What to Do & Eat in Asakusa

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If you are thinking of what to do and eat in Asakusa, and only have a few hours to spare, this post covers what you should not miss in this traditional district of Tokyo. 

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We recommend visiting Tokyo’s oldest and most iconic temple, the Sensoji Temple, also popularly known as Asakusa Kannon Temple. Our family makes it a point to pay homage to the Buddha at Sensoji Temple every time we visit Tokyo. It certainly feels very reassuring to be blessed by the Buddha from a temple with immense significance. 

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Visitors enter Sensoji Temple through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) with a gigantic lantern hanging in the middle. This is a highly popular photo spot among tourists visiting Sensoji Temple. 

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Right outside Sensoji Temple is an entire street of shops known as Nakamise Shopping Street

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Over there, you can find all sorts of souvenirs and bric-a-brac. 

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There are also plenty of snacks that you can munch on while strolling along Nakamise. 

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At the end of Nakamise Shopping Street, you will find another giant lantern. 

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A mere 3-minute walk from Nakamise Shopping Street, you really ought to stop by Namiki Yabusoba for lunch. This famous soba restaurant in Asakusa boasts more than 100 years of history and sees a long queue during lunch and dinner times. 

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Namiki Yabusoba’s buckwheat noodles are handmade from 100% buckwheat flour milled on the same day, giving it that clean taste and earthy flavor. When eaten together with the rich and flavorful dipping sauce, the zaru soba is refreshing and satisfying. 

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If you prefer something hot especially when visiting in winter, there is also a choice of hot soba soup with fish cakes.

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I’m really glad I decided to try something different – the Yamakake soba, which is cold soba covered in a sauce combination of grated yam seasoned with dipping sauce. Give it a good stir so that the noodles are evenly coated in sauce. I loved that it was slimy and slippery, on top of being yummy. 

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If you visiting Tokyo on a tight schedule and still wish to spend some time in Asakusa, we hope this post on what to do and eat in Asakusa will inspire you. 

Going to Japan soon? Follow our updates on our Japan 2018 trip or read our popular Japan trip itinerary!

Gotokuji Temple Tokyo: Birthplace of Maneki Neko

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OHAYO~! My gosh, our previous trip to Japan in 2016 didn’t feel too long ago and it was a very impromptu yet spontaneous decision on our part to book another trip to the Land of the Rising Sun this year! I left my previous company because I was so sick and tired of being a full-time working mum, and just felt like I needed to take a break from everything. Fast forward a few months later, I’m almost using up all my leaves at my current workplace for this trip. LOL. Oh wells, I suppose my itchy butt cannot stay at home for too long 😛

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We jio-ed my parents along for this trip as we share a love for Japanese temples and shrines. Their last trip to Japan was a decade ago, so it’s time for some refresh and update! I was doing my research and stumbled upon this interesting and cute temple in Tokyo, Gotokuji Temple, otherwise known as Maneki Neko Temple or Lucky Cat Temple. I call it the CONFIRM HUAT TEMPLE. Hahaha. Go already come back sure strike 4D, Toto, Big Sweep, get big big bonus! HUAT AH!

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Gotokuji Temple, located in Tokyo’s Setagaya ward, is a Buddhist temple that has an interesting story behind it, citing the temple as the birthplace of the Maneki Neko. These cats sit upright with their right paws beckoning luck and fortune, and are immensely popular enough to have their own worshippers from all over the world.

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According to a temple legend, during the Edo period in the early 17th century, feudal lord Naotaka li and his servants were trying to escape from a thunderstorm and was led to safety after a cat beckoned with its right paw, inviting them into the temple. Since then, it is believed that the Maneki Neko brings good luck.

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Today, hundreds of Maneki Neko figurines can be found at Gotokuji Temple Tokyo.

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Hundreds of them in different sizes.

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OMG don’t they all look so adorable? I love the teeny weeny ones! 😀

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Rain or shine, may the HUAT be with you!

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Before saying your prayers, you should first cleanse yourselves by washing your hands at the entrance of the temple.

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I’m not sure where the water comes from but I drank a few mouthfuls by mistake from the bottle that my mum filled up with but thankfully, nothing untoward happened to me over the next few days.

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Place both palms together and pray earnestly.

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Swing the rope firmly to ring the bell.

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Make a money offering.

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I love this place already. The attention to detail is AMEOWZING!

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Another reason why I love visiting Japanese temples is because I enjoying seeing the beautiful designs of the small wooden plaques (ema in Japanese) that are unique to each temple. Worshippers write their prayers or wishes on these plaques and hang them up at the temple, where the gods are believed to retrieve them.

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2018 is the year of the Dog (chinese zodiac), hence the ema features the dog in addition to the Maneki Neko.

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There is a small shop within Gotokuji Temple which sells various Maneki Neko souvenirs and good luck charms.

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Good things come in small packages. Teeny weeny cute little Maneki Neko, you are coming home with us! Purrrrfect! 😉

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Chanelle and Cayla were thrilled to see so many lucky cat figurines at Gotokuji Temple Tokyo too! A word of caution, these figurines are made of ceramic so always be extra careful. Cayla knocked over a large figurine with her foot on purpose and thankfully, it didn’t break. It was definitely a heart-stopping moment for us!

