Holly's Reviews Page 4/10

If you're a stationery lover, Ginza Itoya is definitely worth visiting when you're in Tokyo. Each floor is organized by a different type of stationery, with clear categories covering everything from fountain pens, planners, paper goods, and cards to art supplies. There are especially many high-quality products with distinctive designs, making them great as gifts for others or yourself.
However, although Ginza Itoya has many floors, each floor is actually not that large, so I wouldn't recommend visiting with luggage, as the aisles will feel even more crowded. Its selection also isn't geared toward everyday stationery, but focuses more on fountain pens, planners, paper, art supplies, and design-oriented stationery. The paper goods and writing instruments in particular are really worth taking your time to browse.
Overall, Ginza Itoya is more of a place for stationery lovers to broaden their horizons and shop for premium stationery, rather than a stationery store focused simply on variety or getting everything in one place.

My impression of COREDO Muromachi is that it's not just a large commercial complex in the Nihonbashi area, but a district that blends a "new shopping complex" with the historic atmosphere of old Nihonbashi quite naturally. The most representative example is Fukutoku Shrine right next door. At first glance, it's easy to assume it's just a small shrine that was restored after urban redevelopment, but Fukutoku Shrine actually dates back to the Heian period and is a very old center of Inari worship in the Nihonbashi area.
What's even more interesting is that during the redevelopment of Nihonbashi Muromachi, Mitsui Fudosan didn't treat the shrine as something that had to make way for commercial space. Instead, it incorporated Fukutoku Shrine and the adjacent Fukutoku Garden into the overall plan, allowing the shrine to remain part of the district. That's what I find most impressive about COREDO Muromachi.
It reconnects Nihonbashi's long-established shops, shrines, and street history with modern commercial spaces. The vermilion torii gate and wooden shrine buildings are surrounded by modern high-rises, with restaurants, cafes, and office buildings nearby. They clash visually, yet somehow feel harmonious when you're actually walking around. COREDO Muromachi itself is also enjoyable to browse, with plenty of dining, desserts, souvenirs, and household goods. Nearby, you can also visit Nihombashi Mitsukoshi, long-established shops, and all kinds of distinctive stores, so it's perfect for a half-day walk around Nihonbashi.
When you get tired from shopping, you can sit for a while in Fukutoku Garden, then stop by Fukutoku Shrine to pray and see if you can win the lottery and achieve financial freedom. This means there isn't a strong boundary between the shopping complex and the shrine; instead, it feels like you're naturally moving between them within the same district.

A friend gave me these as a souvenir from Kyoto. You really have to admire how the Japanese can make an ordinary little item feel so refined. They're just blotting sheets, but the quality feels completely different. And it's not just that they look nice—they also work very well. I think their biggest advantage is that they absorb enough oil without leaving your face too dry. Just press them lightly to remove excess shine without disturbing your base makeup too much, so they're great to use before touching up your makeup during the day.

This time, I took the Ninja High-Speed Boat from Chubu Centrair International Airport to Tsu. The trip took about 45 minutes, crossing Ise Bay directly to the Tsu Nagisamachi ferry terminal. There are buses from the port to Tsu Station, but they don't run very frequently. I missed the bus while buying a ship stamp, so I ended up taking a taxi in Japan for the first time.
Tsu Station is shared by JR, Kintetsu, and the Ise Railway, so first-time visitors need to pay some attention to where they're going. When entering from the east exit, it's easier to reach the JR area first. If you're taking Kintetsu, you'll need to follow the signs inside the station to the Kintetsu platforms.
What left the strongest impression on me at Tsu Station was actually the Wi-Fi. My mobile data suddenly stopped working, so I had to rely on the free Wi-Fi in the JR area to look up directions. It didn't really work once I left the JR area, but fortunately, I somehow managed to make it all the way to Ujiyamada Station. It really made me miss the convenience of free Wi-Fi being available everywhere in public places in Taiwan. However, this service has now been discontinued, so anyone who suddenly needs Wi-Fi should keep that in mind.

I originally came just to explore Endoji Shopping Street, but after walking around, I found the area much quieter than I had expected. As I approached KABUKI CAFE NAGOYA za, the atmosphere suddenly changed completely. Quite a few people had gathered outside, and the place felt especially lively, bringing a burst of energy to the quiet shopping street.
The contrast was so striking that I couldn't help stopping to look into it. The sign seemed to indicate that it had something to do with kabuki and stage performances. From the enthusiasm and anticipation of the girls waiting there, it was obvious that this was a very local cultural event. I looked it up on my phone and learned that it was a small theater combining kabuki elements, sword fighting, dance, comedy, and audience interaction. It seemed like it might be easier to understand than kyogen. I actually considered going in to join the fun, but it looked like there might not be any tickets left, so I gave up.
But because of that, it ended up being the most memorable place from my visit to Endoji Shopping Street. In a relatively quiet old shopping street, there was suddenly this energetic little theater surrounded by enthusiastic fans. The contrast was huge.

Asakusa Shrine is right next to Senso-ji Temple. When many people visit Asakusa, it's easy to focus entirely on Senso-ji and overlook this shrine. In fact, the very famous Sanja Matsuri held every May is Asakusa Shrine's annual grand festival and one of the liveliest events of the year in all of Asakusa.
I happened to visit during the Sanja Matsuri this time. Although I didn't specifically try to catch the major highlights, such as the mikoshi leaving and returning to the shrine, the shrine grounds alone were already very lively. I also saw many local residents in festival clothing and various related activities. When the mikoshi aren't being carried through the streets, they are kept on the shrine grounds for worshippers to visit.
It was only after taking a closer look around the shrine this time that I realized the famous fox amulet, the “Kitsune Mamori,” which I had seen before, is actually offered by Hikan Inari Shrine, a subordinate shrine on the grounds of Asakusa Shrine. Hikan Inari Shrine is located toward the back of the grounds and enshrines Ukanomitama-no-Kami as its main deity. There are many stone fox statues nearby, creating a very different atmosphere from the lively main sanctuary of Asakusa Shrine in front. If you already like foxes or Inari worship, I highly recommend walking a little farther to the back of Asakusa Shrine when visiting Senso-ji Temple.

