Those looking to see a more diverse Japan would be happy to know that there are a variety of attractions nearby. Be it for a relaxing nature stroll or experiencing the exhilarating rides at Fuji-Q Highland and Tokyo Disney Resort, there are a great many options for day trips that can be accessed within a couple hours travel from central Tokyo. Knowing the popularity of such sites for both tourist and Tokyoites, many companies offer special discount travel options to get there on the cheap.

Tokyo Disney Resort

Despite the name, the Tokyo Disney Resort is located at the adjacent prefecture of Chiba. It’s not too far out from Tokyo and can be accessed in about half an hour. The fastest way to Disney Resort is through the JR Keiyo Line. The train starts from Tokyo Station and takes just 15 minutes and 210 yen to get to Maihama Station where Disney Resort is located.

Disneyland is just a short walk to the right of the station. DisneySea is further away in the opposite direction. If you are visiting DisneySea and are traveling with kids you will want to take the Disney Resort Line monorail to get there. Though it is a slightly pricey 250 yen, it will give you a nice view of the parks’ grounds. You need not queue to get tickets from the monorail ticketing machine here if you have a IC Card such as the Suica.

Disney Resort is just a short distance away.

Odaiba

The large manmade island of Odaiba is located just off the south east coast of Tokyo. It’s connected to the city through the iconic Rainbow Bridge, a beautiful sight when fully lighted up at night time. This makes Odaiba a popular date spot but the island has enough of a different ambiance from Tokyo to warrant a visit by anyone. It’s also a great spot for families, with its expansive children and pet friendly malls.

Unfortunately, neither JR nor Metro travel to Odaiba. To get there, one has to take either the New Transit Yurikamome or TWR’s Rinkai Line.

I would advise taking the Yurikamome which is a light transit vehicle similar to the Singapore LRT. The Yurikamome can be accessed from Shimbashi Station. It passes straight through the Rainbow Bridge and stops at the shopping areas at Odaibakaihinkoen Station. An enjoyable and convenient experience. The journey takes 15 minutes and costs 310 yen.

The Rinkai Line is a underground subway so you forego the sights along the way. Worst yet, it also stops in the center of Odaiba, quite a walk away from the relevant areas.

Dining at Odaiba.

Yokohama

The neighboring city of Yokohama is one of the easiest to access places for those looking for a change of pace. As a classical port town, Yokohama differs from Tokyo through the heavy western influences in its culture and architecture. Popular landmarks include the historically rich port area, Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel and Yokohama Chinatown.

A number of local lines run to Yokohama. The cheapest and most direct of which is the Tokyu Toyoko Line which leaves from Shibuya Station. It goes to Yokohama in 25 minutes and costs 260 yen. It is convenient since it links with the Minato Mirai Line.

The Yokohama port area uses its own train system called the Minato Mirai Line. The Minato Mirai is very pricey considering the distance traveled and single stops start at 180 yen. Yokohama Station itself is far away (about 2 kilometers) from where you’d be visiting, so unless you’re willing to brave the distance on foot you’ll just have to pay up the 180 yen to get to Minato Mirai Station.

Traveling to Yokohama by JR is a lot pricier. A direct JR train to Yokohama costs 450 yen. Note that if you’re one of those looking to visit the Yokohama Ramen Museum, it is located at the Shin-Yokohama.

Despite being closer to Tokyo than Yokohama, there is no cheap means of travel between Tokyo and Shin-Yokohama (it’s a Shinkansen station). The cheapest and simplest way would be to get there from Yokohama Station, taking the JR Yokohama Line (160 yen). It’s cheaper than you return to Yokohama Station after to catch a Tokyu train back to Shibuya again.

There are more parts of Yokohama to explore if you have the time. If you foresee yourself taking the Minato Mirai Line any more than just between Yokohama and Minato Mirai you may want to consider purchasing a Minato Mirai Pass. For 500 yen, it gives you unlimited travel on the Minato Mirai and JR Negishi Line (unfortunately it doesn’t cover the areas between Tokyo or Shin-Yokohama). You can purchase the pass at Yokohama Station or at any of the covered stations within the Yokohama area.

Yokohama, famous for its ports, is a popular daytime destination.

Saitama

While many think of Saitama as mostly a suburb of Tokyo, and it is true that many residents do travel to Tokyo for work, Saitama has its fare share of cultural sights. Whether it be for the nearly 2,500 year old Hikawa Jinja Shrine, its many museums and parks or the Saitama Arena for a concert, getting to Saitama is easy.

The JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line piggybacks through other train lines to stop at popular stations in Tokyo, leading all the way to Omiya, Saitama’s central station. You can get onboard from Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ebisu or Osaki Station on the JR Yamanote Line. Ticket cost starts at 380 yen from Ikebukuro and the journey to Saitama takes about half an hour.

Saitama Railway Museum.

Kamakura

Just an hour south of Tokyo is Enoshima island and the coastal city of Kamakura. Popular among locals for its beaches, Kamakura is better known to tourists for its giant sitting buddha statue.

The Odakyu Electric Railway company services quite a few popular tourist destinations such as Kamakura. To help eleviate costs, a number of discount day passes which includes to and fro travel to popular sightseeing spots plus unlimited travel within the area. One such pass is the Enoshima-Kamakura Freepass, which costs 1430 yen and can be purchased from the Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center in Shinjuku. It gives you a round trip to Enoshima via the Limited Express train, as well as unlimited use of the local trains within the area.

Usually a single way ticket there already cost 600 yen and local travel within the Enoshima area starts at 210 yen a stop so you actually end up saving quite a bit.

In addition to the Limited Express, Odakyu operate special “Romancecars”, luxury express trains between the touristy areas that they cover. You will need to pay an extra fee to use these (600 or more yen depending on destination). I wouldn’t recommend using one, since the Enoshima Romancecar actually takes a slower route that the Limited Express.

Fuji & Hakone

I’ve already previous written a more detailed guide about Hakone and how to get there. To breeze over the key points: Odakyu offers a similar Freepass to the Kamakura one mentioned above.

Since it is a slightly further 1.5 to 2 hours away from Tokyo, many choose to stay there overnight at the various hot spring equipped ryokans. The Hakone Freepass comes only in a 2 or 3 day variety (5,000 and 5,5000 yen respectively). Like the Kamakura Freepass, it covers a round trip to Hakone from Shinjuku and all transport at Hakone. The Hakone Freepass is exclusive to foreigners visiting Japan, so you’ll need to flash a foreign passport when purchasing it from the Odakyu Sightseeing Center.

It is especially important when visiting Hakone to get the pass even if you are only planning a one day trip, and if you are staying overnight at Hakone, the value of the pass greatly increases. Odakyu owns most of the transport there and they fully expect you to purchase the pass. Ticket prices for the many individual trams, cable cars and ropeways rides are ridiculous without it.

Getting to Hakone is not expensive. But moving about there is.

Due to the approximate closeness of Fuji to Mount Fuji. Odakyu also has the Fuji-Hakone Freepass for tourists hoping to cover both places at once. It costs 7,200 yen and lasts for 3 days, giving you unlimited travel within and between the Hakone and Fuji areas. However, unlike the Hakone Freepass which provides a two way train ride between Hakone and Shinjuku, the Fuji-Hakone pass involves a circular trip where you go to Hakone by train, travel to Fuji by bus, and then back to Shinjuku by highway bus.

This pass only makes sense if you’re planning to stay a few days in Hakone and only if you’re traveling light. Getting to Fuji from Hakone is almost as long as if you were to go to Fuji directly from Tokyo. It involves having to take a bus to Gotemba first which takes 30 minutes, and the bus ride from there to the Fuji area takes another 90 or more minutes. It requires quite carefully planning to make a Fuji and Hakone round circular trip work. Needless to say, it is impossible to cover both areas in a day.

There is actually one possible work around to visiting both Hakone and Fuji, without having to stay there, so as long as you visit both within a 3 day period. That is, to purchase the Fuji-Hakone pass and visit Hakone first with the pass, and return to Tokyo with a standard ticket. Then travel to Fuji via a standard bus or train ticket, and return to Tokyo through the pass again. You’ll still end up saving quite a bit of money if you manage to pull this off carefully.

Without the Odakyu passes, traveling between Tokyo and Hakone (Hakome Yumoto Station) costs 1150 yen each way. You can get to Kawaguchiko the main station at Fuji via bus or train, but both will set you back about 2,600 yen and 2.5 hours. Since taking the train would involve a lot of transfers, bus is the better choice here. You can take one from the Keio Building at Shinjuku.

Both Hakone and Fuji can be reached in 2-3 hours.

Nikko

Nikko to the north of Tokyo is another mountainous region for those looking to get away from the city. Like Hakone, it has its fare share of nature, ryokans, hot springs, that sort of thing. It is not as extensive as Hakone though and the main sights there are concentrated within a couple of areas, making Nikko a more feasible day trip.

Travel between Tokyo and Nikko is by Tobu Railway. The train there leaves from Asakusa Station and takes about an hour and half to get to the Tobu Nikko Station. A one way trip usually costs 1,320 yen but Tobu also offer their own discount passes for Nikko.

The two main passes are the World Heritage Pass (3,600 yen) and the All Nikko Pass (4,400 yen). Both are similar in that they include the two way trip between Asakusa and Nikko, as well as free use of the local buses within Nikko but are quite different otherwise.

Local buses around Nikko aren’t a big deal if you are only visiting the shrines here. In fact they can be reached on foot from Tobu Nikko Station. So to sweeten the deal, the World Heritage Pass adds free admission to a few popular shrines in the area. It is worth it only if you intend to visit all the shrines, but even then savings are minimal. I wouldn’t recommend it.

The All Nikko Pass on the other hand, forgoes the free temple admissions to include unlimited use of mountain buses. With this, you’ll be able to visit Chuzenji and Kegon Falls, the other key attractions at Nikko, or go as far as the adjacent hot springs town of Yumoto Osen. Without a pass, a single bus ride up the mountain would cost between 1,100 to 1,650 yen. It’s a no brainer to get this pass if you’re visiting Nikko from Tokyo. To sweeten the deal, it is even valid for 4 days.

Nikko in the north is a more feasible day trip.

Few people would disagree that Japan has the most sophisticated transport network in the world and no where is it more complicated than in Tokyo. With 30 different operators, 882 stations and 102 different rail lines just in the city alone, it’s no surprise that many first time visitors are overwhelmed by the train system in Tokyo. Even the locals get confused. But with a little bit of homework, traveling on Tokyo’s trains can be every bit as convenient and enjoyable as they were made to be.

Traveling by train in Tokyo is convenient, but can also be complicated, even to locals.

While it dabs upon some of the other companies, this guide focuses mostly on the two main players in Tokyo’s train network; the privately run JR East and the government owned subways.

For tourists, it is often possible to reach 90% of popular sights around Tokyo through just JR alone (if there is a nearby station) it is also the cheaper of the two. However, this is only true if you’re staying somewhere central. Otherwise, the Tokyo Metro can sometimes provide a more direct route toward your destination that can save you some time. Do take note of that when choosing an accommodation that it would be best to have at least a JR, Metro or both companies’ stations nearby.

JR, Metro & Toei

At the most basic level, you’ll need to be able to at least identify the 3 different carriers. It’ll help save a lot of trouble later on.

