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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/Potential_Ticket_571 on 2025-01-18 20:55:28+00:00.

Hiya! My husband and I are staying in Hakone for two nights and we were wondering if what to do. We are staying at a Ryokan Sengokuhara Shinanoki Ichinoyu, and we have a few things in mind including:

• Taking the Komagata Ropeway
• Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine
• eating at Hiroshiya, Kuro Udon, Sushisane, Mont Blanc and/ or the Amazing Tea House

We are looking for scenery, interactive activities and peaceful romantic walks. We look forward to y’all’s recommendations!

Also we are staying from May 28th- 30th, traveling from Tokyo and leaving to Osaka afterwards.

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/TaroGaiden on 2025-01-18 07:13:32+00:00.

January in Japan ❄️

Day 1(2): Wednesday / Thursday * Depart from HNL Wednesday 1200 Arrive Haneda, Tokyo Thursday 1700 * Train/Limousine bus to Sotetsu Fresa Inn (Shinjuku) * Walk Shinjuku / Kabukicho * Eat Family Mart sushi / Day end

Day 3: Friday * (Day) Walk Harajuku (im donut? & Roast Beef Ohno) * (Night) Walk Shibuya (Mega Don Quijote & Magnet) * Eat 7-11 sushi / Day end

Day 4: Saturday * (Day) Walk Ikebukuro (Animate & Pokémon Center/Sunshine City) * (Night) Ikebukuro cont. Sunshine 60 observatory * Eat Lawson sushi / Day end

Day 5: Sunday * Shinkansen/Bullet train to Nagano Sta. * Dagaden bus to Snow Monkey Park * Check in 14:00 Jigokudani Kurakukan & Walk Snow Monkey Park & Onsen * Eat Ryokan provided meal / Day end

Day 6: Monday * Check out 1000 from Jigokudani * Check in 1500 (Kanbayashi Senjukaku) Onsen & ryokan provided meal/Day end

Day 7: Tuesday * Check out 1100, Return to Tokyo * Walk Shinjuku / Gyoen National Garden * Eat Takoyaki & taiyaki / Day end

Day 8: Wednesday * (Day) Walk Nakamise-dori street /(senso-ji & Kaminarimon (Samurai Champloo)) * (Night) Walk Akihabara (electric town/Welcome to the NHK)

Day 9: Thursday * (TBD) * Depart HND Thursday 9 PM * Arrive HNL Thursday 9 Am

I chose to design the itinerary for our group of 3 this way so that we aren’t stressed in a constant time crunch to reach points of interest. The itinerary gets us in the general area we want to explore but remains open ended so that we have time to wander and stumble upon exciting things we may not had anticipated discovering.

Any insight welcome, and recommendations/experiences on eSIM / data amounts necessary to carry us for 7 days, for GPS, YouTube, social media usage. Thanks! ありがとう ございます

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/Additional_Row_6276 on 2025-01-16 19:35:50+00:00.

Hello everyone,

I’m going to Japan with my mother next April, during cherry blossom season.

It’s our first trip, and we’ll follow the classic route : Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, over 15 days.

I’m looking for advice or suggestions to make the trip as smooth as possible.

Here’s the itinerary:

DAY 1:

• Arrival at Tokyo Haneda Airport at 6:30 PM
• Hotel near Otemachi

DAY 2:

• Imperial Palace Garden
• Asakusa (buying goshuin)
• Ueno Park
• Nezu-Jinja
• Akihabara
• Sumida Park for cherry blossom illumination

DAY 3:

• Day trip to Mount Fuji
• Chureito Pagoda
• Lake Kawaguchi

DAY 4:

• Visit Ginza
• TeamLab Planets
• Odaiba
• Tokyo Tower
• Zozo-ji Temple
• Meguro River

DAY 5:

• Day trip to Nikko

DAY 6:

• St. Mary’s Cathedral in Tokyo
• Shinjuku / Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
• Gyoen Park
• Meiji Jingu Shrine + Park
• Takeshita Dori Street + Omotesando
• Hachiko Statue
• Shibuya Sky
• Explore Shibuya
• Shinjuku Golden Gai + Omoide Yokocho at night

DAY 7:

• Departure for KYOTO
• Arrive in Kyoto around 11 AM
• Tower of Kyoto
• Higashi Hongan-ji
• Ochikochiya
• Gion Kobu Kaburenjo : Miyako Odori performance (reserved)
• Maruyama Park + Yasaka Jinja + Shoren-in Temple
• Gion district at night

DAY 8:

• Silver Pavilion
• Philosopher’s Path
• Eikan-do Temple
• Imperial Gardens + Palace
• Nijo Castle
• Golden Pavilion
• Kyoto Botanical Gardens light show

DAY 9:

• Day trip to Nara

DAY 10:

• Fushimi Inari early in the morning
• Byodo-in Temple in Uji
• Tofuku-ji Temple
• Kiyomizu-dera Temple
• Shirakawa Canal
• Dinner in Pontocho

DAY 11:

• Visit Kokodera Temple in the morning
• Depart for Osaka
• Osaka Castle + garden
• Shi-Tenno-ji Temple
• Return to Osaka Castle for the light show
• Dotonbori + Namba

DAY 12:

• Day trip to Himeji
• Himeji Castle + Engyo-ji Temple
• Dinner in Kobe on the way back

DAY 13:

• Day trip to Mount Yoshino

DAY 14:

• Universal Studios Japan

DAY 15:

• Osaka to Tokyo Haneda Airport

Do you think this itinerary is coherent ? Or are there things to adjust ?

Thank you :)

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/bigredtowel on 2025-01-16 14:33:42+00:00.

Hi all,

I made a huge mistake while drunk, having unprotected sex with someone I just met. I know HIV rates are low, but I’d like to be safe just in case.

Does anyone know any clinics in Sapporo that will prescribe me PEP (post exposure prophylaxis) for HIV? I did a quick search but could only find clinics in other cities like Tokyo.

Thanks in advance

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/jlamoney on 2025-01-15 04:32:28+00:00.

Hello, I am planning the Kyoto and Hiroshima portion of my trip and could use some advice. This is our first time visiting Japan, so there is so much to see, but I prefer to have a more relaxed schedule.

Friday, 2/14 (Arrive in Kyoto)

• Arrive in Kyoto late in the day.
• We are staying in Gion, so we're planning to explore without a specific plan

Saturday, 2/15 (1st full day in Kyoto)

• Fushimi Inari Shrine
• Philosopher's Path
• Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Sunday, 2/16 (2nd full day in Kyoto)

• Nijo Castle
• Nishiki Market
• Arashiyama (Iwatayama Monkey Park)

Monday, 2/17 (Leave Kyoto, arrive in Hiroshima)

• Go to the Pokémon Center before heading to Hiroshima
• Peace Memorial Museum (It turns out it is closed on the other days we are in Hiroshima, so we need to do it this day!)
• Sake bar

Tuesday, 2/18 (full day in Hiroshima)

• Miyajima Island
• If there is extra time, Hondori Shopping

Wednesday, 2/19 (Leave Hiroshima, arrive in Tokyo)

• Hiroshima Castle
• Shukkei-en Garden
• Leave for Tokyo, probably around 11 am

Does this seem reasonable? Is there anything I should swap out?

In February, how early is it recommended to arrive at Fushimi Inari Shrine?

For Arashiyama, I'm struggling with what to focus on besides the Monkey Park. I've heard the Bamboo Forest is not "worth it," but I'm open to advice here.

Lastly, I would love to hear recommendations for things to do that are not the main tourist attractions. For example, we are going to the Ghibli Museum while in Tokyo and randomly found out about it during research. Obviously, this will vary based on interests, but I would love to hear about your favorite spots.

Thank you so much in advance!

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/faerieghoul on 2025-01-13 21:24:15+00:00.

Hi! I've been lurking on this sub for a while looking at people's recommendations and now I have got an itinerary somewhat down I thought I would ask for suggestions! I (27NB) will be travelling with my sister (30F). We will be arriving separately as she lives in another country so I will have the first day or two to myself before she arrives. I am a big fan of anime, gaming, nerd shit whereas she enjoys scenic and instagrammable places so I have tried to sort something of a balance between the two! This is my second trip to Japan (last trip was 2018), whereas it is her first. She is not super fussed about what we do and is just excited to soak up the sights. We are both happy to get up early to get started with our ways (and will rely on convenience store food for the early mornings)

Now for the itinerary:

Day 1 - (24/3) TOKYO

• 6:10pm I arrive in Narita
• Check into airbnb in Taito and grab food from local shops/restaurants

Day 2

• Mandarake Complex
• Akihabara Gachapon Hall
• Animate Akihabara
• Lashinbang Akihabara
• Super Potato Akihabara
• namco
• Kanda Myoujin Shrine

Day 3

• Sister arrives at Narita 10:45am
• Drop bags at airbnb
• Senso-ji Temple
• Kaminarimon
• Skytree shopping (hello kitty, pokemon centre, jump shop, donguri republic)
• Tokyo Skytree
• Takagi Shrine
• Imado Shrine
• Ueno Park

Day 4

• Ghibli Museum
• Inokashira Park
• Shibuya Crossing
• UNIQLO
• Mega Don
• Animate
• Pokemon Store
• Jump Shop Shibuya Parco
• Nintendo Tokyo
• Shibuya Sky
• Tower Records
• Yoyogi Park

Day 5

• animate Ikebukuro
• Gashapon Ikebukuro
• Donguri Kyowakoku
• Sunshine 60
• KitKat Chocolatory

Day 6

• Imperial Palace
• Ginza Itoya
• Kiddy Land
• Harajuku
• Meiji Jingu
• Pompompurin Cafe (maybe)
• Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Day 7

• teamLab Planets
• Odaiba Marine Park (maybe)
• teamLab Borderless (uncertain whether to go to both and do them in the same day)
• Tokyo City View
• Sasuke Inari Shrine (if we have the time)

Day 8 - OSAKA/Nara day trip

• Forward luggage to Kyoto, bullet train to Osaka
• Drop small bags at airbnb
• Shitenno-ji
• Train to Nara
• Todai-ji
• Nara Park
• Train back to Osaka
• Tempozan Market Place

Day 9 - OSAKA (this day is very all over the place and needs work/editing)

• Train to Rokko Garden Terrace
• Train to Kobe
• Train to Minoh and Minoh Falls
• Travel to Katsuoji
• Travel back to Osaka
• Katayama Shrine
• Umeda Sky Building

Day 10 - OSAKA

• Train to Himeji
• Himeji Castle
• Train back to Osaka
• Shinsaibashi-suji shopping
• Donguri Kyowakoku
• Denden Town
• Tsutenkaku
• TeamLab Botanical Garden
• Shin Sekai "New World"
• Dotonbori

Day 11 - KYOTO

• Bullet train to Kyoto, drop bags at hotel
• Nijo Castle
• Kyoto Sento Imperial Palace
• Higashiyama Jisho-ji
• Sanrio Gallery
• Matsubara Street
• Kiyomizu-dera

Day 12 - KYOTO

• Fushimi Inari Shrine
• Toji Temple
• Travel to Kifune Shrine

Day 13 - KYOTO

• Arashiyama Bambo Forest
• Okochi Sanso Garden
• Adashino Nenbutsuji
• Travel to Kinkaku-ji

Day 14 - NAGANO

• Forward luggage to Tokyo
• Shinkansen to Nagano
• Drop bags at onsen
• Jigokudani Yaen-Koen

Day 15 - TOKYO

• Shinkansen back to Tokyo
• Drop bags at airbnb
• Do anything we missed during the first week

Day 16 - TOKYO

• Last minute shopping and more things that we may have missed

Day 17 - TOKYO/NARITA

• Store luggage
• Run around doing more last minute things
• Train to Narita
• Check into hotel
• Prepare to leave hotel at 4am for 8:15am flight from Narita airport

It is very much jam packed until the last few days so any thoughts about what could/should be cut out would be appreciated! Also recommendations for good gacha halls/spots would be great! Thank you in advance :)

EDIT: Thank you for the awareness about the unethical animal cafe practices, I will be taking them off the list ! Also made some edits to order of plans, thank you everyone :)

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/GoldRoger3D2Y on 2025-01-14 06:53:32+00:00.

