We decided to do the whole sightseeing thing in Tokyo first and leave shopping, if any, to the last leg of the trip, where we will return to Tokyo for four days. So after Disneyland yesterday, we’re going to see Mt. Fuji today! First-timers to Japan might be confused when researching Mt. Fuji. Why is it that you always read about Fuji Five Lakes when googling Mt. Fuji? In a nutshell, Mt. Fuji is a mountain (duh), so to view the mountain, you need to go to its opposite. You can view Mt. Fuji from Hakone and any of the Fuji Five Lakes. With more tourist attractions and places to eat, Lake Kawaguchiko is the most popular of the five lakes.

There are also folks who go up to the 5th station of Mt. Fuji. To me, it only makes sense to go to any of the 5th stations if you’re going to actually climb the mountain. The Subaru Line 5th station – at an altitude of 2300 metres – is the most popular base from which climbers can ascend the summit in about 5-7 hours. I was there in 2007 but all we did was spend 20 minutes in the souvenir shop and head back down in our coach due to the snow storm. There’s nothing to do there unless you’re climbing. But if actually STEPPING ON the rocks and soil of Mt. Fuji is a life-goal, I guess the 5th station is a must-go.

How to go to Lake Kawaguchiko?

We booked our tickets from via http://highway-buses.jp/. Basically it goes like this: book and print out the booking confirmation in Singapore (or wherever in the world you are), then collect the physical tickets and pay over the counter in Japan. For our case it was at Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, the same place our bus was taking off from. You don’t even have to pay anything when you make the booking. It was our first time and we were skeptical too – I mean, why would anyone hold your booking if you haven’t paid for it yet? But you can be assured that your seat will be there for you. If you’re worried, go pick up your tickets a day before (as we did) just to be sure everything’s in order.

Look for this door and walk up to the second level to collect your tickets.

Collected tickets for Tokyo-Takayama too. We’re off!

The 2-way journey cost 3500 yen ~ SG$39 and takes 1 hour 50 minutes from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station in good traffic conditions. The bus will stop at a few stops before reaching Kawaguchiko Station, but there will be announcements on board so you don’t have to worry about missing your stop.

And we’re at Kawaguchiko Station!

For the return back to Shinjuku, you wait at this same place. No need to fret or figure out if you need to board from an opposite bus stop or anything like that.

To get from Kawaguchiko Station to Lake Kawaguchiko, take the very tourist-friendly retro-looking loop bus which stops at many attractions along the way. If you’ve been to Cingjing Farm in Taiwan, it’s kinda like it. Small attractions and places to visit around the main location, i.e., the actual Lake Kawaguchiko. There will be an announcement at every stop and each stop is marked by a number which is clearly indicated on the map (get it from the tourist office right at the bus stop), plus, there are friendly locals to help you. So don’t worry, you won’t get lost! To reach Lake Kawaguchiko, just get down at the last stop. Here’s a map of the bus route. You’re at the bottom circle and need to get up to the last stop. You can pay the driver in cash when you alight or get the day pass from the tourist office.

Can change notes to coins on board!

It was lavender season so it was really beautiful. We managed to get quite good views of Mt. Fuji – a lot of clouds cleared up later in the day, and we ventured left, away from the crowd to have the mountain all to ourselves, as we would love to believe. But really, walk away from the rest of the tourists (veryyy enthusiastic as you will see later) to get even more splendid views of Mt. Fuji.

Fishermen.

Enthusiastic tourists.

Hot food + ice cream vending machines!

After five hours visiting other attractions around Lake Kawaguchiko, we got on the return bus to Shinjuku and took the Yamanote Line to Harajuku for Jason’s birthday dinner: Maisen.

Maisen
Address: 4-8-5 Jingumae, Shibuya 150-0001, Tokyo Prefecture
Opening hours: 11:00 to 22:00
Nearest station: Omotesando Station (Ginza Line) / Harajuku Station (Yamanote Line)
Website: http://mai-sen.com/

The famous tonkatsu restaurant is quite a walk from Harajuku station, about 15-20 minutes through colourful, then ulu alleyways. We stopped a couple of times thinking if google maps was sending us in the wrong direction! You can also walk for about 8 minutes from Omotesando Station, but it is more fun to go via Harajuku.

Although it didn’t seem like it, we were on the right track. Walk past all the colourful, happening shops and cross the road over to the other quieter, more upscale part of Harajuku.

Continue walking and you will soon see small Maisen signs overhead.

