Cherry Blossom Viewing in Tokyo, Japan

Zg and I made the trip to Japan during the cherry blossom (sakura) season in 2016 to experience our very first hanami (also translated as "flower viewing"). It was really one of the best experiences ever and I could not stop marveling at the beautiful blooms.

We stayed at Sotetsu Fresa Inn Tokyo Kyobashi because we wanted somewhere near the Tokyo Station this time and Sotetsu Fresa Inn was one of those near enough yet still reasonably priced. It was about a 10-minutes walk from the Yaesu South Exit which we found using GPS from our Global Advanced Wifi Router. There was also a much closer subway station (Kyobashi) which was just right across the hotel. The room was small (as with all the hotel rooms in Tokyo) but clean and comfortable. They also gave each of us a small bag filled with packets of shampoo, shower foam and cotton pad, a shower cap, and a hair band, which I thought was really sweet. The convenience store was just round the corner and we headed there every night to stock up on snacks and bottled water. 

Another perk about staying near Tokyo Station was that we were near the Yaesu Ramen Street and could indulge in our favourite tsukemen at Rokurinsha!

Tokyo Station, 東京駅一番街 B1 東京ラーメンストリート内 １-９-１ Marunouchi, 千代田区 Tokyo 100-0005, Japan

Back to cherry blossom viewing. We visited two places to view the cherry blossoms in Tokyo.

Chidorigafuchi Park. 

We took the subway to Kudanshita Station and took a short walk to the Chidorigafuchi park. We were blessed with beautiful weather that day! The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and it was so amazing looking at a whole row of cherry blossoms on both sides of the moat. Come early because the park fills up quickly and soon you will find yourself jostling with many others for a good spot to take pictures. 

The best part about cherry blossom viewing in Chidorigafuchi was rowing a little boat around the moat and getting close to the low hanging branches of the lovely cherry blossoms. So the sign in the picture below states that the operating hours start at 11 am. But we did our research before going and read on a forum somewhere that we could start rowing at 930 am so that was when we arrived. However, despite being somewhat on time, we realised that a long queue had already formed even before the start of the operating hours! We joined the queue and managed to get into a little boat within 30 minutes. 

Rowing the boat was hard work and I have to thank my boyfriend for shouldering that responsibility. For a long moment, it felt like there was a cluster of boats near the boathouse and everybody was unable to move because we were all just stuck. We also spotted a pair of Chinese tourists who attempted to stand while being in the boat and rocking the boat so violently that they almost fell overboard. 

So anyway, after some furious rowing and trying to get away from the rocks at the side, my awesome boyfriend found a spot away from the crowd and proposed to me! Such a sweet happy surprise <3 

It was really very romantic and I would suggest this as a potential proposal spot for all the gentlemen reading my blog. Everything was just so beautiful and it felt so right. The blue cloudless sky, the sunshine on my face, beautiful blooms everywhere, and my boyfriend working his arms off to row the boat to the perfect spot. 

I wish I could stop there and leave you with this romanticized idea of his proposal but we are a very real couple so here's the other side of the story. First, our boat could not stop spinning. We could not figure out why but the boat started spinning away happily the moment he put down the oars to fish the ring box out of his pocket. Second, we were so afraid we would drop the ring into the water (now that would not have been funny) so we were ultra careful with sticking the metal band on my finger. Third, neither of us could remember which hand the engagement ring should go so we froze for a moment and tried to recall. Fourth, I could not stop laughing once the ring was on my finger! I laughed and laughed like a mad woman for a long long time in a spinning boat. Guess I was really happy. Last, my stomach started to ache after all that laughing and I realised I needed to use the restroom so I nagged him to return to the boathouse asap. There is nothing as real in a relationship as having to run to the loo right after your boyfriend (now fiance) planted an engagement ring on your finger! I also had to be annoying and demanded that we find a clean restroom ("No, I'm not using the one in the park! It's so dirty!") so we circled around the area until we found a large hotel that we could enter and use the restroom ;)

Shinjuku Gyoen. 

