Part 2 of Another "Hari Raya" trip: Quest for home from TFN via BCN, MUC, NRT and SIN

[Dent@SUB]

I really got to start charging for those foot shots

Pls pm me for the T&C..
Spcl price pls....

Thanks for all the pics - a bit rare for us to see

Glad to hear that you enjoyed them...
Thanks...

[Dent@SUB]

Has fixed the problem with photobucket...
Will try to post the next installment soon, including something strange and weird about my satay on SQ11....
Please stay tuned.....

[Dent@SUB]

Tokyo... city of sushi... city of Depachika(s)... city of thousands vending machines!

Narita has an efficient transport system to the city. They got Taxis (exorbitant price), trains and buses (limousines bus).
The cheapest and convenience one was the Limousine Bus. They have plenty of routes that cover almost major area in Tokyo and Yokohama bay area.
It's only 3000 yens to get you to your hotel in Tokyo area.
And now they have package of return Airport transports and 2 days unlimited Tokyo Metro pass for only 6000 yens.
The ride itself took about 90-120 minutes time depended on the traffics.

This time I booked at BW Shinjuku Astina Hotel.
To get to this hotel, I took the Shinjuku Station route bus, and walk about 10 minutes to get to my hotel in Kabuki-chou area.
The nice point from the Limousine Bus was they have porters to take care your luggage.

The hotel itself turned into a very nice hotel. The staffs were 5* quality even though this hotel only a 3* (or was it 4*??) property.
For 10500 yens per night including bf, it was a bargain.

The hotel lobby was in the 2nd (or was it 3rd??) floor. On the first floor they had a convenience store.
So for the first timer on this hotel, watch out for the sign of this hotel on the pillar at the street level, and took an elevator to reach the lobby area.










Check in was a breeze. Just gave them my BWR card and they took care everything. They automatically upgraded me to business floor as the perk of the card.
At this hotel (also at other hotel on my previous visit), I must paid my stay in advance when I checked in.

The room was typical Japanese hotel's room, quite small but with an efficient lay out. The decor was simple and modern.

The bathroom not big but very nice and really well stocked.
The amenities range they provided very extensive, from razor & foam, hair comb, mouth wash, cleansing pad, cotton bud, scrub pad, bath salt, shower cap, toothbrush, sewing kit, and they even provided you nice ladies hair rubber bands. And also Kimono PJ's.
The best thing was: the restocked them everyday, including the Kimonos! (should I took home the kimonos? I got 6 kimonos during my stay there.... . Every day they gave me 2 new kimonos without took out the old ones )

In this bathroom, they even have separate shower and bathtub (japanese style bathtub, short but deep), and you still have a spacious feeling for this bathroom. A very efficient lay out design for a quite small bathroom

For my room's rate the internet connection was free.
When I've got a problem with the connection (somehow it wouldn't sync well with my netbook), I called the front desk asking for help.
The IT guy came less than 3 minutes!!! And he solve my problem also less than 3 minutes!!!
Sweet!!!
This what I called service!!!

[Dent@SUB]

Settled down with my room, now my tummy was growling. Must hurry found some edible things to satisfy this angry tummy before the dragon inside came out...

So I walked around the Kabuki-chou to Shinjuku Sanchome in the neighborhood.
I found a nice small ramen shop in the Sanchome area.





I came in and sat in front of the single long table there, and waited for waiter to come to bring me the menu.
But instead of bring me some menu, the waiter (the only one) directed me to the vending machine next to the door.





Hmmmm.... this was how it work. Order from the vending machine, paid there also, and handed the receipt to the waiter, and wait for your order.

Illiterate with kanji, luckily there were pictures of the menu on the ordering buttons.
So I was safe, no wild guessing-unpredictable-surprising-shocking food like I got in Casablanca....


My neighbor's dancing fingers, waited for her ramen....




My beautiful, delicious, well presented ramen...



I didn't know what this ramen called, I ordered it base on the nice picture of it.
The meat was very succulent, the egg was perfect, the seaweed paper was crispy, the bamboo shoot was crunchy, the soup was tasty, the noodle was aldante, not over cooked...
All were perfect!
This why I love Tokyo so much....

[SQ218]

Excellent TR.

