Sunday, November 28, 2010

Japan Day 1 - Singapore to Tokyo (27 Nov 2010)


Watching Nodame Cantabile on board the Delta flight.  

When in doubt, get the local food option.
This is better than.....
...this. (Which the dear hubby got)


Narita Airport seems to be a very very busy airport.  Takes the plane about 20mins just to park after landing.


Got our Suica + N'EX package here at the Narita's JR station.
There's 2 types of Narita Airport express train (that i know of) to Tokyo main city area.  
1 is the Keisei (http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/) and the other is the Narita Express (http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/index.html).  We took the Narita Express since it stops directly at Shinagawa station.  They offer a Suica (like our Singapore's EZ link card) + Narita Express (N'EX) package which is much cheaper than getting them separately.  We chose the 1 way N'EX ticket option since we will be flying out from Haneda Airport to Sapporo.  There's a round trip ticket option available.


The Narita Express

Narita station

luggage racks on-board the Narita Express.  You hook the cable through your luggage, set a 4 digit pin number of your choice, then twist knob to lock.  Remember the number!

Random pics


Food trolley

Cold Tonkatsu (fried pork fillet) sandwiches

My dear bear who always travels with me.  
Random pics taken on-board the train

Random pics taken on-board the train

Random pics taken on-board the train

Toilet on-board the Narita Express


Random pics taken on-board the train

Random pics taken on-board the train

The station names displayed on-board Narita Express in Japanese, English, Mandarin & Korean.

Alighted at Shinagawa Station
There's many lockers at almost every station. usually about 300 to 500yen depending on the size of the locker.
1 of the Ekiben (lunchbox for train trips) shops located inside Shinagawa station.

Ekiben options

And more ekibens...

..and more...


Shinagawa station

Our room at Takanawa Keikyu Hotel just opposite the Shinagawa Station.


Our Kyoto Shinkansen package (map/train tickets/hotel voucher) ordered from Japanican.com are being delivered directly to our Tokyo hotel.  
Whats in the package:)


The view from our room.  Note the time. It's only 3:30pm and sky's getting dark.

Tokyo Tower. :)
Many Donburi (rice bowls) and Ramen shops along the exterior of Shinagawa train tracks. 

And more...

You order from these vending machines, then take the ticket to the staff to order.

Tori Katsu Don. (Chicken fillet with eggs & onions over rice)
Some of cakes on display at the supermarket
Packed food sold at supermarket.  Supermarkets will slash the prices for these about 1hr (or is that half an hour?) before their closing time.  
Bic Camera
Many colors and designs for Sony NEX and Olympus PEN series...but none for my Lumix LX5 :(




The Metro
There's 2 main train systems in Tokyo.  The JR and the Metro.  The Metro is underground and the JR is ground level.  


Metro train.



Food at 7-11 convenience store

Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Tower

Some random public car park near Roppongi.  100yen = S$1.60 


Hard Rock at Roppongi



Walking down a Metro station.  
McD for supper.

1 comment:

  1. Hi, i like to check with you your 12 days in Tokyo and Hokkaido. Can you cover most of the place? As i am intending to travel to Hokkaido end of the year, not too sure worth to stop over in Tokyo for a few days.

    ReplyDelete