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10 things I love to do in Tokyo Posted by on Mar 26, 2013 in Uncategorized

1.) Buying drinks from vending machines: I love those vending machines 自動販売機 (ji-dou-hanbai-ki). You can find them everywhere and the variety of drinks they sell is amazing. I heard there are also vending machines that sell bananas バナナ(banana). That’s so crazy. According to the internet they are named “Bobby Banana” and are sold by Dole. The next time I’m in Tokyo 東京, I definitely have to visit the 自動販売機 and take a lot of pictures 写真を撮る(shashin wo toru) (although I hate bananas).

2.) Going to Disneyland and Disneyland sea: Sometimes I have to release the child inside me. In Japan Tokyo Disneyland (東京ディズニーランド) is a very popular 人気 (ninki) dating spot for couples カップル (kappuru). The difference between Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea (東京ディズニーシー) is that TDS has more rides for adults 大人(otona) and of course that it only exists in Tokyo. I love the whole atmosphere in disneyland as well as the disney themed stuffs and foods.

3.) Visiting tsukiji: The Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market (東京都中央卸売市場 Tōkyō-to Chūō Oroshiuri Shijō), often shortened as Tsukiji market, is one of the biggest fish market in the world. At this market you can find the freshest and most delicious sushi 寿司 and sashimi 刺身. I love to stroll through the market and to be amazed by the numerous amount of fish 魚 (sakana) and seafood 魚介類 (gyo-kai-rui) they sell.

4.) Singing karaoke: To be honest I’m not that kind of person who likes to sing 歌う(utau), especially in front of people. Maybe that’s because I’m really not good at singing. BUT since the karaoke bars in Japan do have cabins where you only sing in front of your friends, I kind of love to sing karaoke カラオケ. Although most of the songs are japanese, there are also a lot of western songs.

5.) Fashion in harajuku: I’m kind of fashion addicted. I love to read fashion blogs ブログ (burogu) and fashion magazines 雑誌 (zasshi) and since Tokyo, especially Harajuku, is known as the fashion capital of the world it is on top of my to-do list. I recommend お勧めする (osusume suru) the Takeshita-doori 竹下通り where you can find all sort of fashion, unique styles and cute shops.

6.) Enjoying the views: One thing I love about Tokyo is its skyscrapers 超高層ビル(chou-kousou-biru). I love the view of the skyline from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices building 東京都庁舎 Tōkyō-to Chōsha, often shortened as Tochō (都庁). Especially the after-dark view is fascinating and stunning with all the pretty lights. The panoramic observation decks are free of charge 無料 (muryou).

7.) Food-walking: Besides the japanese fashion, I’m a huge fan of japanese food (that is kind of obvious). Of course we have Sushi 寿司 and Makis in Austria but there are also so many other delicious dishes. Every time I’m in Japan I try to eat many different foods, but on the bottom line I always end up eating okonomiyaki お好み焼きand yakitori 焼き鳥.

8.) Visiting cat-cafes: The so-called 猫カフェー is a cafe where you can watch 見る(miru) and play 遊ぶ (asobu) with cats 猫 (neko). It’s the perfect opportunity for people who love cats but who are not allowed to have them in their apartments.  As I love cats, I have one named Tora 虎, japanese for tiger, and as a cat-person I visit the 猫カフェー a lot.

9.) Coffee, coffee, coffee: I have to admit I am a coffee-junkie. If you just want to absorb the atmosphere in Tokyo I recommend the Starbucks スターバックス in the Tsutaya building right across the Shibuya station 渋谷駅 (shibuya eki). I love to sit there with a cup of coffee and observe the crowd. If you want a quiet atmosphere with not so many tourists around you, I recommend the Nezucafe ネヅカフェーin Minami-Aoyama 南青山 because of its fantastic view onto the beautiful wooded garden and its relaxing atmosphere.

10.) Purikura: Purikura プリクラ are sticker photo machines, which are very popular especially among students and couples. You can decorate the photos via touch screen with messages  メッセージ and glitter and all the cheesy stuff. But the most important point is that everyone looks better on the purikura photos. I love taking purikuras because every time I take a look on these photos they remind me of how much fun I have in Japan.

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About the Author: yuki

Although I was born and raised in Austria my parents luckily taught me japanese starting at a very early age. Since most of my relatives live in Japan I try to fly to Japan once in a year. I love reading and cooking and I also enjoy traveling.


Comments:

  1. Rinnie:

    What a cute post! Though I’ve only been to Japan once, and didn’t spend all of my time in Tokyo, most of these are things I did or wanted to do but didn’t get the chance (we walked past a play area with cats in Odaiba, but didn’t have time to go in!).

    My favourite thing about the vending machines is the adorable ‘あったか~い’ and ‘つめた~い’ written below each drink. <3 Remembering it gives me an "あったか~い" feeling!

  2. Tim Upham:

    You forgot going to the Mejii Shrine. The shrine has a forest that covers 175 acres. It consist of 120,000 trees of 365 species. When an emperor dies, the woodcutters in the village of Yase, put down their saws, and act as pallbearers for the emperor’s coffin. Tengu are the Shinto forest goblins, that can change from human into animal forms.

  3. クリス:

    I enjoyed the night view from 都庁 very much. Also found a rabbit cafe in Harajuku (Ra.a.g.f. – “Rabbit and grow fat”) that was very relaxing and fun. Gyoza was my favorite food in Japan, especially with beer. 🙂

    • yuki:

      @クリス Rabbit cafe sounds very funny. I will definitely stopy by the next time I am in Harajuku.

  4. zoomingjapan:

    I’m not really a big fan of Tokyo, but I DO love cat cafés, so thanks for mentioning them! ^^

  5. Noelle Lawrence:

    Hi! I am from the US and have a cousin who is currently in Tokyo. He unfortunately just broke his arm while in Tokyo and I am trying to find a singing telegram to go to the hospital and sing a song that my cousins and I wrote for him. Do you happen to know of any companies in Tokyo?

    Thanks!!!

    Noelle