Might put the BW Shinjuku Astina Hotel as a possible place to stay when I visit next year, headache trying to pick a hotel and location. This looks quite good.

[kelvgoh]

Depending on your preferences, Kabuki-cho may not be the area you want to be in. haha.

There are quite a few good hotels which cost about 10-12000 yen in and around the Tokyo. However, I do think that the Hyatt Regency, at 17,000 yen a night is quite reasonable.

[Dent@SUB]

QUEST FOR SUSHI.......


Having read stargold review about Tsukiji fish market sushi heaven, I told myself to get up early to get there.

Woke up around 7, did my morning ritual, and then I quickly took some breakfast (I know, I'm going to have the sushi, but I was in Tokyo, and I definitely didn't want to miss having the simple but delicious japanese breakfast).
The Japanese breakfast in this hotel was simple but very delicious (and complimentary ). Grilled fish, eggs, pickles, miso soup, natto and rice.
Japanese rice always made me crazy. The stickiness, aroma, taste snd color are all perfect in taste.
They also served western breakfast in quite a decent arrays.
But my heart, passion, palate and tummy are all for japanese food....

I left hotel around 9, went to Sanchome station which was only 5 minute walk.
And headed for Tsukiji fish market.

Quest for sushi has begun.....

Arrived at Tsukiji market, almost all fish auctions activities has ended.

So no "sightseeing" this time...

There was one alley that full of sushi shops.







But only 2 shops had a long queue in front of them.
One was Dai-Wa, and the other was Sushi-Dai (stargold favourite).


In the fore ground was line for Sushi-Dai, in the back ground was line for Dai-Wa.




I decided to join the longer queue, the line for Dai-Wa... (Being me, I trusted the longer the queue means the more people seek for their food, the more delicious they were....)

Look for this sign...







After waited for about 15 minutes, and still about 10-15 people in front of me, I heard the waiter lady shout something in Japanese. I didn't understand her, but I saw her raised her index finger up, sign for one person, and no one answered her, I quickly shouted "Haik....". And she brought me in, by passed the long line in front oh me....
Sweet...!!!

There was only one long table inside, only enough for 8-10 people sitting in font of it.



The sushi senshei prepare the sushi in front of you.




Dunno what to ordered, I laid my faith to the sushi senshei to prepare whatever he want to me by ordered the Chef Set Sushi....

The sushi set consisted 7 pieces of sushi and 2 pieces of rolled sushi.

Here the first sushi that the senshei gave me: maguro sushi, uni sushi, tuna rolled sushi and salmon roe rolled sushi.



After the first batch of sushi, I totally forgot to take the picture of the rest.
The sushi taste totally mesmerized me, felt like heaven.... hhmmm.... hmmmm.... very delicious.

The one I remembered, the next batch was o-toro, tamago, hamachi, and ika.

Until the last one, I remembered again about my mission...

Here the last piece of my heavenly sushi, Anago (salt water eel):



But beware, Dai-Wa only accept CASH, so plastic has no use here...

Finished with the heavenly feast, I quickly went out, giving my seat to the next customer.
There was still a long line in front of this shop.

[Dent@SUB]

Excellent TR.

Might put the BW Shinjuku Astina Hotel as a possible place to stay when I visit next year, headache trying to pick a hotel and location. This looks quite good.

Thanks SQ218...

Depending on your preferences, Kabuki-cho may not be the area you want to be in. haha.

There are quite a few good hotels which cost about 10-12000 yen in and around the Tokyo. However, I do think that the Hyatt Regency, at 17,000 yen a night is quite reasonable.

You are rite kelvgoh, Kabuki-chuo is not everyone cup of tea...
But being me, I liked the "crowd" and the "vibrant life" there....

[kelvgoh]

I stay near Roppongi, so I definitely know what you're talking about. HAHA. I would say that the ramen in kabuki-cho is quite decent though, although it still loses out to Nishiazabu.

[Dent@SUB]

I stay near Roppongi, so I definitely know what you're talking about. HAHA. I would say that the ramen in kabuki-cho is quite decent though, although it still loses out to Nishiazabu.

