Summary of Tokyo and why I love Japan

I’ll share a summary of what we did in Tokyo, where we stayed and are already looking forward to returning.

Hello friends! how are you? ? I hope you are having a wonderful morning. I have a lot of content to record today – Healing Code is relaunching on Monday! – and I’ll be at the gym doing some upper body training and using the massage chair.

Today I will share my first post in Japan!

The following are general articles on Japan and South Korea so far.

Summary of Seoul, what we did and what we ate

Summary of Tokyo and why I love Japan (this post)

Kyoto itinerary and Japan travel tips

What I ate in Japan (and what my friend chose)

My Korean head spa experience

Summary of Tokyo and why I love Japan

I’ve been avoiding writing this article because in real life I suffer from japression.

Usually I’m a little depressed when I get back from a trip, but this is next level. Normally, I’m devastated that I can no longer walk outside all day (it’s too hot here and Tucson is definitely unwalkable), explore new places, spend uninterrupted time with family, eat great food, and shop all day. Instead, I go back to doing housework, feeding everyone, and cleaning up after feeding everyone (lol).

This trip felt different because Japan was unlike any other country I had ever experienced. The culture, the way of life, the deep respect, the kindness, the care, the professionalism, the cleanest streets, the cleanest food, the scenery… It honestly felt like another planet.

One of the biggest things I noticed was that people take pride in everything they do. It didn’t matter whether it was a restaurant worker, an Uber driver, a hotel receptionist, a convenience store employee, or someone helping us at the station. Everyone seemed to be doing their best, and I was very moved to see them do so. The people were kind and welcoming, everything felt incredibly safe, and my stay there was truly the best I’ve felt in a long time.

I also noticed how healthy and well-groomed everyone was. I don’t see many people wandering around in their pajamas screaming at each other (lol). At the heart of it all is respect for yourself and those around you.

What surprised me most was that my nervous system was much calmer. Despite being surrounded by bright lights, huge buildings, and lots of people, you never feel confused. Everything is so organized that I feel like my body can relax. I didn’t realize how much I needed that feeling until I experienced it. Since returning home, I’ve been trying hard to bring some of that feeling back with me.

I mentioned it in my Seoul summary, but to be honest, Japan and South Korea weren’t my first choice for vacation. I knew it would be fun, but I felt overwhelmed with the planning and wasn’t sure if it would be a place I would want to visit again. Looking back, I feel like I was very naive because I had no idea how special these countries were. I can’t wait to go back already.

I am often asked whether I prefer Korea or Japan, but I can’t choose because they are so different and complement each other perfectly. If you have a chance to visit that part of the world, do both. I promise you’ll understand once you experience it for yourself.

If you want to do both, I highly recommend starting in Seoul and then heading to Tokyo. It was the perfect combo. 🙂

Here are some highlights of our trip.

I stayed in two areas of Ginza.

The first part of our trip was near Tsukiji Outer Market. There are streets lined with food stalls, seafood restaurants, and the best sushi of your life. (Although the famous tuna auction house has moved to Toyosu Market, Tsukiji is still definitely worth a visit for the food scene!!)

After our Kyoto trip, we stayed in Ginza. It was a wonderful place with high-end stores (including a high-rise Tiffany store), restaurants, department stores, and countless shopping options.

We booked KOKO hotels for both stays (same hotel brand, 2 different locations) using Amex Platinum benefits. I preferred the Tsukiji location because it was a little quieter and had a more local feel, but the actual hotel and amenities were better at the Ginza location. (We stayed at one location for a few days before a short trip to Kyoto, and then at the other location.)

One of the things I loved about Ginza was that it felt incredibly clean, safe, and easy to get around. I was able to walk almost everywhere and take Uber only when I needed to.

Tokyo Disney Sea

We always say we’re not “Disney people” even though we go to the parks regularly and try to take Disney Cruise #8. I just don’t have any Disney decor in my house, but I think it checks all the other boxes. 😉

Of course, I wanted to visit a Disney facility while in Tokyo. There are two options: Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. We chose DisneySea because it has unique rides and lands that don’t exist in the US, and is generally considered a better park for older children and adults.

(The kids approve every photo I post and Liv asked me to put a heart on the face in this photo)

The ride was incredible.

The animatronics, special effects, projection mapping, storytelling, and ride technology far exceeded my expectations. Peter Pan is one of my favorite rides and the Tokyo version completely beats the US version. It’s longer, more immersive (3D), beautifully finished, and truly makes you feel like you’re flying.

We also loved Journey to the Center of the Earth, Rapunzel was great (the lantern scene was everything) and Sinbad ended up being one of our unexpected favorites. It’s similar to It’s a Small World, but with a banger theme song and some impressive animatronics (including a green giant!).

I really enjoyed the meal.

