got back into uk last night...and feel fine
so while fresh in my head here is my report on tokyo
we changed 拢1250 spending money each at 130 yen to the uk 拢1...which was the highest we could find anywhere
checked in at manchester, which took us to heathrow.
had a light breakfast at brasserie chez gerrard...100% recommend the croque monsier.
our flight was schedule at 1pm, but the flight was pretty empty and left at 12.45.
vs900, the plane was tight...compared to the hong kong virgin planes.
chose the bento box for lunch and a english breakfast for landing.
the flight itself was aweful...couldn%26#39;t sleep was ratty!!!
landed early into narita airport... landed about 9.30
customs was quick from plane to outside...about 20 minutes!!
headed downstairs (look for JR trains) headed straight to the ticket office where we bought our suica/ nex pass for 3500 yen
they give you the time of the next train.
we headed for shinkjuku... and had to sit at the front of the carriage...the train had ten cariagges (or twelve) and after the first stop...the back 5/6 carrigaes seperates from the train...and heads into a different direction!!!
got to shinjuku early...and couldn%26#39;t check in...so we left luggages there and headed to shinjuku for food...which was a struggle!!
the language barrier is a problem!!
in the end we ended up goin to am/pm (24 hour convinience store) and took it back to the hotel with us.
check in was speedy...no credit card required as there%26#39;s no in room service!!
had a shower and a nap.
we got the standard queen room, whilst my friend got the standard twin room...
(expedia)
queen room cost 拢3 more and you get less space, and a smaller room!!!
next time we go, we%26#39;re going to get a standard twin room instead...the beds are just slightly smaller than our double
this is shinjuku sunroute plaza.
when we finally woke up about 9pm...we headed to watami for food... we ordered a pasta type dish, scallops, teriyaki%26#39;s and sushi
Tokyo 23/2/09- 4/3/09 report...thank you all for advice
day 2
headed to okakyu office to pick tickets up for yuneesun spa
then headed to o%26#39;daiba which is a man made island
i didn%26#39;t know there%26#39;s a direct train from shinjuku (rinkai)
so we took underground
headed to decks, which is a shopping mall with a mini (old style) hong kong
they stock alot of old style chinese sweets and snacks.
then we paid 300 yen to enter segaworld.
this is a must for all hardcore gamers!!!
the queues for the rides are approx 30 min each
you dont have to get the all access pass...we went into have a look
then we headed to aqua city, which is another shopping mall...then we hopped onto the free shuttle bus and went to venus fort...the food court inside here is rubbish..the food was well disappointing!!
toyato (mega web) was good(only found out after we went second time...read further down)
cutting across mega web, we found the giant wheel...where there is another gamers heaven!!
on the grab a teddy machine...we won 5 teddies..which we had to buy another suitcase to bring back with us!!
i dropped three teddies in one go!!!
got back to hotel about 10pm
this you do need a full day
Tokyo 23/2/09- 4/3/09 report...thank you all for advice
day 3
got up and headed for the sensoji temple
the scenery are beautiful!!!
apart from the main street heading into the temple...there%26#39;s not much else...just your standard every day living shops.
the temple is huge...and be sure you walk round the sides....
we then headed to ueno... where we found this massive shop selling nothing but manga models!!!
we found the eatery street that was mentioned...
i bought my beloved dried scallops for 2000 yen (they cost $350 in hk auji itchi)
i regret not buying another packet
the dried mangos are really nice as well
if you get chance to go down here...i do advice stocking up!!
we then headed to akihabara
where my partner was on a mission to find gundam models!!!
after a long hour walk we settled for one shop inside a mall and the guys bought about 8 gundam models...tried to ask for a discount...but they didn%26#39;t shift!!!
headed back to hotel
day 4
hakone spa...
i know alot of you said i should give the traditional a try.
i wanted to....
well you see after a train journey here (prebooked a romance train)
we got changed,, towels are provided...and we went to the swimming pool area... this is where we got lost (it was snowing by the way...and a memorable experience)
it was so huge we got lost!!!
we walked and walked and only managed to cover half of this resort...before we left...
i wish we stayed longer to find the rest
the spa/ resort is split into 3 sections...and without a map...you really dont know where your going!!
i didn%26#39;t realise until i saw the map of the spa on the way back to hotel
after freshening up at the hotel we met my friend in roppongi about 8pm...
he took us up his office gold sachs in roppongi hills...up to 44 level...and the view was amazing...well it would%26#39;ve been amazing if it wasn%26#39;t for the fog!!!
headed downstairs for a drink (1200 yen cocktail)
then we headed for a japanese style pub for grub
and we learnt something
instead of looking at pictures...
just randomly point and order!!!
not finished posting...will continue when i got time
Nice stuff so far, looking forward to the rest.
When you get a chance can you talk more about the language barrier you mentioned above? I don%26#39;t expect everyone to speak English but how hard does it get? Can we make due with a lot of hand gestures, and like you said, pointing at things and ordering?
Very nice. Thank you.
