Makeup done, Onu's diaper bag packed, and Onu's meal prepared, we had to wake up earlier than the other members of the group to ensure everything was ready. We woke up around 6 a.m. It was a group trip with 7 adults and 1 baby, a total of 8 people, and despite booking an Airbnb with two bathrooms, there was still a morning rush for the shower and bathroom.
We ended up leaving around 8:30 a.m. It wasn't too bad, considering.
During our trip to Fukuoka early last year, we rented a car and drove around, but we heard that Tokyo's traffic can be quite congested. Onu doesn't particularly enjoy riding in a car seat, and with the traffic situation in Tokyo, public transportation seemed like a more viable option. Our brave decision to rely on public transportation was made easier with the support of our friends who helped with carrying luggage, folding the stroller, entertaining Onu during subway rides, and guiding us through elevators. We hadn't used public transportation with a baby in Korea, so this was a new experience, and having friends along made it much more manageable. I were grateful for their assistance and decided to continue this tradition of traveling together.
Returning to the travel story, we started our journey from the subway station near the accommodation, Kuramae Station.
Our first destination was the Tsukiji Market. We took the Asakusa Line (A) from Kuramae Station and traveled six stops, then got off at Higashi-Ginza Station.
It was convenient that we didn't need to transfer.
The Japanese subway system generally has elevators for those with mobility challenges, but still, we often encountered the challenge of navigating stairs with a stroller, diaper bag, and a little one in tow.
As many can empathize, once a baby is comfortably seated in the stroller, we want to avoid disturbing that peace. However, when faced with stairs, the inevitable transition from stroller to carrying the baby begins.
So, we put a lot of effort into choosing accommodation and planning travel routes to minimize the need to change subway lines. In the end, the location of our lodging and the travel itinerary were the best compromises, making the journey with a stroller more manageable.
I used an iPhone, registered and charged the Pasmo transportation card, while my husband, who uses a Galaxy, purchased subway tickets every time we rode the subway. When we calculated later, there wasn't a significant difference between using the Pasmo card and buying subway tickets each time.
As it was a short-term trip, it seemed like there wasn't much of a distinction. With Pasmo, since charging is available in increments of 1000 yen, there ended up being some unused balance.
It cost 220 yen for a one-way subway ticket from Kuramae Station to Higashi-Ginza Station, covering a distance of 6 stops. (Note: In Tokyo, all subway ticket fees were paid in cash. Neither the Travel Wallet nor credit cards were accepted! Make sure to prepare enough cash for transportation expenses!)
My husband purchased a one-way ticket for 220 yen, while I charged 2000 yen to the Pasmo card registered on my iPhone at Kuramae Station.
It seems we arrived at Tsukiji Market after 9:00 AM.
The market alleys were narrow, and each narrow alley was filled with people.
However, instead of enjoying the sights, it became a mission to navigate through the crowded streets. Our group had scattered, and maneuvering the stroller was quite challenging. The prices seemed high, typical for a tourist spot, and our little one seemed a bit restless. So, we decided to break away from the crowd, leaving our friends behind, and headed to a nearby park we had planned to visit.
We let Onu play freely at the quiet park playground.
He enjoyed sliding down the slide and showed interest in our Japanese friends.
While we were playing, our friends bought street food. The lines at the street food stalls were really long, and I wondered how they managed to wait in line and bring the food. If we had come alone with the baby, we might not have been able to enjoy such street food, so we were grateful for our friends' help once again.
The next destination was the original bakery for "salt bread," called Pan Maison.Onu fell asleep in the stroller, making the movement more comfortable.
The queue wasn't too long!
[해외여행/Japan] - 도쿄 소금빵 맛집:: 소금빵 팡 메종 긴자점
도쿄 소금빵 맛집:: 소금빵 팡 메종 긴자점
소금빵 팡 메종 긴자점 위치: 일본 〒104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza, 2 Chome−14−5 Twg銀座イースト 1階 영업시간: 8:30 - 19:00 화요일 휴무 소금빵 최초 개발 원조 집이 도쿄에 있다고 해서 다녀왔다. 여러
ttottoro.tistory.com
Original salt bread was indeed affordable at 110 yen per piece. In addition to the basic salt bread, there were various flavors such as potato and cod roe.
And they seemed to keep baking continuously. Seeing the shelves being filled with freshly baked, hot salt bread made me eager to taste it as soon as possible.
I purchased four with the original flavor. As soon as I bought them, I tried one right in front of the shop, and it truly lived up to its reputation as the original. Full of buttery flavor, and the texture was perfect, moist inside and crispy outside.
My friend insisted I try the potato and cod roe flavors by giving me a taste. However, as expected, the original flavor was the best. I had one for lunch, and the remaining three were enjoyed for dinner that day and breakfast the next day. It was a good decision not to be too greedy and buy only four. It seems they tasted the best right after purchase.
