Shinjuku Granbell Hotel

I cannot believe we took so few photos of our hotel room but here's one of them

I was telling Jiaqi that I found the blog I kept when I was still working at SMS, had too much free time on my hands and researched extensively about Japan LOL. Strangely enough, considering how much I gush about it in real life, there isn't a post about the hotel we stayed at. So here it is, a year or two late!

Shinjuku Granbell Hotel

Nope, not Grandbell. Granbell. Because I guess the Japanese just have a really good grasp of English. But yeah literally the room we stayed in (but pic stolen off Google)

I cannot emphasize more on how much I love this place. I just know that if I ever go back to Japan, hands down and with no second thoughts I will choose to stay there again. The room is tiny, but functional, and boy is it clean. Like, speckless I kid you not.

Amenities

The view from our window one rainy morning

Finally a picture I took myself 

If my memory serves me, there were 4 or 5 power sockets, which is awesome for tourists. Which actually is quite meaningless if you only have 2 power adapters LOL Like my xiaogu and I had (yeah we could only use 2 of those 5 power sockets at once it was really stupid)

Had a water boiler (LOL WHAT IS THAT THING CALLED), a small fridge and a bathtub. I actually think the toilet was about half the size of the room LOL disproportionately big.

I think I should also mention, the window to the toilet is frosted glass. You better be close with your travel buddy LOL

Bunch of vending machines at the lobby too.

Location

About 10 minutes or less away from Higashi-Shinjuku Station, a station served by the Toei-Oedo Line (Purple!) and the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line (Brown!). One stop away from Shinjuku Station, and if you're really determined also walking distance from Shinjuku Station I guess.

Fun fact: The escalators at Higashi-Shinjuku only go up! When leaving Tokyo, find the elevator outside the Square Enix HQ.

Stuff nearby:
- 7-eleven (~5min)
- 24 Hour Cosmetics Shop Matsumoto Kiyoshi (~15/20min)
- Restaurants! Didn't try any though
- Coco Ichiban! (~5mins)

Packing list!!

12 DAYS TO JAPAN!!!!!

Frankly I've been a little down the past few days, for absolutely no reason whatsoever, so I'm going to put it down to my freaking moodswings from that time of the month.

Goddamit. Well, better now than in 12 DAYS!

Handphone Related Stuff
1. Charger
2. Portable Charger
3. Earpieces

Camera Related Stuff
1. Camera
2. Camera Bag
3. Spare Battery
4. Battery Charger
5. Connecting Wire
6. Spare Memory Card'

Clothes

Toiletries
1. Toothbrush
2. Toothpaste
3. Contact lens solution
4. Contact lens case
5. Extra pair of contact lens

SHINJUKU (新宿)

East exit of Shinjuku Station! Apparently it's connected to a shopping mall 8D Lumine est

CATTT CAFEEEEEE

24 HR COSMETICS SHOP!!!!!

MATSUMOTO KIYOSHI 24 HR OUTLET

Look out for the big yellow sign!

24 HOUR COSMETICS SHOP!! Relatively close to our hotel (about 15mins walk?). If that isn't heaven for two shopaholic night owls, I don't know what is LOL 

CALICO CAT CAFE

This photo of Calico Cat Cafe Shinjyuku is courtesy of TripAdvisor

CAT CAFEEEEE I'M GOING TO DIE.

Really close to the 24 hr Matsukiyo, and rather close to my hotel!!

It's in the 6th floor of the building, if that helps!

IKEBUKURO (池袋)

I like how it sounds in chinese :3

Serves a total of 8 LINES, including JR Yamanote and Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, among others.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3038.html#seibu

http://www.everytrail.com/guide/ikebukuro-walking-tour/map

MUTEKIYA RAMEN

Oooh looks nicee

Apparently its a really tiny shop, with REALLY AWESOME RAMEN. Saw a blog review that said she had to wait about twenty minutes in line, but she would still wait if she had to wait like two hours because I was so good??? And according to their website, it's quite affordable too! About SGD$9 is their cheapest! That's cheaper than Ajisen okay. =.= 

Directions: 3-minute walk Meiji street, to Shinjuku from JR Ikebukuro Station East Exit.

ODAIBA/ TOKYO TELEPORT STATION (東京テレポート駅 tokyo tereporto eki)

I SEE. VENDING MACHINES! 

Served by the Rinkai Line!!
How to go from Shinjuku: Take YR Yamanote to Osaki station (大崎駅)! Then change platform to Rinkai Line!

VENUS FORT

Okay so from what I can tell, the outside and the inside is VASTLY different

I am slightly confused, but I suppose I'll know when I get there!

According to Mimikaayu, 

Venus Fort is kind of like an outlet where most stores sell past seasons items at a great discount.  Located in Odaiba, it is close to a few other attractions and shopping malls. I do found the items in Venus Fort just like other outlets, i.e. sometimes it's your luck whether you can find great pieces at a discount as there is really no way of telling what stock an outlet has at a particular time. Prices are good though other than the Burberry Blue Label store which I found similar to outside. I think if you live in Tokyo and Venus Fort is easy to get to it's great to hunt for bargain, but if you are only there for a short time as a tourist, I'd rather spend my time on other shopping destinations selling in season items.