Tokyo's JR East Network. For reference only. Expand for larger.

JR East

Japan Railways is the simplest, since it can be easily identified by its JR logo. For JR East, the company color is green and so is its most used train line, the Yamanote Loop (and stations along the loop) but it has different colors to represent each of its different lines.

JR trains run on land and thus almost all of their stations are outdoors. Personally, it’s a lot more enjoyable to travel by JR since you’d be able to see the sights along the way. The disadvantage is that you tend to require more transfers if you want to get anywhere efficiently with JR. But again, it is a lot easier to make transfers when traveling with JR East as many lines run parallel or meet at many points.

JR Station signage.

Tokyo Metro
Apart from being the front image of Tokyo’s subways, Tokyo Metro is better known for its active PR campaigns and silly public service messages. Since a public image change in 2004, it is now easily identified by a blue and white M logo. Individual lines are marked by a colored ring, with the first letter of the line name inside. For example, the Tokyo Metro Ginza line is marked by an orange ring with the letter G within.

As a subway, the Tokyo Metro runs underground, sometimes as far as 10 stories down. This comes with the benefit of lines being laid out sometimes more efficiently allowing you to get from far ends of Tokyo quicker. There is also at least one touristy destination, Asakusa, that has a Metro station but no JR equivalent.

Metro stations can be identified from the blue M logo or colored rings for individual lines.

The main disadvantage of traveling by Tokyo Metro (and Toei) is the higher ticket prices. Expect to pay 30-40 yen more per trip when buying individual tickets. This can be gotten around with some special passes (see below).

Otherwise the only other disadvantage is that transferring trains on the Metro is a more complicated affair, there is less redundancy so lines meet only at specific stations.

Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway Map. Again for reference only. Expand for larger.

Toei Subway
While the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation is not as major a player in public transport, it is mentioned here primarily due to its affiliation with Tokyo Metro and to avoid some possible frustration.

Both the Tokyo Metro and Toei are government run subways. Take note that while the two companies do collaborate in part and share some common train stations, it is important to note that the two are very much separate entities. Further confusion arises from the fact that Toei labels its lines in an identical way and worst yet, both Toei and Metro show train maps with both companies’ lines together.

However, know that should you ever transfer between Tokyo Metro and Toei lines you will be charged for both. You will be alerted to a Toei transfer by another ticketing gate inside the subway. The price is slightly subsidized if you had come from a Metro line, but still a lot more than if you were to take a single carrier. Transport by Toei, in general is also more expensive than even Tokyo Metro.

Toei Subway can be identified by its fan icon (usually green). Both Toei and Metro also use a blue and white train logo to denote subways. Toei runs just 4 lines: Asakusa (Rose, A), Mito (Blue, I), Shinjuku (Leaf Green, S) and Oedo (Ruby, E). Avoid whenever possible.

Toei Stations have a fan sign.

IC Cards

IC Cards are prepaid smart cards that can be used to pay for your fare. If you’re from Singapore, you should be pretty familiar with using one already. Up until 2009, Singapore’s EZ-Link cards were identical to those used in Japan.

While it is theoretically possible to purchased paper tickets to travel, having to do so is infinitely more complicated and troublesome. Without one you’d need to calculate the exact fares for each trip and purchase extra tickets every time you transfer. As such, it is pretty much necessary that you get one as soon as you step down into Japan. In the previous transport guide, I mentioned an amazing Narita Express and Smart Card bundle that foreign tourists are able to purchase at Narita Airport.

Both JR and Metro have their own different IC Cards. JR East using “Suica” which is a Japanese pun on so many levels while the Tokyo subways have the “PASMO”.

The cost for Suica is 2,000 yen and contains a 1,500 yen value and 500 yen deposit. PASMO has a 500 yen deposit too but a minimum value of 1,000 yen. You can refund any remaining value and your deposit at the ticketing machines at any of the respective companies’ stations.

Suica. An indispensable tool while in Tokyo.

These days, both cards can be used interchangeably within Tokyo. Still, I’d recommend getting the Suica over the PASMO if you are traveling outside of Tokyo as well as it can be used on JR lines nationwide. Chances are if you’re traveling to say Osaka in Kansai, you’d still need to get their local equivalent (the ICOCA) to travel on non-JR networks but it’s always good to have a backup. Further good news is that starting next year, you will be able to use the Suica outside of Tokyo on non-JR lines too.

Other than on transport, the card is also accepted as a form of payment at all convenience stores and some departmental stores around the region, being interchangeable with 7-Eleven’s nanaco for example. So you don’t have to be too worried about having too much money in your card. In fact, I would recommend paying for stuff through an IC Card as much as possible, since dealing with Japanese coins is especially irritating.

Tickets and IC cards can be purchased at these machines.

For both Suica and PASMO, there is the option of purchasing a special registered version instead. They can be purchased in the same way through normal ticketing machines but you will be prompted to enter some personal identification information (your Name/Birthdate/Gender). Enter your name here as it appears on your Passport.

Should you lose a registered Suica or PASMO, you can get them replaced (for 500 yen or 210 yen respectively) and still get back your original card’s balance. Pretty neat.

Special Passes

Almost all railway companies around Japan offer a variety of different discount tickets for commuters, the most basic of which are 1-day unlimited travel passes (often called Free Tickets or Free Passes) that allow you to take as many trains from any particular network as many times as you wish in a single day. These are especially useful especially for tourists who tend to hit up a whole bunch of different destinations each day.

For JR, this is called the Tokunai Pass and costs 730 yen. It covers all JR buses and trains in the 23 wards of central Tokyo. Due to the already low price of JR tickets, a Tokunai Pass isn’t always a must get. As a rule of thumb, you’ll need to make at least 4 trips in a day to make it worthwhile. Though this isn’t that difficult if you’re touring.

If you had preplanned the day’s activities or foresee yourself doing a lot of shopping or station hopping, then it might be a good idea to purchase one in the morning before you make your first trip.

Both Metro and JR companies offer one day unlimited travel passes.

For Metro, there are 1-day and 2-day Open Tickets which cost 600 yen and 980 yen respectively. Considering how much Tokyo Metro tickets usually cost, these are a godsend. If your hotel happens to be located on a convenient Metro Station, get one. Just 3 rides is all it takes to make a 1-day ticket worthwhile. You might end up spending even less than if you traveled by JR if you keep to just Metro lines with a 1-day pass. And with a 2-day pass, you will just need to take a 2-way trip each day to cover the cost.

Both of these tickets will allow you to save quite a bit of money in the long run, and with proper use Tokyo’s transport which is thought of as being expensive ends up being cheaper even than if you were to make the same number of trips in Singapore.

Tokyo Metro also offers a combination pass with Toei Subway, that allows for unlimited travel on both companies’ trains. But given the high price of 1,000 yen, I wouldn’t recommend getting one. If you find yourself spending enough on transport to make the pass worthwhile, you are most probably doing something wrong.

In the end, don’t feel compelled that you have to stick to either carrier just to save few yen. You’ll lose much of the convenience and bring about unnecessary worry. But if you happen to know that you’ll be doing a lot of bouncing between stations or just want the luxury of not having to walk even for nearby destinations, both the JR and Metro day passes will suit you well.

Traveling By Train

Planning Your Journey

There is no stressing the importance of planning a train ride before you get on board. You can generally figure out what trains to take if you have an idea of where it is located geographically, but for new visitors it is best to plan ahead to save any future hassle.

Unfortunately, not even Google Maps does a good job of understanding Tokyo’s transport system. It is still useful to find out where places are located but the most recommended transport tool is instead Hyperdia. Key in any two stations and it will churn out the routes and trains to take.

Routes are organized by total cost and time taken, so it doesn’t necessarily always give you the smartest means of transport but it will make sure you get to your destination and on time, since it factors in train timings accurately even. It is up to you to make the best decision. Hyperdia is available in English and Japanese, since not even Tokyoites can claim to be familiar with all of the transport in Tokyo.

If you happen to have data connection in Japan, keep in bookmarked.

Some important things to pay attention to when taking down your itinerary is to not only take note of the stations but also the train lines that you will be using since there is often more than one line at each station. With that, it’s as easy as just finding the correct track for your route.

Just one of the many train networks in Tokyo.

Chances are though, you might not have an 3G connection in Japan. And it wouldn’t be very fun if you had a static plan for each day of your trip. In such cases, my advise is to have your route planned out at the station before passing through the gantry. You can’t rely on stations having a route map inside the station and many trains only show the stops for the route they are traveling on.

Still, not all stations have maps of other operators, so you won’t be able to plan out transfers between different companies easily.

Track numbers are labeled by number at each station and identified by color throughout.

It is only expected that each line runs in two directions, so make sure the train is headed in the right direction. You’d think that they’d just be at opposite sides, but because of the interconnected nature, trains on the same line traveling in opposite directions can sometimes be a few tracks away. The same can be said when transferring between trains, every station is different so keep a look out for signs.

Signs show the adjacent stops at each station.

Thankfully, signage at each track clearly show all the essential information. At JR Stations, these small little diagrams that can be found on the track’s pillars are precious. They show the stops that the trains on that track run through, as well as how long it takes.

Train maps on each platform show the exact time taken for the journey.

Train stations in Tokyo usually have an LED sign board that show you the direction the train is headed as well as the exact timing for the train. If you’re supposed to take the 7:30 train, be sure to take the 7:30 train and not the 7:29 or 7:31 train. At peak hours, the interval between trains can be as short as 90 seconds but if a train in Japan is said to come at a certain time, you can be sure it will be there on the dot, aligned perfectly to the tracks (else someone will be in trouble).

The reason why this is a concern, is because it is not uncommon for different trains to use the same platform in Japan.

Some platforms have different trains running on the same tracks.

When traveling on local lines, the most encountered alternate train on the same platform are “Rapid” (Kaisoku) trains.

These are identical to normal local trains (Futsu) but skip alternate stops to save time. If your destination is one of the missed stations, be sure not to board a Rapid train. Often, Rapid trains use a different color than normal trains. There is also usually a small sign on the train and the LED signboards along the boarding platform will also indicate if a train is Rapid. In the previous photographs, trains on the same track of the Chuo-Sobu (one of the most frequented) lines are colored Yellow and Orange for local and rapid trains respectively.

On certain tracks, there may also be “Express”, or “Limited Express” trains. These are trains that skip even more stations. As covered in the previous article, Limited Express trains are actually the faster of the two as they stop at a more “limited” number of stations.

Getting To The Destination

When transferring between trains or leaving the station for your destination, simply heading to the nearest exit is a great way to get lost.

This is especially true for expansive stations like Shinjuku where your track is just one of many dozen, or better yet the 200 different exits to choose from. As such getting out the correct exit is top priority. The wrong one could be quite a distance away and completely throw off your bearing.

Exiting through the correct exit is of top importance.

Thankfully, signs throughout the station will point you in the right direction.

Boarding platforms can have multiple exits too and it is especially important to pay attention to them when making transfers. Signs located along, beside or above an exit show the correct exit to take for transfers. There is often no way around this except to take the correct one. The sign above points passengers to the exit for those transferring to the Tokyo Metro’s Marunouchi Line.

Exits are either labeled by direction or numbered when there are simply too many.

