Japan Trip

Keio Plaza Hotel has recently renovated and they have the best rooms at moderate price in the Shinjuku area apart from the other chain hotels. Breakfast is included. If you're a frequent traveller to Tokyo, join their hotel program, you can earn points that allows you to upgrade to luxury rooms if available. This hotel is great for business travellers as well, they offer broadband Internet at no charge and business services at the front desk. There is easy access to the Shinjuku JR station, and there are direct airport limousine bus services to the hotel. No hassle in travelling back and forth to the airport. Room equipments are brand new, stereo, plasma LCD TV, coffee maker, good view of the Parliament building, fridge, etc. Rooms are well decorated, spacious-decent size compared to other hotels in the area. I have been staying in this hotel ever since I started travelling to Tokyo a lot, have stayed there more than 10 times. And they didn't disappoint me.

If you're a sushi/sashimi lover, this is the one place you cannot miss. They have the freshest fish in the world made into sushi and sashimi at low price! Delicious and cheap, what can be better! They do not let tourists go inside the fish market to watch their fish auctions anymore, I have only been there once to see the auction. It was very fascinating to see them drag the fishes in and out and bid for the price. There are huge fishes freshly loaded off boats, and a lot of other seafood! Too bad that they don't let people go inside anymore, however, you can still visit the outside of the fish market where there are restaurants and markets that you can buy and eat fresh sashi/sushi and seafood.

Recommendations: Uni (sea urchin), Fatty Tuna (OO Toro), Tamago Yaki (Egg Omelet), Grill Eel, Clam Miso soup.

These are my favorites and they're the best in Tsukiji.

This is the only museum in the world dedicated to all the works for Miyazaki's animations. Daily entry is limited, and advanced reservation is needed. You can contact your travel agency if you want to visit this museum. If you are a fan for the works of Miyazaki, it's a great place to explore: there are a lot of manuscripts for his animations, characters models, props, spring of inspirations, storyboard, watercolor, etc. There's also a mini theater featuring special cuts for different animations such as Spirited Away.

On the ground floor is a tiny spiral cage-like staircase leading up to the third floor, in the corridors linking from one showroom to the others have some colorful stained-glass depicting Ghibli characters. There is also a huge furry catbus on the third floor, where children can jump in and climb on it. See pictures for this review. On the roof of the museum, one will be amazed to find a giant casting of a robot from Laputa: Castle in the Sky. This is a HUGE robot, as an average person's height would reach the robot's knee.

When you're done with short film, don't forget to check out the gift shop. They have so many different Ghibli-related things such as stuff characters animals, puzzles, bookmarks, keychains, DVDs, accessories, etc. It is a heaven for Ghibli's fan, even just to see this many collection for all his work.