This post can get very long if I’m not careful, so I’ll do my best to keep this brief!

We arrived at Haneda airport on December 29th and are flying back to the US on February 5th. My wife and I have never done a trip this long, but we’ve planned it for years as a sort of quarter-life milestone. After reading so many posts on this sub, I want to give back and provide some of our takeaways for other first time Japan travelers. I’ll also give some notes on specific locations as is pertinent, but honestly 60% of our trip has been along the well beaten paths so I won’t ask you to read about our hike up Mt. Inari for the 1000x time…nor do I want to write it. It’s a lot of steps. There, report done!

First unique note, we broke a Japan travel cardinal sin and came at New Years! For others who are worried about coming to Japan at the wrong time, just throw that thought in the trash. No matter what, you’ll walk away with pros and cons so just pull the trigger and get here because it’s amazing. New Years is pretty quiet, but we were in Tokyo until January 2nd, so we figured the biggest city in the world wouldn’t shut down completely, right? The answer: yes and no. Plenty of restaurants do stay open, but it’s just the major chains and massive shopping districts. We used this opportunity to visit areas like the Tokyo Skytree, so we stayed plenty busy despite all the fears of “Japan closing down”. Coming in the winter means being too late for fall foliage and too early for anything in bloom, but it also means smaller crowds! A trade we were happy to make.

Second (not so) unique note, get off the beaten path! Such a cliche, but damnit I’m including it anyway. Our best experiences have come from the kindness of the Japanese people, but that only happens if we take the first step. For example, on New Year’s Eve, my wife and I visited the Buddhist temple and shrine nearest our hotel in Tokyo to ring in the New Year. Thing is, our Japanese is pretty bad. However, we did study for a few months before coming here to at least have some basic phrases and vocabulary. This emboldened my wife to ask some elderly Japanese men what they were standing in line for. We had translated the sign above, and knew it said “Prayer”, which is what they told us…but that could mean many things.

These men took it on themselves to shepherd us through the line, where we paid for our prayer to be read by the monk. Once we did this, we began to walk away thinking this would be done in private. That’s when the men grabbed each of our arms and walked us into the temple along with the crowd, where we were given some traditional New Year’s snacks and tea and we chatted with these men with a combination of their choppy english and our abhorrent Japanese. We learned one of the men’s fathers was a professional Japanese trumpet player, and played alongside Louis Armstrong (he proudly showed us many photos, including himself as a baby). Our names were eventually called, and we were called into the Hatsumode (as we now know), and sat through a truly surreal experience at 12:30 in the morning. Certainly the coolest way I’ve ever started a year!

Third unique note, try your Japanese language skills no matter how bad they are! This piggy backs off my last point, but I want to be sure to encourage you that it’s OK if you don’t speak Japanese. We’ve have gotten an insane amount of mileage out of using the most basic phrases. Locals open up, they start to ask us more questions, and in some cases they’ll even invite you to dinner! I certainly wouldn’t expect this, but twice on our trip have we been invited to dinner with locals after some basic conversation. The first time we were in Matsumoto (highly recommend!) and visited a small izakaya. It was one of those tiny, 8-seat izakayas where the owner’s personality becomes the entire experience. We were the only non-Japanese in there, but the owner’s english was quite good and he translated our speech to everyone in the restaurant. We became the center of attention, and everyone tried practicing their english skills (though only the owner’s was conversational). We got to know the owner so well he invited us to dinner at another izakaya the next night. He was incredibly kind, and even brought us a small gift when we met up the next day! Like damn…my wife doesn’t treat me that well. /s

Fourth (and final) unique note, the soul of Japan runs through the izakayas! It’s crazy to me that in American we hear more about sushi and ramen than any other Japanese cuisine. I love both of those foods, but Japan’s real magic lives in the izakaya. It’s a uniquely Japanese experience that I can’t say I can compare to anything in the USA. They’re typically smaller restaurants, often just a single bar with 6-8 seats, though they can sometimes have a dining room with few more tables. At first, we thought of the izakaya kind of like the local bar, where locals meet but the food is just typical bar food. I’d now call this description dumb as rocks. The cuisine at izakayas is more comparable to American gastropubs focusing on Japanese cuisine, but the vibe is totally different. They’re so intimate, yet relaxed. Charming, disarming, and good for the soul. It’s here that I’ve eaten the best sushi of my life, as well as impeccable smoked duck, delicious oden, braised mushrooms and more all in the izakayas. It’s like stepping into an episode of Japanese Cheers.

If possible, get a reservation at your izakaya of choice. We got lucky in Nara where we thought we’d beat the crowd by showing up when they opened at 5am, but they were totally booked up. However!!! This was the 2nd time we we were asked to dinner, as the two men in the 80s standing behind us invited us to their private room in the back. They spoke NO english, so we used Google translate all night and had a wonderful time. At some point, one of the men ordered warm sake steeped with pufferfish fins, and it was…pungent, though I didn’t hate it? Great night, all from being in the right spot and practicing our horrid Japanese.

TL:DR; Come to Japan regardless of the time of year, be willing to break away from your itinerary, always be willing to speak in Japanese even if that’s only “arigato”, and go to izakayas very often. You do this, you’ll have a great trip.

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/i2hellfire on 2025-01-13 02:39:56+00:00.

First time writing one of these, but not my first time in Japan. I've visited enough times now that I take trips to primarily relax rather than see new sites. That's not to say I don't like exploring and visiting new places, but I'm definitely not as adventurous as I used to be.

A friend that I had traveled to Japan with right before the pandemic asked if I wanted to play tour guide again for her and her friend. Even though my girlfriend and I had visited as recently as 2022, we (I) of course said yes. We planned the trip for late November into December as I personally wanted the Christmas Illuminations but not the Christmas crowds.

Days 1-2 TOKYO

We all landed in Narita and stayed in Ginza the first two nights. The first night consisted mainly of window shopping around Ginza, a quick dinner at a standing sushi spot, then drinks at Ginza Music Bar to settle in. We ducked our heads into the Don Quijote too, but dear god that place gets packed.

We had a bit of trouble with the Smart EX app the next day, so decided to just head to Tokyo Station early to reserve tickets since we were going there anyway. I took my friends to see the Tokyo Forums on the way as well as it's still one of my all-time favorite architectural spaces.

We roamed the basement levels of Tokyo Station for gifts and snacks (mmm cheese tarts), then had a tsukemen lunch before heading street side to shop around Marunouchi. There's an eyewear shop that I like picking up new glasses from whenever I visit...formerly called Facial Index and now going by their parent company name Kaneko, if anyone's interested.

We took it easy and stayed around Ginza and Marunouchi and spent the rest of the day looking for more Sanrio (one of us was really into Sanrio), sipping warm cocktails, and overloading on a multi-course anago set meal at a restaurant in the Barney's.

Days 3-4 FUKUOKA

Jetlagging the next morning and without many early breakfast options, we had a chicken-off between Family Mart, 7-Eleven, and Lawsons (Famichiki won easily). There were onigiris and bao buns in there too, but they weren't competing.

It was a 5-hour train ride to Fukuoka, so after all these years of visiting Japan I decided to actually reserve right-side facing seats and finally see Mt Fuji. It was pretty great. I also finally got to try one of the self-heating bentos, which was definitely a step in the right direction (but the Taiwan HSR still has better bentos)

We checked into our hotel in Tenjin, the Nishitetsu Grand, and headed to a nearby Christmas Market that we could see from our rooms...the Daimyo Garden City Christmas Market. I ate something that didn't agree with my stomach, so I spent the rest of the evening in the hotel room while everyone else went out and played claw games all night.

The next morning was a bit rainy, but we headed out anyway and roamed Tenjin and Hakata by foot. We took coffee at White Glass, then waited in line for I'm Donut? Intentional question mark. We had a curry lunch at Alley Tiki Curry, then rested a bit before heading out in the evening. There were a lot of Christmas markets around Fukuoka, and apparently you can collect a unique mug design from each one. So we hit up a couple of them (one had an unhealthy number of Santa statues) before finding dinner at one of the canal-side yatai's, then drank at a British-themed bar nearby called Half-Penny.

Day 5 MIYAJIMA

Our next destination was one I'd been looking forward to. I studied in Japan in college (a long time ago) and had been meaning to visit Miyajima again as I always loved the vibe of the island. We hopped a morning train to Hiroshima, grabbed a quick okonomiyaki lunch at the station (Denko Sekka), then headed towards Miyajima via the ferry port near Miyajimaguchi Station. We were staying overnight at a ryokan, so we dropped our luggage off and wandered the shopping streets leading towards Itsukushima Temple. Plenty of picture taking, snacking and shopping...and even a spiked drink from Gebura, because you seem to pass a Gebura every 5 minutes.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing at our ryokan (Kinsuikan). Being the only guy on the trip, I relaxed on the rooftop terrace by myself with a rum and coke while the rest of the group were trying out the various public baths. We also had a massive in-room traditional dinner that was both amazing and way too much.

We all went up to the roof terrace after dinner to relax and take pictures, because the island is absolutely gorgeous at night.

Days 6-7 HIROSHIMA

Jetlag definitely wasn't going away, so we all got up early to watch the sunrise from Itsukushima Temple. Note for those that also want to see the sunrise...the temple faces west! So it takes a bit of time and effort for the sun to get over the mountains.

