If there’s one place I am absolutely in love with even before having been there, it would definitely be Japan. For me it spells colourful temples, bright lights, pretty blossoms, and the best tempura and sashimi (oh, I just LOVE LOVE this one!). Like my favourite things rolled into one sushi!

This trip starts in Tokyo, continues to Kyoto, and ends in Osaka. If you have limited time, I highly suggest flying in of Tokyo and out of Osaka. Given that we only have six short and cold days (yes, the cold weather slowed us down because it’s difficult to walk), our itinerary is a little crammed but very much manageable (coz I prepared it hehe).

We travelled during the first week of spring. And yeah, I said cherry blossoms!

Getting to and around

Travel time from Singapore is 6 hours. We got round-trip tickets from Scoot for ~400sgd.

There are two airports servicing flights to and from Tokyo – Narita International Airport and Haneda International Airport. If you’re flying from outside Japan, you’d probably land at Narita. This is further away from central Tokyo than Haneda, but you would still find getting to the major stations like Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Tokyo Station a breeze.

To get to Shinjuku, we opted for the cheaper option which is taking the Keisei Limited Express. This requires making a transfer at Nippori Station on to the JR Yamanote Line. The ticket costs 1,230 yen and travel time is less than two hours. For those who would like to pay a little more for convenience, the JR Narita Express can take you directly to Shinjuku or Tokyo Station for 3200 yen.

*prices are as of March 2016

Accommodation

We stayed in an Airbnb apartment hosted by a very hospitable local. The place is closest to Yoyogi station, but we ride and get off at Shinjuku station since it’s only a 15-minute walk from the apartment. For starters, Shinjuku station is the busiest train station in the world and accommodates more than 3 million passengers a day @@. I guess there’s no better place to people-watch than here.

I wouldn’t have wanted to lose precious time getting lost in a train station on our first day, but we got company! Our host walked us around Shinjuku, and gave recommendations on where best to eat and shop. I must say, nothing beats a local’s advise!

Day 1: Shinjuku

Also equivalent to Night 1 since we arrived at Yoyogi station from the airport at 3 pm where our dearest host picked us up. We walked to the apartment and settled for a bit. At 5pm, we went out to explore Shinjuku.

Day 2: Mt Fuji

We planned to wake up early the next day to catch the first train going to Chureito Pagoda – one of the best viewpoints for Mt Fuji. I read that the best time to catch an unobstructed view of the mountain is really early in the morning, like before 10am, or late in the afternoon. As by midday the clouds would be covering the mountains and visibility may be low.

To get there, take the train from Shinjuku to Otsuki via JR train. Upon arriving in Otsuki, transfer to Fuji-kyuko Line. The staff will help you find the way to the platform. Take the train bound for Kawaguchiko and get off at Shimo-yoshida station.

After almost two hours of travel, we finally reached Shimo-yoshida station. From here, it’s a 30-minute walk to the Pagoda, could be lesser depending on your pace.

And yes, you have to climb all the way to the top.

It was a heartbreaking climb down. I realized that no matter how carefully you planned something, if it’s not meant to be, it won’t happen. Chos! Haha. But the views up there made the climb totally worth it! Guess there’s something to save for next time.

Our itinerary consists of more temples for the day but we were so tired that we decided to just go back to Shinjuku, have lunch, and go straight to Disneyland!

The highlight and most awaited part of the day – the buffet dinner! Coz I am crazy for crabs and prawns and salmon sashimi! They also serve different kinds of steaks for meat lovers. And there’s a big selection of desserts including a chocolate fondue! That’s all of my favourite in one place <3.

Day 3: Shibuya, Ueno Park, and Shinjuku Gyoen

It’s our last day in Tokyo and we’re gonna be visiting the famous parks. We reserved it for this day coz it’s highly likely we won’t be catching the cherry blossoms in bloom until this time. The peak bloom was delayed for a bit this year due to the really cold weather than normal.

First, we had breakfast at Starbucks in Shibuya crossing. Find a spot beside the window and watch the large intersection below fill with commuters, shoppers, tourists, young and old alike. When the traffic stops, the crossing is flooded with pedestrians from all directions hurrying to get to their destinations.

Then off we went to the parks! The most popular cherry blossom spots could get very crowded especially nearing and during the peak season. Locals could be seen doing hanami, literally “flower viewing”, which often involves holding picnic parties under a blooming tree to fully enjoy the cherry blossoms. This is a very good chance to watch the locals have fun with their family, friends, and colleagues.

Now, it’s time to say goodbye to Tokyo. It’s a bustling place, with so many people and so many things to do. I don’t think I have even seen enough, but hey, that’s what next time’s are for!

Check out my Kyoto post here – Kyoto for first-timers!