There was an announcement over the PA yesterday afternoon informing us that due to port traffic, we would be arriving in Tokyo 1 hour later than scheduled, to offset this change to our visit times, our departure would be an hour later too but also be extended by 30 minutes.
With a pre cruise visit planned for next year we just got off the ship and went to the information hub run by volunteers.
They gave us a couple of options both of which involved using public transport so we decided to go to the Meiji Jingu Shrine. This trip involved using the Yurikamome Line from Tokyo International Cruise Terminal Station and seven stations down the line to Shimbashi Station where we caught another train to Harajuku on the Yamanote Line.
Sounds simple enough and it’s easy once you are on the train but navigating the stations is the complicated bit. We managed it so it can’t be that difficult to do and it was a good taster for next year.
Meiji Jingu Shrine is within a large park called Yoyogi Park and is very close to the station. It was very busy with lots of tourists making their way to and from the shrine itself which is almost in the middle.
Having found the shrine and taken some photos of the area, while also getting our first 2 EKI stamps we decided to make our way back for some lunch at a vegan restaurant close by to Harajuku Station. Just as we were leaving we spotted a wedding procession at the shrine which motivated just about every item capable of taking a photo into action, it was like a paparazzi experience.
On the way back we spotted another EKI stamp opportunity at Meiji Jingu Inner Garden so furnished ourselves with a third stamp.
After a walk around the garden we got back on track and enjoyed lunch at a vegan restaurant called Vegan Bistro Jangara. Another excellent tasty meal and again, not at all expensive.
The first train journey back was extremely busy with standing room only most of the way, we were all packed in like sardines and getting on and off was a real task. I almost forgot, we also gained two more stamps at the stations on the return journey so we now have 5 in the book. Not bad for a day’s work and we are now more aware of what and where to look.
Travelling across Tokyo took about an hour in each direction and we decided that we had achieved our objective today so arrived back to the ship at 2:45 giving ourselves plenty of wiggle room.
The rest of the afternoon was quite a leisurely one so I decided to write up the days first venture into Tokyo while Nicole went to the gym. The ship was fairly quiet so we made the most of it. Tomorrow we have again been told to collect a number for getting off the ship, but will take no notice and just mingle in with the ships tours as they leave. This is what a couple of our table mates did last time with great success so fingers crossed it works for us tomorrow.
Fitbit Steps – 14,878
Glad you had a good day and it’s alway nice to be on a ship when most of the pax are off. Hope you bought some bottled water when you were out. 😆