Spend A Day With Me In Tokyo 🇯🇵

Intro

Following an interesting flight onboard Malaysia Airlines A350, I had planned a day-long layover in Tokyo to explore a city that I hadn’t properly been back to in years. In fact, the last time I went to Tokyo properly was with my family when I was 9. To say it has changed is an understatement, but it’s still a vibrant city with fantastic food. 

The Trains 

Due to arriving in the morning and with no set plans on where to go, I figured that I would drop off my luggage at the airport and take the train into Tokyo from Narita. For around 5-10 USD, I was able to drop off my luggage and proceed to the train station nearby. 

If you are doing this: drop off your luggage at Narita!

Additionally, I found the train to be a really efficient process. Simply show up, buy a ticket (5000 YEN round-trip), head down to the platform, and it will take you into Tokyo within 40 minutes (depending on where you are going). The views are simply stunning, and it’s cool to be on a train that is actually nice (cough cough USA). 

The trains here are awesome!

Japan is so pretty!

Ok, I might pose a little bit sometimes: rarely!

Look, I certainly would not take it if the place where I was staying was far away from one of the stations, but as I had no plans, it worked out perfectly. What a lovely way to start off the day in Tokyo. 

Roaming Around 

It’s rare that I get to properly explore a first-world city by myself, and with no plans. In all honesty, I had no idea what I was doing, so I picked up a Starbucks and just started walking around. I came across some park which was quite cool, although I knew nothing about it. 

The American coming out in me...

What a place to spend a day

Can we just shoutout summer in Japan? A little hot, but whatever.

Parks here are so pretty.

Just a man and his backpack!

I walked for about 2 hours, until I started to get really tired (imagine sleeping enough to thrive, I can’t). So, I called a cheeky Uber and headed off to some Wagyu restaurant I had just researched online. When in Tokyo, right? 

Wagyu

My gosh, does anyone else just almost salivate when they hear the words “wagyu beef in Japan,” or is it just me? It was still quite early, so there weren’t too many places ope,n but this hole-in-the-wall spot. As fate would have it, it was one of those cool places where you cook the beef yourself, and for about 60$ I got 2 beers and about 300 grams of Wagyu. 

This place wasn't bad at all

Yes, I can cook, believe it or not!

Japanese Beer: YUM!!!

K that is enough now lol

Okay, I don’t know much about quality, I just really like meat (pause), but it was really, really good. By this time, it was rolling on about 1 pm, and I still had to get back to the airport, though, so I called an Uber to the train station, hopped on the train, and was back by 2 pm. 

Not bad, time to go explore the ANA Lounge and then get onboard Polaris to SFO. See you in the next report! 

I took a car to the train station: yes I am lazy

But I made it back to Narita!

Final Thoughts

Tokyo is such a cool city, period. Honestly, while this city has changed, it’s a perfect place for those who love “safer” places. Great food, good public transport, and friendly people. One day I would love to go out in Tokyo, but for now, that will wait, as I am going out in Djibouti tonight (which sounds much more fun to me).