a (faux) hipster photo to start off the post, coz i can.
Day 2: Shinjuku - Harajuku
Okay, so we decided to be a little ambitious and packed our itinerary for the day to cover the three major touristy places - Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya. (we went back to Shinjuku coz we forgot to buy our bus tickets to Mt. Fuji on the first day ><) apparently, these were the must-visit places in Tokyo but we didn't want to spend too much time at each place since they seemed a bit similar to each other. we saw that they were all only about one JR station apart, and being the kiam siap couple that we are-
we decided to walk. *cue badass music*
a railway junction which we passed on our way from Shinjuku to Meiji Shrine
one of the locals whom we asked directions from told us to walk back and take the train because it was just too far to walk. we thanked him and continued walking anyway, and we finally reached Meiji Shrine after walking for
Meiji Shrine
i remembered walking through the landmark entrance gate (above) into the park itself and marvelling at how idyllic the place was. it wasn't like there was any spectacular scenery or anything but the lush canopy above enshrouded the path in a comfortable, uplifting vibe, and it put miles of distance between me and the bustling civilisation i came from. i loved it.
it's kinda poetic looking at literally hundreds of well-wishes, prayers and good faith. makes me feel good to be standing in an area where there's so much positive energy haha.
we happened to be there while a traditional procession march was on-going - so lucky! suspect this was a wedding march because look at how beautiful the bride is!
Meiji Shrine
Directions: Harajuku Station (do not be crazy like us)
Admission: 500Y
Day 2: Harajuku
crazy Sunday crowd. we were in and out of that street in less than an hour i think. also, same quantity of cosplay girls as any other place what, they bluff us.
quick lunch at Yoshinoya first - very glad we went there! beef bowl tasted a bit tastier (vacation effect? maybe) but definitely cheaper. i think we got this for 300Y = $3.50!! and you could always upgrade with different premiums by adding rice / meat / both etc.
Harajuku is also super famous for its crepes so we made sure to get ourselves one before we left. the two famous stalls are Marion and Angel Heart but we went for Angel Heart in the end, simply because the queue was longer. if there's anything you should know about Singaporeans, it's that we always go for the longer queue hahaha.
okay la, quite normal lor.
there was also this cute Calbee store in the middle of the street that sold freshly cut potato sticks in a cup as well as their famous Calbee products on the second floor. we ended up buying just a few packets of Calbee chips because they had some really unique flavours that you don't get in Singapore.
Day 2: Shibuya
how much touristy can this shot get... this is Hachiko, the famously loyal dog who waited at the same station at the exact same timing when he last saw his owner for nine years after his owner's death :(
the famous Shibuya 109. purportedly a women's shopping paradise but i didn't really liked it because it just looked like a a typical shopping mall. prices weren't cheap nor were the clothes exceptionally eye-catching. would recommend to give it a miss.
my attempt to capture the famous Shibuya crossing. another touristy shot... sigh i am such a cliche.
Ichiran Ramen
ladies and gentlemen, we've come to the highlight of this post. what i am about to share with you will change your life forever. if you ever have the chance to come to Japan, PLEASE TRY THIS. you'll thank me later.
we came into ichiran with no expectations, but left amazed and inspired. apart from world-class ramen, the layout of the place is also super ingenious and interesting. the place is set in such a way that staff efficiency can be maximised since they don't have to weave in and out of tables and can therefore reach the desired customer at once. also, the ordering is self-service.
i loved that you get to customise your own bowl of ramen. B likes his ramen extra oily, extra rich and extra spicy (he's a man of extremes). i chose to go on the safe side. regardless, our virgin spoonfuls were still OUT OF THIS WORLD.
what you see here, is the kind of ramen men dream about for days. unique, flavourful broth and noodles cooked to perfection... i soaked the whole bowl up and i'm not even a ramen person.
the next time we ate here, we ordered extra noodles to share between the two of us because it is THAT GOOD.
