In late October, I visited Japan for the second time in my life. I had been to Japan the prior year and knew that I was going to come back. After getting a taste of Japan, I had to have more. And this time, I had an itinerary that would show me a lot more of Japan.
I arrived to Japan on October 23rd but after getting very little sleep on the airplane, I needed to sleep. My flight was to Haneda airport and it was easy to get to my hotel from there. I was staying in Ginza this time, a popular shopping distract with expensive brands.
After checking in my hotel, which was fast and easy, I went back out to the Konbini. They are the common terms for convenient stores in Japan and got some onigiri and an egg sandwich. Konbini are one of m favorite things about Japan because the food is amazing and it is very affordable.
The next day, I ended up waking up at around 3:30 AM. After talking to friends and family, I went outside at around 5:40 AM and decided to explore the surrounding area. While I have been to Ginza before, I didn’t get to explore most of it.
It was a peaceful walk and I walked to the riverside and walked along it. In Japan, restaurants usually open at 11 AM. Cafes open earlier and it a great place to kill time until then. After walking around for a bit, I finally arrived to Tsukiji market.
This was my destination for my first official day. The Tsukiji market has tons of vendors set up on the streets. It can get quite packed with tourists and locals. Being there early meant that I got first dibs and it was easy to walk around.
I tried a bunch of different foods from different vendors and was overwhelmed by all the shops. These stands sell skewers, onigiri, sushi, wagyu beef, and so much for. I decided to try a tamogoyaki which is a rolled Japanese omelet on a stick. I would have preferred more seasoning but it got better with each bite.
After this, I went back to my hotel and decided to rest up and charge my phone. If you are traveling to Japan, make sure you have a portable charger. After this, I went to my next destination, Ginza Six, a luxurious shopping distract. It has restaurants in the basement, a ton of stores to buy clothes, and an amazing rooftop. I was here for the later and I am glad that I found this gem.
Ginza Six is gorgeous and if you like shopping, then you’ll love it. But I went straight to the roof and had a nice view of the city. You can see Tokyo Tower from here and I ended up coming here a few times. I also went to the restaurants and had to try out some of the desserts.
For lunch, I ended up leaving Ginza and traveling to Jimbocho, Tokyo’s book district. If you love books, then this is where you should head to. Unfortunately for me, it started raining as soon as I got there. So, after a short walk through, I decided to grab lunch nearby.
I came across this restaurant called & Sri Lanka Tokyo and got a curry that warmed me up. It was the right amount of spicy and I had to add it to my list of favorite restaurants. I have to go back and try it again.
I ended up heading back to my hotel and after resting up, I went back to Ginza Six. Tokyo is beautiful all around but seeing it at night is another sight. If you are around that area, make sure to visit the rooftop. Not many people know about it and it’s free.
My first day was full of amazing food and great sights. I explored a bunch and got to try some amazing new dishes. After over a year of being away, I was back and I was going to make the most of it. Day one was perfect it was just the beginning. Tune in for my second full day in Japan in the coming days!
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