After getting our pictures and videos, we headed into Momijidani Park and towards the ropeway up Mount Misen. Time-wise though we couldn't relax as long as we had originally hoped to. We got to the second station, snapped a hundred photos of the surrounding views, then pretty much had to immediately turn back around to get back down the mountain in time for checkout. After checking out though, we split up to do some more shopping and sightseeing before catching the ferry back to Hiroshima.

Once we were back at Hiroshima Station (we were staying at the Hotel Granvia next to the station), we got more okonomiyaki from Rei-Chan, then kind of ran out of steam and took it easy the rest of the day.

The next morning we got a mildly disappointing breakfast at a nearby Komeda Coffee. But hey, it's coffee and (sort of) food, so we had to make do. We headed out towards the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. The park and museum are a lot to take in, so we took our time there. We continued onto Hiroshima Castle, then a light lunch before splitting up as a group. My friend and I headed out to do a bit of shopping, then some great cocktails from Bar Upstairs, followed by a yakitori dinner at Buta Tora.

Days 8-9 KYOTO

I kind of regret only giving Kyoto two days. It's one of my favorite cities in the world, but the original intended group had all visited Kyoto before, and the plan was to prioritize new cities. The group makeup changed last minute (the last person to join would be visiting Japan for the first time) but regardless I should've given Kyoto an extra day. If not for them then definitely for myself.

As it were we only had 2 days, so we caught the earliest train we could to Kyoto. We immediately dumped our luggage into lockers at Kyoto Station and caught the train 2 stops south to Fushimi. Yes I know it's over-touristed. But as mentioned one of ours was visiting Japan for the first time. And as crowded as Fushimi was, I personally think it's still a can't miss for someone's first visit.

We shuffled our way through the "tourist loop" then headed up the mountain paths where the crowds started to thin out. We didn't want to tire ourselves out though, so turned around after the second rest area (after some mochi snacks), picked up some temple charms, then started walking north towards Tofukuji Temple.

I've always had a soft spot for Tofukuji. I had to give a presentation and tour of it during my college trip (this was pre-internet), and I've taken photos from the Tsutenkyo Bridge whenever I visited Kyoto. Always quiet, never crowded. So maybe it was because we were there as the leaves were changing, but my god I'd never seen the temple grounds so crowded. I suppose I got a few nice photos, but we fast-walked through the temple grounds, got some oden and pastries from food vendors, then caught the train back to Kyoto Station.

We grabbed our luggage and taxi'd to Shijo Kawaramachi where we were staying. We had an udon lunch around Teramachi, overdosed on gachapon, did some light shopping around the shopping arcades and side streets, then sunk into some cocktails at Scotch and Branch. We grabbed a late ramen dinner afterwards, but it was so bad I don't want to name and shame.

My gf and I got some quiet time the next morning with a spot of breakfast from Common Well before meeting up with the rest of the group. We were splitting up for the day...my gf and her friend for a hair ornament-making class and my friend and I for some 2-Michelin kaiseki at Roan Kikunoi. Before our lunch reservation though we dropped into Weekender Coffee for....coffee. It was good. We also made a friend while waiting outside Roan Kikunoi, another American tourist with reservations. We sent each other sake during lunch...it was fun.

My friend and I roamed Gion after lunch, then chilled along the Kamo River. We reconnected with the group back at the hotel, then grabbed evening drinks at Bar Prost before dinner at a yakitori spot called Yanagi Koji Taka on a quiet side street.

Days 10-11 KUSATSU ONSEN

We had a lot of traveling the next day, so we took an early Uber back to Kyoto Station. Our next destination was Kusatsu Onsen! This was only my second time visiting an onsen (my friend drove the first time), so getting there felt a little intimidating. Thankfully it wasn't too bad, though we did have to learn the longest station name ever in all my trips...Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station. Ok typing that out wasn't so bad, but it felt daunting the first time I read it.

We made it to our ryokan by early afternoon, Ryokan Tokinoniwa. I booked this particular ryokan because I'm partial to having private open air ...

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/No-Injury-5383 on 2025-01-13 04:24:18+00:00.

I turned 30 in November while in Japan. It was my first time traveling outside the U.S., and before this, I’d only taken family trips within 300 miles of home. I decided I didn’t want to grow old and regret not traveling when I had the chance—especially now that I’m single, have no kids, and am self-employed.

So, I booked a solo trip to Japan for 10 days, traveling 5,400 miles from home. I’d never traveled alone before, but I loved it. Since coming back in mid-November, I miss it every day and am hoping to return for 1-2 months this October.

On my 13-hour flight there, I met a Japanese guy a bit younger than me who’s moving to Tokyo for school. His mom owns a strawberry farm outside the city, and he said I could stay in his room if I help pick berries in the mornings and clean the house. While staying at a hostel, the staff loved how outgoing, kind, and multilingual I was. They encouraged me to reach Japanese Level 2 and apply for a job with them. For just 15 hours of work per week, they’d provide a private room and two daily meals. I have some choices for when I come back to visit.

Traveling was both fun and beautiful—both the places and the people. I had so many amazing meals in Japan that I couldn’t have imagined being so delicious. Since returning home, I’ve been eating mostly Asian food. Even though I hate cooking, I’ve been cooking a lot. In Japan, I took classes to make sushi, gyoza, and vegan ramen. I’ve also been learning new recipes on YouTube. Just now, I made my first ramen with coconut milk and peanut butter, and it reminded me of a ramen I had at TeamLab Planets.

That meal took me back to sitting outside Planets, eating a delicious bowl and chatting with a fellow first-time traveler. She was staying in the same area as me but paid about $80 for a taxi to get there, while I spent just a few dollars on the train. I offered to show her the way back. While we were eating, a vegan military couple joined us—also from the States—and we had a fun conversation. A Japanese businessman quietly worked at our table but then stood up, smiled, and said in perfect English, “That was a nice conversation. Thank you. I hope you enjoy the rest of Japan and have a safe trip.”

I also loved the sento. I went to one in Kyoto for five nights in a row. Even though I’d never been so exposed in public, it was relaxing and no one cared. Now back at my home gym I feel super confident walking around the showers and changing area butt naked, I can fit in with the older men now😝 The only time anyone seemed curious was when they saw my tattoo and asked if it hurt or what it meant.

I noticed that older locals were more interested in chatting than younger people. I learned some Japanese phrases through Pimsleur, and everyone was kind and patient, even helping me fix my pronunciation. The only negative experience I had was with an English-speaking local who told me it was illegal to eat or drink on the metro and that I was lucky he was nice about it. I didn’t argue—I didn’t want to cause problems as a tourist.

Navigating the trains wasn’t as hard as people say. The only time I got lost was at Kyoto Station, but a few Japanese words were enough to get me back on track. I always left an hour early to make room for distractions or toilet stops. My only reservations were for two cooking classes and three hostels. Everything else was planned in the Tripsy app, and I decided where to go day by day. Some days I visited three places; other days, six. I never rushed, never had to run for a missed train, and enjoyed having a flexible schedule for meals and breaks.

I traveled light: a half-filled 30L carry-on backpack, a 20L pack stuffed inside, three changes of clothes, and sleepwear. My souvenirs included a yukata, a beanie, toe socks, unspent yen, a Starbucks wet wipe, a yokai book from the samurai museum, a Dandadan figurine, and a kiss from a Japanese woman I went on a date with. She was eight years older than me, a fitness model and a health coach, and while we’ve decided to stay friends, we’re still in touch.

On most nights, I slept 4-5 hours. Two exceptions were at Plat Hostel in Taito, where I got eight hours, and Niniroom Hostel in Kyoto, where I slept for 11 hours after my first sake at Yakiyasai Isoya. I even fell asleep fully dressed on my room couch, then woke up, ate downstairs at the cafe, and went back to sleep for another two hours.

I then cried for half of my flight back to LA and spent the other half watching anime I had offloaded onto my iPad from Netflix. From LA to SLC, I was too uncomfortable to sleep. At the SLC airport, I waited for my family, half-asleep, eating dango and onigiri I had bought at a 7-Eleven after leaving my hostel in Tokyo. I finally got home after a 34-hour day and slept for 17 hours straight on my Japanese futon.

Even now, it’s hard to believe I actually did all that. I never could have imagined myself traveling so far from home, alone, knowing it was such a big leap. All my travel-savvy friends thought I was crazy, especially when I found out they’d always traveled in groups. For someone like me, who’s a bit of a homebody, this was a huge step.

This trip changed me in so many ways. It pushed me far out of my comfort zone, and I’m already planning two solo trips this year before heading back to Japan. I feel happier, less stressed, and even sleep better now. I made friends from different states and an amazing friend from Israel (she looks a lot like Gal Gadot). I learned so much about traveling, including how to pack even lighter than I already did.

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/Maleficent-Farm4630 on 2025-01-12 18:20:23+00:00.

Hi everyone,

I’m planning my first trip to Japan for 2 weeks this coming April for and would love your feedback and suggestions on my itinerary! Travelling to Japan has been my dream from childhood and I cannot believe it's finally happening!! I turned to this group for recommendations and have come up with this draft itinerary:

Tokyo

Day 1 (7 April)

• Land in Narita early morning at 7:30 am
• Check into my hotel in Asakusa
• Ueno Park/ Ueno Ameyoko
• Kappabashi street
• Sensoji temple, Nakamise street, rent a kimono
• Tokyo Skytree

Day 2 (8 April)

• Tokyo National Museum
• Tokyo palace gardens
• Kitanomaru park
• Teamlab borderless
• Tokyo tower, zojoji temple
• akihabara

Kyoto

Day 3 (9 April)

• Shinkansen to Kyoto
• Arashiyama Bamboo forest
• Tenryu-ji
• Kinkaku-ji

Day 4 (10 April)

• Fushimi Inari
• Nijo Castle
• Nishiki Market
• Explore Gion area
• Yasaka pagoda, Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka, Kiyomizu Dera, Kodaiji temple, etc.

Osaka Day 5 (11 April)

• Hankyu train to Osaka
• Osaka Castle
• Namba Yasaka shrine
• Explore Dotobori area

Day 6 (12 April)

• Nipponbashi denden town
• Shinsaibashi
• Shinnsekai
• Umeda skybuilding

Day 7 (13 April)

• Universal Studios

Day 8 (14 April)

• Nara day trip

Day 9 (15 April)

• Unsure about this day. Either day trip near Osaka or go to Hakone

Tokyo

Day 10 (16 April)

• Explore Shinjuku area

Day 11 (17 April)

• Warner Bro Harry Potter Studio
• Shibuya crossing, Hachiko statue, Meiji Shrine
• Shibuya Sky
• Harajuku

Day 12 (18 April)

• Mt. Fuji day trip

Day 13 (19 April)

• Explore and do shopping in Ginza/ Roppongi areas

Day 14 (20 April)

• Depart from Narita

Questions I Have:

1. Major confusion around day 9!! Would Hakone be doable in one day after traveling from Osaka? Or would it be better to do a day trip near Osaka? Or should we just return to Tokyo and spend an extra day there?
2. We are huge Harry Potter fans and that's the only reason we've put Universal in the itinerary. Is it worth going there if we're already doing the Warner Bros studio in Tokyo?
3. Any other feedback on this itinerary. Is it too packed, or are there areas where I can add more activities? Any must-see spots I’m missing?

