[Shibuya, Tokyo] Meiji Shrine and Harajuku

Our Japan Free-and-Easy tour continues! After our early morning venture to Sensoji in Asakusa, we made our way to Meiji Shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo. Meiji Shrine is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife. When we visited on a Sunday, Japanese and tourists flooded the shrine in great numbers! The … Read more

[Shinjuku, Tokyo] Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku

For our Japan trip, we made Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku our headquarters, so as to speak. From here, we made our way to Hokkaido, and back, and then to DisneyLand, and back. One very important thing to take note of regarding Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku – if you are planning to make it your headquarters, … Read more

[Asakusa, Tokyo] Senso-ji and Tempura Daikokuya

Back from guided tours in Hokkaido, we re-embarked on our free-and-easy adventures in Tokyo! Leaving our hotel in the morning, we made our way to Asakusa to  Senso-ji – an ancient Buddhist temple which happens to be the oldest in Tokyo. But, before that, it is time for brunch! Before arriving in Japan, we did a … Read more

[Tokyo, Japan] Tsukiji Fish Market and Tokyo Tower

Rinse and shine! Nah, scrap that.

It was nowhere near the time when the rays of the sun even begin to warm Tokyo. We slept less than 3 hours, and it was time for us to wake up. Try not to plan stuff like this if you’re planning to snuggle in your warm bed!

The alarm clock started ringing at 2:30am. Bleary-eyed, we dragged our limp bodies into the shower to refresh ourselves. What on earth did we get up so early for? The world-renowned Tsukiji Fish Market!

Visiting the official website, it may seem rather un-inviting from the way they phrase their words, which is exactly what they want to achieve!

.. Various problems have arisen in association with the increased number of tourists ..

Also, various rules apply :

.. Up to 120 visitors per day, on a first-come, first-served basis ..

Lucky for us, our research gave us a surprise in the form of Mr. Naoto Nakamura – a veteran of Tsukiji Fish Market who conducts private tours.

In a *cold* and drizzling morning, armed with our map indicating the rendezvous point, we set off for Tsukiji Fish Market. In a cab, of course. Get your hotel to call one for you. There was no other form of public transport at 3:30am in the morning, and I would like to add it burned a huge hole in my pocket for a 10-minutes ride.

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[Tokyo, Japan] Narita Airport and Shinjuku

After a thoroughly exhausting year, we went off to a well deserved holiday for our honeymoon. Our destination? Japan!

Admittedly, there were some hesitations regarding how safe it was due to the radiation situation at Fukushima nuclear plant. We were particularly concerned with Tokyo and Hokkaido which we were planning to visit. A brief check on Google allayed our fears and went ahead with the planning! Ironically, this was one of the least-planned trip we’ve had in recent times because we were too tied up with stuff. Thankfully, things turned out to be great!

We grabbed an early-bird special for SIA and got to fly on Airbus A380 upper deck for $600++ nett. Flying on the upper deck has its perks! There was no need to squeeze with the rest of the people as the upper decks had less seats. Also, the window seat has an additional “bin-style” compartment for storage – in goes our jackets!

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