the fun rides, and you can purchase a day pass where you get unlimited rides. Regardless of how much time you would like to spend here, the Thunder Dolphin is definitely a must-do. This ride is no joke. The incline is so steep and so intense that you can see the Tokyo Tower from a great vantage point at the top. The fall is savage - even the bravest of them all will not be able to not scream while going down this roller coaster. I literally had tears in my eyes after riding this - BUT HAPPY TEARS. The ferris wheel is also worth a ride - you will get your picture taken here with the optional choice to purchase it, which I did - because this was a once in a lifetime experience!
After you have thoroughly enjoyed the amusement park, it is time for a relaxing day at the spa! La Qua spa is located right within the mall connected to the amusement park. Spas in Tokyo are way different than the ones in the US. A spa resort like La Qua charges an entry feel per person and you get to enjoy the amazing hot springs baths within the resort. The hot springs have various temperatures and features, such a milk bath, oxygen bath, outdoor bath (covered of course!). Pay an extra $5 and you get access to a whole other floor with lounge chairs facing windows that open up to the amusement park. There is also a restaurant in this spa where you can order off an extensive menu. The food is also exquisite. I ordered a nigiri set that is comparable to a high-end luxury Japanese restaurant in the US. The total for 2 people ended up being about $100 USD, which is honestly very worth the value of everything offered here!
Explore Disney Sea - Tokyo Disney is different from any other Disney in the world because it has a special land called Disney Sea!! This place is absolutely magical, with Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, and Mysterious Island just to name a few. I loved how unique every land was and thoroughly enjoyed my time here. My favorite rides were 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and Tower of Terror.
Next to Disney Sea, there is another amazing land that is open to the public called Ikspiari (experience + fairy combined into one word). This place is absolutely fabulous too with its myriad of restaurant options. Every restaurant here is absolutely delicious!
I will be releasing a part 2 soon because it is truly hard to capture all that Tokyo has to offer in 1 article! Stay tuned.
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