Destination: Japan
Duration: 5 Days 5 Nights (Apr 04~Apr 08,
2016)
Day 1: Red Eye Flight to Narita, Sakura!!!
& Ramen
This was a last minute trip and I was
quite lucky to get the last available seat on SQ. I had the Mango Shrimp Panini
Sandwich and it was just okay. It did tasted quite refreshing as we seldom had
mango in sandwich. I was not able to sleep well and only had like 1-2 hours of
sleep before being woken up for breakfast. I chose the Japanese selection
breakfast – Grilled salmon fillet in saikyo miso with Japanese omelet. It was
YUMMY! I love Japanese breakfast on SQ.
 |
| Chicken Puff on PEN-SIN Silkair Flight |
 |
| Waiting for Boarding at Changi |
 |
| Oh no! SQ changed their Red Eye NRT flight from Airbus to Boeing 777 with outdated dashboard - no USB port! Such travesty!!! |
 |
| Sammy with Mango Shrimp Panini & Singapore Sling |
 |
| Japanese Breakfast! Love the Salmon! |
It was early in the morning when we
landed in Narita and it was drizzling. I made a brief stop in the airport to
get some work done before getting my return airport limousine bus ticket at
4,500Yen. This return ticket was much cheaper if compared to buying one way
ticket twice. I would be staying at Hyatt Regency Tokyo in Nishi-Shinjuku area
and apparently the airport limousine bus would stopped right at the door step
of the hotel. *thumbs up*
 |
| Sammy with Bus Ticket |
The bus station was right outside of the
door beside the ticket counter. I managed to get on the 8.45am bus and kind of
fell "unconscious" until the bus reached Shinjuku area. Hyatt Regency was the 3rd
stop at Shinjuku and it was already 10.30pm++ that time. Unfortunately my room
was still not ready thus I had to leave my luggage with the hotel 1st.
 |
| Waiting for Bus! |
 |
| Raining though! |
 |
| Bus is here! |
 |
| Shinjuku Station |
 |
| Inside Hyatt Regency Hotel |
 |
| Not able to check in though... =( |
 |
| Let's go outside instead |
The Shinjuku Central Park (Shinjuku Chuo
Park) was right behind Hyatt Regency Tokyo and it was beautiful! Well, it was
the Sakura season! I couldn’t have come on a better timing! Yay! It was
basically an ordinary park but was its appeal was elevated thanks to the
beautiful Sakura. It was picture time!!!
 |
| The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is just beside Hyatt Regency |
 |
| Shinjuku Central Park is just behind the hotel! |
 |
| Sammy is enjoying the Sakura moment |
 |
| I finally manage to see Sakura in Japan!!! |
 |
| Beautifull!!! |
 |
| Can't stop snapping pictures! |
 |
| A Close up!!! |
 |
| Sammy enjoying Sakura Up Close & Personal! |
 |
| Sakura & Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building |
 |
| Sakura is everywhere! |
 |
| A View from the Highest Ground in the Park |
There was a small shrine at the park – Kumano
Shrine and there were a couple taking pre-wedding pictures there. This temple
had definitely benefitted from the Sakura surrounding it as well with
postcard-worthy scenery.
 |
| Kumano Shrine & Sakura! Oh my!!! |
 |
| Look at the color combination! |
 |
| Another shot! |
 |
| Close up |
 |
| Still at the Shrine! |
 |
| Some red among the Brown & Green |
 |
| Are you tired of Sakura yet? =P |
 |
| Finally a picture of the Shrine in full view! =P |
 |
| The Entrance |
 |
| Okay, i'm officially crazy with all the Sakura Shots |
 |
| Even Sammy is obsessed! |
It was lunchtime and I had no idea what
to eat. There was this ‘food street’ underneath the hotel but nothing really
caught my eyes. I ended up getting foods from 7-11…. *facepalm* Well, I do love
7-11 in Japan! They are AWESOME!
 |
| Lunchtime! |
 |
| Sandwich & Banana Latte! |
There were still some time before the
check in time so I walked over to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
which happened to be situated right beside Hyatt Regency. Tokyo Metropolitan
Government Building offered free entrance on its towers for view of Tokyo. I
actually went there all the way from Shin-Yokohama few years ago and ended up seeing
nothing but fog (link).
This time I finally managed to have a clearer view – no Mt Fuji though! Bummer!
