Japan trip Hotel Review

Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku

Thumbs up for this hotel (anyone coming to tokyo should just stay here!)
Location is a 5min walk from South Exit of shinjuku station.
The twin room we had, was bigger than what we thought.
The bed was super single..so it was very comfy to sleep in with 2 ppl on each bed. Of cos sometimes Jared would prefer to sleep horizontal or kick daddy away. hehe
The room came with a full length bath tub, which Jared had a good time soaking/bottle there. He was always the one rushing to bath after we got back hotel..really know how to enjoy himself well.
It is still small comparing to hotels in other countries. But I believed this is one of the bigger ones in Tokyo.
Cost: Sgd200+ per night
6 night stay cost total 1.2k


Ichinoyu Honkan

Food and outdoor private rock decorated bath was fantastic. (private outdoor bath meant you can wear nothing and dip in the bath yet nobody can see you!.)
The yukata provided is also good.
But not the room. The room and bathroom was a little run down since it is a 100+ yrs ryokan. The bath tub looks so scary and antic like nobody hv use it for years!
So highly not recommended to stay there.
Cost: Y12500 per adult, Y4000 per child.
Total cost Sgd450 for the 1 night stay with 2 meals
Ex ex ex..What can I say?


Overall impression for Tokyo
The Japs like to wear black suits, and black winter coat for work. So when we cross the road, or enter into train station..it's kind of scary to see a hugh crowd coming towards us in black.
They don't talk in hp in the train..so train ride is always very quiet..There comes our Kaylen & Jared whom made much noise, which made us so pai seh all the time.

But they are less courteus as what I expected on train. They don't give up seat to needy ppl like me..unlike Taiwan, who shun immediately when they see us needy ppl.

The trains and shopping center are with heater turn on..so It's very warm& uncomfortable when we took train with our winter clothing on.

They are hard working ppl, they eat so fast (so fast that the waitress will come and see why Jared & daddy always take so long to eat)..and some restaurant provide standing table for ppl to eat.

They worked late @ 9pm+ they are still a lot of ppl just off office.
If you asked me if I like Japan? I can say we don't quite like the place becos of the crowdness..I would much prefer holidaying in Australia with lesser ppl and self drive holiday, even in US except disneyland..the rest of places is quite quiet and not so many ppl.

Then again, food was nice lor..Just that ramen were much oily and salty, the dessert are much too sweet. They have heavy taste bud.

Day 8 [14 Dec Mon] Nice sushi and home sweet home!

Supposedly to wake up earlier for Tsukiji market, but could not, cos we pack back till 2am the nite before..

Still we made the trip there..and reach there around 9am+..It was an eye opener to see so much seafood, the hairy crab, the super fat clams...

There was 1 or 2 sushi shop that seemed real popular..So many Singaporean were queing there, so that sushi shop was out!..We found another shop which is more queit and had a great time having sushi there.

The raw fish was so fresh that daddy who never eat them, find it ok to eat! We order another grilled fish which tasted very nice too!..(at first i thought it was eel, but turned out not)..still at 600yen it was a steal.

After got back from Tsukiji, we had not enough time to eat ramen at the no.1 shop at Shinjuku..What a pity! But never mind, we will certainly go back to Japan again! hehe..since I still got enough points to buy 1.5 ticket to Tokyo..and next time, we shall try to go w/o the kids..so that we can eat non stop. hehe

This round, we only had 2 x sushi, 2x ramen, 1x jap spaggeti for proper meals..The rest were mainly disney meals or bento or we go hungry after feeding kids their porr..cos we need to rush for time..haiz..

We missed Tokyo Metropolitan Tower, Tokyo Tower and Imperial palace which were planned. At the airport, Jared kept asked us why do we need to go back to Singapore? He said he is very sad to leave Japan. We told him we had to work..

Tsukiji Market-fresh seafood and tuna

Yummy sushi

super tasty grilled fish

outside the sushi shop

In the plane flying back to SG!

Trip pics Part 1
Trip pics Part 2

Day7 [13 Dec Sun] Harajuku, Shibuya

We started the day with Harajuku's Meiji Shrine..there was so many couple wedding that day..at least 5 couples we saw during our short stay..

Then after that we went to Harajuku in search of those ppl wear funny clothes..I always thought they would stay by 1 side for display so that we can take pic with them..But in fact they were walking around, so we could only catch a glimpse. On that day, quite many fat fat gals was wearing the lolita clothes..so not that nice lah ehhe..

After shopping at Daiso, we went Shibuya..Oh dear, the place were full again!..We got even problem crossing the road...and the stuff sold there, not suitable for us...So we went back to Shinjuku instead! Since it was still early we went to shop at Tokyu Hands at Takashimaya..and bought some of cooking stuff there.

Trip pics Part 1
Trip pics Part 2

Day 6 [12 Dec Sat] Disneysea!

We took the disney train to disney sea from Mahaima..Oh dear, since it 's a weeekend, the place was so crowded. we had to queue for close to 1hr just for the entrance ticket. When we finally got in, the kids were already both tired and hungry..so they slept.

Disneysea's theme is totally different from Disneyland..its very much the replication of Venice. But the queue was really bad each ride would probaly be more than 1hr queue..even for food! The queue for the gyoza bun was never ending..crazy.

We only managed to take 2 rides there...and its time for dinner..We were lucky to find a nice place for dinner, w food purchased, we ate while watch live performance of donald duck, chip munks!..That was a real nice place to eat dinner..But they serve burgers, and fries..which Jared hardly takes.. So on the way back, we bought him curry rice...

Took a while to tell the staff we want to takeaway..hehee..Order food was not much a problem as it works based on a ticket vending machine.

Disneysea by the night..so beautiful..

