Day 5
Good morning! Today is Harajuku day!
Yes I mean today will be a day at chilling and exploring at Harajuku.
By the way, there is two different look for the Harajuku station and this is the olden day look so don't be surprise if you walked out the more modern station's exit!
Oh ya, before walking out of the station, we pass by this Danish Bar inside the station and the pasty is calling us...
And no doubt, we got ourselves some to share!
We dare not to buy more because we are going for a brunch appointment with JP's friend.
We were at this cafe name Bills at Omotesando, located at level 7 of Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku and apparently it is quite a popular cafe. We were here at around 12pm and only manage to get a table after queuing for 1hr (honestly not too bad, consider short a wait in Japan).
Operating Hours: 8.30am - 10pm ( Monday to Sunday )
Website: https://billsjapan.com/en/omotesando
Got seated at the "cozy" corner that looks like a library.
Of course, caffeine fix first.
So this pancake is the popular item of the cafe.
Overall food was not bad. Price is also similar to Singapore's cafe pricing.
I'm not a sweet expert so no much comment on the pancake, but I prefer the one at Ginza West Ayoma Garden that I had in Tokyo a few years back (click the link to read from my previous post).
After brunch, time to shop around to digest our food.
Wah bubble tea business is definitely a hit in Japan!
Queue to go in for shopping too? One common thing about Japanese and Singaporean, we all love to queue...
Here we are at the Cat Street where all the more well known brands are!
JP's favorite brand and usually they have different country's exclusive!
Sneakers on 30%!
There is Japan exclusive but I don't find it nice so I didn't take any picture of their product but this fitting room while waiting for JP to try. Btw there is stickers that says Adidas Tokyo for you to take home and it's free!
Operating hours : 11am - 8pm (Monday to Sunday)
Opposite Adidas is Ragtag, a place where they send secondhand clothes and luxury bags.
We went in but didn't manage to get anything,
Operating Hours: 11am - 8pm ( Monday to Sunday )
Website: https://www.ragtag.jp/real-store/0000000001?utm_source=gbm&utm_medium=map&utm_campaign=store\
Saw a long queue at Tiffany & Co's pop up! Not sure what's in there but we are not so interested in queuing to go in. (Oops!)
Love the design of this Polo Ralph Lauren store!
And what's next? It's coffee time!
Purposely come here to try the coffee from The Roastery By Nozy Coffee which is Highly recommended by JP's friend.
Operating Hours: 10am - 8pm (Monday to Sunday)
Website: https://www.tysons.jp/roastery/
Very crowded! But we still manage to get ourselves a very small standing table at the corner.
Beside coffee, there is pastry too.
Coffee menu.
Coffee was good! Do drop by for a nice coffee in between your shopping!
Walking back to Oomotesando and I don't know why I ended here... Haha!
Operating Hours: 11am - 8pm ( Monday to Sunday )
Website: https://www.kiddyland.co.jp/harajuku/#
Haha ok, Kat wanted to go in to have a look, so we all went in.
I think Snoopy is always a thing in Japan? we see Snoopy product everywhere!
Anyway, if you are like a fan of Sanrio, Peanut, Disney, you might go crazy in Kiddy Land, don't say i never warn you ( and your pocket )!
So JP's friend wanted to bring us to a cafe near the Omotesando station. This area is more on the chill vibe, less crowded on the street but cafes here all are quite crowded inside!
Not the place we are going but there is a blue bottle here!
If you have not tried, it's worth trying their coffee!
Operating Hours: 8am - 7pm ( Monday to Sunday )
Nice store but the queue is way too long (until the stairs)!
Oh wow, there sell can coffee now?!
ok, back to the cafe, Qu'il Fait Bon that we are actually going and its right opposite Blue Bottle Coffee. There is queue too, but a real short and fast one. By the way, his place is famous for their tarts (calling all the tarts lover now!).
Operating Hours: 11am - 7pm ( Monday to Sunday )
I'm not a cake person but fruit tarts are a different story!
