Girl’s Trip to Tokyo, Japan.
Going on a holiday to Tokyo, Japan has been brewing in my heart for many many years. I even had a dream that I would be in Disney Land on my 40th birthday (that’s normal…right?). We did plan a trip (not for my 40th). Then covid came and all plans were cancelled.
They didn’t get re made….until one night I declared I was booking tickets. That the number of adventures we had left before our girl was grown were limited and I wasn’t wasting them. I am a quicker decision maker than my darling husband. He was considering commitments at home and projects he had on the go. So tickets were booked for my girl and I and an incredible adventure was planned. And yes…I was also slightly terrified of doing this adventure alone with my girl. At the time of booking the tickets I was brave and determined…then I thought…what have I done! I am so grateful for the courage I had the day I booked.
When I booked our flights with Virgin Airlines, there was some incredible pricing on business class. Seeing as though it was just the two of us I booked them. Not long after Virgin announced they were no longer flying to Tokyo and they would refund our tickets. I rang and spoke to a man called “Angel” I will never forget his name. I told him I needed his help and this was a special trip for my daughter and I. Within minutes Angel had us on business class tickets from Cairns. Where we spent a night before heading to Sydney and then to Tokyo with ANA in business class. I tell you…when we boarded business class in Sydney on ANA it was very clear with our excited squeals that we had never travelled so fancy! We were into everything that our space had to offer!
Shinjuku 4 nights
We arrived early in the morning in Tokyo and met our driver who I booked through Klook. It was the best decision and took the pressure out of trying to navigate our way with trains straight up. We arrived at our Hotel Century Southern Tower and could store our luggage, before heading out to explore whatever was open so early in the morning.
Before leaving the hotel, I used their bathrooms and thought I was going to spend the rest of my life trying to figure out how to flush it! I love those fancy toilets but they were a little tricky at times to figure out which button did what…and I wasn’t keen on getting my face sprayed with water while leaning over and trying every button! Also…so many of the toilets have little speakers in them so you can’t hear the other people…there is no better toilets in the world’s than Japans.
With no time to waste and little sleep had, we were determined to make the most of our first day in Tokyo.
We set out to the few places that were open…Starbucks and DonQuijote. Simply walking across the road we were captivated…the 3d Billboard with an Axolotl on it…people everywhere…unusual names of restaurants (which clearly converted to something else in Japanese than it did in English). I couldn’t stop smiling and looking up. We had talked about the things we would buy at Don Quijote, but once we got there the enormousness of it overwhelmed us. So we browsed and listened to the song on repeat, got in trouble for taking photos and were able to avoid the “adult floor” that we almost didn’t avoid.
Next was paddling on the swans in Inokashira Park. Which meant quickly navigating how to buy our train ticket pass (thankfully we were right near Shinjuku Station and there was a kiosk there to get physical suite cards. Note-they only accepted cash when we went) Then off to navigate our way on the train system. I had a quick course on how to do this by my dear friend, Elyse. Frankie was incredible. She quickly adapted to using Google Maps and where we needed to go, when to hop on and which carriage. It almost felt too easy and I was convinced that there was no way we were going to end up where we needed to…but we did.
We walked from the station to the park and were there when the boat hire opened. The park was full of Cheery Blossoms, I was overwhelmed, Frankie couldn’t see what the big deal was. When I had booked our trip, I hadn’t even realized that it was going to be Cheery Blossom season. So the abundance of Cherry Blossoms was an absolute bonus!
I had thought and talked about the swan paddle boats for so long. I was so excited and it did not disappoint. Frankie was the driver. I was the delighted documenter. We giggled our way through near misses and hitting our legs from the paddling.
I discovered this gem through The Tokyo Chapter who is a wealth of knowledge.
After we got off we bought ice creams and wondered the park. We saw children from a daycare being ferried along in a trolley and I felt like we were in a movie, it felt so surreal to be here.
Energy was starting to fade (due to high excitement of being in business class we hardly slept not wanting to miss a thing). We headed back to the hotel and were able to check in. Then back out to get some food and explore the shops near us before having an early night.
Day trip to My Fuji
What a bonus! My Big Red. Charlie was in Japan at the same time as us with Dane… (my non related Brother) who not only matches my enthusiasm for life but exceeds it . We arrived early at our meeting place and walked around Uneo Park which was full of more Cherry Blossoms.
Charlie did a fabulous job of coming along after a massive night out at a Japanese bar. He just needed a little extra time to get there and a Kebab.
