Japan (2 weeks itinerary)

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Itinerary

We travelled independently and had just over 2 weeks for our trip, which included the following itinerary:

• Tokyo – Asakusa area (3 nights)

• Daytrip from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko (Mt. Fuji)

• Osaka – Dotonburi area (4 nights)

• Half-day trip from Osaka to Nara

• Half-day trip to Okayama when travelling from Osaka to Hayashima

• Hayashima (visiting Joe’s friend Ed who lives in Japan) (2 nights)

• Daytrip from Hayashima to Miyajima Island and Hiroshima

• Kyoto – Gion area (3 nights)

• Tokyo – Shinjuku Kabukicho area (2 nights)

This itinerary was easily doable without feeling too rushed, but we also tried to not pack in too much. One thing I can say, when you’re planning your trip make sure you rationalise your temple, shrine and castle sightseeing, because there are A LOT of them and many are very similar, so it is very easy to get “Templed Out”, is the best way I can put it. So we made sure our destinations were a bit varied (more in descriptions for each of the above places. Also, if you consider that we were there for 2 weeks, we only just saw a fraction of Japan! Our itinerary is shown below. We definitely have lots left to explore on another trip to Japan one day, as this time we just covered "the big hits".

Note that the on-the-ground info is from 2023 and while much of it may be relevant, some things may be out of date.

Map of our 2-week itinerary in Japan

Table of Contents

• Learn a bit of Japanese before you go

• Fast track immigraction and customs when you arrive

• Stay connected while in Japan

• Travelling within cities in Japan

• Travelling between cities

• Food to try while in Japan and our food recommendations

• Tokyo – Asakusa area (3 nights)

• Daytrip from Tokyo to Fuji Five Lakes (Kawaguchiko)

• Osaka – Dotonburi area (4 nights)

• Universal Studios Japan (Full day)

• Half-day trip from Osaka to Nara

• Half-day trip to Okayama

• Hayashima (2 nights)

• Daytrip from Hayashima to Miyajima Island and Hiroshima

• Kyoto – Gion area (3 nights)

• Tokyo – Shinjuku Kabukicho area (2 nights)

Getting started

We had loads of time to think about all the things we wanted to see, do and taste while in Japan while maximising the use of our time and not over-do it either. I also did lots of research on how to allow for the smoothest possible travel experience while in Japan, because I anticipated language barriers and things to be generally quite confusing. Below are some of my recommendations for anyone going to Japan.

LEARN A BIT OF JAPANESE

As we were anticipating a language barrier once in Japan, I decided (as the language person in the relationship) to learn a bit of Japanese before going there. Unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to learn as much as I would have liked to, especially during the crucial part the couple of months before going as I just got a new job and the garden job I had started last year needed finished asap during the first dry period we had had for MONTHS!! However, I did learn the basic essentials and some things I learned while in Japan. One thing I would say – do make an effort to learn the basics, as people speak even less English than we anticipated – we thought people would generally not speak much English, but more often than not people basically speak no English at all! Even those in the service industry.

Japanese is made up of three “alphabets”, two of which have symbols each of which include a consonant and a vowel (e.g. ma, me, mi, mu). These include the Katakana which is used for foreign words (e.g. トイレ [toire] = Toilet) which look the most simple and Hiragana which is used for Japanese words and grammar expressions (e.g. おいしい [oishii] = delicious). The Katakana and Hiragana are fairly easy to learn by heart and allows you to read the words written in symbols. DuoLingo is a great place to learn Katakana and Hiragana. But things get a lot more complicated when it comes to learning the Kanji, which is a Chinese-style character for each word (e.g. 車 [kuruma] = Car or 水 [mizu] = water). The best way to learn Kanji is first to learn the base characters / radicals etc which make up the building blocks of more complex Kanji and eventually you will be able to “decipher” what certain words mean or might relate to (see here: https://kanjialive.com/214-traditional-kanji-radicals/). But these take a long time to learn and not too much point to learn them unless you’re getting down-right serious about learning Japanese in detail.

The Japanese phrases and words I found the most useful were the following:

• Ohayou Gozaimas = Good morning

• Konnichiwa = Good afternoon

• Konbanwa = Good evening

• Arigato / Arigato Gozaimas = thanks / thank you (polite)

• Kaado = debit / credit card

• Sumimasen = Excuse me

• iie = no

• hai = yes

• Ookina biiru, kudasai = A large beer, please

• Kore wa ikura desu ka? = How much is this? (pointing at what you’re interested in)

• … wa doko desu ka? = Where is … ? (e.g. Konbini/toire/basu wa doko desu ka? = Where is the convenience store [7-11/Family Mart etc]/toilet/bus?

