Tokyo: Exploring the Biggest City on the Planet

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Exploring Tokyo has been a long-awaited adventure, and we were eager to dive in.. Unlike many travelers who choose their destinations, we travel based on where the Army sends us. A few months ago, we arrived in Korea and decided to visit as many countries as possible over the next two years. Both my husband and I have our travel bucket lists. China was high on both of ours, so we made that our first stop. Japan, however, was at the top of his list. When I found reasonably priced tickets, we quickly booked a week at the New Sanno, a decision that helped us stretch our travel budget.

Table of Contents

1. Fireworks in Busan
2. Tokyo is Huge
3. The Shinkansen—A Transportation Must
4. Train Amenities
5. Tokyo Mass Transit
6. Get a Map
7. Where We Stayed
8. First up, the Tokyo Tower
9. Sensoji Temple
10. First Sighting of the Kimono
11. The Shibuya Scramble
12. Tokyo Bay Cruise
13. Return to Tokyo
14. Fish Market and Window Shopping
15. Just a Few Observations

Fireworks in Busan

The night before our flight, we stayed in Busan and caught the world-famous Fireworks Festival. It was the perfect send-off for our adventure to Tokyo and Kyoto, with vibrant bursts of color lighting up the sky, reflecting off the river, and crowds cheering in awe. The energy was infectious, but it also meant we stayed up later than planned, soaking in the experience. By the time our alarms went off at 4:30 a.m. for our 6:30 a.m. flight, we were running on fumes. Sleep-deprived but excited, we arrived in Tokyo, knowing that a little fatigue wasn’t going to slow us down. The adventure had just begun.

Exploring Tokyo– It’s Huge

Exploring the vast districts of Tokyo felt like navigating an entire world within one city. Saying Tokyo is large doesn’t even begin to do it justice. It’s the biggest city in Asia, sprawling across 845 square miles. Over 13 million people call its 47 districts home, making Greater Tokyo feel like an endless sea of humanity. While Tokyo isn’t the most densely populated city (Shanghai holds that record), it surpasses almost every other measure of size and scale.

To put it into perspective, New York City has about 8 million people packed into just 304 square miles. Tokyo makes even New York seem small by comparison. It’s truly a giant among cities.

The Shinkansen—A Transportation Must

After landing at 9 a.m., we breezed through customs and were on the Shinkansen (bullet train) by 10 a.m., headed to our hotel. The Shinkansen offers three train categories based on speed: Nozomi, Hikari, and Kodama. We opted for the Hikari, which offered the ideal balance between speed and cost.

The Nozomi is the fastest, reaching speeds of 186 mph, but it comes with a higher price tag. The Hikari, though slightly slower at 136 mph and making a few more stops, got us to Kyoto in just 2.5 hours, and at a much better price.

Train Amenities

The trains are spotless, punctual, and offer snacks and beverages for the journey. Each seat has outlets for laptops, and since Japan uses 100V electricity, no converter is necessary. Unfortunately, there’s no free Wi-Fi onboard. True to Japanese culture, everyone is polite, with reminders to stay quiet, though the smell of strong food isn’t discouraged!

Tokyo Mass Transit

We arrived at Tokyo Station 40 minutes later and managed to figure out the subway system in less than 15 minutes. Tokyo’s underground mass transit system has 13 lines, run by two separate entities: the Metro and the Toei Lines. You can easily transfer between them with a round-trip, day pass, or a combined ticket, which keeps things flexible.

Get a Map

Make sure to grab a map before you head into the subway, or you could find yourself buying the wrong ticket and getting blocked from boarding. Having access to all lines makes underground travel much smoother, but if you’re careful with planning, you can navigate the city just using the Metro.

Trains and walking patterns are the reverse of what you might be used to—think left-side traffic. Luckily, signs are everywhere to remind you. Instructions are in both Japanese and English, displayed on digital screens throughout the platforms and train compartments.

Where We Stayed

Our hotel check-in wasn’t until 3 p.m., so we had some time to kill. We chose the New Sanno Resort in the upscale Azabu residential neighborhood. A week’s stay at the military resort was only $320, which is a steal in Tokyo’s notoriously expensive hotel market. If you can get in, the New Sanno is a great deal for military travelers. I’ll be writing a dedicated post about its facilities soon.

After a quick lunch (sashimi for me, a burger for him) and a much-needed nap in the hotel bar, we checked into our room at 3 p.m., dropped our bags, and hit the streets.