Usually, exits are labeled by direction (e.g. North Exit, South Exit) but when they are simply too many, they will be numbered instead. Every train station in central Tokyo should have a map of the station, as well as of the surrounding area beside the control station. JR Stations may also have boards on the platforms itself that show the correct exit to take for a list of nearby landmarks.

Note that maps in Japan are almost always oriented by facing so it can be confusing sometimes, even when you know where you’re going. It’s handy to have a compass on hand just in case. Thankfully, Smartphones should have one built in. Though I have had trouble with the accuracy of the iPhone’s.

When meeting someone at a station in Japan, be sure to determine not only the time and station, but also which of the many exits you’d be waiting at.

There will be a detailed map at each station of the surrounding area.

End

If all else fails, do not be shy about asking for help. Popular stations have counters dedicated just for this with staff that are happy to help. You can also ask the ticketing conductors at every other station, and though they might not be as friendly about it, are obliged to help too.

The Japanese are usually rather forgiving if you make it clear that you are a tourist and can refund wrongly purchased tickets, or Smart Card credit should you enter the wrong terminal. In the end, do not be afraid to get lost or to make mistakes. It is surely part of the fun when traveling for the first time.

Share with us your tips and experiences for traveling in Tokyo!

Tokyo city is notorious among foreigners for having one of the most complex transport systems in the world. But even before we step into Tokyo proper and begin worrying about railways, subways and shinkansen, just getting from Narita Airport in the adjacent prefecture of Chiba to Tokyo can be a confusing venture for first time travelers, especially with the plethora of options available.

Before the nearer Haneda Airport was opened up for international travel late in 2010, Narita Airport would had been the only gateway for those coming to Tokyo. These days, it still remains the busiest airport in Japan thanks to its existing infrastructure, despite being 60 kilometers away.

This is just the first part of a duo of guides hoping to introduce some basic aspects of Tokyo’s transport systems. I’ve decided to split it up into more manageable bites to make it easier on both readers and myself alike.

This first part is particularly meant as an overview for first time visitors, or those looking for an alternate way to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo. We present an overview of the some of the smart transport options used by tourists and locals alike based on personal experiences.

Outside Narita Airport.

I Want Convenience

Limousine Bus
Cost: 3,000 yen
Time: 120+ minutes
+ Comfort
+ Stops directly at Hotels
- Possibly Most Expensive
- Slowest

Not quite a train, but I’ll write a bit about it anyways. The first option that is presented to you when stepping out of arrival are the various bus services in Narita, the biggest of which is the Airport Limousine Bus. Located at a counter immediately across the entrance and with actual buses stopping just outside, booking a Limousine Bus couldn’t be more convenient.

But the convenience doesn’t stop there. The Limousine Bus’s biggest plus is that it operates a great number of services to take you directly to major hotels all around Tokyo. And with so many hotels all around, even if you’re hotel is not on the list, chances are there might be one located a street or two from where you are staying.

Limousine Buses are large coach buses with comfortable heated seats and on board toilets. Add this to the fact that your luggage is taken care off by the staff and you have perhaps the most convenient transport option available.

Unfortunately, there is really no single perfect means of transport from Narita to Tokyo. Each featured in this guide have their own plus and minuses (though we’ve already filtered through those too ridiculous to consider). Limousine Buses come with some flaws, as they are the slowest and possibly most expensive option on this list.

Single trips on a Limousine Bus cost 3,000 yen. The most expensive choice here, though if it takes you directly to your hotel, may end up slightly cheaper than somewhere with multiple transfers.

Limousine Bus.

As a special discount to foreigners, you can get a Limousine and Metro Pass combination for 3,100 yen which includes a 1-day Metro Pass when purchasing your ticket at the airport. There is also a two way pass for 6,000 yen, with a 2-day Metro Pass.

Metro Passes a.k.a. Tokyo Metro 1-Day Open Tickets usually cost 710 yen when purchased on their own. So if you really do have a use for them, then this essentially cuts bus prices to about 2,390 yen. Still, expensive. Try not to factor this too much into your decision. As depending on hotel location and with the exception of one or two places, it may be completely possible to travel around Tokyo without ever using the Tokyo Metro Subway.

Note that even if you haven’t purchased a Limousine Bus ticket at the airport, you can get a return ticket at the hotel lobby of any serviced destination (otherwise, you’d need to visit the main center in Shinjuku).

The biggest issue with taking a Limousine Bus though is how long it takes. Even before factoring in traffic conditions, it will take approximately 2 hours to get to anywhere in Tokyo by the buses. Throw in a traffic jam somewhere and this can drag longer.

This is not to say that the journey isn’t pleasant, with Limousine Buses having some of the most comfortable heated seats ever (I almost always fall asleep immediately when taking the Limousine Buses) and also many more interesting sights along the way than if you were to take the train.

Overall, if you’re staying at a hotel serviced by Limousine Buses the convenience may outweigh the costs. This is particularly true for those traveling with heavy luggage and children. Just be sure that you can afford the long traveling times.

A nice tour through Tokyo streets.

I Want Speed

Keisei Skyliner
Cost: 2,400 yen
Time: 40 minutes
+ Possibly Fastest
- Expensive
- Stops at Nippori / Ueno Stations
- 20-40 Minute Interval

Perhaps through extensive marketing or because its name just clicks, the Keisei Skyliner remains the default option for most tourists arriving in Japan. That is not to say that it isn’t a bad choice as the Skyliner is perhaps the fastest means of traveling from Narita Airport to Tokyo in general.

The Keisei Stations are located right in the basement of Narita Airport. Getting there is simple. However, due to the variety of transport options available, purchasing the right tickets and getting on board the correct train can be confusing for local travelers, much less first time visitors. There is no good solution to this, except to pay attention to signs and muster up the courage to ask for assistance if genuinely lost. The alternative, getting onboard the wrong train can be disastrous.

Keisei has always operated the most used train routes from Narita to Tokyo. And since 2010, the Keisei Skyliner had undergone a facelift to ensure that it stays in the lead. The new Skyliner boasts that it takes commuters from Narita Airport to Tokyo in just 36 minutes.

Keisei Skyliner.

While this is true, the data is slightly twisted for stats. The 36 minute timing is from Airport Terminal 2, up to Nippori in northern Tokyo, which is kind of like boasting that the MRT can take you from Singapore Airport to Tanah Merah in just 10 minutes.

2,400 yen is a fair price to pay considering that you get reserved seats on a train zipping to Tokyo in such little time. You’ll want to add 5 minutes to the time though, since in truth, appart from China Airlines and JAL, Terminal 2 mostly operates domestic flights.

The biggest issue you will want to consider here when taking the Skyliner or any Keisei train for that matter, is that the Skyliner terminus is in Ueno. The two main stops that you’ll be dropping off at are either Nippori or Keisei Ueno, both are in the north of Tokyo.

As the name suggests, the Keisei Ueno station is a separate Keisei-only station that is a short distance on foot from the JR Ueno Station. So if you’re staying anywhere other than Ueno, I’d recommend getting off first at Nippori Station which is shared with train lines from other companies, such as the convenient JR Yamanote Line. Thanks to this, you’d be able to take a train to most central areas in Tokyo from Nippori. Note, that you will need to pay the separate ticket cost of this, usually 130 yen or more.

Another thing to consider is that Skyliner trains operate at a 20 or 40 minute interval (depending on the time of the day). So unless your flight happens to coincide nicely, chances are you’re going to spend a lot of time waiting for that train to arrive anyways.

Personally, unless you are in a great hurry where a few minutes would affect an important business meeting (or are desperately trying to catch a plane), high speed transportation like the Skyliner is hardly necessary. If you are in a hurry though, I would recommend making sure that the next train is scheduled to arrive soon before purchasing your Skyliner ticket, if not, you may want to consider the Narita Express as a better option.

Note, do not mistake Keisei City Liner trains for the Skyliner. I’ve seen bloggers humorously mix up the two. They run from the same stations but at the opposite track. It doesn’t help that the City Liner uses phased out Skyliner trains. Basically, City Liners are older luxury trains that now run on the normal local train tracks. They cost 1,920 yen and have reserved seats, but since they’re running on the same tracks as the Keisei Limited Express so the journey takes much longer.

Spacious Skyliner seats.

JR Narita Express (NEX)
Cost: 2,940 +/- yen
Time: 50 minutes
+ Stops at Many Central Stations
+ Fast
+ Free with JR Rail Pass
+ 1,500 yen for Foreigners!
- Expensive (But, See Above)

The newest travel option from Narita to Tokyo, the Narita Express has been operating for a while now but had more recently been upgraded to match the level of comfort and speed of the Skyliner. It is a special Limited Express train operated by the Japan Railway (JR) Company.

Unlike the Skyliner, the Narita Express stops directly at Tokyo Station as well as a number of other ideal stations like Shibuya, Shinjuku, all the way until Yokohama. It takes 53 minutes to get from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station by NEX and Narita Express trains operate at a 30 minute interval. This means that it is not only more convenient, but also possibly faster than the Skyliner in some cases.

The Narita Express excels at comfort. Seats in the Narita Express tend to be more luxurious than the Skyliner. Like in JR Shinkasen, there are even special “Green Car” seats for those with deep pockets (1,500 yen more). Since it is operated by the JR Company, the Narita Express offers easy transfer between the NEX trains and Shinkansen at Tokyo Station.

The Narita Express.

To Tokyo Station, the NEX costs 2,940 yen. Ticket to Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro and Shinagawa cost 3,110 yen. The prices actually fluctuate slightly based on the time of the year.

While the basic tickets for NEX might seem kind of pricey when compared to the other choices on this list, there are actually some secrets that make the Narita Express the best option on this list for the majority readers. Pay attention here.

Being a JR Train, the Narita Express is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass. So if you’re carrying one and intend to activate it on day one, the decision is already made for you.

For everyone else, take note, that there is actually a special discount offered to foreigners only available at Narita Airport. This special promotion lets you purchase a Narita Express-Suica Package for only 1,500 yen more than what a Suica would usually cost.

To get this discount, you will need to visit the JR East Travel Service Center at Narita Airport and present your passport. For 3,500 yen, you will get a 1,500 yen Suica IC Card with another 500 yen refundable deposit, as well as a NEX ticket for only 1,500 yen. If you’re visiting Tokyo, a Suica is something that you will need to get anyways and this offer will let you get a NEX ticket for half the price!

Except for a few fringe cases, the Narita Express is a very good fit for those who want the best balance of speed, affordability and convenience.

Lush interior.

I Want Affordability

Keisei Limited Express
Cost: 1000 yen
Time: 80 minutes
+ Cheapest Option
- Slow
- Stops at Nippori Station / Ueno Station
- Free Seating

At just 1,000 yen, the Keisei Limited Express is the cheapest option on this list. It is the most popular choice among locals and those running on a tight budget.

In addition to the Skyliner, the Keisei Electric Railway company also own the normal railway lines between Narita and Tokyo. The Limited Express trains are express trains that run on these local lines. It may be slightly confusing at first, but word “Limited” from Limited Express trains in Japan comes from the fact that they skip certain stops and are thus faster than regular “Express” trains.

If you’re living in any of the residential areas between Narita and Tokyo, then the Keisei Limited Express would be the default means of travel there. Like the Skyliner, the Limited Express stop at Nippori and eventually terminate at Keisei Ueno, giving it all the same benefits or rather disadvantages of the Skyliner.