Look at those big strawberry!
So many choices!
Here's the drinks menu.
And the tarts menu! Look at the wide range they have! Oh ya and the tarts flavor here has seasonal (depend of the current fruit seasons) and also regular menu!
Enough of coffee for today so it's tea time! Anyway tarts are always better with tea rather than coffee.
We got ourselves, berries tart ( regular menu )...
5 kind of citrus tart ( seasonal menu )...
Grapefruits tart ( seaonal menu )...
And lastly, the Griotte Cherry & Hazelnut Baked tart ( seaonal menu ). And this bake tart is my least favorite. The rest of the fruit tarts is nice!
Randomly pass by this unknown ( seems like a school? ) place and seems like a good place to do some "photo shoot" kind of photo! Haha!
Random "photo shoot"!
Aoyama Flower Market is also a well know tea place! But we are saving our tummy for dinner later.
So, we went in to explore the flowers area buy since we can't bring flowers back home, we just take a welfie there with the beautiful flowers! Haha!
Again, walk pass a random building lobby and decided to take another "photo shoot" kind of photo there! Haha! Just bear with us and our random "photo shoot" because there is so many nice place in Japan for nice photos!
Continue to shop around but seems like the crowd is gone in the evening? Or is just this Aoyama shopping area is the less crowded area?
Again, at Bathing Ape and is a Bapexxclusive store (not too sure what is the exclusive about, they all look the same to me! oops!)... and again, the service at this outlet was not good too but slightly better than the one we went in Shibuya.
Operating Hours: 11am - 8pm (Monday to Sunday)
A hidden Off-White store here!
Operating Hour : 12pm - 8pm (Monday to Sunday)
Website: https://www.off---white.com/en-jp/
Ok, last Bathing Ape store for real! This JP need to find something from the brand, and this is her last chance! Service was bad no doubt... I think we are now kind of use to the service and the black face from the staff already. I hope you can be the lucky ones to get good service (like some lucky ones from google map review but most of the review are similar to what I feel so far...)!
Operating Hours: 11am - 8pm ( Monday to Sunday )
While waiting, I got bored and took this photo of this LED stairs and got stop by the staff (impolitely) saying no photo taking. (yup, even their stairs are not allow...) So, I ended up staring at the blank space while waiting...
Finally got her stuff and gonna say bye to all the Bape store for real for now!
She is happy when she found something but at the same time sad because her pocket is burnt! Lol!
Cute random store here!
Show this store that sells Kakao friends' item and went in to have a look!
Will say definitely better to buy in Korea.
Operating Hours : ( updates, the store is permanently closed )
It's Koi! Look at the queue! And now you see what I mean by bubble tea chain definitely earn money in Japan?
Back to Takeshita street! The more crowded area in Harajuku!
Oh wow! There is Style Nanda here! If you have not heard before, it's a famous fashion brand in Korea where you can find Fashion wear and the famous 3CE cosmetic.
Operating Hours: 11.30am - 7.30pm ( Monday to Sunday )
Website: https://jp.stylenanda.com/
Time for some Calbee snacks! You can find unique flavor here! I will always drop by to get some as souvenir to bring back home! Oh ya, they do freshly bake chips too!
Operating Hours: 9am - 9pm ( Monday to Sunday )
Websites: https://www.calbee.co.jp/calbeestore/
Quite a wide range of snacks to get! I always buy their instant potato soup!
Oh ya this is also a famous cafe in Japan for their bouncy pancake but we didn't get any. I guess we have reach our dessert quota of the day!
Crepes are also a famous dessert at Takeshita street.
Yes, we are having McDonald's for dinner today! Haha! Heard that the McDonald's here in Japan are nice and had exclusive burger ( well, all country had their exclusive so it fun to try out ) so we are here to check it out!
Operating Hours: 7am - 10pm ( Monday to Sunday )
I had Ebi (prawn) burger, and it was good. But anyway, what can go wrong for McDonald's right?
Ordered the bacon pie to try because we do not have it in Singapore, but I still prefer our apple pie! Haha!
