Tokyo: an exciting week!

As a result of excessive time spent in trains, we’ll enjoy our entire week in Tokyo. 

The city is sooo big that we had few chances to get bored!

Tokyo

 

1- Sleeping

Since we had 7 nights, we decided to split between two hotels located in opposite neighborhoods: Shibuya and Ginza.

Excel Shibuya Hotel was our first pick. You can’t get a better location! Basically you can get to thee hotel directly from Shibuya station.

Before arriving, we tried to contact the hotel to ask for a reservation and they never got back to us. I was sceptical about their service, but the view from our room made me forget everything! Unbelievable 🙂

 

View from our room, Excel Shibuya Tokyu

 

The room had a descent size and was fully-equipped. We felt confortable and enjoyed our stay.

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

 

During the second part of our week, we stayed at the Hotel Monterey Ginza.

It’s perfectly located in this posh area! The subway is only few steps away as well as the famous crossing with the “Ricoh” sign.

The rooms are affordable but pretty old-school. In fact, this place is the anti-thesis of what we call a design hotel.

 

Ginza

 

2- Eating

 

My best advice is to try the street food places that I described in another article: here!

 

Yurakucho Sanchoku Inshokugai

 

 Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama Honten is very famous for its tonkatsu. And they are pretty good at it. The place is great, rellay packed and the food delicious.

The only thing I did not understand is why they keep a big waiting line while there are many sits empty inside! Weird… Try to go there for lunch 🙂

Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama Honten.

 

After that, stop for a good coffee at Motoya Espresso Express. How cool is this little van in the middle of Omotesando? totally unexpeccted. Loved it!

 

Motoya Espresso Express

 

 

The New-York Bar inside the hotel Park Hyatt is a reference in Tokyo! Even if you haven’t seen the movie “Lost in translation“, the place is worth a visit for its incredible view. It’s the perfect address if you want to impress somebody!

Drinks are a little expensive. If you get there after 10pm, you won’t have to pay the cover charge of 2.200 yens.

New York Bar, Park Hyatt

New York Bar, Park Hyatt

New York Bar, Park Hyatt

 

3- Sightseeing

 

We had a wonderful guided tour with David from Tokyo Safari. I highly recomment to have a tour with him. We had the half day option wy bicycle. It was great to visit unexpected places with an insider.

 

Tokyo Safari

 

Take an elevator to the last floor of Government’s building! A great way to admire the landscape for free!

 

Government’s Building

 

Shimokitazawa is such a lovely neighborhood!! You have to go there, it reminded me a bit of East Village or Lower East Side in NYC.

 

Shimokitazawa

 

Asakusa is a cute neighborhood. But so touristic! a good advice would bee not to stop there for lunch…

 

Asakusa

 

You can not leave Tokyo without visiting Tsukiji market!!! I don’t know if it is necessary to wake up at 4 in the morning to try to assist at the tuna big sale… Visiting the market at 10 and walking between the stands was great.

Of course you’ll have to stop by a sushi place. My recommendation would be to go to the one with the least queue. There were peolple waiting in unthinkable lines. We just went to an empty place and I had the time of my life. So don’t bother with tripadvisor or whatever for this market… all the places are cool and fresh.

Tsukiji market

 

Don’t miss a tour to Odaiba!  How cool is this gundam?

 

Gundam

 

 

That’s it for today folks! I hope you have a wonderful time in Tokyo like we did. If you have any question or comments, please feel free to leave a note below.

To check the Japanese tour at a glance, go here.