Trip Index
- Days 1-2 in Tokyo: Planning, JAL business class, Hyatt Regency, Meiji Shrine, Tokyu Food Hall, Don Quixote
- Days 3-4 in Tokyo: Asakusa, Tokyo National Museum, Imperial Palace, Robot Restaurant, conveyor belt sushi/ramen/blowfish
- Day 5 in Tokyo: Mt. Fuji Shibazakura Festival, Standing Sushi Bar
- Days 1-2 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Embarkation, day at sea
- Days 3-4 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Hakodate, day at sea
- Days 5-6 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Bridge tour, Petropavlovsk (Siberia)
- Days 7-13 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: crossing the Bering Sea, two May 4ths, Qsine
- Days 14-15 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Victoria, disembarkation, Miku; Ruby Princess 1-night cruise Vancouver to Seattle
***
On Wednesday, after breakfast in the Hyatt Regency Tokyo lounge, we continued with the 3-day itinerary and went to Asakusa. Kaleb and I meandered through lots of shopping areas to get to Senso-ji Temple.
We then hopped on the metro towards Ueno, walking through the park to get to the Tokyo National Museum, just in time before the rain started coming down. Pictures weren't allowed in many of the interesting exhibits.
We got a warm snack at one of the food carts outside the main building.
Afterwards, I wanted to try out conveyor belt sushi (kaiten-zushi); a highly rated one was Katsumidori in Shibuya, on the 8th floor of the Seibu department store. As the place took no reservations and was very popular, we planned on an early dinner. It was a bit hard to find, but once we spotted a bunch of chairs lined up along the wall outside the entrance, we knew we made it. It was 4pm and people were already waiting (sitting). As guests were taken into the restaurant, everyone would slide over however many chairs were freed. Mmm, warm seats...
Not much English was spoken here. Diners could partake in the conveyor belt with plates of assorted nigiri and small dishes passing by. A paper order form was available, but the best method for us was to order from an iPad with English menu, ensuring our sushi would be fresher than the ones on the belt. The amount of wasabi or rice could also be specified. I recommend the "shari small" option so you have less rice in your nigiri, leaving room in your stomach for more.
iPad orders would show up on a separate belt above the conveyor. At first, I didn't know that the belt was shared between us and the table on the other side, so when food suddenly showed up at our table without having ordered, I reached for it, but the waitress rushed over, saying "No no no!" Only when the light is flashing on our side does it mean that the food is for us.
22-second video of me feeding my fat face and picking up our custom orders on the belt: (click here if you cannot see the preview below)
Cooked food was served as well, but we were only interested in sushi.
Once eating concluded, I pressed the "Check" button and a server came by to count all the empty plates using some sort of electronic device. Each plate pattern corresponded to a price. We ended up with bellies full of uni, toro, aburi, rolls, you name it, plus dessert for about $50 USD...insanity! I would eat here all the time if I lived nearby.
Thursday morning after breakfast, we made our way next door to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office's observation deck to get a view of the city, as recommended by the 3-day itinerary. Entrance is free, though you have to go through security and wait in line to ride the elevator up. If the sky had been clear today, we could have seen Mt. Fuji.
Afterwards, we took the building escalator down to the metro and headed over to the Imperial Palace. As much of the public areas was outdoors, it was fortunate that the sky was only sprinkling a little bit. It was interesting to see the modern city surrounding the traditional palace.
For late lunch, we went to a highly rated ramen restaurant called Ichiran Shinjuku Chuo Higashiguchi. Fortunately the wait was not very long. You first have to buy a ticket from the cash-only vending machine, choosing all the options you want for your ramen, drinks, any extras, etc. Then you are seated at a counter where you fill out a form with your preferences and redeem your ticket(s) with the server. I also ordered a dessert, so I got a marked "plate" to request it when I was ready.
Each seat had a partition to allow for solo dining, but we could open it up between the two of us. Once the food came, a shade closed on the server side so you could eat in privacy. The egg was served separate, to be shelled and halved yourself - quite a delicate process as it was soft-boiled.
When I was ready for dessert, I put the plate on the sensor pad. A few moments later, someone lifted the curtain to take the plate, then shortly lifted it again to deliver the tofu.
The ramen was pretty yummy, though I still prefer Kintaro ramen in Vancouver. It was neat to order food tickets from a vending machine.
