PJC Travel: Japan - Fall 2018

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Konnichiwa !

Through photos and words, this travel book was created to preserve and share our day-to-day visit to Tokyo, Japan, in the Fall of 2018.

This trip is my second time visiting this robust city and surrounding areas. I feel fortunate to be able to experience new foods and activities.

Hope you find this book entertaining, informative, and gets your travel bug biting to explore new places and cultures. Enjoy the trip.

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ジャパン Mandarake: Nakano Broadway

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JAPAN S EPTE M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 8 t o SE PTE M B E R 19 , 2 0 1 8

AKIBAHARA HARAJUKU HANEDA KOENGI MINATO NAKANO ODAIBA SHIBUYA SHINJUKU TOKYO photos: phil cruz words & design: phil cruz contibutors: joy halo jay halo

I am not affiliated or sponsored with any of the companies and businesses referenced during our travels. All photos and words are my own and to those credited.

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our one in-flight meal

Joy was the brave one and took a quick photo while we were in line going through customs. Pacquiao, his wife Jinkee, and his entourage were in line as well.

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DAY 1: SEPTEMBER 13 ARRIVAL

ack on the travel and tourist game! This time, Joy, Crys, Jay, Tita Lorna, and I arrive in Japan from the Philippines to take on the second half of our travel adventure. Crys joined us from another trip she took while we were in the Philippines.

So after 4hrs in flight from Manila, we land in Haneda, Tokyo Airport. After getting off the plane, we waited a while in line for passport check. Senator Manny Pacquiao, his wife Jinkee and their small entourage were in the same passport-check line as us. Jay noticed them first. It was pretty cool, but we didn’t want to bother him with photos. It was a bit surreal to see him this close without a mob of people trying to get his attention.

We passed all check points, grabbed our luggage then took an Airport Limousine bus to get to Shinjuku Station near our Airbnb.

After a little bit of walking, we got to our home for the week. An impressive yet cozy three-story Airbnb Townhome with four rooms. All of the rooms had beds except for mine which was very Japanese with sleeping mats and beddings.

There was a modern kitchen with all appliances, showers and bathroom, and also a washer but no dryer.

Once settled we decided to get something to eat... ramen!

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We stepped out of our townhome to a drizzling evening. Joy found an Ichiran Ramen joint about a mile or so away, so we just walked.

We arrived at ICHIRAN Shinjuku Kabukicho and ordered our ramen through the vending machine then waited to be seated in our own “cubicle.�

The server, behind the sliding panel, took our order stubs and we waited for our meals. It was how I remembered.

The ramen was delicious as ever and perfect for the wet weather in Tokyo.

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A classic spot for solid ramen, you can find anywhere.

Ichiran

Walking around rainy Shinjuku streets.

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Shinjuku

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DAY 2: SEPT 14 EXPLORATION & FOOD

We woke up early on our second day in Japan and got ready. Our AirBnB had a lot of good amenitites and located within a few minutes walking distance of a train station and convenient stores. Our home away from home for the next 6 days.

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My comfy room.

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Airbnb

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First item of the day—laundry.

Because of the wet weather and lack of a dryer in the AirBnB, we searched for a laundry mat in the area. Commercial Laundry Nishi Shinjuku is nestled in a neighborhood. Use of the washing machine was ¥200 and the dryer is ¥100 for 10 min.

Detergent and fabric softener were also available for purchase.

After laundry, we drop off our clean clothes back home and headed out to lunch and explore the city.

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Some vending machines let you pay with your Suica and Pasmo cards.

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Waiting for the JR Line

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Nabezo

Our first lunch spot in Japan was Nabezo Shinjuku 3 Chome, a friend spoke highly of this all-you-caneat hot pot/shabu shabu restaurant. Located in Shinjuku, we took the JR Line for a short train ride.

This was Jays first time on the JR. I used my Suica card which still had a balance from my last trip in 2016. After a little walk from the station, we found the building and took an elevator to the 8th floor.