With an entrance fee of 200 yen and loads of tourists by the time we entered, we kind of expected Shinjuku Gyoen to suck. But Shinjuku Gyoen was large enough to accommodate the large crowd streaming through the gates and the cherry blossoms were everywhere! We entered through the Shinjuku Gate which was the nearest to the Shinjuku Station but you could also enter through the other gates if those are nearer to your station. We wanted to have our own little picnic under the cherry blossoms too but we left our picnic mat in the hotel so we decided to enjoy Shinjuku Gyoen by walking around the park (our legs were so tired by the end of the afternoon!). If you would like to take a little break and enjoy a snack under the beautiful cherry blossoms, remember to pack a disposable mat in your bag when you head to Shinjuku Gyoen!

For cherry blossom viewing in Kyoto, visit here.

For cherry blossom viewing in Osaka, visit here.

For my post on what to eat and do in Tokyo, visit here and here.

If you would like to read my day-to-day posts in Tokyo, you can find them here.

What to eat in Tokyo, Japan

I did a list of awesome things to do in Tokyo, Japan and it is time for my list of recommended food places. Tokyo is such a foodie heaven if you are into Japanese food. No sashimi places in this list because I came down with a horrible case of food poisoning during my first trip to Tokyo and was completely afraid to eat anything raw during my second trip. As usual, this list is in no particular order.

NUMBER ONE: MUTEKIYA RAMEN

You must be prepared to queue in adverse conditions if you want to try Mutekiya Ramen. The shop space is incredibly small and everybody queues on the pavement outside, fully exposed to the elements. We were in Tokyo in winter and visited Mutekiya on a rainy day. We queued in the rain for an hour and were shivering so badly from the cold that our hands were numb. Was it worth the wait? YES. The broth was so thick and delicious and the noodles were so springy! I love the thick slab of braised pork as well.

Japan, 〒171-0022 東京都豊島区 南池袋1丁目17-1 (near to the Ikebukuro station. Not the easiest to find and I was thankful my bro knew his way around. "Just walk towards the Y-junction" he said.)

NUMBER TWO: NAGI RAMEN

By number two, I feel sorry for my parents that they have kids who make them queue in temperatures of a few degrees for almost an hour each time. We reached Nagi well after lunch hour but we still had to queue for close to 40 minutes. Tucked away on the second floor in the Kabukicho area of Shinjuku, this place was hard to find. Look out for the small red sign with black lettering along a narrow alley. You join the queue inside a back alley and go upstairs to purchase a ticket for your ramen. When a seat is ready, you will be ushered upstairs. The stairs are steep and the seating area is incredibly small, narrow and cramped. Was it worth it? The broth, made from sardines, was very special and had the distinct sweetness of seafood. Noodles were also suitably springy. But I still prefer my pork bone soup base anytime.

1-1-10 Kabukicho, Shinjuku 160-0021, Tokyo Prefecture

NUMBER THREE: ROKURINSHA 

The queue was better here and we waited for only 15 minutes in a nice air-conditioned environment since Rokurinsha is situated in Tokyo Solamachi, the shopping centre at the bottom of Tokyo Skytree. Rokurinsha serves awesome tsukemen, which is ramen with dipping soup. The ramen here is thick, a close cousin to udon and the dipping soup is delicious! Grabbing a mouthful of ramen, dunking it in the hot dipping soup and slurping it all up was fantastic! I like it so much I ate it on BOTH trips. It was that good.

Rokurinsha 六厘舎 – Skytree
Tokyo Solamachi, Level 6, 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo Japan

They have another outlet at the Yaesu Ramen Street in Tokyo Station which I visited during my third trip to Tokyo. Goes to show how much I enjoy Rokurinsha <3

Tokyo Station, 東京駅一番街 B1 東京ラーメンストリート内 １-９-１ Marunouchi, 千代田区 Tokyo 100-0005, Japan

NUMBER FOUR: TSUNAHACHI

For tempura! I had this on both trips too and all outlets were conveniently located in shopping malls which made locating this place and waiting for our meals so much more comfortable. Crispy fresh tempura for lunch always made my day. I chose to sit along the counter the first time I had Tsunahachi with the boyfriend and, while it was an eye-opening experience, we both smelled like fried batter when we left. I chose the table seats with my family and it was so much better. 

