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The trip begins with jet lag, fluffy Japanese pancakes, and an early visit to Tsukiji Fish Market. They try tuna, tamagoyaki, and their first matcha before heading toward Senso-ji.
Welcome to the Tokyo vlogs.This is part one and we are starting off in Tokyo.It is actually our first official full day and jet lag hit us really hard.We were up long before the sun was, so we watched the sunrise and then headed out in pursuit of our first meal in Japan.We were craving those fluffy Japanese pancakes, so I did some research and heard great things about this spot and we got here super early, so they seated us right when they opened.
If you do come here, I highly recommend sitting at the bar because then you get to watch them make the pancakes, the ones that you order and get to eat.And there's such an art to it.It's just amazing to see how it comes together.And I've tried remaking them at home at least 15 times and while it comes close, it's never as perfect as the ones you have in Japan.
Once we had coffee in our system, we felt ready to take on Tsukiji Fish Market.After seeing the bustling streets filled with vendors in the open-air market, Anthony Bourdain in Kitchen Confidential described the market as, "My life as a chef will never be the same again."As someone who never opts for seafood, I really wanted to keep an open mind and try everything at least once.The line is long, but it goes by so fast and the best part is you get to watch the chefs at work while you wait.The rice is shaped by hand so quick and effortless before it's topped with the most beautiful glistening piece of tuna.Every motion flows into the next as if it's muscle memory that I feel like they could do it with their eyes closed.We got the three levels of tuna to try and worked our way from most lean to most fatty.
The closer to the belly you get, the fattier the piece of tuna gets and you'll see more marbling in it and it practically melts in your mouth.It's described as the wagyu of the sea.As we enjoyed, we got to watch them prepare the cuts of tuna and then we wandered around for our next snack.
This is tamagoyaki and it is what I was most excited about to try in this market as someone whose favorite food is eggs.This is no ordinary omelette.Thin layer after thin layer is poured and rolled and without total control of the heat, the entire thing will fall apart.Apparently, this one has over 15 layers in it and it's definitely something I hope to master one day.
It was then time for the first matcha of the trip and I was really excited to try Hattouya.Every single cup of matcha was hand whisked and made to order so you got to watch the whole process as you waited for your drink.From the matcha shop, it was only a short walk over to Senso-ji which is Tokyo's oldest temple.
They continue exploring Senso-ji, enjoy strawberry tanghulu, and end day one with yakiniku and arcade games. Day two focuses on salt bread, a hard-to-book matcha cafe, and more wandering around Tokyo.
Yeah, I think so.
We walked around and explored a bit before heading to the long shopping street that leads up to the temple.We then got a strawberry tanghulu share, and the first time I had this, I actually did not like it, and then the second time I tried it, I absolutely loved it.So, that is your sign to give things a second try.The strawberries are just way more sweet and flavorful in Japan, so that definitely helps.
After a very, very long nap, we ventured out for dinner, and we went to yakiniku Hanga.Yakiniku just translates to grilled meats in Japanese, and the process was very similar to Korean barbecue, where you grill your own meats and dip them in different sauces, and then you can enjoy it with some rice, and theyalso gave some kimchi.Spoiler alert, we actually came back here 2 weeks later on our final night in Japan, because we loved this place so much.I definitely recommend.We then walked over to Akihabara to play some games after dinner.
Oh, man.No way.
Oh, nice.Oh my god.
Boom.
Oh, it's Ellen?
Yeah.
No way.
Got one.
It's now day two, and we are starting the day bright and early in the best way possible, and that is going to a bakery.This is Pan Maison in Ginza, also known as the birthplace of salt bread.I actually had salt bread for the first time ever when I visited South Korea in 2024, and immediately fell in love with it.I was so excited to try the original place where it was first ever created.I got there right when they opened, and the whole place smelled like butter outside.There is no possible combination of words that I could come up with to describe the experience of biting into one hot and fresh.
It's crispy on the bottom.That's so good.
We got a few different flavors to try like the original salt.There was also one that was stuffed with custard and whipped cream and then another one that had red bean and butter on the inside.The bottom is so crispy.It shatters in your mouth when you take a bite and then the inside is so fluffy and tender and it's just absolutely delicious.If you go to Japan, you have to add this on your list as a must.It was so good that we got some on our last day right before we went to the airport so that we can eat them on our plane journey back home.
If there was one skill that I wish was an actual real skill that I could put on my resume, it would be securing the impossible reservation.Day two and the quest for the best matcha in Japan continues and it's brought us to Lambert matcha.It used to be a 70-year-old Japanese traditional residence, but they transformed it into this beautiful cafe with the most beautiful outdoor space.I tried booking a reservation a month in advance and it was fully booked and the only tip I have for you is to keep refreshing every single day multiple times a day.
