Free Days in Tokyo

Our free days began with checking into our hotel, Khaosan Samurai Capsule Hotel in Asakusa. Each floor of the hotel had a room with 16 separate compartments, each only a few feet high and just large enough to fit a twin mattress, a small storage space, and a fold out table. These compartments were our entire rooms. There were areas outside the rooms where we could lock up our luggage, and a communal bathroom next door. I found that the amount of space we were provided was exactly the amount that I needed; not once did I feel cramped or claustrophobic (although a taller person may have had a harder time). In addition, the price was extremely cheap—only 30 dollars per night. On the top two floors, there was a kitchen, a lounge, and washing machines and driers. The hotel was also conveniently located about a block away from the train station.

 

After Grace and I settled into our hotel, we grabbed lunch at a small restaurant nearby, and then took the subway to Akihabara, which was only 2 stops away. We went shopping at Akihabara for several hours, buying anime souvenirs for ourselves and friends. We also tried several Sega arcades. They are notoriously difficult, but Grace managed to win a Neko Atsume mug from the UFO catcher. There were several of these arcades on every street, and you couldn’t walk for more than 2 minutes without seeing one.

 

By the time it was time for dinner, Grace and I were exhausted from walking around and spending so much money. We decided to grab onigiri and snacks from Family Mart and eat them back at the hotel. I thought it was very interesting that we could buy a complete meal at a convenience store that was both healthy and delicious for just a few dollars. I think that these kinds of options are not available at convenience stores in the U.S.

The next day, Grace and I returned to Akihabara in search of an owl café called Akiba Owls. Unfortunately we got lost along the way, so we had to wait until the next available café opening at 4. Since we had a couple hours to spare, we took the Yamanote line to visit the Pokemon center in Ikebukuro. The center was in an enormous mall called Sunshine City; its size was comparable to that of the Mall of America. We would have liked to spend more time in this area, but we only had just enough time to see the Pokemon center before we had to head back to the owl café.

The owl café was probably my favorite experience during the free days. When you enter, you have to pay 1500 yen per person. Then you sit at a table and the employees explain the rules about touching and handling the owls, which were perched on stands throughout the café. You were allowed to pet the owls gently, and if you could even perch some of them on your arm if you asked an employee to help you. I was surprised by how calm the owls were and how they didn’t seem to mind being handled. We took lots of pictures and got a postcard for a souvenir. After 1 hour, our time was up and we had to leave and let the next group come in. I think the animal themed cafes (along with onsen and kotatsus) should become more popular in the U.S. I have heard of cat cafes opening in California recently, but I definitely think they should become more widespread.

After Akiba Owls Grace and I were done for the day after spending so much time walking outside in the cold, so we headed back to our hotel for the rest of the night.

The next day we had just enough time to check out of our hotel, eat lunch, and then head to Tokyo station to meet with the rest of the group. We wished that we had time to do more things, such as visit another onsen, do more shopping, and visit a cat café, but overall, we had our best experiences of the trip so far during our free days. It was also interesting to experience a capsule hotel for the first time. I thought it was a great place to stay if you are travelling on a budget, and I would definitely do it again in the future.

After Grace and I settled into our hotel, we grabbed lunch at a small restaurant nearby, and then took the subway to Akihabara, which was only 2 stops away. We went shopping at Akihabara for several hours, buying anime souvenirs for ourselves and friends. We also tried several Sega arcades. They are notoriously difficult, but Grace managed to win a Neko Atsume mug from the UFO catcher. There were several of these arcades on every street, and you couldn’t walk for more than 2 minutes without seeing one.

By the time it was time for dinner, Grace and I were exhausted from walking around and spending so much money. We decided to grab onigiri and snacks from Family Mart and eat them back at the hotel. I thought it was very interesting that we could buy a complete meal at a convenience store that was both healthy and delicious for just a few dollars. I think that these kinds of options are not available at convenience stores in the U.S.

The next day, Grace and I returned to Akihabara in search of an owl café called Akiba Owls. Unfortunately we got lost along the way, so we had to wait until the next available café opening at 4. Since we had a couple hours to spare, we took the Yamanote line to visit the Pokemon center in Ikebukuro. The center was in an enormous mall called Sunshine City; its size was comparable to that of the Mall of America. We would have liked to spend more time in this area, but we only had just enough time to see the Pokemon center before we had to head back to the owl café.

The owl café was probably my favorite experience during the free days. When you enter, you have to pay 1500 yen per person. Then you sit at a table and the employees explain the rules about touching and handling the owls, which were perched on stands throughout the café. You were allowed to pet the owls gently, and if you could even perch some of them on your arm if you asked an employee to help you. I was surprised by how calm the owls were and how they didn’t seem to mind being handled. We took lots of pictures and got a postcard for a souvenir. After 1 hour, our time was up and we had to leave and let the next group come in. I think the animal themed cafes (along with onsen and kotatsus) should become more popular in the U.S. I have heard of cat cafes opening in California recently, but I definitely think they should become more widespread.

After Akiba Owls Grace and I were done for the day after spending so much time walking outside in the cold, so we headed back to our hotel for the rest of the night.

The next day we had just enough time to check out of our hotel, eat lunch, and then head to Tokyo station to meet with the rest of the group. We wished that we had time to do more things, such as visit another onsen, do more shopping, and visit a cat café, but overall, we had our best experiences of the trip so far during our free days. It was also interesting to experience a capsule hotel for the first time. I thought it was a great place to stay if you are travelling on a budget, and I would definitely do it again in the future.