Mr. D & I went to Japan last May and instantly fell head over heels for its people, culture, breathtaking scenery, and of course its FOOD. We visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Kobe and Osaka and by the end of our trip we were deflated but it was all worth it. Everything in Japan is just sooo awesome, well-organized, clean, and a well-thought out country. Japan’s public transportation system is excellent, very efficient, and they are super duper punctual. You can actually set your watch time according to the trains’ arrival time.

As for its people, Japanese are so courteous, considerate and whatever they do, they do it diligently. Janitors in Japan are so meticulous in their job and I was awed by watching them cleaning the stairs, wiping them so carefully making sure every nook and cranny is being paid attention to, and picking up tiny bits and pieces of paper which most of us couldn’t spot. Salute!~ Both of us can’t really speak Japanese but that didn’t pose much problems. It was just a little more inconvenient in Kyoto especially when we were trying to use their luggage delivery service to deliver our bags from Kyoto to Osaka. (Yes, they have a luggage delivery service whereby you just drop your luggage at a convenience store and the luggage will  find their way to the destination punctually. Save you the hassle of carrying them up and down the train/bus). But other than that, we managed to communicate pretty well with the locals with a combination of hand gestures and body language, English, and our limited Japanese vocabulary. 😛

The Rainbow Bridge that connects Tokyo and Odaiba. It looks amazing at night. Odaiba is a man-made island and housed a lot of attractions. If you’re a Gundam fan, you are no stranger to this place.

The scenery and shopping were all great but our food adventures was definitely one of the highlights. Food in Japan is just mind-blowing. I want to share our wonderful culinary experience in Japan with you. After all, sharing is caring. 🙂 We didn’t take photos of the food that we had in the fastfood-style eatery (whereby you order your food using vending machines) as we were afraid that they might consider it to be rude. Back to the food, the ramen, soba and udon noodles in Japan are totally different from the ones we have outside of Japan. The ones in Japan are silky smooth and have springier/chewier texture while the broth of the noodles are so flavorsome and smell heavenly. The broth’s tastes vary greatly from shop to shop as each chef has their own secret recipe.

Here are some snapshots of the food that we had tried while we were in Tokyo. Enjoy!~

Mochi!!! @ Nakamise Dori in Asakusa.

Harajuku crepes @ Takeshita Dori in Harajuku.

MUST TRY japanese curry rice @ Tokyo Curry-ya Meitenkai in Akihabara. Add: Soto-Kanda 1-17-6, Atre Akihabara 1 1F.

Different gyoza varieties @ Gyoza Stadium in Namco Namja Town located in Sunshine City. Add: ３丁目-１-１ Higashiikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo 170-0013, Japan

Yakisoba @ Teppan Yatai in Diver City Tokyo. Add: 2F Tokyo Gourmet Stadium, Diver City Tokyo Plaza,
1-1-10 Aomi Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064.

The most unforgettable meal we had in Tokyo. Edo-style deep rich sesame roast pork donburi bowl and the dessert, light and fluffy chiffon cake filled with soft serve ice-cream in the center @ Hal Yamashita in Diver City Tokyo Plaza.

I’ve forgotten what filling we ordered but I can clearly remember the crispiness of the crepe. The butter salt sprinkled over the freshly deep fried chips from Calbee+ is so tasty that it left me wanting more. Snacks @ Diver City Tokyo Plaza.

A budget friendly eatery that doesn’t compromise on taste @ Yayoiken in Ikebukuro. Add: 〒171-0014 東京都豊島区池袋2丁目42−6 倉田ビル 1F

A very satisfying set lunch. The crab croquettes were absolutely divine. I have forgotten the name of this restaurant but it’s at a basement of an office building opposite Imperial Palace East Gardens.

A place for green tea lovers, quite expensive but the mouth-watering parfait was just too good to pass up. Green tea dessert shop @ Kyo Hayashiya in Tokyo Midtown. Add: B1F Tokyo Midtown Galleria, 9-7-3 Akasaka, Minato-ku.

Themed cafe in Tokyo. Love the ambiance and deco but the dessert and drinks were just average @ Alice in Wonderland Cafe in Odakyu HALC building in Shinjuku. Add: Shinjuku west exit Hulk B3, 1-5-1, Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023. 

Bento box bought from Tokyo Station. Yummy on the eyes and tummy. 😀 On our way to Kyoto…

Tagged: alice in wonderland, asakusa, curry rice, dessert, diver city tokyo plaza, food, green tea, gyoza, Japan, japanese, restaurant, restaurants, Tokyo, travel, yakisoba