The second day of my Tokyo Tour reflected the traditional side of the beautiful and historic city.
From national monuments to temples, I saw a lot that day, and a bonus was the incredible food.
Check out my previous post to see what I did on Day 1 and where I stayed 🙂
Tokyo Tour: Senso Ji Temple
Firstly, I forced myself to get out of bed early and make the most of my day, so I managed to leave the hostel around 10 AM (before this, including a morning run in Ikebukuro).
I took the metro to Senso-Ji Temple, a gorgeous and the oldest temple in the city to start my Tokyo Tour.
It’s pretty breathtaking when you first step out of the station and see the bright red lantern and traditional architecture.
While you walk through to get to the prayer hall, which is lined up with shops with traditional Tokyo souvenirs. I might have acquired a Tokyo T-shirt here…
It’s a great way to have a free walking tour. Tokyo reminded me once again – there’s so much to see!
Ueno Park
After leaving the Asakusa area, I went straight to the Ueno park to enjoy the beautiful scenery for my second stop of the Tokyo tour.
I created my own Tokyo walking tour and allowed myself to wander through the park with many cultural sites to participate in.
There was a zoo, the Tokyo National Museum, more souvenir stands, the Toshu-gu shrine, and a Museum of Western art! This is only some of what the park has to offer.
I even picked up some souvenirs here for friends and family because the stands were too cute not to pick up some gifts!
I got fortunate with the weather, too, a perfect 70-75 degrees.
There was also this man on stilts and in an all-black outfit. I believe he was impersonating a character.
He wasn’t the only performer at the park; there were loads of other people – like magicians and artists.
Overall, you could spend an entire day at Ueno Park enjoying the views and exploring the four museums!
Lunch break at Tokyo Station
I wish I had a fancy lunch somewhere, but I am a student travelling, so I decided to stop at a convenience store and eat an onigiri during my Tokyo tour.
An onigiri was only a dollar but very filling and a great snack to eat while on the go.
While I didn’t have the fanciest lunch, I felt like it was a fancy place because of the view I had while eating.
Above the Tokyo Station, there is an open area where charging ports, seating areas, and tables are all covered in lush greenery.
Since I still have some work, it was the perfect area for me to do some work and use free wifi (I love Asia!).
I ate my tuna mayo onigiri while enjoying the view and getting some University work done.
Bridgestone Museum of Art
Next, to continue my Tokyo Tour and be my own Tokyo tour guide, I stopped at the Bridgestone Museum of Art.
This museum was stunning and free for university students (I love the perks of being a student). It had a modern and simplistic feel and was a museum shop with lovely gifts.
The exhibition had many Japanese artists and, coincidentally, a Japanese artist’s work reflecting on the work of Paul Cezanne. I had a presentation on Cezanne’s appointment the week after!
I took it as a sign I was in the right place. There are three floors to explore, and the exhibitions change often.
After dozing around for an hour, it was time for a quick study session.
Study Session at Japan Rail Cafe
Later, after being inspired by the exhibition of Cezanne’s work, I thought it was time to get cracking on my presentation.
I stumbled across the Japan Rail Cafe, and loads of people were working there with their laptops.
It was a bit more expensive than regular cafes that you would find in Seoul, but the atmosphere was perfect for me, with big tables and outlets. Plus, as always, free wifi!
I drank a sparkling lemonade and started typing away for my presentation.
After two hours, I thought it was time to treat myself to a nice meal. My original plan was to eat in Shinjuku, but again, I created my Tokyo food guide and switched gears.
Tokyo Ramen Street
Once I left the cafe, I was starved. My aim for the trip was to try as many highly rated (but cheap) restaurants as a person on a Tokyo foodie tour.
I decided for the end of my traditional Tokyo tour day; there is no question about what else would satisfy me – a nice bowl of ramen!
The Tokyo Ramen Street is located right underneath the Tokyo Station, and since I was so nearby, it was the perfect place to eat.
Once I entered the restaurant area, everywhere was busy – but it was worth the wait.
Soranoino Ramen
I waited outside this restaurant for 30 minutes, but the turnaround was relatively fast.
The only reason the wait time was so long was because it was so busy. Like most Tokyo restaurants, you ordered at a screen and paid before you sat down.
Again, this place was also a solo eating style (perfect for me as a solo traveller on a Tokyo tour!).
I ordered the suggested menu of the classic ramen with chicken slices and a creamy broth with noodles. I think it is the second-best ramen that I’ve tried in my life.
It was the perfect amount of salt, creamy, and the noodles were thin but not so thick that it was hard to eat.
The only reason it is second best is for the price, I had cheaper ramen and it was really good as well (stay tuned for day 3)!
End of Traditional Tokyo Tour Day
After the ramen, I was so stuffed I could barely move. The top-grade ramen is no joke; the portion sizes are big, and the food leaves you extremely satisfied.
I returned to the Tokyo Station terrace and sat there for a while, catching up with friends on the phone.
I needed some time to digest before I embarked on the journey home. Even though it was Halloween, I decided to call it an early night and head home around 9.
I can gladly say this was a very insightful day of the Tokyo tour with all the traditional aspects; I’m glad I got up early, too, to make the most of the day.
Stay tuned for the next post in my Tokyo Tour series to see what I got up to on my last full day (psst. Tokyo Imperial Palace was included)!