Shibuya is one of Tokyo's most popular districts. Mainly famous for its crossing, this area is packed with commuters, tourist, and traveller alike. Visit Shibuya district easily by taking JR Yamanote line.

Here's things to do in Shibuya

Visit the Shibuya Crossing
For me there's nothing screams Shibuya other than the scramble crossing. When red light is shown, pedestrian will cross the street from different sides. Other than that, the billboard also gives a sense of liveliness.




Hachiko Statue
Hachiko is a famous Akita dog known for waiting for its master for nine years. As a commemoration, the statue is built in the middle of Shibuya.

Eating place

Starbucks Shibuya
Take a look at the Shibuya crossing from above at the 2nd level of Starbucks. I had the usual cappuccino while people watching.
21-6 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3770-2301


Gyukatsu Motomura
Probably one of the best gyukatsu i have ever tried. Thick,juicy, and melt in your mouth pieces. The inside was tender while the outer was crispy. Cook it the way you like it, but for me medium-rare it is. The place itself is small and can only occupy about 15 people. I queued for an hour for lunch but when i finished the queue has doubled up. It is best to come earlier. The portion itself starts from 125 gr.
3-18-10 Shibuya | B1F Ono Bldg. 2-Gokan 





Ichiran Ramen Shibuya
One of the most famous ramen chain available in various cities (and even overseas) Ichiran ramen is always filled with long queue. The order system is through a ticketing machine and you hand the ticket once you get a seat inside the restaurant. Totally love their tonkotsu broth and you can also customise the ramen to your liking.
1 Chome-22-7 Jinnan


Nanashi Ramen
Easily spotted from the main street, Nanashi Ramen has Lekei style ramen, a tonkotsu shoyu base. One interesting thing is that Nanashi's preparation process removes the strong odour of tonkotsu, making it a more comfortable dining experience.
2-9-10 Dogenzaka, Shibuya



Otokoasahiyama Ramen
Dogenzaka, 2 Chome−8-8 MJ道玄坂ビル１F
The less mainstream ramen shop among tourist. You can order the food through a ticket machine and have it prepared for you. Love their shoyu ramen, simple and no fuss.




Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse
A serene tea house with lots of flowers, Aoyama Flower Market is considered as an instagrammable place in the district. The interior is decorated with seasonal fresh flowers. There are several types of main dishes as well as dessert to accompany your tea time.
5-1-2 Minamiaoyama, Shibuya 107-0062

Shopping spot in Shibuya

1. Shibuya 109
A large department store available in various cities, Shibuya 109 is one of the landmarks for the area. It is considered the centre of fashion culture in the city made famous by the gyarus. Take your time finding clothes and make up sprawling across 10 floors.
2-29-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3477-5111 



2. It's Demo
If you're looking for Japanese make up, It's Demo is one of my favourite shops. You can find various character make up like Disney, Sailormoon, Pokemon, and many more that mostly are only available in Japan.
24-4 Udagawa-cho


3. Loft Shibuya

This huge building is filled with stationary, home goods, travel goods, and all sort of knick knacks. They have pretty solid art materials collection you should visit! 
21-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya 150-0042


Have you ever visited Shibuya? What are your favourite things to do here?


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Tokyo is filled with so many options from capsule hotel to luxurious 5 star hotel. Finding where to stay can be difficult, but I have my ground rules. First and foremost, I always find a hotel near to a train or bus station. Second, since I travel solo a lot, I always pick a hotel that has a single room option.


Monterey Hotel Ginza is conveniently located 1 minute away from Ginza Itchome Station (metro Hibiya line)and 8 minutes away from Yurakucho station JR Yamanote line and Ginza Metro station. I choose ginza because it is the heart of Tokyo, very near to Tokyo station (I need to go to different city afterwards), and the district is not too busy (compared to Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa, and other tourist spots)





It is part of Monterey Hotel Group, a hotel chain available in many cities in Japan. This 3 star hotel is not new, but it is maintained very well (like any other buildings in Japan) I love that my room is squeaky clean. The hotel also has a French restaurant.




I had the single occupancy room for myself at a pretty good deal. Compared to another capsule hotel on my list, this hotel is much better. The room is quite spacious for one person. It has a table, chair, and a cupboard, complete with a pair of pyjamas. I have my own bathroom plus the bath tub. Perfect for relaxing after a long flight. I have nothing to complaint about. Their bath amenities are complete and generous for a 3 star hotel. 








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Akihabara (秋葉原) is perhaps one of my favourite districts in Tokyo. I have read about this place quite a long time ago, before I plan to go to Japan. Anime and game is part of my childhood, and visiting this place is like immersing myself in a huge anime mecca. The electric town or Akihabara is well known for the tech hub and its rows of Japanese anime goods, manga shops, and electronic stores.

If you plan to go to Akihabara, I suggest you to visit it at night so you can see all the glimmering city lights. It was pouring heavily when I was there and it was quite cold (about 14 degrees) and I trembled (I should have worn a jacket! haha ) Nevertheless, it did not stopped me to explore this place. I will share with you some of the shops to visit in the area.