• Kore wa nan desu ka? = What is this?

• hitotsu = one ; futatsu = two ; mittsu = three [counting words], e.g. “one beer” = hitotsu biiru, kudasai (note: this is very different from the normal state of Japanese numbers [ichi, ni, san]. Numbers in Japanese are very very complicated. Don’t bother learning the Kanji for the numbers, they are never used.)

• Oishii desu = It’s delicious ; Oishikatta desu = It was delicious

• Ookii = Big (on toilets you see 大 which means a “big flush”)

• Chiisai = Small (on toilets you see 小 which means “small flush”)

• 百 [hyaku] = Hundred

• 千 [sen] = Thousand

• …万 [-man] = x10,000 (e.g. 20,000 = ni man [two x10,000])

• 円 [en] = yen (the Japanese currency)

• 時 = symbol for “hour” (seen on trains, buses etc)

• 分 = symbol for “minute” (seen on trains, buses etc)

There are numerous resources for learning Japanese:

• DuoLingo is one that is free, user friendly but the issue I had was that I invested a LOT of time in it but learned very little because there is so much repetition and progress is very very slow. They have improved the Japanese course though massively since I first started learning, so your experience might be different (more positive) than mines.

• Memrise is an app that’s great for learning Kanji

• Pimsleur Japanese - this is an audio-based language learning programme that costs you £18.45 per month but is INCREDIBLY effective at helping you learn all the language survival skills so that you can speak and understand when spoken to. Reading-based learning is near non-existent, they just focus on the most important stuff. I HIGHLY recommend paying for 1-2 months of subscription to pick up the basics, doing at least one 30min lesson every day. You will be surprised by how much you'll understand and be able to speak by the time you travel. Best and fastest language learning out there by far.

• JapanesePod101 – you can sometimes get their free PDF coursebook which is excellent when you sign up with your email. It was the most useful course in terms of learning how to speak properly I have found to date and I recommend it. They also have lots of other resources.

• Kanji for Tourists

• GOOGLE TRANSLATE !! I can’t emphasise this enough! It is a MUST-HAVE app when you’re in Japan. What you can do with the Google Translate app is: 1) Write something in English and it shows you the translation in Japanese which you can show the locals so they can understand you; 2) Take photo / hover over Japanese text (e.g. food menu, instructions etc) with the photo-feature in the app to live-translate what it says (it’s honestly like magic!); and c) Record sound (e.g announcements on the train/bus/airport or when someone says something to you in Japanese) and the app listens and writes up what was said but in English so that you can understand.

Fast-track immigration & customs

During the time of Covid restrictions (Japan had none anymore when we landed 15th June 2023 but check latest advice), a website was developed for travellers to pre-register with all their vaccination, testing, passport and customs details before landing in Tokyo. While vaccination and Covid testing certificates are no longer required, you can still fill in the online form (voluntary) to generate a QR code that allows you to fast track through customs & immigration. I totally forgot about it, as I was so incredibly busy right up to the moment we were due to leave and Joe didn’t know about it, so we had to go through the “old fashioned process” of filling in two paper forms before we could joint the queue for customs and immigration. Despite that, we still got through the airport pretty quickly but those with the QR code ready just flew past us. The official website (working in June 2023) for filling in the forms online is: https://services.digital.go.jp/en/visit-japan-web/

Stay connected while in Japan

GET A JAPANESE SIM CARD

It is SO HELPFUL to be constantly connected to the internet in Japan because it makes your life SO MUCH easier (to be able to use Google Translate and Google Maps which are absolutely essential for smooth travel).

There are several means of staying connected in Japan (wifi dongles, physical SIM cards, eSIM cards [digital]). We went for the Japanese eSIM alternative which we purchased through the Airalo app which you can get for both Apple and Android system on your phone. We paid £15 ($18 USD) for one data-only plan that included 10GB of 4G data valid for 30 days. We then just used my phone (where we had installed the eSIM) as a wifi hotspot for Joe (much cheaper than buying 2x 5GB plans). To use Airalo you need

1. To have an unlocked phone (i.e. not locked to a specific network);

2. Phone must support the use of eSIM;

3. You must download the Airalo app; and

4. When you install the purchased eSIM you must install it and make sure you don’t do anything for a few minutes while it installs or else you might corrupt the install. Then when you need it, you just go to your network phone settings and choose the Airalo eSIM as preferred 4G network instead of your own one.