While in Japan, we fell in love with all things Muscat flavor and this Frozen Muscat Dessert was a huge hit. I had 2 bottles all day and P had 3 bottles.

There are also unique popcorn flavors that you can find everywhere. When we visited, we had milk chocolate, soy sauce and butter, scallops and garlic (this was delicious),

Caramel and salted popcorn. Each stand has a different flavor, so people literally collect popcorn buckets and walk around trying all the flavors.

It’s also worth mentioning that everything was dramatically lower than US parks. A giant chicken thigh cost about 800 yen (about $5 USD), compared to $15 to $20 at home.

Even our park tickets and paid ride reservations were a fraction of what we would normally spend in the US. Let me tell you, it’s worth flying there.

The only downside is that many ride booking options (called DPA in the app) sell out quickly. I was able to purchase some, but all free reservation options disappeared shortly after entering. Frozen and Indiana Jones were also closed during our visit, which was a shame.

The park closed at 9pm the night we visited, and many eateries stopped serving around 7-8pm, so I highly recommend getting your rides early and making dinner plans before the park starts closing.

team lab borderless

This was something I absolutely had to do.

There are several different teamLab experiences in Tokyo, but we chose Borderless. This is an interactive digital art museum with constantly changing exhibits. You can walk in a room and come back 15 minutes later and it looks completely different.

We spent hours wandering through the exhibits and drawing vivid sea creatures on the giant screens.

(Pilot created this amazing turtle!)

I wandered into the light installation and took lots of photos and videos.

It’s one of those experiences that’s hard to describe until you see it for yourself.

I definitely recommend this if you’re traveling with kids, but the adults enjoyed it just as much.

If you’re trying to choose a place to visit, we’ve also heard great things about teamLab Planets.

Multiple 7-Eleven and Lawson stops

7-Eleven is living up to the hype on TikTok and Instagram.

Every morning, I took something out of the famous drinks case. The C1000 was my favorite and I feel very nostalgic about it.

We stocked up on lots of delicious snacks, including Muscat snacks, smoothies, and rice balls. It became our breakfast stop, snack stop, and after-dinner dessert stop.

Interestingly, I couldn’t find anything I wanted to eat at an American 7-Eleven, but there were dozens of things I was looking forward to trying at a convenience store in Japan.

Fruit sandwiches, egg sandwiches, rice balls, coffee, sparkling drinks, smoothies, desserts, etc. are all delicious and cheap. The smoothie was great! ! The container is just frozen fruit, and after paying, you scan the barcode into the machine, put the cup inside, and it will add liquid and blend it on the spot. As I said earlier, Korea and Japan are living in the future.

Take the Shinkansen to Kyoto

If you’re already in Tokyo, I’ve heard that it’s worth taking the train to Kyoto or Osaka to experience a different side of Japan.

I didn’t want to miss out on my travels around the world, so I added Kyoto to my itinerary, and I’m so glad I did.

Kyoto was truly magical and deserves an entire blog post and attention.

I rode in a green car (equivalent to a first class car) and it was very comfortable. On the way back, I took regular reserved seats and TBH, but there wasn’t much of a difference (regular reserved seats were about $120 cheaper for 4 people).

The trains are clean, quiet, efficient, and surprisingly punctual. Watching the countryside fly by while eating a snack from the station was a special memory for me. I had never actually been on a train before (other than the Polar Express!), but it was a really cool experience. It felt much less hassle than taking a plane and just as fast.

vintage luxury shopping

For lovers of designer bags, watches, jewelry, and accessories, Tokyo is heaven.

Vintage luxury stores are everywhere, many of them in great condition and looking like new.

If you’re looking for Louis Vuitton bags, Gucci, Chanel, Rolex, or other luxury items, I would definitely shop in Japan before buying anywhere else.

Also, many stores offer instant duty-free purchases for tourists, so you don’t have to check in at the airport and always bring your passport with you when shopping.

Shibuya crossing

We had to visit the famous Shibuya crossing.

The energy of the entire area is more important than the intersection itself, and photos don’t do it justice. There are giant video screens, endless shopping, restaurants, lights, music, and thousands of people moving through the intersection in all directions.

It’s incredibly busy, but still feels like there’s order. People wait patiently and cross when they should. No one bumps into each other or pushes each other.

There is a famous bronze statue of Hachiko outside the station, which honors the loyal dog Hachiko, who continued to wait for his owner at the station every day even after his owner passed away. This is one of Japan’s most beloved stories, and seeing this statue in person was incredibly moving.

We took photos, strolled the surrounding streets, shopped, and just enjoyed the city. This place is very touristy for a reason, and we loved it. If it’s your first trip to Tokyo, I think this is one place you should experience at least once!

Turns out this post didn’t help my japression at all, but there’s still some work to be done. I’ll be sharing all the amazing food we ate (including GF options), Kyoto recap, and Japan travel tips. We are also happy to answer any questions you may have.