We spent 3 amazing weeks in Japan exploring Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kyoto, Osaka + Hiroshima. There is so much to see, do + eat in Japan that sometimes it can be overwhelming to figure out all the nitty gritty details. Here is our Japan Guide on where we went, where we stayed + what we did.
Tokyo
No trip to Japan is complete without at least a few days in Tokyo. It is the biggest city in the world and easily one of the coolest cities we have ever visited. There are so many distinct and different neighborhoods to choose from it’s hard to decide where to begin.
Where we stayed
We stayed in an AirBnb in Asakusa near the Tokyo Skytree the first time we were in Tokyo, and in a different AirBnb near to Omotesanto the second time we were in the city. Both were great for different reasons.
Asakuska is a more local area near to the Fish Market and some of the sumo wrestler practice areas that foreigners can view. It is also right on the river and makes for some beautiful walks during the day and in the evening. The neighborhood has more of a local feel, but that means that you are farther away from the action.
Omotesanto is a massive shopping street with a ton of luxury shops and near to many restaurants. It is also close to Harajuku and Yoyogi Park which are 2 musts while in Tokyo!
We enjoyed both of our stays, and it really just depends on how much you want to pay (Asakusa was cheaper!) and how close to the action you want to be.
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What we did
Walking down Omotesanto, exploring the busy streets of Harajuku and wandering into Yoyogi Park to visit the Meiji Shrine is a must while in Tokyo! These areas are close so you could do all of this in one day or one afternoon if you are a speedy explorer! We did a great walking tour with Context Travels to explore these areas, and we learned all about the unique architecture of the Harijuku and Omotesanto area.
We also went to Shibuya Crossing twice and dashed out a bit of extra cash to hang out in the Starbucks overlooking the crossing where you can get an awesome view of just how many people there are! An experience at Shibuya Crossing isn’t complete without watching the masses cross the street AND partaking yourself!
A visit to Akihabara to see the anime is a must! Akihabara was where we felt like we got the most cliche Japanese experience, and to top it all off, we paid a visit to a Maid Cafe, which was by far the most unique experience we have had in a while!
Chiyoda is a beautiful area to visit in Tokyo, especially if you are visiting during cherry blossom season. The crowds are a bit overwhelming, but they are worth it for the spectacular views.
Pay a visit the Tsukiji Fish Market. If you want to see the tuna auction, you have to get up in the middle of the night to be one of the first people to be there. We opted not to do that and just visit during the day, but regardless, the fish market is an interesting experience, and of course, the fish is delicious!
Sumo is one of the most popular tourist activities in Tokyo! You can take a tour to see sumo, or you can opt to watch their practice at the wee hours of the morning. If you choose the latter, be sure to call the day before to ensure that they are practicing.
Where we ate
There are SO many restaurants to choose from and an overwhelming number of good ones, but here are a few of our favorites:
7/11 – Before you turn up your nose at this option, give it a try! You can get decent sushi, pre-cooked meals, and a plethora of snacks that won’t break your budget and they are GOOD! Make sure you try our favorite, the Onigiri (what we’ve deemed as sushi triangles, which is a more accurate description of what they look like)!
Shirube – Tokyo Becky took us to this great restaurant in her neighborhood, Shimokitazawa. We had amazing salmon sushimi, the traditional radish, tofu pudding, and amazing shrimp tempura. This area of town is also fun to explore and a great place for hitting up an arcade and taking silly photos!
Midori Sushi – Tokyo Becky also took us here for our final meal in Tokyo and it was SO good! This is a very traditional Japanese restaurant with an assortment of sushi combos. You can have a great meal for around $30!
Genki Sushi – Really good and affordable iPad sushi! iPad sushi is really helpful to overcome the language barrier, but it’s also just a great experience because you get really fast + efficient service.
Mr Farmer – We stored our bags on our last day in Tokyo at Shibuya station and went in search of something good to eat only to stumble upon Mr. Farmer, which served up delicious salads, smoothies and sandwiches. The price was a bit high, but the vegetables were much appreciated!
Gomez & Guzman – if you’re craving Mexican food (like we were!) head over to the bottom of Omotesanto near to Harijuku and treat yourself to some Gomez & Guzman. We found this restaurant in Singapore as well and loved it!
Fujiyoshida, Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji is an iconic image of Japan so we were very excited to see this area of the country! It was the coolest (temperature cool!) part of our trip, but we were lucky enough to have some great weather that allowed us to get great views of Mount Fuji.
Where we stayed
We stayed at Hostel & Salon Sayura which was in the center of town and we booked via AirBnb. This place was super cute and cozy, and we got to sleep on the futons on the ground, which felt like a quintessential Japanese experience.
What we did
We took a hike up to the Chuerito Pagoda not once, but twice, to get the classic views of Mount Fuji. It only takes about 20 minutes to get up, and the views are totally worth all the stairs!
Fujiyoshida is known for it’s onsen’s (hot springs), so after a long day, you can warm up and relax at one of the many choices in the town.
