November 2025
Some additional Tokyo posts.
I also did a post on Japanese signs here.
We had booked a tour package “Vietnam and Thailand Exploration” with Wingbuddy. But we don’t use them for our international flights as I want to have control over timings and we like to travel business class. At this point in life we like our comforts!
I noticed that one of their options was Air Canada - Tokyo - Hanoi, well then, we’ll do a stopover in Tokyo!
We did this visit totally on our own. We did our own flights, hotel, airport transportation and tours. We used GET YOUR GUIDE for airport transportation and tours.
Our flights were mostly on time, except in Toronto when the bridge was backed up as the crew hadn’t finished their security checks. Note to AC, please take a lesson from Asian airlines and clearly designate and enforce zone lines!
Some people encounter major jetlag, but we didn’t, saying that, we can attest to major jetlag coming home. The time difference is 14 hours, that is Toronto is 14 hours behind, so you lose a day.
We had booked a tour package “Vietnam and Thailand Exploration” with Wingbuddy. But we don’t use them for our international flights as I want to have control over timings and we like to travel business class. At this point in life we like our comforts!
I noticed that one of their options was Air Canada - Tokyo - Hanoi, well then, we’ll do a stopover in Tokyo!
We did this visit totally on our own. We did our own flights, hotel, airport transportation and tours. We used GET YOUR GUIDE for airport transportation and tours.
Our flights were mostly on time, except in Toronto when the bridge was backed up as the crew hadn’t finished their security checks. Note to AC, please take a lesson from Asian airlines and clearly designate and enforce zone lines!
Some people encounter major jetlag, but we didn’t, saying that, we can attest to major jetlag coming home. The time difference is 14 hours, that is Toronto is 14 hours behind, so you lose a day.
Arriving in Japan, as business class passengers we were given FAST LANE passes to expedite custom lines.
We had completed the online Japan Visit website and obtained our QR code. I had completed the form for both of us but it didn’t recognize John, so he filled out a paper form before being finger-printed and photographed. I noticed another family having an issue. So I would suggest have each passenger obtain their own code.
TIP screenshot QR code in case you don’t have WiFi when you land. Or make a paper copy.
Our driver messaged that he was parking and would meet us at door S1. It is about an hour’s drive to our hotel.
Tokyo just dropped from being the biggest city in the world! It was overtaken by Jakarta, Indonesia.
It is very crowded! Traffic is bumper to bumper, but no one cuts in or blows their horn, they just bide their time. And pedestrians have the right of way, what a concept!
They drive on the “wrong” or left-hand side of the road.
HOTEL
We chose the Hilton in Shinjuku. It is a lovely hotel and has quite a few dining options. It also has a free shuttle bus to Shinjuku subway station. We used the bus once.
We had completed the online Japan Visit website and obtained our QR code. I had completed the form for both of us but it didn’t recognize John, so he filled out a paper form before being finger-printed and photographed. I noticed another family having an issue. So I would suggest have each passenger obtain their own code.
TIP screenshot QR code in case you don’t have WiFi when you land. Or make a paper copy.
Our driver messaged that he was parking and would meet us at door S1. It is about an hour’s drive to our hotel.
Tokyo just dropped from being the biggest city in the world! It was overtaken by Jakarta, Indonesia.
It is very crowded! Traffic is bumper to bumper, but no one cuts in or blows their horn, they just bide their time. And pedestrians have the right of way, what a concept!
They drive on the “wrong” or left-hand side of the road.
HOTEL
We chose the Hilton in Shinjuku. It is a lovely hotel and has quite a few dining options. It also has a free shuttle bus to Shinjuku subway station. We used the bus once.
We had a jam-packed schedule which we didn’t quite achieve and we felt like we only barely scratched the surface of one of the most fascinating cities in the world.
We quickly discovered that while we like to walk, the city is too big. It looked doable when we mapped it out in Maps, but we wasted too much time getting to our first destinations, so after the first day we Uber’d to our first stop.
If we had a longer stay we would definitely have figured out the subway.
We wondered about doing the Hop On Hop Off, but honestly with the traffic we figured we would spend more time waiting around for it.
We loved visiting carefully preserved Old Tokyo alongside the fast-paced, futuristic parts of the city, and experiencing Japanese culture for the first time.
For such a crowded city it is quiet!
In hindsight I wish we had added a few more days to visit a couple of other cities, but it is very expensive!
John said he would not go back to Tokyo because of the crowds.
THINGS TO KNOW
Do your customs and immigration procedures online.
Japan does not have a tipping culture. For anything.
It is an expensive city.
Wi-fi is essential, we used Airalo e-sims which included Vietnam and Thailand.
Download Google Translate.
The city is totally safe.
We hardly used any cash, mostly cards.
We wondered about doing the Hop On Hop Off, but honestly with the traffic we figured we would spend more time waiting around for it.
We loved visiting carefully preserved Old Tokyo alongside the fast-paced, futuristic parts of the city, and experiencing Japanese culture for the first time.
For such a crowded city it is quiet!
In hindsight I wish we had added a few more days to visit a couple of other cities, but it is very expensive!
John said he would not go back to Tokyo because of the crowds.
THINGS TO KNOW
Do your customs and immigration procedures online.
Japan does not have a tipping culture. For anything.