Where we stayed: The New Sanno Hotel & Resort

First up, the Tokyo Tower

You know I love to get an aerial view of a new city, and Tokyo was no exception. Although I hadn’t originally planned on going up Tokyo Tower—mainly because of the price—my husband insisted we couldn’t miss it. So, off we went. Located in the Shiba-Koen district, Tokyo Tower offers incredible panoramic views, stretching all the way to Mount Fuji on a clear day. For around $27, we both got a bird’s-eye view of Tokyo’s sprawling skyline, the bustling harbor, and iconic landmarks like the Tokyo Skytree.

One of the more amusing things was spotting the Australian Embassy, highlighted on a reference map at the top. I found it odd but also charming—who knew embassies could make it onto sightseeing maps?

A quick note about the price: you need to pay separately for access to both the main observation deck and the special observation deck at the very top. After taking the main elevator to the observation level, you have to switch elevators and climb a few flights of stairs to catch the smaller lift that takes you up to what feels like the heavens. The extra effort was worth it—the view from the top is even more breathtaking, especially as the sun begins to set over the city.

Address: 4 Chome-2-8 Shibakoen, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan

Sensoji Temple

We decided to walk to Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa district, though “decided” might be a stretch. In reality, we missed our subway stop and ended up walking there by accident. But as travel often teaches you, sometimes the unplanned detours turn out to be the best experiences. The walk through the bustling streets of Asakusa gave us a chance to absorb the local energy before arriving at one of the oldest shrines in Japan.

Once we reached the temple, we bathed in the thick clouds of incense smoke that filled the air. Locals believe the smoke has healing powers, and I figured it couldn’t hurt to partake. Sensoji isn’t the most elaborately decorated shrine in Japan, but its age and history make it special. The walk itself turned out to be a blessing—good for both the body and mind, allowing us to slow down and take in the temple’s serene atmosphere.

It was also where I caught my first glimpse of women in the traditional kimono.

First Sighting of the Kimono

I caught my first glimpse of women in traditional kimonos, and it was mesmerizing. The way they gracefully balanced on wooden sandals, their vibrant silk kimonos perfectly wrapped, was captivating. But I kept my distance, not wanting to intrude. I watched as a young girl, probably no more than ten, broke down in tears when tourists swarmed her, asking for pictures. It reminded me of how uncomfortable I felt in China when everyone wanted a photo with “the Black girl.” It wasn’t a good feeling, so I refrained from approaching. Besides, I had a date with a Geisha in Kyoto the next day, and I was saving my cultural curiosity for that experience.

Starting in April 2024, tourists will be restricted from entering the private alleys of Kyoto’s Gion District. This measure is intended to protect the privacy and safety of geiko and maiko (Kyoto’s geishas), who have increasingly faced harassment from tourists. Violators will be fined up to ¥10,000 (about $67). However, public areas like Hanamikoji Street will still remain open to visitors.

The scramble is a first-time tourist must– crossing one of Tokyo’s busiest streets.

The Shibuya Scramble

We hopped back on the train and headed straight for one of the most touristy experiences in Tokyo—the Shibuya Scramble. Picture this: thousands of people, all with their own destinations, waiting at four corners of one of the busiest intersections in the world. When the light turns green, it’s absolute mayhem as everyone crosses in every direction. We figured, why not join the madness?

As the light changed, I suddenly felt like a contestant in a bizarre game show—everyone racing to cross the street while simultaneously filming themselves for Instagram. It was like walking into a sea of selfie sticks, gimbals, and confused faces. My husband and I tried our best not to bump into anyone, but it felt like we were in a human pinball machine. Hilarious. I’ve never seen so many people so excited to cross a street. I half expected someone to hand me a trophy at the end.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any weirder, I noticed a guy in a Pikachu onesie, dancing in the middle of the intersection, completely oblivious to the chaos around him. Classic Tokyo. We made it to the other side unscathed and a little dazed, but if you haven’t crossed the Shibuya Scramble at least once, have you really been to Tokyo?

Tokyo Bay Cruise

Day two took us to Shinjuku for a free bird’s-eye view of Tokyo from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, a nice contrast to the madness of Shibuya. We also browsed through the countless electronics stores that Shinjuku is famous for—where you can find gadgets you never even knew you needed.

Later, we made a quick stop at Sengakuji Temple in Shinagawa, where the famed 47 Ronin are buried. After soaking in a bit of history, we grabbed lunch at the hotel and then set out for the Hinode Terminal. There, we met up with our yacht for the evening and embarked on a peaceful Tokyo Bay cruise, which was the perfect way to wind down after our action-packed day in the city. Exploring Tokyo by boat during the Tokyo Bay cruise offered a new perspective of the city’s stunning skyline.