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Upon exiting the elevator we were greeted by a host and seated promptly. She explained a few details about the menu and we were off to experience belly-filling goodness. We chose the higher quality Japanese beef and pork course with 2 types of broth. The veggies, rice, noodles and other condiments were available buffet style in another area. There was also unlimited drinks and dessert counters.

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sha b sha u bu

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Mmmm ice cream for dessert.

For the hot pot, we ordered the shio-tonkotsu and kimchi broths.

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Harajuku

After lunch, we took the Metro to Harajuku to explore a few areas and do a little shopping. One of the areas we walked through was Takeshita Street. A lot of people roaming around and many of the vendors catering to a varity of customers.

Many to the hip and younger travelers and locals.

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Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku - mirrored entrance

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Exploring Harajuku we saw some amazing architecture, shops, and more. There’s truely something for everyone here. There was a Vogue event going on a few of the nights we were here.

A lot of activity going on in the city. Perfect for shoppers looking for deals and unique and stylish items. Great area for the foodies as well.

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Yasuda

Joy, Crys and I arrived on time for our 6:00pm reservations at Sushi Bar Yasuda in Minato-ku, Tokyo. Meeting Chef Naomichi Yasuda was like meeting a celebrity. We first heard about him when watching a Parts Unknown episode with Anthony Bourdain in Japan. Our trip was the perfect opportunity to dine at his restaurant.

He greeted us with a smile and spoke English well enough to set us at ease and excited for whats to come. We looked at the menu and we all chose the assorted sushi omakase. The drink menu wasn't huge, but Echigo bottled beer and Yebisu on draft were all I needed.

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Throughout dinner, Chef Yasuda kept the evening casual and entertaining. He shared some of his stories, thoughts and experiences in New York, his sushi journey and more. I asked if photos were ok and he encouraged us to take photos and videos, as well as ask questions. He did mentioned not to wait too long to eat our courses since each is timed.

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Omakase 1 Yellowtail Snapper 2 Hiromasa Yellowtail 3 Blue Fin Tuna 4 Norwegian Coho Salmon 5 Toro 6 Fresh Baby Sardine 7 Sweet Shrimp 8 Central Japan Clam 9 “Normal Squid 10 Sea Urchin 11 Salmon Eggs 12 Conja Eel 13 Mini Scallions 14 Omelette 15 Fatty Tuna Sushi Roll 16 Eel

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Yebisu Amber Ale

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Chef Yasuda’s skilled culinary movements and discipline are evident from his years of martial arts and his journey as a chef. Each course he presented was delicious, with more than a few being tasty highlights! A few of the “simple” dishes were a surprise of how good they were.

We ended the dinner with good-byes, appreciation, and photos with the chef.

Chef Yasuda is much more than just the culinary artistry he creates, he’s lived a long, dedicated career and you can taste, not only in the food but in his character.

On the way back to Shinjuku, we headed to Shibuya Station but took a quick detour through Piss Alley, then walked across the famous Crosswalk to the train station.

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DAY 3: SEPT 15 - SHIBUYA EXPLORING Woke up to another rainy morning. With umbrellas in hand, we headed out to Shibuya for lunch and shopping.

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Back on the JR Line to Shibuya

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Tonkatsu Another great recommendation by a friend, pork cutlet lunch at Tonkatsu Maisen Shibuya Hikarie. Located on the 9th floor of the Tokyu Department Store in a more upscale food court. Waited a few minutes for our table to be ready then it was on!

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I ordered the Tokyo X Tonkatsu. Tokyo X is a special breed of pig that yields more high-quality fat for a soft and juicer meat. The perfectly light and crispy outter layer and extremely tender pork was an amazing combination.

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Exploring Shibuya after lunch, we made our way through the train station spotting a view of the famous Shibuya crosswalk.

Through the station windows, we saw a sea of umbrellas covering the sidewalks and street.

The day so far has been busy and filled with people on the streets and stores.

Maybe because it’s Saturday and later to find out it’s a holiday weekend.

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Shibuya

Wishing it wasn’t rining, but still enjoying the city. Really, I am!

Rain won’t stop boba cheers!

