With great anticipation in our luggage, we set off from Seoul on the next leg of our journey: Tokyo! A city that combines tradition and modernity like no other in the world. From our first meal in a convenience store to shrines, temples and cherry blossoms, our travel diary chronicles our experiences.
Day 1: Welcome to Tokyo – with rain, bling-bling and onigiri
After a relaxing flight, we landed in Tokyo at 16.15. First impressions? Light rain and pleasantly balmy air. The lobby of our hotel already gave us that Vegas feeling: colourful lights, flashing decorations – a bit crazy, but somehow exactly what we expected.
We had no big plans for the evening, only hunger drove us to the nearest 7-Eleven. There our culinary love story began with onigiri and other snacks. A perfect, relaxed start to our Tokyo chapter.
Day 2: Stamps and carbonara love
Early in the morning we went to Hie Shrine. There we bought our first goshuincho: beautiful calligraphy stamps you can buy at temples – and had our first goshuin written on them. Somehow we felt that our Japanese adventure had officially begun. Then a quick trip into the magical world of the Harry Potter shop and café – this time just to look!
For lunch we had a culinary revelation: Carbonara Udon. The perfect fusion of Japanese noodle art and Italian soul food. Creamy, tasty and simply a dream. Then it was on to the colourful world of pop culture: Pokémon Centre and Nintendo Store, a paradise for childhood dreams.
At the end of the day, we stood on the famous Shibuya Crossing for the first time. It was so busy, a sea of people, and yet there was this incredible energy that just took you over.
Oh, we love our Goshuinchos already! And as luck would have it, my book is white and Carlo’s is red – like the Japanese flag! Now every temple and shrine visit is even more fun!
Day 3: Art and ramen heaven
Today we had to get up early as we had an absolute highlight waiting for us. Before breakfast we headed to Odaiba to visit the TeamLab Borderless. As soon as we entered the exhibition, we were completely overwhelmed: endless rooms full of light installations, digital flower meadows and mirrors that blurred reality. Every corner offered new surprises – a place to get lost and immerse yourself in colours and shapes.
This magical experience was followed by another goosebump moment as we spotted our first cherry blossoms in Japan outside the building. We continued on to the Tokyo Tower, which was glowing in the afternoon sun. Next to the tower we found Zojoji Temple, a beautiful, tranquil place with countless small, colourfully decorated Jizo statues. And since we were already in the temple mood, we also stopped by the Gojo Temple – a small, almost hidden temple gem in the middle of the city’s hustle and bustle.
Finally, we couldn’t miss the most famous temple in Tokyo: the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. However, we were not the only ones with this idea – the place was completely overcrowded and the crowds were slowly pushing their way through the streets.
There was only one destination for the evening: ramen. And not just any ramen, but the famous Ichiran ramen. From the first spoonful of the hearty broth, we knew it was love at first bite. The creamy, spicy tonkotsu ramen really set the standard.
Ichiran: Our true love. From now on, we will probably think about eating at Ichiran every night. But no, we will also try other restaurants and other foods (sometimes) !!!
Day 4: Carlo vs. trousers, Godzilla vs. Shinjuku
The day started with a little shopping trip: Carlo desperately needed a new pair of trousers, or two! We then made our way to Hanazono Shrine, a quiet retreat in the middle of bustling Shinjuku. And while you’re in Shinjuku, don’t miss a quick trip to the head of Godzilla. It sits on top of a hotel, a bit kitschy, but also pretty damn cool. Immediately afterwards, we marvelled at the famous 3D cat on a giant LED screen, an absolute eye-catcher that kept changing the scene with its movements.
Later we went on to the Meiji Shrine, which is set in a beautiful wooded area. Here we waited patiently for our next goshuin – the ritual is part of the experience and makes the visit special.
In the evening we plunged back into the world of Ichiran ramen. The same magic as the day before, we just couldn’t get enough. Finally, we spent the evening strolling through Shinjuku, immersing ourselves in the narrow streets of Omoide Yokocho – full of little izakayas, fairy lights and the smell of delicious food.
It was crazy! Yesterday, one of Carlo’s trousers tore, so we were going to buy him some new ones anyway. But he only had two long ones! When we went shopping, his other pair tore too! He wasn’t really happy with the trousers from the shop, he’s also very tall and sizes are a bit different in Japan, but we had to get new ones!
Day 5: Palaces, celebrities and perfect gyoza
The day started with a quick breakfast at the Omnibus Café, where the atmosphere was really cool! Afterwards, we grabbed a banh mi sandwich on the street, but neither was that good, which only added to our anticipation of Vietnam.
After a quick stop at the Nakameguro Shrine, we strolled to the Imperial Palace – and witnessed a Hollywood moment: Chris Hemsworth casually strolled by. He was out with his kids, and although we didn’t speak to him, the moment was a small celebrity highlight. After this highlight, we continued on to Akihabara – a paradise for technology and manga fans. Loud, colourful, overwhelming, but absolutely fascinating.
We ended the evening in the Yurakucho district. After a short wait, we finally found a seat at Chao Chao Gyoza, where we filled our bellies with perfectly fried dumplings. Afterwards, happy and full, we went back to the hotel, where Carlo relaxed in the onsen.
We really thought for sooo long if that was really Chris Hemsworth, but yes!!!! It was definitely him, as we saw later on Instagram!
Day 6: Umbrella parade
Rain in Tokyo? No problem! Armed with our stylish clear umbrellas, we made our way to the Pokémon Centre. We stocked up on all sorts of cute merchandise before taking a well-deserved coffee break at the trendy Blue Bottle Coffee.
As Carlo was still looking for the perfect pair of trousers, we made a quick detour to Levi’s and this time we really found what we were looking for.
Despite the rain, we made our way back to Shibuya, where we took some cool photos with all the umbrellas at the famous intersection. Tokyo in the rain – a special experience.
Day 7: Shibuya from above and a temple full of cats
The day started again in Shibuya, this time from a new perspective: from the Magnet viewing platform we had a fantastic view of the hustle and bustle at the junction.
Next on the agenda were a few souvenir shops – after all, we needed some souvenirs to take home. We took a short break at the Little Bakery: cosy, delicious and the perfect place to take a deep breath. Refreshed, we then headed to a very special place: the Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine, famous for its traditional sumo ring. Very cool and a real surprise in the middle of the city. The highlight of the day was a visit to the Gotokuji Temple, better known as the ‘cat temple’. There are small and large Maneki-Neko figures everywhere, which are said to bring good luck.
We had ramen for dinner this time, but not at Ichiran for a change. How nice for a change!
My mum loves waving cats! That’s why I really wanted to go to this temple! We couldn’t get a cat there, but we found two little ones in a shop next door! So I already have a little souvenir for my mum!
Day 8: Full speed ahead to Kyoto
Today it was time to pack our bags and say goodbye. Our Tokyo chapter ended here, but our adventure continued. We took the Shinkansen to Kyoto, ready for the great big journey of discovery. But that’s another story.
Tokyo made a deep impression on us with its mix of temple tranquillity, neon bustle, great food and warm encounters. Every day was a new chapter full of small wonders. But the adventure continues!
