Two days in Tokyo | Secret Spots You Can’t Miss: Cat Temple, Onigiri Shrine + Free Views

Two days in Tokyo | Secret Spots You Can’t Miss: Cat Temple, Onigiri Shrine + Free Views

This morning we started at the famous three-train viewpoint in Ochanomizu We didn’t get the timing of all three trains but seeing the red one was nice enough Our next stop today is one of the cutest temples in Tokyo- Gōtokuji Temple Also known as the Cat Temple! You know the drill by now, first stop: kombini coffee! Its a 10-15 minute walk from Gotokuji station to the temple This temple is famous as the supposed birthplace of the maneki-neko or “luck-inviting cat” The temple’s association comes from a famous legend A cat beckoned a samurai lord to take shelter from a storm, saving his life. The Temple has since been filled with lucky cat figurines donated by worshippers Symbolising the cat’s enduring legacy of good luck. You can buy a cat figurine, make a wish/prayer for good luck, and then leave it at the temple. It is also possible to take the figurine home and keep it until the wish/prayer comes true. Once it does, you return to Gotokuji and place the cat figurine at the temple to give thanks. On the way back to the station, we spotted a vintage shop we had to check out! This place had the most incredible selection of designer clothing and jewellery Mark found this amazing Carhart jacket but it was too big, sadly There was so many amazing pieces but I didnt have the money or bag space 🙁 After our window shopping we headed to Shibuya! busy today A coffee break was much needed We made our way to our favourite free sunset spot in Tokyo On a clear day, you can even see Mt.Fuji from here. Can you spot it? It can get a little busy but for a free viewpoint this good, you can complain! Off to our last mission of the day, a super hidden gem viewpoint in Shinjuku Shinjuku is alsways super busy at night, with tourists enjoying the bright lights and locals frquenting the izakaya and multitude of bars This area of Shinjuku is Kabuchiko aka the ‘red light district’ of Tokyo but there are amazing pubs, bars, restaurants and nightclubs as well as some ‘special venues’ for our viewpoint we’re heading to this building Up nine floors to be exact Thats a view Such a cool place to sit and watch the world go by Right, time for some dinner & tonight were going to our favourite ramen joint! medium, normal noodles ,extra noodles, with meat, decision There are several Oreryu shops in Tokyo, with the majority of them in Meguro and Shibuya Most of their ramen are shio (salt based) but they have a whide range of ramens and sides There are several Oreryu shops in Tokyo, with the majority of them in Meguro and Shibuya Another cool fact about this chain is they play the whole Beatles discography in each store So if you like amazing ramen and The Beatles, this is definitely for you back once again tried to come a little bit early morning but we are too lazy and couldn’t get out of bed so bit later but me and Mark Laird are accidentally matching today you do it on purpose all the time Mark thinks I copy him we’re actually in separate rooms in a hostel right now so this has been completely accidental but we are matching Today were going to se another cute temple that has been on our list for a while Our hostel we usually stay at in Tokyo, is right near Senso-Ji So we always have a walk round here before we head out breakfast time The shrine were going to is quite a distance away but its via one of our favourite walks in Tokyo some new decorations up since the last time we were here I think they might light up at night time quite cute We’ve finished being big kids and made it to the shrine This place became the ‘Onigiri Shrine’ because of a wordplay on it’s official name- Takagi (高木). If you flip the characters and read them loosely, people started joking it sounds like onigiri The nickname stuck, helped by the fact that the sacred stone kind of looks like a rice ball too. The shrine has existed since the Edo period and is dedicated to the deity Ukanomitama A deity associated with food, nourishment, and prosperity. Another unique feature of this shrine is it’s striking purple colour. Between the onigiri nickname and the purple colour scheme this is one of Tokyo’s most unique little shrines. Time to make our way back home!

Tokyo is full of unique shrines and stunning viewpoints — in this vlog we visit Gotokuji Cat Temple, the quirky Onigiri Shrine, and explore little-known viewpoints across Shibuya and Shinjuku.
f you’re planning a trip to Japan and want to see beyond the usual tourist spots, this mini Tokyo travel guide will help you discover some of the city’s most charming little corners.

*Subtitles available in CC*

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What to expect in today’s vlog👀⬇️
• Morning in Ochanomizu at the famous three-train viewpoint
• Visit to Gotokuji Temple, birthplace of the maneki-neko (lucky cat) with thousands of figurines
• Exploring Shibuya, coffee stop, and our favourite free sunset viewpoint with Mt Fuji views
• Night walk through Shinjuku and a secret free viewpoint above Kabukicho
• Ending the night with our favourite Tokyo ramen
• Next morning: trip from Asakusa to the quirky Onigiri Shrine
• Perfect for anyone looking for hidden spots, cute temples, and free things to do in Tokyo

📍 Video Chapters
00:00 – Intro
00:52 – Three-train viewpoint, Ochanomizu
01:06 – Gotokuji Cat Temple
03:18 – Vintage shop find
04:00 – Shibuya & free sunset viewpoint
05:23 – Secret Shinjuku viewpoint
07:39 – Dinner at our favourite ramen spot
09:50– Morning in Asakusa & Sumida river walk
11:08 – Onigiri Shrine

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