I land at Narita Airport looking scruffy and smelling bad after the trip. As I don’t have long in town, I have a 5 second shower at the airport, change and lock all my baggage up, except for the all-important phone and a wad of yen. (Japan is mainly a cash, not card society. Probably because nobody gets robbed.) Who needs hotels?
7:30-9:00am
Oddly enjoyable long train ride from the airport into Tokyo. Enjoy the hilly landscape and open fields while you still can – most importantly, the seats are heated. Get into the swing of things right away by changing at Nippori station and hopping on a train directly to Shibuya. All signs are in English, so don’t worry.
9:00-11:00am
Leave via the Hachiko exit and there you are. The intersection that is featured in every film, book and TV series ever made about big cities. This is what people think all of Tokyo looks like – but we know better than that. Head toward HMV, walk past it and turn right. Keep going, and grab yourself a crepe with ice cream in it. Breakfast of champions! I prefer cookies and cream ice cream with caramel and almonds on top (hold the cream), but feel free to put a cheesecake slice in yours too. Now wander around – but be sure to check out Parco department store, Tokyo Hands (the best DIY store in the world) and the music mecca Tower Records (grab a copy of the free Metropolis street press mag while you’re there).
11:00-11:30am
From Tower, head under the bridge, cross the street, turn left and you’re on your way to Harajuku. The road will split into two – so head off the main drag and haul arse to Pink Dragon, an amazing 3 story rockabilly shop complete with stained glass windows and an amazing sculpture inside. Along this side road you’ll also find awesome local boutiques, cafes and jewellers who can’t afford the rent on the other side of the street. Feel free to veer further left!
11:30am-1:30pm
You’ll pop out somewhere along the main street. Now you can head right into Omotesando to get your Prada and Comme Des Garcons fix, but cross the street, head deeper into the block and turn left into the alleyways of Harajuku – remember, the more lost you get, the more you’ll find. Just slowly make your way up through Takeshita Street to the Harajuku train station before you get too hungry.
1.30-2.00pm
Once facing the Harajuku station, turn left and walk to the corner of the street. You are now below the awesome Kyushu Jangara Ramen restaurant. This place is famous for the quality of its ramen, has a chill islander vibe and overlooks the main gathering place of the Gothic-Lolita types. Sit by the window and wave at the pretty boys and girls while congratulating yourself on your awesomeness.
2.00-3.00pm
Hop on the train and get your geek on by heading to Akihabara. Take the Electric Town exit and go directly into the building with the big yellow sign in front of you. The 6th floor is a shop called Volks – a haven for doll-makers and crafters. Teeny torsos, a rainbow of plastic hair, and brilliant showcase figures fill the room. Go there and I dare you not to want to create your own big-eyed creation. Then head down the road to Toranoana for seven stories of manga comics. No English, but the unofficial Apple Mac shop across the road is the best computer design shop in the entire world – a whole floor each to music and art creation soft/hardware. And a mind-boggling collection of apple stuff, if you’re that way inclined. I’ve found things those “Genius” fellas say don’t exist. If you don’t care for any of that, just walk around among the tech and the crowds and let your brain melt for awhile.
3.00- 6.00pm
Head back to the station and catch the subway to Roppongi. You’ll end up in Roppongi Hills, a multi-building shopping and culture complex. One part is The Mori Art Museum, a vibrant and insanely hip art gallery. Time to look and chill, and don’t forget to hop on the Tokyo City View observation deck.
6:00-7:00pm
Get out and grab some food before starting our party-until-airport stretch! Luckily, there is plenty to eat, and more artsy alleys to explore. You’ll see a bunch of foreigners around, but a lot of them are just here to get drunk and pick up the locals (Roppongi has a reputation.) Ignore them and head to some of the great eateries.
7:00-9.00pm
Super Deluxe, the home of Pecha Kucha nights and welcoming design/live music/experimental bar opens at 6 and is a stone’s throw from Roppongi Hills. It’s also a place where you can get local microbrewery beers, has a lot of worldly locals that speak English, and a lot of worldly expats that speak Japanese. Also has an event on every night. Sit down and get some culture. Or some beer, at the very least.
9:00-11:00pm
A lot of the events finish early, and in any case, we still have some wildness to see, so hop on the subway to Shinjuku, and head straight for Kabukicho – the infamous hangout of Yakuza, Hosts and Hostesses and seizure-inducing neon. This is generally Blade Runner without the noir and tech. Or subtlety. This has to be one of the best places in the world for people watching, and there’s a lot of late night shopping/eating/drinking, too. There should be a decent (huge) crowd now- explore and boggle. Just don’t go into the bars full of orange-haired men or ladies in debutante dresses- they aren’t hookers (at least, not all of them), but you’ll still pay by the hour for their company!
11:00pm-5:30am
You ready? Time to head to AgeHa, the biggest club in the Tokyo region and attractor of huge international DJs. Every visitor has to go there at least once – a mammoth complex in Shin-Kiba that accommodates more than 3,000 revellers and has a pool out the back. Being in Japan, people tend to dance politely around it. I rebelliously dangled my foot in once. Take a train from Shinjuku station to Tokyo station, then change onto the Keiyo Line to Shin-Kiba Station. Follow the crowd and party down! Prepare for the $40-$60 entry fee, though.
5.30am – Liftoff
You’ll know the trains start up again when the crowd starts slowly dispersing. Tired? Good! Because modern Japanese tradition dictates that you must take a Nana-nap on the rail system at least once. So lean against someone beside you (they are probably leaning, lying, snoring all over the train already) and don’t forget to change stations to head back to the airport. Good work.
Photos copyright Olivia Hambrett