After lunch, we headed for the Robot Restaurant, a favorite of Anthony Bourdain (quote "greatest show I've ever seen in my life"). I purchased discount tickets through Voyagin, with no meal included. We redeemed the voucher at the ticket counter. Somehow we ended up with front row center seats, even though we did not pay extra for them. We did not receive our free gift (looked like a keychain, from watching everyone else in the waiting lounge) but no matter since our seats were great!
It was worth arriving at the specified hour on the voucher as the waiting area became quite crowded with nowhere for later-arriving customers to sit. There was a pre-show performed by humans dressed as robots. Then everyone was called to go downstairs to be seated. I would recommend going to the restroom at this time. There is a very brief intermission during the show and there may not be enough time to do your business.
The seats were quite small. The people next to us got an unappetizing bento box with their ticket, so I suggest not to pre-order any food, even though it is called "Robot Restaurant".
Then the show began...can we say SENSORY OVERLOAD?!?!?!?
360 spherical photo of Robot Restaurant show:
At a point in the show, staff members erected a chain barrier to protect the audience from the robots. It was taken down after that segment was over.
18-second video of part of the show: (click here if you cannot see the preview below)
30-second video near the end of the show: (click here if you cannot see the preview below)
Even though I watched Bourdain's Tokyo episode, I was unprepared for the spectacle. I have never seen or heard so many disjointed colors/patterns/lights/songs in one place, at the same time. I still don't have a clue what the show was about. It was mind-blowing in a peculiar way. Definitely something you'd want to see once, even if it is a tourist trap. If I were to go again, I would bring earplugs, or at least take a pair of safety headphones that were offered to children in the crowd before the show started as it was quite loud. No wonder we had gone down so many stairs, so that the sound wouldn't get out!
Then it was time for dinner at a blowfish (fugu) restaurant called Guenpinfugu Shinjuku. Incorrectly prepared blowfish can kill, but nowadays, with health regulations and licensed chefs, it's a commonly eaten delicacy, so it seemed a safe bet. I read reviews on various restaurants and this one was recommended for its affordability and variety. I made reservations online but a lot of it was in Japanese. Google Translation helped with some of it, but the drop down menus were still in Japanese, and I had to refer to the prices on the English menu to know which prix-fixe I was reserving. I'm sure if you ordered incorrectly online, you could fix it once you were at the restaurant.
Even using GPS/Google Maps on my phone, it was hard to find this place. I walked into a restaurant thinking it was Guenpin, but it wasn't and the staff there didn't speak English well enough to offer directions. I even let them read my reservation email (which was mostly in Japanese) and they still had no clue. It turned out that it was upstairs! How could they not know where this place is?
We mentioned to the hostess that we had a reservation, then were directed to a table. Shoes must be removed. You could choose to sit traditionally on tatami mats or put your legs into the space under the table.
Our server confirmed the Daigo set menu that I requested in the reservation, then our fugu-eating journey commenced. I have to say that I didn't notice any tingling on my tongue.
The hot pot setup was quite ingenious: a bamboo basket lined with a specially-made paper pot on top of an induction burner. A circular metal plate with large holes sat at the bottom. Water was poured into the pot and boiled quickly after the induction burner was turned on. Once the hot pot/porridge was finished, it'd be an easy clean up - just throw away the paper pot! No flames involved either. Now I have to find one of these for home use.
My favorite part of the meal was the deep fried fugu. The rest of the dishes seemed bland, or too subtle in flavor for my inexperienced taste buds. If I were to return to a fugu restaurant, I would try deep fried and grilled options.
After dinner, we walked around the area, taking in the nighttime lights and crowds.
Tomorrow, we head to Mt. Fuji and the Shibazakura Festival - stay tuned!
(Missed the first part of our trip? Click on the links in the Trip Index at the top of the page!)
If you came here from a Facebook or Twitter link, thanks for clicking the "Facebook Like" button at the top of the page or retweeting!
Don't miss a blog entry! Sign up for updates direct to your inbox here or add the blog to your RSS feed.
Getting excited reading about these trips and want to go? Contact me at yellowdogtravel at gmail d0t com with your ideas and I can help you plan it! Or if you've already put a deposit on a cruise through the cruise line, contact me to get more information on transferring the reservation to me to get bonuses like extra onboard credit or gifts. I have lots of happy returning clients - references always available.
Come check out my other blog "What in the world is Kat Kong doing now?", documenting things other than traveling...sign up for blog updates direct to your inbox here!
