Getting Around by Metro and Train

Suica Card
On our first day in Tokyo we bought two Suica cards that we used throughout our stay on the metro as well as JR trains.

We initially purchased cards with a value of 1,500, but ended up adding another 1,000 yen to the cards after a few days. The cards were so convenient and it was nice to not have to worry about calculating the fare and buying tickets with every trip on the metro. We even used the cards to purchase food on the train and at convenience stores.

We didn't have any problems purchasing the cards from the machines. We just selected the English option and followed the instructions. Adding value to the cards was just as easy.

JR Passes
Before leaving for Japan, I purchased two adult 7-day (Ordinary) JR Passes. The passes were $292 each plus $25 for FedEx delivery through JRPass.com. Delivery was incredibly fast. I placed the order on a Friday and they were delivered the following Monday.

I worked hard to organize our trip in a way that would maximize the value of the JR Passes. Below is a list of the train trips we took along with their fare in yen:

1. Tokyo to Hiroshima (17,850 yen)
2. Hiroshima to Kyoto (11,110 yen)
3. Kyoto to Takayama (9,680 yen)
4. Takayama to Tokyo (14,300 yen)

The fares totaled 52,940 yen and the pass cost only 28,300 yen, so we saved 24,640 (or nearly $250 per person.

In addition to the long-distance trips listed above, we also used the JR Pass to take the train and ferry to/from Miyajima and the train to/from Nara. While the costs for these trips was fairly low, it was nice to have the passes and not worry about getting tickets in advance.

I exchanged our exchange orders for passes at the Ueno station as we headed back from Asakusa. It was very easy. I just needed to show our passports and fill in a small form. At this time, I also made reservations for Tokyo-Hiroshima and Hiroshima-Kyoto trips. Prior to leaving Kyoto, I made the remaining reservations. I could have done it all at once, but I wanted the flexibility to change our plans (which I ended up doing).

It was really easy to use the passes. You just have to go through the manned gate instead of using the automated turn styles. The first time our pass was used, it was validated at the gate.

Elevators
We were traveling with our two year old son and because of the crowds and the fact that we were usually running a bit late, we generally had him in his stroller in train stations. Fortunately, almost every station had elevators that were easy to access. We just followed the signs and when we couldn't find them, we would just ask one of the attendants. They were always more than helpful with locating an elevator or providing a track number so we can quickly get to our train.

Hakone - Planes, Trains and Automobiles (well, trains, buses, boats and cable cars)

On Tuesday we headed out of Tokyo for a day trip to Hakone. If the weather had been clear (which it wasn't), it woul dhave been our chance to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji. Even without the view, it was a fun-filled day with lots of forms of transportation around the Hakone area.

We started by taking the metro to Shinjuku station where we could buy our Hakone Free Pass (2-days, 5000 yen plus 870 yen surcharge for the "Romance Car"). The "Romance Car" is the silly name for the express train to Hakone-Yumoto. This service is operated by a different rail company, Odakyu, so we could not have used our JR passes for this trip. Once we found the Odakyu ticket counter in the station, we bought our tickets and headed to the platform. Surprisingly, we were on time.

This was our first time on a Japanese high speed train and it was as sleek, clean and fast as I had imagined. It was a weekday and it was not very crowded, so we could stretch out and take up a few seats.

The Free Pass covers train fare from Tokyo, as well as most of the other types of transportation in Hakone. We did the standard "loop" from Hakone-Yumoto backwards so there would be less crowds. This entailed:

- Bus trip to Hakone-machi

- Sightseeing cruise to Togendai

- Ropeway to Owakundani and Sounzan

- Cable Car (funicular) to Gora

- Train to Hakone-Yumoto

- Express Train back to Tokyo's Shinjuku station

Narrow gauge train between Hakone-Yumoto and Gora.

Sightseeing boat across Lake Ashi.

View of the cable car/ funicular that runs uphill from Gora.

In Owakundani, we ate the famous black eggs which are boiled in the hot springs and turn black because of the sulphur. The eggs are said to increase longevity.