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I think we spent slightly more than an hour at the temple, oohing and ahhing at the lucky cat figurines, in addition to taking plenty of photos. If you are heading to Japan, I strongly recommend setting aside some time to visit Gotokuji Temple Tokyo!

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We travelled from Shibuya Station to Gotokuji Temple, which took about an hour of travelling time. If you are not travelling with young children, it should take you under an hour 😉

How to get there?

1) From Shibuya station to Sangen-Jaya station (2 stops via Tōkyū Den-en-toshi Line)
2) From Sangen-Jaya station to Miyanosaka station (6 stops via Tōkyū Setagaya Line)
3) Walk from Miyanosaka station to Gotokuji Temple (between 600m to 800m, Google maps may lead you to other gates that are closed so keep on walking along the parameter of the temple)

Hope you have a pawsome time at Gotokuji Temple Tokyo!

Going to Japan soon? Follow our updates on our Japan 2018 trip or read our popular Japan trip itinerary!

Gotokuji Temple Tokyo 豪徳寺
Address: 〒154-0021 東京都世田谷区豪徳寺2丁目24−7
Nearest Station: Miyanosaka Station (Tokyu Setagaya Line)
Opening Hours: Daily from 6am to 6pm
Admission Fee: Free

From Singapore to Tokyo & Suggested Tokyo Itinerary!

Shinkansen to Tokyo

As most of you should know by now, our 10D9N Japan trip was also Little misschewy’s 2nd birthday trip 🙂 We had been to Phuket, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Penang as a family last year. This time, we decided to venture a little bit further and made Japan the holiday destination of our choice! A visit to Japan in the month of March this year was almost perfect – cold weather and cherry blossoms! I used the word ‘almost’ because the weather was actually quite cold and many times we found ourselves freezing lol, and also the blooming of cherry blossoms didn’t reach its peak only until end March. But it’s ok! We saw plenty to keep us happy till our next trip to Japan. LOL! We took advantage of Singapore Airline’s promotional offer and booked our air tickets early. Red-eye flight to Narita Airport for us! Little misschewy fell asleep in the Tula toddler carrier before we boarded and woke up at 4am on the plane asking for drinks and snacks. She stayed wide awake throughout the rest of the flight and kept pointing at the window, “Go out!” This girl ah!

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Upon arriving at Narita Airport, we made our way to the JR station and bought our JR Narita Express tickets to Tokyo, specifically Ikebukuro station because that’s where our Airbnb is! The Narita Express departed the station at 8.13am and we reached Ikebukuro at 10.02am. About 2 hours’ journey! The fare cost ‎¥3190 (S$39) one-way per adult. We didn’t use our JR Pass as it was meant for the second half of our trip and didn’t get return tickets because we would be flying back to Singapore from Osaka. The NEX Tokyo Round Trip Ticket is available for foreign travelers at a discounted rate of ‎¥4000 (S$49) for a two-way trip from the airport to Tokyo and back within a 2-week period. Something worth considering if you are planning a trip to Japan! We didn’t consider the Airport Limousine Bus because the time taken to reach Tokyo is much longer and is subjected to traffic conditions. It is also by no means cheaper than the JR Narita Express. However, if you are not hard pressed for time, the Airport Limousine Bus is a convenient choice too! There are many ways to travel from the airport to Tokyo, but if you are travelling with children, the JR Narita Express and Airport Limousine Bus are your best bets 😉

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After meeting our Airbnb host and her baby girl, we took the public bus from the bus stop at Ikebukuro to Sensoji, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple. The hubs and I had been there separately before and we agreed that Asakusa Temple is one of the heavily commercialized temples in Tokyo. Even so, we still made it our first stop in our Tokyo itinerary. Haha.

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A photo with the iconic giant red lantern!

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Hordes of tourists were there to offer their prayers.

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Omamori are Japanese amulets that are commonly sold at religious sites such as temples and shrines. They come in different colors, sizes and designs. It is believed that these omamori provide various forms of protection and luck. Interestingly, there is almost an omamori for everything – love, marriage, childbearing, smooth delivery, health, wealth, studies, safety for driving, and many more! The price of an omamori typically ranges from ‎¥500 to ‎¥1000 (S$6 to $12). Some street peddlers and shops in Japan also sell omamori but for obvious reasons, people prefer to buy them at religious sites.

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We also observed the purification ritual whenever we visited a particular temple in Japan. Before entering the temple, there is a purification fountain for visitors and worshippers to purify themselves. The steps are fairly simple; scoop the water from the purification fountain by using the ladle. After rinsing both hands with water from the ladle, proceed to rinse your mouth but do not transfer the water directly into your mouth with the ladle. You should use the ladle to pour some water into your hands to rinse your mouth before spitting the water at the side of the fountain.

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Not surprisingly, there was a queue to enter the temple as worshippers took their time to pray fervently. Do you know the significance of this 5-yen (Go-yen) coin? In Japanese, Go-yen sounds like ご縁 which translates to fate, bond and relationship. I think that it also sounds like 有缘 in Mandarin. Therefore, it is only naturally that worshippers prefer to use the 5-yen coin when praying at a temple or shrine. It makes you feel that your prayers are more likely to be heard and answered.