Thank you so much for your help—I appreciate all your insights and look forward to your recommendations!

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/DexistentialCrisis on 2025-01-11 12:28:08+00:00.

So I'll be travelling to Japan in May/June this year - my first solo travel (and travel of any kind since 2016) to a country that has been on my wishlist for a long time.

I've begun to do some research into specific destinations and activities, and was hoping to get a some advice on what I've planned so far. I've put consideration so far into having a well-rounded trip and have tried to balance the nature/culture, and nerd/nightlife/modern, and

Naturally aspects of this will change (e.g. if I get Ghibli museum tickets and dates available) and am very open to recommendations (in particular for the Osaka/Kyoto legs that haven't been planned/beefed up too much yet).

JAPAN - 19 days/18 nights (6-nights Tokyo, 2-n Kanazawa, 6-n Osaka, 1-n Hiroshima, 3-n Kyoto)

| Date(s) 2025 | City | Activities | |

|

|

| | 21st May (Wed) | Arrive Tokyo 6:45AM | Arrive early AM at Haneda, explore Shinkuku/Shibuya area | | 22nd May (Thu) | Tokyo | Morning: Tokyo Station/Maranouchi Square, Imperial Palace Afternoon/Night: Akihabara, Tokyo Skytree* | | 23rd May (Fri) | Tokyo | Morning: Asakusa Afternoon: Sumo Tournament Night: Explore Shinjuku at night | | 24th May (Sat) | Tokyo | Morning: Unplanned Afternoon: Ueno Park, National Museum Night: Baseball @ Tokyo Dome | | 25th May (Sun) | Tokyo | Day trip to Nikko | | 26th May (Mon) | Tokyo | Morning: Unplanned Afternoon: Ghibli Museum*, Nakano Broadway Night: TeamLab | | 27th May (Tue) | Tokyo > Kanazawa | Travel to Kanazawa via the Takayama-Kurobe Alpine Route | | 28th May (Wed) | Kanawawa | Morning: Kenrokuen Gardem Kanazawa Castle, 21st Century Art Museum Afternoon: Omicho Ichiba, Higashi Chaya-gai, Kazuemachi Night: Katamachi | | 29th May (Thu) | Kanazawa > Osaka | Morning: Nagamachi District Afternoon: Travel to Osaka | | 30th May (Fri) | Osaka | Unplanned | | 31st May (Sat) | Osaka | Unplanned | | 1st June (Sun) | Osaka > Hiroshima | Train to Hiroshima Morning: Toshogu Shrine, Peace Park + Memorial Museum Afternoon/Night: Atomic Bomb Dome, Oizuru Tower, Hiroshima Castle, Baseball @ Mazda Stadium* | | 2nd June (Mon | Hiroshima > Osaka | Morning/Afternoon: Ferry to Miyajima, Itsukushima Jinja, Ropeway, Mount Misen, Omotesanda Arcade | | 3rd June (Tue) | Osaka | Morning: Osaka Aquarium Afternoon/Night: Unplanned | | 4th June (Wed) | Osaka | Universal Studios Japan | | 5th June (Thu) | Osaka > Kyoto | Morning: *Unplanned (*travel to Kyoto) Afternoon: Nintendo Museum* | | 6th June (Fri) | Kyoto | Morning: Sagano Railway/Hazugawa River Boat Afternoon: Monkey Park | | 7th June (Sat) | Kyoto | Morning: Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi-Inari Afternoon: Nishiki Market | | 8th June (Sun) | Kyoto > Kansai Int Airport, Leave Osaka 5:45PM | Morning: Unplanned Afternoon: Travel to KIX |

Cheers and thanks for the help in advance :)

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/YachiyoTodoroki on 2025-01-11 14:12:14+00:00.

My SO is moving using a wheelchair. This Spring we are visiting Japan. Friends are recommending to visit as many cities as possible during the two weeks that we have. But the logistics are really complicated for us. That's why I would like to limit our trip to 3 cities at most. Right now we are thinking about the most popular ones:

• Tokyo
• Kyoto
• Osaka

Do you think that it might be the right choice when it comes to accessibility? I'm slightly worried about Kyoto, as there seem to be a lot of stairs and other obstacles (due to old architecture) in the videos that I'm looking at.

Other than that, I have the following questions:

1. How is Japan in general when it comes to accessibility? Are there a lot of places that are generally inaccessible to people using wheelchairs? How are the streets in general? Are they nicely flat or should we expect a lot of bumps etc.?
2. How accessible are Hotels in general? Are most of them adapted to the Wheelchairs or not really?
3. How accessible are Trains in general? I think that this point might be the most scary for me. There are some videos on the web about people who can't get into Trains due to how packed it is. Can we expect to move freely using city communication?
4. I know about the website. Do you know any other websites or YouTube channels with some tips about traveling in Japan with a wheelchair?

If you have any other tips, suggestions or you have been in a similar situation - I will be super happy to learn more about your experience!

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/Walter-Grace on 2025-01-10 06:07:58+00:00.

This is my first time overseas and has come at short notice, I plan to arrive on the 10th of feb (Approx).

What do you guys think of my itinerary? What could be improved?

Day 1: Tokyo

• Arrival

Day 2: Tokyo

• Imperial Palace
• National Museum
• Yarakucho (Dinner)

Day 3: Tokyo

• Kawagoe
• Shinjuku (Shopping District)
• Dinner in Shinjuku (Omoide Yokocho)

Day 4: Tokyo

• Nikko Day Trip (2 hours each way)

Day 5: Tokyo to Hakone

• Hot Springs

Day 6: Hakone

• Open Air Museum
• Travel to Kyoto

Day 7: Kyoto (Central)

• Imperial Palace
• Sento Palace
• Poncho (Dinner)

Day 8: Kyoto (Central)

• Nijo Castle
• Gion Street

Day 9: Kyoto (East)

• Kiyomizedura
• Higashiyama
• Ginkakuji
• Kyoto National Museum

Day 10: Kyoto (South)

• Fushimi Inari Shrine
• Daigoji Temple
• Tofukuji Temple

Day 11: Nara Day Trip

• Nara Park
• Horyuji Temple
• Isuien Garden
• Todai-ji

Day 12: Himeji Day Trip

• Himeji Castle (2 hours each way)

Day 13: Kyoto to Osaka

• Osaka Castle
• Aquarium

Day 14: Osaka to Australia

• Departure

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/katloz36 on 2025-01-09 08:26:26+00:00.

I'm going to be in Japan from March 29 to April 8. I’m spending 2 days in Kyoto, 1 day in Osaka, and 5 full days in Tokyo. I’m considering adding a day to Osaka and taking one away from Tokyo to visit Nara OR having my luggage stored in Nara and then leaving that night for Tokyo.

What do you recommend? Is Nara worth it, and do you recommend the luggage storage options vs staying another night in Osaka?

There is a lot to see in Tokyo and I worry that being there just 4 full days isn't enough.

I'm mostly interested in museums, beautiful temples, parks and food.

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/kenmlin on 2025-01-09 04:53:40+00:00.

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/cdmaster245 on 2025-01-07 20:55:42+00:00.

This guide isn't perfect - is meant to be used as a guide and hope to help you maximize your time. I'll add a google link in the comment for mobile-friendly viewing.

Went with the wife, from NYC. Took me months of planning to make this (I'm the planner type lol.)

It was our first time in Japan.

Japan Trip Itinerary

Trip Summary

• 15 days
• Did it during Thanksgiving because:
  • 11 Work days (2 Holidays and one half day), 7-½ PTO needed.
  • 4 Weekend days.
• Weather around end of November:
  • Should be 46°F–66°F.
  • Cold/dry air, windy. Layers, gloves, windbreaker.
• Stays:
  • Booked everything on Expedia and had no issues (you can book now and pay at the hotel).

Stays

| City | Dates | Hotel | Notes | |

|

|

|

| | | | | | | | | | Tokyo | Nov 16–20, 28–30 | Hotel Groove Shinjuku (Tokyu Kabukicho Tower) | Hotel is probably my favorite hotel of all time, clean, easy to get to. Shinjuku is the nightlife of Tokyo, and the view is amazing. Lobby is on the 18th floor. Also, the bus to the airport and back is at the foot of the building (a separate ticket is required; it was through a company, more info later). | | Kyoto | Nov 20–24 | Miru Kyoto Nishiki | Two blocks away from Nishiki Market, which is a long avenue of food. Main shopping area is nearby as well as the Gion District. The hotel was clean, and the location was great, but feel free to book somewhere else if desired. | | Osaka | Nov 24–28 | The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Osaka Midosuji | 4 min walk to the train, really clean and nice hotel. The view faced the non-interesting side, so it was okay for me. I would get a hotel closer to fun landmarks or with a better view. The lobby was on the 15th floor. |