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Browsing around and taking in the sights. Burning off the amazing tonkastsu meal. Braving the on-andoff rain, we stopped for some sweet drinks and hit up a few shops. Joy, Jay, and the others found some cool buys at Go!Ape.

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From Shibuya, we treked back to Harajuku, then walked around Taekshita Street and the sourround area. We found the Owl Village Cafe and booked an hour session in the afternoon. We passed the time away walking around and grabbed a snack at CookieTime a few doors down. Just hunging around until the owl cafe.

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Owl Village

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We arrived at The Owl Village Cafe at our reserved time and paid for our experience. For the ₽1,500 option, it included a drink (coffee or tea), up to 60 mins to play and pet the owls, and a little owl pin souvenir. With clean hands and sanitizer, the friendly staff let us pet the owls and had them sit on our gloved hands They also shared the owls’ personalities and how they preferred to be touched since each is different. Everyone that was there to see the owls were very respectful.

Overall, we had a great time. Would I do it again?

Probably not. It’s a fun one-and-done experience.

There are other themed cafes around Tokyo I may check out in the future. I do recommend this experience to my animal-loving friends.

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A quick tour through Nonbei Yokochō aka “Drunkard Alley.”

There wasn’t much activity at this moment, and most of the shops were still closed. I took a few photos and then we headed to Starbucks to watch the crossing for a bit.

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Shibuya crosswalk view from 2nd Floor of Starbucks

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After our Shibuya mini tour, we headed back home to catch a breath then grab some dinner.

Jay and I went to get some snacks instead at the local 7-Eleven. I grabbed a big bottle of water, a few brews, and instant ramen. The ramen we found is exclusive only to 7-Eleven Japan and stamped by Le Guide Michelin! It was pretty damn good for being instant.

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Ramen Kobushi Tsukamen

DAY 4: SEPT 16 - GINZA & AKIBAHARA

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We woke up to a beautiful, rainless morning. No rain in the forecast today. Whew! We had a late morning start. On the way to the metro, we stopped for lunch at Ramen Kobushi near Shinjuku Station and ordered some tsukemen. A first time for Jay and his Mom to try this type of ramen.

The tsukemen at this location wasn’t spectacular, but still satisfying and delicious. The noodles were on the thick, chewy side. The broth was a bit oily but flavorful with a perfectly cooked egg. Cutting the egg in half showcased the dark, orange yolk. I paired my ramen with a frosty glass of beer.

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Ginza

After our tsukamen lunch, we hopped on the metro towards Ginza to see Jay’s company’s office and retail shop. The Ginza shopping area was like Beverly Hills. More upscale shopping, for the most part, with some familiar brand names. A few streets were closed for the public to walk and some tables and chairs to relax.

We checked out the multi-level UNIQLO and then the G Six building with a rooftop garden and rest area. Pretty cool views from that height. I grabbed a coffee and cookie from Starbucks and chilled on the rooftop.

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“City Perspective” - View from the G SIX rooftop park looking down at the UNIQLO shopping center.

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Rooftop park at G SIX building & Starbucks

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Jay bought new luggage.

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Onigiri from 7-Eleven. So good!

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Akibahara

After Ginza, we jumped back on the metro and headed to Akihabara for a little bit. Joy wanted to check out gaming stuff, and I got a chance to check out the Mandarake Complex.

So many cool toys, figures, books and videos of manga, anime, and video gaming culture. I resisted buying anything this time. There’s a lot to check out in Akibahara. Unfortunately,

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we missed out on all that is offered since we didn’t have time to spare. I will need to make a day in the future to check out the electronics, cafes, food and more.

Jay and Tita Lorna went to check out the casino and pachinko machines instead of touring in Akibahara. Jay came out a winner at pachinko.

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After a short exploration in Akibahara, we took the JR Line to take us back to Shinjuku. Just for a quick break at home before going to dinner.

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Yakitori For dinner, we found a yakitori place not too far from our home. A few minutes walking, we spotted Tori Niku Hina Dori Shinjuku. A small restaurant that could easily be missed if you didn’t read Japanese. The photos shown in Yelp helped us spot the red-lighted sign and lamps.