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Asakusa Nakamise Shopping Street

Asakusa Nakamise Shopping Street is located right outside Asakusa Temple. There are plenty of shops selling omamori, souvenirs and street snacks.

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There was a long queue for melon pan so we joined in as well!

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As we were strolling and nibbling on our melon pan, we saw another queue for Senbei, a type of Japanese rice crackers.

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I really liked the Wasabi flavoured ones! So good!

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Plenty of late night shopping at Ikebukuro!

Tokyo Day 1 dinner

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If you are planning to visit Tsukiji Fish Market and wish to witness all the action at the wholesale market, please be there early. Like, really early! We knew right from the start that we wouldn’t mind giving it a miss so we slept in a little after our trip to Disneyland 😛

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Tsukiji has an outer market, which is packed with rows and rows of stalls selling fresh seafood, vegetables, fruits, etc.

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We wanted to eat at Sushi Dai, which to many, is Japan’s best sushi restaurant. However, we ended up at another sushi joint instead because Sushi Dai placed a sign “Unfortunately, we cannot accept any more customers for the day.” at the end of the long snaking queue. 🙁

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Itadakimasu!

Tsukiji street food

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The hubs had included Ueno Park in our itinerary because he thought that it would be nice to sit and have a picnic, while admiring the blooming cherry blossoms around us. However, the reality was, there was only ONE cherry blossom tree (the one in this photo) and everyone was queuing to take a photo with it. LOL!

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We spent some time walking around Ueno Park, which is a large public park next to Ueno Station. Great place for small kids to run around! Little misschewy was so happy that she could finally be out of the Tula for awhile 🙂

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We saw another cherry blossom tree as we were leaving Ueno Park!

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Just across Ueno Park is Ameya Yokocho Market, where you can buy souvenirs, clothes, shoes, snacks, cosmetics, etc. I bought my Sana Namerakahonpo Soymilk products there, along with some face masks, which were eligible for tax rebate after meeting the minimum spending.

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Japanese food keychains

We spotted this claw machine full of Japanese food keychains as prizes! So cute! We didn’t try our luck at winning any of these because we know we are not professionals. Better don’t waste money. Hahaha.

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Had absolutely no qualms about spending on ice cream though! 😛

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Yummy matcha flavoured ice cream in cold weather!

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I had actually shortlisted a handful of cafes to visit in Tokyo, but somehow, we only managed to go to Fujiya Peko-chan Milky Restaurant in Shibuya for Little misschewy’s birthday cake! The strawberry shortcake was delish!

Chanelle's birthday cake

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Back in Ikebukuro, you can find Sunshine City, where the Mega Pokemon Center is! There were some items which we wanted to buy, such as the Life Sized Snorlax and Graduation Pikachu but they were no longer available when we were there 🙁

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Get one of these life sized plushies if your luggage allows it! Hahaha. If not, you can always choose to hand-carry and snuggle with one on the plane 😛

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Another night shopping area which we would recommend is Takeshita Dori at Harajuku, where you can find plenty of trendy shops and fashion boutiques.

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Sushi-Nova

Little misschewy had her first conveyor belt experience at Sushi-Nova and she was surprisingly well-behaved, considering she sat really still in misterchewy’s lap and ate some of the cooked food.

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ZakuZaku

We walked past the Croquant Chou ZakuZaku store and decided to try one of the almond-coated chou pastries. The special custard cream is made from milk obtained from free-range farms in Hokkaido. Really yummy!

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Back to where we stayed in Ikebukuro! Honestly, I was pretty freaked out most of the time when we walked back late at night because the entire place was really dark and quiet.

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Tokyo Airbnb

Our first Airbnb experience! Our host’s family had lived here before moving to another part of Tokyo so this is like a real Japanese home which we found comfortable and cosy! When it got really cold at night, we would turn on the portable heater only when Little misschewy was asleep as the place is rather small and we didn’t wanna risk having her go near it.

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This is something that will stay in our memories for a long time! Sometimes we felt lazy to take the underpass to cross over to the other side, so we would wait for the trains to pass and then dash across the street.

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On our last day in Tokyo, when we were in a mad rush to get to the train station to go to Osaka with three luggages, we waited for about 15 minutes before we could cross! Hmph.

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We have pretty much covered our itinerary in Tokyo and will be blogging about Osaka next!

