Why do you have to go to Takashimaya Restaurants?

There are so many restaurants/izakayas in Shinjuku.

Why not Takashimaya? They have everything. https://global.restaurants-park.jp/en/

Also recommend the ones in NEWoMan. https://www.newoman.jp/shinjuku/restaurant/

MyLord (pronounced "me-load0", as in me, a name I calll myself, and load-o, as in a heavy load) . https://shinjukumylord-gourmet.info

Lumine Est https://www.lumine.ne.jp/est/restaurant/

Of course there are other places that you'll find as you walk around, but sometimes it's nice to browse through the choices all under one roof. Great for rainy days, and days that are too hot or too cold.

As for Shibuya, I like to walk around Shibuya Scramble Square, the shopping building that has the Sky on top. Instead of taking the elevator down, take the escalator and stop at the floors that might interest you. There's Hands, as well as Kyukyodo that has Japanesey things that make great souvenirs.

https://www.shibuya-scramble-square.com.e.apy.hp.transer.com/shops_restaurants/

Takashimaya will be quite a walk from Kabukicho, where many people go to see the Godzilla.

I often use Lumine instead even I went to have some Ise food at Takashimaya last year.

Guys & Gals,

Firstly, thanks for the input.

1. The most valuable thing for us is TIME. This is why we have to give up the Mt. Fuji day tour so we can get in all stuff in Tokyo itself. So if someone says, Tokyo Municipal Building is out of the way, then that's a great suggestion. I can cut it out. However, isn't it in Shinjuku and we are going to Shinjuku anyway and will have the whole evening there?

2. The revised itinerary is below. Can you please tighten it, given the need to save time? I don't understand the logic of Meiji Shrine before Shibuya Sky given that the shrine is closer to Harajuku than Shibuya. I want to avoid backtracking and maximize use of time.

3. Note that Temalab Planets Toyozu is convenient and is a 15 minute train ride from my hotel. Can it be slotted on another day? Maybe at the beginning of Day 2? Or Should I slot it on Day 1, finish it, then immediately proceed to Shibuya Sky for the noon ticket?

Looking forward to your response; thanks!!!

UPDATED ITINENARY

Day 1

• Meiji Jingu Shrine

• Shibuya Sky Viewing Deck (tickets booked for 12 noon)

• Shibuya Crossing (About Shibuya if you use the Ginza Line look at the signs for Inokashira Line. You can see the crossing from above from the corridors to Shibuya Mark City.)

• Shibuya Scramble Square, the shopping building that has the Sky on top. Instead of taking the elevator down, take the escalator and stop at the floors that might interest you. There's Hands, as well as Kyukyodo that has Japanesey things that make great souvenirs.

• Harajuku main street

• Harakado, the new building which opened April 17, opposite Tokyu Plaza Harajuku, has many restaurants on the 5th and 6th floor and can be used like a food court. The view was so amazing too.

• Roam around Shinjuku (Maybe spend a few minutes watching the cat come out of the billboard. Shinjuku East Exit. You'll see lots of people looking up. If you cross that intersection and keep walking straight with the crowds, and cross another wide street, you'll see Godzilla on top of a building/hotel.)

o Restaurants:

 Takashimaya food court? They have everything. https://global.restaurants-park.jp/en/

 Ones in NEWoMan. https://www.newoman.jp/shinjuku/restaurant/

 MyLord (pronounced "me-load0" & “load-o”, as in a heavy load) . https://shinjukumylord-gourmet.info (all you can eat , buffet? my family would love that)

 Lumine Est https://www.lumine.ne.jp/est/restaurant/ (best bet, time wise?)

• Can skip; too much time? Top of Government Building for Night View

• Uniqlo has sales on the weekends

Day 2

• Imperial Palace

• Senso-ji

• Asakusa Shrine

• Akihabara (anime) at night

• Top of Tokyo Skytree

Day 3

• Teamlab Planets / Toyosu Fish Market for lunch

• Ginza shopping/Uniqlo

• Team Lab Borderless is connected to Hibiya Line Kamiyacho Station so it is just five minutes from the ticket gate.

• Tokyo City View Roopongi

Day 4

• Light day planned; Sanrio Puroland before catching evening (5pm?) Shinkansen to Kyoto (Before going to Sanrio Puroland, check Daiso and Seria (100-yen stores) to see if they have any Sanrio character merchandise in stock.)

If you’d like to go to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building there is a motive walk before 8 pm. Because it is free sometimes there are long queues there. I would recommend going to the cafe at Century Southern Tower and have a coffee or tea there. You can see Shinjuku Gyoen and the National Stadium which was used for 2021 Tokyo Olympics and Akasaka Detached Place where all the Imperial family except the Current Emperor, Empress and their daugher live.

You might run into a wedding at Meiji Jingu in the morning. It is just 3 minutes on Yamanote Line. Shibuya Scramble is next to the station. Wasting your monring doesn't sound time effective to me.

If you’re staying at Tsukiji, Kamiyacho where Team Lab Borderless is just 10 minutes on Hibiya Line. For Team Lab Planet you have to transfer to Yurikamome Line at Toyosu unless you walk 15 minutes.

I think you should put Sanrio Puroland west of Tokyo which you use Keio line from Shinjuku not on the day that you move to Kyoto.

You can combine it with Shinjuku.

Put East Gardens etc. before the Kyoto visit.

Just one thing.

Tocho, the Metropolitan Government Building's observatory is just OK, nothing special. I wouldn't bother with it. What is worth your time is Tocho Light Up. It's awesome. Highly recommend it:

https://tokyoprojectionmappingproject.jp/en/

On a winter day sometimes you can see Mount Fuji from there but quite rarely in May or June.

About the restaurants, I recommend trying out the ones that you feel like going into while walking. Some of them have plastic samples or pictures of what they serve. The restaurants at Takashimaya are a bit expensive overall.

Firstly, thanks for your feedback. I have incorporated it (except the suggestion to avoid TeamLabs)

Sanrio Puroland is fixed for Day 4. Two persons in my family are not going to be there on Day 4 and I don't want to drag them unnecessarily on Day 1 through 3.

Can anyone guesstimate the average visit time in Sanrio Puroland? It will help me in planning.

What is "East Gardens" ?

Why don’t you google when you come up with the unfamiliar word?

It is the area that you are allowed in at the Imperial Palace.

https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1726/