Japan: Denboin garden, near Sensoji Temple

By Mithun Divakaran
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Mar 21, 2016
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Japan, Travel

Date: 28th March 2015

Yesterday was all Shinjuku, from the skyscrapers to the nightlife of Kabukicho. Today was going to be a packed day. I walked to the Seiyu supermarket nearby just to see what it was like inside a Japanese supermarket.

Meat section supermarket Japan — Seeing all the meat on offer made me wish I had a proper kitchen to cook

Ice cream section supermarket Japan — The ice creams I saw made me wish it wasn’t freezing cold outside :-/

Pastry section Japanese supermarket — I decided to come back at night to pick up some baked goods

Croquet section Japanese supermarket — There were plenty of croquets available too

Asakusa shopping street Tokyo Japan — Plenty of shops and eateries in Asakusa

Asakusa Don Quijote Tokyo Japan — I quickly checked out the Don Quijote here

Chocolates Don Quijote Asakusa — The ground floor was all food and snacks

Fetish costumes Don Quijote Tokyo Japan — The upper floors are electronics, fashion, sex toys… and all sorts of fetish costumes — French maid outfits to school uniforms

Asakusa shopping streets Tokyo — I left Don Quijote and walked towards Sensoji Temple

Continue reading “Japan: Denboin garden, near Sensoji Temple” »

Japan: Shopping in Shinjuku, and exploring Kabukicho

By Mithun Divakaran
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Mar 17, 2016
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Japan, Travel

Date: 27th March 2015

After checking out the skyscrapers of Nishi-Shinjuku, I decided to walk around Shinjuku ward a bit more to see what else was in the area. It’s a major commercial area after all.

Shinjuku pedestrian foothpath road Tokyo — I was just walking along, not really knowing where I was going

Green peas pachinko arcade Shinjuku Tokyo — That’s a pachinko arcade building called Green Peas

Louis Vuitton Isetan Shinjuku Tokyo — I was at a street with many big stores all around, from high end Louis Vuitton to department stores like Isetan

BICQLO shop Shinjuku Tokyo — Oh my god… a combination store of Bic Camera and Uniqlo… called BICQLO

I had already spent the morning at a Bic Camera and shopped at a Uniqlo just outside the Nishi-Shinjuku store. I kept telling myself: “Don’t go in, don’t go in, don’t go…” Continue reading “Japan: Shopping in Shinjuku, and exploring Kabukicho” »

Tokyo Metropolitan Government building twin towers

Japan: Nishi-Shinjuku — views from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building sky deck

By Mithun Divakaran
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Mar 08, 2016
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Japan, Travel

Date: 27th March 2015

I had a packed day yesterday. A day that began at Senso-ji in the morning, Ueno Park and Zoo in the afternoon and Shibuya in the evening. I slept well — a bit too well because by the time I had breakfast and left the hostel, it was already noon.

Halc Odakyu mall Shinjuku Tokyo — I got off at Nishi-Shinjuku station and ended up at a Uniqlo (yes, again) and Bic Camera (electronics store)

Mode Gakuen cocoon tower Japan — I was in Nishi-Shinjuku mainly to go to the Tokyo Metropolitan Building for the free observation deck

Sompo Japan building Shinjuku Tokyo — Nishi-Shinjuku is the area of Shinjuku Ward dubbed ‘Skyscraper City’– which is why I wanted to see it as I appreciate tall structures and good architecture

Mode Gakuen Cocoon building Japan — It has the highest concentration of skyscrapers in Tokyo. Including cool-looking building like the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower — which houses three educational institutions

Nishi-Shinjuku business district Tokyo — Nishi-Shinjuku is home to the corporate offices of many major Japanese and international businesses

Love art installation Shinjuku Tokyo — Japan’s installation of artist Robert Indiana’s famous LOVE sculpture

Tokyo metropolitan building side view — I used Google Maps on my phone to guide me to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the 8th tallest building in Japan

The 48-storey, 243-metre high building rises to form a twin tower at the top and on the 45th floor of each tower is an observation deck which is open to public — completely free! Continue reading “Japan: Nishi-Shinjuku — views from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building sky deck” »