** There isn’t a TON to see + do in Fujiyoshida, but having at least 2 nights there is a good option just in case you get bad weather. We had an entire day where it poured rain and we were so grateful we had an extra day to see Mount Fuji!
Where we ate
むさし野 – This place doesn’t have an English name, but it is a worth a visit even if you have to point to what you want. This was some of the BEST sushi we had on our whole trip and the experience really was authentic Japanese.
There is a grocery store in town with great sushi, and all of your other normal breakfast offerings. We bought food from the grocery store quite often because the language barrier in Fujiyoshida was pretty intense. There are many izakaya’s (small pub style restaurants with snacks, food and an assortment of beverages) in the area to choose from and they all serve traditional Japanese fare.
Kyoto + Osaka
We spent an amazing week in Kyoto with 2 trips down to Osaka. Kyoto was a highlight of the trip, as the vibe of the city is so much different than Tokyo. There are so many temples to visit, adorable restaurants to eat at, and tea ceremonies to attend.
Where we stayed
We stayed at an AirBnb outside of the city center. It was a great price, but it took us about 25 minutes on the train to get in and out of the city center. If you have less time in Kyoto, we would recommend staying more central so that you don’t spend so much time commuting on the train.
What we did
We took an awesome tour with Context Travel, where we learned all about Shinto and Buddhism. We visited the old part of town and toured a number of different temples, which were spectacular during cherry blossom season.
We did a traditional tea ceremony where I (Amanda) got to where a tradition kimono while drinking my matcha. We followed up the tea ceremony by a visit to the Golden Temple nearby.
We spent an afternoon wandering the Thousand Tori Gates (Fushimi Inari-Taisa) . The gates are very busy, but if you keep walking, you’ll lose the crowds quickly and be able to get some great photos WITHOUT a million people in them!
We also paid a visit to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and monkey hill, and had less luck escaping the crowds. This activity was fun, but if you’ve been to a bamboo forest and played with monkeys, you could probably skip it! The view from the top of the mountain where the monkeys are is pretty fabulous though, as you get a great view of Kyoto (pictured below).
We took the bus over to the Philosopher’s path and wandered there for a couple of hours. The path was beautiful during the end of cherry blossom season, and even though it was busy, it felt pretty peaceful. You can walk along the river canal for about 5km before you’ll get to a temple at the end, and then you can turn around and walk back or continue to explore the neighborhood and the other temples in the area. This is definitely a great way to spend an afternoon.
Osaka is only 25 minutes away, so we went for an evening of sushi and to explore the Donburi, which was great! Be sure to hit up an arcade and take silly photos while you’re there. We also spent a day at Universal Studios Japan, and we went for Harry Potter World. If you’re a fan, we would highly recommend it! We got our tickets here.
Where we ate
Matcha soft serve – eating matcha soft serve is a MUST while in Kyoto! It is so delicious and the perfect treat on a warm spring / summer day!
O3 Slow Cafe – this was a lovely little cafe outside of the city center near to where we were staying. They served up some delicious rice and pasta dishes for an affordable price.
Kantaro Hakodate Osaka – this is a great sushi restaurant near to Osaka Station. The restaurant is conveyer belt style which makes it easy to choose what you want, but you also have the option to order off the menu.
Hiroshima
Hiroshima is a couple hours further on the Shinkansen, but it was worth the trip. We had one of the most emotional days of our travels there, and capped it off with a fun baseball game (talk about throwing our emotions for a loop!).
Where we stayed
We stayed at an AirBnb not far from the Peace Park. It was a central location near to a grocery story and everything that we wanted to see and do in Hiroshima. It was a small studio apartment with a small kitchen and bikes that we could ride where we liked.
What we did
Our AirBnb had bikes for free, so we took our bikes and road them to the Bomb Memorial, Bomb Museum and Peace Park. We spent a number of hours here taking it all in. For us, it was a very powerful memorial and there was lots to learn + take away from it.
After we finished exploring the Bomb Memorial, museum + Peace Park, we headed out to see the Hiroshima Carps play in what was probably the most interesting baseball we have ever (and probably will ever) attended. Instead of hot dogs, you can eat udon, and instead of screaming fans, there were orderly cheers. It was a great time and an experience we would both highly recommend!
We also took a trip out to Miyajima, which isn’t far from Hiroshima and can be easily reached using the JR train and ferry. It was a beautiful afternoon trip that we would highly recommend, if you have the time.
Where we ate
We only had 2 days in Hiroshima and we did a lot of cooking for ourselves since we had a small kitchen. We cooked ourselves eggs, pasta, and of course, picked up some grocery store sushi!
Another quintessential experience to have while in Japan is taking the bullet train or Shinkansen. We opted to purchase the JR passes before we arrived, and if you’re curious about this, you can read more here.
If you want to hear more stories from our time in Japan, you can listen to our podcast episode from Tokyo + our podcast episode from Mount Fuji, Kyoto, Osaka + Hiroshima.
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