It is an expensive city.
Wi-fi is essential, we used Airalo e-sims which included Vietnam and Thailand.
Download Google Translate.
The city is totally safe.
We hardly used any cash, mostly cards.
To say it is overwhelming. What a sensory overload! It was everything we expected and like nowhere we’ve been before, it’s been uncorrupted by western culture and remains very much in its own bubble.
For example Japanese girls' fashion is diverse, blending modest layering with playful subcultures like Gyaru (loose socks, platforms) or Decora (excessive accessories), while also embracing K-pop influence with tight tops and sneakers, all while valuing creativity, comfort (easy slip-on shoes!), and often unique accessories like bag charms, with overall trends leaning towards oversized silhouettes, mixing vintage vibes with modern techwear, and bold accessories.
And they like to dress in traditional outfits as well.
For example Japanese girls' fashion is diverse, blending modest layering with playful subcultures like Gyaru (loose socks, platforms) or Decora (excessive accessories), while also embracing K-pop influence with tight tops and sneakers, all while valuing creativity, comfort (easy slip-on shoes!), and often unique accessories like bag charms, with overall trends leaning towards oversized silhouettes, mixing vintage vibes with modern techwear, and bold accessories.
And they like to dress in traditional outfits as well.
The following is not in any specific date order!
To read our daily posts click on the links above in the table. Our videos can also be found there.
HIGHLIGHTS
Wondering if we could see Mt. Fuji from our hotel! YES!! We had decided not to spend time visiting it as it is hit or miss if you can see anything and we didn’t have enough time. BONUS
You can see Mt. Fuji from various spots in Tokyo on clear days, especially from the free observation decks at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Shinjuku) which we could also see from our room, with winter mornings offering the best visibility due to less haze.
Shinjuku is a major area in Tokyo. It has offices, pubs, restaurants, and izakayas. If you’ve seen that iconic photo of a street in Japan filled with neon lights it was probably taken in Shinjuku.Metropolitan Government building (or Tocho for short) is the tallest city hall in the world. Also on my bucket list was the light show. Tokyo’s biggest nighttime light show isn’t in a theme park. It’s projected right onto the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and it didn’t disappoint!!
Where else can you find Godzilla, if not in Tokyo?
Omoide Yokocho. “Omoide” means memory and “Yokocho” is a lane / small alley, so loosely translated as you are walking down memory lane… everything here feels nostalgic, traditional Japan. There are tons of little stalls (izakaya) and while most don’t have any English menues, some have pictures.
Beyond the crossing, there’s plenty to do in Shibuya. It’s a shopping paradise, and we love people-watching in this high-fashion district. The vintage stores here are filled with amazing finds, and don’t forget to visit the Hachikō Memorial Statue, a beloved tribute to Japan’s most loyal dog.
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Meanwhile, the serene Meiji Jingu shrine is roughly 15 minutes’ walk from the famous crossing, although it feels a whole world away!
The central Shinto shrine complex is a perfect spot for people watching on weekends, with people wearing their traditional dress. But even better than the shrine is the surrounding forest, with peaceful paths and torii gates, where we were happy to walk for an hour before venturing back out into busy Tokyo.
Shibuya Crossing was top of my bucket list and it did not disappoint. It is the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world, and we were so surprised at how peaceful and calm the crossing was despite being so busy. Tokyo was like that – it’s home to so many people, but I never felt crowded or rushed, everything always felt calm. John did not feel the same way, as he found the crowds to be overwhelming, as we shuffled along some crowded streets.
As a first-time Tokyo visitor, you HAVE to check out Akihabara to experience firsthand all the unique and unusual things you’ve heard about Japan – the infamous eccentric Maid cafe (even if you don’t want to go to one), cat cafes, electronics, comic books, and floors and floors of arcade games, just to name a few.And there is a Don Quijote (aka Donki), a bonus for me, as I thought we wouldn’t get to one.
In Asakusa, you can check out Senso-ji, a famous Buddhist temple. There is a cool street in front of this temple, called Nakamise Shopping Street, which has lots of street food you can try and souvenir stalls.
And it is close to Asahi Brewery headquarters which I had on my bucket list for lunch.
Tokyo Skytree is currently the primary television and radio broadcast of the Kanto region. When Tokyo Skytree was built in 2010, it became the tallest structure in Japan. At its full height of 634m, it also became the tallest tower in the world.
Sake Tasting Dinner
I did a full post here on toilets! We fell in love with their bidets, although they can be quite complicated!
LOWLIGHTS
We were very disappointed by the dinner cruise. It didn’t help that there were only us and another couple plus it was raining. The whole experience was so regimented, with a strict timetable to ensure we were off the boat on schedule.
I have since looked at other cruises and this was not the one for us. This was one of the shortest, and most do not allow you to cook your own sukiyaki hot pot meal (fire hazard!). Most offer a large variety of Japanese foods. Definitely not worth it for the price.
Although we did get this photo, which I think will be our wall Japan photo.
I have since looked at other cruises and this was not the one for us. This was one of the shortest, and most do not allow you to cook your own sukiyaki hot pot meal (fire hazard!). Most offer a large variety of Japanese foods. Definitely not worth it for the price.
Although we did get this photo, which I think will be our wall Japan photo.
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