5 Days in Tokyo: Otsuka
Right away I knew that there was something special about Otsuka.
Otsuka would be our home base in Tokyo for the next 5 days. As we stepped out of the train station in Otsuka for the first time, I knew that we had chosen well.
Was it because Otsuka Station was on the Yamanote line that runs through all of Tokyo’s hot spots? The bright lights of Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, and Harajuku are mere minutes away from Otsuka by train.
Otsuka Station
Or perhaps it was because cars were surprisingly absent from Otsuka’s roads? Instead, “rush hour” in Otsuka sees the streets filled with pedestrians leisurely walking home from the train station at the end of day.
Rush Hour in Otsuka
Surely it must be the eternal sunset that seems to envelope Otsuka. The blazing pink-orange skyline brings a calm over Otsuka and its residents.
It’s Always Dusk in Otsuka
Ultimately, all of these things have a hand in making Otsuka a particularly extraordinary place.
But most of all, you can breath in Otsuka. In Tokyo, a city with over 31 million people, that is exactly what you need. It’s very easy to feel suffocated by the massive crowds and towering buildings of Tokyo’s more popular areas such as Shinjuku or Ikebukuro.
Those places are nice to visit, but at the end of a long day, Otsuka is a welcome respite from the never-ending activity that Tokyo is so well known for.
5 Days in Tokyo
- Otsuka — Tucked between Tokyo’s hot spots is a place where golden hour never ends.
- A Different View of Harajuku — We discover that serenity is surprisingly easy to find in Harajuku.
- Lost in Ebisu — A random stop in Tokyo turns out to be more than we bargained for.
- Old Town Akihabara — Pass under the bridge to a different side of Tokyo’s futuristic district.
- Ginza to Tsukiji — A search for fresh fish leads to a surprising discovery about Tokyo’s Ginza district.
- Lunch at Tsukiji Fish Market — This is where you go to get the freshest fish in Tokyo.
- The Solitary Soldier — Sunset at Japan’s Imperial Palace.
- Finding Peace in Hibiya Park — A small pocket of peace amidst Tokyo’s never-ending activity.
- Cats of Hibiya Park — Hanging out with some furry friends.
- Saturday in Ikebukuro — Ikebukuro. Weekend. It’s over.
- Okachimachi Crunchy — Walking down Tokyo’s multifaceted shopping boulevard.
- Hidden Yanaka — Frozen in time.