Straight off the plane, HIbiya Gardens does wonders for jet lag.Roses in HIbiyaThe gates of the Imperial PalaceAt the top of Roppongi Hills Mori TowerWandering the streets of AsakusaA pretty pallette cleanser at two Michelin star restaurant L’effervescence. Tokyo is home to so many Michelin stars. While they may seem out of reach, if you opt for the lunch session, it can end up being around just £30 per person for a four course meal.Walking through the markets towards Sensō-jiOur guide for the day Isa advised us that the markets near the temple were actually really good for shopping.Outside a stall that sold hand made fans – some of them were ££££At the temple you can put in some money to read your ‘luck’ at the templeLuckily ours was good (thank god, and thanks to our guide for the day!), if you don’t have a lucky piece of paper, you can tie it to a nearby wire for good luck.Underneath the temple gateWashing your hands at the temple before entering.Walking through Ueno ParkIsa took us into a Pachinko place – Tokyo’s scarily noisy version of poker machines.The streets of ShinsaibashiInside a manga cafe in AkihabaraAkihabara, aka Tokyo’s electronics district.Sushi breakfast at the fish marketsA big mama tunaBaby bonsaisShinjuku GyoenMy favourite store in HarajukuJust a pram full of cats in HarajukuRobot cafe craziness in Shinjuku. I loved it. Don’t bother ordering the food though. Arrive drunk if you can.Photobooth action in ShinjukuAt metal bar GodzThe neon lights of ShinjukuThe view from our room at Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier
It was only a few weeks ago now, and yet it feels like a dream. Four days in Japan’s big smoke, a city of 13 million people. I’d been to Tokyo once before for fashion week, but this time it was different. This time it was all about taking the city’s culture in and seeing it through a local’s eyes. To get the full experience, we travelled with Inside Japan as part of their self guided Gastronomic Adventure. That gave us an itinerary that featured the best the city had to offer, including a private half day tour with Tokyo local Isa, which was perfect for truly getting to know Tokyo, getting off Ginza’s main street and into a dingy manga cafe.
Must Dos: Shinjuku at night, Tsukiji Fish Markets at the crack of dawn, the Sensō-ji temple in Asakusa, the view from Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, a fancy dinner in Ginza, the Robot Cafe just for giggles.
Must Stay: Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier. I was in love with this hotel and really didn’t want to leave. All of their rooms have incredible views of Ginza and the buffet breakfast was phenomenal.
Must Shop: Stock up on Uniqlo whenever and wherever you can, it’s so much cheaper than in London. For the most choice, Ginza boasts the largest Uniqlo store in the world. The shops of the electronics district, Akihabara (the new Harajuku according to Isa) are so fascinating.
Must Eat: Michelin star meals for lunch, sushi for breakfast at Tsukiji, sushi for dinner in Ginza, ramen from Ippudo, pocky from wherever you can get it.
