By admin When I started planning my first trip to Tokyo for late March 2019, timed with cherry blossom (sakura) season, it quickly became apparent to me that three days would be nowhere near enough time in the city. This was somewhere I’d need to return. Little did I know that I’d be back for a few more days in November. While figuring out the itinerary for my pre-Thanksgiving Asia trip, I realized I had a few open days between the Philippines and Hawaii; the only requirement was that my mid-point stopover destination needed to offer nonstop flights from Manila and to Honolulu.
Hong Kong? Tempting, as the weather would likely be much nicer in November than it had been during my first visit to the city with my brother in February 2018. But I didn’t feel a strong desire to return on my own. Shanghai? My brother lived there, and it would be nice to see him and his girlfriend, Ana, but I would also see him a week later for Thanksgiving, and I didn’t feel a strong urge to return to Shanghai either. Seoul? That could be interesting, as I had flown through Incheon numerous times, but had never left the airport and was curious to learn more about Korean culture.
Finally, Tokyo? I knew I wanted to return and had a long list of things I hadn’t been able to accomplish during my first visit. Then I confirmed that I could book a business class flight from Manila to Tokyo with 25k Alaska Airlines miles (thank god I still had those AS miles from my years living in Seattle), as well as a business class flight from Tokyo to Honolulu on Delta (with A LOT more than 25k Skypesos, ahem, Skymiles). Tokyo, it would be.
Flying to Tokyo on JAL
My second visit to Japan really began when I arrived at the Japan Airlines (JAL) ticketing desk in Manila. I was very early due to my connecting flight from Amanpulo, and the desk hadn’t yet opened, but my fellow business class passengers had already started queuing to check-in. Once the desk opened (the agents arrived precisely 3.5 hours before the flight was scheduled to take off and greeted us all with a polite bow), the line moved quickly.
Upon reaching the desk and handing my passport to the agent, she efficiently walked me through every necessary detail (directions to the lounge, the distance from the lounge to the boarding gate, directions to the gate, the time that I needed to be at the gate, my boarding pass and the stub for my checked luggage… oh, and she realized that I didn’t have a frequent flyer number associated with the flight; did I want to give her one? All of this in ninety seconds or less). Damn, I was excited to be returning to the orderly culture of Japan.
Next up, the JAL lounge. I definitely didn’t feel like I was in the Philippines anymore. The lounge was quiet, the bathroom had fancy Toto toilets, and the bar was stocked with Kirin beers, Suntory whisky and soda for highballs, and instant ramen noodles. I poured myself a glass of white wine and a cup of rice crackers and settled in at a seat by the window. Ah, Japan, I had missed you.
The flight to Tokyo from Manila was nearly six hours, and while I’m sure it would have been perfectly fine to be sitting in coach, I was pleased with the deal I had scored in business class with just 25k Alaska miles. It was my first time flying JAL and I had high expectations, but I was impressed with my experience thus far.
Before I knew it, I was officially back in Japan. While I felt more confident this time around, I also knew firsthand how complicated it could be to navigate the country. I wouldn’t say that I aced the trip into the city from Narita (my dream is to fly into Haneda the next time I return to Tokyo), I was much more confident the second time around, and the first time visiting on my own. I made my way to the Narita Express, bought a ticket, selected a seat, got off at Shinjuku, and then wandered around until I finally found a taxi stand. “Park Hyatt-o!” I delightedly instructed the driver. I even had yen left over from my last trip.
While I usually love to check out new hotels, on this trip I decided to stay at the Park Hyatt once again. I had immensely enjoyed my stay at the hotel famously depicted in the film Lost in Translation during my last visit to Tokyo, and I was able to use points for two of the three nights, which brought the average daily rate to a little over $300. Plus, Park Hyatt Tokyo featured one of my favorite hotel gyms in the world. Have I mentioned my weird obsession with hotel gyms?
This time around I would not be hitting New York Bar for a welcome cocktail, however. My alarm was set for 4:15am so I could make my tour of the Toyosu (new) and Tsukiji (old) fish markets.
Fish Market Tour
First of all, let me start by saying that if you are planning to visit Tokyo, you NEED to do this tour through Airbnb Experiences. Yes, it’s pricey, and you have to wake up ridiculously early, but it’s 100% worth your money and time. I was so, so glad that I decided to go for it.
While I had hoped to take the metro to the meeting point for the tour, I realized that either the train wasn’t yet running or the entrance that Google Maps had directed me to wasn’t yet open, so that was a fail. Fortunately, a taxi driver was waiting outside for a poor person like me, so I was able to jump in a cab and make it to the starting point at Shijo-Mae Station with plenty of time.
Our guide, Toshi, was a charming and energetic older Japanese man with close ties to the fish markets. My fellow travelers were mostly from the U.S. (LA, San Francisco, Colorado, Seattle, New York), plus one couple from Mexico City. I chatted with the SF couple a lot and learned that the husband had just left his job working for Airbnb, on their Experiences team. He told me that the fish market tour was one of their most popular and highly-rated experiences globally, so it was a must-do for his first trip to Japan. This information made me even more excited to see how the rest of the day would unfold.
First, we headed to the viewing platform upstairs at Toyosu Market to watch the tuna auction that begins daily at 6am.
Toshi pointed out a few of the high-volume tuna buyers that we should watch once the auction began, giving them simple yet comical nicknames so we could easily follow them (“red jacket,” “mustache”). Then the clock struck six and the auction began, while Toshi provided frenzied commentary as if he were the auctioneer.
After the auction, we were able to go into a back section of the market, where tourists typically are not allowed. We had to enter in groups of four people at a time, and always stay close to Toshi.
