Return to Tokyo
- Jordan Blaza Olsen
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
I finally made it back to Japan from April 12–27, 2025, for a long-overdue do-over trip and Star Wars Celebration. This time, I stayed in Tokyo the whole time so I could really sink into the city and get a bunch of content for social media.
The last time I was in Japan was 2019. I was still grieving my late husband, and I only had three days. I stayed in Narita (see that blog) and squeezed in just one day in Tokyo. It probably wasn’t the best timing, but I promised myself I’d return and do it right—Kyoto and Osaka can wait. For now, Tokyo felt familiar and comforting.
First Stop: Akihabara
I landed at Haneda around 9 p.m. and made it to APA Akihabara close to 11. I splurged on a taxi because I was hauling way too much luggage. The room was tiny but spotless, with all the amenities tucked cleverly into the space. I’d wanted a “local overnighter” vibe, but quickly realized this was still pretty luxe by local standards.
My window looked out onto a rooftop—not exactly a city view—but it worked for a few nights. I ended my first day with a late-night bowl of instant ramen, (dehydrated) pork dumplings, and the kind of jet-lagged satisfaction that only comes from finally being back in a city you’ve learned to love from a distance.
The next morning, I ran around the neighborhood soaking in the sounds of trains and crosswalk signals. I found a small café overlooking a pocket park lined with cherry and apple blossoms and a nearby rail station—a little snapshot of everyday Tokyo life.
Somewhere along the way I discovered that Family Mart basically runs my life in Japan. Snacks, drinks, quick to full meals—throughout my two weeks, those convenience store runs became part of my routine, and somehow it was always just enough food.
Convention Days at Tokyo Bay
On April 16, I grabbed another taxi to APA Tokyo Bay Makuhari for the convention. This time, my room came with a sweeping view of the bay and, on clear days, Mt. Fuji in the distance. The convention center was connected by covered skywalks, which made it ridiculously easy to move between the hotel, the venue, and the neighboring malls without thinking too hard about weather or directions.
The area felt very “business district”—towering office buildings, shopping centers, and restaurants tucked in the wards. One night I met friends for dinner in nearby Hibino, but I never made it to the beach; part of it was closed off, and honestly, I was there for the convention, not the ocean. I’ll save the Star Wars Celebration details for another blog.
Back to City Life in Shibuya
After the convention, I headed back to the city and checked into the Shibuya Tokyu REI Hotel. Somehow, it didn’t register until I arrived that Shibuya Crossing was literally around the corner. I walked through it, in and around it, above at the L’Occitane cafe and somewhat under at a nearby Daiso. It was packed! Then I checked out several shopping sites like the big Don Quixote and Shibuya Tsutaya. Perhaps the instantly meaningful spot for me was the Miyashita Park because it was the start of my do-over “vacation” vacation. My room wasn’t ready yet so I walked over to the park, saw the Hachi compass, Doraemon sculptures, store, and several restaurants and outdoor eateries. It was my landmark for the rest of my stay as I walked around for miles.
My room still didn’t have much of a view, basically the aluminum sidings of the building next door, but it was more spacious than my Akihabara stay and perfectly located. It had an in-house restaurant for convenient breakfast buffets and next door to a Family Mart. From there, it felt like the rest of Tokyo was at my feet. I can’t cover every single place I visited here—the photos tell most of that story—but this stay in Shibuya set up a few favorite spots I’ll be highlighting in separate posts.
Stay tuned for those deep dives into my must-see corners of Tokyo.
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