Explore, Dine, and Meditate: Experience Tokyo on an Open-Top Bus Tour with WILLER EXPRESS
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If you’re traveling to Tokyo this winter and wondering which bus tour to choose, Don’t worry—there’s an ideal bus tour for you! WILLER EXPRESS has launched a winter-exclusive experience: the Restaurant Bus Tokyo & Zazen Experience.
This special bus tour seamlessly combines Tokyo’s rich culture, stunning scenery, and delectable Japanese cuisine into a convenient one-day bus tour, making it perfect for travelers who want to explore Tokyo without excessive walking.
What Is the Restaurant Bus Tokyo & Zazen Experience?
The Restaurant Bus Tokyo & Zazen Experience is a limited-time 1-day bus tour by WILLER EXPRESS, a Japanese bus company renowned for its nationwide services and innovative Restaurant Bus. Operating for only 8 days, it runs from January 7, 2025, through February 2025.
As the name suggests, the Restaurant Bus Tokyo & Zazen Experience has two plans: the Restaurant Bus Tokyo and the Zazen Experience. This special journey offers you:
- Enjoy a full day of Japanese cultural experiences, traditional Japanese cuisine, and Tokyo sightseeing with an open-top double-decker bus.
- Support for international tourists with an English-speaking guide and explanations provided by an English-speaking temple chief priest.
- Various plans are tailored to diverse needs.
The tour provides both morning and afternoon sessions:
- Morning tour: Includes lunch and lets you enjoy Tokyo’s vibrant daytime cityscape.
- Afternoon tour: Features dinner and showcases the magical charm of Tokyo’s nightlife.
Whether it’s during the day or in the evening, the sightseeing route is as follows:
For more details or to book your 1-day Tokyo bus tour, click here:
Highlights of the Restaurant Bus Tokyo & Zazen Experience
As mentioned earlier, this 1-day Tokyo bus tour itinerary is flexible and divided into two parts. You can choose to join the sections that interest you based on your schedule. Now, let me walk you through the highlights of each part in the morning session!
Discover Buddist Culture at Torinji Temple
About Torinji Temple
Located in Tokyo’s Taito district, Torinji (桃林寺) Temple is a historic Zen Buddhist temple founded in 1611. It was established by the descendants of Tokugawa Ieyasu and has stood the test of time for over 400 years. Today, it remains a tranquil sanctuary offering a unique glimpse into Japanese spiritual traditions.
Zazen Meditation
At Torinji, you can experience authentic Japanese Zazen (座禅), a form of seated meditation that is central to Zen Buddhism. No need to worry if you’re a beginner—the English-speaking host will thoroughly explain its techniques and philosophy, providing a comfortable and enriching introduction to this ancient practice.
According to the host, the key to maintaining a good posture is to first sit cross-legged, then look up at the ceiling, and gradually shift your gaze to a horizontal direction. This posture is said to be the most comfortable.
Sitting in silence for just ten minutes allows you to reconnect with your inner self, leaving you refreshed and grounded. During Zazen, the host will walk around holding a wooden stick known as a Keisaku and may lightly tap your back with it. While it may look painful, it’s actually more about the sound than the sensation! It’s a surprisingly fun and unique experience.
Shakyo
Another highlight is Shakyo (写経), also known as sutra copying, where participants carefully trace Buddhist scriptures using a calligraphy brush. This meditative activity helps you focus on the present moment and clear your mind.
On the sutra-copying paper, write the date and your name on the far left, and your wish in the middle. Your completed sutra will be offered to the temple as a blessing and later returned to you as a keepsake.
Matcha and Sweets
End your temple visit with a taste of premium matcha from Shizuoka and handcrafted sweets from Kanazawa. These exclusive treats aren’t available anywhere else, making the experience even more special.
Reserve your spot for the temple experience here:
Restaurant Bus Tokyo: A Dining and Sightseeing Delight
The Restaurant Bus is a service that allows you to enjoy the food while sightseeing around the city! The bus itself is a double-decker and open-top during good weather. From an elevated perspective of approximately 3 meters, you can enjoy extraordinary views along with a full-course gourmet meal.
Charming Japanese-Style Interior
The moment you step into the WILLER Restaurant Bus, you’ll be captivated by its beautiful Japanese-style decor. Lanterns and wooden furnishings create a cozy yet elegant atmosphere.
On sunny days, the roof opens, transforming the bus into a delightful moving terrace—a truly unforgettable setting.