The tickets for the Tokyo Bay cruise, about $100, were worth every penny. I already covered the details in my post about the Tokyo Harbor Cruise, but I’ll say it again—this experience was a highlight of the trip. I booked the tickets through Viator for a meal and moonlit cruise around Tokyo Bay, and the evening was magical. The food was good, but the views were unforgettable. As we glided past the illuminated skyline, it felt like we had the whole city to ourselves. Afterward, we took a romantic walk along the river, with the city lights reflecting on the water. Here’s a little video I captured during the cruise.

The tickets for about $100 were well worth it. I already wrote about it here at Tokyo Harbor Cruise.

Shinkansen to Tokyo

The next two days flew by in Kyoto, followed by a full day of shopping back in Tokyo. We picked up a few electronics, a stunning silk kimono, and, of course, I couldn’t resist adding another designer bag to my growing collection. My husband started this designer bag obsession, and there’s no turning back now! I added a gorgeous Coach bag to go along with my Chanel from China and my Michael Kors from Korea. It’s funny—I never cared about real designer bags until I moved to the land of knock-offs. Now, I can’t even imagine buying a fake one.

I’ve written posts about my smaller adventures, like my Gion neighborhood tour, but I’ve yet to capture the full experience of this trip. I promise to put “fingers to keys” soon, so keep an eye out for more. There’s plenty more Tokyo and Kyoto stories to tell!

Return to Tokyo

We spent an entire day exploring the shops in Tokyo, finding unique treasures along the way. The first thing we did was head over to Kappabashi Street where they sell kitchen wares and the fake wax and plastic food items you see all over Japan. It straddles the Ueno and Asakusa districts and quickly becomes a quirky travel destination. The keychains and magnets can set you back, so you might want to hold off getting a souvenir and get them from stalls that line the path to the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. But some of the food did make us hungry, so we hopped back on the train and hit the Roppongi district where a friend said we would get a great meal. She was right; Roppongi is well known for its trendy restaurants.

Kappabashi Street where they sell kitchen wares and the fake wax and plastic food items you see all over Japan.

Fish Market and Window Shopping

We made a couple of quick stops in Ginza to check out the famed Tsukiji Fish Market, and then headed to Akihabara to do some window shopping. Of course, what was supposed to be just browsing ended with me buying a beautiful Coach bag—because, well, Tokyo! After that, we made our way to Shibuya to visit the Meiji Jingu Shrine and its adjacent park, which is famous for traditional wedding processions on lively Sundays. Unfortunately, it was Saturday, so no weddings, but we enjoyed strolling along the peaceful, quiet, hard-packed dirt trails. It was late November, so the cool air had us bundled in sweaters, and the afternoon sunlight made for a gorgeous last day in Japan.

Our final stop in Tokyo was just a short walk from the shrine. You can’t miss the massive gate marking the entrance to Takeshita Street. It even has a camera so you can snap a photo of yourself walking through it. Takeshita Street is known for its trendy fashion stores and the even trendier Harajuku girls. We saw plenty of them in 6-inch wedge boots, mini skirts, pink hair, and punk makeup. It was like stepping into a live runway show.

We hopped back on the subway and headed for our hotel, knowing we’d squeezed as much as possible into one week. As we reflected on everything, we realized we’d have no shortage of stories to laugh about and memories to share for years to come.

As for the stunning silk kimono I bought, I can only hope for another trip to Japan so I’ll finally have an excuse to wear it. Maybe on our return…

Just a Few Observations

You may already know that people in Japan drive on the opposite side of the road, but they also walk that way too. Exploring Tokyo revealed quirky surprises like taxi drivers with automatic handles that open the doors for passengers—pretty neat. Subway platforms have free Wi-Fi, but the trains don’t, and they are so quiet that even a whisper seems loud. Curry has become a beloved national dish—who would have guessed?

If you’ve traveled around Asia, you’re familiar with various street smells. In Tokyo, the only place that smelled fishy was, fittingly, the fish market. Unlike in Korea, the Japanese don’t repeat your question when confirming information—they just respond. Locals queue up in an impressively orderly manner. I heard that people are sometimes pushed into crowded trains, but to my disappointment, I never saw it happen.

Vending machines are everywhere, offering drinks, snacks, and even full meals. Public restrooms are plentiful and clean, though many don’t provide paper towels, so it’s handy to carry a small towel. Credit cards are accepted in most places, but always carry some cash, especially for smaller shops. Convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Lawson are a traveler’s best friend, offering fresh food and essentials. Restaurants often have baskets under your seat to keep your belongings off the floor.

Despite Japan’s high-tech reputation, public trash bins are rare, so be prepared to carry your trash until you find one. Tipping is also not customary here, so just enjoy the excellent service without the need for extra cash. Finally, exploring Tokyo is much easier when you know the district of your destination—definitely the most helpful tip for navigating the city with ease.

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