Keisei Cityliner.

However, if you’re staying near Ueno (as we did in our past two trips), the fact that it stops here becomes a rare plus point for the Limited Express. For example, in our past two trips, we stayed at a hotel in Uguisudani (one stop away from Ueno). It wouldn’t had made sense to take the NEX down to Tokyo and backtrack, since it would had taken the same amount of time (and a few hundred yen more).

One thing to take note about the Keisei Limited Express, is that like all local trains, seats are not reserved and during rush hours, you may have difficulty finding a seat. This can be a hassle if your carrying heavy luggage. However, in practice, I’ve never had trouble getting a seat on the train, except in one case but there would had been seats then too if not for a family of discourteous tourists taking up an entire row to themselves.

Typical train interior.

While it only covers the Kanto Region and northern Japan, this is a significant discount since a single Shinkansen ride would cost you upwards of 16,000 yen. For more information, check out the JR East Pass Special page.

The invent of the internet has changed the way we live our lives considerably. It has also affected the way we travel. And while travel related websites have been around since the dawn of the World Wide Web, statistically the biggest changes have been in the past couple of years. Internet travel sites have finally overtaken traditional travel agents, with more people planning and booking their holidays online than anywhere else.

Japanese search company Goo recently presented the results of a survey they conducted, compiling the thoughts of what people felt were their most visited types of sites for holiday planning. The results are a good indication of what are the top online innovations to have made planning a holiday a less daunting task.

1. Map Sites
At least in Japan, the biggest number of people survey have voted Map Sites, particularly Google Maps as the most indispensable online tool for planning a holiday. I wouldn’t disagree. The ability to look up any place on earth at a whim or even step through in first person on Google Street View is truly invaluable.

2. Search Engines
For most, Search Engines, or rather Google has become the gateway to the rest of the internet. Making sense of the internet, the search engine helps us sort through a treasure trove of resources on the internet. Be it the means to book your holiday or a site like Supermerlion, through which people can discover travel ideas and new things to love.

3. News Sites
Online News Sites provide readers with up to date information on the region allowing travelers to better plan the timing of their trip. This is especially true when looking at disaster prone areas. In some cases, those curious in a particular country might follow its news, further propagating their interest in the destination.

4. Weather Report Sites
Savvy travelers will know that considering the weather of your destination ahead of time is one of the most important things to do. At the most basic level, knowing the weather forecast will let you prepare the right clothes but also it’ll help you plan an itinerary better and minimize any possible hiccups. Yahoo! Weather still remains the most used source for weather information.

5. Travel Review Portals
Most holiday planners turn to travel review sites for introduction to their destination these days. Many incorporate hotel and flight bookings, as well as charting applications to provide a one stop place to plan your itinerary. While rarely the cheapest option, it provides a convenience that makes them the most profitable source. Popular examples include the Lonely Planet forums and TripAdvisor, possibly Asia’s most popular travel review site.

6. Credit Card Sites
When it comes to genuine offers, it takes major entities like Credit Card companies to offer the best promotions. Many credit cards have tie in with airline companies to provide either a miles program or some other sort of conversion of loyalty points. There’s always the occasional discount offers that might net you tickets for slightly less than their usual price.

7. Airline Company Sites
More often than not, the best Airplane deals can be found from the source. With Airline companies providing their own booking systems, you’ll get the most updated prices direct from their official web pages and the added benefit of being able to check-in online or change your seats at any time.

8. Social Networks
The popularity of Social Networks has changed the way people travel and seek travel more so than any other online presence in the shortest period of time. It is only second nature for most to shove travel photos down their timeline these days in an attempt to make others jealous. In fact, more than 59% of travelers have been found to post status updates about their holiday on Facebook. While not easily quantifiable, this envy is definitely something benefiting the travel industry.

9. Hotel Search Sites
Dedicated hotel pages rank low on the list, which is not unexpected. While all of the tools to plan one’s holiday is widely available, many still do not have the time to sort through all the best options manually. Instead, as statistics show most prefer to opt for the convenience of all in one tools like Expedia or Orbitz (the two market leaders), even if it means paying slightly more.

10. Travel Agents Sites
Enforcing the idea that holiday planning is now an independent task, the online presence for Travel Agents such as JTB or HIS rank at the bottom of this list.

Survey results by Goo. Statistics courtesy of Mashable and Lab42.

During out last visit, I was pleasantly surprised by both the extensiveness of Ueno Zoo. It was a trip not regretted as it turned out the popular attraction was home to the greatest number of animals in Japan, including many rare and exotic species, some of which I had never even heard of.

To be honest, prior to this day, I had not visited any zoos apart from Singapore’s famous Zoological Gardens. This was mostly due to warnings from family members living overseas that the local parks are never as impressive as the ones in Singapore.

So while I had passed by many zoos in Japan on a number of occasions I had never quite entered any of them. The decision to visit the zoo this morning was the result of having spent too many days within the shopping districts of Tokyo.

Zoo is split up into different segments.

Ueno Zoo takes up the western most section of Ueno Park. In terms of just pure ground space, the zoo is just slightly more than half the size of the Singapore Zoo. Like the rest of Ueno Park, the land was originally the estate of the imperial family but was gifted to the state when the Showa Emperor married.

Draw points of Ueno Zoo include its convenience given that it is located just 5 minutes from Ueno Station and the low entry price of just 600 yen (approximately SGD$10) for adults. Students studying in Tokyo and children 12 years or under enter completely free. This makes it a great and viable weekend hangout for families, which made up most of the park’s visitors.

Click for full image.

Of the many animals on display, there are no more popular than Giant Pandas. One of the few places in the world where you’d get to see the endangered species, there are two on display right at the front of Ueno Zoo. There was a long (but fast moving) queue to catch a glimpse of the creatures.

Long queue for the park's stars.

Because pandas are from China.

Both giant pandas were asleep.

Unfortunately, both pandas were happily sleeping this morning. It was lovely weather to sleep in, so I wouldn’t blame them.

Giant panda.

On a related note, Singapore will be getting its very own pair of Pandas later this year at River Safari, its upcoming 4th zoo.

Sleepy.

Vultures.

Used their bodies as a pillow.

Right at the entrance, we see a pretty wide range of birds of prey like owls, eagles and even vultures. Ueno Zoo boasts over 2600 animals and 460 species. For comparison’s sake, the Singapore Zoo hosts 2530 animals of 315 species.

Up close with all the animals.

This is important because while Ueno Zoo does have a lot more variety, it comes at the expense of some of the animals having to live in isolation. Fitting all those animals into half the space also comes with certain sacrifice, though it isn’t as bad as the first point.

Gorilla den.

Patriarch.

In fact, each of the animals get a rather spacious enclosure of their own. It is a little depressing to see some of the animals having to live alone in such a large den, but the opposite of having smaller dens would had been worst.

Clean habitats.

Really large seal.

From observation, each habitat was meticulously kept. For example, so while the ocean loving animals in Singapore Zoo has to live in murky waters, all of the enclosures, like the seals’ pictured, are kept pristine.

Lonely polar bear.

Pacing around.

To pack that many animals in the limited park grounds, each of the enclosures have to be closer to one another. The pedestrian paths are not as wide, giving the zoo the appearance of being smaller than it really is. But this comes with the side effect of not having to walk far between sights.

Pretty large enclosure.

Posing for cameras.

Habitats are not distanced from visitors either and you can get a lot more up close with the animals at Ueno Zoo. While more dangerous animals like lions  or bears would have to be separated by a large a moat in the Singapore Zoo, the only thing separating us from the animals here in most cases was just a glass fence.

Also solitary.

Elephant.

Due to a traffic road, the zoo is split up into two halves, which are a short walk away from each other via a pedestrian bridge. The second half of Ueno Zoo is located just beside the Shinobazu Pond which surrounds Bentendo Temple. This part is actually a children’s zoo where kids can play and directly interact with farm animals.

Second half.

Petting farm.

While there are fences here, they are more to keep humans out of the enclosures rather than the animals in. All of the goat, sheep, chickens, duck and other domesticated animals are free to roam about the area.

Basking in the sun.

Free to roam around. But most chose just to hang out here.

Visitors are encouraged to interact with the animals with brushes, or help clean up their litter. Others ran around the park in an attempt to catch some chickens. Since it was a winter, most of the animals decided to laze around a rock structure which was in direct sunlight.

The billy goat was locked away.

Names of the animals.

Just like at the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, the animals around the zoo have all been named with some given descriptions of their personality traits. The accessibility of Ueno Zoo makes it possible for children or park goers to build up a sort of relationship with some of the animals.

Just farm animals.

Felt a little bad for them.

Kind of sad.

Burrows.

Bunnies.

Hanging around the trees.

Closer look.

Unlike the first half of the zoo which had many lonesome creatures, lots of the small mammals, farm animals and flightless birds were packed into each enclosure on this side of the park. In most cases there were still ample space though.

A few penguin enclosures in the open.

Lots of penguins.

Vibrant plume.

Ton of flamingos.

Unlike the other pens.

Odd looking bird.

A couple of mountain goats duking it out.

Prairie dogs.

The second part of the park also hosts many other larger animals that we’ve come to expect of zoos. Sadly, like in the earlier parts, these pens held either solitary animals or were sparsely populated. Thankfully, all of the animals looked lively, though they were made to endure the cold winter weather. Many paced up and down their enclosures to keep warm.

Sad zebra.

Pygmy hippos.

Regular sized one.

Popular.

Lonely rhino.

There are other sub-sections of the park which showcase themed specimens. For example, the World of Darkness contained all of the zoo’s nocturnal animals, while the vivarium held an extensive collection of slimy creatures.

Photogenic meerkat.

Bats.

Some of the less dangerous animals are kept within arms reach and without any barriers and though I’m not sure anyone would want to risk a bite to touch them, it allows for visitors to observe these animals up close.

Getting up close.

No barriers.

Arms reach.

Amphibians and reptiles.

All sorts of scaly things.

Overall, our visit to Ueno Zoo was thoroughly enjoyable and had we more time, we could had certainly spent more than the morning there. The opportunity to view and interact with the vast variety of animals at Ueno Zoo is well worth the cheap ticket price.

If you love animals and have at least a couple of hours to spare in Tokyo, I would definitely recommend plotting Ueno Zoo on your itinerary, especially when traveling with young ones.

If I were to recommend just one temple or shrine to visit in Japan, it would be Nara’s Todaiji. As the head temple of the region, Todaiji makes for the Japanese equivalent of the Vatican and quite possible the single most impressive place of worship in Japan.

Overview

Translated as the Great Eastern Temple, Todaiji was founded in 728 and is one of Japan’s oldest temples. In its original incarnation, Todaiji could had been easily considered one of the greatest wonders of its time. Sadly, the original temple and many of its structures had been lost by natural disasters over the years.

However, the current rebuilt Todaiji still dates back to 1709, making it one of the oldest surviving temples in Japan. Despite being smaller than the original, the main Daibutsuden building of Todaiji is actually the largest wooden building in the world and also houses the largest bronze Buddha statue in Japan.

Visiting Todaiji

Todaiji occupies a huge temple grounds in the former capital city of Nara. It is surrounded by Nara Park, which contains a number of other significant temples. It is said that the Japanese emperor at the time had to relocate the capital in fear of the growing influence of the temples in Nara.

