I live in a melting pot that is Hawaii, and the Japanese culture is largely included in the multicultural mix. It has always been a travel goal of mine to explore the origins of the food, people, history and culture that I experience on a daily basis. And what better way than flying to Japan and experiencing it all first hand.
Tokyo is the capital and the largest city of Japan. My first impressions were that Tokyo is super modern and the people are incredible, if not the best, at hospitality. They have innovative and artistic buildings, sophisticated transportation systems, and simply every person I met at hotels, restaurants, parks, on the street, or shops were incredibly kind, helpful and polite.
Tokyo is a wonderful place to visit, but can be quite costly, especially while traveling at high season. Luckily with months of planning, my mom and I were able to utilize miles and points to minimize our spending. Thank goodness, as we wouldn’t have gone on this trip otherwise.
Where Did We Stay?
The Grand Hyatt Tokyo is a 5-star hotel located in Roppongi Hills, a hip and lively town known for business, culture and entertainment with many restaurants, bars and shops to keep you busy. It cost 25,000 points per night, which I earned by regular spending on my Hyatt credit card, my mom applying for her own Hyatt card with a sign-up bonus, and purchasing points on Daily Getaways.
Our room was spacious, with two double beds, desk area, large bath including a soaking tub and an awesome bidet toilet (I miss you Toto!). The amenities are great, especially the daily refill of water and bath salts. We were welcomed to bottles of water upon our arrival, which is my #1 necessity after flying hours on a flight, and a small gift box of arare.
The hotel’s spa is called Nagomi Spa and Fitness. I think it’s a club that is separate from the hotel as they have memberships for non-hotel guests. Use of the facilities is free for hotel guests, which is good as I read many Japanese hotels charge for pool access. I love a hot Jacuzzi, but this one was different as there were no seats and we were sitting on the floor. I didn’t use the lap pool or gym, but both looked good for a workout.
The hotel staff is amazing. Front desk, concierge, housekeeping, and everyone else I ran into were so helpful in making our stay wonderful. I will definitely return to Grand Hyatt Tokyo on my next visit.
The Attractions
We traveled to Japan during Cherry Blossom season, which was tricky because I booked our trip months in advance and had to make an educated guess when the flowers would bloom. Apparently it’s a short window of time from bloom to fall (1-2 weeks) and also dependent on weather (cold winter means delayed bloom, warm winter means early bloom). Fortunately, I guessed correctly because we were there for full bloom.
If you travel during Cherry Blossom season, here is a list of parks/gardens that you may want to visit:
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Shinjuku Gyoen – we went to this park and enjoyed the cherry trees as there are more than one thousand and over a dozen varieties (note that there is an entrance fee)
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Yoyogi Park – offers 500 cherry trees, wide lawns and ponds
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Chidorigafuchi – near the Imperial Palace, there are hundreds of cherry trees around the former Edo Castle moats and Kitanomaru Park
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Hibiya Park – located near the high-end shopping district of Giza
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Meguro River – taking a boat ride or stroll along the river, there are about 800 cherry trees lining the edge of the river
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smaller parks include Roppongi Hills, Arisugawanomiya Memorial Park, Tokyo Midtown, Shiba Park, Ginza Sakura Dori, Ark Hills, and Institute of Natural Studies
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Tsukiji Market is a great place to see a live fish auction (if you want to start your day before 4am) or eat at the open market and restaurants, which opens later at 9am. There’s shopping for food and general good at the outer market and fresh vegetables and restaurants in the inner market. Later this year, the fish auction is moving to another location, but the inner and outer markets will remain intact.
The Grand Hyatt Tokyo concierge offers half-day and full-day tours through external travel agencies. We booked a City Tour where we visited Tokyo Tower (333 meters high with a panoramic observatory deck), Meiji Shrine (constructed in 1920 in memory to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken), Asakusa Kannon Temple and Nakamise Shopping Street (a popular Buddhist temple and tourist shopping area), and Shinjuku (an upbeat town with many restaurants in the shopping arcade).
We also signed up for a tour at Kamakura, a picturesque coastal town about 90 minutes outside the city. We visited the Great Buddha at Kotoku-in Temple (one of the largest bronze statues in the world, about 11 meters high and over 100 tons), Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and Komachi-dori Street (the most important Shinto Shrine in the city located in a lively town for shopping and food), Hokokuji Temple (showcases an impressive garden with bamboo, cherry blossoms and other native plants and trees), and a green tea tasting at Jomyo-jio Temple (a traditional tasting with bitter powdered green tea…needs sugar!).
A full-day tour to Mt. Fuji and Hakone is very popular. We were unable to attend due to availability. Book early or call your hotel ahead of time to book. This tour offers a beautiful a view of Mt. Fuji, riding a ropeway or cable car in Hakone, visits to shrines and temples, and a boat cruise on Lake Ashi. We’ll definitely book this the next time we visit.
If you’re traveling with kids, Tokyo Disney Resort is a must. The Park encompasses Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea, the only park with a “sea” concept. We did not visit, but everyone raves about them.
The Food
Japan is well known for their delicious cuisine and lives up to its reputation. The Grand Hyatt offers high-end dining for an expensive dining experience, but it’s best to venture outside the building. There are many shopping arcades, markets, and eateries at train stations, subways, department stores, and various buildings. There’s literally somewhere to eat at every corner. You will not go hungry in Tokyo. And best yet, the cost for food is reasonable and the food is impeccable, even fast food. The Japanese take pride in their food preparation.
Transportation
Tokyo has a very sophisticated transportation network of taxis, buses, subways, and trains. Taking the subway is the best method of transport as you’ll save money versus taxis. For example, subway fare for 5 stops may cost $3 while taxi is $10-15.
If you have the Barclaycard Arrival+ credit card, you can redeem points on transportation expenses as statement credits. If you don’t have points, you should budget several hundred dollars, especially if you take taxis.
For airport transport, catch a shuttle if possible. It’s better than paying $100+ for cab fare.
The Final Word…
I love Tokyo! We had so much fun exploring the city, but there’s still so much left to see. We’ll definitely book Hakone and Mt. Fuji next time. The people are amazing, the food is delicious, and the city has so much to offer. I can’t wait to return.