NUMBER FIVE: CAFE AT MAACH ECUTE

This is a fantastic date spot, perfect for a cup of coffee and tea while we catch up on life together. The boyfriend brought me here and I really liked the collection of small shops in the old train station. The cafe on the second floor was amazing! Situated in a little glass house between the train tracks, we could see trains entering and leaving the stations while we sip our tea slowly.You could either choose to sit inside or outside (air-conditioned or non-air-conditioned respectively). I personally feel that the best seat in the house is definitely the last table outside because of the unobstructed view.

There were many other eateries and cafes that were pretty decent and which I liked a lot such as Coco Ichibanya in Shinjuku, Curry Times in Akiba, Kohmen, bright airy cafes along Omotesando, oyako-don in Akihabara-UDX Building, and Spicy Tofu Soup in Odaiba. But the list above is my absolute favourite!

NUMBER SIX: DOMINIQUE ANSEL BAKERY

We discovered Dominique Ansel Bakery during our trip to New York City and fell in love with the cronuts! I have tried cronuts (or cronuts wannabes) in many other places but, honestly, nothing comes close. I have been dying to have more Dominique Ansel cronuts for so long. Just imagine how excited I was when I realised that Dominique Ansel Bakery was starting a branch in Tokyo! Amazing. Would not miss it for the world.

Unlike the main bakery in New York City, the Tokyo outlet in the Harajuku area did not allow reservations so we headed down early to queue. We reached at 930 am (the bakery opened at 10 am) and were the fourth group in line. They served chai latte to all who were queuing outside (I'm not sure whether they do this regularly or this was a gesture of goodwill because of the cold weather) and we watched in the cold as they hurried around preparing the cafe for opening.

The April cronut flavour was Okinawa Pineapple Milk Chocolate Ganache with Plum Sugar. The array of cakes and pastries looked so amazing that we ordered way too much. We had a cronut each, a Paris-Tokyo (this pretty matcha tart), DKA, an almond croissant, and a Mr Robata. We wanted to have these on the shinkansen to Kyoto but we could not finish all of them so we kept some for breakfast the next morning.

5 Chome-7-14 Jingumae, 渋谷区 Tokyo 150-0001, Japan

For my day to day posts in Tokyo, check this out.

For my post on cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo, check this out. 

What to do in Tokyo, Japan

I was lucky and managed to make two trips to Tokyo last year. I did as many different things as I could during both trips and ate a large variety of food. The list below is the essence of what to do in Tokyo. It is in no particular order since I love them all and find it terribly hard to rank these places. 

NUMBER ONE: MORI TOWER OBSERVATION DECK

If you can only do one observatory, this should be it. Ditch Skytree unless you are really keen on being really high up with not much of a view. Admission is 1500 yen with an additional 500 yen for the sky deck. I would strongly recommend paying the additional 500 yen for the sky deck because the view from the sky deck was really breath-taking. The sky deck is actually a helipad which provides a glorious 360 degree open air view of Tokyo. It can get quite cold in the autumn or winter on the sky deck, especially after the sun sets so bring your coat with you. You will be asked to leave your belongings in a locker before heading up to the sky deck.You could see Mount Fuji on one side, and the Tokyo Tower on the other. If you are lucky, you can even catch the setting sun! The Tokyo Tower was beyond beautiful when it lit up. 

NUMBER TWO: TOKYO SKYTREE

It is iconic and really high up so if you like that, do check out Tokyo Skytree too. But aside from the fact that it is iconic and really high up, there is nothing much going for Tokyo Skytree unless you count Rokurinsha Ramen. 

NUMBER THREE: MEIJI SHRINE

If you like to explore a tranquil shrine without large bustling crowds, visit Meiji Shrine. A stroll along the tree-lined path will definitely restore peace in your heart.  

NUMBER FOUR: SENSOJI, KAMINARIMON, NAKAMISE SHOPPING STREET

This area has an amazing vibe with loads to see, feel, and eat. Walking through Kaminarimon with its large red lantern, you will enter Nakamise Shopping Street which is lined with small shops on both sides. The crowd is thick by midday so I would strongly suggest making this area your first stop in the morning after 9 am. Strolling along Nakamise, taking in the bustling atmosphere, eating yummy snacks, and grabbing cute little knick knacks make a wonderful start to the day.

