Japan Trip Report: 8 Days from California to Tokyo

Jan 2024

Day 1: Arrived at Narita at 2 pm JST via ZipAir. The airport staff demonstrated excellent English proficiency. Acquired a Japan Wirless pocket WiFi from the JAL ABC counter and purchased a Pasmo Passport at the Skyliner ticket booth, where they also scanned the QR code from Klook for the Skyliner ticket. Took the Skyliner to Nippori, followed by a five-minute walk to Almont Hotel Nippori. Explored a 7-Eleven and had dinner at CoCo Ichibanya, where there seemed to be some challenges in dealing with a foreigner.

Day 2: Started the day at 7 am, walking to Ueno Park, spending most of the morning there. Explored Shinobazu no Ike Pond and a street market near Ueno station. Played a crane game and won a Hatsune Miku figure. Tried candied strawberries on a stick but didn’t enjoy them. Continued to Asakusa Underground Street, Senso-Ji, and Asakusa Nishi-sando Shopping Street. Incredibly busy at all three locations. Enjoyed a curry pan, visited Don Quijote, and, feeling the effects of jet lag, took an Uber back to the hotel ($12 USD). Ordered McDonald’s via UberEats to conclude the night.

Day 3: Took the JY line to Akihabara station for a 9:30 am “tip-based” walking tour from Tokyo Localized. Tour guide directed us through Akihabara and we ended up in Ueno. Despite some off-handed remarks made by the guide, I tipped 8000 yen. After the tour, returned to Akihabara, had ramen at a random place, and explored anime stores. Due to cold weather, took a train back to the hotel.

Day 4: Walked to Rikugien Gardens, spending just over an hour there. Proceeded to Ikebukuro Parco for the Evangelion Store, had a beef bowl at a random restaurant, and checked out the nearby Animate store. Took a train to Shinjuku, visited the Cosme store for cosmetics, explored Shinjuku, then went to Harajuku, visiting the Sailor Moon Store and enjoying takoyaki on Cat Street. Ended the day at Shibuya Parco, visiting Nintendo Tokyo and the Jump Shop. Walked across Shibuya Scramble and returned to Nippori by train.

Day 5: Caught a train to Harajuku station at approximately 7 am, walked to Yoyogi Park, and spent about an hour there. Continued to Meiji Jingu via the West entrance, spending 1.5 hours walking the grounds. Traveled to Nakano Broadway, had an early lunch at a yakiniku spot, and explored the area, visiting anime/manga stores, Kyle’s Good Finds, and having a slice of carrot cake. Also had some soft serve in the vegetable market area of Nakano Broadway. Returned to Harajuku, walked around, and took the train back to Nippori, visiting a grocery store for snacks and a bento box for dinner.

Day 6: Joined a 9:30 am tour of the Tsukiji fish market via Tokyo Localized. Had a great experience with the guide, tried various foods, and explored Ginza, Tokyo Character Street, and Gransta. Bought souvenirs and sweets, walked to the Imperial Palace (was closed for the day), and took the train back to Nippori. Fell asleep at 6 pm, still struggling with adjusting to JST.

Day 7: Checked out of Almont Hotel and moved to APA Hotel due to a reservation error. Walked to Yanaka Ginza, bought pastries and souvenirs, had a mixed experience at a hole-in-the-wall Unagi restaurant, and enjoyed a giant kakigori at Himitsudo. Took the train to Akihabara, visited more anime places, walked to Ueno, ate at Yoshinoya, and, feeling unwell, returned to Nippori, napped, and explored Ueno in the dark while it rained. Had hamburg steak at a random restaurant.

Day 8: At 6 am, walked the empty streets of Nippori in pouring rain, had a “westernized” breakfast, and explored until 9:30 am. Requested a check-out time extension, gathered belongings, and took the Skyliner back to Narita, arriving around 1 pm. Caught the flight home at 4 pm.

Tips:

\-The majority of public restrooms lacked hand-drying facilities. Carrying a hand towel in my backpack proved to be a lifesaver.

\-A few public restrooms were without toilet paper, so having disposable wipes on hand is advisable.

\-Google Maps was excellent for guiding me to the nearest restroom and proved to be a reliable overall companion. Additionally, Google Translate and Google Lens were invaluable tools.

\-Despite dealing with medical issues like chronic migraines, T-II diabetes, and Mal de Débarquement Syndrome (MdDS), I faced no problems bringing my daily medications through immigration, with no inquiries about them.

\-Transporting my CPAP machine was hassle-free, although the airline check-in counter on my return flight did inspect the bag and record the serial number.

\-Ensure your QR codes from Visit Japan Web are ready on your phone when going through immigration. Printed copies were not accepted, but free WiFi at Narita allowed me to pull up the codes on my phone.

\-Some Tax Free shops did not accept the Tax Free QR code from Visit Japan Web, emphasizing the importance of carrying your passport at all times in Japan.

\-Public seating and trash disposal facilities are scarce.

\-Many businesses, including konbinis, have narrow aisles, posing challenges for larger individuals dealing with balance issues like MdDS.

\-Consider the suitability of restaurant seating for larger individuals, as many establishments may not have accommodating options.

\-The Pasmo Passport is available at the Narita Skyliner ticket booth in Narita Airport.

\-Using a Japan Wireless pocket WiFi (as my 2018 phone lacked e-sim capabilities) cost approximately $10/day, providing consistently excellent WiFi speed.

\-Employing Google Voice alongside the pocket WiFi allowed me to make calls and send texts.

\-When shopping for cosmetics, explore smaller stores throughout Tokyo, as they often offer better prices than larger establishments like Cosme in malls.

\-English proficiency is prevalent among employees at tourist spots, Narita airport, and most malls.