Daily Itinerary

| Day | City | Agenda | Notes | |

|

|

|

| | | | | | | | | | Day 0 | NYC | Departure Time: 12:35 AM. Flight Info: Japan Air - Airbus 351. I wanted this flight because I wanted to experience the plane, as the Airbus A350-1000 is the newest Airbus in the market… lol. Anyways, Japan Air has amazing customer service. Highly recommend taking them and avoiding non-Asian airlines. I heard this and ANA are the best airlines to take to Japan. | Flight Time: 14 hours, 05 minutes. Japan Immigration Form (QR): Do it the day before. Make sure you have the QR code on your phone via screenshot. You will need it after arrival, and it will be an inconvenience if you don’t have this ready. | | Day 1 | Tokyo | Arrival Time: 5:10 AM at Haneda. Pick up Suica Card at the airport. Use iPhone wallet option. Haneda Terminal 3 has a vending machine near monorail ticketing. Welcome card (no refund on leftover). Regular Green Card refundable, but only in Tokyo. Card can be reloaded many times. Can use the card anywhere with a Suica logo (like Visa sticker in store). | **Tips:**Maybe start with $150? That’s 7,333 yen (per 9/2/24). When buying the card, we get a reference paper—keep it in case we are asked for it. Spent $100 on Suica alone, maybe more. Suica card can be used for buses, trains, 7-11s, shops, etc. Basically a debit card in Japan. Don’t bring US cash. Exchange money at the airport or 7-11 for best rates. Take out $200 to start—if you need more, 7-11 ATMs are everywhere. | | Day 2 | Tokyo | Explore Asakusa and Akihabara. Asakusa: Kaminarimon Gate (Thunder Gate), Senso-ji Temple (Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple), Nakamise-dori Street (souvenirs, shops, food). Akihabara: Anime/game zone with retro game centers. Roads close 1–6 PM for pedestrians. | Notes: Senso-ji is worth seeing but tourist-heavy—go early if you dislike crowds. Akihabara is a treasure hunt for anime figures/retro items. Don’t buy immediately; take photos, then compare prices later. Figures were cheaper in Kyoto/Osaka. Lashinbang and Surugaya chains sell second-hand (look brand new) for half price. | | Day 3 | Tokyo | Explore Setagaya City: Gotokuji Temple (Maneki-neko, “good luck” cats). Shibuya: Meiji Shrine, Takeshita Dori Street (Harajuku/Fashion/Kawaii District), Shibuya Crossing (famous crosswalk downtown Tokyo), Shibuya PARCO (Pokemon Center on 6th floor). | Shibuya was explored later in the trip since walking in Japan is intense—averaged 15k steps/day. Ensure to eat, sleep, and recover! Shibuya is mostly a shopping zone, so plan accordingly. | | Day 4 | Tokyo → Mt. Fuji | Day trip to Kawaguchiko: Arakurayama Sengen Park (Chureito Pagoda), Oishi Park. | highway-buses.jpIf possible, stay overnight in Kawaguchiko. It’s a lovely town with a great vibe. Downside: Mt. Fuji visibility depends on the weather. Booked the bus through in advance. Can also use the train, but buses are direct. If visiting Arakurayama Sengen, go there first—it’s further out. | | Day 5 | Tokyo → Kyoto | Travel day (2-hour train). Explore Nishiki Market, Gion District, Yasaka Pagoda, Maruyama Park. | Booked bullet train via EX app. JR Pass isn’t worth it anymore due to price increases. Book seats D & E to see Mt. Fuji. If booked 21 days in advance, get Hayatoku-21 Wide discount. | | Day 6 | Kyoto | Path of Philosophy, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Ginkaku-ji Temple, Eikan-do Temple. | Added Hozugawa River Boat Cruise ending at Bamboo Forest—highly recommended. Bamboo Forest is tourist-heavy, so be prepared for crowds. Didn’t have time for Kinkaku-ji Temple. | | Day 7 | Kyoto | Kiyomizu-dera, Honno-ji Temple, Fushimi Inari-taisha. | Kiyomizu-dera: Mostly for photos. Honno-ji Temple: Not much to see unless interested in Japanese unification history. Fushimi Inari: Open 24/7—go early or late to avoid crowds. | | Day 8 | Kyoto → Nara/Uji | Day trip to Uji: Byodoin Temple (on the 10 yen coin), matcha central. Nara: Deer Park, Nakatanidou (mochi pounding). | Uji was great and worth visiting. Nara was a bit underwhelming in comparison. | | Day 9 | Kyoto → Osaka | Travel day (15-minute bullet train). Explore Kaiyukan Osaka Aquarium (world’s second-largest), Osaka Castle Park, Pokemon Center. | Osaka Castle: No need to go inside unless highly interested. | | Day 10 | Osaka | Himeji Castle, Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, Namba Yasaka Jinja. | Himeji Castle: Highlight of the trip. Dotonbori: Must-see at night—140,000 LED lights and iconic landmarks like Glico Man. Shinsaibashi: Major retail hub. Namba Yasaka Jinja: Famous lion-head shrine. | | Day 11 | Osaka | Katsuo-ji Temple. Known for Daruma dolls (symbols of perseverance and good luck). Located on a mountain with great views. | Address: 2914-1 Aomatani, Minoo, Osaka, 562-8508, Japan. | | Day 12 | Osaka → Hiroshima | Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome, Shukkeien Garden, Miyajima Island (via ferry near A-Dome). | Took the JR West Kansai-Hiroshima Pass—it’s cheaper than buying two single tickets. Last train to Osaka departs at 10 PM. | | Day 13 | Osaka → Tokyo | Travel day (3-hour train). Revisited Shibuya and explored Toshima City: Ikebukuro, Sunshine City, largest gacha machine store, One Piece Straw Hat store. | | | Day 14 | Tokyo | Last-minute shopping, visited Tokyo Tower, Skytree, Mori Tower. | Mori Tower: Amazing views of Tokyo and Mt. Fuji—best before sundown for clear visibility. | | Day 15 | Tokyo → NYC | Shuttle to airport leaves at 11:30 AM. | Haneda International Terminal 3: Observation deck and great shops before security—don’t rush through! |

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/nimblerabit on 2025-01-07 18:10:32+00:00.

This is long delayed, but I wanted to share my experience visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka during the summer (June 3rd -> 19th) with a group of 4 people. The reports in this subreddit have been really helpful, and I want to share mine to add to the pool of helpful information.

Flights

My group decided to use ZipAir for our flights. This saved us several hundred dollars, despite none of us living at a place where ZipAir flys out of. We all got flights into LA, and then separately booked flights from LA to Tokyo through ZipAir. This was totally worth it. The flight is nonstop from LA to Tokyo, so with the additional step of getting to LA that makes it a 1-stop flight, and it was much cheaper than similar duration flights.

Accommodations

We used AirBnB, and it went pretty well. A few thoughts on the places we stayed:

• Tokyo:
  • We had two different AirBnBs here, one in Asakusa and one a bit north of Shinjuku (near Takadanobaba Station). Both were good, but we definitely preferred our stay near Shinjuku. When we were in Asakusa it felt like we had to do a lot of traveling every day to get to things (and to get back). Part of this is that we were about a ~15 minute walk from the train in Asakusa, but also it just didn't feel as well connected. The stay near Shinjuku was great, everything felt super close and convenient.
• Kyoto:
  • This was the most expensive AirBnB. We stayed here. I think the AirBnB was overpriced and looks much nicer in pictures than it actually is. Not much else to add here, sorry.
• Osaka:
  • The AirBnB we stayed in is possibly my favorite place I've ever stayed, just in terms of the house itself. It was a super cool place, looked gorgeous in person, and was very affordable.

IC Card

Couple things to note here:

• Pick up your IC card when you land at the airport. There was a long line, so we decided to skip getting the card at the airport and get it somewhere else (assuming this would be easy). Turns out that lots of stations don't have any cards in stock, and without having the card it was difficult to move around to find one. I don't know if this is still the case or not, but I would definitely recommend getting it at the airport before you leave.
• You can add Shinkansen tickets to your IC card. This makes it really easy and smooth to use the Shinkansen, so that's what I recommend.

Notes on Attractions

I wont go into detail on everything we did, just the highlights for things that I liked the most or the least. All personal opinion of course, but hopefully it helps others.

• Tokyo:
  • Harajuku / Shibuya / Shinjuku - Obviously there's tons of things in all of these places, but I'll just mention that if you aren't into shopping then you might not love them as much as others. My group spent a ton of time walking through and shopping in these areas, and I should have split up from them to do my own thing since I'm not a big shopping fan.
  • Akihabara - I thought I would love this place since I'm a huge video game fan, but I really didn't. It's a spectacle for sure, and it's worth visiting because it's so unique, but the arcades themselves weren't all that fun, especially since I can't read Japanese, and overall I just didn't find there was a lot to do here.
  • Golden Gai - Awesome! Super fun vibes, really enjoyed hanging out at the bars and chatting with people here. This was one of the highlights.
  • TeamLabs - Surprisingly another highlight. I thought this would be a lame tourist trap, but I ended up thinking it was very cool. I'm not even a big picture / instagram person, and that's definitely a big draw here. I still loved it.
  • Senso-ji - This is pretty fun, it's just so huge and there's a ton of variety. We actually walked through here a bunch of times to get from our AirBnB to the train. It's worth visiting early in the morning as it's quite beautiful and pleasant to walk around, and it's also worth visiting when everything is open and it's super crowded and crazy.
  • Shibuya Sky - Another touristy thing that I wouldn't normally recommend which turned out to be pretty incredible. I think this is better than just about any other viewing platform type experience I've done elsewhere, just because it's very open and has a decent amount of space to get away from the crowds and just appreciate the views. Definitely recommend.
  • Mt Takao - This was my personal favorite thing we did while staying in Tokyo. I don't recall exactly which hike we did (maybe #6, it is confusing), but I know it was one of the harder ones. Reviews online made me think this would be overcrowded and not worth it, but the hike was really enjoyable, the scenery was beautiful, and it was extremely nice to get away from the city. Tokyo is a lot, and the nature was very appreciated after being in Tokyo for a while. Oh, they had some interesting and delicious food here as well (I remember some of the cheese tarts being absolutely incredible).
• Kyoto:
  • Fushimi Inari - Crazy busy, absolutely full of people. We got here around 10am and it was completely packed. The crowds dropped substantially as we kept walking though, and by the top there weren't all that many people. It's a very unique experience to walk through, and it's absolutely worth doing despite the crowds. I wanted to come back late at night to experience it in the dark, but I never did get a chance.
  • Pontocho Alley - Awesome spot. Just a great atmosphere, with lots of delicious restaurants and bars to choose from. We came here most nights for dinner and drinks, and I don't regret that at all. I'm a whiskey fan, and there were multiple bars in this area that were great for trying local whiskey.
  • Arashiyama Bamboo Forest - Personally I don't understand the appeal of the main area. It's a walk through some bamboo, and it's crowded. That said, there were a few things near here that I loved. Make sure you go to the Arashiyama Park Observation Deck, the views of the river from that spot are pretty spectacular. After that, we walked down some steps from the park to the river, and there was hardly anybody around. My group ended up just sitting here and appreciating the serenity and beauty of the river, and that was one of my favorite experiences. We didn't do a boat ride.
  • Arashiyama Monkey Park - The walk up here was excruciatingly hot, because we had just done a bunch of walking through the bamboo forest, park, along the river, etc. It was humid and hot and terrible, so keep that in mind if you do a similar itinerary during the summer. The monkeys were pretty cool, and you get to feed them. Personally I didn't love it, but if you have an interest than it's worth doing.
  • Nishiki Market - Pretty cool spot. It's fun to walk through and get food at a bunch of different places, and there's a lot to buy if you're interested. I ended up picking up a chef's knife here because I needed one and the prices were very reasonable.
• Osaka
  • Nara - We did a day trip to Nara from Osaka. This is probably the most memorable part of our entire trip, it's just so unique, weird, and fun. 100% recommended, everyone should come here once. Don't just go to the very start of the park where everybody is, walk further, explore the town some.
  • Osaka Aquarium - This is a really good aquarium. If you've been to other good aquariums, it is not necessarily a must visit, but it's definitely one of the better ones out there.
  • Karaoke - I don't recall the exact name, but we ended up at a karaoke bar and joined in for some karaoke one night. There seem to be a lot of these in Osaka, catering to both Japanese and English speakers, so if that sounds fun to you then it's a good thing to do in Osaka (at least we definitely saw it more here than anywhere else).
  • Food - I don't have any specific restaurant recommendations, sorry, but I wanted to mention here that the food in Osaka was delicious. I think they must have a different style of Yakisoba here because I had Yakisoba a couple different times, and it was absolutely incredible. Again, I don't remember the names of the restaurants, we tended to just look things up on google maps near where we were and went inside anywhere that looked good.
  • Minoh Park - We decided to do another nature day since Mt Takao was such a success in Tokyo. A quick train ride from Osaka is Minoh Park, which we saw had an easy hike to a waterfall, so we went. While we were walking through the charming town towards the hike, a nice old lady asked if we were going to the waterfall. When we told her that we were, she mentioned we should stay until dark because it was apparently firefly season (which I didn't realize), and she gave us some recommendations for where to see them. The hike itself was beautiful, the waterfall was pretty (although nothing mindblowing), we ended up seeing several monkeys, and we walked back as night fell and got to see the fireflies (with the help of a very nice local who used google translate to communicate with us and offered to let us follow him to all the best spots). This was an unexpected highlight of the trip. The nature in Japan is incredible, and it's definitely worth getting out of the city to see it.

