Tokyo
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How to get from Narita airport to downtown Tokyo?
We went to Japan recently, and my parents, who arrived a day after us, took the wrong train at Narita airport. Here I explain the most common mistakes, and if you follow our tips, you’ll be able to catch the right train without getting lost. You absolutely must take the train/subway because taxis are very expensive (several hundred euros) and the shuttle is not an option (too slow). First of all, you’ll need an internet connection, because Google Maps will be your best ally. Buying a SIM card on the spot in Japan is not recommended because it’s one of the few countries where data costs more when you buy…
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Taking the shinkansen between Tokyo and Kyoto
This is our second trip to Japan, but last time we preferred to fly between Osaka and Tokyo because it was cheaper. This time, we need to go to Kyoto from Tokyo, so we opted for the shinkansen. The shinkansen website is incomprehensible; JB can’t even create an account because his credit card won’t go through. However, in big cities, there are automatic machines to buy your shinkansen tickets. We were in a small town when we decided to buy a ticket, so we simply bought it at the counter. They asked us “reserved seats or not?” and we said “reserved seats” since we’re leaving the day before Golden Week…
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Shopping in Tokyo (Japan): Ozu Washi, Fans, and Tsukiji Market
We still have one day in Tokyo before leaving for Kansai. Since JB has been driving non-stop for about ten days, I do my little visits alone in the morning and we meet up later at Tsukiji Outer Market. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Ozu Washi I’ve always been very interested in Japanese papers, and despite my small washi workshop a few days ago, I still visit the Ozu Washi, in operation since 1653. This shop, specializing in washi (Japanese paper), now functions as a cultural center dedicated to washi, offering exhibitions and workshops on calligraphy and ink painting. Used for its exceptional durability…
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Digital Nomad: Results after 1.5 months in Japan (Osaka, Kansai, Tokyo)
That’s it, we just spent 1 month and a half in Japan, 1 month in Osaka and 2 weeks in Tokyo. It’s time to take stock of this incredible experience. This is the very first time we come to Japan. The reason why we have never been there before is that we want our stay to be really special. So, when we were on a permanent contract, 2 weeks seemed too short; and when we were on an 11-month world tour, the budget for a stopover in Japan seemed too big. So coming here as digital nomads is really the best option for us. Japan allows us to make many…
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Travel diary Tokyo (Japan) #3: Tokyo DisneySea, the most beautiful Disney park in the world
The world tour is an excellent excuse to visit all the Disney parks in the world. We missed this opportunity in Hong Kong, but there is no question of missing this time in Tokyo. Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary After our round trip to Mount Fuji and long hours on the bus back to Tokyo in the middle of Golden Week, JB is less and less motivated to go to a crowded place, but I convince him to go there after Golden Week and more during the week. So it’s to please me that he buys the tickets online, has them printed in…
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Travel diary Tokyo (Japan) #2: Ueno, Akihabara, Tour of Tokyo, Shibuya and Shinjuku
Read our first travel diary in Tokyo here UENO Today, I visit alone the National Museum of Tokyo, where you can find a beautiful collection of swords, prints, paintings … Japanese from several centuries ago Indeed, for 600 yen, one can admire many priceless objects. For example these hair accessories of an unequalled finesse Samurai helmets, swords etc Kimonos of extreme beauty. To have patterns like this, the craftsmen had to spend an eternity on them I was expecting a richer collection (I didn’t see many prints, which is what I came for), but I was told afterwards that often in Japanese museums, the permanent collections weren’t that rich (you…
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Travel diary Tokyo (Japan) #1: Nihonbashi, Ginza, Odaiba
Here we are, at last, in Tokyo! After a month spent in Osaka, we are relieved to finally change our airbnb because ours in Osaka starts to get drunk (it’s too small and badly arranged), very noisy because of the works and the bad insulation and even Internet doesn’t work anymore It is therefore with surprise and relief that we discover our superb Airbnb in Tokyo, a 15 minute walk from Tokyo train station Part 1: Travel Diary Note: Since Tokyo is very large and we frequently move from one neighborhood to another, we prefer to group places of interest by zone/neighborhood in our travel diaries, not in chronological order.…
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How to attend (for free?) a Sumo training in Tokyo (Japan)?
Sumo is an ancestral sport that appeared 1500 years ago. Visiting Japan is an opportunity to discover this little-known sport. There are only 6 Sumo tournaments per year in Japan and these last 2 weeks. The Osaka tournament ends the day after our arrival in Osaka. Not having thought to inform me in advance, we miss the opportunity to attend the tournament. It’s a pity. Outside of tournament periods, it is however possible to attend morning training sessions in a Heya (stable) of Rikishi (sumo wrestler). If you want to be sure you can attend a training session, you can book a tour on the Viator website (link Viator). How…
