I finally leave Kanagawa Prefecture this weekend, where I’ve spent the past five weeks exploring Yokohama and Tokyo — before that, a few days in Nagoya. And I’m really sad to be leaving. So sad, that I was supposed to leave Yokohama a week ago… but I was having such a wonderful time, I had to stay a bit longer.
NAGOYA
When I landed in Nagoya, I landed with my Aunt who is from the Philippines, but lives in Japan. It was nice having a tour guide to start off my visit. We went to the Kirin Brewery in Kiyosu, and they have a factory tour which is free, but reservations need to be made ahead of time. They have locations and offer tours throughout Japan, so look them up to see if one is near you! I highly recommend it. The entire tour was in Japanese (as was their website), but they had an English pamphlet you could use to follow along the tour.
In Nagoya, I also visited a cat cafe. If you’ve read one of my previous blog posts raving about the cat cafe in Tianjin, you know that this was such a delight for me. The cat cafe here operated a little differently than the one in Tianjin, though. Firstly, there were a LOT more cats. The ladies had one room, and the gents another. 27 cats in total. 27. Cats. Cuddling wasn’t allowed 😦 and drinks had to be consumed separately from the kitties. There was an entrance fee, and you paid for a certain block of time to spend with the kitties, but you could drink as much coffee, milk tea, and even as much soup as you wanted! And did I mention there were cats??!
Now, if you ever find yourself in Nagoya on a Friday night, check out Club Orca. Friday evenings happen to be ladies night. No cover, free drinks… and get this: a dessert bar. If a club doesn’t have a dessert bar, they’re doing it wrong. Club Orca has set the standards high… in China too, expats got the VIP treatment at clubs. Basically, Asia knows how it’s done.
TOKYO
I don’t even know where to start with Tokyo. There’s so much to do!!! My first weekend here, I reunited with some pals I met while working at Disney and hadn’t seen in a year and a half, so taking on Tokyo that first week with friends was amazing.
Tokyo is a central business district, so while it has it’s fair share of skyscrapers and business suits, there were plenty of parks, gardens, and urban spaces, that sometimes I couldn’t believe I was in such a big city. I’m very lucky to be in Japan during cherry blossom season, so every park I’ve wandered through has greeted me with the sight and scent of sakura (as well as sakura flavored treats popping up in cafes and shops all over!)
If you’re in Tokyo around cherry blossom season, a few of my favorite parks and places to see blossoms have been in Inokashira Park (also home to the Ghibli Museum), within a neighborhood called Jiyugaoka (that is also famous for it’s sweets), and Naka Meguro at night, where cherry blossoms line the river, and are illuminated at night.
Of course while you’re in Tokyo, you need to witness the Shibuya Scramble Crossing at rush hour, admire the wicked fashion and relive the 90s in Harajuku (where you’ll find a Tamagotchi store), and possibly go up the Tokyo Tower. But, while you’re also in Shibuya, I also recommend walking the 30 or so minutes to a neighborhood called Ebisu, where you can enjoy ice cream in some amazing, and traditional Japanese flavors at a shop called Japanese Ice Ouca. They serve flavors from sweet potato to brown sugar matcha and sakura. Sit-in and help yourself to their green tea, or take it to go and check out the neighborhood.
Takeshita-dori in Harajuku is one of my favorite streets in all of Tokyo. Not only are there several shops where you can pick up a crepe filled with anything from custard to salmon (yes, even together should you wish), but some of the most fashionable youth of Tokyo grace the area (and on Sunday afternoons, Yoyogi Park is usually bustling with cosplayers). One of my favorite and most affordable “izakayas” or Japanese gastropubs is at the end of this street, along with a cookie shop where you can karaoke in-store for a free cookie.
The Tokyo Tower makes it’s way onto almost everyone’s “must-do” in Tokyo lists. But if you’re on a budget, there are other options to take in Tokyo’s skyline, surrounding areas, and still feel like you’re on top of the world. I frequented the Tokyo Government Municipal Building in Shinjuku a few times. Visits to both the North and South observatory are free (just take note of hours before you go!) Head up to these observatories and you’ll find yourself right in the middle of the skyscraper district.
It’s easy enough to visit a new place and hit all the popular tourists spots, but don’t be afraid to wander off the beaten path. Every person I’ve met in Tokyo & Yokohama, I’ve asked for their suggestions on their favorite places to visit in the area. I’m a huge fan of exploring a new place just by walking around, and so many of the recommendations I received ended up being for some of the neatest neighborhoods outside the city that were just as lively, but not overwhelmingly so.
If you get the chance, check out the three K’s: Kōenji, Kichijōji, and Kagurazaka. All are doable to explore within a half day’s time, but expect a different vibe depending on the time of day you stroll through the neighborhood. All three have a few pedestrian-only streets (save for the occasional bicycle) lined with shops selling everything imaginable (think drugstores, secondhand clothing, records, etc), and an array of snacks to enjoy (from organic donuts to cheese tempura curry balls and 500yen pizza), and izakayas to grab a drink in.