Dane did the most brilliant job of driving us not only through Tokyo but to Mt Fuji. This may have been one of Frankie best days… sitting in the back with her brother for 8 hours. This may have been one of Charlie’s hardest days, traveling in a car feeling so “unwell”.
Not only did we see Mt Fuji, but to my request we drove through the most incredible safari park! It was a little like being in Jurassic Park with massive gates that you would enter and the ones behind you would close before the next ones would open. Nothing separating you from the animals but your car.
We didn’t get a super clear view of Mt Fuji. The cafe we thought would be open was closed and the traffic was heavy on the way home. But I loved every minute regardless.
More of the Mt Fuji Safari park (and my excitement) can be seen in this video below.
We ended back at a dear friend’s of Dane’s who spoilt us in his home with beautiful Japanese hospitality and home cooked teppananki (oh man no spelling suggesting are even coming up for this to be spelt correctly).
Team Labs, Tokyo Tower and Sunshine City
The following day we had another early start to get to our booking at Team Labs. Tickets for Team Labs sell out quicly, so book as early as you can. We then continued on to Tokyo Tower , where I had booked the Diamond Tour. Afterwards we enjoyed the virtual arcade where we rode jet boats. I regaullary needed help from the staff as I crashed. I think we perhaps enjoyed this experience a little too loudly!
As we were walking we were stopped by some sort of procession. We weren’t sure what was about to happen and no-one around us was able to explain. We intrigued and ready to run at the same time. Still am not sure what it was…but it was nothing to be alarmed at.
On we continued to the biggest Gashapon Store at Sunshine City shopping Centre. We got off the train too early and walked more than originally anticipated. But it turned out to be so special to wander the streets we would have otherwise not seen. I think we may have had unrealistic hopes for the Gashapon store. The highlight was our family FaceTiming us from back home to say one of my nephews and his wife were having a baby. I will never forget trying not to scream with excitement within the store.
It was another massive day one and one of our hardest for trying to figure out how to get home. But we did and we ended it well with crepes.
I didn’t manage to capture all our day on film…but I got a little…here it is.
A little timelapse of packing…someone may have gotten a bit distracted.
Tokyo Disney 3 Nights
The following day was time to check out and to move on to our next stop….Disney. I made things as easy as possible by booking the same driver we used from the airport to take us to our next hotel near Disney.
And oh my … driving towards the hotel felt surreal when we spotted the first signs of Disney … it was hard to comprehend that something so longly anticipated was here.
Disney has been on my big dream list for so long. I’m pleased to say that we fully experienced Disney for all that it is… including getting stuck on a ride. All the announcements were coming over in Japanese and we really had no idea what was going on. At first I thought they had stopped the ride because I was taking photos! After some time the staff came along planks and with their assistance we were able to exit the ride. I can still remember the song that played …It’s a small World after all.
We visited both Disney and Disney sea twice each over three days. We rode every ride (but one…Tinkerbells cars) at Disney sea. Our final ride being Frozen, which we lined up for on our final night at 7pm and got on at 8.47pm. Two nights we left Disney sea after the park closed.
I rode rides that I wouldn’t have if anyone else had been there and could go on with my girl. I got brave like I hadn’t been before. It was wonderful. I made my girl drink more coke than I ever offered to my boys in their life (of you have read my blog on other holidays you may see a theme here), so we could get through each day! One day at lunch our order arrived and I had accidentally doubled our coke order resulting with us having 4. Gorgeous Frankie said “Lets look for someone to give them to”. I replied “No Honey you and I are drinking them all so we can keep going!” And I ordered the cutest jelly bean holders… just so we could take them home!
We stayed at Hotel Okura, Tokyo Bay. Staying at one of the Disney Hotels gives you a guarantee to purchase tickets to the parks, even if they are sold out online. This was helpful as we went extra day than originally planned and the park was sold out. It was right across the road from the Disney Rail.
The rooms were massive and the giant bath filled in minutes (which was so special after such big days at the parks). Everything was amazing. The staff, the food, the service. When we would get back very late at night , they had cakes and bento boxes we could buy as easy dinners to take bake to our room. One night we were extra late and all the “meals” had sold out, so we settled with beautiful cakes for dinner. As we ate our late night snacks I would watch from our window the activity that was happening at the Toy Story hotel next door.
Shibuya 5 nights
Shibuya…different to everywhere else we had been. The best way I could describe it … like New Year’s Eve in Sydney after the fireworks with everyone going someone … all the time. Disclaimer… I have never been to Sydney New Year’s Eve. This is how I would imagine it to be. I have never been anywhere more crowded so constantly.