Exquisite Japanese Cuisine
The WILLER Restaurant Bus has gained a reputation for combining exceptional cuisine with scenic city tours, and the Tokyo edition certainly lives up to expectations. Each dish is a masterpiece, carefully prepared to highlight the best of Japanese culinary tradition.
Our first dish looks incredibly nice, combining duck meat, fresh shrimp, and tofu with seasonal vegetables. The duck meat has a slightly salty flavor and a pleasantly chewy texture, while the shrimp retains its natural freshness and offers a hint of sweetness, making it absolutely delicious.
Next is the steamed egg custard, the perfect dish for winter. Served piping hot straight from the kitchen, the custard has a silky-smooth texture reminiscent of pudding, and every bite warms you up from the inside out.
Among all the dishes, the Wagyu beef dish leaves the deepest impression. Its presentation features a large leaf in the background, resembling a Japanese painting. The highlight of this dish is the sweet miso sauce, which pairs perfectly with the Wagyu beef!
The dessert after the meal is traditional Japanese wagashi. The warabi mochi, coated in soybean powder, is mildly sweet and delightfully chewy! The matcha Blancmange by Michelin-starred Ginza Onodera, garnished with red beans and gold leaf, is smooth and rich. These are flavors you can only experience in Japan!
To complete the dining experience, you can enjoy unlimited beverages, served in specially designed drink holders that ensure stability even while the bus is in motion, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in this unique gourmet journey.
Sightseeing with Expert Commentary
The bus tour departs from Senso-ji Temple, passing by the bustling Kaminarimon area filled with tourists. As the bus moves along, the streets gradually become less crowded. A little further ahead, you’ll catch a glimpse of Tokyo Skytree! The view of Skytree is fleeting, so make sure to have your camera ready in advance to capture the moment!
As the bus passes through Otemachi and Tokyo Station, it gradually makes its way into the Roppongi area, where the iconic red Tokyo Tower slowly comes into view!
When the restaurant bus arrives at Tokyo Tower, you’ll have 40 minutes to explore the landmark, and the Tokyo Tower admission ticket is included in the itinerary—no need for an additional purchase. From the observation deck, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Tokyo’s cityscape. Whether it’s the Skytree or Tokyo Bay, everything unfolds beautifully before your eyes!
After visiting Tokyo Tower, the bus travels from Roppongi to Shibuya, passing by the iconic Shibuya Crossing. At just the right moment, the bus stops at a red light, offering a perfect view of the famous Shibuya Crossing often featured on television.
On the way from Ginza to Shibuya, the bus passes by Meiji Jingu Gaien, a recently viral spot on social media. It’s famous for showcasing Tokyo’s most stunning ginkgo trees. Every December, a magical illumination event is held at night, creating an incredibly romantic atmosphere!
The final stop is Ginza. Unlike walking along the streets, the perspective from here feels entirely different. You’ll naturally find yourself looking upward, captivated by the rows of striking buildings surrounding you. Ginza’s main avenue is home to luxury brands from around the world, and their architectural designs are truly one of a kind! As the final stop of your journey, Ginza is truly an ideal destination.
If you’re only interested in the WILLER Restaurant Bus and want to explore Tokyo, you can book the sightseeing portion separately here.
My Thought
After the whole journey, I didn’t feel tired at all, perhaps because I spent most of the time seated, enjoying the delicious food. This made me realize that this travel plan is perfect for families or those who prefer not to walk too much.
Moreover, while my experience was limited to the daytime, I’m absolutely confident that the nighttime tour won’t disappoint. During winter, Tokyo is adorned with stunning illuminations, turning the city into a magical scene straight out of drama! I hope you’ll give this wonderful restaurant bus tour a try as well.
This winter, make your Tokyo trip even more memorable with WILLER EXPRESS’s Restaurant Bus Tokyo & Zazen Experience. This one-of-a-kind Tokyo city tour bus promises to leave you with unforgettable memories of the city’s charm, culture, and cuisine. Don’t miss out on this unique chance to experience Tokyo in a whole new way!
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Written by
Hi, I'm delighted to get to meet you through my sharing. I am a freelance writer who loves traveling, reading, and food. I'm also the mother of a two-year-old child. Living in Japan for eight years has been both long and short—long enough for me to know Tokyo, where I reside, like the back of my hand, and short because there are still so many aspects waiting for me to explore. Here, I will share the fantastic culture and my thoughts about this beautiful country, hoping you will fall in love with Japan just as I have.
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