1. Radio Kaikan
Honestly, this is the first store that I visited in Akihabara. It has become a landmark in Akihabara as it has 12 storeys full of anime goods and Japanese pop culture. There are many individual shops (about 30 shoes in total) in this building and each floor sells different things. Popular shoes include Kaiyodo (toys and figurines), K-Books, and Volks. It is located very close to the JR Akihabara station.




2. Animate Akihabara
Animate is a one stop shop in Akihabara and is a mix of a bookshop / character shop. It consists of seven floor full of comics, anime dvd, magazines, and character goods. They also sell some comic making equipments and art tools.

3. Mandarake
One of the biggest otaku stores in Japan, Mandarake is a eight floor complex full of anime goods, comics, doujinshi, toys, figurines, and collectibles. It is also a place where you can sell anime goods at their buy back counter. If you are looking for a rare anime collectibles, you can have higher chance to find it here.

4. Super Potato
If you are an avid gamer, you'll love this place. It sells various game softwares and consoles from the retro era, how cool is that! You can find the Nintendo 64 game console to the old school Super Mario game software. There is also a mini arcade where you can reminisce playing Street Fighter.





5. Sega game center
There are quite several arcades in Akihabara but Sega game center is my favourite! They have 4 buildings scattered around the place. Try everything from Tekken arcade game, dance machine, to Pokemon crane machine!

6. Gachapon hall
Gachapon fans rejoice! In this place you can find hundreds of racha-on machine lining up. Just choose whatever you want!

7. Laox
The Laox main store offers wide range of hobby and game related products aside from the electrical appliances.

8. Yodobashi Camera
The Yodobashi camera in Akihabara is huge and you won't miss it. Visit this store if you're looking for camera equipments or other electronic goods.


9. Donquijote
This discount store carries everything from stationery to clothes to cartoon knick knacks. You can also find some costumes and cosmetics here at a slashed price. It is also a great place if you are looking for gifts!

10. Gundam cafe
A perfect cafe for Gundam fans! You can drop by the Gundam cafe in Akihabara to see various Gundam robots and try Gundam related food.

Have you ever visited the area? Let me know your favourite shops in Akihabara !



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I have just came back from Japan and I receieved some questions in Instagram, so I decided to compile this Japan travel hacks you need to know before flying to Japan, especially if you are a first timer. I hop you can have a good information regarding the transportation, withdrawing money in Japan, and other tips for your trip.

1. Japan Visa

Different countries have different Visa regulation to Japan. My E-passport (Indonesian) allows me to get a free waived Visa to Japan. All i needed to do was to register the passport here. Then they will put a Visa stamp in your passport. It lasts for 3 years, but each visit is only for 2 weeks. Very easy and fuss free! For normal Indonesian passport, you still need to manually apply for the visa (single/multiple entry).

2. Japan Itinerary

I was in Japan for 7 days to visit Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and had a night in Kanazawa. I am an active traveller and I can go to 7 or 8 places in a day because I was travelling alone. I always prefer to visit different cities when visiting a foreign country, but some people only stay in one city for a week.  If you are travelling with your boyfriend, friends, parents or child, you will have less places to visit because different people have different pace and preferences. I guess normally people are in Japan for about 10 days to get to 4 or 5 cities.

3. JR pass

People always ask me if they should get a JR Pass? The answer is depends on number 2 above. If you plan to go to different cities, it is best to get a JR pass because it will save you a lot. 1 way shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka costs 150 SGD, but if you get a 7 days JR pass for 380 SGD you can go wherever and whenever you want! Regional All Japan JR Pass allows you to go to all areas in Japan whenever you want, but Japan also has different passes depending on the area. You can buy the regional JR pass online, but you need to activate it when you reach the airport in the JR counter.

If you only go to 1 city like Tokyo or Osaka, I suggest you to buy the city pass that allows you to save money on transport and attractions. Get the 24 or 48 hour Tokyo Metro pass or the Osaka amazing pass.

4. Types of JR pass

There are different types of JR pass depends on your itinerary. You can check the JR website to find the best JR pass for you.


For me, since I only go to 3 cities, I got myself this 7 days Hokuriku Arch Pass which connects Tokyo to Osaka via Kanazawa. It goes from Tokyo Station, Ueno, Omiya all the way to Nagano and Kanazawa. It only costs 25.000 Yen (280 SGD) so it was quite a steal ! The difference between using JR regional and Hokuriku Pass is the shinkansen route. The regional JR pass connects Tokyo and Osaka through the Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari Train (middle route) but the Hokuriku Shinkansen takes the upper route to Kanazawa. Travel time for Hokuriku Shinkansen with Kagayaki (train name) is 2.5 hours to Kanazawa then you change to the Thunderbird Limited Express train to Osaka which takes 2.5 hours.



On the other hand, the Tokaido Shinkansen route is a direct 3+ hours. I have no problem with getting the longer routes because I was not rushing. So, please have a look at the different JR pass before deciding.