It didn’t take long before we were seated, maybe because it was around 8 pm by the time we reached. We ordered the Kurobuta pork loin (with just the right amount of fat) and Kurobuta pork fillet (lean) for 3100 yen ~ SG$35 per set. Plus a potato salad for 490 yen ~ SG $5.50. Many say this is the best tonkatsu in Tokyo. I do agree that this is a delicious deep fried pork cutlet. It was crisp and light on the outside and quite substantial and juicy on the inside – I could almost hear the breadcrumbs and oil (not grease!) combust silently in my mouth, but I don’t believe this is the best tonkatsu in Tokyo. The potato salad, however, was really good. Please order it!

We then decided to walk back through Harajuku (many stores shut their doors by 8.30pm). I’ve read many describe Harajuku as an “out of this world” experience. Those people must not have been to Taipei. It’s interesting, colourful and eccentric, but not out of my world. We got back to the apartment early, at about 9+pm as we had a super early bus to catch to Takayama the next day. Can’t wait to see Takayama Old Town and explore the Gifu prefecture. For sure, it’ll be a different experience from the neon lights of Shinjuku.

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NEXT UP..
Japan Day 4 – TAKAYAMA: How to go to Takayama + BONUS Old Town pics [here]

You might also be interested in my previous Japan posts:
Japan Day 0: Trip Preparation – Useful websites, Staying connected, Japan Rail Pass, Getting around [here]
Japan Day 1 – TOKYO: How to get from Narita Airport to Shinjuku + our Airbnb accomodation [here]
Japan Day 1 – TOKYO: Ichiran Ramen and a visit to Piss Alley [here]
Japan Day 2 – TOKYO: Standing Sushi Bar, Tokyo Disneyland and Fu-unji Tsukemen [here]

The post Japan Day 3 – TOKYO: Mt. Fuji (Lake Kawaguchiko), Harajuku and Tonkatsu at Maisen appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Ok you need to read this post because Jason and I voted today’s lunch and dinner as the best meals we’ve had in Japan, and we’ve eaten at A LOT of places throughout the trip. He ranks lunch at Uogashi Nihinichi Standing Sushi Bar as his #1 and dinner at Fu-unji as #2 but it’s the opposite for me. Still, quite something!

This is our itinerary for our second day: Stop by Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal to pick up our Mt. Fuji and Takayama bus tickets > lunch at Uogashi Nihinichi Standing Sushi Bar > Disneyland > dinner at Fu-unji. If you wish to know how to buy and pick up bus tickets to Mt. Fuji, look out for my next post.

Uogashi Nihinichi Standing Sushi Bar
Address: 1F Kasai bld. 1-12 NishiShinjyuku Chiyoda-ku Tokyo
Opening hours: 11:00 to 22:30 (Monday to Friday)
Nearest station: Shinjuku (near Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal and all the camera shops)
Website: http://www.uogashi-nihonichi.com/english/index.html

After picking up the tickets, we went for lunch at Uogashi Nihinichi Standing Sushi Bar, just a minutes’ walk from the bus terminal. Contrary to belief, you can find cheap and good food in Tokyo, and sometimes that also means having your lunch standing. There are probably enough standing space for eight people. You eat at the counter where the chef prepares your sushi right in front of you upon order. Jason voted this his best meal in all of Japan and I voted it as my second favourite – and we have eaten at A LOT of places. Maison (our next day’s dinner and supposedly the best tonkatsu in Tokyo for more than 3000 yen ~ SG$34 a set) didn’t even make it to the top 5.

We met a friendly Indonesian guy and his kid at the door. The four of us were the first customers when the outlet opened at 11 am. Seeing we were first timers, he gave us the best advice yet: Aburi (blow torch) everything!

The aburi selections – ebi, salmon and squid – were my favourite as I’m not exactly a fan of raw fish and seaweed. At 75 yen ~ SG$0.85 a piece, this is the epitome of how excellent food doesn’t have to be expensive in Japan.

We also ordered the premium ootoro (raw tuna belly) at 350 yen ~ SG$3.90 a piece. It was so good! But Jason’s favourite has got to be their Negi Toro (minced tuna belly and scallion). He let out an exclamation when he popped one into his mouth and the sushi chef stopped his blow torching to ask us what he just ate.

The Indonesian guy also told us that he flies to Tokyo frequently for business. He loves sushi and has tried many sushi places but always comes back to this one. And no wonder! The price and quality at Standing Sushi Bar is hard to beat. I was stuffed! Here’s part of the menu. Excellent pocket-friendly sushi!