I'm tired of typing now, sorry this is so long. Hopefully this helps someone out in the future, and if anybody has any questions, I'll do my best to answer.

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/eisify on 2025-01-06 14:27:34+00:00.

I brought my prescription medication, 10mg Lexapro, with me to Japan. I brought an additional 5 extra pills for emergencies. Well, I had to use all 5 extextras. My sister had a medical emergency and we missed our original flight. Had another flight for today that was rescheduled and just cancelled. Now we won't get to leave til tomorrow night and it will take over 24 hours to get home.

Is there any way I would be able to get a few extra pills in Japan so that I don't get side effects from not taking them? If I can prove i have a prescription, perhaps from a pharmacy or hospital? Thank you for any information you have to offer!

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/AutoModerator on 2024-12-25 00:00:50+00:00.

Are you traveling to Japan this month? Want to hang out with other Redditors while you navigate the country? Then this is the thread for you!

Please post any and all meetup requests here. Be sure to include:

• Your basic itinerary
• Dates of travel and cities you're planning to visit
• Your age and gender identity
• Your home country (and any other languages you might speak)
• OPTIONAL: Share some of your hobbies or interests!

We have a Discord server you can use to coordinate meetups and other activities. You can join the official r/JapanTravel Discord here! There are also monthly meetup/planning channels, so react accordingly, and you can create threads for specific dates/locations if you so desire.

In the past, people have used LINE to coordinate and plan meetups.

NOTE: Please only post meetup requests for this month. If you are traveling in the future, please reserve all meetup requests for the thread that corresponds with the month of your first date of arrival in Japan. This thread is automatically posted 7 days before the start of the month.

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/Interaction_Salt on 2025-01-05 11:12:02+00:00.

Hi everyone, thought to make this post to just caution everybody when and if you come to Kyoto, specifically the area around Shijo Kawaramachi. This is not representative of everybody in Kyoto or Japan, and should only be taken as something to be careful and look out for. This is my fourth time in Kyoto, and have never had such an experience so am sharing for everyone's learning.

Just 30 minutes ago, my friend and myself disembarked at Shijo-Kawaramachi bus stop infront of Suit Select. A man around 30-35 years old, with a ponytail and sparse beard approached us. He asked for money claiming he lost everything and wanted to travel back to Osaka. We didn't know how to respond so we tried to walk off, however he kept following. Admittedly, we tried to shake him off by acting we didn't understand English and responding in another language however that further angered him. This culminated in him getting aggressive and physically holding my friend by the collar. Only after I shouted "help" in Japanese and warned him that we will call the police did he go off.

We recognise that we could have handled it better, and should have not entertained him at all. However this is just a reminder for everyone to remember that if anybody approaches you on the street, do not make any contact or encounter, and just walk off. If you are in Kyoto or around Gion-machi area, do take note of this particular individual and heed this advice to ignore him. Additionally, could I ask if anybody had such experiences before? What else could we have done during or after that situation too? Thank you everyone!

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/bigWrist415 on 2025-01-05 03:15:58+00:00.

Hi everyone, I had a 14 day 13 night whirl wind tour of Japan last summer with my wife and two kids (13, 18) last summer. It was our first trip to Japan, although family members and co-workers had visited recently. By all regards it was a very ambitious trip and not for everyone one, but it worked out well for us. Both kids like anime, my son likes history, my wife likes culture and nature. I tried to plan things that teenagers would like (instagram worthy) and that were cultural.

Day 1: Flew from CA on ZipAir to Narita arriving 8:00 p.m. Cleared customs, picked up portable WiFi, and took Keisei Skyliner to Ueno Station, transfer to Ginza line, got off Asakusa Station - visit 7-11, stayed at The Gate Asakusa. was tricky to navigate Keisei Skyliner for the first time - internet said it was a straight shot to Asakusa, but someone told me I needed to get off and transfer and I'm glad I did. I was very happy with the hotel. It was recommended on some travel blogs and I'd stay again, because of its proximity to Senso-ji temple, Ichiran, Gyokatsu motomura, and famous japanese kitchenware stores.

Day 2: , at the crack of dawn, my wife and I walked around the temple before the flock of tourists could descend. We had the temple to ourselves and it was great. Once the kids woke up, it was a quick visit to Senso-ji Temple and then subway toShinjuku to make our 1:00 p.m. reservations at Gyokatsu Motomura. I had a hard time finding the restaurant, because it was on a sublevel of a large building and there wasn't much signage. It was raining and it was a bit of a disaster, but we had our first meal and the kids had fun. We were still tired, it was still raining, but we hit Don Quixote and I was worrying about my 7:00 p.m. Shibuya Sky tickets. It was raining most of the afternoon and I would have cancelled my tickets if I had web access AND I remembered my password, but I didn't cancel the tickets and around 6:00 p.m. the rain stopped and the sun came out :) It was like a tiny miracle. We got up to Shibuya Sky and it was exceptional! The kids were running around the roof and I just marveled at the Tokyo skyline. We were up there around 90 minutes, then we descended and took subway back to Asakusa. Made it just in time to get into Ichiran in Asakusa with only a minimal wait - 15 minutes, but we got in 30 minutes before closing. very much enjoyed the experience.

Day 3: we checked out of our Asakusa Hotel - send our luggage to the Royal Park in Kyoto, then spent the morning at TeamLab Planets in Odaiba. We all enjoyed TeamLabs and then we visited the original fish market, visited the Gundam/Diver City and then checked into our Ginza Hotel for one night.

Day 4: check out and head to Hakone to hopefully see Mt. Fuji and stay at the Green Plaza Hotel. I bought Romance Car train tickets and was all prepared to do Hakone Free Pass, but it continued to rain and the Gondola was shut down - messing up our access to the hotel. We had to pivot and take a city bus to Green Plaza Hotel and I was in a foul mood. The rain stormed all afternoon, but I enjoyed our stay at the Green Plaza. Yes, it is a bit outdated, but I thought it was a good value and we got to experience their onsen and we enjoyed the buffet dinner.

Day 5: check out of Hakone; the sun is out, and the Gondola is back in action. We take Gondola, make a quick stop at Owakudani to see the sulfur valley and buy four black eggs. Took local train to Odawara Station and then Shinkansen to Kyoto Station (I bought my tickets online weeks earlier and we rushed to make the connection - I think I could missed my train and just taken a seat in an unreserved car, but the four of us were traveling together and I wanted to sit together). We get to the Royal Park at 3:30 p.m. but we had dinner reservations for 5:00 p.m. at Teppanyaki Tavern in Kyoto - place I heard about on youtube. Walking through Gion to the restaurant, i couldn't believe what I was seeing. Kimonos, beautiful traditional houses...it was magical.

Day 6: we hit Arashiyama for a river cruise, bamboo grove, and the monkey park. The good news was that it stopped raining for the river cruise, the bad news was the sun came out and it was HOT. The 20 minute walk up to the top of the Monkey Park was tough and people were conked out on benches - trying to get the energy to get to the top. I enjoyed the monkeys, well worth, the effort and price of admission. Back in Kyoto, we had an appointment for my daughter to make her own ring at Glinta. If you know, you know.

Day 7: my son and I hit Fushimi Inari at the crack of dawn. We had the whole place to ourselves and it was great. That afternoon, we visited Nishiki market and a Pokemon store. Dinner was at Kura Sushi. It may not be top quality, but it was a lot of fun.

Day 8: kids and I visited Kiyomizu dera in the morning and explored Gion. Thought about visitng Shoren-Temple and Chion-In Temple, but we were all temple'd out and we called it aday. Afternoon, kids rested or shopped.

Day 9: leave Kyoto, head to Hiroshima Museum, then sleep in Miyajima. For all the people who insisted on sleeping in Miyajima - thank you...you're right. Miyajima is so beautiful. Wish we spent more than one night here, but places to go.

Day 10: leave Miyajima and train to Kanazawa. The rain came back this afternoon, but this was essentially a rest day.

Day 11: explore Kanazawa Castle and the market.

sent two pieces of luggage directly to Narita (though we aren't flying out for 4 days)

Day 12: check out of hotel and take bus to Shirakawa-go, spend the night.

Day 13: leave Shirakawa-Go, back to Kanazawa then bullet train to Tokyo

Day 14: last morning in Tokyo then Narita Express to Narita, pick up luggage delivery, head home.

Luggage Delivery saved the day!! Two big thumbs up. Family members and close friends said this itinerary was too hectic, but in the end it wasn't ... for us. The kids still had plenty of free time and I got to show them Miyajima, Kanazawa, and Shirakawa-go -- places I'm not sure they would visit, if we didn't do it now. The kids didn't complain about the pace and they had a good time. The above itinerary sacrificed time in Osaka an some time in Tokyo, but I thought that could be done in a subsequent trip.

Making a long post..even longer. trip #2 is next week. Winter in Japan. 16 nights: 3 nights in Osaka, 7 nights in Kyoto, 6 nights in Tokyo. A leisurely trip focused on my 18 year old - who just wants to shop for 16 nights and hit Universal Studio Japan. I'll post more about this trip, if there is interest.

Hope this helps someone and wasn't a bore to read.

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/Picster on 2025-01-05 03:37:13+00:00.

Summary:

This was my first trip to Japan, and it was wonderful. I went solo for 17 days and hit Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. Traveling around was way easier than I expected—super modern, clean, and crazy English-friendly. December turned out to be the perfect time to go: beautiful fall colors, great weather, no rain, and crowds that weren’t bad at all. I can’t recommend it enough—it was an amazing experience.

Check out my Google Maps guide here.

View my trip photos here.

