Unboxing: Japan 2024 Travel Haul

You know what's great about Japan (aside from the food and high-tech toilets)? Duty free shopping for tourists! 

Sholayered Light Green 1945 Eau de Toilette
Shiro Fragrance Earl Grey Hand Serum and Eau de Parfum
House of Rose Aroma Rucette Body Wash & Bubble Bath in Pink & White Grapefruit and Mandarin & Bitter Orange
House of Rose Sakura Fufufu Milky Body Cream
House of Rose Doux Surge Moisture Body Milk and Moisture Body Cream
Isehan Kiss Me Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara x 2, DeJavu Lash Knockout Extra Volume Mascara, DeJavu Fiber Wig Ultra Long Mascara, and Rohto C3 Cool Eye Drops x 3
Sunstar Ora2 Stain Clear Toothpaste in Peach Leaf Mint x 3 and Fresh Kiwi Mint x 3
Asahi Mintia Breeze Sugarless Candy in Fresh Peach x 5 and Fresh Grape x 5
Souvenirs: Cosmetics pouch, hair brush, coin purse, and glasses case
Starbucks Been There Series: Across the Globe Collection Mug — Tokyo
Starbucks Been There Series: Across the Globe Collection Mug — Osaka
Starbucks Been There Series: Across the Globe Collection Mug — Japan (Spring Edition)
Starbucks Been There Series: Across the Globe Collection Tote Bag — Japan (Spring Edition)
Uniqlo "Asakusa" and "Daruma Dolls" by Bog Craft UT Graphic T-Shirts
Uniqlo "Asakusa Icons" and "Kaitenzushi" UT Graphic T-Shirts

Not included in this post are the plethora of random skin ointments and lip balms I got at pharmacies and the atrocious amount of jeggings and sweatshirts I got at Uniqlo (which are HALF THE PRICE than they are here!!!!!).

Sholayered

Shibuya Scramble Square, 5/F

2 Chome-24-12

Shibuya, Shibuya City

Tokyo, Japan 〒150-0002 

+81-03-4221-4280

Shiro

Shibuya Scramble Square, 6/F

2 Chome-24-12

Shibuya, Shibuya City

Tokyo, Japan 〒150-0002 

+81-03-6803-8246

House of Rose

Tokyu Plaza Shibuya, 3/F

1 Chome−2−3

Dogenzaka, Shibuya City

Tokyo, Japan 〒150-0043

+81-03-6427-0709

Uniqlo Asakusa

Tokyo Rakutenchi Asakusa Building, 1-2/F

2 Chome−6−7

Asakusa, Taito City

Tokyo, Japan 〒111-0032

+81-50-3355-7798

Tokyo 2024 Travel Log: Day 5 — Margherita Pizza, Diavolo Pizza, and Proscuitto & Arugula Salad at Ostrea Oyster Bar & Pizzeria

We were craving pizza, so we decided to go for dinner at Ostrea Oyster Bar & Pizzeria.

Margherita pizza
Diavolo pizza
Prosciutto and arugula salad

We ordered the Margherita and the Diavolo and were surprised by how good these were. (They actually use a wood-fired pizza oven. The crust had the perfect chew and the perfect amount of char and this is the type of crust that would be a CRIME to leave behind.) Didn't think I would find such delicious Italian-style pizza in Tokyo, but here we are. And lest you think we were too unhealthy, we also ordered a prosciutto and arugula salad. To keep a balanced meal, obviously.

Ostrea Oyster Bar & Pizzeria

Shinjuku Sumitomo Building, 1F

2 Chome-6-1

Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City

Tokyo, Japan 〒160-0023

+81-3-6258-1355

Tokyo 2024 Travel Log: Day 5 — Strawberry Collection Afternoon Tea at Caffè (カフェ)

It's springtime, which means it's strawberry season in Japan! So we celebrated with the Strawberry Collection Afternoon Tea at Caffè in the Hyatt Regency Tokyo:

Welcome Drink: Strawberry Soda
Savoury: Croque-Monsieur, Tomato Farci, Quiche Lorraine, and Prosciutto Ham Ball
Savoury: Garlic Shrimp, Smoked Salmon Ball, Salad Roll, Gougère, and Scallop Canapé
Sweet: Strawberry Mousse, Strawberry Macaron, Strawberry Chocolate Tart, and 1-5 (Ichi-Go) Glass Shortcake
Sweet: Berry Éclair, Bean Paste Strawberry Daifuku, Strawberry Frazier, and Strawberry Cake Pop
Sweet: Strawberry Milk Cream Bun
Strawberry Latte
Take Home Gift: Strawberry Madeleines and Strawberry Teas

It was delicious, it was adorable, and I LOVE STRAWBERRY SEASON. 

Caffè (カフェ)

Hyatt Regency Tokyo, Lobby/2F

2 Chome−7−2

Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City

Tokyo, Japan 〒160-0023

+81-03-3348-1234

Tokyo 2024 Travel Log: Day 5 — Nigiri Set Lunch at Hina Sushi

8-Piece Nigiri Set Lunch

On a hunt for a quick lunch and craving sushi, we decided to go to a restaurant called Hina Sushi that was very busy at 1:30PM on a Saturday located in an office building in the quietest part of Shinjuku. But they were offering an 8-piece nigiri lunch set — that includes miso soup, chawanmushi, a potato and carrot salad, and kinako mochi — for ¥1,700 and we couldn't refuse. Quality-wise, it could've been better — the sushi at any conveyor belt sushi restaurant will likely have better cuts of fish — but we've also realized that "decent sushi" in Japan is still pretty damn good.