We ended up using 7GB of the 10GB which worked out perfectly for us cause the package below was 5GB for $11.50 USD. This allowed us to be connected 24/7 and upload or download whatever content we wanted. In comparison, our UK mobile network providers offered us rates of £7.20 GBP/MB (O2) or £0.20 GBP/MB (Giffgaff), so using Airalo was a no-brainer and worked perfectly.

They have a fair few countries to choose from (Japan, Thailand, USA, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Turkey, Australia, Canada, India and several European countries).

If you are an avid Avios collector like ourselves, you’ll be happy to know that Airalo is also on the BA Rewards app, offering 15 Avios per £1 spent – that’s 225 bonus Avios when buying a £15 eSIM!

TRAVELLING WITHIN CITIES – GET THE SUICA CARD!

The Japanese Suica card is similar to the London Oyster card in that it’s a plastic card which you top up with money and you ping it to enter public transport and ping again when you exit and it automatically calculates your fare. There are several different types of cards like this in Japan (called IC card) including Suica, PASMO and others, but based on other people’s recommendations regarding how widely accepted it is, we opted for the Suica (or what is called “Welcome Suica” which is the one for tourists). We ended up using this card for all local transport (buses, trams, subway, trains, ferries) in every town and city we went to. The only exception where we couldn’t use it (or at least not without paying an “adjustment fare” for the additional cost – cash only) was the Express train from Tokyo to Otsuki when we were travelling to Kawaguchiko in the Fuji Five Lakes area. The Suica can also be used as a payment card in loads of places, including shops at the train stations, the vending machines, convenience stores like 7-11 and Family Mart, play arcade games at the GiGO3 arcades in Akihabara and many other places. By having the Suica card, you completely avoid ticket machines when you travel around Tokyo or other cities, just tap at the gates where it says “IC” and tap out at your destination as well. Sorted.

The Welcome Suica transport and payment card

You can get the card when you land at Haneda airport. Just follow signs for the trains. Once in the hallway where there are train ticket automats, there are machines both on the left side (this is where you can buy your Welcome Suica card) and right side (it appears you may be able to buy a PASMO card here). At the Suica-generating machine, there was an English speaking staff member that helped us out. One thing to note is that if you are credit-rich and cash poor, the machines at Haneda are the ONLY ONES (that we saw during our 2 weeks of travel) where you can top up your Suica with a credit card. Everywhere else was cash-only. Note that you need a card for each person travelling.

We ended up spending a total of ¥18400 (£101 GBP) each on our Suica cards for transport during these 2 weeks including everything (non-Shinkansen trains, subways, busses, ferries), travelling total of 445km. We know this because we downloaded the Suikakeibo [Suica and IC Card reader] app (for Android users). It was such a handy app because by tapping your Suica card to the back of your smartphone, it instantly tells you how much you have spent on each journey, how much credit you have left on your card and all sorts of insights. There is no need to register for the app either so it’s completely anonymous.

Screenshot from the Suica and IC card reader app

TRAVELLING BETWEEN CITIES

The Bullet Train (or Shinkansen in Japanese) is by far the easiest, fastest and most comfortable way to travel between cities in Japan. Many people like buying the JR Pass to travel around the country but we opted against it because 1) You can’t use it on all transport and it was confusing where you could use it and where you couldn’t, plus we wanted the flexibility to be able to use whatever public transport we wanted when we wanted without limitation, so we opted for the combination of using the Suica card (see above) for local transport and purchase Shinkansen tickets for inter-city travel.

To book tickets for the Shinkansen you need to register for an account on the SmartEx website, but that way it also keeps track of all your expenses and holds all your reserved tickets for when you need them. It is very easy to use and as your payment card is registered to your account, the purchase happens instantly as you confirm your ticket choice. You then find your tickets on the website under “My Trips”. There you can view your ticket and generate a QR code which you can then just take a screenshot of. This way, we could reserve a seat and prevent having to stand for hours in the non-reserved cars of the Shinkansen as many of the JR Pass people would have to do (unless they actively went to machines to reserve seats). You can also book your Shinkansen this way before you even get to Japan, which is handy during busy periods like spring or autumn as well as local holidays.