After some claw machine attempts, they eat ramen, gyukatsu, and tempura for dinner. The next morning includes convenience-store breakfast, Don Quijote shopping, more salt bread, and a matcha stop before visiting Kappabashi Kitchen Supply Town.
After our caffeine boost, we walked around and explored a bit more before getting lured in and falling victim to the claw machines again.The funny and crazy part about all this is that I read somewhere that Japanese machines are actually famous for being winnable compared to other ones, but that was not the case for us.I tried a few times and unfortunately did not win anything.We did see everyone else winning prizes, so maybe we just had bad luck.
No.
And just like that, we were ready for dinner and today we were really craving ramen, so we went to this place called Gyumon.My favorite thing in the world is eating dinner earlier, that way you get to the restaurant before the rush, so we were the only ones dining there when we first arrived.Of course, we opted for the counter seating.I love watching the chef prepare the food and a lot of times we'll strike up conversation and it just feels like a more intimate way of enjoying and experiencing your meal in Japan.My husband and I love sharing, that way we can try multiple dishes, so we got one ramen.The spice level I believe was three or four, which was described as spicy but enjoyable, which is my favorite.And then we also got gyukatsu and some shrimp tempura.I've always wanted to try gyukatsu, it's basically a cut of steak that's been coated in panko and fried super quickly so that the inside stays rare and then it gets cut in slices and then you get to cook
each piece on a small grill in front of you.
Tell me to try the blue drink.
Overall, everything was delicious and we went to bed with very happy tummies.
Very good.Yeah, spice is perfect.Thank you.
Day three in Tokyo and jet lag got the best of us, but the greatest advice from one traveler to another is to lean into it and take advantage of those early hours before everyone else is up.The best part about Japan is that you do happen to be out at 6:00 a.m.because you can't sleep, there are a bunch of stores that stay open 24/7, so that's what we were going to do this morning.
That's really good.
Yeah.
It tastes like the the ones we have in the
We had a light breakfast from the convenience store and then headed to Don Quijote, which I highly recommend you go at 6:00 a.m.because we basically had the store to ourselves and it can be very overwhelming and overstimulating.This is definitely one of those stores where you always leave with more than what you plan to buy, so definitely go in with a plan and a list.There's multiple floors packed with everything you can think of from skin care and makeup to snacks and cooking.You have electronics, toys, gadgets, it just goes on and on.
You want a croissant?
My favorite things I bought from there were the Biore UV Aqua sunscreen and these matcha filled chocolates, but I kept my haul very small because I heard from locals that they tend to overprice things at Don Quijote andyou could buy the stuff anywhere in Tokyo at other stores.Don Quijote got us super hungry and now it was time for part two of our breakfast.We returned to Pan de Zone for round two.
Three salt breads.Two custard creams.One red bean butter.Anything else?
That's it.
My husband is waiting in line at the matcha spot and I went and picked up the salt bread.
We got to Cloud Club Matcha Cafe before it opened, so my husband was first in line.The line is always super long out the door, but they still hand whisk every single matcha to order and it turned out so thick and creamy.I found out after that they use 7 g of matcha in each drink and now I understand why my heart was skipping beats and I had a lot of anxiety, so definitely be careful with matcha out there.
This section covers Kappabashi's cookware shops and a relaxed end to day three with coffee and ramen. Day four shifts to convenience stores, a park moment, egg sandos, milk bread, and souvenir shopping for gifts.
And now for the thing that I was most excited to do in Tokyo is take a trip to Kappabashi Kitchen Supply Town.If you love to cook or know someone who does, this is a must.It's basically Tokyo's kitchen supply town.It's packed with over 160 shops selling everything a chef could need and it's been the city's go-to for cookware since 1912.It used to be a market for selling old second-hand tools and utensils until it evolved into what it is today and the prices are so good compared to what you would find here in the states or in othershops around Tokyo.If there's a specific Japanese dish that you want to master and there's certain equipment or tableware that you need for it, this is the place to buy that.Of course, if your suitcase has space.
And just like that, day three ended the way the best days in Tokyo do.With good coffee, a long walk to nowhere in particular, and dinner at the end of it.Any opportunity you get in Japan to eat ramen, you take advantage of it because it's just so comforting after a long day.
It's day four.We're 3 days in and Tokyo still isn't done showing us new things.For example, the inside of 7-Eleven.Convenience stores, or combinis in Japanese, are basically a way of life and it's a big part of the culture from 7-Eleven to Family Mart to Lawsons.There are over 50,000 convenience stores across the country and in cities like Tokyo, you can basically find one on every block.Unlike the convenience stores I'm used to, the ones here have the most insane food quality.The food is actually made fresh daily because Japanese people eat here regularly, whereas back in America, I usually would frequent a convenience store as a pitstop on a road trip.All that being said, these pancakes with maple syrup and butter were the best things I ever had.There's a film that I could not recommend more called Perfect Days that follows a toilet cleaner in Tokyo who finds beauty and meaning in his simple daily routine.
