As soon as I arrived in Japan, I went straight to the University of Tokyo (Tokyo Daigaku or Todai). It is interesting to visit because it’s often seen as Japan most prestigious general university and because of the red-brick Yasuda Auditorium.

This university is spread across three locations, Hongo (main campus) at Bunkyo City, Komaba at Meguro City, Tokyo, and Kashiwa (research-focused) at Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture. I visited the Hongo Campus in Bunkyo, not far from Ueno Park. To get there, I walked from Ueno Station, cutting through Ueno Park.

My main goal was to take photos in front of Yasuda Auditorium. It’s a red-brick hall with a clock tower facing a wide open plaza. It’s used for major ceremonies and special events including graduations. The name “Yasuda” comes from Zenjiro Yasuda, the donor behind its construction.

Yasuda Auditorium

Under the plaza in front of Yasuda is the Second Co-op Store, basically a campus convenient shop that also sells UTokyo souvenirs such as hats, T-shirts and jackets with Todai marks. I bought a hat and a T-shirt. The hat had “Ichiko”, a dog mascot wearing an academic-style square cap – the official mascot of University of Tokyo Athletic Association.

Other Activities Near Hongo Campus

On the way from Ueno Station to Hongo, I passed the famous Gyukatsu, Gyukatsu Motomura. The gyukatsu was tender and soft. My husband and my son love it. Fortunately, I got lucky cause the queque is not too long.

Gyukatsu Motomura

Ueno Park

The fun fact about this area, Odaiba is a man-made Island. It is originally built as a chain of defensive fort islands called daiba to protect Tokyo from naval attacks in the late Edo period (1850s). In the late 20^th century, this artificial island was redeveloped and expanded into a mixed-used waterfront district.

For me, one day is enough to explore Odaiba. Here are 5 must-do activities when visiting this area.

1.     Enjoy Panoramic Views of Tokyo Bay on the Automated Yurikamome Line

To get to Odaiba from Tokyo, I took an automated driverless Yurikamome Line. I sat in the front carriage to see the panoramic views through the large front windows, since there is no driver cabin. Along the way, I enjoyed the waterfront skyline, container ports, cruise ships, and the famous Rainbow Bridge.

2.     Take Pictures with the Iconic Life-sized Unicorn Gundam Statue

Honestly I’m not a Gundam Fan, but I know what Gundam is and I like the soundtrack. Right in front of DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, there is a huge Unicorn Gundam Statue. At certain hours, the statue features a light and music performance. Unfortunately, I visited before night came, whereas, the best performance is at night.

3.     Enjoy Halal-Certified Soba Noodles at Shinshu Sojibo

As a muslim, I always try to look for halal or Muslim-friendly food. Alhamdulillah, at DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, I found halal-certified soba noodles at Shinsu Sojibo. I ordered a hot soba noodle set with tempura. It was so yummy!

4.     Visit the Miraikan Museum

Miraikan or the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Science Museum), was my main destination in Odaiba. The museum has many interesting exhibitions about space, robotics and earth, all presented with impressive technology.

5.     Watch the Sunset at Odaiba Seaside Park

You can’t say you have been to Odaiba if you don’t visit Odaiba Seaside Park. The view from this beach is breathtaking, with the combination of Rainbow Bridge, the beach and the sky, especially when the sun goes down.

After sharing my Kamakura travel stories in Kamakura (Part 1) : Exploring an Ancient Cities Near Tokyo and Kamakura (Part 2) : Experiencing Ceremonial Matcha at Hokokuji Temple, now it’s time to share my favourite destination from this trip. Have you ever seen videos of Enoshima Train on your social media? I’m pretty sure many people are familiar with this iconic railway.

Yes, I took this famous train to Café Yoridokoro, another viral café that has become inseparable from the Enoshima (Enoden) railway and Kamakura. Let’s dive in!

Enoshima Railway

Café Yoridokoro

At first, I was curious to visit this café purely because of its view. Unexpectedly, the food turned out to be incredibly good. The Yakizakana Teishoku exceeded my expectations, and I definitely come back again next time. Unfortunately, the queue was very long, and I had to wait quite a while for my turn. But no worries, Café Yoridokoro is located near Inamuragasaki beach, so I spent my waiting time there.

Yakizakana Teishoku

Inamuragasaki beach, also known as Inamuragasaki Cape, is famous for its combination of beach, sea and Mount Fuji scenery. Even though I visited in summer, the wind was cool and refreshing, so it didn’t feel hot at all. Still, be careful, the wind can be quite strong. I saw people surfing in the sea, and the view become even more breathtaking at sunset. Mount Fuji against the golden sky was simply a perfect combination.

Inamuragasaki Cape