Excellent read! Thank you. At what time did Sunroute let you check in, btw? 2 pm (as it says on the home page) or earlier? I%26#39;ll be arriving at about the same time as you, when I go there in a few weeks.
yes have to say a huge thank you to route 246 and yamanote
language barrier...
my sister taught me to say
i do not understand japanese
and do you speak english
but they still replied in japanese!!!
in the end we all agreed to speak english...no matter how much we wanted to speak japanese to respect them...it got us nowhere!!
however after about 4 days...speaking english we got further!!
and the people are so friend ly its unbelievable
one good thing aobut being chinese...two of my friends managed to guess what some of the things (menu) said...because they use alot of chinese characters
but yes we did ask the waitress to come out and we pointed
one (item) is the same as chinese...
ya gor
yes we did check into sunroute plaze!!
and if you get the JR train...look for the southern terrace exit... walk along side of starbucks...the first TALL/ hotel building you see...walk down the steps, you%26#39;ll see a huge square surrounding...head down the steps again
sunroute plaza is across the road...you cant miss it
the location for subway/ trains is excellent
and shopping malls
day 5
by the way...you may be thinking what we been eating for breakfast..
well just outside the sunroute plaza, is vending machines...i got water/ hot chinese tea... the rest was trying every flavour of the hot/ cold tea and coffee...bear in mind they%26#39;re sweet...and like hong kong style
and we wentto ampm and got this thing that looks like char sui buns...the curry flavour is the best one!! and if you head for the railway line track outside sunroute plaza...there%26#39;s a family mart...there%26#39;s the best buns!!!
today we headed to the tsukiji market...
as much as i said i wanted to go to the auction...we decided afainst it...
HOWEVER you MUST go for the market.
in my head i pictured a market probably the size of a market here in leeds,uk.
when you exit the underground for tsukiji market (head left, across the road, you should see a row of ramen noodle stalls) you know your in the right direction.
oh my god...anything you wanted to eat is all here!!
there%26#39;s one stall that did bbq scallops, whelks for 500 yen, the scallops was spot on must try...but dont try the whelks...sandy and alot of internal organ...and i only got one bite out of it...
however the scallop was about the size of a womans palm!!!
also if you see a guy with a baking rack outside a stall BBQing tofu...you got to try it!!
that must%26#39;ve been the best tofu i%26#39;ve tried...
but then again i believe the jkap[anese does the best tofu!!!
we got here about 10am... and had a look at everything!!!
if you compare the dried stuff to akihabara...its just about 200 yen more expensive.
after here, we headed for ginza...and you want the honest truth...waste of time!!!!
the shops here is the same as shinjuku ( south exit)
nothing here interested us at all apart from shopping...which is not what we really came for!!!
we then walked towards the imperial palace...
and my god...if anyone can confirm...are they bonsai trees?
beautiful!!!
we managed to take loads of photos on the grass...it wasn%26#39;t until we walked further up that we realised you cant walk on the grass...
the imperial palace has a guard at the main gate...and on closer inspections...more guards on the inside gates...this is probably due to someone trying to break in a few years ago...
if you like scenery...then yes...i recommend to visit this place!!!
after here we headed back to the hotel to freshen up...
one tip... our trip (going out and back to hotel) was based on avoiding the *working* hours...we wanted to avoid getting squashed/ lost on the trains...and yes it did work!!
about 8pm, we met my friend at ikebukuro...my regret is i didn%26#39;t set off earlier!! damn it!!!
we headed for sunshine city (EXIT 35)we left the subway/ underground and carried on walking straight... then we turned left...you should see a hello kitty store on the right hand side... yes i did buy someting!! i got myself a wallet and coin purse...with exchange rate being so lo i thought it was cheap 拢40 for them both...it was a set), we headed straight...
sunshine city is big...i think we walked through the mall about 10 minutes
oh we came here for the namja town
think it cost 300 yen to get in again
headed straight to the gyoza%26#39;s.
after going to a few stalls and trying out a few gyaoza%26#39;s i come to the conclusion...they%26#39;ll all gyaoza%26#39;s at the end of the day!!!
there%26#39;s one stall that did a pan fried gyaoza with 24 lying out in a cicle...give that one a miss!!!
we then headed upstairs, where... ice cream city!!!
LOL
it tells you about different types of ice creams
and then there%26#39;s a few stores/ stalls that sell ice cream
we got this belgian waffle ice cream... and it is just like the waffles you get on the streets in belgium...fresh and soft
however...the picture looks bigger than it really is!!!
got back to shinjuku about 11pm.
and headed for a pub. found this irish pub, where we chilled for a drink (1000 yen) had a chat about our holiday, and headed back to hotel about 12.30 am
to be continued...
www.facebook.com/album.php鈥?/a>
any questions, please mention the photograph number please
...report to be continued...
Those are great pictures. I enjoyed looking at them.
i%26#39;d love to post more... i got about 500 photos..but alot of them has got my friends in...and i dont think they%26#39;d be happy for me to show them off...
however i got loads of food pics if anyone wants more food pics!!!
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