And even though we missed out on any views of Mt. Fuji, we still enjoyed the ride on the ropeway and the amazing views across the valleys.

Back at Hakone-Yumoto, we hopped on the express train again for the ride back to Tokyo, but before we did, we picked up a few beers to keep us company along the way.

Tokyo - SkyTree and Asakusa

We got a late start on our second full day, probably due to a combination of jet lag and a long day prior. Once we were up, dressed and fed, we made our way to the Tokyo SkyTree for amazing views of the city.

It was very easy to reach the SkyTree. We took the Asakusa line metro from the Higashi-Ginza station near our hotel and hopped off at Oshiage. We made our way up through the station and bottom of the building to the 4th floor to buy tickets. The line was pretty long but kept moving and lasted about 20 minutes. We bought our 2,000 yen tickets and after an elevator ride that zipped us up 350 meters in less than 50 second, we were at the first observation deck.

The SkyTree opened about a year ago and you can tell. There were vast facilities at the SkyTree, as well as a shopping complex. At the observation deck, there's a cool section of the floor that has a glass bottom so you can see all the way down to the ground.

We jumped on the Toei subway this time and got off one stop later in Asakusa, which I think was my favorite neighborhood in Tokyo. It was approaching 5pm by the time we got there, so many stories were already starting to close up for the day. We wandered through Nakamise Dori and tried a few snacks before stopping at Sensoji Temple at the end of the outdoor market.

  

Next we headed to Kappabashi (Kitchen Town) and were disappointed to find that all of the shops were closed for the day. We promised to come back before we left town so we could get in our ceramics shopping.

Since it was dinner time, we decided to find a place to eat in Asakusa rather than struggling to find something not too expensive in Ginza. Thanks to Lonely Planet (and Google Maps) we found a local, no-frills tempura restaurant called Daikokuya that we enjoyed.

Next it was back to the hotel for the night since we planned to have an early start the following day for a trip to Hakone.

First Day in Tokyo - Harajuku and Shibuya

We started off our two week trip with about 5 days in Tokyo. Our flight from Delhi arrived into Narita at 1:30pm and by the time we made our way to our hotel by the airport limo bus it was about 5pm. We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard Ginza for five night using points (yay!). The room was pretty small, but that was to be expected for Japan, but it had everything we needed. What the hotel lacked in space, it made up for in service and cleanliness.

The location proved to be great, just a few blocks from the heart of Ginza. Two metro stations were nearby - the Ginza and Higashi-Ginza stations were both only a few minutes walk from the hotel and the JR Shimbashi station was about 10 minutes on foot. There were lots of restaurants, shops and malls nearby and a Lawson's convenience store was only a few stores down.

Day 1: We started by taking the JR train from Shimbashi to Harajuku. We could have gone by metro, but we would have had to change trains. Since it was our first full day in the city and we were moving around with a 2-year old, we decided it was better to have a longer walk to the station and no transfer. Before exploring the Harajuku area, we visited the Meiji Shrine, which provided our first introduction to Buddhist temples and shrines.

From there, we walked through the crazy streets of Harajuku, braving the masses out for Sunday shopping. We stopped in Daiso, one of the 100 yen shops, visited Kiddyland to pick up some coveted toys, and then made our way through the high end stores in Omotesando Hills. We were out during a torrential downpour, but managed to find cover for 20 minutes to wait out the storm. Fortunately, skies were clear for the rest of the night.





We finally ended up in Shibuya where we went to the Starbucks overlooking the famous Shibuya Crossing and met up with a friend from college for dinner. We had a nice introduction to Japanese food at a restaurant just a few blocks from the crossing called Kankura where we grilled our own food and had an assortment of tofu, chicken, beef, shrimp and veggies.

It was a long, but productive and interesting first day in Japan. We returned to our hotel to rest up for the next day.

  

Ani and Aaron outside the Starbucks at Shibuya Crossing.



Shibuya Crossing at night.



After dinner at Kankuro with Brin. 



Aaron learns to pose for photos in Japan.