Tokyo - Day 2 (Kabukiza Theatre - Tsukiji Market - Ginza Mitsukoshi - Ginza Street - Itoya - Hakuhinkan Toy Park - Akihabara - Shinjuku)

Tsukiji Market is one of the favourite tourist destination in Tokyo, Japan. They used to have tuna auctions but it has moved to a new site in Toyosu. Tsukiji Market remains in business and there's many shops, wholesale and restaurants selling fresh seafood. So, our second day in Tokyo is all about Tsukiji Market, Ginza and Akihabara.

We left hotel around 10.45am and took a subway (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line) from Shinjuku Station to Ginza Station. When we bought the subway ticket from the ticketing machine, we accidentally choose the wrong stop which is the Kasumigaseki Station and paid ¥170 per person. The fare on our ticket is less than the distance that we traveled. So before we exit at Ginza Station, there's a fare adjustment machine for you to top up the difference. In order for us to exit at Ginza Station, we need to top up ¥30 per person.

We reached Ginza around 11.30am and decided to have our lunch at Tsukiji Satou. We walked pass Kabukiza Theatre which is just 5 minutes (350m) walking distance from Ginza Station. Tsukiji Satou is just another 5 minutes walk (350m) from Kabukiza Theatre. The restaurant was fully booked (there's only 24 seats available) and we can't make any reservation but to try our luck later around 1pm. So we walked over to Tsukiji Market which is just 1 minute (100m) walking distance from Tsukiji Satou.



Kabukiza Theatre


Kabukiza Theatre


Address:
Kabukiza Theatre
4-12-15 Ginza,
Chuo City,
Tokyo 104-0061,
Japan


It was quite crowded in Tsukiji Market. We bought one mochi stick with 3 taste - soy bean, matcha and black sesame. Mochi is soft and gooey but a bit sweet for my liking. We had strawberry daifuku as well. Daifuku is a small round mochi stuffed with either bean paste, red bean, custard cream, green tea, strawberry yogurt or milk and topped with a strawberry. It's good. Love the strawberry as it's sweet. Mochi is soft and chewy. What a perfect combination! We saw a long queue selling tamagoyaki and decided to give it a try. It's a type of Japanese omelette rolled together and served in a stick. The texture is firm and dense but it's too sweet for my liking.



Tsukiji Market


Tsukiji Market


Warabi - Mochi


3 taste mix - soy bean, match and black sesame - ¥250


Tsukiji Iroha


Strawberry yogurt daifuku - ¥350


Strawberry yogurt daifuku


Marutake stall selling tamagoyaki


Tamagoyaki - ¥100


We walked back to Tsukiji Satou at 12.50pm and surprisingly it's quite empty. I ordered fillet steak comes with mini salad, wagyu fillet steak (120g), white rice, Miso soup, Japanese pickles and coffee. (Price - ¥2,750) My partner on the hand ordered their Chef's special steak course comes with an appetizer (Pate de campagne or carrot mousse topped with fresh sea urchin and Consomme jelly (additional charge ¥550), roast beef / house salad, Kuroge wagyu steak (150g), white rice, Miso soup, Japanese pickles, dessert and coffee. (Price - ¥5,500)

We choose Pate de campagne as our appetizer because neither of us eat sea urchin. Pate de campagne is a meatloaf served cold, not something that I enjoy. Their house salad was fresh and delicious. Kuroge wagyu was really good as it melts in your mouth. My fillet steak was good too but not as good as Kuroge wagyu. Overall we enjoyed our lunch very much. Staff was very attentive and friendly.



Tsukiji Satou


Hot green tea


Pate de campagne


Roast beef


House salad


Mini salad


Japanese pickles and sauces


White rice and Miso soup


Wagyu fillet steak (120g)


Kuroge wagyu steak (150g)


Dessert


Coffee


Tea

Address:
Tsukiji Satou
4-2-9 Tsukiji,
Chuo City,
Tokyo 104-0045,
Japan
Tel: 03-3541-2929

After lunch, we hang around Ginza area. We walked to Ginza Mitsukoshi, 8 minutes (550m) walking distance from Tsukiji Satou. Ginza Mitsukoshi is a departmental store and has a well kept rooftop garden. There's a deity statue known as the Ginza Shusse Jizo-san located at the corner of the rooftop garden. Directly opposite Ginza Mitsukoshi is Wako department store known for its clock tower.