NUMBER FIVE: HARAJUKU 

If you are a teen, you will enjoy Takeshita Dori with its cutesy little shops selling kawaii fashion. If you are too old to fit into cutesy little skirts (like myself), you will enjoy the young vibrant energy in Takeshita Dori and the delicious crepe! Forget about the calorie count and treat yourself to a yummy crepe and freshly prepared Calbee chips. After your tummy is satisfied, cross the road into the Omotesando area where you will find luxury brands and, if you turn into the right alley, a ton of sneaker shops! I bought a pair of rose gold Nike sneakers there which were so perfect!

NUMBER SIX: SHIBUYA

You probably know this already, but I just have to repeat it again. The best spot to catch the action at Shibuya Crossing (aside from actually being in the Shibuya Crossing) is Starbucks at Level 2 of Tsutaya. This particular Starbucks is insanely crowded and everybody is gunning for the window seats. Pick the right window seat and you will find yourself facing the busiest crossing in the world. Try the Hojicha Latte which is my favourite Starbucks drink in Japan (followed by the Matcha Latte). They use real tea bags!

Shopping is perfect at Shibuya too with a million and one shopping malls. I read numerous positive reviews about Shibuya 109 and 109 Men but I am personally not too awed by them. Instead, I am totally blown away by the large Tokyu Hands in Shibuya! They have everything under the sun, and their goods are just so cute.

NUMBER SEVEN: IKEBUKURO

This place has one of the best ramen ever (Mutekiya) but I will rave about this in another blog post. My family and I came here for Sunshine City (where we did some amazing shopping) and for the giant supermarket at Seiyu. There are a bunch of sneaker shops around too though Harajuku definitely reigns supreme in terms of sneaker fashion. We were also huge fans of the Kit Kat Chocolatory inside Seibu Department Store which stocks many interesting flavours.

NUMBER EIGHT: ODAIBA

Take the Yurikamome for a scenic journey into Odaiba. This place is fabulous and there is just so many things to see. There is the giant Gundam Robot (don't miss the light show at night!), colorful ferris wheel at Palette Town, Toyota Museum, Venus Fort, and many large shopping malls for good shopping. The Rainbow Bridge lights up at night and is incredibly beautiful behind the Statute of Liberty.

NUMBER NINE: TSUKIJI FISH MARKET

If you want to come here for fresh sashimi, make sure you reach at the time you usually wake up to go to work. I am a self-declared lazy bone and am determined to sleep as much as I can every night so I failed to eat sashimi at Tsukiji twice in a row. Needless to say, I am extremely bummed. The good thing is, Tsukiji is fun to walk around even if you are not stuffing your face with sashimi. You can also eat other stuff like fresh scallop but make sure your tummy is strong enough (mine wasn't and I came down with a very serious bout of food poisoning).

NUMBER TEN: GINZA

Glitzy shopping, period. If you are into expensive brands and high-end department stores, look no further than Ginza. I can hardly afford anything at Ginza but luxurious department stores have one of the best restrooms. Just saying.

NUMBER ELEVEN: DISNEY

I LOVE DISNEY. Do I need to say more?

NUMBER TWELVE: HAKONE

Beautiful Lake Aishi and Mount Fuji. I took a day trip and while it was enough to see the famous sights, I felt like we were rushing from point to point without much time to really soak up the view. Hakone was truly beautiful and two days might allow you to slow down your pace.

NUMBER THIRTEEN: AKIHABARA

Land of manga, anime, video games, maid cafes, otakus and all things quirky. Anything mainstream is too boring for Akihabara so make sure you walk into the shops and check out everything on display. You will definitely find something that will make you go WOAH.

NUMBER FOURTEEN: SHINJUKU

I stayed at Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku for both trips so Shinjuku was sort of our hood at night. We explored Kabukicho and Golden Gai (in the day with my family and at night with the boyfriend), strolled through the department stores in the area and checked out the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatory (it's free!).

Next up, what to eat in Tokyo, Japan!