THE CHEWYS’ MARCH 2016 JAPAN 10D9N ITINERARY
(Tokyo – Osaka – Kyoto – Kanazawa – Shirakawago)

Day 1: Singapore to Narita Airport > JR Narita Express to Tokyo > Check into Airbnb at Kita-Ikebukuro > Asakusa Temple & Shopping Street > Shopping and dinner at Sunshine City

Day 2: Tokyo Disneyland

Day 3: Tsukiji Fish Market > Ueno Park > Shopping at Ameya-Yokocho Market > Tea at Fujiya Peko-chan Milky Restaurant > Pokemon Centre at Sunshine City > Dinner at Ichiran

Day 4: Tokyo DisneySea

Day 5: Fujiko•F•Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) and Doraemon Cafe > Shopping and dinner at Harajuku

Day 6: Shinkasen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka > Check into Airbnb at Shin-Osaka > Osaka Castle > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 7: Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto > Kiyomizu-dera Temple > Kimono rental and outdoor photoshoot > Dinner at Kichi-Kichi Omurice > Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka

Day 8: Thunderbird Limited Express from Shin-Osaka to Kanazawa > Check into Hotel Nikko Kanazawa > Kenroku-en Garden > Kanazawa Castle > Lunch at Sushi Zanmai > Omicho Market > Higashi Chaya District > Tonkatsu dinner at Tomikinton (富金豚)

Day 9: Nouhi bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go > Sightseeing around Shirakawa-go > Nouhi bus from Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa > Thunderbird Limited Express from Kanazawa to Shin-Osaka > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 10: Kansai Airport Limited Express “Haruka” from Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport > HOME SWEET HOME

We will be covering more on our Japan trip, so do stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy for more updates! 🙂

Tokyo DisneySea Travel Blog

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Hello! It has been a long week for us and I’m spending my Friday night updating this space on our trip to Tokyo DisneySea, which wasn’t in our itinerary in the first place. We only decided to go to DisneySea the night before, after we tucked Little misschewy in bed. It all started like this..

Me: Where are we going tomorrow ah?
Him: Oh. Going to Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Harajuku..
Me: Go there do what?
Him: Shop lor.
Me: Huh? Shop only? You mean whole day go shopping? AIYO DON’T WANT LAH!
Him: …
Me: Wah lao you think Chanelle will enjoy meh. Eh why don’t we go DisneySea!!

I’m so glad that misterchewy was really spontaneous and agreed to my crazy proposal. It was crazy because without any ticket reservations, it meant that we had to wake up really early to beat the crowd. Purchasing our tickets online wasn’t an option because it is mandatory for visitors to print their tickets before entering the theme park. Guess what. We woke up at 4.30am Singapore time but it was worth it because we didn’t have to queue to get our tickets! The sky was gloomy though and shortly after we entered the park, it started to drizzle. We didn’t bring our umbrella along, so we ‘invested’ in these Mickey and Minnie headgear! 😛 The hubs had been to DisneySea before, but not for me!

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The drizzle got heavier, and we started to wonder if we had picked the wrong day to go to DisneySea. People around us were all smiles though, and we felt a little more optimistic!

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I was feeling a little bummed that we didn’t get the chance to take photos with the Disney characters at Disneyland, which we visited two days before our trip to DisneySea. Not even a single one! 🙁 This time, I was determined to have our photos taken with any of the characters available and the first thing we did was to head to Lost River Delta where the Mickey & Friends’ Greeting Trails were! Little misschewy woke up at this point and protested from being constrained under the hood of our Tula which was supposed to shelter her from the drizzle. A kind family who was queuing behind us gave us their spare umbrella!

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At the end of these trails through the Lost River Delta jungle, you’ll find one of the Disney friends. Mickey and his pals are studying the ruins of an ancient civilization or researching the jungle plants and insects. Along the trails are fun activities that will make you feel like an explorer, too!

After what seemed like eternity, we finally got to meet and greet Mickey Mouse! Wheeee!

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I was surprised to learn that the Disney characters actually station themselves at a particular place the entire day! This is unlike Disneyland where the mascots would suddenly appear out of nowhere and everyone could be seen chasing after them.

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Since it was STILL raining, we sought shelter at one of the restaurants and ordered something to share even though we weren’t really hungry.

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Aiyoooo why so happy! 😀

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Yay! The rain finally stopped and we found ourselves at Mermaid Lagoon!

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This is Triton’s Kingdom, situated within Mermaid Lagoon. It’s an indoor facility and a pretty cool one! Really gives you that ‘under the sea’ feeling!

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I was drawn to The Sleepy Whale Shoppe in Triton’s Kingdom because you can have your caricature done at a fee! Prices listed were for one and two pax. We tried asking but they were not able to accommodate three. Also, they only do side profiles.

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The caricature artist took only about 5 minutes and this lovely souvenir was ours to keep!

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Shortly after we stepped foot into American Waterfront, it started to drizzle again.

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Hehe the little one fell asleep. Weather too nice la!

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Apart from Mermaid Lagoon, I really liked Arabian Coast for its beautiful yet mysterious architecture.

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The Caravan Carousel at Arabian Coast has two levels but Little misschewy was contented as long as she could ride on any of the camels. Lol.

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Many people were queuing to have a go at Abu’s Bazaar, which was like a little carnival area, and we joined in as well. Nobody leaves empty-handed! For ¥500 (~S$6), you get to try your luck at winning a giant stuffed toy. Consolation pin prizes were given out for trying, so nobody leaves empty-handed.

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It took us a few tries and misterchewy won a giant Dale for Little misschewy. She was really jubilant over a stuffed toy whose face is bigger than hers. LOL.

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Hahaha I duno what’s with her expression!

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Jasmine’s Flying Carpets!

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At Mysterious Island, we highly recommend the attraction, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea where you get to board a ‘submarine’ and explore the fantastic undersea world.