Todaiji is 2.5 kilometers and approximately 30 to 40 minutes from Nara Station on foot. There are clear signs pointing you in the right direction all the way. While a rather lengthy walk, there are enough interesting sights along the way to be enjoyable.

View Larger Map

At Todaiji

Apart from its cultural value, Nara is also better known among travelers for the great many free roaming deer. We’ve previously highlighted the Nara Deer in an article of their own but I’ve included some pictures for reference.

Perhaps due to the cracker stands outside the temple, the largest concentration of deer in Nara call Todaiji home. Most of them hang around on the outside. The deer seem to have evolved to be rather intelligent at Nara and they know better than to disturb the gift shops here. Tourists are free game though.

Many a deer.

Harassing visitors.

Cute but dangerous.

Most of the deer are nice enough to keep out of the main temple grounds.

There is a donation box outside and you’ll be able to sneak a peek at the Daibutsuden through the gate but to get into Todaiji proper you’ll need to purchase a ticket. Think of it as a donation. The entrance can be found at the far left end of the gate (just beside the park’s toilet).

Entry to the main temple grounds costs 500 yen.

Majestic temple.

Also the largest wooden building in the world.

Even from a distance, Todaiji’s Daibutsuden is dwarfing. Moving in closer, the discolored, dust coated building clearly shows its age. However, this lends itself to Todaiji’s charm and it felt like we were genuinely experiencing a piece of living history.

The temple's age shows.

The size of the hall makes Todaiji feel a lot more open than other temples. It is perhaps for this reason that photography is not prohibited inside the Daibutsuden. Though the same signs that say that it is alright plead for visitors not to use any flash.

Immediately at the front of the hall you’ll find the 15 meter tall bronze statue of the Vairocana Buddha. For reference, the average height of one floor in a building is 3 meters, so you can imagine how huge it is. It is larger than even Kamakura’s popular statue that stands at 11 meters.

It houses the largest bronze Buddha.

Aged interior.

Smaller Kanon statue beside.

Immediately beside you’ll find a slightly smaller statue of Kanon. There are a number of other objects inside the temple, some of which were preserved from the original. There is also a model of the original Todaiji temple, with a comparison to the current version.

As customary of all Japanese temples, you’ll also find a stall selling Japanese Charms and other souvenir goods. Proceeds go toward the upkeep and preservation of the temple so it’s always nice to show one’s support.

Other statues and remnants of the old temple are stored inside.

For a more detailed first hand look at Todaiji, check out the previous photo tour of Nara here.

Images by Wilson.

Mention Dotonbori to any foreigner and the image of Osaka’s famous Glico Man neon sign and giant mechanical crabs come to mind. But to locals, it is best known for its offering of nighttime entertainment. In either case, the streets of Dotonbori come alive each night to make for an interesting visit.

Dotonbori has its roots as an entertainment town all the way since the 17th century, when it housed a great concentration of Kabuki and puppet theaters for Osakans. But as times changed, it shifted toward less innocent forms of entertainment.

I’d love to say that this canal town also being home to carnal pleasures, but the nastiest of Osaka lies further south in Nishinari-ku’s Tobita Shinchi. Instead, you’ll find a great number of clubs, bars and kyabakura in Dotonbori, making it sort of Osaka’s equivalent of Shinjuku Kabukicho.

Possibly Osaka's most famous street.

Also one of the few places with an active night life.

As with any place in the world with an active night life, Dotonbori is also home to numerous eateries that open till late. The signs from these shops have become quite symbolic of the town, especially the giant mechanical billboard above each branch of Kani Doraku, a famous restaurant specializing in Hokkaido crabs. The giant crab has become just one of the many elements of tourist culture in Osaka. It is possible that Kani Doraku’s popularity inspired many of the other shops to adopt similarly outrageous signage of their own.

Walking along Dotonbori.

Ridiculous signage.

More extravagant displays.

Yakiniku Restaurant.

Another iconic character of Dotonbori is Kuidaore Taro. The robotic clown used to play outside of a sukiyaki restaurant here, but with the closure of the establishment, Kuidaore Taro is now exhibited on the first floor of the new Nakaza Kuidaore Building instead. Also on the first floor of Nakaza Kuidaore are a number of souvenir shops, selling exclusive omiyage.

Outside the Nakaza Kuidaore Building, which sells all manner of touristy stuff.

At Dotonbori Bridge.

At the northern end of the street, the Dotonbori Bridge connects to the adjacent Shinsaibashi, another lively popular shopping district in Osaka. Perhaps what makes Dotonbori so unsettling is that all of the host and hostess activity are concentrated on this one bridge.

Tons hostesses and many more hosts.

It doesn’t help that it is next to impossible to avoid Dotonbori Bashi if you’re coming here, since it is also adjacent to where the famous Glico Man sign is. Thankfully, compared to the touters in other Asian cities, Japan’s are pretty mild (and most avoid foreigners anyway).

To those who are open to it,  Dotonbori-bashi can be an interesting sight. And while activity here is mostly limited to host clubs and kyabakura. The availability of plentiful Love Hotels here suggest that there is more to meets the eye.

Glico man.

It looks like this year’s cherry blossoms are scheduled to start blooming today, with a full bloom anticipated by the 7th of April. The You can check out the yearly forecast by Japan National Tourism Organization provides a pretty accurate forecast of each year. Now is as good a time to look back at some previously unpublished photographs of Ueno Park in Spring.

As the largest park in Tokyo, Ueno Park is home to approximately 1,000 Sakura trees. This, coupled with the fact that entry is free makes it Tokyo’s most popular Hanami spot. Interestingly, the cherry blossoms at Ueno Park also consistently bloom earlier than most other places in Tokyo, though the ones at Koishikawa Korakuen still seem to blossom sooner.

The drizzle was of little consequence to these visitors.

The main path that passes through the park is lined with Sakura trees on both sides. Unfortunately, Hanami dates have been moving progressively later each year, such that even on the last days of March, the Sakura here had yet to fully bloom. Still, we had our lack of research to blame as this was considered an early year as far as the blossoms were concerned. If you’re planning a trip to Tokyo these days for Hanami, a good time to come would only be the 2nd week of April.

Long stretch of trees.

Still not in full bloom.

Yet, both this and the rains typical of this time of the year did not deter the many who had come to Ueno Park for a visit. In fact, the park is large enough and contains enough notable landmarks to be worthy of a visit any time of the year. There is the Ueno Zoo and a good number of museums.

For those with tight wallets, the flora as well as the parks many temples and shrines (which are free for entry) still make for a nice morning trip. In keeping with the Spring theme, this article mostly focuses on just the Cherry Blossoms though.

Some mats in preparation of Hanami.

Lots of litter and even some homeless people left behind.

Admittedly, we had mistaken plum trees for cherry blossoms the first time we saw them in Koganei Park. This was to the amusement of one of the other visitors there, who pointed out to us that those were indeed plum trees.

The plum trees tend to have a richer hue than cherry blossoms in general, but even then it is still confusing to immediately tell the difference between the two, as there are also pale plum trees and more richly colored sakura trees. It doesn’t help that almost all the parks and gardens in Japan plant a combination of the two.

Fluffy.

Just beginning to sprout.

The most reliable way to tell the difference between the two is actually to look at how the flowers grow. Plum blossoms tend to grow out of stalks directly from branches and are spread out individually. Cherry blossoms on the other hand grow out from stalks further segregated by sub-branches, which the flowers are clumped together on.

That and the fact that plums blossom from late February to March (the Plum Festival is held from February 20 to March 31). While Sakura blossom only at the end of March or start of April. A observation of the state at which the tree is in (budding, blossoming or wilting) at any time period should also give you an idea of what tree it is.

Shrouded in flowers.

Like at every event, festival food stands had been set up outside of all the temples and shrines at this time. The Hanami season is an especially suitable time to enjoy the festival offerings, since most would be simply here to enjoy the atmosphere at a leisurely pace. The most number of stalls are saturated on the bridge to Bentendo Temple.

More stalls outside Bentendo.

Find these at every festival.

At the extreme North West of the park, you’ll find Bentendo temple within a ring of 3 ponds. There are more Japanese cherry trees around the circumference of the ponds here. And despite being surrounded by the city streets, a quiet corner, safe from the crowds seen in the rest of the park. Personally, this is one of the nicest parts of Ueno Park that is not to be missed.

Check out the rest of the photos by Wilson below.

Around the outer edge of the pond.

Gloomy weather today though.

But beautiful nonetheless.

Some of the park's "wildlife".

Resting along the edge.

Strangely all the birds here aren't afraid of people.

Wide view of the ponds.

Just chilling.

Photos by Wilson.

As one of the region’s most prominent castles, Osaka Castle looks like just one of those mandatory sightseeing spots for vistors. Its claim to fame comes from being the seat of power of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of three famous Daimyo (beside Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu) of the Sengoku period and is regarded as the most formidable castle ever in Japan. While little of the original castle building remains in this age (it has seen heavy restoration), the wonderful surroundings do make Osaka Castle a worthwhile visit.

The beauty of Osaka Castle lies in the fact that the entirety of its original grounds has been converted into a park. This is especially impressive when you consider that it covers approximately 60,000 acres. It wouldn’t be possible to explain without this photo by 663h-san. Isolated from the rest of the city by its gigantic moat and with the lush greenery sprouting out of the walls, Osaka Castle looks like something out of one of Studio Ghibli’s animations.

Osaka Castle Grounds.

The remainder of the photos here were taken by Wilson during our previous Winter trip to Kansai.

Getting to Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle can be found at the appropriately named Morinomiya (Castle of the Forest) Station. The most likely means of transport to the castle is by the Osaka Subway’s Chuo Line. If you’re coming from central Namba or such, you will need to transfer from the Midosuji Line. For those holding a JR Pass though, there are also a number of stations on the JR Osaka Loop Line surrounding the castle. The trip here will take less than 15 minutes.

View Larger Map

While located just beside the station, it takes a 20 minute walk to navigate through the castle defenses to get to the main castle building. There are some great sights to be seen on the way though and we stopped to appreciate the view numerous times, despite being ill prepared for the snow.

Off in the distance.

Moat separates the castle grounds from the rest of Osaka.

Prepare for a walk.

Visiting Osaka Castle

Both the transport and entry to Osaka Castle can be covered by the Osaka Unlimited Pass. Otherwise, entry to the castle costs 600 yen. There is also a combination ticket with the nearby Osaka Museum of History for 900 yen. It is open from 9 AM to 7 PM daily.

I would point you toward the castle’s English site, but unfortunately (like the English versions of most Japanese sites) it is horribly outdated and information there is terribly sparse. Instead, you’d be better off trying to make sense of Osaka Castle’s Japanese homepage.

Osaka Castle.

Golden ornaments.

At Osaka Castle

All of the castle’s interior has been modernized and converted into a museum. A lift on the inside takes you up to the top which features an open air observation deck. Though only 8 floors high, the castle is elevated sufficiently enough to get a nice overview of the grounds and part of the surrounding Osaka city.

View from above.

For safety, the deck is grilled up. There were surprisingly strongs winds at this time of the year and the grills are there to prevent visitor’s stuff from flying off.

From here, you can also get a closer look at some of the golden ornaments adorning Osaka Castle. The ones at Osaka Castle are only coated in gold (the ones at Nagoya Castle use solid gold), but still decorations within reach had to be covered to deter vandals/theft.