It was amazing.
We stayed in a room at Shibuya Hotel Excel with a view of the crossing. It was not wasted on us (more so me). I said so many times … I love this view. Frankie was tired of hearing it. We had to keep a hand towel on the table next to the window to wipe off my forehead prints from the glass. My head was pressed against the glass for most of the time that I was awake and in the room.
Every 15 minutes the dog would appear on the 3d Billboard. I loved that dog so much… Frankie thought it was weird.
Frankie slept talk one night saying “Mum! The dog is about to come on”
We visited Shibuya Sky and felt like we may have been blown off.
I never tired of going across the scramble crossing .. every time was a reminder that I was living a long awaited dream. My head was constantly looking up and around. My face smiling.
We watched the Hauchi movie, a true story based on where we were. Frankie and I sobbed. Like heart break sobbing. I felt like running down and wrapping my arms around that statue again!
One of our fondest memories was daily buying fruit cups or packs of strawberries and amazing cakes from the exstitique foodhalls beneath our Hotel in Shibuya. We bought from them daily before retiring to our room. I knew how special this little routine we had started at our Disney Hotel and I did whatever it took to document it. Balancing my camera on upside down bins on the bed or luggaue stacked with cake boxes to get the right height.
HaHarijuku
Next on my to do list… to eat fairy floss as big as our heads. Off we went to HaHarijuku. Not only did we accomplish this but we exceeded it… the fairy floss was the size of both our heads!!!
I had decided I wasn’t going to do a petcafe… nec minute… I saw one and said to my girl “oh I must!” So we did. And I’m grateful. Nothing left not done.
I loved Harijuku. And I am believing Harijuku loved me.
Hipster Bike Tour
I have always thought so highly of those families who travel and hire bikes. To me they always feel so “wholesome”. We gave it a go in New Zealand a couple of years ago and thought I should do the same in Tokyo. I guess I thought it would balance out my intense desire for Disney. I too would be a wholesome traveler.
So I booked a small tour with KT from Japandering. Three of us as and our tour guide. No helmets are required in Japan and lots of sidewalk riding. I thought we would do what the locals do and ride without helmets.
All I could think of as we rode through narrow alley ways shared with cars and pedestrians as well as busy rides was… Please God protect my girl! I don’t know how I would explain this to her grandmas!
This was one of our absolute highlights of our trip. (We had many!) It was as thrilling as any Disney ride!
Our tour guide showed us around her local area where she had lived all her life. We ate yakatori from a street stall (which I would have had no idea how to do without a local showing us. Followed by gelato from a beautiful lady who made if by hand and sold it from her stall no wider than 1.2 m in the local shopping mall.
We parked our bikes like the locals did. And rode through traditional streets in the hipster area. We saw the Starbucks reserve roastery (one of six in the world with a wait of nearly two hours to even get in). We rode along the river that was lined with cherry blossoms.
Summary
I don’t know if I got it right packing so much in that we may not have appreciated all we did until we return home. It would seem unbelievable what we did every single day. Frankie did amazing at pushing through with very little down time. I have always loved travelling with her. She is exceptional. She is thoughtful and grateful. I love her so much and like her equally as much. We didn’t leave each others side … except for twice when I went downstairs to get Disney tickets and an extra bento box (after she tasted mine). Our arms were linked most of the time.
Tokyo was incredible. It was a place that I would have felt comfortable to travel by myself…yet I wouldn’t want to not share it with someone I love. Next time I will be venturing further than Tokyo. But I may still need to go back to Disney.
I wouldn’t change anything we did. Our trip was so incredible, I don’t know how I could match it again when we go back. Although, Frankie was not a fan of the Rickshaw. But when she is old enough we will ride the Mario Carts through Shibuya. We had extra opportunities to be more extravagant given it was only the two of us. I don’t think I would have been able to feed teenage boys the way we ate. I chose all our accommodation to be super central to make it easy for us to venture out and feel confident getting home even when it was dark. We over shopped from sheer excitement. Next time we will be more restrained. I will always get a driver with our luggage to and from the airport.
I’m so grateful for every photo that remind us of this trip (that we may have otherwise forgotten due to being so tired). And it reminds me that I truely have picked a career that I’m so wholeheartedly passionate about.
We went in April 2025.
Want to read more about my holidays…here is a blog on a recent trip A Week In Queenstown