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Before leaving Disneysea, we went for a final round of queuing at Lost River Delta, where we found Donald Duck dressed in colourful Latin American apparel! Mission accomplished and we were very happy!

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THE CHEWYS’ MARCH 2016 JAPAN 10D9N ITINERARY
(Tokyo – Osaka – Kyoto – Kanazawa – Shirakawago)

Day 1: Singapore to Narita Airport > JR Narita Express to Tokyo > Check into Airbnb at Kita-Ikebukuro > Asakusa Temple & Shopping Street > Shopping and dinner at Sunshine City

Day 2: Tokyo Disneyland

Day 3: Tsukiji Fish Market > Ueno Park > Shopping at Ameya-Yokocho Market > Tea at Fujiya Peko-chan Milky Restaurant > Pokemon Centre at Sunshine City > Dinner at Ichiran

Day 4: Tokyo DisneySea

Day 5: Fujiko•F•Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) and Doraemon Cafe > Shopping and dinner at Harajuku

Day 6: Shinkasen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka > Check into Airbnb at Shin-Osaka > Osaka Castle > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 7: Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto > Kiyomizu-dera Temple > Kimono rental and outdoor photoshoot > Dinner at Kichi-Kichi Omurice > Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka

Day 8: Thunderbird Limited Express from Shin-Osaka to Kanazawa > Check into Hotel Nikko Kanazawa > Kenroku-en Garden > Kanazawa Castle > Lunch at Sushi Zanmai > Omicho Market > Higashi Chaya District > Tonkatsu dinner at Tomikinton (富金豚)

Day 9: Nouhi bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go > Sightseeing around Shirakawa-go > Nouhi bus from Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa > Thunderbird Limited Express from Kanazawa to Shin-Osaka > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 10: Kansai Airport Limited Express “Haruka” from Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport > HOME SWEET HOME

We will be covering more on our Japan trip, so do stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy for more updates! 🙂

Fujiko.F.Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) and Doraemon Cafe

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My favourite colour is blue and since young, I have a strong preference over cartoon characters that are predominantly blue in colour like Donald Duck, Cookie Monster, Smurfs and not forgetting, DORAEMON! Of course, no trip to Japan would be complete for a Doraemon fan without stopping by the Fujiko.F.Fujio Museum, more affectionately known as Doraemon Museum, in Kawasaki! Fujiko F. Fujio (Fujimoto Hiroshi) was the creator and manga artist of Doraemon, and he had lived in Kawasaki for a long time.

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From Shinjuku Station, we took the train via Odakyu Odawara Line to Noborito Station, where shuttle bus services are available at ¥210 (S$2.60) per person each way. The bus journey took about 10 minutes and we cruised past various houses that looked similar to the ones we had come across in Doraemon manga! It was an interesting experience.

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Tickets are not sold at the museum and must be purchased in advance. Our helpful Airbnb host from Tokyo bought the tickets using the Loppi automatic ticket machine at one of the Lawson convenience stores and passed them to us on the day of our arrival. A specific entry date and time slot (10:00, 12:00, 14:00 or 16:00) must be selected when purchasing your ticket, so we gave our host a few options just in case tickets for a particular time slot were sold out. Alternatively, you can also purchase your tickets online but it will be relatively more expensive.

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Photography is strictly prohibited at areas where Fujiko F. Fujio’s extensive collection of artwork is displayed. Upon admission, you can request for an English audio guide which will give you greater insight into Fujiko’s life and artwork. Finally! We could take photos at the Woodcutter’s Spring. Keep pressing the lever and Gian will pop out!

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Manga Corner. The manga were all in Japanese.

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Gachapon Machines.

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Interactive Play Area which caught the attention of many kids.

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Joined the queue to catch an exclusive Doraemon short film, not available anywhere else!

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Movies run every 20 minutes.

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Children’s indoor play area.

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Time for diaper change and milk feed!

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We took our very first Neoprint at Doraemon Museum and I think it makes a pretty nice souvenir too!

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Small shop selling Doraemon snacks.

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We headed to the outdoor area where plenty of photo-taking opportunities await us!

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Remember this playground? It’s where Nobita likes to hide whenever he’s being bullied by Gian and Suneo.

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This Dokodemo Door (Anywhere Door) is one of Doraemon’s most commonly used gadgets. Be transported to anywhere you want just by walking through this pink door!

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We bought this vanilla-flavoured Dorayaki ice cream to share and it was sooo good!

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Deliciously creamy vanilla sandwiched between two fluffy pancakes! What a great cold weather sweet treat!

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We had our lunch at Doraemon Cafe! Prior to this, we had to get a queue number and it took about 45 minutes to an hour before our number was called. The wait wasn’t that agonising for us because we were occupied with taking photos at the outdoor area.

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Iced Strawberry Flavoured Milk (‎¥510 ~ S$6.40) is also available as a hot drink. There are 9 types of latte art and you will be randomly given one, so treat it as a surprise!

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You can take home this cardboard coaster as a souvenir.

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Doraemon’s Rice Casserole with Soup (‎¥1230 ~ S$15.40) was quite tasty; Little misschewy enjoyed it too! It was creamy and cheesy, but I don’t think we found any ingredients in there!