Gold...fish.

They’ve managed to squeeze in a small souvenir shop here at the top and another on the ground floor. While floors 2 to 7 make up the Osaka Castle’s Museum. There are actually a great many things to see here are some rather interesting exhibits.

Photography is generally allowed except on the indicated floors, which house an impressive collection of menuscripts and correspondence between important figures of the time which would be otherwise damaged by the irresponsible use of flash.

Just one of the exhibits.

A famous painting recreated in figure form.

While not everyone will be interested, the things on display add some good value to the 600 yen ticket price. And history buffs will no doubt want to spend some time looking through the exhibits.

Kind of touristy.

The first and second floors do look kind of gimmicky though, with its souvenir shop and displays aimed toward tourists. But you can’t blame the castle for trying. Ignore it and it should be fine, unless you are of course interested in that sort of thing. For example, for a price, you can don a Samurai outfit to take a photograph with some of the castle’s golden ornaments.

Photos by Wilson.

As the first and oldest Buddhist temple in Japan, Osaka’s Shitennoji (四天王寺) is an expected stop on most visitors’ itineraries. Regarded as the chief Buddhist temple in Osaka, the Asakusa of Osaka if you wish, Shitenno translates to the four heavenly kings, to which this temple is dedicated to.

Getting to Shitennoji

Shitennoji is located in the south east central area of Osaka. The nearest station on the map would be the explicitly named Tennoji Station from which it is a 10 to 15 minute (1 kilometer) walk away from.

Entrance to Shitennoji costs 300 yen for the temple grounds (pictured here) and another 300 yen for the temple’s private nature gardens. There is also an onsite treasure museum showing off various collected relics, but is under renovation for earthquake proofing until next year. Entrance to the main temple grounds is covered by the Osaka Unlimited Pass.

At Shitennoji

As Japan’s first Buddhist temple, Shitennoji draws many influences from classic Shinto Shrines. In fact, they have a torii gate at the entrance to the street in which Shitennoji is located.

Big gate ride next to the main road.

The actual grounds on which Shitennoji stands is pretty huge. There are a great number of buildings here, most of which are open to the public for free. The temple also boasts excellent facilities for its visitors and I was surprised to find an air-conditioned waiting room and various seats all over the grounds. It is also completely wheelchair friendly. It’s nice how much thought has been put into for its older visitors.

Another large gate.

For this article, I’ll be looking mostly at Shitenno Temple proper as most people know it, its iconic red pagoda and zen gardens. Like most other Japanese places of worship photography is not frowned upon, but out of respect, keep your cameras when indoors.

Dharma Wheel.

The original Shitennoji temple dates back to 593 A.D. But those looking to be floored by a visit to Shitennoji may be disappointed to learn that the current buildings standing are from the 1960s. Still, for a “must-visit site”, Shitennoji does make for a pretty sight.

Zen Garden.

Sheltered off from the surroundings by the red walls, there isn’t as much a sense of awe as when visiting some of the country’s more impressive monuments. Rather than a great peacefulness to be found at Shitennoji, at least on this morning when the temple was devoid of any other visitors.

Geometric patterns.

Tiny pebbles.

Shitennoji’s entrance, courtyard shelter and the Shitennoji Temple Tower are coated in a bright orange-red lacquer. Needless to say, beautifully coordinated. All of these buildings seem to stand on top of a sea of pebbles as the buildings in the courtyard are fully surrounded by the zen garden. This was unlikely to have existed in the original temple but rather a more modern addition. Still it can be a worthwhile visit for those who appreciate such experiences.

Pagoda.

Images by Wilson.

During the last weekend of February, the Supermerlion team and friends had planned a short weekend getaway to visit Jakarta for the AKB48 x JKT48 concert. While the main objective was largely accomplished, I had a secondary objective to fulfill; to actually try out some real Indonesian food. Warning: Tasty food inside this post.

Due to the factor that this was going to be a short 2 day trip in Jakarta involving attending a concert and following up with whatever events the Japan Pop Culture Festival was going to throw at us, we did not have any extra time to actually do some sightseeing. But no matter how frenzied our schedule was going to be, everyone’s got to eat something. So, we had better make this trip more enjoyable by planning for some great food to go with it.

The plan was simple. Between the several hours from getting off the plane and before the concert, we were to stuff ourselves silly with food. Then on day two, stuff more food down into our stomach right before our flight back to Singapore. With the aid of an Indonesian friend accompanying us on the trip, about anything that might had posed as a problem was solved.

First thing off the plane, Pre-lunch snack.

And a drink to go with it. Oh that's not Coca Cola by the way.

Normally, trying out food places in a new country involves some luck and gut feeling in picking out places to dine in. But this time the mum of our Indonesian friend offered to take us around to her favorite spots, eliminating our worry and saving us a good load of trouble from playing the guessing game.

First proper meal of the day, of course had to be the world famous Indonesian Padang cuisine.

Real Indonesian Padang.

Padang food is famous for having small plates of tasty dishes stacking together.

Right off the bat our “Indonesian Mum” brought us to her favorite Padang restaurant to try out what real Indonesian Padang is all about. There’s always this special feeling when having a particular cuisine in its home ground. Eating the same kind of food that the locals are accustomed to is what I have grown to love about visiting other countries.

It was definitely very different from the Padang food I have tasted in Singapore, since the authentic one is not actually tuned to suit our Singaporean taste buds (we do expect much spicier food somehow). Since Indonesian cooks are not shy with their usage of seasonings, anyone who has a low tolerance towards salt or MSG might want to give this a miss. With me feeling “mission accomplished”, off we went to our concert avenue with stuffed stomachs.

Food related. JKT fan giving out free snacks for the rest of the waiting fans before the concert.

Should had taken a piece.

On a side note, generous and friendly Indonesian fans were giving out free snacks and Pokari Sweat drinks to fans who are queuing patiently under the sweltering heat. It is hard work to wait patiently to see your idols but it takes real dedication to buy extra food and water to share with everyone else who had the same motive as you.

After the concert was over, our “Indonesian Mum” even roped in “Indonesian Dad” to bring us for a good dinner. Their dedication has to be saluted, since bringing us to sample those great foods meant traveling over an hour from one end of Jakarta to another most of the time.

Dinner.

Grilled sambal prawns.

Mussels cooked in some spicy sauce.

Fish. I'm really hungry now from seeing the pictures again.

Fresh coconut water to cool us down from both the heat of the food and AKB x JKT aftermath.

Other than Padang, the other notable stuff to sample would had been the Indonesian style grilled seafood, a.k.a. Kuring. As it was already late in the night and most shops locally don’t really open till late, much of the seafood our Indonesian hosts wanted to order were already out of stock. But that was really a minor issue when the soul of the restaurant lay in their chili spices. This one did a great job. Most of us had a second or even third serving of food, a small part due to the fact that we had drained most of our energy during the concert.

Our hosts did promise to bring us to sample one of the best seafood restaurant the very next day, partly also since our Indonesian friend wanted us to try out a particular fish that he had been raving about even before the trip. Truthfully, this was also the very best meal we had before we caught our plane back to Singapore.

Hey good looking fish. Lets go on a date?

We were brought to this restaurant to specially sample this fish my Indonesian friend was raving about.

You know you have to order the very same fish if the restaurant displays a huge painted stone version right outside their doors. And it does not disappoint when my friend claimed that he can finish one whole by himself, fins and all. Like him, I was won over by the clean, fresh and simple taste that this fish has to offer. Goes great by itself or paired with some belchean chili.

Miss fish no. 2.

Miss fish no.3 bathing in a claypot of gravy.

Fish number 2 was a clear winner for the rest of the gang, partly because this variation of Indonesian style cooking is hugely popular back in Singapore. Guess Singaporeans really can’t resist a well grilled, spiced oily fish to pair with rice. Only managed to steal a small piece of flesh before said friend took the whole fish back to his plate.

Pairs together with rice well.

Last meal of the trip. Everyone ate like a king/queen.

The only real regret, was that everyone had eaten from the hotel’s breakfast buffet an hour before we went for our actual meal at this seafood restaurant. Dining such great food at 50% fullness and not being able to sample more of the other dishes was a real pity that needs to be fixed during the next chance we get to visit Jakarta again. Recommended restaurant? Very much.

Best gifts to bring back home, fresh local fruits.

Jakarta food will be missed dearly. Perhaps they take overseas order?

To end off, a very huge thanks to both my Indonesian friend (who prefers his identity kept secret) and both his parents who had taken the precious time off their weekend to accompany us throughout the trip. Most of the plans in this trip wouldn’t had been possible if not for their intervention, right down from arranging a personal driver and car to fetch us around Jakarta to bringing us around the city with their superb knowledge of the locations and traffic. Thank you.

Kinkakuji is just one of the many famous temples and shrines in Kyoto. Literally translated as the Golden Pavilion Temple, Kinkakuji gets its name from being coated almost entirely in paint containing real gold flakes.

Kinkakuji is the second most visited temple in Kyoto after the extravagant Kiyomizudera. Unlike Kiyomizudera though, Kinkakuji is located quite far north to the border of the city. Thankfully, it is also situated beside Ryoanji, another famous temple.

Getting to Kinkakuji

Kyoto isn’t as well connected by train as other cities. Instead, there is a complicated network of buses. The cheapest and most direct means to get to Kinkakuji is to take bus #101 from Kyoto station. Getting there takes 40 minutes and costs 220 yen.

Note: Be sure to leave early if you plan on visiting other sights in Kyoto. Most temples close between 4 to 5 PM.

View Larger Map

At Kinkakuji

Entrance to Kinkakuji costs 400 yen. One of the highest I have encountered. It is not possible to see the temple from outside otherwise as a large wooden gate has been constructed. Still, that doesn’t deter visitors both local and overseas who flock here in throngs to see the famous golden temple. If you’ve already come this far, then the fee will be a necessary evil.

Kinkakuji greens.

To be honest, there isn’t much to do at Kinkakuji other than to witness the famous landmark itself. Such is the case that many who had expecting more from the hype have left disappointed. The temple is surrounded by a beautiful amount of nature though, which you view from an allocated viewing spot in front of the pond.

Postcard shot of Kinkakuji.

The temple grounds isn’t very large and most of it is taken up by the greenery. There is a short route for you to follow that starts at the front of Kinkakuji and brings you to two different omamori (Japanese Charms) stands before ending at another souvenir shop at the exit. While I appreciated the historic value of the site, this was perhaps the part I liked the least about Kinkakuji, since it was by far the most commercialized out of the many temples and shrines I have visited. The path does lead you up the side of a hill though, which gives you a nice elevated view of Kinkakuji.

Closeup.

Overall, Kinkakuji makes for a nice side trip in Kyoto provided you have the time or are in the city already. But if you’re making it a highlight in Kyoto, it might come off as a disappointment, especially when compared to some of the other historic sites. It also certainly helps if you have an interest in temples and shrines in general. But I’m sure one wouldn’t be visiting Kyoto otherwise.

Gold leaf coating.

Images by Wilson.

While Akihabara will probably be the first place in Japan that springs to mind when talking about all things geeky, Nakano Broadway is as important a landmark to the dedicated otaku. Located in the western outskirts of the city, Nakano is home to Tokyo’s true, less publicized Otaku Heaven.

