Tokyo Day 2
The trains in Japan are super easy to navigate, but sometimes they take a hot minute to get to different places. Don't underestimate the power of Uber, especially when going to Odaiba. If you are staying here, great, you've figured out it takes a hot minute to take the monorail back around to a major train station. If the change rate is good, spending a few extra dollars to Uber or Taxi somewhere can shave hours off your day waiting for trains and wandering through train stations. Plus, sometimes, it's nice to just sit down.
Team Lab Planets and TeamLab Borderless
is it touristy? Yes. Is it fun? Yes
I wasn't really sure what to expect with TeamLab stuff, but I really enjoyed it. It was so much fun to just experience it and not try to photograph the whole thing to death. Turn off your phone, turn off all your worries, and live in the weirdness of the whole thing.
teamLab Planets
Get ready to go barefoot. The koi pond infinity infinity mirror room is wack. Very doable in 90 minutes. |
teamLab borderless
Much larger than teamLab Planets...you just get lost in it ...for hours. |
Odaiba - Ginza - Tsukiji
How to divide up the day:
Morning: Tsukiji Market - if you like fish for breakfast
Late morning / afternoon - Odaiba / Team Lab Planet
Evening: Ginza
Morning: Tsukiji Market - if you like fish for breakfast
Late morning / afternoon - Odaiba / Team Lab Planet
Evening: Ginza
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Tsukiji Fish Market
Fish for breakfast? Well, if you don't just love fish, and the smell of fish...this isn't a great place to be first thing in the morning. There are lots of other treats to eat, but it's pretty fishy overall. The only bummer is that tourists killed the tuna auction show so it's really just the outer market that's left. Still amazing, still lots of fish. |
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Odaiba
Odaiba is a weird little place. I like it a lot. There's good shopping, fun arcades, good food to be had. It's a little outside the crazy fray of downtown Tokyo. It's a little more spread out, and the monorail can take a little longer, but it's a fun place. If you like video games, there are some great arcades her (I think I said that like 3 times already). Miraikan (the national science museum) is pretty cool. VenusFort is like the Venetian in Vegas. |
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Hilton Odaiba
I love this hotel. It's such a gem. Mostly because the view out the back of your room's balcony is stupid awesome at night (see left of this box). Plus, there's lots of good shopping and food right next door...a sweet arcade center that will blow your mind. It's Tokyo at a little bit slower pace but still all the show. The Hotel breakfast (included for Gold members) is divine. Love me some Odaiba. |
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Ginza
Ginza is luxury, exceptional food, world-class art, and some cool buildings. It's great for people watching. Chuo dori, the Main Street, is closed to cars on the weekend, which is super fun because you can just walk down the street (literally). Hermes Maison Ginza is pretty stunning, Ginza Six, Itoya (a 12 story stationary store), and Shiseido Gallery are all worth seeing. Itoya stationary store. I don't know why, but this places makes me happy. Ginza six rooftop garden - free, beautiful, and unexpected.
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What else to do in Ginza?
Shiseido Gallery — free, basement level, world-class contemporary art. Ginza Graphic Gallery — free graphic design exhibitions, always interesting. MUJI Ginza — the flagship MUJI is technically a lifestyle museum as much as a store, with a bakery, restaurant, hotel, and every MUJI product ever made across multiple floors. Uniqlo Ginza — the flagship is worth visiting just for the scale and the Japan-exclusive items
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More Ginza
Dover Street Market Ginza — Comme des Garçons' multi-brand concept store, fashion as art installation. Mikimoto — the original pearl jewelry house, founded in Ginza, flagship here. Kyukyodo (鳩居堂) — a 350-year-old paper and incense shop, beautiful traditional goods, excellent omiyage Takumi — traditional Japanese crafts and folk art, curated beautifully, good for meaningful souvenirs
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Ginza Food
Eat and Drink
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