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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/kayprel on 2024-07-12 15:09:42+00:00.
Hi guys!
I've been a longtime user of this subreddit and it helped me a lot! So hopefully I can help some of you guys answering some uncertanties and maybe give you some ideas! If you got a specific question feel free to hit me up in the private messages.
About us: Couple (2M), in the end of their twenties, from Switzerland, big part of our life revolves around Japan. We're nerds about anime/manga, japanese food, the language and nature. Probably just nerds about japan as a whole. We're more on the fast paced side of travelling. When I'm in Japan I kinda forget what it means to be tired. In the end of the day we try to find a good mix of fast paced days with a sprinkle of some more relaxed days to get best out of the trip.
The trip was our fourth one. First time up the north and first time winter!
Short summary of our trip stops:
Tokyo 2d (part 1)
Tohoku region Sendai 2d - Ginzan Onsen 1d - Yamadera 1d - Aomori 2d
Hokkaido Hakodate 2d - Niseko 1d - Lake Toya 1d - 1d Noboribetsu - Sapporo 4d
Tokyo 4d (part 2)
Tokyo (2d, Akihabara, JR EAST Hotel Mets Akihabara)
- 24th December (Akihabara, Pokémon Café)
(Highlights of the day: Back in Tokyo generally, First Ramen)
The Hotel: Perfect Hotel if you're staying in Akihabara. The rooms are typicially small, but it's really one fall from the main station. The breakfast option was awesome: You get vouchers you can use at the Starbucks just in the next building or the restaurant which is connected to the Hotel. Both very good! (Japanese Starbucks is just so superioooooor)
So we arrived on the 24th on the morning and then directly went to Akihabara. It was the first time we took the Skyliner and needed to change at Nippori for Akihabara. The ride was very smooth, the train not to crowded and the price was fine. After leaving our stuff in the Hotel (that was possible in literally every hotel) we stayed around Akihabara and went for lunch in Kyushu Jangara. Walking around Tokyo (especially Akihabara) after five years felt crazy familiar. It was almost like we never left it. Tokyo really fells like home for us.
In the evening we had a reservation for the Pokémon Cafe. I was able to get a seat by myself. I read a lot about how to reserve it, and it actually went pretty smoothely. My tip is: Wait a bit longer after the first few minutes and after 45min there were actually quite a bit spots open again.
Our experience at the Pokemon Cafe: We both grew up with Pokémon and I myself still play it and get most of the new games (to be disappointed again lol). I read really mixed things about the Cafe beforehand and for us it was mainly a disappointment. The food was really bad and the staff was typicially japanese extremly friendly, but the interactions we had with them were very awkward. They play a game and some food they help with the preparation (I had the milk berry drink). When we visited the Gengar came which was quite cute - it was really at the final minutes before the time slot ended, we would have left earlier if it wasn't for the Genger. I really wanted to try the Pokémon Cafe also to get it off our list - if you're a really really big Pokémon and especially with kids I can imagine it's very fun. For us, it was an okay-ish experience I would not do again.
- 25th December (Shibakoen, Shibuya Sky, Shibuya Blue Cave)
(Highlights of the day: Shibuya Sky, Tonkatsu @ Hagino)
So that day we started with heading around the Shibakoen area to visit the temples/park around there. The weather was just perfect and the Zōjō-ji temple was impressive and beautiful. I especially loved the little stone figurines around the who were decorated in many different styles and outfits!
We then headed to the Tokyo Tower around lunch to grab something but were not satisfied with the options there. So we found a little Tonkatsu restaurant in the area (Hagino), very much recommended! We decided then to visit the new Azubudai Hills, cause they were nearby. The area, especially the courtyard, was impressive. It was the last day they had a Christmas Market, which was very cute. There were a lot of shops still closed or to be opened soon, most of them should be open by now though! It's definitely more of a luxury area of Tokyo shopping wise!