That's all for our Harajuku day!
Oh ya this is the modern Harajuku station that I mention in the morning!
Heading home now!
Good night people!
Day 6
Good morning! Time to head out for bunch!
Oh ya do you know there is a cabin on the subway that is only for women in Japan? This is to make sure the women are safe.
We purposely came to the Peanuts Cafe for brunch but it's full.
Operating Hours: 10am - 10pm ( Monday to Sunday )
Website: http://www.peanutscafe.jp/
The peanuts cafe is a must go for Snoopy lover! So many Snoopy merchandise selling here!
Anyway since the restaurant area is full, we shall just have some coffee at the cafe area then.
Empty when we were there but full once we sit down! I guess because everyone couldn't eat at the restaurant area therefore all wanna squeeze into this small area for at least a cup of coffee.
We order an ice cream to try too.
Overall, coffee is alright, nothing fantastic. The sweetness of the marshmallow covers the taste of the coffee. Didn't quite like it.
Ice cream was normal too.
After coffee, time to look for food!
We happen to pass by a store call snobbish babies... and this JP just have to...
So while walking, we saw this restaurant with a queue and looking at the menu, it seems delicious. This place sells dumpling soups and noodle.
The restaurant is not big but it's full house.
We ordered a few different kind of dumpling to try. It's like our Chinese dumpling.
Ok to be very honest, we didn't like it and didn't manage to finish it because they are way toooo salty! I'm not sure is it just us or what but everybody there seems to be enjoying their soup but the 3 of us just could not swallow the soup! The gyoza is still consider better as compared to the soup ones. We basically left the place with almost 3/4 untouched.
Oh well... never have I expected to eat something not nice in Japan! I always tell my friends that it is impossible to eat something awful in Japan... but I guess I found one... But this is all based on personal taste preference because the local at the next table seems to finish up their dumpling.
P/s: I didn't put any information on this restaurant because I do not recommend my readers to try but if you want, you can google by the store name.
After a not so satisfy lunch, we walk over to the nearest subway station to take the subway to Roppongi Hill. Been to Japan a few times but it's my first time to this place.
One of the popular stores in Roppongi hill I guess have to be this Art and Design Store. Quite crowded here and this place basically sells all the cute stuff.
Operating Hours: 11am - 9pm ( Monday to Sunday )
They also have stuff from Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami!
Same hair style so have to take a picture together.
Nothing much of the brands in the mall suit us so we decided to go have some coffee instead. Not many cafe inside so we just pick the one nearest to where we are. Haha.
We choose Antico Caffe which is at the same level as the Art & Design store.
Operating Hours: 8am - 9pm (Monday to Friday)
9am - 10pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Their choice of coffee.
Coffee in a champagne glass? Interesting.
Ok, so it is just latte in a champagne glass. Haha!
Shake Shack is having long queue in Singapore while there is no crowd here in Japan! I wonder what so nice about it that Singaporean are willingly to queue for some burgers.
But Singaporean do love queuing for food, be it nice or not nice, queue first decide later. Haha! Anyway even though there is no queue, we didn't want to waste our food quota for a burger in Japan.
Next we are going Temple hopping! First, we are going to Shiba-Daijingu Shrine! Took the subway from Roppongi station to Daimon station.
Walk a few min and we will reach the shrine.
Here we are at the Shiba- Daijingu Shrine. Wondering why is it so empty?
Yes! This is considering a less popular and less touristy temple! But they are definitely famous among the locals. I read somewhere saying that Shiba-Daijingu Shrine are known for God of good luck, economic fortune and success in business so that's the main reason why we are here! Praying for all the luck we need in work!
Operating Hours: 9am to 5pm (Monday to Sunday)
Website : https://www.shibadaijingu.com/goyuisyo/
Before entering the shrine, there is a sign outside to teach you how to pray!
2 bow, follow by 2 clap, & follow by 1 bow.
There is Votive tablet here too!
