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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/NobodyAskedDMC on 2025-10-17 04:56:46+00:00.
Hopefully giving back to this sub after lurking here for a month before my trip which I just completed in October. In the order I did them;
Pokemon Cafe * I had a strong fondness for Pokemon from playing on Gameboy advance back in the day. I initially vetoed going but saw it pop up enough times on this sub to take a closer look. Thankfully, it exceeded all my expectations. * No need to be pretenious about it, the food is quite nice but the presentation is where it really excels. Then there are all the surprises. Buy a drink, you get to pull a random coaster prize. Buy a main and a dessert, enter a lottery for a random sticker. Buy a special dish, a waitress will ask you to scan a QR code and have an AR experience. Then to top it all off, a Pikachu mascot rolls into the resturant. * It's silly. It's childish. But it's a lot of fun, and it featured the best customer service I witnessed in Japan.
Inkimino * It was my six year anniversary with my partner while I was in Japan and I had happened upon a recommendation for a kimono photoshoot. * Stasia helps you pick out a unique kimono combination based, something authentic, photogenic and in season. She then gives you a brief introduction to kimono meanings before helping you to get properly dressed and made up for your shoot. * This all culminates in being led to a couple of suitable locations for a photoshoot, and Stasia knows exactly how to get the best from you, prompting and guiding you. * It felt like one of the most unique things I've done, not just in Japan, but on any trip. A one of a kind experience that we'll cherish with professionally edited photos.
Disneyland Tokyo * There's a part of me that wants to experience everything once, and going to Disneyland even as an adult felt like something worth doing once. * A word on overplanning and relying on reddit too much. Every post suggested Disneyland would open early. It didn't. And to be honest. I would have much rather turned up at the listed opening time and joined a moving queue. On a mid week day, things moved quickly and I wouldn't say it was overcrowded. * It was crowded though, but if you're happy to enjoy the sights, and not worry about doing everything, it can be a stress free experience. In the first hour at the park queues felt short (we were on Jungle Cruise in less than five minutes). Your Disney app will let you get at least one free pass to pick a time to jump the line at a popular ride, turning a 40 minute wait into a 10 minute wait (we scouted the Nightmare Before Christmas version of Haunted Mansion as a must). You can pay for an extra pass once or twice (We decided to pay to skip the wait at Splash Mountain.) Then as the day continues, you will spot a few lulls in queues and decided to jump on to a few more rides if it will be less than fifteen minutes. * I ticked my boxes (Star Tours & Toon Town) and there's plenty to do along the way. The characters standing around for meet and greets make time for you and often have something in mind to give you your own story or special moment to take away. Parades and fireworks will routinely come along to entertain you for a while. *We stayed until the park closed and loved the experience.
Mount Takao * With the season and weather, a Mount Fuji excursion was a bit of a bust, so we looked for something more embedded in nature nearby. Getting to Mount Takao was over an hour on train from Shinjuku (and covered by our Suica card.) * When you step off the train, you're at the foot of a mountain with multiple routes up and it can be hiked up in roughly 90 minutes. But there are plenty of reasons to stop along the way. A cable car, a chairlfit, a monkey park, a shrine, many views, many ramen restaurants, food stalls and other facilities to cater your needs. * It's rewarding to enjoy the scenary and reach some good observation points. * There is also the claim that you can see the myth that is Mount Fuji from the top on a good day, (I'm not convinced there actually is a Mount Fuji.)
New Japan Pro Wrestling * I'm a big wrestling fan, WWF in the late nineties and AEW for the last five years. I know a good bit but I don't follow or know many names in NJPW. However, things lined up that a big show was happening while was there. * Confused by how to buy tickets (English options seem to come weeks after general sale in Japan) I used BuySumoTickets.com to order during the presale and snap up decent seats. Balcony, second row, and in an actual chair. This also afforded us the chance to step into and admire a sumo hall, The Ryogoku. * The show was out of this world. Some of the best pure wrestling I've ever seen. An incredible atmosphere from the local Japan crowd. And an assortment of wrestlers who will get over and have you rooting for someone within minutes of seeing them for the first time.
Great experience for my first time in Japan. Ten days felt just right. On the tenth day we were exhausted and just wanted to get back to our a hotel to rest our feet, but we already have a shortlist of more things to do when we return at full strength.