It was a little busy so Jay and Tita Lorna went to the first two seats that were available, while Joy, Crys and I waited for a table to clear. After a bit of time, we finally got a table but Jay and his mom were already done. Time for us to eat.

The small restaurant has a pretty chill vibe and feels like a local favorite without the need to be fancy.

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We browsed the English menu and ordered some yakotori and small plates. As we were deciding on what to eat, I started my meal with an order of Hakkaisan sake, then later a draft beer.

Delicious! Almost everything we ordered was good. Very simple food yet satisfying. A few items we had were: Yakitori: Chicken and Leek Wings and Bones Beef Tongue Plates: Vienna Sausage Spicy Cucumber Croquette Fried Prawns Chicken Skin Ponzu Fried Sauteed Veggies

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DAY 5: SEPT 17 ODAIBA & SHIBUYA Started the first half of the day early for a planned trip to Odaiba for the TeamLab Borderless exhibit and exploring Odaiba. We dropped by Family Mart to grab breakfast on the go, and some snacks before heading towards the subway to Odaiba.

Odaiba

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We finally arrive at the MORI Digital Art Museum for the teamLab Borderless exhibit and fell in line. We planned an early start since it’s a very popular attraction. We bought the tickets months in advance and now we are here!

Taking photos and videos, although fun to capture, are great to remember your visit, but the experience can only be fully appreciated in person and immersing yourself in the interactive art.

Music, lights, and environments add to the full experience and wonder. The technicality of each piece is amazing but can take you to different moods. You’ll want to enjoy each moment without getting caught up on how was that done.

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teamLab

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In a sea of color.

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All I have to say is that TeamLabs Borderless exhibit was mindblowing! Such creative use of light, environment, and music. There

were many rooms to immerse yourself. I highly recommended to anyone that loves art and wants to be part of the art piece.

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The plaza next to the museum had many events happening. While walking through the plazas, we could finally hear the music and noise and noticed there was a Taitin event. Enjoying the cultural sights and sounds we walked past it to another area — this time to the Toyota City Showcase. Jay and I saw all the vehicles displayed on the lower floors and went to check it out.

Many of the cars are only available in Japan. There were some familiar models, with some slight tweaks, a few race cars, and interactive games. This is a cool exhibit for any car enthusiast.

TOYOTA TS050 HYBRID

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Unicorn After the Toyota exhibit, we headed over to Diver City Plaza to get lunch and more importantly, to check out the new Unicorn Gundam. I saw the first Gundam statue back in 2016. Two years later, I’m back to see the new robot!

At the same time, we realized that Odaiba was also the location for Ultra Japan! As amazing the scene was it made the area around Diver City plaza very crowded.

We could see the main stage within eyesight. Lunch was a challenge as the packed food court was filled with hungry people. Even the convenient store in the mall where I ended up getting a ready-made sandwich and water was busy.

Still, it was exciting to see the new life-sized scale of the Unicorn Gundam.

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Train station crowd arriving and leaving from Odaiba and possibly Ultra Japan!

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ZoomZoom After lunch, we left Odaiba for Shibuya to make our afternoon reservation for MariCar Shibuya—Go-karting in fun costumes around the city. We arrived at the shop and checked in with our guide. We showed our International Licenses, and we picked out our outfits.

While waiting for the previous tour to return, our tour guide, gave us the rundown on the trip, rules and how to use the karts.

Finally, buckled in and we were off. Our 1-hour tour was set around Shibuya, Harajuku, and Omotesando. We drove through Shibuya’s famous crosswalk a few times, and each time we were in awe. Our tour guide also took some photos of us while we were waiting at the stop lights.

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Fortunately, we had a safe and fun experience. The hour long tour was just right. Any longer and we would have been hit by some light rain that came through as we ended at the Maricar shop.

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Shibuya

The day we went it was a National Holiday so there were more people walking around but car traffic wasn’t too congested. Many people that spotted us took photos, videos and waved at our unique tour. We waved back enjoying a bit of the attention we gathered.