This little triangle bags comes with a stone inside and it's not good luck so we each got ourselves one since wishing for luck is our main purpose here. It's 300Yen ( SGD$3.70 ) each and you just need to drop the money into the hole and pick 1 bag. It's all about honesty so please do not break it ya? After all everyone is here for blessing so be honest and you will receive the blessing!
Off to our next destination, another temple! Saw this cute dog and i just have to snap a picture of it!
Nice weather to actually walk over to the next shrine! It's just about 15mins walk.
Almost there!
Here we are at Atago Shrine.
I really love the Zen in each Shrine. It always feels so calming and quiet.
The usual cleansing procedure before going into the Shrine.
Cleanse both your hands.
And cleanse your mouth by pouring the water onto you hand and drink from your hand.
I think this Shrine is of a less popular Shrine that tourist will go but we actually here for their God of Success and the famous long stairs which is known as the stairs to Success.
Taking picture with the in house cat!
Benzaiten-Sha, The God of Success.
So, this is the famous long steep stairs of Atago Jinja which is well known as the way to Success!
So, Success, here we come!
Really long and steep! But for the seek of having a success career, we have to embrace it!
Here's a small background story of the stairs.
Before reaching the station, we stop by a convenience store to grab some ice cream and rest awhile inside the convenience store.
Reach Asakusa Station and pass by the Asakusa underground street. This underground street make me feels like I have just travel the time machine. Very old and erm... authentic?
We didn't shop at the underground street by a glance though, we saw many restaurant here.
Came out of the underground street and the outer look doesn't look as old as the inside.
Walking to the Senso-ji (Asakusa Shrine) through the Shinnakadori so we can shop while walking over. Haha!
Attracted by the look of this place and we stop by to see what are they selling.
Here we are at the Kaminarimon Gate ( 雷門 )
and this is the place where the famous red lantern is and also the entrance to the Senso-Ji!
It's my second time here by the way.
Operating Hours (Senso-ji): 9am to 4pm (Monday to Friday)
9am to 4.30pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Website: https://www.senso-ji.jp/english/
How can first timer not take picture with the famous lantern right?
Opps, I mean not only first timer will take picture with the lantern right? Haha!
It's not easy to take picture with the lantern without being photobombed so since it's so empty, I just have to take again.
We are actually late already as the Shrine is closed so we can only shop at the Nakamise shopping street which leads to the Senso-Ji from the Kaminarimon Gate.
Nakamise shopping street is one of the oldest shopping street in Japan selling traditional toy, food and souvenirs.
Still many people even though the shrine is closed.
After finishing walking the Nakamise shopping street, we reached the Hozo-Mon Gate.
Photo with another red lantern!
And finally we reach the Senso-Ji. Although it is close already, we still see people paying a respect to the god outside the temple.
The temple looks beautiful even at night.
Since we didn't get to pay a respect to the God in Senso-ji, we thought that we will come back tomorrow for it and we left the place. JP happen to pass by a shop that sells her favorite cartoon character, Totoro. Look at her happy face.
Walking back to the Asakusa station through Shinnakadori street again.
Back to Shinjuku and time for dinner! Walking around to see what should we eat and randomly saw this 'eat all you can' Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu restaurant located at level 8 of this Takano 2 building and we decided to give it a try since we have not had Sukiyaki for this trip yet.
It's quite late already but there is still queue in the restaurant but the luckily the waiting time wasn't as long as we expected.
Operating Hours: 11.30am - 3pm, 5pm-10.30pm (Monday to Sunday)
Website: https://nabe-zo.com/#
The Eat-All-You-Can course is 2800Yen (=SG$34.60) and you can have unlimited of vegetable that you can get at the buffet counter...
... and unlimited of meat!!! For meat you have to order through the staff. And look at those meat!
The Sukiyaki soup was good!
So happy with our dinner! It might be considered expensive for some people, but the quality of soup and meat is really worth and comparing with the price in Singapore, this place is really much cheaper than in Singapore!
Anyway, time to head back home before we got no more train!
Good night!
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