Itinerary

• Tokyo: 4 nights (start)
• Osaka: 2 nights
• Kyoto: 5 nights
• Hiroshima: 1 night
• Tokyo (again): 5 nights

Pocket Wi-Fi vs. Travel Plan

I skipped the pocket Wi-Fi completely. Instead, I used my US phone carrier’s travel plan, which was the same cost or cheaper. The biggest perk? No extra device to charge, pick up, or return—it was just simple and hassle-free. If you’re considering it, check with your carrier. Having reliable data the entire trip made everything easier.

Language

I spoke basically zero Japanese the whole trip—just a few “thank you” here and there. It wasn’t an issue at all. Nearly everything was in English, from signs to menus, and I didn’t need Google Translate at all. I was expecting to have to use Google Translate often but it was really unneeded. I didnt speak English either, verbal communication was just not needed anytime.

Transportation

Google Maps was the best. It showed me everything I needed: train platforms, bus stops, walking routes, and exact times. I mostly used subways and walked everywhere, but I did take three Ubers—mainly in Kyoto when I needed to reach sites that weren’t Metro-convenient (e.g., temples further out). After an Uber there, I’d wander my way back on foot, which worked great.

Payment Methods

Apple Pay on my phone was my go-to, and I used it for literally everything—transportation, food, shopping, you name it. I didn’t carry cash for the first week, and it wasn’t an issue until I hit a shrine that only took cash for entry. A friend gave me some cash later, and I ended up barely using it. Still, having a little cash on hand is smart, especially for random things like small entry fees to the random shrine.

Suica Card

The Suica card on my Apple Wallet was magic. It worked for all public transport—just tap in, tap out, done. I never needed a physical Suica.

Shinkansen (Bullet Train)

Buying Shinkansen tickets was super easy: I’d look up my train on Google Maps, then go to the ticket machine, pick the exact train, and buy my tickets with a credit card. You need two tickets: the base fare and the Shinkansen fee. I didn’t book anything in advance—just showed up, grabbed a ticket, and hopped on. Used it for Tokyo → Osaka, Kyoto → Hiroshima, and Hiroshima → Tokyo. Quick but definitely pricey—it’s the most expensive thing after hotels.

Luggage

I travel light with just a carry-on and a backpack, which made moving around easy. I thought about using the luggage transfer service (takkyubin), but I didn’t really need it. I stayed in one hotel per city, so lugging my stuff around wasn’t a hassle. If you’re packing heavier or hopping between accommodations, the service might be worth considering.

Crowds

Crowds? What crowds? I’d heard so much about how Japan is insanely busy, but it wasn’t bad at all—way less crowded than I expected. Sure, the big Instagram-famous spots had people, but step one block away, and it was quiet. Everyone tends to flock to the exact same photo-op spots, but if you’re willing to wander even a little, you’ll find yourself practically alone. Check out my photos to see what you think.

December Travel

December was amazing. The fall colors were spectacular. The weather was perfect for walking around—not too cold, no rain, super comfortable. No real Crowds. I can’t imagine a better time to go.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Electronic Converter: I didn’t need one. My chargers worked fine with Japan’s outlets.
• Bathrooms: Clean, modern, and everywhere.
• General Vibe: Japan felt more familiar than I expected—like traveling to a modern Western country (think Europe, Canada, or the U.S.), but with its own unique twist.

Overall Experience:

This trip was everything I wanted and more. Japan is incredibly easy to navigate, even for a solo traveler who doesn’t speak Japanese. It was a mix of stunning scenery, rich culture, and modern convenience. If you’ve been thinking about going, just book the trip.

Expenses

• Full Total: $820.21 in Japan
• Total Shinkansen (WEST JAPAN RAILWAY CO. and JR CENTRAL): $406.67
• Total for Uber: $77.54
• Total for everything except Shinkansen and Uber (including $60 cash): $413.54
• $800 each way for flights
• $2400 for 17 days in Japan (Including all travel, airline, trains, hotel, food)

I used points for hotels so did not have any "expense" there.

Check out my Google Maps guide here.

View my trip photos here.

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/littlecarpetflea on 2025-01-04 18:08:36+00:00.

Hi everyone!

My husband and I are traveling to Japan for the first time in early Febraury. We are only going for 8 days, which I know is not long enough, but we have a toddler at home. This is our last big trip before trying for #2 and never traveling as just a couple again!

We have most of our itinerary and are looking for feedback.

TOKYO (Feb 6-8)

Day 1 - Land in Tokyo, go to an idol bar in the evening for live music

Day 2 - head to Shibuya and wander around. Maybe try a maid cafe, and probably hit another live music venue that evening

Day 3 - rent a fancy Japanese super car and head to hakone for twisty roads

KYOTO (Feb 9-13)

Day 4 - head to Kyoto in the morning, tea cermony in Gion, maybe add the Fushimi Inari shrine for a little hike

Day 5 - head to Kinosaki onsen and spend the night in a Ryokan

Day 6 - head back to Kyoto from Kinosaki onsen and get evening tattoos

Day 7 - blank day in Kyoto. Potentially hit Kitano Tenmangu to see if any plum blossoms are out. Go to some cool museums? Live music?

Day 8 - head back to Tokyo mid-morning and fly out of Tokyo at 6pm

The main things we want to do are see some live music, onsen hopping (we have tattoos that can't be covered), rent a super car, tattoos, and eat all the things. My husband also likes museums and art galleries, so any suggestions there are appreciated.

Is it too much back and forth with Kinosaki Onsen? Are there other tattoo friendly, onsen hopping places that would be easier to fit in?

Do you think a JR Pass is worth it? Based on the calculator, we are about $60 CAD off of breaking even on the Pass for all our main travel plans, not including random inner city hopping.

Live music venue suggestions? We found a couple, but my husband would love to find a metal bar either in Kyoto or Tokyo.

EDIT - formatting. I'm on mobile.

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/Footos3003 on 2025-01-03 16:46:33+00:00.

I'm starting to think about my next trip to Japan, and thought I might do a report on the first road trip we did in Japan last year:

Itinerary Overview

• Day 1: Nikko
• Day 2-3: Aizuwakamatsu
• Day 4: Tsuruoka/Mount Haguro
• Day 5 Akita/Kakunodate/Lake Tazawa
• Day 6 Hirosaki/Lake Towada
• Day 7: Sanrikku Coast
• Day 8: Matsushima
• Day 9-17: Tokyo

Driving route

Background

• Went with my wife (34yo both) in April, this was our 3rd trip to Japan.
• Since we had already seen most of the usual touristy places, we wanted to do something a little bit more off the beaten path. We decided to rent a car for this
• Our goal was to finally go for the sakura season, but avoiding the crowds by doing it in the Tôhoku region. Not only is this region less visited overall, but sakura bloom later there so we could avoid the early april rush. Unfortunately, 2023 had a very early Sakura season, so we ended up mising them for most of the trip...
• When I travel with my wife in Japan, our main areas of focus are usually temples, nature, historic towns, and Japanese gardens (which are probably my favourite places to see in Japan)
• Our trip was 17 days in total, but the 2nd part was in Tokyo and mostly dedicated to shopping/leisure, so I will mostly focus on the Tohoku road trip
• We covered around 1400km in 8 days, which represented around 3h of driving per day. This might seem packed, but the pace felt honestly perfect, we never felt like we had to rush for anything and our itinerary left us plenty of time for unplanned visits.

Trip Report - 8 days Tôhoku road trip

Day 0 (Tokyo):

• We arrived in Narita in the evening, and just went to Tokyo to sleep and prepare for the next day

Day 1 (Nikko):

• Took of the train from Tokyo to Nikko then picked up our rental car at the Nikko station
• We started by exploring the temple area: Rinnoji, Tôshô-gu and Futurasan-jinja.
• On the way we also did the small Japanese garden (Shôyô-en), and the Shinkyō bridge.
• After the temple area we went to the Kanmangafuchi abyss. Very calming place, and strangely the slight rain really suited the place. We didn't see anyone else there. Unexpected highlight of the day
• We then took the car to the Kegon Waterfalls, and headed back to our hotel in Nikko

Day 2 (Aizuwakamatsu):

• We left in the morning to drive to Aizuwakamatsu. On the way, we stopped at Tō-no-Hetsuri cliffs. Having a car for these kind of places is really nice, as they are usually not worth the hassle by public transport, but driving makes them much more accessible.
• Arrived in Aizuwakamatsu (old samurai city), we started with the Aizuwakamatsu castle and Oyakuen garden. We came across a school trip in Aizuwakamatsu castle, as there were dozens of students visiting when we were there.
• We the Suzuzen lacquerware shop, a 200 year-old shop which sells traditional Aizuwakamatsu lacquerware.
• We headed back to our hotel, a luxury ryokan with an amazing private bath on our balcony, with a view on the whole area.

Day 3 (Aizuwakamatsu):

• We continued Aizuwakamatsu with the historical Nisshinkan samurai school. Beautiful place with a rich history. They show movies about its history, and also provide basic kyûdo introductory class which we took.
• After that, we followed the scenic Tadami train line (except we did it by car), visiting the Enzoji temple (photos were not allowed) and admiring the view of the Tadami bridge
• We then left Aizuwakamatsu to drive to Tsuruoka. Instead of the highway, we took the scenic road following the coastline. We stopped on the way several times to enjoy beautiful viewpoints, or hang out at the beach
• Just before Tsuruoka, we checked out at our hotel, another beautiful luxury ryokan with a gorgeous inner garden and private onsens.

Day 4 (Tsuruoka/Dewa Sanzan):

• After enjoying the onsen and inner garden of the hotel, we left for the Kamo aquarium, mostly dedicated to jellyfish.
• Next we went to Mount Haguro, doing a short hike in the woods until the wooden pagoda. I really like these forest temples.
• After mount Haguro, we stopped at Gyokusenji a nearby temple with a beautiful garden (did I mention that I love Japanese gardens?). The temple doesn't seem well known, but the garden is amazing. I've visited close to 30 gardens in Japan, and I would easily put Gyokusenji in my top 5. Large and impressive stroll gardens like Korakuen, Byōdō-in or Kenrokuen are usually more famous, but these small temple gardens have such a unique calming atmosphere (similar to Sanzen'in in Kyoto for those who have been there). We enjoyed the view of the garden from the temple for almost 1h completely alone.
• We finished Tsturoka with the Honma art museum, doing both the museum and its garden. We then drove to Akita and did a little bit of shopping around the station.

Day 5 (Akita/Kakunodate/Lake Tazawa):

• We started with Senshu Park in Akita, which is supposed to be a nice Sakura spot. Unfortunately sakura season was already over in Akita at that time.
• We moved to Kakunodate and its samurai houses. The historical neighborhood is really nice, but the sakura festival was honestly underwhelming. It was probably the most touristy place that we did, with strangely more people than in Nikko.
• We then drove to Tazawa lake. The area is really beautiful, especially Gozanoishi jinja, with its torii right in front of the lake. We then continued to Hirosaki.

