This is Achita’s second trip flying 4hours+ and on this trip she is not yet 2 so she can still fly under infant ticket. We almost had a problem with Garuda when I wanted to add infant ticket to my promo ticket. Apparently Garuda issued a new regulation that said infant ticket needed to be purchased the same time as the main ticket. I am lucky that when we checked, the purchase date of my ticket was prior to the regulation. If I had to buy a new ticket the cost is like double. Because this is a midnight flight, Achita was asleep the whole journey.

We landed in Haneda airport 8.50 in the morning. Immigration and baggage process is pretty swift. We could only take Achita’s stroller together with our luggage in baggage retrieval area but Tokyo airport is child friendly. We are given a stroller-trolley like the one in this picture so we don’t have to carry Achita. Because it is winter we already prepared our winter gear in below hand carry bag that we can wear as soon as go outside.

From airport we took express train to Ueno train station, the area where we are going to stay. We had to store our luggage in luggage storage area in the Ueno station because it was too early to check in to our airbnb. There is always a locker area in all train station in Japan, very convenient. We had to use coin for the lockers but there is a coin machine provided.

Our first stop is Akihabara.  It is a buzzing shopping hub famed for its electronics retailers, ranging from tiny stalls to vast department stores like Yodobashi Multimedia Akiba. Akihabara shopping specializing in manga, anime, and video games include Tokyo Anime Center, for exhibits and souvenirs, and Radio Kaikan with 10 floors of toys, trading cards, and collectibles. Temperature outside is around 7 C and windy  

We had lunch in Yoshinoya Akihabara before we continue walking to Takeshita street where Harajuku is.

I read Japan manga all through primary and junior high and in soem of my favourite books the characters spend every weekend in Harajuku. So visiting Harajuku is high in my list. Noawadays Harajuku is renowned for colorful street art and youth fashion, with quirky vintage clothing stores and cosplay shops along Takeshita Street, and traditional, upmarket boutiques on leafy Omotesando Avenue. Small, trendy bars filled the surrounding lanes with various dessert shops and carts specialized in sweet crêpes, donuts, and bubble tea .

I bought Anello backpack here because my shoulder started to hurt from carrying too many stuff, mainly Achita’s stuff.

From harajuku we continue walking to Shibuya and took picture in front of the famous Hachiko statue before exploring the shops in Shibuya.

We finally checked in to our airbnb after our feet were getting sore from too much walking. We followed the instruction from the owner to enter into our apartment. Once we are inside the apartment Fabio asked me if this time I booked the cheapest accommodation in Tokyo because the apartment is tiny. This is one of his epic comment knowing Mommy can be so stingy at times. However I quickly educated him how Tokyo is one of the most expensive city in the world so this apartment size is normal in Tokyo.

The perk of staying near train station is we have many choices of restaurant and food mart.