Another disclaimer: The intention of this blog was to remind Future Me in full detail about where I went and what I did. I could have made it private, but I frequently get questions from family, friends and internet folks about how I planned things, got deals, etc., so instead of repeating the story over and over, I direct them here. If you are offended by anything I say or do, save yourself the discomfort and kindly click away from my blog. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!
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We then hopped on the metro towards Ueno, walking through the park to get to the Tokyo National Museum, just in time before the rain started coming down. Pictures weren't allowed in many of the interesting exhibits.
|
|
|
|
|
|
We got a warm snack at one of the food carts outside the main building.
|
|
Afterwards, I wanted to try out conveyor belt sushi (kaiten-zushi); a highly rated one was Katsumidori in Shibuya, on the 8th floor of the Seibu department store. As the place took no reservations and was very popular, we planned on an early dinner. It was a bit hard to find, but once we spotted a bunch of chairs lined up along the wall outside the entrance, we knew we made it. It was 4pm and people were already waiting (sitting). As guests were taken into the restaurant, everyone would slide over however many chairs were freed. Mmm, warm seats...
Not much English was spoken here. Diners could partake in the conveyor belt with plates of assorted nigiri and small dishes passing by. A paper order form was available, but the best method for us was to order from an iPad with English menu, ensuring our sushi would be fresher than the ones on the belt. The amount of wasabi or rice could also be specified. I recommend the "shari small" option so you have less rice in your nigiri, leaving room in your stomach for more.
iPad orders would show up on a separate belt above the conveyor. At first, I didn't know that the belt was shared between us and the table on the other side, so when food suddenly showed up at our table without having ordered, I reached for it, but the waitress rushed over, saying "No no no!" Only when the light is flashing on our side does it mean that the food is for us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22-second video of me feeding my fat face and picking up our custom orders on the belt: (click here if you cannot see the preview below)
|
|
Cooked food was served as well, but we were only interested in sushi.
Once eating concluded, I pressed the "Check" button and a server came by to count all the empty plates using some sort of electronic device. Each plate pattern corresponded to a price. We ended up with bellies full of uni, toro, aburi, rolls, you name it, plus dessert for about $50 USD...insanity! I would eat here all the time if I lived nearby.
Thursday morning after breakfast, we made our way next door to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office's observation deck to get a view of the city, as recommended by the 3-day itinerary. Entrance is free, though you have to go through security and wait in line to ride the elevator up. If the sky had been clear today, we could have seen Mt. Fuji.
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Afterwards, we took the building escalator down to the metro and headed over to the Imperial Palace. As much of the public areas was outdoors, it was fortunate that the sky was only sprinkling a little bit. It was interesting to see the modern city surrounding the traditional palace.
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For late lunch, we went to a highly rated ramen restaurant called Ichiran Shinjuku Chuo Higashiguchi. Fortunately the wait was not very long. You first have to buy a ticket from the cash-only vending machine, choosing all the options you want for your ramen, drinks, any extras, etc. Then you are seated at a counter where you fill out a form with your preferences and redeem your ticket(s) with the server. I also ordered a dessert, so I got a marked "plate" to request it when I was ready.
Each seat had a partition to allow for solo dining, but we could open it up between the two of us. Once the food came, a shade closed on the server side so you could eat in privacy. The egg was served separate, to be shelled and halved yourself - quite a delicate process as it was soft-boiled.
When I was ready for dessert, I put the plate on the sensor pad. A few moments later, someone lifted the curtain to take the plate, then shortly lifted it again to deliver the tofu.
|
|
|
|
 |
| matcha tofu dessert |
The ramen was pretty yummy, though I still prefer Kintaro ramen in Vancouver. It was neat to order food tickets from a vending machine.
After lunch, we headed for the Robot Restaurant, a favorite of Anthony Bourdain (quote "greatest show I've ever seen in my life"). I purchased discount tickets through Voyagin, with no meal included. We redeemed the voucher at the ticket counter. Somehow we ended up with front row center seats, even though we did not pay extra for them. We did not receive our free gift (looked like a keychain, from watching everyone else in the waiting lounge) but no matter since our seats were great!
 |  |
 |
|
|
|
It was worth arriving at the specified hour on the voucher as the waiting area became quite crowded with nowhere for later-arriving customers to sit. There was a pre-show performed by humans dressed as robots. Then everyone was called to go downstairs to be seated. I would recommend going to the restroom at this time. There is a very brief intermission during the show and there may not be enough time to do your business.
|
|
The seats were quite small. The people next to us got an unappetizing bento box with their ticket, so I suggest not to pre-order any food, even though it is called "Robot Restaurant".
|
|
Then the show began...can we say SENSORY OVERLOAD?!?!?!?
