The first time I went to Tokyo was in January 2017. It was cold and the off season. I recently went again in October 2024 – somewhat shoulder season – but this was the first time Japan welcomed over 1 million visitors in one month.
Tokyo is the most populated city in the world, and one of my favorites. It is so unique you really feel as though you are on another planet. It is super tech savvy, has lots of lights & colors with fun characters everywhere, and amazing food options.
My first week was as a backpacker. I stayed with a friend and was living off my savings so not wanting to spend too much. My second week long trip was with my husband as he had a work conference. I worked remotely which meant I had to get up early to be online for New Zealand time, however I was able to roam around in the afternoon.
Animal Cafes:
My first visit saw me visiting 2 animal cafes: goat & rabbit, chinchilla and hedgehog. My second trip I only went to see capybaras.
Although fun and cute, and so Japan, every time I go to one of these I do feel very bad for the animals.
Most of these cafes have an entrance fee which includes your seat for an allocated amount of time, normally 30 minutes, and then you must buy a drink.
Shopping:
I only really went to Harajuku on my first visit. My second trip saw me visiting Harajuku, and a few new parts of town to look at the vintage clothing and designer handbag resale market.
Since moving to New Zealand I have become a huge fan of ‘op-shopping’ or ‘thrifting’ and I didn’t realize there was a huge presence of these stores in Japan.
Food:
7Eleven was my saving grace in 2017. They are on every corner and have lots of snacks at affordable prices.
2024 saw Mark and I eating at seafood markets and Netflix famous restaurants.
Trips:
During my first trip, I stayed with a friend from Penn State but spent most of my day with a friend who I’ve known since elementary school. He took us on a day trip to Kamakura.
With Mark, we ended up adding Osaka & Kyoto to a long weekend and I did a day trip to Gotokuji.
Japan is a must visit country, with Tokyo being a city I would love to live in. Not much had changed between my visits, other than social media having countless suggestions and I having a bit more money to play with. It is family friendly, has lots of activity options depending on the season, super cool art and endless & surprising food options.
What is your favorite thing about Japan?