One thing we were a bit frustrated with was the website’s explanation of how to get our physical ticket which suggested we should go with our QR code or the number attached to our digital ticket to the train ticket machines but it didn’t work. What did work (after spending 10 stressful minutes trying to get our ticket from the machine without success) was to simply find one of the gates that allowed scanning of QR codes and hover our screenshot QR codes over it. And VOILÁ! The gate then spat out a physical ticket on the other side! We ended up spending a total of ¥41,500 (£228 GBP) on our 4 trips (Tokyo-Osaka, Osaka-Okayama, Okayama-Kyoto, Kyoto-Tokyo Shinagawa).

The 14-day JR Rail pass would have cost us ¥47,250 per person, but that would have also included some of our local travel (but not all – confusing!) so we would have just about broken even in terms of cost. The way we travelled (i.e. not with JR Pass) was so much more flexible, quicker, hassle-free and smoother, in my opinion (some people might disagree). But if you are still interested in the JR pass, more info can be found here: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html

USE GOOGLE MAPS TO NAVIGATE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM

To figure out how to get places, we just used Google Maps and found that it worked really really well. All our trips went very smoothly. Google Maps has loads of useful info as well, such as what platform your train or subway leaves from and what is the best exit at your destination to get quicker to where you want to go. Underground areas are also shaded in transparent pinkish-red, so if signage is poor, such as at Shinjuku station (which btw is a heckin’ huge underground city!! ) the hue’d areas help you orient yourself a bit when all else is lost.

Google Maps shows you lots of essential information to navigate the public transport system

FOOD

When we went to Japan we had a list of “must try foods while in Japan”, some of which we had tried back home but wanted to see what the dishes tasted like in Japan compared to abroad and others we had never tried. There were also certain types of restaurants we wanted to try out, but we couldn’t tick all the boxes on our list. The main issue we ended up encountering was the fact that a lot of the time, in order to get a table at a restaurant in the evening (no matter the day), you need to reserve a table. And in order to reserve a table on the usual Japanese websites you’d often need a) to write your name in Hiragana; b) have a Japanese phone number; and c) Pay a deposit in some cases. This made it quite difficult to book a table so often we just went wherever there was a seat for us. It was also difficult to reserve a table because it was difficult to “guesstimate” when we’d be hungry for our dinner, because the timings of activities between meals was completely random, so sometimes we’d end up having lunch early or late, depending on what we were doing, meaning by 6pm or 7pm we were either still stuffed or absolutely ravenous to the point of being “hangry”. However, we did make the effort to book once, with the help of our Osaka hotel which phoned the restaurant and got us a table for 7pm. We were so glad we did because it ended up being the best meal we had in Japan. Below is a list of the things we tried / wanted to try and restaurants we went to (some of which were random places we just found as there was nowhere else to go).

Japanese food to try:

Here are some menu items of interest:

Foods to try in Japan (Image from Gogonihon)

We also had a list of things we wanted to try:

• Takoyaki (たこ焼き or 蛸焼) a Japanese snack of savoury ball-shaped cakes containing chopped octopus, made from wheat batter cooked on a specially shaped griddle.

  • We tried Takoyaki at the Tako Tako King in Dotonburi area of Osaka. While the octopus balls were okay (though we’re just not big fans of octopus in general), the experience was fun, the presentation was nice and the staff was very fun and lively. The takoyaki isn’t expensive here so it’s well worth a try, as it’s an Osaka speciality. It’s a fun place for a drink too. You’ll recognize the place from the octopus front and a gorilla statue sitting on the front bench. (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

• Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) Japanese Teppanyaki, savoury pancake dish consisting of wheat flour batter and other ingredients cooked on a teppan. Common additions include cabbage, meat, and seafood, and toppings include okonomiyaki sauce, aonori, katsuobushi, Japanese mayonnaise, and pickled ginger.

  • Osaka: We had Okonomiyaki at Teppan Okonomiyaki Mitsuki in the Dotonburi area of Osaka, where we also had Yakisoba (fried noodles). We had a hot grill in front of us where the food was placed once it had been prepared to keep it warm and we used a metallic tool to cut ourselves a slice and serve, so it was easy to share the two dishes. The Okonomiyaki had quite a lot of mayonnaise, so we sort of preferred the fried noodles but both dishes were good. (⭐⭐⭐)

  • Hiroshima: We went to a quaint little family run Okonomiyaki restaurant but unfortunately I didn’t catch the name of the place (⭐⭐⭐)

• Tendon (天丼): A type of donburi (a one-bowl meal of rice topped with any meat or vegetable dish), tendon is crisp tempura laid over freshly steamed rice and topped with a delicious light soy dressing.

