Tokyo is one H-U-G-E city! If the number of subway stations we visited were anything to go by, I don't think we've even covered 1/4 of the city in our 5 nights there!
Its my first time in Tokyo. Before this, friends tell me that everyone who visits Tokyo will fall in love with it and they were confident I would love it too! I had no doubts about it. I mean sushi afterall is one of my favourite food! And I never say no to Japanese strawberry shortcakes so how wrong can Tokyo go? What's more, I'm a sucker for all that kawaii knick-knacks and stationery you find at Kinokuniya! Well, the food sure didn't disappoint, the strawberry shortcake so good but soooo darn expensive and all that cute knick-knacks were kawaiiness with a capital 'K'! But I'm not sure if I like Tokyo as much as London and I'm not sure if I would want to go back there so soon. Not as much as I wanted to go back to London immediately after my first trip there in '97 (which I eventually did just 6 months after). Well, not that Tokyo has been a disappointment but let's just say I thought I'll like it more. I was pleasantly surprised by Kyoto though and that will be a city I'll like to return to again before Tokyo!
Anyhow, it was in all a fantastic trip! Praise God! He kept us safe and well throughout the trip! Everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly though the hubs and Sam found themselves having a massive nasi-lemak craving by the end of Day 10.
The top 10 highlights of this trip for me:
10. Visiting Disneyland! Nobody is too old for Disneyland! I short of Eurodisney in Paris and Disneyland in Anaheim and I would have visited all the Disney resorts! Orlando's still the best so far!
9. Visiting Studio Ghibili! The musuem was an animation playground for the young and old! Not forgetting the gift shop that sold everything Kawaii! Thanks chets for helping us get the tix! They were priceless!
8. The warmth of the Japanese. Read: when you ask for directions, its not just 'go straight, turn left', its either (a) take out pen and paper from brief case, draw you the map or (b) walk a good 1km or so with you and personally take you to the place! That happened a good 3-4 times! We S'poreans have a LONG way to go!
7. Soba @ Yabu-soba! For the first time, I really didn't want to share my plate of noodles with anyone! In the end, I guess I love the hubs more. But i *really* wanted to finish it all by myself! Even my mum cleaned up her bowl of tempura soba. My mum *never* finishes her noodles.
6. Being mistaken as a Japanese countless of times in the shops and even at the airport! When talking to us, the salesperson will rattle on to me in Japanese but to everyone else, they'll attempt English immediately. It was quite funny seeing the surprised look on their faces after they realise I can't speak Japanese. They must be thinking what a disgrace I am!
5. The Japanese service standards. Never once was I handed my purchase over the counter. They personally step out from the cashier area to hand us our shopping bags. Amazing!
4. Our ryokan stay @ Kikokuso. The hospitality of the host was heartwarming- she sent us off and continued bowing till the cab took a turn and was out of her view, the comfy futons and the oiishi dinner. And not to forget the 42 degC hot bath - so relaxing!
3. The Shibuya crossing. I'm not surprise that its the busiest street crossing in the world and has the highest density of cell phones than anywhere on Earth!
2. Lunch @ L'osier. This 3 Michelin star French restaurant was truly quite quite magical! That dessert trolley - I felt like I was like L in the Japanese manga - Death Note.
1. Surviving the complicated subway and JR lines and figuring out the transits from one line to another without getting too lost.
Its my first time in Tokyo. Before this, friends tell me that everyone who visits Tokyo will fall in love with it and they were confident I would love it too! I had no doubts about it. I mean sushi afterall is one of my favourite food! And I never say no to Japanese strawberry shortcakes so how wrong can Tokyo go? What's more, I'm a sucker for all that kawaii knick-knacks and stationery you find at Kinokuniya! Well, the food sure didn't disappoint, the strawberry shortcake so good but soooo darn expensive and all that cute knick-knacks were kawaiiness with a capital 'K'! But I'm not sure if I like Tokyo as much as London and I'm not sure if I would want to go back there so soon. Not as much as I wanted to go back to London immediately after my first trip there in '97 (which I eventually did just 6 months after). Well, not that Tokyo has been a disappointment but let's just say I thought I'll like it more. I was pleasantly surprised by Kyoto though and that will be a city I'll like to return to again before Tokyo!
Anyhow, it was in all a fantastic trip! Praise God! He kept us safe and well throughout the trip! Everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly though the hubs and Sam found themselves having a massive nasi-lemak craving by the end of Day 10.
The top 10 highlights of this trip for me:
10. Visiting Disneyland! Nobody is too old for Disneyland! I short of Eurodisney in Paris and Disneyland in Anaheim and I would have visited all the Disney resorts! Orlando's still the best so far!
9. Visiting Studio Ghibili! The musuem was an animation playground for the young and old! Not forgetting the gift shop that sold everything Kawaii! Thanks chets for helping us get the tix! They were priceless!
8. The warmth of the Japanese. Read: when you ask for directions, its not just 'go straight, turn left', its either (a) take out pen and paper from brief case, draw you the map or (b) walk a good 1km or so with you and personally take you to the place! That happened a good 3-4 times! We S'poreans have a LONG way to go!
7. Soba @ Yabu-soba! For the first time, I really didn't want to share my plate of noodles with anyone! In the end, I guess I love the hubs more. But i *really* wanted to finish it all by myself! Even my mum cleaned up her bowl of tempura soba. My mum *never* finishes her noodles.
6. Being mistaken as a Japanese countless of times in the shops and even at the airport! When talking to us, the salesperson will rattle on to me in Japanese but to everyone else, they'll attempt English immediately. It was quite funny seeing the surprised look on their faces after they realise I can't speak Japanese. They must be thinking what a disgrace I am!
5. The Japanese service standards. Never once was I handed my purchase over the counter. They personally step out from the cashier area to hand us our shopping bags. Amazing!
4. Our ryokan stay @ Kikokuso. The hospitality of the host was heartwarming- she sent us off and continued bowing till the cab took a turn and was out of her view, the comfy futons and the oiishi dinner. And not to forget the 42 degC hot bath - so relaxing!
3. The Shibuya crossing. I'm not surprise that its the busiest street crossing in the world and has the highest density of cell phones than anywhere on Earth!
2. Lunch @ L'osier. This 3 Michelin star French restaurant was truly quite quite magical! That dessert trolley - I felt like I was like L in the Japanese manga - Death Note.
1. Surviving the complicated subway and JR lines and figuring out the transits from one line to another without getting too lost.
Here's Tokyo in photos. Enjoy!
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