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Tokyo Disneyland
Opening hours: 8:00 – 22:00
Nearest station: Maihama Station
Website: http://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/tdl/

Our next stop was Tokyo Disneyland! To get to Disneyland from Shinjuku, take the train to Tokyo Station to transfer to Maihama Station. We really loved the theme park!

We booked our tickets (6900 yen ~ SG$77) and paid online with UOB JCB card. I had trouble paying with an SG-issued Visa/Mastercard, but had no problem paying with an SG-issued JCB card. From their website:

Once the payment is completed, just print out the ticket either in black and white or colour, then go straight to the gates with it. There’s no need to exchange the printed tickets for another pass at the entrance.

Our online tickets came with free express passes, but the average waiting time was about 15 minutes anyway. A word about the fast pass. To get the fast pass, you basically fold your A4 size ticket into an ezlink card size with the barcode facing out. Insert the folded paper into one of the fast pass machines and choose your time range. Return to the attraction/ride within the time range you have chosen and skip the main line. Initially we thought we only had to show the folded paper at the entrance of each ride and get instant access. Turned out that you still got to queue la, but it’s like getting a “queue number” instead of standing physically under the sun.

Our favourite ride in all of Disneyland, The Haunted Mansion! Please don’t miss this!

We had an incredible day at Tokyo Disneyland but IF we had to choose between Disneyland in Tokyo and Universal Studios in Osaka, I’d choose USS. But why? Go for both!

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Fu-unji 風雲児
Address: 2-14-3, Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Opening hours: 11:00 to 15:00, 17:00 to 21:00 (Monday to Saturday)
Nearest station: Shinjuku
Website: http://www.fu-unji.com/

And if lunch was incredible, dinner was phenomenal. We went for tsukemen (1000 yen ~ SG$11 – cold ramen noodles dipped in a separate warm broth) at Fu-unji, located in Shinjuku, pretty close to our lunch place. The small eatery not only has great food, it has excellent customer service and a chef that looks so much like Takuya Kimura that we both went, “Eh, Gatsby!” when we first saw him. Sorry, couldn’t remember Takuya Kimura’s name at that point.

There are only four main options. From left to right, the first button is for ramen, second button is ramen with extra ingredients, third button is for tsukemen, and yep you got it, fourth button is tsukemen with extra ingredients.

We got our food tickets and waited. There were people in front of us in the queue but there were also a couple of empty stools. We were thinking why no one wanted to sit down. Are they doing takeaway? Do we sit? Do we wait to be offered seats? Why the empty seats? If you’re thinking of simply sitting down on those empty seats, DON’T. These people are not doing takeaway. Those seats are not for you! Wait patiently to be invited to sit down and tell the chef if you want a regular, medium or large serving for your noodles – they’re the same price.

It’s the first time I was having tsukemen, and Fu-unji’s version came with an almost creamy and very unique bonito and chicken broth filled with pork belly, bamboo shoots, scallions and tamago. The noodles were thicker than regular ramen noodles and al dente to perfection.

Jason ordered the ramen (950 yen ~ SG$10.50). I loved both, but I prefer the tsukemen by leaps and bounds. We were there at around 7pm and surprisingly the queue wasn’t all that bad. At least no one was queuing out the door. We waited for 15 minutes max (I have heard about hour-long queues!). Quite a different story when we were leaving!

And that wraps up our second day in Tokyo, with happy bellies of course! p/s- We missed Fu-unji so much that after travelling five other cities in Japan, we came back to eat this again during our last leg (Days 13-16) before returning to Singapore!

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NEXT UP..
Japan Day 3 – TOKYO: Mt. Fuji (Lake Kawaguchiko), Harajuku and Tonkatsu at Maisen [here]
Japan Day 4 – TAKAYAMA: How to go to Takayama + BONUS Old Town pics [here]

You might also be interested in my previous Japan posts:
Japan Day 0: Trip Preparation – Useful websites, Staying connected, Japan Rail Pass, Getting around [here]
Japan Day 1 – TOKYO: How to get from Narita Airport to Shinjuku + our Airbnb accomodation [here]
Japan Day 1 – TOKYO: Japan Day 1 – TOKYO: Ichiran Ramen and a visit to Piss Alley [here]

The post Japan Day 2 – TOKYO: Standing Sushi Bar, Tokyo Disneyland and Fu-unji Tsukemen appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.