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From the Sweets Menu, we ordered the Dessert Plate (‎¥1200 ~ S$15) which resembles the layout of the outdoor area where we took photographs earlier!

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Cafe staff offered to help every table take photos!

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Before leaving the museum, we made a beeline for the Gift Shop and it was really crowded! Everyone wants a piece of Doraemon!

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Be prepared to set aside approximately half a day (inclusive of travelling) for a visit to the Fujiko.F.Fujio Museum! We reckon it’s totally worth it if you want to relieve those precious childhood memories! 🙂

Fujiko.F.Fujio Museum
Location: 2-chome 8-1 Nagao, Tama-ku, Kawasaki-city, Kanagawa Prefecture, 214-0023
Transportation Access: Shuttle bus service run from Noborito Station (Odakyu line or JR Nanbu line)

Opening Hours:
10:00 – 18:00
Closed every Tuesday except during the Golden Week (April 29th to May 5th) and summer holidays (July 20th to September 3rd). Also closed during Year-end and New Year Holidays (December 30th to January 3rd).

Purchase admission tickets in advance by selecting preferred date and time slot.
Entrance time is divided into quarterly time-schedule: 10:00; 12:00; 14:00; 16:00
(Visitors must enter the museum no later than half an hour within the reservation time schedule.)

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THE CHEWYS’ MARCH 2016 JAPAN 10D9N ITINERARY
(Tokyo – Osaka – Kyoto – Kanazawa – Shirakawago)

Day 1: Singapore to Narita Airport > JR Narita Express to Tokyo > Check into Airbnb at Kita-Ikebukuro > Asakusa Temple & Shopping Street > Shopping and dinner at Sunshine City

Day 2: Tokyo Disneyland

Day 3: Tsukiji Fish Market > Ueno Park > Shopping at Ameya-Yokocho Market > Tea at Fujiya Peko-chan Milky Restaurant > Pokemon Centre at Sunshine City > Dinner at Ichiran

Day 4: Tokyo DisneySea

Day 5: Fujiko•F•Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) and Doraemon Cafe > Shopping and dinner at Harajuku

Day 6: Shinkasen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka > Check into Airbnb at Shin-Osaka > Osaka Castle > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 7: Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto > Kiyomizu-dera Temple > Kimono rental and outdoor photoshoot > Dinner at Kichi-Kichi Omurice > Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka

Day 8: Thunderbird Limited Express from Shin-Osaka to Kanazawa > Check into Hotel Nikko Kanazawa > Kenroku-en Garden > Kanazawa Castle > Lunch at Sushi Zanmai > Omicho Market > Higashi Chaya District > Tonkatsu dinner at Tomikinton (富金豚)

Day 9: Nouhi bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go > Sightseeing around Shirakawa-go > Nouhi bus from Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa > Thunderbird Limited Express from Kanazawa to Shin-Osaka > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 10: Kansai Airport Limited Express “Haruka” from Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport > HOME SWEET HOME

We will be covering more on our Japan trip, so do stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy for more updates! 🙂

Guide to Eating Ichiran Ramen in Japan

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5 nights in Tokyo, 3 bowls of Ichiran Ramen. Honestly, we could have easily eaten 5 bowls if it wasn’t for my concern that we were only eating Ichiran ramen and nothing else in Tokyo. After our 3rd consecutive night of Ichiran ramen, I told misterchewy that we should stop and at least try other types of Japanese food. LOL. The hubs had his first taste of Ichiran back in 2010 when he was in Japan for an attachment programme and when he got back, he wouldn’t stop raving about it. Of course, he had to revisit his old love on our first night in Tokyo, and the nights after.. For the first-timer like me, the dining experience at Ichiran is definitely unique, and can be a little intimidating as well. Luckily, everything is still fresh in misterchewy’s mind and we didn’t hold up the queue for not knowing how to place our orders. By the end of our trip, I became such a Ichiran ramen pro that I could do everything with my eyes closed. LOL.

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1. Automatic Vending Machine

Upon entering the restaurant, you will see this vending machine where you purchase your meal tickets from. There was only one vending machine at the branch we patronised in Ikebukuro and three in Dotonburi (Osaka). Put in sufficient cash before selecting what you want. Your meal ticket will be generated. It is quite small (about a quarter of the size of my palm) so be careful not to misplace it!

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2. Customise Your Ramen

One of the staff will then hand you this piece of paper for you to circle your preference. You get to select the Flavor Strength (weak/medium/strong), Richness (none/light/medium/rich/ultra rich), Garlic (none/a little/regular/half clove/one clove), Onion (without/white green onion/green onion) Sliced Pork (wihout/with), Ichiran’s Original Red Sauce (0/0.5/1/2/others) and Noodle’s Texture (extra firm/firm/medium/soft/extra/soft). In case you are wondering, Ichiran’s Original Red Sauce is their red pepper sauce mixed with three types of spices.

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3. Direction Board of Vacant Seats

This signboard shows you the occupied vs unoccupied (空) seats. If you go in pairs or groups, the staff will try their best to have all of you seated together.