5. Tourist area: JR Pass vs Passmo

Does the JR pass covers most tourist areas? The answer is yes! But sometimes there are places you want to go to but does not have a direct JR train station, for example Asakusa or Gion. JR pass can only be used for JR trains, JR limited express trains, plus the Narita express or Haruka train to KIX. It can not be used for metro or subway trains as Japan trains is operated by different railway companies. All you need is the Passmo or Suica Card. It is the rechargable smart card type (like EZ link in Singapore or Flazz BCA in Indonesia) which allows you to take all metro or subway (including JR and private railways) and buses in Japan. You can buy this card in all train stations. It is very easy and convenient because you can just tap in and tap out, no need to queue for buying a single ticket everytime you want to take the train. If you are in a place and do not know which train to take, all you have to do is use the Google Map.

6. Hotel in Japan

I always stay in the downtown area. Since I am travelling alone, when I was in Tokyo I stayed in Monterey Ginza hotel in Ginza area (1 station away from Tokyo Station) which has a single bed and had 2 nights in a capsule hotel in Osaka. I suggest you to buy your ticket first, then book your hotel online a few weeks before departing. It is best to book a hotel near the main train stations and nearby the places you want to visit. Some people love to stay in Air Bnb, I guess yes because they are travelling in a group. The good thing is you can have a conversation with the host, but the down side is that some Air bnb is located quite far from the major station. Yes, they do have a train station, but a smaller one and sometimes not all stations have lifts and you need to do a transit to get to the main tourist area. Again, different people have different preferences, but I like to be fuss free.

7. Going to / from Narita airport

There are 3 options to go from Narita to downtown Tokyo. First is the Narita express (3020 yen 1 way) but comes free with the JR pass. The Narita Express stops in Tokyo Station. The second option is the Keisei Skyliner which costs 2200 Yen (my personal favourite) because it only takes 40 minutes (the fastest) from Narita to Ueno Station. You can book Keisei Skyliner online and show the email at the Keisei Skyliner ticket counter (Ueno station or Narita Airport) to get your printed ticket and you're good to go! Last one is the airport limousin bus.

8. Expenses in Japan

I can't say this for everyone because it depends on your lifestyle and currency. I found that expenses in Japan is more or less similar to Singapore. A bread for breakfast costs (starting from) 100 yen and short americano in Starbucks costs 300 yen. A one way train trip from Ginza to Akihabara costs 170 yen.

9. Weather in Japan

I suggest you to visit Japan in Spring or Fall because the weather was not very cold or hot. I went on early May and I think the weather was perfect. It was 16 degrees in most cities and the sky was dominantly clear. It was low season so it was not very crowded and everything was cheap! (flight and hotel) A lot of people go to Japan in March and April to see the cherry blossom (but I don't really care) and it is considered as high season in Japan.

10. Languange

Main languange in Japan is Japanese. Unlike Singapore, Japanese do not really practice English unless in major train stations or airport. It is best to learn some Japanese phrases before you go. I learned some phrases by watching J-drama and anime back then when I was younger and now I realize it is useful! :D In general, Japanese are very helpful, so if you are lost, you can politely ask them.

11. Withdrawing money in Japan

It is better to exchange the money in your home country. If you need extra money, you can withdraw the money in Japanese atm available in the airports, banks, and convenience stores like 7/11, Lawson, and Family mart.

12. Wifi in Japan

Some public places like train station and tourist area have wifi access, but I encourage you to get your own portable wifi modem. It is very easy and convenient and you can use it wherever you are. You can book Japan wifi modem online. This modem can be picked up in Japan airport when you reach, like Narita, Haneda, or Kansai airport.

13. Planning tips

I read a lot of articles from travel website like Conde Nast Traveller and blogs. Besides, I always scroll reccommended places in my instagram (usually friend's post) and I mark them in my Google map. When I reach the area, let's say Akihabara, then I can see where is the shop I want to go to, the Arcade game store, and the food nearby that area.


That's quite a long blog post, but I hope now you are more prepared for your upcoming trip to Japan! If you have more questions, you can drop a comment below or DM me in instagram @stylefrontier




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Japanese food has always been my favourite. Whenever I go, I try to visit one restaurant the city. I came across this restaurant and bar in Singapore called Kinki. Overlooking the Marina Bay, it serves modern Japanese cuisine as well as happy hour rooftop bar.



Different from the rest, the restaurant is filled with murals from a tattoo artist Chris Garver of Miami Ink Fame, funky vibe, and breathtaking view of the city.  Reservation is recommended as the place is easily fully booked.







We had several dishes. First up is the sake (salmon) sashimi. It was so fresh and no fuss, easily became my favourite. Next up we tried the Unagi (eel) Sushi and Nego Toro Maki (bluefin tuna and scallions) Not a big fan of raw tuna, but this dish changed my mind. I am a bing fan of grilled eel and this number is a pass. Last but not least, the long awaited Kinki Custom's dish Buta Sushi (braised kurobuta pork belly in spicy miso. This last one was the bomb as the pork belly melted in your mouth.

Overall, I really love the place. Save it for an occasion and have a good dining experience there. Check out their promotion here.

Address: 70 Collyer Quay
02 Customs house Singapore 049323


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