I spent about a week in Tokyo visiting friends. I was able to stay with a friend in their old fashioned tatami mat styled apartment outside of Tokyo. While I spent a disproportiante amount of time in Shibuya compared to anywhere else I had a lot more fun this time then last year.
To get home I made a reservation with a bus to the airport which made everything pretty easy.
I do however want to include some of the cheap places I didn’t make individual posts about. A lot of these are chains or can be found in Shibuya.
Don Quijoute, is a variety store in Shibuya that sells things at a cheaper price. From souvenir gifts to house hold supplies, clothes, groceries and bath and body products. If you’re out of something or need something they probably have it. My friend took me here a couple of times because they were cheaper.
Can Do is a 100 yen shop a bit like Daiso. The weather report kept threatening rain so we popped down to Can Do for a 100 yen umbrella.
Genki Sushi is a bit like Kappa Sushi. A chain of cheap sushi you order from a touch screen in front of you. Unlike Kappa Sushi the only thing on the conveyor belt is what you order.
Mandrake is an anime and manga shop, although to catagorize it as just that is a bit limited. They carry comics, figures, pins, toys, doujinshi, dvds, cd’s and cards. Not just of your favorite Japanese titles or idols. There’s a lot to be found in Mandrake, mostly decently priced, even some weird things.
Tower Records isn’t particularly cheap, but if you have any interest in music it’s a great place to go and listen. It occasionally has events. There’s also a restaurant on the roof.
Outside of the stuff I found in Shibuya I spent a little bit of time in Ginza, a pretty expensive area. I was drawn into their Sony store where you can test their products. I ended up going on a mini scavenger hunt and winning stickers to go with their event which was an aquarium theme with fish on loan from an aquarium. That however is over by the time this is being posted, but check out their shop if you want to play with any of their tech or they may be having a new special event. It’s free to wander around and play with their cameras and such.
Also while in Ginza I noticed some random things sticking out. Dolls with time stamps near them that I can only assume move at specific hours. And a stone cat to rub for luck.
Since it was hot I also spent a lot of time in malls soaking up their AC and wifi (and avoiding the sun). I spent a decent amount of time at Roppongi Hills during their summer festival.
There also tend to be a lot of festivals during the summer in Japan at local shrines. We heard taiko drums one night so followed the sound to a small festival. It was fun.
My last meal also happened to be decently priced. Yakitori is a bit like street food, skewered meat or veggies, usually sold by the stick. We ate it at a bar, and at bars you usually have to get a drink too. But it depends on the place.
Until next time Japan!