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4. Locate Your Cubicle

The cubicles are all numbered at the top. This reminds me of my school days in the library!

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5. Hand Over Meal Ticket and Preference Sheet

This is where your meal ticket and preference sheet come in. A pair of hands will grab these two items before shouting something in Japanese while pulling down the bamboo screen and scurrying off to prepare your order.

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6. Ramen is Served

It took only about 5 minutes before the bamboo screen was up again, revealing a pair of hands placing my bowl of piping hot Ichiran ramen before me. There I was, feeling very blessed that I could have my bowl of ramen in my small little cubicle, without any distractions or conversations. YES, SAVOUR THE MOMENT!

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7. Itadakismasu!

Taking photos is optional. Eat your ramen while it’s still hot!

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I took a mouthful of the broth after mixing the Ichiran original red sauce in. The broth was milky rich with a zing of spice, yet it doesn’t feel like it had been artificially laden with too much MSG. Very addictive! On my first visit, I went for the “extra firm” noodles which were too firm for my liking, and for the subsequent visits, I had it toned down to “firm”. It was PERFECT! Each bowl of ramen with pork slices costs ¥790 (S$9.80) which is really affordable for such exemplary standards. It is a little more expensive at ¥910 (S$11.40) if you want an additional egg to go along with it. The egg wasn’t fantastic so we only had it on our first visit. All in all, Ichiran ramen is the BEST ramen I have ever eaten!

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8. Refilling of Noodles (Optional)

Don’t finish all your soup if you wish to refill your noodles as Ichiran does not accept orders for extra soup. You can choose either Kae-Dama (¥190 ~ S$2.40) or 1/2 Kae-Dama (¥120 ~ S$1.50).

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9. Calling for Dessert (Optional)

This step is applicable only if you order the dessert like I did. It was new on the menu and I just had to try it! When you are ready to have your dessert, follow the instructions on the small metal tray. Place the tray on the bell and press the bell to alert the staff. Initially, I thought that my dessert was going to be served in that tray. Hahaha.

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The Matcha Annin Tofu (¥390 ~ S$4.90) looked promising! It was wobbly silky smooth and tasted rich of matcha without being overly sweet.

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10. Ichiran Souvenirs (Optional)

There wasn’t any Ichiran souvenirs at the Ikebukuro branch but on our last night in Osaka, Dotonburi, we chanced upon magnets and coasters on our way out after dinner. I collect magnets so these were totally ideal for me! There are also packaged Ichiran ramen with soup bases that you can purchase as gifts for family and friends.

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For full list of Ichiran restaurant locations, click here.

THE CHEWYS’ MARCH 2016 JAPAN 10D9N ITINERARY
(Tokyo – Osaka – Kyoto – Kanazawa – Shirakawago)

Day 1: Singapore to Narita Airport > JR Narita Express to Tokyo > Check into Airbnb at Kita-Ikebukuro > Asakusa Temple & Shopping Street > Shopping and dinner at Sunshine City

Day 2: Tokyo Disneyland

Day 3: Tsukiji Fish Market > Ueno Park > Shopping at Ameya-Yokocho Market > Tea at Fujiya Peko-chan Milky Restaurant > Pokemon Centre at Sunshine City > Dinner at Ichiran

Day 4: Tokyo DisneySea

Day 5: Fujiko•F•Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) and Doraemon Cafe > Shopping and dinner at Harajuku

Day 6: Shinkasen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka > Check into Airbnb at Shin-Osaka > Osaka Castle > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 7: Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto > Kiyomizu-dera Temple > Kimono rental and outdoor photoshoot > Dinner at Kichi-Kichi Omurice > Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka

Day 8: Thunderbird Limited Express from Shin-Osaka to Kanazawa > Check into Hotel Nikko Kanazawa > Kenroku-en Garden > Kanazawa Castle > Lunch at Sushi Zanmai > Omicho Market > Higashi Chaya District > Tonkatsu dinner at Tomikinton (富金豚)

Day 9: Nouhi bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go > Sightseeing around Shirakawa-go > Nouhi bus from Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa > Thunderbird Limited Express from Kanazawa to Shin-Osaka > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 10: Kansai Airport Limited Express “Haruka” from Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport > HOME SWEET HOME

We will be covering more on our Japan trip, so do stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy for more updates! 🙂

Tokyo Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth

Tokyo Disneyland

OHAIYOU! It has been two weeks since we got back from our Japan trip and we are still suffering the post-holiday blues! Before we share more about our Japan itinerary as highly requested already by a number of readers, we will first be doing a series of short posts on certain places of interests. Of course, we will kick things off by sharing our trip to Tokyo Disneyland, the Happiest Place on Earth! This was my third visit, misterchewy’s second and Little misschewy’s first!

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Little misschewy’s birthday was on a Friday but after much deliberation, we decided to go to Disneyland a day earlier to avoid the weekend crowd. A few weeks before, we bought our tickets via Tokyo Disneyland’s website, which in our opinion, is a highly recommended move if you want to get into the theme park as swiftly as possible! WHEEE! WE ARE READY! 😀

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We went straight for the Castle Carrousel ride at Fantasyland!

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Spinning teacups and saucers at Alice’s Tea Party!

