Same-same, but different.
This is a phrase that probably sounds familiar if you’ve travelled around Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand. It’s a somewhat bewildering, ambiguous phrase that can mean anything from “yes, this Rolex is fake, what did you expect for ten bucks?” to “These noodles will blow your mind.”
The newly launched #TravelSSBD (Same-Same But Different) series is a celebration of the spirit of independent, freewheeling travel, where your travel goals (if any) are just as open and ambiguous as the ubiquitous phrase “same-same, but different.” The 5-part series features 5 destinations in Asia, with a new episode released every Friday. The fun begins when you realize that the unsuspecting travel host has no idea what’s coming next in the journey. This is one of the best things about travel: embracing the unexpected and going where the wind (or the railway train) takes you.
The first episode in the #TravelSSBD series features Tokyo, a beautifully bizarre city that is hyper-real and unreal all at once.
Even if you only have 48 hours in Tokyo, there’s a lot more to it than the usual food, drinks and shopping pit stops. Are you game for 48 hours in Tokyo, #TravelSSBD style?
Day 1
Hit the ground running: kick off your Tokyo sojourn with a ninja workshop where you can live out your Kill Bill fantasies and pick up some ninja skills for real. If you’ve always wondered how you might look in a kimono, wonder no more. Try on a kimono (with assistance, as you will need it) and learn how to brew and drink Japanese tea in a manner more genteel than you’re probably used to. Continue the morning of learning with a sushi-making class where you’ll learn to make gunkan maki, maki sushi, and nigiri sushi. Nom nom nom!
If all that learning has made you thirsty, it’s time for a visit to the award-winning Tama Jiman sake brewery, where you can learn about the history of sake and wander around a sake museum which used to be an old brewery. History is hungry work, so it’s time to let a friendly Tokyo-dweller show you where the locals get their yakitori fix. Ditch the normal tourist traps: this is where Japanese salarymen go for their post-work food and drinks.
Day 2
Start your next 24 hours in Tokyo at the Tsukiji Fish Market, where tons of seafood (literally) is sold — not to mention shockingly good and cheap sashimi breakfasts. After you’ve wandered Tsukiji Market’s labyrinthine passages to your heart’s content, hop over to the red light district. Get your mind out of the gutter; we’re talking about the Asakusa district, a favourite haunt of geishas and entertainers during the ancient Edo period. Drop by Seirin-kan, a steampunk-themed pizzeria that also happens to serve some of the best pizza in Tokyo. If you feel like a cold beer to go with your pizza, Bryan Baird’s Taproom is a stone’s throw away from the pizzeria and has an impressive range of craft beer.
There’s still a lot to see in Tokyo. If you have more time to spend in Tokyo, exploring its historical districts on foot is delightful. If you’re short on time, a rickshaw ride through its historic areas is a perfectly acceptable (and enjoyable) alternative. Explore the oddities of Akihabara, where maid cafes abound and you can stock up on your anime supplies.
Dancing robots, everyone. That is all. The robot restaurant (yes, That Robot Restaurant) is quite likely to be one of the top three weirdest experiences of your entire life. Naturally, this means that you can’t miss it when you’re in Tokyo, even though it might give you very peculiar dreams for weeks to come. Get your last dose of Tokyo’s nightlife in the Ebisu district at Buri, a wildly popular standing bar that serves frozen sake.
After that, it’s time to say goodnight and goodbye Tokyo in the morning. Quite a journey for just 48 hours in the city, isn’t it?