360 spherical photo of Robot Restaurant show:
Post from RICOH THETA. - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA
 |  |
At a point in the show, staff members erected a chain barrier to protect the audience from the robots. It was taken down after that segment was over.
 |  |
18-second video of part of the show: (click here if you cannot see the preview below)
 |  |
30-second video near the end of the show: (click here if you cannot see the preview below)
 |  |
Even though I watched Bourdain's Tokyo episode, I was unprepared for the spectacle. I have never seen or heard so many disjointed colors/patterns/lights/songs in one place, at the same time. I still don't have a clue what the show was about. It was mind-blowing in a peculiar way. Definitely something you'd want to see once, even if it is a tourist trap. If I were to go again, I would bring earplugs, or at least take a pair of safety headphones that were offered to children in the crowd before the show started as it was quite loud. No wonder we had gone down so many stairs, so that the sound wouldn't get out!
Then it was time for dinner at a blowfish (fugu) restaurant called Guenpinfugu Shinjuku. Incorrectly prepared blowfish can kill, but nowadays, with health regulations and licensed chefs, it's a commonly eaten delicacy, so it seemed a safe bet. I read reviews on various restaurants and this one was recommended for its affordability and variety. I made reservations online but a lot of it was in Japanese. Google Translation helped with some of it, but the drop down menus were still in Japanese, and I had to refer to the prices on the English menu to know which prix-fixe I was reserving. I'm sure if you ordered incorrectly online, you could fix it once you were at the restaurant.
Even using GPS/Google Maps on my phone, it was hard to find this place. I walked into a restaurant thinking it was Guenpin, but it wasn't and the staff there didn't speak English well enough to offer directions. I even let them read my reservation email (which was mostly in Japanese) and they still had no clue. It turned out that it was upstairs! How could they not know where this place is?
|
|
 |  |
We mentioned to the hostess that we had a reservation, then were directed to a table. Shoes must be removed. You could choose to sit traditionally on tatami mats or put your legs into the space under the table.
Our server confirmed the Daigo set menu that I requested in the reservation, then our fugu-eating journey commenced. I have to say that I didn't notice any tingling on my tongue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The hot pot setup was quite ingenious: a bamboo basket lined with a specially-made paper pot on top of an induction burner. A circular metal plate with large holes sat at the bottom. Water was poured into the pot and boiled quickly after the induction burner was turned on. Once the hot pot/porridge was finished, it'd be an easy clean up - just throw away the paper pot! No flames involved either. Now I have to find one of these for home use.
My favorite part of the meal was the deep fried fugu. The rest of the dishes seemed bland, or too subtle in flavor for my inexperienced taste buds. If I were to return to a fugu restaurant, I would try deep fried and grilled options.
After dinner, we walked around the area, taking in the nighttime lights and crowds.
Tomorrow, we head to Mt. Fuji and the Shibazakura Festival - stay tuned!
(Missed the first part of our trip? Click on the links in the Trip Index at the top of the page!)
***
If you came here from a Facebook or Twitter link, thanks for clicking the "Facebook Like" button at the top of the page or retweeting!
Don't miss a blog entry! Sign up for updates direct to your inbox here or add the blog to your RSS feed.
Getting excited reading about these trips and want to go? Contact me at yellowdogtravel at gmail d0t com with your ideas and I can help you plan it! Or if you've already put a deposit on a cruise through the cruise line, contact me to get more information on transferring the reservation to me to get bonuses like extra onboard credit or gifts. I have lots of happy returning clients - references always available.
Come check out my other blog "What in the world is Kat Kong doing now?", documenting things other than traveling...sign up for blog updates direct to your inbox here!
Another disclaimer: The intention of this blog was to remind Future Me in full detail about where I went and what I did. I could have made it private, but I frequently get questions from family, friends and internet folks about how I planned things, got deals, etc., so instead of repeating the story over and over, I direct them here. If you are offended by anything I say or do, save yourself the discomfort and kindly click away from my blog. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!
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