The Maricar Tour is a unique experience that’s fun but would never fly in the US, as well as most cities in other countries. There’s controversy with this type of activity in areas where the karts travel in and around public Japan.

Mainly the concern is the safety and local impact to residents and businesses.

If this novelty lasts, I hope that there can be some balance and not disturb too much of the local and business environment. Safety for the locals and tourists should be a priority. As exciting as it was and now seeing it first hand, this tour may be a one-and-done experience for me since there’s way more to discover in Japan. For those that take this tour, have fun and stay safe!

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The MariCar tour made us hungry for dinner, and Jay was craving shabu shabu again. Joy found the Shibuya location for Nabezo. Our favorite AYCE joint from a couple of days ago. We ordered the Nabezo Course this time which consisted of regular beef and pork slices and includes the buffet area for the veggies, rice, noodles, desserts, and fountain drinks. Plus, I couldn’t pass up another cold beer with meal.

We weren’t going for eating records this time, but I think after all the activity today we were just content on the quality and satisfying amount of food we ate.

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Ice cream again for dessert.

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We walked around Shibuya for a little bit to burn off dinner and I wanted to swing by Tower Records to check out any new displays and music. A group was singing on the 4th floor but didn’t stay too long to take in the performance.

When we left Tower Records, it started to rain a bit heavier.

Everyone was getting tired so we made our way back home.

I bought couple Japanese brews from the local Family Mart earlier in the week and enjoyed that the rest of the evening.

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DAY 6: SEPT 18 - FOOD TOUR AND MORE Jay and I started the day with breakfast while the others rested a bit more before the afternoon events. On the way to breakfast, we took a quick detour through Omoide Yokocho, “Piss Alley”, since Jay hasn’t seen it yet. None of the shops were open but I took some photos of the alley then went for breakfast.

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Finally at Hoshima Coffee Cafe, they are known for the hand-drip coffee and the fluffy pancakes soufflé. Unfortunately, I got the pot-baked soufflé instead. It was pretty good, but a bit expensive. I should have gotten the pancakes! I’ll have to try those next time. The hand-drip coffee was really good though, came with a tiny cup of cream. Too kawaii!

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Street Food EXPERIENCE

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Nakano

We took a short trip on the JR Line to Nakano. There we met Andy. Who, through Airbnb experiences, guided us around trying local street food. All the food is included in the cost along with any train fares that happen to be needed during the 2hr experience.

Originally from Australia, Andy moved to Japan with his family many years ago. He’s been doing the food experience gig through Airbnb for about a year now. We couldn’t wait to see where he brings us. He mentioned that another group was supposed to join us but cancelled at the last minute. So we had the personal guided experience.

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We first started with imagawayaki aka “oyaki�, similar to doriyaki just outside the Nakano Sun Mall. A pancake with various fillings in the middle. We tried one with custard and another with red bean paste.

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Next, we sampled some Curry (Pan) Bread at Temma Curry. So good! #nomnomnom

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The Sun Mall has many food options for reasonable prices, like this inaryzushi we sampled next. Jay didn’t like this one. One small bite and he was done. Great!

More for me. It wasn’t my favorite of the tour, but it was still tasty.

Making our way into Nakano Broadway. The main entrance is at the end of Nakano Sun Mall.

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Fresh-made dumplings and gyoza at Tezukuri Tenshin Mata Ashita (Homemade dim sum Mata Ashita). We tried the “Stamina” gyoza this time.

Great affordable food at Nakano Broadway.

Small, local seafood market inside Nakano Broadway.

Mandarake’s bookstore.

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Nakano

In Nakano Broadway, Mandarake has several themed stores each carrying a variety of items. From anime and manga, toys and figures, books, movies, video games and more. The photos here is just one of the stores that specialize in classic and vintage toys and other items.

The theme of this store is that of a submarine.

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Andy mentioned this ramen joint, Aoba Nakano Honten, is a local favorite in Nakano.

