Today, let’s go to Sunshine City and Tokyo Skytree from Ikebukuro station.
Ikebukuro Station
Ikebukuro is one of the major areas in Tokyo and Ikebukuro station is one of the largest and most complicated stations because it has 6 lines and has more than 40 exits.
Today, we will only use Tokyo Metro (subway). If you have Suica (mobile or physical card), you can use it but if you ride metro more than 3 or 4 times, it is cheaper to buy one day ticket. So today, we will buy one day ticket. If you don’t have mobile suica card, please have some cash with you to buy ticket. If you cannot use mobile suica and want to buy physical suica card, you can buy it at JR East Travel Service Center in Ikebukuro Station, West Exit on the 1st (ground) floor.
From Ikebukuro station to Higashi Ikebukuro
At the vending machine, first change the langugage to English. Then, find buy value ticket. Then, push one day ticket which cost 600 yen for 24 hours. Vending machine ask you whether you need explanation paper and receipt. If it is first time, you may want to issue the explaination.
Today, we will use Yurakucho line and first go to Higashi Ikebukuro Station to visit Sunshine City and then, go on to Tokyo Skytree via Nagatacho.
If you look at the metro map, you will see Yurakucho Line (yellow circle with Y). Now before we go, let’s look at the stations. Station number for Ikebukuro station is Y10, and Higashi Ikebukuro is Y09.
When you get off at Higashi Ikebukuro, first thing to do is to look for the yellow information board. This yellow information board will tell you about exit and transfer. If you cannot find the destination on the board, try to find a major landmark near your destination. In case of large station, there are many exits and if you go out from wrong exit, it will be difficultl to get to your destination.
Sunshine City
Sunshine City is a complex of shopping mall, office building, aquarium, museum, theater and hotel. It is like one big city. This was the first such complex built in Japan over 40 years ago. This is a good place to visit when the weather is not great. It is connected to Higashi Ikebukuro station (However, a part of it doesn’t have roof so if the weather is not good, please walk near the building) In the shopping mall, there is Pokemon Center and also has the world largest capsul toy department.
Transfer Metro at Nagatacho station
After you had a look at Sunshine City, we will go back to Higashi Ikebukuro Station and continue our way. We wil go to Nagatacho Y16 to change to Hanzomon Line (purple circle with Z) Please note that Nagatacho station in Hanzomon line is Z04. Even with same station, depending on the line, station number is different.
Again, if you get off at the Nagatacho Station, first thing is to look for the yellow information board telling you which way to go. Follow the sign for Hanzomon line.
When you take the escalator to Hanzomon line platform, you may notice people are standing on left side. In Tokyo and eastern Japan, people stand on the left side and let people in a hurry walk on the right side (sort of like express line) In Osaka and western Japan, people stand on right side and express line is left side. Don’t worry too much. It is confusing to Japanese people as well. I always get confused.
From Nagatacho to Oshiage
Now, to go to Skytree, there are 3 stations. The closest Tokyo Metro station is Oshiage Z14. We will get off at Oshiage. Before you get out, let’s look for “Fare Adjustment Machine” If you don’t have one day ticket and bought ticket instead, if you don’t know how much the ticket, I recommend you buy the cheapest ticket and adjust the ticket before getting out from the ticket gate. This way, you can check how much it is. If you bought tickets exceeding the fare, you will not get money back, so if you don’t know, make sure to buy the cheapest ticet. If you have mobile Suica, don’t worry. If you have physical IC card, you can charge (top up) at this fare adjustment machine if you don’t have enough balance.
At Tokyo skytree
Once you get out of Oshiage Station, follow the sign to “Tokyo Skytree” You will take long escalator up to the 1st floor. Around Tokyo Skytree, there is a big shopping mall as well as Aquarium. If the weather is not great, you can still enjoy shopping or other activities.
Going back
After you enjoy Skytree town, if you would like to go visit Asakusa, you can walk (15 min) or take Toei Asakusa line to Asakusa. Toei line is another subway station but it’s operated by Tokyo Metropolitan government, so you will not be able to use Tokyo Metro one day ticket. You need to buy a separate ticket.
If you are going back to Ikebukuro area, you can go back the same way you came. First take Tokyo Metro from Oshiage in Hanzomon line to Nagatacho and transfer to Yurakucho line. From Yurakucho line, you can go back directly to Ikebukuro.
One important note about Ikebukuro station is, as I wrote earlier, Ikebukuro station is huge and if you go out from wrong exit, it would be difficult to go back. Please at least find out which side you are going out. East or West. East side is close to Seibu, Parco, or Sunshine City. West is closer to Tobu and Tokyo Metropolitan Theater. If you remember your exit number, it would be helpful.
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