Day 6 (Hirosaki/Lake Towada):

• We took the whole morning to visit the area of the Hirosaki Castle. The castle itself is okay, but the whole park is really nice, and we finally managed to get blooming cherry blossoms! The festival around the castle was huge and very lively. There were tons of families enjoying a weekend picnic. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip!
• As a weird sidenote, we probably had the best pizza of our life in Hirosaki (and I've been to Italy 4 times). Pizzeria Napoli doesn't look like much but it's absolutely delicious!
• Still around the castle, we went to the Fujita Memorial garden. very nice stroll garden, and a wonderful example of borrowed scenery.
• On the outskirts of Hirosaki, we also visited Seibi-En, a garden that served as inspiration for Ghibli's Arrietty
• We then moved to the Towada lake. This was the first destination that was really disappointing, and even a little bit depressing. The area isn't particularly interesting except for the panomaric views, and it looks like it was meant to be a huge leisure resort that it never took off. Half the hotels are in ruins, most shops are closed, and the huge parking lot had only 2 cars parked. We just stayed to have a drink in the only cafe that was opened, and continued further.

Day 7 (Sanrikku Coast):

• Starting from Towada city, we first visited a small mostly unknown mountain temple, Hakukasan Hokoji. I found it randomly on google maps and couldn't find much info about it online, but it's a stunning place, beautiful temple, pagoda and garden. Probably also now one of my favourite temples in Japan. We were able to enjoy it alone as we didn't see anyone else there either., which adds a lot to the charm.
• We then started our drive across the beautifull rugged Sanrikku Coast. We had several stops to enjoy the wonderful views like Kitayamazaki or Unosu cliff.
• We drove along the coast to our hotel Houraikan Inn. This was a special stay, as the hotel is famous for having been almost destroyed by the 2011 tsunami (it's located right on the seafront), with the employees and guests miraculously surviving thanks to a small escape route to the moutains behind the hotel. The owner reopened the hotel after reconstruction and she still tells the stories to the guests.

Day 8 (Matsushima):

• We continued driving south along the ocean, until we reached Matsushima
• In Matsushima, we visited a few temples and gardens**:** Entsuin, Godaido and Zuiganji, and then did a short sightseeing cruise of the Matsushima Bay.
• We then drove to Sendai, returned our car at the station, and took the Shinkansen to Tokyo

**Days 9-17 ...

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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/B_Buch on 2025-01-03 09:09:24+00:00.

My wife and I just got back from a nearly three-week trip across Japan—a place I’ve been dreaming about since I was a kid. Growing up on Dragon Ball, Pokémon, and Digimon, and later spending countless hours gaming on my Nintendo 64 and PlayStation, I built up some pretty huge expectations over the years. I even studied Japanese during the pandemic and passed the JLPT N5, so I was both super excited and a bit nervous. What if the real Japan didn’t match my “romanticized” vision?

Fortunately, it turned out even better than I could have imagined. From the very first moment, Japan filled our hearts with wonder. From the clean streets to the incredible warmth of the people, every day felt like one long highlight. I honestly can’t single out any moment as “the best,” because everything was special in its own way. But I’ll do my best to walk you through our journey—city by city—and share the tips we picked up along the way.

Days 1–2: Tokyo (Ueno, Yanaka, Nezu, Akihabara) - A Warm Welcome & City Buzz

The second we landed at Narita Airport, I felt a rush of excitement. Pokémon signs waved hello, and anime ads showed everyone how to line up politely and to speak quietly on trains. My heart was racing: This is real. We’re in Japan!

Before heading to the hotel, we stopped at our first konbini (convenience store)—7-Eleven—and picked up onigiri, sandwiches, and snacks we’d only seen in YouTube videos. Tired from the flight, we checked into our hotel, turned on the TV, and devoured our konbini feast.

The next day, we explored Ueno, Yanaka, and Nezu. These older neighborhoods felt like hidden pockets of traditional Tokyo: narrow alleys, quiet shrines, and small family shops. At Kayaba Coffee, we sat on tatami mats, eating fluffy toast and omurice while sipping hot coffee. There was something peaceful about it—a gentle start to a big adventure.

In the afternoon, we plunged into Akihabara’s neon world: towering anime posters, arcades filled with flashing lights, and shops crammed with manga and figurines. We even stumbled upon Hijiri Bridge, featured in the anime movie Suzume.

That night, we also soared up Tokyo Skytree, where a special Jujutsu Kaisen event was happening, making the city view even more epic. Exhaustion swept over us, but we couldn’t stop grinning as we ended the evening with a quick meal at Sukiya where we had some ramen and beer. Even though our feet hurt and our eyes were droopy, my heart felt like it was glowing.

Day 3: Kanazawa - A Tranquil Gem & Our First Onsen

The next morning, we boarded our first Shinkansen from Ueno to Kanazawa. Watching the city speed by, I kept thinking: We’re really here… traveling across Japan by bullet train. It was surreal.

Kanazawa instantly felt different from Tokyo. The pace was slower, and the streets were calm. We found a nice place called Angolo Caffe for breakfast. While walking the streets we greeted the locals with “Ohayō gozaimasu", which was really fun and their warm smiles and friendly nods made us feel right at home.

We spent the day exploring the Higashi Chaya (Geisha District) with old wooden houses and Nagamachi (Samurai District).

We tried gold-leaf ice cream and wandered through Kenroku-en Garden, said to be one of Japan’s top three gardens. Though we didn’t see all of it (our legs were still tired from Tokyo and the flight), the little we saw was breathtaking. We walked back through Omicho Market where we tasted some eel.

Back at the hotel, we experienced our very first onsen (hot spring). We were nervous about the etiquette (undressing in front of strangers!), but the moment we sank into the hot water, all worries melted away.

Days 4–5: Takayama - Nighttime Magic & Delicious Surprises

After Kanazawa, we took a direct bus to Takayama. Originally, we wanted to visit Shirakawago, but exhaustion told us to slow down. I’m so glad we did. Takayama felt like a secret, storybook town—especially after dark.

Upon arrival, Takayama was more crowded than we’d imagined, so we headed straight to our ryokan, Oyado Koto no Yume. Stepping inside was a dream: tatami floors, sliding doors, and a classic kaiseki dinner that looked too pretty to eat. Another onsen waited for us, and each soak made us feel brand new.

Once the sun set, Takayama’s streets were almost empty. The old wooden buildings glowed under lanterns, creating a peaceful, almost haunting beauty. We took a slow evening walk, holding hands, saying almost nothing—words would’ve broken the spell.

We also stopped by the Hida Takayama Retro Museum, filled with old arcade games and pachinko machines. We couldn’t stop taking photos—it felt like we’d traveled back in time.

The following food places in Takayama stole our hearts:

• Toranoya Okonomiyaki: A cozy spot run by a sweet 72-year-old lady who made us laugh and served us the most perfect okonomiyaki.
• Hiranograno Pizzeria: Located on the outskirts of town, this hidden gem offered the best pasta and pizza we had in Japan. We were the only guests that night, which made the intimate meal feel even more magical.
• Center 4 Hamburgers: A cozy burger place where we had one of our favorite moments of the trip. After finishing her meal, my wife confidently told the staff, “Chīzubaagā daisuki desu!” (I love your cheeseburgers!). Their reactions were priceless—they smiled so widely I thought they might float away. It was such a joyful and heartwarming interaction that we’ll cherish forever.

Other Takayama highlights included some quiet Uniqlo shopping with great tax-free deals, plus a relaxing soak at the Hanami Foot Bath near the main station—an ideal treat after a day on our feet. 

With Shirakawago off the list, we thought of visiting Hida no Sato (Hida Folk Village) on our second afternoon, but the bus schedule didn’t work in our favor. Though we were disappointed to skip it, we left Takayama feeling deeply satisfied by its old-town charm, incredible food, and warm hospitality.

Days 6–9: Kyoto - Tourist Crowds & Hidden Calm

After two nights in Takayama, we took the Hida View Express to Kyoto—large windows, rotating seats, and stunning mountain scenery that felt straight out of a Ghibli film (think My Neighbor Totoro). Just watching the landscape roll by was a highlight in itself.

In Kyoto, we stayed at RC Hotel Kyoto Yasaka. It was surprisingly spacious, especially by Japanese standards, and our room offered a breathtaking view of the Yasaka Pagoda. But we soon realized we weren’t alone. Kyoto was more crowded than our previous stops, and that took some getting used to. Still, we managed to enjoy:

• Kiyomizu-dera & Street Food: A must-see temple with stunning architecture and city views. The nearby street-food stalls serve delicious treats; our favorite was the spicy pork bun.
• Kyoto Tower & Food Court: This spot is a hidden gem in plain sight. Despite being an iconic landmark, the tower’s food court was surprisingly calm. We indulged in burgers, steaks, and fluffy pancakes, all while enjoying a panoramic sunset view—no reservation needed.
• Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Monkey Park: While the bamboo forest is undeniably beautiful, it’s also packed with tourists. For a more memorable time, we climbed up to the Monkey Park—one of my wife’s trip highlights. The short hike offers a fun chance to feed monkeys and soak in gorgeous views of Kyoto.
• Philosopher’s Path: Early mornings or late afternoons here are near-magical, with few people around. This peaceful walkway lined with trees and small shrines is perfect for a quiet stroll or reflection.
• Traditional Tea Ceremony (Sakaguchian): Near our hotel, we booked a session to sip matcha and learn the art of tea preparation. It was a serene experience—a welcome contrast to the bustling city outside.
• Fushimi Inari Taisha: We began our climb around 4 p.m., and as we ascended, the crowds thinned. By the time we headed back down, it was dusk, and the lantern-lit paths took on an almost creepy yet enchanting atmosphere. The absence of tourists in the higher sections made it feel like our own secret temple trail.

Despite the crowds, Kyoto’s blend of ancient tradition is truly captivating. Each day felt like stepping into a new chapter of a historical story—complete with delicious food and unforgettable experiences.

Days 10–11: Osaka - Glowing Streets & Late-Night Adventures

A short train ride took us from Kyoto to Osaka. After Kyoto’s temples, arriving in Osaka felt like stepping into a whole new world. We stayed at the Dotonbori Hotel, right in the heart of the action...

During the day, we snacked on local favorites like takoyaki and 10-yen cheese coins, then took a quick rest to save our energy for Osaka’s lively nightlife. As evening fell, we found ourselves in front of the legendary Glico Sign, and in that moment, my wife’s vision of a futuristic Japan came to life—dazzling neon lights, vibrant arcades, and a constant buzz of excitement. We jumped right in, snapping photos and competing in nearby game centers. The train-driving simulator, drum arcade and dance arcades were surprisingly addictive, and we spent way more time on it than we expected! We even got some souvenirs from the claw machine.

The next day, we finally got our hands on the famous Rikuro Cheesecake—light, jiggly, and not too sweet. My wife,...

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