Japan Day 6 - Tokyo (2 Dec 2010) *part 1*

Event: 
1020: left hotel
1100: arrived at Tsukiji Fish market
1130-1155: Alf at sushi and sashimi at a shop near Tsukiji Market
1155-1330: Tsukijisho station to Minami Funabashi station (1250-1320 waited for the correct train at Funabashihoten station since we took a wrong train)
1400-1640: Lunch and shopped at Sylvanian Families restaurant at Lalaport shopping complex
1707-1745: train from Minami Funabashi station to Tokyo station
1830-1900: dinner at Tokyo station

Expenditure:
1000x2=2000yen: Suica card topup
1000yen: Salmon Ikura Don
700yen: Maguro Sashimi
3738yen: lunch at Sylvanian Families restaurant
2500yen: Sylvanian Families gachapon
5399yen: Sylvanian Families products
1020yen: 6 Krispy Kreme donuts
???: Potato croquette
???: dinner
???: Taiyaki
1100yen: a box of strawberries for Alf
198yen: Cup ramen for supper


Our initial plan was to wake up early to go to Tsukiji Market (well, not so early like 4am 5am to queue for the auction...but maybe around 8am).  However, it turns out that we arrived at the Tsukiji Market at 11am and most stalls are already closed. :(

 Since the sushi shops at Tsukiji Market itself had long queues, so we explored the area just outside the Tsukiji Market...in search of somewhere to satisfy the hubby's tummy and craving for ikura and sashimi.

 Finally found a place for him to have his brunch.  Salmon Ikura Donburi & Meguro Sashimi.  I don't eat raw food so I sat beside him and watched him eat.  The place is small and the since is just next to me as you can see in 1 of the pics below.

The sink just next to me.

Odd to see the petrol pumps dangling from the top.

After Tsukiji Market, we took the train to Lalaport shopping centre at Tokyo Bay.  Why there?  Because the Sylvanian Families themed restaurant is there! On the way, we passed by the station for Disneyland...and from the pic below, you can see the Disney Castle.

Spot the Disneyland Castle??

One of the Disneyland's resorts

 Ok...we wanted to go to Minami Finabashi station...however we somehow boarded the wrong line (JR Musashino line) on the correct platform without checking the train schedules....so we ended up at Funabashihoten station instead. -_-

Had to wait like 30mins to catch the next train here from Funabashihoten station (train intervals are infreq at the suburbs) to take 1 station back and then switch to the correct line.

Correct directions: Go to Tokyo station, take the JR Keiyo line directly to Minami Funabashi station (24mins).

Wrong station

Finally...the correct station

 Ok, for those of you Sylvanian Families fan out there who are reading this while trying to learn the directions to get here...here it goes.  There is an exit at Minami-Funabashi station that looks like the pic below.  Just follow this path, then across a bridge, and you will see the shopping centre Lalaport.  Sylvanian Families theme restaurant is located within the shopping centre, 2nd level.

Follow this pathway from Minami-Funabashi station and you will end up at Lalaport shopping centre in about 10mins.

Alf spotted a slanted lamppost and tried to be funny.

Crossed the bridge

Lalaport.

For Sylvanian Families fans....click here to go to Part 2 of this day's entry
For non-Sylvanian Families fans...click here to skip Part 2 and head directly to Part 3.