Getting to Nakano

Nakano can be found three stops away from Shinjuku on the JR Sobu line. The trip is conveniently covered by the JR Tokunai Pass. At Nakano, exit the station from the North Exit (turn right when you leave the gantry) and you’ll see the Nakano Shopping Mall in broad daylight. Follow this opening air shopping arcade which will lead you straight to Nakano Broadway.

View Larger Map

Note: Most of the shops at Nakano Broadway are pretty against photo-taking and unless it is obvious you are a foreigner some even get pretty unfriendly about it, thus the scarcity of pictures.

At Nakano Broadway

Due to their widespread portrayal in media or perhaps through their own perpetruation of the stereotype, otaku tend to be pictured as bespectacled anime, manga and figure collectors. But in its original form, the word otaku seems to carry the meaning of enthusiasts and otaku interests cover a far wider spectrum in practice. This is especially true in Japan, where people are provided the content necessary to become otaku for all sorts of interests, like train, vintage camera or Disney otaku. While Akihabara may satisfy the need for the stereotypical otaku, Nakano does the same for a wider audience. If someone is collecting it, you’ll find it in Nakano Broadway.

Nakano.

Nakano Broadway is most famous as a market of sorts for otaku to peddle items from their personal collections. This is mostly through capsule box stores that provide the chance to rent cases for the otaku to display their wares (more on this later) but in recent times Nakano Broadway seems to have been overtaken mostly by a certain chain called Mandarake and to a lesser extent TRIO.

Mandarake
Starting as a used manga shop in 1987, Mandarake has now expanded to own a total of 23 stores inside the 3 floors of Nakano Broadway alone. There are another 4 shops around Tokyo and more spread around the rest of Japan. Mandarake even calls themselves the “Rulers of Time” now.

Each of the Mandarake shops in Nakano specialize in a different sub-genre of second hand otaku products. Many of these shops still sell items related to anime or manga, such as one shop specializing in soundtracks or another solely dedicated to boys love and otome products. But with 23 shops, most of the other imaginable obsessions are covered. There are Mandarake’s for classic video games, vintage toys, cosplay and card games among others.

Patrons can trade in their old goods at the Mandarake Buy Back Stand on the 3rd floor. It’s a shop space larger than most stores in Nakano that is constantly filled with people pawning old toys and comics for money to purchase newer attractions. A somewhat depressing sight. However Mandarake is well known for offering reasonable prices for old items and the shop advertises a transparent list of items that they purchase and the prices popular items would fetch.

One of the Mandarake-owned Shops.

TRIO
Next on the list is TRIO. Though it started as a second hand poster and magazine shop TRIO has evolved into the idol equivalent of Mandarake. Though not nearly as large a presence as Mandarake, TRIO carries a rather extensive collection of second hand idol goods spread over three shops in Nakano.

You’ll find the first TRIO branch on the third floor. This shop is dedicated entirely to male idols such as those from Johnny’s Entertainment. The first TRIO that you will likely run into though is TRIO 2, the largest branch.

Located just beside the main escalator into Nakano Broadway and along the same corridor as TRIO, TRIO 2 carries all of their magazines, photobooks, as well as movie and idol related posters. TRIO 2 also has an entire section dedicated to AKB48 goods and a rather large collection of collectible photos. TRIO 2 used to have the most affordable and popular place to get these photos and customers would come early each day to see what new items were being put up. Unfortunately, the prices aren’t as reasonable anymore and they display most of the stock at the new branch at Akiba Culture Zone now.

You’ll have to take the stairs down one floor for the third TRIO 3, which contains what little Hello! Project, Idoling!!! and SUPER☆GiRLS merchandise they have. About half of the shop holds the remainder of their Johnny’s goods.

Old toys for sale.

Capsule Boxes
Until recently, the biggest draw for Nakano Broadway comes from having more capsule box shops than anywhere else. One such example is Cube Style. For about 3000 yen a month, one can rent a display case here to put whatever items you would like to sell. The shop will then help take care of any money transfers and you can come back any time to collect your earnings or add and replace the items sold inside the rented case.

Capsule shops are rather popular at Nakano, since it allows one to eliminate the middle man, as unlike in Singapore the shops do not take a commission off your sales. The high traffic of otaku coming to Nakano Broadway for the explicit purpose of purchasing such goods also helps. The capsule boxes at Nakano are always fully booked.

The recent boom in demand for capsule boxes (largely due to the market for AKB48 photos) has prompted many other capsule shops to spawn in Akihabara too. Unfortunately, the supply now exceeds the demand and many of the boxes at the newer shops now remain empty. Also, if you’re looking for a bargain for AKB48 photos, you’ll be disappointed. Read more about there here.

Figure or toy collectors will benefit the most from capsule boxes. As the prices for those are already transparent, second half figures will almost always sell for less their original price (unless it is particularly rare, or the seller especially delusional). If you don’t mind getting your toys second hand, do spend some time looking around the shops here. I personally recommend checking out BOW WOW at the far corner on the second floor, as I have consistently managed to chance upon good finds there.

Other Shops
Many of the small shops around Nakano Broadway cover all manner of other interests, there are shops selling old enka records, ball jointed dolls, yo-yos, stamps, vintage books and expensive sound equipment and many more niched products. You can find a listing of shops at the Official Nakano Broadway website’s Floor Map.

It may be a little forward of me to tout one of our sponsors so directly like this. But with the NATAS Travel Fair going on right now at the Singapore Expo, many are taking this opportunity to sneak in less than honest travel “deals”. It’s a similar situation to computer fairs in Singapore.

Below is a short collection of knowledge acquired from my previous trips and through the fortune of having friends who have worked in the travel industry both in Singapore and Japan. Perhaps it might look like common sense to the more experienced travellers.

First off, if you’re looking for short guided tour packages, NATAS does offer some attractive options. You can see some of the deals they are offering online at the NATAS Travel site. This once a year fair brings together travel agents around Singapore to help plan your holiday for the upcoming April peak season. There’s another NATAS fair, NATAS Holidays in August, which focuses on the end year period instead.

If you’re going down this weekend beware of hard sells and those claiming limited deals. We learned the hard way during our last trip, that feeling rushed to book a hotel or flight can lead to devastating results.

Not the cheapest. But ANA comes with many perks.

With the internet at everyone’s disposal, you’re not going to find flights cheaper than at the source directly. I really advise readers to book their flights directly from the respective airlines and look out for their offers. Going through a 3rd party source will almost always be more expensive. The only thing you’re really saving on in tour packages is on accommodation, when the travel agencies negotiate for group prices.

But if you’re planning to go free and easy, NATAS offers little choice. And the only offers available for free and easy tours are far too limiting. Before you go jumping onto decisions, take some time to do some homework and compare the prices elsewhere. A little slacking off could cost you potentially hundreds and there is no excuse with the convenience of the internet. Evidence shows that 91% of travelers book their flights and hotels online now. It’s the smart thing to do.

Those were different times.

I’m going to plug Agoda a little bit since it’s our sponsor. Agoda pioneered online hotel bookings back in the 90s when it was called Planet Holiday. These days, it’s owned by Priceline.com one is one of the world’s largest hotel booking sites. They have offices in ever part of the world, including Singapore. The reason why you don’t hear nearly as much about Agoda as other bookings sites is because Agoda doesn’t have a public affiliate program. There is a strict process to become an Agoda Partner and membership is limited to quality sites and big names like PayPal or Google only.

The secret is, that instead, as one of the oldest travel sites on the internet, Agoda’s tightly controlled reseller system is actually adopted by the other newer hotel booking sites. I’m not excusing Agoda’s clunky user interface (they’d get a lot more bookings if it wasn’t so unintuitive) but they’re main focus is selling a platform rather than direct sales.

Agoda provides a content management system to hotels for them to manage their hotel rooms themselves. And in turn, Agoda also provides their hotel booking API for other hotel sites to adopt. Truth is, many of the other travel sites utilize Agoda’s API to resell hotel booking services, adding a few dollars on top as “service fees”. Which is why chances are, if you’re willing to go to the source directly and brave Agoda’s non-Web 2.0 interface, you’ll end up saving a noticeable amount of money, which can be better spent on other things.

I’m going to provide a comparison here between Agoda and other sites. We’ve put in identical dates. You can see the differences. Note, both prices are before taxes (these are imposed by the Japanese government on hotels).

Candeo Hotel Uenokoen on Booking.com. Average of $164.50 a night.

On Agoda. $140 a night. This is higher than usual though.

This is not to say that Agoda is for everyone. The Agoda system provides a convenient means for medium sized hotels (most 2-3 star) to manage their bookings. If this is what you’re looking for, then Agoda is a fine match. It still benefits you to look around a few places though. Sometimes certain hotels forget to update one of the platforms, or prefer to focus on a single one. When this happens, you’ll might be able to get the same room cheaper. I recommend checking out Expedia directly as well, which is another popular platform. Lonely Planet, Trip Advisor and Hotels.com are all resellers of Expedia.

Chisun Inn Hommachi on Expedia.

The same hotel on Agoda.

However, smaller establishments such as home stay and dormitories see little use for this system and are under represented. You are also better off booking larger hotels in the 4-5 star range directly, as they often have their own independent websites and systems to manage their bookings already.

Agoda is also not a very good place to turn to if you’re looking for last minute hotel bookings (few are). Hotels only set aside a certain number of rooms to be sold by the system and they tend to sell out about 2 months before the check-in date. Agoda does not mark up the prices of hotels at the last minute but you’re not going to find any discounts, or many choices if you’re going to book your hotel at the last minute.

Instead, Agoda specializes in “early bird” styled specials. Rewarding users who book at least a couple of months in advance. This is only a natural thing when it comes to traditional travel agencies, but is not implemented by more online sites for some reason. This of course is where Agoda truly shines. You won’t find a cheaper option whenever a hotel goes on offer on Agoda.

A final tip. Though it may sound selfish, if you’re traveling in a group be the one to do the booking. Between 4-7% of the hotel fees is turned into credits which you can use to offset subsequent bookings when you book from Agoda directly instead of resellers. You also get cash credits for reviewing the hotel after your stay.

Spotted these from coverage of the recent Wonder Festival 2012 Winter. From Kaiyodo comes a set of intricate capsule toys featuring popular Tokyo attractions such as the Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Sky Tree and Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. The Tokyo Landmark set of Gashapon collectibles will be available exclusively at the Tokyo Sky Tree when it opens later this year in May.

Tokyo Landmark.

There are a total of 5 different attractions in this first Tokyo Landmark set. In addition to the previously mentioned buildings, Asakusa’s Sensoji Kaminarimon Gate and the National Diet Building are also replicated in minature form. It will be fun to collect them all, especially should Kaiyodo expand this series to other landmarks in the future.

Tokyo Tower.

Kaminarimon Gate.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

National Diet Building.

Tokyo Sky Tree.

Exclusive capsule toys are not something new in Japan. Pretty much every significant travel attraction in Japan has its own special line of collectibles too. For example, you’ll find takoyaki capsule toys at Osaka Shinsekai or specifically branded marine figures at Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. Kaiyodo’s are special though in the amount of workmanship. Hopefully, the final product matches the quality shown here.

Source Gigazine.