There were 2 towers – north and south tower and according to the volunteer
there, South tower had nicer view for daytime.
 |
| Another side of the Tokyo Government Building |
 |
| Sakura near the Tokyo Metropolitan Building |
 |
| See the 'skybridge' between buildings? |
 |
| Lady Bugs! |
 |
| At North Tower - the building at the left is the famous "Lost in Translation" Hotel aka Park Hyatt |
 |
| Shinjuku Central Park from the tower |
 |
| Tokyo from the top |
 |
| Sammy is enjoying the view! |
 |
| The stuning building in the middle is designed by the same designer of Tokyo Metropolitan Building and it is a art school! |
 |
| It's time to walk over to the south side |
 |
| South Tower offers a different angle |
 |
| The "Lost in Translation" Building! |
 |
| Nice View huh? |
 |
| Shinjuku Central Park |
I finally managed to check into my room
and continued to work from hotel whilst enjoying my teatime – spring egg &
Calpis from 7-11! =P
 |
| Back to Hyatt Regency Hotel |
 |
| Sammy enjoying the bed |
 |
| A View of the Room |
 |
| Bathroom! |
 |
| Japanese toilet bowl (note the automatic washer!) & bathtub! |
 |
| Toiletries |
 |
| A view from the room! |
 |
| Yummy Yummy Teatime! |
 |
| My Favourite Drink in Japan! |
It was dinner time soon and I went back to Shinjuku
Central Park with my Selfie Stick to take more pictures before walking over to
Shinjuku station to try the famous Ichiran Ramen. One thing I realized was
Google map actually can be used even when offline – just pin your destination
when you are online and just follow the direction. The map will still shows
your current location when you were moving offline! Am I too late to the party?
Oops! Tech-dummy alert!
 |
| Japanese having picnic at the Park! |
 |
| A different view at dusk |
 |
| The Shrine still looks gorgeous with Sakura though! The best was when the sakura looks like snowing when wind blows by... |
 |
| I just can't resist! |
 |
| Selfie!!! |
 |
| The Shrine is really surrounded by Sakura! |
 |
| Many different types of Sakura! |
 |
| It's my time to have a close up with Sakura! |
 |
| Happy! |
 |
| This is beautiful too! |
 |
| Let's take a picture! |
 |
| Note the Sakura at the back! |
 |
| Surrounding the Shrine! |
 |
| Leaving the Park finally... |
Anyway, I managed to find Ichiran Ramen
and there was this LONG QUEUE. I was queuing out in the cold for 40mins before
continuing at the stairs. I finally got the chance to step into the restaurant
to purchase the tickets for ramen but still continued to queue INSIDE the
restaurant! *facepalm* After more than an hour queue, I finally managed to sit
at the individual station for my ramen.
 |
| Long Queue!!! |
 |
| Finally slowly approach the main door |
 |
| Menu! |
 |
| Queuing at the stairs! |
 |
| Open 24 hours?! I should've come in midnight to avoid the queue! |
 |
| The Sign to show empty seats |
 |
| My little individual cub |
 |
| Sammy was there too! |
 |
| See the cubs? |
I ordered the ramen with egg and it was
definitely scrumptious – the soup and the red sauce was simply irresistible.
Slurp!!! I also ordered the matcha dessert and it was yummy too. I was beyond
full when I walked back to the hotel.
 |
| Slimming tea! LOL!!! |
 |
| My 1st Ichiran Ramen! Slurp!!! |
 |
| Selfie!!! |
 |
| This is HEAVEN! The soup is real nice! |
 |
| Dessert time! |
 |
| Green Tea Almond Beancurd |
 |
| My cub at No. 6 |
 |
| The Machin |
 |
| People are everywhere at Shinjuku |
 |
| Walking Walking Walking |
 |
| Bic Camera! |
 |
| Neon everywhere |
I was thinking to get to the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government Building for night view but apparently it was closed at night since it was the 1st Monday of the month. In hindsight, I should’ve walked
over to Shinjuku area again for some shopping but I was simply too lazy to walk
all over again. It was about a 15mins walk to get there. I ended up just lazing in the room and wasting my life away! LOL!!!
 |
| Nice View at Night |
 |
| The Beautiful Art School - Tokyo Mode Gakuen at the back |
 |
| Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building at Night |
 |
| Nishi Shinjuku Night View |
 |
| A View from my roo |
 |
| Breakfast for tomorrow! |
No comments:
Post a Comment