Ginza Mitsukoshi - God statue of Shusshe Jizo-son


Wako department store and Ginza Mitsukoshi

Address:
Ginza Mitsukoshi
4-6-16 Ginza,
Chuo City,
Tokyo 104-8212,
Japan



Ginza Street


Itoya is the most famous stationery shop in Ginza offering a beautiful range of stationery including pens, papers, greeting cards and crafts. It's just 3 minutes (230m) walking distance from Ginza Mitsukoshi.  



Itoya


Itoya

Address:
Itoya
2-7-15 Ginza,
Chuo City,
Tokyo 104-0061,
Japan


On the way to Hakuhinkan Toy Park, we walked past Nissan showroom and decided to take a peek. Hakuhinkan Toy Park is approximately 11 minutes (800m) walking distance from Itoya. There's wide range of toys and a mini car racing park for children on the top floor.



Nissan showroom


Nissan showroom


Hakuhinkan Toy Park


Hakuhinkan Toy Park


Address:
Hakuhinkan Toy Park
8-8-11 Ginza,
Chuo City,
Tokyo 104-0061,
Japan



We took a break at a nearby Family Mart and had strawberry ice cream mochi and strawberry frappe. Both were equally good. We saw a guy sitting next to our table eating grilled chicken and we decided to grab one too. Cold weather makes us hungry!



Strawberry ice cream mochi - ¥151 & Strawberry Frappe - ¥330


Grilled chicken thigh - ¥128


We walked to Shimbashi Station and took a subway to Suehirocho Station (¥170 per person). Akihabara is just 4 minutes (300m) walking distance from Suehirocho Station. Akihabara is famous for electronics shop, maids cafes, anime and games. The area is very lively and full of neon lights. 



Akihabara


Akihabara


Akihabara


We had our dinner at Motenashi Kuroki. There was a long queue outside the restaurant when we reached there around 6.20pm. We waited 25 minutes for our table. They are famous for their shio ramen (salt based soup). We ordered salt flavour noodles (thick noodles) and soy sauce flavour noodles with egg (thin noodles). You get to select your noodles type either thin or thick. Overall it's just okay for us.



Motenashi Kuroki


Soy sauce flavour noodles with egg (thin noodles) - ¥1,350


Salt flavour noodles (thick noodles) - ¥1,000


Address:
Motenashi Kuroki
2-15 Kanda Izumicho,
Chiyoda City,
Tokyo 101-0024,
Japan


We took a train from Akihbara Station to Shinjuku Station (¥170 per person) and head to Odakyu department store. This is the main shopping centers that directly connected to Shinjuku Station. We bought fresh strawberries from their food markets located in the basements. They have everything from raw ingredients to bento box lunches. The strawberries are fresh and sweet.



Akihabara Station


Shinjuku


Fresh strawberry from Odakyu food markets - ¥1,080


We walked back to our hotel and took a rest before we went out again for our late night supper. Ichiran ramen is just 3 minutes (210m) walking distance from APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Tower. They open 24 hours and basically you can have it anytime of the day. We ordered their classic Tonkotsu ramen and it was really good. There's an order sheet for your to circle your preference in terms of seasoning, richness, garlic, green onion, sliced pork, spicy level and noodle texture. We followed their recommendation except for the noodle texture which I select soft. This is one of the best ramen that I had so far in Tokyo. Soup was really good and ramen texture was just perfect for me.



Game playland located next to our hotel


Ichiran ramen


Free flow of cold drinking water


Restaurant ambience


Classic Tonkotsu ramen - ¥980


Address:
Ichiran Ramen
1-17-10,
Shinjuku City, Kabukicho
Tokyo 160-0021,
Japan
Opening hours: 24 hours


After our late night supper, we walked over to 7-Eleven and had dessert. I bought Godiva strawberry flavour ice cream. It's creamy and rich but lack of strawberry flavour. My partner on the other hand bought beef jerky which's a bit too salty for my liking. 

(Minimum temperature of the day: 6℃ ; maximum temperature of the day: 13℃)

Note: ¥1 = RM 0.039



Godiva strawberry & crunch - ¥330


Godiva strawberry & beef jerky - ¥378


Beef jerky

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