I've looked at its website apparently it sells stuff like one dress and one cardigan for about sixty bucks. Wow, budget. GOSH. But I suppose usually its one dress for like hundred and twenty. So.

So I guess we shall see if we have time to go!! Honestly, off-season clothes are likely to be in-season in Singapore =.= But the thing is it's about 22mins away from Shinjuku? Which actually isn't that bad..... HMMMMMM.

We could just spend about half a third of a day here (aka morning to mid afternoon) and still make it back in time to walk around say, Shibuya, or anywhere, really.

I'd say if we go, go before we go Harajuku, etc. So we can buy cheap stuff first and hence hopefully prevent us from buying too much ex stuff LOL

HARAKUJU (原宿)

Harajuku Station!

Harajuku Station is served only by the JR Yamanote Line, i.e. we can only get there by the JR Yamanote Line.

Summary of Places to Go

1) Takeshita Dori - Shopping street for teenagers!
2) Omotesando - Street for high end shopping!
3) LaForet - Located on Omotesando, shopping mall!
4) Tokyu Plaza - Located on Omotesando, department store!
5) Oriental Bazaar - Tokyo's largest souvenir shop!
6) Yoyogi Park!
7) Meji Shrine! - Located quite a distance away North-West of Harajuku station, but ought to be worth it! It sort of is in Yoyogi Park??

ORDER:
From Harajuku Station, cross Harajuku Bridge and go to Yoyogi Park.

Then maybe go Meji Shrine.

Then backtrack to Harajuku station again, and take takeshita dori exit to Takeshita Dori.
Walk the 400m of Takeshita Dori!
Then turn down towards Laforet  and Tokyu Plaza at Omotesando.
Turn into Omotesando! And then we can go by Oriental Plaza and Omotesando Hills!

TAKESHITA DORI (竹下)

Holy shit they weren't kidding when they said crowded

Takeshita Dori @ Harajuku!! Officially, it appears to be in Shibuya. O.O But whatever. Get off at Harajuku station, and take the Takeshita Dori Exit! And because Takeshita dori is really unsuited to my Xiao Gu's tastes... She can go to Omotesando! 

The only directions I can find online is basically, upon reaching Harajuku Station, exit from the Takeshita Dori Exit and follow the crowd of teenagers and tourists. WTF LOL.

Okay so after walking through the whole of Takeshita Dori, we should end up at an intersection, wherein we should probably turn right, our south, to head towards Laforet, and hence Omotesando!

OMOTESANDO (表参道)

Everywhere I go, the standard first thing websites say is "Omotesando, a tree lined street..."

Omotesando is a (tree lined) street for high-end botiques and branded goods, apparently! Many of my intended destinations in Harajuku are in Omotesando, i.e. Laforet, Tokyu hands, and Oriental Bazaar. Oh and Omotesando Hills! I think Xiao Gu will like this place a lot LOL

LAFORET (ラフォーレ原宿 rafore harakuju)

Stolen off wiki

Upon looking at their website, it looks pretty damn pricey OTL Everything is so goddamn pricey. Apparently even freaking Shibuya 109 is more affordable than this.

TOKYU PLAZA (東急プラザ)

Whoa. Wts? Whoa.

Talk about abstract. 

Well anyway, turns out I was wrong, I mixed it up with Tokyu Hands. Tokyu Plaza is NOT a department store, it is a shopping mall! And once again, pricey, I'm not even surprised anymore. I need to spend more time in takeshita dori. I should really consider telling xiao gu we should split up for maybe an hour.

ORIENTAL BAZAAR

Whoa. LOL

Apparently one of the biggest souvenir shops in Tokyo! They sell things from kiminos to legit Japanese porcelain to teddy bears???? A must-go, in other words!

OMOTESANDO HILLS (表参道ヒルズ omotesando hiruzu)

What is up with these architects??

Everything is officially INSANELY priced. Oh goddddd.

Shopping!

SHIBUYA 109

YES THAT'S TAIBANI.

Ridiculously expensive, insanely trendy, i.e. equivalent to a freaking 12 LEVEL JRUNWAY.
It even has the brands JRunway carries, like, not kidding. Like Emoda, Baby Shoop (I think that's how you spell it. I have their shirt aaaah hearts and dies), Liz Lisa (okay I don't actually think JRunway has Liz Lisa but you get it)... I'd have to say their cheapest stuff would be from Heather, aka a brand that Lowry's farm has... Doesn't seem a lot cheaper there too... But oh well!

TOKYO BAY LALAPORT 

Looks like a really short Changi Airport 

Supposedly one of the largest Shopping centers in Tokyo! Unfortunately, it's not all that convenient to visit from Shinjuku, as we'd have to get to Tokyo Station (via either JR Yamanote or JR Chuo Line), then change to the JR Keio Line and travel another about ten stops before reaching Minami-Funabashi, the station closest to Lalaport, after which it is apparently within five minutes of walking distance?? They also have a shuttle bus service that comes every 15mins.
Apparently the stores also close at around 8pm! People online seem to recommend going in the morning.


TAKESHITA DORI

Holy shit they weren't kidding when they said crowded

Takeshita Dori @ Harajuku!! Officially, it appears to be in Shibuya. O.O But whatever. Get off at Harajuku station, and take the Takeshita Dori Exit! And because Takeshita dori is really unsuited to my Xiao Gu's tastes... She can go to Omotesando!