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Kōenji

Next, we took a short train ride to Andy’s neighborhood in Kōenji, which is a district of Tokyo in Suginami ward, west of Shinjuku. He mentioned that it’s a place known for the punk music and vintage clothing scene. The district still has streets that are intact prior to all the wars as they were never bombed.

He took us around small streets and showed us some areas with good local eats and bars. Some areas are more active during the weekends and evenings, where locals enjoy the many food and social offerings.

Walking towards one of the larger markets in Kōenji.

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A sweet treat Andy bought from the market. Anko Dango—red bean paste with rice cake balls. Sweet and chewy!

casual seating

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Our last food stop was trying some Takoyaki, octopus balls, at Gindaco.

Although, I’ve had them before, it’s still a great street food treat.

Andy took us on an excellent street food experience through a local’s eye. A few of the itmes were our first time trying. Touring Kōenji was also interesting. An area I didn’t think of but would love to visit again in the future. It seems to be less congested than the more popular Shinjuku and Shibuya areas. This was also a nice eye-opener to more afforable and cultureexperiencing options when visiting Japan.

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yakiniku After a nice break at home from the day’s tour, we were craving some good Japanese beef and decided on Jiromaru in Shinjuku. Jiromaru is a yakiniku joint that’s highly rated. Joy, Crys and I walked about 15 minutes to the location and didn’t wait long for a spot at the standingonly bar.

We had two grills of our own to start cooking.

The menu on the wall displayed A5 and A4 grade of meats offered. The chef knew some English and recommended that he would choose among the different meat options. One by one, he gave us nice cuts to grill, one piece per person. Some had amazing fat marbling, a few fatty pieces and some more meaty. All of them were very good. The chef also mentioned adding a little salt to a few of the pieces to enhance the flavor. We also had some veggies and portabello mushrooms. There were a few sauces that were available as well.

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Photo of the various cuts of meat. One of the delicious surprises was grilling the portabello mushroom. It was probably one of my favorite pieces of the meal. Simply grilling until tender, and with a little bit of salt and sauce, it was as flavorful, and “meaty� as the high-quality beef.

Happy and satisfied foodies.

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Godzilla lurking in the dark.

ROBOT RESTAURANT in Shinjuku - A tourist trap I still want to check out...maybe.

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DAY 7: SEPT 19 - LAST DAY AND HOMEBOUND

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Well, the dreaded day has come.

Last day in Japan and time to head home. Although, Jay and I aren’t leaving until 11:25 pm, we all check out of the Airbnb and took a taxi to Shinjuku Station.

We purchased our bus passes to take to the airports. Jay and I will be going to Haneda while the others are going to Narita. We said our good-byes then Jay and I put our luggage in the lockers so we can get lunch and explore a little more around Shinjuku station.

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We roamed around Shinjuku looking for lunch. Tempura sounded pretty good but saw this spot with soba. Teuchi Soba Watanabe Nishishinjuku was a more-orless a random place to choose as there are so many restaurants around. We walked in and took a chance.

I ordered the Tempura Soba combo which included soba noodles, dipping sauce and mixed tempura. Overall, an enjoyable, delicious meal especially with a cold Kirin beer.

Jay was still hungry after an early lunch so he chose a place that was still serving breakfast, Rakeru Shinjuku Nishiguchi. He ordered a creamy egg omurice with demiglaze sauce hamburger, which looked really delicious! I ordered a green tea and dessert and an ice cream sundae with caramel and chocolate brownie.

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Just finding photo ops around Shinjuku Station.

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Finally on our way to Haneda Airport riding the bus. We arrived early for our 11:25pm flight to LAX. Enough time for a last meal and check out the airport.

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Haneda

Impressive outdoor deck to relax and enjoy the runway and airport activity.

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Last Meal IN JAPAN

We had to get one more bowl of ramen and it was at Setagaya in Haneda International Airport. I opted for the tsukemen style with a nice, tall, cold brew. What a way to end the trip.

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- Anthony Bourdain

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P HIL C R UZ | 2 0 1 8 | TR AVEL B O OK #003 - J APAN