Let's Go To: Tokyo, Japan – Part II

Haneda Tokyo International Airport

Welcome back to part 2 of my Tokyo experience! Coming back to Los Angeles and adjusting back to normal life has been pretty difficult to say the least. My jet-lag lasted over a week, I got sick for a good few days and trying to get some work done has me missing Tokyo!

Here’s my part 2 of my favorite places and things to do in Tokyo! If you haven’t read the first one, click right here.

Nails– A lot of people know that Japan is the place to get your nails done. All of my friends I grew up with in Tokyo that now live abroad will make it a point to get their nails done once they’re home. The meticulous details and care they put into your nails and the design are incredible. In Japan, nail artists take national nail art exams and have several different levels of certification. They’re a bit costly depending on what type of design you get but usually around 5,000 – 15,000 yen ($50-$150 USD).

Yoyogi Park –Once a park that hosted the Tokyo Olympics, Yoyogi Park is a fun place to get some nature in. I grew up by it so I’ve gone there for walks and picnics so many times! The park is especially wonderful during cherry blossom and foliage season. Perfect place for some nature within the concrete jungle of Tokyo, just like Shoto Park that I mentioned except 10 times bigger!

Shabu Shabu at Zakuro Ginza – If you want to splurge and feeling beefy, I highly recommend visiting Zakuro in the Ginza district. Their beef (as you can tell) are marbled and always top quality from Japan. Their Shabu Shabu cooking style and equipment are rare nowadays. Like I said, they are quite pricey if you want the good stuff but it’s worth it and you’ll surely be thanking me later.

Kabuki – If you want to get cultured in Japan and enjoy performing arts, Kabuki is one of the best ways to do so. The Kabuki-za theatre in Tokyo is beautiful and very tourist-friendly. Most of the time, you can go on the day of to buy tickets. If you pay an additional amount, you can rent out touch-screen gadgets that will translate the show in real-time to several languages.

Yokohama –It’s true, Yokohama is not in Tokyo, it’s an adjacent city. Yokohama was mostly known for their large Chinatown that has amazing food but it’s developed into its own the past few years. They have a beautiful ferris wheel that I suggest riding at night, a Cup Noodle Museum where you can design your own Cup Noodle cup, several unique shopping and eating experiences. It’s the perfect size, making it easy to spend a day there and be able to see most of the city.

Ichiran Ramen –This is going to sound blasphemous to ramen lovers but I’m going to go ahead and say this is the best ramen I’ve ever had in my life (and that’s a lot!). I was introduced to it by my brother and Mother a couple of years ago and I’ve made sure to go back every time I’m home. The interesting thing here is that it’s a cubicle style shop. The idea is that even a woman can go in and eat as much ramen as she wants alone without having to be ‘seen’, per se. You buy tickets, sit in an open cubicle, hand the tickets in and get served ramen. Delicious!

Mister Donut – This is a classic favorite of mine and probably several others. They’re the Japanese version of Krispy Kreme, Winchell’s or Dunkin Donuts just…better! They’re a chain donut shop throughout Japan and my favorite place to stop by for a snack and coffee with my Mother! Their donuts are delicious; my favorite is the Pon-De-Ring which is a donut with a mochi texture. I’m craving some right this second!

I hope you enjoyed my 3 part Japan series this winter: Tokyo Part I, Kanazawa and this one! I’m currently packing for my first trip of 2016! I have some guest posts coming up soon which I’m very excited about as well!

Next stop: Bellingham, Washington

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