In the film, the main character photographs komorebi every single day, which is basically a Japanese term for sunlight that filters through tree leaves.That's all I could think about in this beautiful park as I looked up and tried to savor the feelings of this fleeting moment.
minutes
I've had a full-blown passion for egg sandos since my first trip to Japan back in 2023.I actually made it my mission to try every single one I could find starting with all the convenience stores, yes, all three of them, and then going all the way up to spots like this bakery, which is famousfor its milk bread.What makes Japanese milk bread so special is a technique called tangzhong.It's a cooked flour and water paste that gets mixed into the dough, and this is what keeps it incredibly soft and pillowy.We got the egg sandos, but you can also just order some classic slices of milk bread, and the whole store is decorated with toasters, and you get to pick one out, and then you toast your own milk breadand put some jam and butter on it, and it's just super cute.After lunch, we headed to the mall because I had some sweets saved that make for perfect gifts to bring back for family and friends.
Japan's gift-giving culture runs deep, and it's a huge reason why you see so many beautifully packaged cookie and confectionery shops everywhere, like train stations and department stores.Just know that if you are trying to bring sweets back as souvenirs, that you go at the end of your trip because the expiration dates do not go that far into the future, which I learned through experience, unfortunately.
They shop for shoes, return for more ramen, and visit Shibuya Sky and Shibuya Crossing at sunset. The final stretch includes a spontaneous day trip to Mount Fuji, a last Tokyo dinner at Savoy Pizza, and departure for Kyoto.
When it came to shopping in Japan, the only thing I wanted to buy outside of kitchen stuff were these pairs of shoes from Rockfish Weatherwear that I have been eyeing on Pinterest for about a year.The brand is originally from England, so I was happily surprised when they had a location in Tokyo, and their largest size they go up to was a US 8, and I'm an 8 and 1/2, so I avoided buyingit online until I could try it in person, I was so happy when it fit me and I got a pair.We then chopped around some more, and I had to avoid buying everything with Snoopy's face on it, and then we went back to Gu Mon for round two.The ramen was just as good if not better than the first time.
We booked our tickets for Shibuya Sky around sunset time, that way we could see the beautiful rainbow sky.It is 47 floors total, and the older I get, the more I get scared of heights, so we didn't stay up there too long because it was super windy.After that, we quickly checked out Shibuya Crossing, then went straight back to our hotel since we had a big day tomorrow.
Sometimes the most spontaneous plans end up creating the best memories from the trip, and this day is the perfect example of that because my husband booked these bus tickets to Mount Fuji the night before.Mount Fuji is only visible 70 to 80 days of the year, so when we saw that it was going to be a sunny, clear day, we decided to book the tickets, and it's crazy because it's usually fully booked,so I think we got lucky or it was meant to be.The bus from Tokyo to the lake takes around 2 hours, so it's perfect for a day trip if you're trying to squeeze it in.
My favorite thing about revisiting countries is that you can create a different experience every single time.I had been to Japan before, but I had never gotten to see Mount Fuji.So, this was definitely my favorite part of the trip in Tokyo.Everywhere you looked was so beautiful, and if I'm lucky enough to come to Japan a third time, I hope to stay a few days in Mount Fuji.This pudding shop wasn't even on our list.We just walked by, and I immediately got lured in, and honestly, there's something so special about that when you're traveling.Not because it was viral on TikTok, and not because it was saved on Google Maps.It was just a place that caught my eye, and I went in, bought it, and it was absolutely delicious.
Not very sweet, right?
god, this is so good.
Wow.
I'm so happy we got it.It almost tastes like creme brulee with a
And just like that, we were back in Tokyo for our final dinner, and we heard amazing things about the pizza scene.So, we ended up going to Savoy Pizza.Japan has a deep cultural respect for mastering a single craft, so a lot of the chefs in Japan have trained directly in Naples to master the Neapolitan pizza.We ended up ordering some fries that were really good.It almost had a tempura-like coating on it, and then we got a classic margherita pizza, and then a fusion one that had some tuna on it.There was no better way to end the Tokyo chapter of this Japan trip, and the next day we were up bright and early to catch our train to Kyoto.I always like to get to the train station early because they have coffee shops, food shops, convenience stores.They also have the souvenir shops where you can buy cookies and little sweets to take home with you.
It's only about a 2-hour train ride from Tokyo to Kyoto on the Shinkansen or the bullet train.So, we just got an egg sandwich to share and some chips.And on that note, I will see you in the next vlog in Kyoto.Thank you guys for watching and I love you so much.Bye.