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Fly on a pirate ship to Never Land at Peter Pan’s Flight!

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This is nice but be prepared to queue at least an hour!

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Dumbo the Flying Elephant!

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Somehow, I was quite amused by the sight of all these parked strollers. Haha.

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Little misshewy actually ran towards the Castle Carrousel and gave us a cheeky smile, indicating that she wanted to go on the ride again.

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We managed to catch the colorful Daytime Parade, “Happiness is Here”!

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This colorful parade filled with fun will make your heart thrill with happiness. Goofy leads the parade followed by a float designed with a huge Mickey Mouse toy. And there’s a float that expresses the vibrant, lovely world of the Disney princesses and fairies, and lots more. The parade presents all kinds of happiness for you to experience.

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After all the excitement, we took a short break by stopping at one of the restaurants at Disneyland for lunch. As expected, the food was overpriced and tasted mediocre. But we really needed to rest our legs plus the little one was sleeping in the Tula.

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Pooh’s Hunny Hunt at Toon Town!

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HAHAHA Little misschewy was frightened by the weird lightings and loud noises from the honey shooting game.

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I think Little misschewy adores Donald Duck as much as I do! She was shouting “Nonald Nuck! Nonald Nuck!” but it was a pity they stopped allowing people to queue for photos with Donald 🙁

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We saw many kids and teenage schoolgirls with popcorn buckets slung around their necks and couldn’t resist getting one for Little misschewy as well. Actually, there are plenty of other designs but we were too lazy to scout for them. This is one of the popular designs featuring characters from Frozen.

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We got the normal Caramel flavoured popcorn but if you are popcorn connoisseur like one of our neighbours, you can also try the other flavours such as Salt, Curry, Chocolate, Honey, Strawberry and Soy Sauce & Butter! You can’t get all flavours at one location, so check the map!

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This girl really very happy leh!

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We managed to get one miserable Fast Pass at Tomorrowland and we used it for Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek!

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It was quite a run ride and our first time on it!

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After Little misschewy’s diaper change and milk feed at the Baby Center, we headed to one of the shops and these caught my attention!

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If you refer to the photo of our lunch earlier, you will notice that this is a mini replica of our pork katsu bun!

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I bought the miniature Donald Duck popcorn bucket but now I kinda regret not getting the pork katsu bun and Mickey pancake!

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I think it was about 7pm when we sat and joined the crowd for the Nighttime Parade, “Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights”.

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The Disney stars are literally sparkling in this nighttime parade of lights and music. With Mickey and his pals, including characters from Aladdin, Toy Story and other Disney films, appearing on colorful floats, nighttime in the Park is even more fantasy-filled.

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After the intriguing Electrical Parade, we rushed off to It’s A Small World at Fantasyland. As children of the world sing, enjoy the “happiest cruise that ever sailed”. This is one of my favourite rides in Tokyo Disneyland and I love to experience this all over again each time I visit the park.

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Fireworks were cancelled so we decided to leave as it had been a long and fruitful day for us!

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Last minute souvenir shopping!

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Here’s a brief outline of our itinerary which we promise to share in greater detail! In the meantime, check out these 16 Hotels near Tokyo Disneyland That Have the Wow Factor by HotelsCombined to complete your Disneyland experience with the entire family.

THE CHEWYS’ MARCH 2016 JAPAN 10D9N ITINERARY
(Tokyo – Osaka – Kyoto – Kanazawa – Shirakawago)

Day 1: Singapore to Narita Airport > JR Narita Express to Tokyo > Check into Airbnb at Kita-Ikebukuro > Asakusa Temple & Shopping Street > Shopping and dinner at Sunshine City

Day 2: Tokyo Disneyland

Day 3: Tsukiji Fish Market > Ueno Park > Shopping at Ameya-Yokocho Market > Tea at Fujiya Peko-chan Milky Restaurant > Pokemon Centre at Sunshine City > Dinner at Ichiran

Day 4: Tokyo DisneySea

Day 5: Fujiko•F•Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum) and Doraemon Cafe > Shopping and dinner at Harajuku

Day 6: Shinkasen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka > Check into Airbnb at Shin-Osaka > Osaka Castle > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 7: Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto > Kiyomizu-dera Temple > Kimono rental and outdoor photoshoot > Dinner at Kichi-Kichi Omurice > Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka

Day 8: Thunderbird Limited Express from Shin-Osaka to Kanazawa > Check into Hotel Nikko Kanazawa > Kenroku-en Garden > Kanazawa Castle > Lunch at Sushi Zanmai > Omicho Market > Higashi Chaya District > Tonkatsu dinner at Tomikinton (富金豚)

Day 9: Nouhi bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go > Sightseeing around Shirakawa-go > Nouhi bus from Shirakawa-go to Kanazawa > Thunderbird Limited Express from Kanazawa to Shin-Osaka > Dinner at Dotonburi (Namba station, Midosuji line)

Day 10: Kansai Airport Limited Express “Haruka” from Shin-Osaka to Kansai Airport > HOME SWEET HOME

We will be covering more on our Japan trip, so do stay connected with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/missuschewy and on Instagram @missuschewy for more updates! 🙂