Next we went to the public-facing area of the market to do some more shopping.
We also stopped at a couple stands to buy fresh fish for our lunch later in the day.
As Toshi stated, “Thank you for dying for us.”
After Toyosu, we took the bus to Tsukiji, where the “old” fish market is located. While all the wholesale fish-selling activities have been moved to Toyosu, Tsukiji is still a bustling market with numerous stands that draws both tourists and locals. We were given some free time to walk around and buy some breakfast.
Finally, it was on to Toshi’s bike shop, which doubled as a kitchen and dining room. His wife had apparently been hard at work preparing our keiseiki-style lunch for us, so we didn’t have to wait long before our first course was set in front of us.
We actually compared the fresh sashimi from the fish we had seen killed at the market side-by-side with a fish from the prior day. I was shocked to find that the older fish actually had a softer, more buttery texture, while the fresher fish felt tougher and chewier. Toshi taught us that it is actually not ideal to eat a freshly-killed fish right away, as rigor mortis will quickly set in and cause the creature’s muscles to stiffen and harden. Counterintuitively, a fish that has been dead for longer will actually taste “fresher,” assuming that it has been stored in proper conditions, of course. Mind-blowing. I was learning new things all day.
We didn’t finish lunch until after 2pm, and I was thoroughly stuffed (and exhausted). After saying goodbye to my new friends and walking around a bit, I decided to try to nap at the hotel before my dinner reservation.
Dinner at Tapas Molecular Bar in the Mandarin Oriental
A friend of a friend had suggested the Tapas Molecular Bar for dinner in Tokyo, so I made a reservation for Saturday night. The Michelin-starred restaurant has only eight seats and promises a meal of up to 20 bite-sized delicacies (fun fact: Tokyo has more restaurants with Michelin stars – 226 – than any other city in the world). It is located on the 38th floor of the Mandarin Oriental, surrounded by the swanky Oriental Lounge and soaring views of the city. I arrived twenty minutes early to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail along with the views.
Tapas Molecular Bar may not have offered the most traditional Japanese dining experience, but it did feature some Japanese traditions: awe-inspiring attention to detail, excellent hospitality, fresh, high-end ingredients, and impeccable execution. While not cheap, it was a great choice for a solo diner; the interactive experience provided plenty of entertainment, and the small bar guaranteed a personal experience.
After dinner, even though it was late, I felt completely safe getting on the subway and walking the rest of the way to the Park Hyatt. Just one more thing to love about Japan.
Visiting teamLab Borderless
The next day I had two big activities on my itinerary, the first of which was visiting teamLab Borderless. Billed as a “digital art museum” the venue is one of two teamLab sites in Tokyo (the other is teamLab Planets). I had never been to a digital art museum before and it seemed like a very, well, Japan thing to do while in the country, so I bought a ticket online (highly suggested, as the museum does sell out), then took the subway out to Koto and waited in line to enter the popular attraction.
I can best describe the museum as a high-tech show designed to stimulate all your senses with a combination of lasers, colors, music, sounds and more.
Some of the most popular exhibits had a wait time of 60+ minutes, which I just did not have the patience to handle, so I wasn’t able to see everything (for example, I skipped the Forest of Resonating Lamps).
Another unique aspect of the museum: there aren’t any maps and signage is very sparse. The whole point is to experience the place at your own pace and in your own way, and you’re actually encouraged to return to the same exhibit multiple times, as things will change throughout the day. While I didn’t get lost exactly, I did find myself wandering in circles at times.
While the museum at times felt like one of those places that was only designed for Instagram (especially since so many people were walking around with their phones constantly out), it was a unique experience overall. I also enjoyed visiting solo since I was able to wander freely at my own pace and immerse myself in the exhibits.
Visiting the Robot Restaurant
One thing I HAD to do during my second visit to Tokyo: go to the Robot Restaurant. While not so much a restaurant as a live show that features (what else?) robots, the venue has been visited by celebrities such as Anthony Bourdain, Aziz Ansari and Chrissy Teigen. My friend Lauren and I had waited too long to buy tickets for our visit to Tokyo in March and were seriously bummed when the show was sold out. This time around, I wasn’t going to make the same mistake, and I booked my ticket online for the 5:30pm show well before I arrived in Japan. FYI, I did not pre-order food as I had heard that the bento boxes were pretty subpar. My advice is to go for the show, but eat dinner elsewhere.
When I received the booking confirmation online, the email from the Robot Restaurant instructed me to arrive at least thirty minutes before the show, so I dutifully showed up early and found my place in the back of a long line to reach will call (across the street from the actual venue, on a bustling street in Shinjuku). While I waited, I tried not to get annoyed by the guys in front of me.
Finally, it was time for the show. I purchased a Suntory highball in a can (because when in Japan…) and settled into my seat with an open mind about what I was about to see.
The show was a bewildering yet magically enjoyable experience unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Most of the spectators (I’d wager that the vast majority were foreigners) were whooping and hollering almost the entire time, and everyone seemed to be fully engaged in the moment.
Sayonara, Tokyo
While I didn’t fly out until later on Monday afternoon, the Robot Restaurant essentially marked the end of my second trip to Tokyo. I spent Monday sleeping in, enjoying the marvelous Park Hyatt gym, and walking around Yoyogi Park.
I left Tokyo for the second time very pleased with all I had accomplished. While I arrived on this trip feeling more confident and having a better idea of what to expect than on my first visit, I still found myself overwhelmed and confused a lot of the time. So, I’ll continue with the challenge of exploring Tokyo, and maybe one day I’ll consider myself a pro. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but I hope it will be soon.