Hina Sushi

Shinjuku i-LAND Tower

6 Chome−5−1 新宿アイランドタワ B1F

Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City

Tokyo, Japan 〒160-0023

Tokyo 2024 Travel Log: Day 4 — Omurice with Seafood Cream Sauce, Hambagu, and Ebi Fry at Royal Host

Since we were exhausted from exploring Senso-ji and Ueno Park (we did over 20,000 steps!), we wanted to find a restaurant for dinner that would be near our hotel and open relatively late. So we decided to go to Royal Host, once of Japan's most popular Western-style family restaurant chains.

Omurice with seafood cream sauce
Hambagu with vegetables
Ebifry with tartar sauce

Two things I hadn't eaten in Japan yet were omurice and hambagu. So I decided to kill two birds with one stone and got one of the "Western Food Specials" that included omurice with a seafood cream sauce, a hambagu with vegetables, and an ebi fry — all for under ¥2,500. Surprisingly delicious and a great value. (So good, in fact, that my mom wants to come back tomorrow. We shall see.)

Royal Host 

Shinjuku Mitsui Building

2 Chome−1−1 新宿三井ビル 1F

Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City

Tokyo, Japan 〒160-0023 

+81-3-3345-0276

Tokyo 2024 Travel Log: Day 4 — Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival at Ueno Park

So, we went to Ueno Park in the evening 'cause the Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival started and the park is illuminated after sundown and the view is supposed to be pretty damn spectacular.

Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival
Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival
Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival
Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival

Except we just saw hundreds and hundreds of barren trees because apparently the sakura are blooming late this year in Tokyo. But we did find two trees that started blooming and, hey, at least the lanterns are pretty!

Ueno Park

Uenokoen, Taito City

Tokyo, Japan 〒110-0007

+81-3-3828-5644

Tokyo 2024 Travel Log: Day 4 — Asakusa (Okuyama Oimari) Street Food Tour

Did you think I would go to Asakusa and not do a street food tour?

Kare pan from Giraffa

Oden from Kimizuka Shokudo

Roasted pork taiyaki from Edo Taiyaki

Crème brûlée custard cream sweet potato from Imo Pippi

Uji matcha chocolate crunch crêpe from from Kotobuki-sei-an

Mushroom cream stew bun with bacon and corn from Komugi no Dorei

Assorted baby castella from Mochinyan-Yaki

Okuyama Oimari

Okuyama Oimari

Not a single flop here. In fact, we went back to Giraffa for a second kare pan. (And we would've gotten another bun from Komugi no Dorei if they weren't already sold out of everything.) My biggest tip is to skip the insanity that is Nakamise-dori and go straight to the back streets for food. We went to Okuyama Oimari and didn't feel the need to go anywhere else for all of our street food eats.

Giraffa（ジラッファ)

2 Chome−3−26 君塚ビル

Asakusa, Taito City

Tokyo, Japan 〒111-0032 

+81-3-6802-8175

Kimizuka Shokudo

2 Chome−3−26 君塚ビル

Asakusa, Taito City

Tokyo, Japan 〒111-0032 

+81-3-3841-5686

Edo Taiyaki

2 Chome-5-5

Asakusa, Taito City

Tokyo, Japan 〒111-0032 

+81-3-6826-9520

Imo Pippi

2 Chome-3-24

Asakusa, Taito City

Tokyo, Japan 〒111-0032 

+81-3-3841-7027

Kotobuki-sei-an

2-Chome-7-21

Asakusa, Taito City

Tokyo, Japan 〒111-0032 

Komugi no Dorei

2 Chome−7−19 高橋ビル 101

Asakusa, Taito City

Tokyo, Japan 〒111-0032 

+81-3-5246-4449

Mochinyan-Yaki

2 Chome-3-25

Asakusa, Taito City

Tokyo, Japan 〒111-0032 

Tokyo 2024 Travel Log: Day 4 — Visiting Senso-ji Temple

One place I really wanted to visit on this trip was Senso-ji Temple. For those who don't know, it is the oldest temple in Tokyo, one of the most significant Buddhist temples in Japan, and is the most widely visited religious site in the world. I didn't get a chance to visit last year because we just couldn't fit it in our schedule, so I was determined to go this time. 

Hozomon Gate
Hozomon Gate
Hozomon Gate
Five-Storied Pagoda and Senso-ji Temple
Senso-ji Temple
Five-Storied Pagoda
Hozomon Gate (North face)
Senso-ji Temple
Statue in front of Senso-ji Temple
A yuzu tree
Senso-ji tsukubai
Senso-ji tsukubai
Nisonbutsu (Two Buddhas)
A flowering tree in full bloom
Garden at Yogo-do Pavilion
Koi pond at Yogo-do Pavilion
Cascade at Yogo-do Pavilion
Bronze Hokyoin-to
Seated Bronze Statue of Amida Nyorai
Seated Bronze Statue of Kannon Bodhisattva
Lantern in front of Hashimoto Yakusi-do Temple
A sakura tree
Nakamise-dori
Lanterns at Nakamise-dori
I'm not religious, but my grandmother was Buddhist and always took me with her to temple when I was a kid, so I've always appreciated the beauty of the religion and its buildings for worship. I know it's one of the most touristy sites in Tokyo, but it is totally worth dodging crowds for. (I did skip most of Nakamise-dori, though. Those crowds are a little too much for me.)

Senso-ji Temple 

2 Chome-3-1 

Asakusa, Taito City 

Tokyo, Japan 〒111-0032 

+81-3-3842-0181