For over 50 years, the Tokyo Tower has been the pinnacle landmark in Japan’s capital city. Located in Minato Ward at the heart Tokyo, the iconic 333 meter tall lattice tower served as the world’s tallest free-standing structure up until the completion of the Tokyo Sky Tree. Despite my longtime awe of the engineering marvel, it’s a wonder why we’ve had yet to give the Tokyo Tower a feature of its own.

Though dwarfed by the Sky Tree (which is nearly twice its height), there’s still something oddly comforting about seeing the orange-red tower peek out through the skyline. The tower’s classic lattice design, based on the Eiffel Tower, alludes to a more idealistic time. Then there’s the influence of popular media, that has brought us to associate the warmly lit up tower with romantic sentiments.

Peeking through the trees.

But one has to visit the Tokyo Tower proper to truly appreciate the beauty of the steel heart. The Tokyo Metro’s Daimon and Onarimon stations provide a nearer starting point. But failing that, the most convenient means of travel would be to stop at the Hamamatsucho Station on the central JR Yamanote Line, from which the tower is a 15 minute walk away.

Hamamatsucho is not far from other sights like Ginza or Tsukiji, making it a popular stop in the evening, especially among couples. It would usually be a little awkward if you’re traveling alone to such well known date spots, but the Japanese tend to keep to themselves such that any discomfort would have to come purely from oneself. The many families and plentiful tourists help too.

From below.

A popular time to visit the Tokyo Tower would be at the photographer’s magic or golden hour. This is also a time when Tokyo’s skies switch from a fully lighted day, to a pitch dark night in just a short moment. A result of the sky being mostly devoid of clouds to reflect the setting sun. This allows for those visiting at this time to experience the tower in both its day and nighttime glory.

Lighting up the otherwise pitch dark sky.

At night, the lights bounce off the orange tower, giving it a rich hue. Occasionally, the Tokyo Tower displays other colors or messages on the observatory windows during special events such as in the case of the New Year.

Note that while the Tokyo Tower switches on its ambient lights as soon as the sky begins to darken each evening, it is only fully illuminated for a short while after each night before switching back to a lower lighting mode.

The lattices.

Access to the Tokyo Tower costs 820 yen for the main observatory (150 meters) or another 600 yen (total 1420 yen) for the special observatory (250 meters).

As only a limited number of people can fit into the smaller special observatory, either ticket will require you to stop at the main observatory first, before taking a second elevator up. It doesn’t take long to get up to the main observatory but the wait for the special observatory may take an additional hour.

Unknown to most, you are actually able to climb the Tokyo Tower on foot via a spiraling staircase up. This option is only available on days of good weather and unfortunately, you climbers will still need to pay for a full priced ticket. It might be fun for those up for the challenge though. It takes approximately an hour to scale the tower.

Tokyo Skyscape.

Some additional photographs taken from the main observatory. At night, you can see the tower lights reflecting off the office buildings from as far as Shinbashi.  Lights from the Tokyo Sky Tree can be faintly seen in the photo above too. On rare clear days, you can also make out the silhouette of Mount Fuji.

Below, the brightly lit highway serves as one of the most immediately eye-catching landmarks from the Tokyo Tower, with its streets branching off towards Roppongi and Shinagawa. In the distance, the splendid Rainbow Bridge links Shinagawa to the man made Odaiba island.

The most brightly lit street.

Azabu-juban Highway.

Rainbow Bridge.

Inside the observatory, there aren’t too many facilities which lead many difficult tourists to complain (but more on that later). But there’s a small cafe, souvenir shop and more importantly Club 333, a small stage with live music every Wednesday and Thursday evenings and a DJ throughout Friday nights. Club 333 is free and is included in the normal observatory ticket.

The muddy view down.

The main gripe with Tokyo Tower seems to be its shoddily thrown together tourist traps selling souvenir items downstairs. This is of course, unforgivable. But most tend tend to forget to keep it a separate issue from the tower itself. It’s not as if you are paying to visit the souvenir shops, these are downstairs at Foot Town, a small 4-story mall below the tower that is free for public access, or avoidable if you wish.

One of Tokyo Tower's unfortunate mascots.

But while many of the souvenir shops here quite literally sell junk, others will appreciate the convenience provided by the shops below. Minato, where the Tokyo Tower is located, is very much a residential area. Making Tokyo Tower Foot Town the equivalent of your neighborhood shopping center. Which is why you’ll find that the majority of space here is actually occupied by a Family Mart, fast food, food court and various other cheap dining options.

Foot Town is also home to an amusement center and has a playground for children on its roof, which also serves as the starting point for climbing the Tokyo Tower by foot. I wish my heartlands mall came with a tower.

Sometimes the most literal ideas are the best.

For those who still do not buy into the idea of paying for an observatory, Tokyo offers many free options. But note that none offer the trinity of convenience, panoramic views and zero cost. We’ve covered some of the free options in this article on 10 Free Tokyo City Views.

Many choose to visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building instead, which is one of rare places in Tokyo that has a 360 degree observatory too, but the building often gets ridiculously crowded with tour groups. On the other end of the spectrum, the Mori Tower at Roppongi Hills boasts an even higher open air rooftop view of Tokyo city, along with a premium price of course.

But the conveniently located Tokyo Tower still provides an excellent view at an affordable price and remains Tokyo’s must visit observatory for first time travelers. At least until the Tokyo Sky Tree opens in May this year. But with entry costs announced at 2,000 yen and 3,000 yen for the new tower’s first (350 meters) and second (450 meters) observatories respectively, a view from the world’s second tallest structure will not come cheap.

Last Friday, Google Japan unveiled that their Google Street View service can now take visitors into caves. Public response was mostly fascination at being able to take a 360 degree tour of the insides of the Okubo-mabu mine and Akiyoshido limestone cavern.

This is not the first occasion Google Japan has taken to covering walking paths but is ultimately their most impressive. The images are amazingly sharp, especially considering how difficult it is to take photos in any place with such minimal lighting.

The feat is the result of the Street View Partner Program, which provides allows owners of establishments the tools to create the panoramic images seen on Google Street View. Thanks to past efforts, we are also able to view other sites like the Asahiyama Zoo in Hokkaido and Fuji-Q Highland among others, without having to leave home.

Perhaps this adventure indoors is the first step in creating a fully digitized Google World.

Okubo-mabu Mine

大きな地図で見る

Akiyoshido

大きな地図で見る

You may visit Google Street Partner Program for more information about the program and examples of other Street View ready attractions.

Image by ume-y.

Not too long ago, we reported about the Real Grade 1/1 Gundam Project and how it has shifted to Odaiba recently. This week, Bandai revealed their much bigger plans for the life sized Gundam figure with the announcement of the Gundam Front, a small theme park that will open inside of the new DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in Odaiba come this Spring.

Gundam Front at Odaiba.

The miniature theme park will take up the 7th and 8th floors of the newly built DiverCity Tokyo Plaza. Incorrectly reported as “Diver City” by all other English news sources, the name of the building is actually a pun on the word “diversity”. As the base of the New Zepp Tokyo concert hall, DiverCity aims to provide a variety of large scale entertainment options to attract youths.

Gundam Front Tokyo will occupy the 7th floor of DiverCity with a 2,050 square meter exhibition area featuring displays from the popular Gundam series. Some highlights include a large dome theater, models from Gunpla’s long history, secret production materials and a special Gundam shop. The 8th floor will house a second Gundam themed cafe after the Akihabara Gundam Cafe and Bar.

Entrance Concept.

Gundam Front will launch together with the official opening of DiverCity Tokyo Plaza on 19th April 2012. Visiting the giant Gundam and cafe will cost nothing. But while there will be free exhibits at the Gundam Front Tokyo, entry to the exhibition hall proper will cost 1,000 yen for adults and 800 yen for those below 13.

Gundam Front Exhibition Hall Concept.

Images by Gundam Front Tokyo LLP.

Every once in a while my tetsudo instincts kick in and I’m compelled to write an article like this. Despite Japan being better known for its tendency to conform, there’s just something about Japanese train stations and how they each exude a distinct personality that is only possible with privately owned stations such as those by Japan Railways. One large contributing factor is the use of unique departure jingles at many commonly used stations.

Ride the tube enough times and you’ll easily have one of these melodies burned into your memory. The short arrangements are played whenever the train doors are about to close, which is once every 45 seconds at its peak. Many stations use a generic door closing warning, but the stations around the most used Yamanote Line have been famous for its unique tunes. There is a certain sense of comfort in hearing these familiar jingles, though not everyone may agree.

Here are some particularly memorable examples.

“Seseragi” (Murmur). Common generic tune heard at various stations around Tokyo.

Twilight. Another common jingle.

Spring. Again another you’ll hear at many JR stations.

One of the more unique ones. You’ll hear the Astro Boy theme song each time you pass by Takanobaba Station on the Yamanote Line.

The Ebisu Station is named after the same line of beer by Sapporo Brewery. The company has had its headquarters here. Ebisu Station’s train jingle is from one of their old commercials and is also the theme song of the musical Daisan no Otoko (The Third Man).

Harajuku Station has not one but two unique jingles, one for each track.

The Musashi-Koganei station where the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Museum is located has differents variants of the traditional “Sakura Sakura” for each of its tracks too.

In recent news, Japanese TV stations have expressed their desire to have trains stations replace generic station tunes with those from television commercials. This is through the use of a brand new patented system developed by Zenrin Promo and Switch (the sound company responsible for JR and Tokyo Metro’s unique train jingles) that will allow for programmable jingles.

Discussions with the larger railway companies are still ongoing. But next month, two stations in Kanto will adopt this new advertising system that is being called 発車メロディー deプロモ (Promo by Departing Melody).

Many locations in Asia are famed for its nightlife, including perennial entertainment favorites such as Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok, and Macau, which offer virtually any experience under the sun depending on your tastes. Whether you’re looking to play casino games, dance into the wee hours at popular clubs, or spend a more refined evening at the ballet or opera, you’ll be able to find something to enjoy among the diverse and sprawling continent that is Asia.

Gamblers in Asia used to be hard pressed to find their favorite casino games but that’s completely changed over the last decade, with Macau long ago passing Las Vegas as the world’s top gambling destination based on revenue and stories the same true as Singapore finds casino success in its own right. Both Macau and Singapore now offer mega resorts and casinos such as Vegas does, with not only some of the largest casinos in the world but also luxurious hotels and entertainment complexes that include top clubs, bars, and concert venues.

Kabukicho sleeps in the day and comes alive at night.

Tokyo may not offer up an casinos but it has one of the most vibrant club scenes in all of Asia, with the city’s entertainment districts such as Ginza, Kabuki-cho, and Roppongi filled to the brim nearly every night. World famous clubs such as ageHa (which plays host to up to 5,000 clubbers on four different dance floors) Womb, and Club Asia draw visitors from around the globe, with some of the top DJs on the planet dropping in from time to time to show off their stuff in Tokyo.

Bangkok has a reputation for a more loud and rowdy nightlife scene, with the sprawling city catering to nearly every taste and delight. Whether you’re after a tour of its famed go-go bars, a ladyboy show, gay clubs, or a more sedate night out on a dinner cruise, Bangkok offers it all, and at a fraction of the price that you’ll find at many other cities. Bangkok is also an excellent jumping off point for visitors who go on to explore the rest of Thailand, which offers a wide range of nightlife and entertainment opportunities.