For me, Sensoji Temple is not only one of Tokyo's most famous tourist temples, but also the starting point of my later pilgrimage to the “Three Great Kannon Temples.”
The first time Sensoji made a special impression on me was when I visited during the year-end Toshi no Ichi fair. Sensoji's Toshi no Ichi is held every year around December 17 to 19, and its most iconic event is the Hagoita Market. Stalls selling all kinds of decorative battledores gather throughout the temple grounds, making it a traditional Tokyo event filled with a year-end atmosphere.
Compared with an ordinary sightseeing visit, Toshi no Ichi had a strong, down-to-earth New Year's feeling. Under the warm, dim lighting, the lines of each battledore looked softer, as if they had their own filter. I usually tend to keep my distance from dolls with human faces, but surrounded by the lights and darkness that night, the battledores somehow had a lively and gorgeous beauty.
A photo I took at that Toshi no Ichi later unexpectedly won a participation prize in a photography event. It had been more than ten years since I had last won anything, which made me feel an even more mysterious connection with Asakusa Kannon.
Later, I returned to thank Kannon for the blessing and nervously drew a fortune, only to get “small blessing.” At the same time, I prayed for my upcoming trip to Saihoji Temple to go smoothly. Although it rained all the way through Tokyo until I left on the overnight bus, the weather cleared after I arrived in Kyoto. That also made the visit especially memorable for me.
On several later visits, I never drew a “bad luck” fortune from Kannon. People often say Sensoji has a fairly high proportion of bad fortunes, so I always feel a little nervous before drawing one. But I made it through safely each time, which felt like a small blessing to me. I know drawing fortunes is ultimately a matter of probability, but while traveling, sometimes you really treasure coincidences that work out just right.
Perhaps because of what happened afterward, along with the fact that I didn't get a bad fortune in any of my three draws, now whenever I go to Tokyo and have enough time, I try to visit Sensoji again to pray. For me, it is no longer just a place that's a “must-visit on your first trip to Tokyo,” but more like a place where I check in with Kannon at the start of or during each trip and pray for safe travels. I am very grateful for Kannon's protection along the way, and I hope I can continue coming back to worship on every future trip to Tokyo.

On this trip, I traveled from Nagoya through Ise, Matsusaka, and Tsu, then continued on to Osaka. I used the KINTETSU RAIL PASS 5day plus. After actually using it, I think that for this pass to really be worth it, it's best to plan at least two longer trips, such as Nagoya to Ise and then Ise to Osaka. If you only have one long-distance trip and the rest are short trips, the savings aren't as noticeable.
The most valuable part of PLUS is that you can take Mie Kotsu buses within designated areas in the Ise region. Places like Futamiura and Naiku aren't most conveniently reached by Kintetsu alone. Especially when going to Futamiura, the bus stop is closer to the main attractions, and you can also walk a lot less when going to Naiku. So if you're only taking Kintetsu, the regular 5-day pass may be enough, but if you want to explore Ise more thoroughly, I'd recommend PLUS.
At one point, I even got on the wrong bus and rode all the way to the area around Shima-Isobe Station, then took Kintetsu back to Ujiyamada. Although I accidentally made a huge detour, having the pass meant I didn't have to recalculate fares the whole way, and it instead became an amusing little incident during the trip.
What's a bit disappointing is that the KINTETSU RAIL PASS has now switched entirely to digital tickets, and the old paper version is no longer available. You now need to buy it in advance or online and display a QR Code on your phone to ride, so you have to keep an eye on your phone's battery and internet connection during the trip. For someone like me who likes to keep physical passes as travel souvenirs, it's still a little disappointing not to have a paper version.

I actually preferred the simple one-day bus pass, but unfortunately it has been discontinued. Now there's only the combined Subway & Bus One-Day Pass, which costs JPY 1,100 for adults. Although the pass includes the subway, I'm still more used to taking buses when traveling in Kyoto. Many temples, shrines, and smaller attractions in Kyoto are some distance from subway stations, while buses can take you closer to your destination, making it easier to get around on foot.
However, if I'm traveling a longer distance or it's rush hour or a busy sightseeing period, I'll take the subway instead because the roads can get congested. So while this pass isn't as cheap as the old bus-only pass, it at least offers more flexibility. Although it costs more than before, it's still easy to get your money's worth if you're visiting several attractions and taking the bus multiple times that day. And for people who aren't very familiar with Kyoto's buses, this kind of PASS means there's no need to panic too much if you take the wrong bus. It's still quite good.

I personally find the Toei One-day Pass quite useful, especially on days when I'm getting around central Tokyo a lot. When traveling in Tokyo, my usual approach is to use the subway for long distances and buses for short distances. Although the Tokyo subway is convenient, many attractions are still a bit of a walk from the station. If you don't want to rely on your feet all the time and find taxis too expensive, Toei buses are very useful. In the area between Shinjuku and Tokyo Station, buses run fairly often, giving you much more flexibility when getting around the city.
Buying the pass is also very convenient. Besides subway ticket machines, you can buy it directly from the driver on a Toei bus. I usually have a screenshot of the pass name or an image ready to show the driver, which makes communication much faster.
One thing to note is that even though it's a one-day pass, late-night buses aren't completely free. You have to pay the additional late-night surcharge. Also, the Koto 01 route isn't covered.