Day 5 [11 Dec Fri] Wonderful ryokan breakfast and Ginza

The breakfast provided by ryokan was again very very nice and special..We had a good time eating...We had fish, rice and miso soup. The half boiled egg with the sauce provided really tasted so special and nice..Its good feeling to eat at the restaurant with river and yellow leaves tree as backdrop

Since it was raining the whole day, so we did not try our luck with Mt fuji again..Went back to shinjiku to our fav hotel..We all bathed, and went to Ginza for a walk.

The 7 storey toy park was so so only I thought..it was not what I expected though.
And for dinner, we had bento set from 1 of the shopping center..oh dear, it cost 1000yen for a cold bento again. With this price I could buy hot food from shinjuku lor..But over at Ginza, cos it was raining, and we could not find a cheaper place to eat. When we got back to Shinjuku we got lost after exit...We walk at least 1-2hr to get back to South exit ..and really amazed how big was the shinjuku station.

Trip pics Part 1
Trip pics Part 2

Day 4 [10 Dec Thur] Hakone and Ryokan Stay

Checked out for Hakone 1 night stay..We took the earliest Romance car train..and Jared ordered a bento for breakfast..He chosed the train bento and train biscuit. I'm surprised to know these bentos were cold and ex!..Doesn't taste as nice as it looks! ..

We took the hakone loop but no mt fuji in sign even though weather was fantastic! what a pity.
The black egg at Owakudani was Kaylen's favourite. Each egg is supposed to increase the life by 7yrs..and I think Kaylen ate 3 eggs! hehe..

We spent the night at a traditional ryokan stay Ichinoyu Honkan. Me was frighten by the dark, old feel and the smell of the ryokan..and didn't know both the kids were scared too..It took us a while to convince Jared to enter the ryokan as they required shoes off and changed to their slipper..and don't know why he suddenly loved his green shoe so much and refused to take off.

When we got into our room, the smell of the matted flooring was even stronger, and after exploring the room..wow the bath room was the antique type...to bath, one have to go into a deep hole..How scary that was!..So i decided i should bath at our private outdoor onsen hehe..After we showed Jared the bathroom..he too decided to join me at the onsen hehe. But it was too hot for him to dip inside..so he sit outside while I bath him, same w Kaylen..finally even daddy bath outside only.

But dinner was good..(of cos, minus the trouble maker Kaylen)..we had shabu shabu pork..while Jared had beef patty w salad.

That night, Jared cried to sleep..kept asking to go back to Sunroute plaza shinjuku, and why we have to stay overnight there..hehe..

Trip pics Part 1
Trip pics Part 2

Day 3 [9 Dec Wed] Disneyland!

A day spent at Disneyland! We got to Shinjuku train station at 9am..which was their peak timing..there were so so many ppl in the train station..and we observed how they try to squeeze themselves into train..really frighten us..as we were with stroller, backpack and 2 kids..The staff was kind enough to help us get into the train and gotten me a seat..We took the train from Shinjuku station to Tokyo and then change train to Mahaima...the trip took about 1hr.

In Disneyland, we were able to take a few rides..and watch 3 parades..but missed the fireworks, cos both the kids were exhausted.

Xmas mood was good, the Jap were all dressed up with the nice head bands, wearing the disney pouch or holding the soft toys, and the parade were based on xmas theme. We found our long lost "food" the turkey leg..it was smaller version and much tender than the one at LA disneyland.

Day 2 [8 Dec Tue] Ueno, Asakusa and Odaiba

Stucked at Ikebukoro station due to train service down for 1hr. Kaylen cried so badly cos of sleepy, and we thought she fall sick with the cold weather?

When we reached Ueno park, both of them were asleep..By the time they woke up was lunch time already..thankfully Jared was willing to take the porridge we brought along..so he felt much better under the cold weather.

After that we continued to Asakusa temple...and finally Odaiba. We met up with ah yi & wei ming for dinner and the ferris wheel ride..It was good, cos someone help to take care of the kids hehe. They had good time at the Toyota Mega Web driving the auto car.

Today Jared told us he didn't like Japan, as it was too cold. And asked us why we are always outside? and when are we going back to Whampoa?

Ah yi heard Kaylen singing twinkle star song while carry her back to hotel..she was singing like a diamond in the sky..

Trip pics Part 1

Trip pics Part 2

Japan trip 7 Dec to 14 Dec : Day 1 [7 Dec Mon]

This trip was booked 5mths ahead, once H1N1 was announced not controllable and non- trackable.

So we were able to get really good deal for tickets, 20k miles each for daddy and Jared tics, while mine cost 30k miles. (ie a return tic fr US can give us free tic to Japan)..on the lau yar north west of cos..hehehe..

And hotel was booked early too, so it was at 30% discount.

Day 1 [7 Dec Mon]

Bag was packed few wks prior to trip..But still pass midnight daddy was still doing the packing and as usual something must be left at Semb and he had to do a late night drive back to get the porridge container..haiz

Then we woke up at 3am and left the house at 3.30am for the 6am flight. Jared was always behaving very well ..but not for Kaylen..up and down she went, still she managed to sleep 3/4 of the flight and wake up just nice for milk feed for landing..

There was no queue for us (w baby) at the imigration, and luggage was not checked at all ..so we manage to clear the custom like within 10 mins...after we bought the airport limousine tics, to my shock of life...We forgot all about the stroller!!!..Spent 30mins to get it back with the staff help, but the bus already left. So the kids had porridge at the airport.

By the time we reached hotel was like 5pm +, sky already turned dark..so went to walk around in Shinjuku area and have dinner at 1 of the ramen shop which happened to be the award winning no.1 ramen shop. Well, that was what stated in the restaurant. The ramen stock tasted strong (salty and oily) but the ramen was quite fat and al dente.

Trip pics Part 1
Trip pics Part 2