Whereas the people in the city, in their suits and polished shoes seem to always be in a rush, the people of the suburbs of Tokyo are a lot more relaxed, which lends itself to the overall chill vibe of these neighborhoods. One of the most special experiences to me was visiting Cafe Baron in Kōenji. Cafe Baron is an owl cafe. That’s right. An owl cafe. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that such a thing would exist in Japan, which has a larger population of pets than children.
Along with owls that go by the names of John, Jack, Charlie, and Baron (the barnyard owl who the cafe is named after), the cafe also houses some pet mice and komodo dragons. You can order everything from curry dishes to tea and biscuits with cute little owls on them at this cafe. The owner speaks really good English, and he was really welcoming, and knowledgeable about all things owls. He even let me snap a photo and video selfie (see my video below~~) with John, a Great Gray Owl.
Tokyo also has a great art scene with just as many museums as New York, but with a wider range of theme (think sewerage, origami, and Cupnoodles). But if you haven’t the time nor the budget to visit too many along with everything else on your list, worry not. Tokyo is also rampant with plenty of public installations and sculptures by artists which are nice to check-out while strolling through town.
Roppongi is known for having quite the nightlife, but it has some other worthwhile areas to visit. There’s Roppongi Hills, a posh dining and shopping area, but also the location of a really nice public garden, plenty of areas to sit and people-watch, “furniture street” lined with sculptures revolving around the theme of “home” and “furniture,” and public sculptures such as “Maman” by Louise Bourgeois. It’s home to a couple museums, and an observatory as well.
Also in Roppongi is an area called Tokyo Midtown where you can wander Fijifilm Gallery and the Tokyo Midtown Design Hub, a graphic design gallery, for free. More public sculptures for viewing can be found in and around this plaza as well, and behind the Ritz lies a peaceful garden and park with a pond and few streams running through it.
Gotokuji Temple is an unassuming temple in the suburbs of Tokyo. It is the home of the “maneki neko” or “beckoning cat” that you’ll find welcoming you into almost every Asian restaurant or home. Having been to countless temples while in China, I’m very temple’d out… but I knew I had to visit this quirky little spot. Walking from the station to this temple will take you through a residential neighborhood that is so quiet you’ll wonder if you’re still in Tokyo. The temple grounds itself was just as peaceful, even though I visited on the weekend.
YOKOHAMA
Yokohama is where I’ve been staying the past month, 25 minutes via express train from Shibuya. I really like Yokohama. You can say I’ve gotten too comfortable here, hence why I decided to extend my visit. Yokohama is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, and there are just as many things to keep you busy in Yokohama as there are in Tokyo.
My favorite area of Yokohama is along the harborfront. It’s so refreshing to see the sea and so much sky especially after being in the city amidst skyscrapers. I might be a little biased, but Yamashita Park was my favorite park that I visited during my time in Kanagawa (Yamashita being my great-grandfather’s surname). I’ve gone a few times, and each time, I never want to leave.
Strolling from one end of the park to the other is so wonderful. It’s a great place to people-watch, enjoy a bento, and admire sakura and boats cruising past the harbor. I also love Yamashita Park because on one end, you’re really near to Chinatown, which made me miss Tianjin a lot. Chinatown Yokohama has many pedestrianized streets lined with shops and restaurants to wander about, and they sell everything from mooncakes to baozi ( just not my favorite Tianjin street food, jian-bing).
And towards the other end of the park, you have Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, near Minato Mirai station. If you’ve been to the Chelsea Market in New York, that’s what the Red Brick Warehouse reminded me of. It used to be customs houses, so the architecture reflects that and the complex was built in an industrial manner. And of course, it’s named “Red Brick” accordingly so, with it’s exposed and very vibrant red brick. There is restaurant called Bills at the warehouse that is known for its pancakes (in Japan of all places, who would have thought!) and they did not disappoint.
Keep walking, and you’ll hit Minato Mirai 21 (or MM). It’s a modern urban area similar to Roppongi Hills, but a lot bigger. It’s also home to what is arguably the symbol of Yokohama — the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris Wheel. What I love about Yokohama is that this area has a really nice skyline, especially at night, and with the ferris wheel. But despite the tall buildings, there’s still a lot more skyspace and breathing room than in Tokyo, and it’s a bonus to be right by the sea as well.
I think this might be my longest post yet. Cutting down video footage for Nagoya, Tokyo, and Yokohama was really hard as well! There’s a lot I wanted to share, but I promise I won’t make you sit through a half hour of my adventures in one go (at least not this time C;) I leave this weekend to run my JR pass to the ground for the next 21 days, so this will be my last post for a little bit. Instagram is a lot easier to manage when you’re on the go, so I’ll keep up with that. Where to next? Kyoto and Nara.
Can’t wait to get on the road (or in this case, bullet train) again. See ya next month, friends!
Love from Japan ♥
JACKIEXPLORES 