Ahhh.... Roppongi.... with its Roppongi hill and Mori tower....
Love view from top of Mori tower....

hmmmm.... Nishiazabu....
Done! Has put it on my list for "things to do before I died" ..


Psssttt.... Keep it low profile on Kabuki-cho thing, will you?... a lot of under aged here....

[Dent@SUB]

Satisfied with the sushi quest, I decided to wandering around the area.
Tsukiji's neighbor is Ginza, the upper scale area, so there I headed up.

The things I love from Japan especially Tokyo were food and food "window shopping"
These were what I meant:











Found this interesting structure on the way to Ginza from Tsukiji, I called it "the four way crossing bridge" :



This was what it look like on top of it, four way "highway" crossing the streets:







Prada, Prada, Prada, Prada and Abercrombie....





The famous Sony Building:




Ginza area:

[Dent@SUB]

Time for temples and palace.....



Got nothing on my shopping list, I decided to visit the things that Japan are famous for: The Temples...


First stop, Meiji Jingu....






Meiji Shrine huge complex was located next to JR Harajuku station.




Once we were on the temple complex, you will feel so peaceful, so different from the hustle and bustle Harajuku area.


The shrine's main entrance:





On the long walk to the main temple, there was display of sake jars devoted for the emperor Meiji in the past:




The main shrine's courtyard:








The main temple:








The prays tablet's wall:








Ritual for "pilgrim" before entering the temple:

[Dent@SUB]

Second stop: Asakusa temple (Senso-ji temple)....



Senso-ji temple so different from Meiji Jingu.

Senso-ji temple devoted for Buddhist and Meiji Jingu for Shinto.

And the most noticeable differentiation was: Senso-ji was a "must see" for first timer to Tokyo, very popular tourist destination, with a lot of souvenir shops around her. Very crowded.


Main gate to Senso-ji complex:




Tons of souvenir shops on the way to main temple:









The temple's main entrance:







Last stop: Imperial Garden.....


Still have time, I made a quick stop at Imperial Garden, a huge peaceful complex in the center of hectic metropolitan Tokyo.

















There was a small museum inside this garden, devoted to the Emperor and Empress of Japan.




At first I didn't realize there was a forbidden sign for taking pictures.
So I took a snap shoot on the Their Majesty Crowing Ceremony Official Picture.
This is the only picture I took there.



Look at the costumes. So delicate and intricate. So beautiful.

Japan really has a long, rich, delicate and adorable cultures.

[Dent@SUB]

As my train stop at Shinjuku Sanchome station, on the way back to my hotel I passed the nice small ramen shop that I had yesterday.




Felt hungry, I decided to have another ramen for dinner.
Not much customers this time.





Knew the drill, this time I directly went to the vending machine before I sat down.
I ordered some ramen with corn and egg, and also gyoza.

And this turned out to be a very delicious ramen...








Another feast for me.
The soup was different from yesterday's, thick and full of taste...
The corns was so sweet and crunchy....
The bamboo shoots was tasty and crunchy....
The meat was so tasty and tender....
The thin sliced seaweed was so delicate.....
And the best of all: the perfectly spiced boiled egg....
The egg yolk was on the perfect condition, soft boiled but the egg white perfectly cooked.

The gyoza were so delicious. The meat inside so juicy and tender. The gyoza's skin not tough or rubbery... Perfect!

Another perfect simple food for me...

[Dent@SUB]

Finished with that perfect small dinner and the sky above still so bright, I canceled my original plan to go back to my hotel.
I just walked to the Shinjuku area.
Look at how busy this area was:










I have a favorite soba shop here in Shinjuku. Every time I was in Tokyo, I always paid a visit to this small restaurant.

I didn't know the shop's name, but for sure I knew the shop's sign.

I always looked for Pig picture on top of the shop's name.









Felt still enough space for another late dinner, I ordered some cold soba and curry rice set.




Hmmmmm..... my another favorite dishes, soba and curry rice....
The soba was perfectly cooked, aldante not over cooked....
The soba dipping sauce was perfect in taste....
The wasabi completed the soba sauce's taste...
The curry was so smell good, tasty and spicy....
The rice was perfect like Japanese rice as usual...

It completed my today's perfect meals....



Tomorrow's schedule: Depachika labyrinth "mayhem" adventure......