Then we headed to Shibuya to get to Shibuya Sky. I'm a big fan of Sunrises/Sunsets, high buildings and city skylines. Shibuya Sky definitely nails it to perfection. The last time we were in Tokyo (Summer 2019) it wasn't finished yet and so far it has been my favorite observation deck I visited. We got tickets one hour before the sunset and it worked perfectly fine. The height you look at the city was gorgeous and you have 360 degree view. It was quite windy up there but worked well. We spent almost three hours gazing at the city and taking way too many pictures (10/10, would do it again). We even got a glimpse of Mount Fuji (the first time after four visits!!).
After that we took a stroll around the Shibuya Blue Cave Illumination, that was also very nice!
Sendai (2d, Sotetsu Fresa Inn)
- 26th December (Loople Bus)
(Highlights of the day: Yakiniku)
We arrived in Sendai around 9am, headed to the Hotel left our luggage there and then took the Loople Bus, which is a tourist bus that takes you around the most important sights around the city. There is one every 20min and you can get on and off at the sights how you like.
We stopped at
- Zuihoden Mausoleum (8/10)
- Site of Sendai Castle (7/10) - city views though!
- Osaki Hachimangu Shrine (8/10)
- Jozenji-dori (6/10) - it's a shopping street, but as a touristic bus stop, I don't really know.
We probably could have fit one more thing in if we wanted to, but also tbh the other stuff didn't catch our interest really. It's a good option to get the sights of the city and it's surroundings.
In the evening we went for Yakinuku (Gyutan; beef tongue, is Sendais speciality, which we had here). The location was called Yakinuku Kagura, we did pay a lot for it (probably our most expensive meal on the trip, around 24'000 Yen/160 USD), but also ate a lot and had sooooo much meat, also we were very hungry. We'd say it was worth it!
- 27th December (Matsushima)
(Highlights of the day: Matsushima, Zuiganji, Entsuin)
Once again the weather was perfect. We took the train in the morning to Hon-Shiogama and then took the one-way cruise to Matsushima. There were a total of three groups (including us) on the boat. It was windy and cold but we spent most of our time on the outside deck getting a glimpse of all those little islands. The boat trip was around an hour and it was a perfect start to get to know the surroundings.
When we arrived in Matsushima we headed to to the Zuganji temple (9/10), which has a beautiful alley of cedar trees (the Matsushima area in general though!), we had a walk around the building and we very much liked it's vibe and quiteness.
Then we needed to have lunch and found this nice little restaurant called Hasekura (8/10) managed by one man only with two tables. We waited like 20min before we were able to get in and the menu is very simple, you can have different kind of bowls with seafood. We tried the Unagi and the Ikura one - Unagi for the first and last time, had a really hard time to eat it. Still - the bowl was very good and a really good price for what you get!
After our lunch we walked to one of the islands connected to the mainline through a red bridge - Fuukurajima. You pay 200 Yen for entry and then can walk around freely on the island. It was a good stroll that took us about 1 1/2h in total before we headed back to grab a coffee at BLUE BAY COFFEE, a very small and lovely to-go coffee shop, we had a great chat with the owner.
After that coffee we walked around for a bit more, heading to Oshima Island to see the sunset. We headed back from the Matsushimakaigan to Sendai. We craved western food this evening, and found Felice (8/10), a cute italian restaurant!
- 28th December, Ginzan Onsen
Hotel: Kansyokan Onsen
Hotel: It was a really traditional and old Ryokan. Our original plan was to stay in Ginzan Onsen itself, but everything was booked out - you can book starting half a year before). We wanted to stick to our plan to head to Ginzan Onsen, that's why we still went with this nearby Ryokan (45min drive). It was okay, the food was good, really typicial Ryokan food, it had an Onsen (I couldn't go, cause I'm tatted - my boyfriend really liked it though). Breakfast was really good (7/10).
(Highlights of the day: Kaki trees in the snow, seeing a wild Macaque, Lunch in Ginzan)
We rented a car for this trip @ Nissan Rent A Car, it went very smoothly BUT we only realised after our arrival that we needed a translation of our internation driver's licence (regarding: Switzerland, Germany, France, Beligum, Monaco, Taiwan). That was a bit of a stress beforehand but we managed to settle it on the day before. We started in Sendai a...
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