  • We didn’t get around trying this

• Mochi (もち) Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. (⭐)

  • I had this from a 7-11 and wasn’t a fan, at least not of the bean paste filling. Couldn’t eat the second one

• Ramen (ラーメン). We went embarrassingly rarely to Ramen restaurants, given how incredibly tasty, quick, filling and dirt-cheap a bowl of Ramen is!

  • The only place we went was Asakusashoten (浅草商店) near the junction of Kaminarimon-dory Street and Kaminarimon Gate (access gate to Senso-ji Temple) in Asakusa, Tokyo. It’s a vending-machine style of ordering system but humans make the actual Ramen and it’s delicious. We ordered it with broth, slice of slow-cooked pork, hard boiled mini-egg and ramen noodles for £5 per person. (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

  • Another noodle place we really enjoyed was Mizuya Chaya in Nara Park (near Osaka) which was a lovely traditional Japanese village house that served beautiful Udon noodles for £5 (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

  • And not specifically Ramen noodles but a mix of noodle types, we really enjoyed the Noodles Bazaar at the Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama (near Tokyo). The restaurant is set up like a streetfood market where each stall serves noodles from a specific country, each costing ¥500 (£2.80 at the time) which made for a fantastic lunch. We tried the Japanese, Thai, Malaysian and Italian noodles. (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

• Bento box: Train stations sell lots of different types of Bento boxes.

  • We had a few different types of bento boxes and they were tasty but we are not big fans of plain boiled rice, which forms 70-80% of the bento box, so it wasn’t our favourite snack to take on the train rides. (⭐⭐)

• Japanese Convenience Store Egg Sandwich: After seeing the show with Anthony Bourdain in Japan where he can’t get the Japanese convenience store egg sandwich he so craved, we were intrigued to try it. We tried them (albeit with ham too) from the 7-11 and the Family Mart, and they did not disappoint!! (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

• Sushi (すし) Clearly had to try it in Japan

  • We had awesome sushi at a conveyor-belt style sushi restaurant in Kyoto named Musashi Sushi near our Gion based hotel. So good we went there twice for lunch. Cheap as well. We paid around £19 total for 2 beers and 9 dishes of sushi. Granted many of the ones we picked were of the cheaper kind. The second time we went we picked the same amount of sushi but more of the expensive ones which was a total of £27 for lunch for two (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

• Yakitori 焼き鳥: Japanese type of skewered chicken. Its preparation involves skewering the meat with kushi, a type of skewer typically made of steel, bamboo, or similar materials. Afterwards, they are grilled over a charcoal fire. During or after cooking, the meat is typically seasoned with tare sauce or salt.

  • We didn’t get around trying this

• Kaiseki restaurant (懐石) (or kaiseki-ryōri (懐石料理)) is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner.

  • We didn’t get around trying this

• Izakaya (居酒屋) is a type of informal Japanese bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks. Izakaya are casual places for after-work drinking, similar to a pub, a Spanish tapas bar, or an American saloon or tavern.

  • We didn’t get around going to the more traditional style of Izakaya, but some places we went for craftbeer had a similar thing going on (i.e. do cover charge for which you may get food, and can order food). One such place was the bar Craft Beer GULP on 2 Chome-4-6 Nanba near Namba Station in Osaka. As a Japanese craftbeer place, this was probably our favourite one (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

• Yakiniku restaurants (焼き肉 or 焼肉), meaning “grilled meat”, is a Japanese term that, in its broadest sense, refers to grilled meat cuisine. “Yakiniku” originally referred to western “barbecue” food. Yakiniku commonly refers to a style of cooking bite-size meat (usually beef and offal) and vegetables on gridirons or griddles over a flame of wood charcoals carbonized by dry distillation (sumibi, 炭火) or a gas/electric grill. It is one of the most popular dishes in Japan.

  • We went to two Yakiniku restaurants; the first one was Yakiniku Cocoro on 2 Chome-3-9 Higashishinsaibashi in Osaka where we ordered the Wagyu beef set menu for £35 GBP to share and it was the most amazing thing we had in all of our time in Japan. Absolutely melt in the mouth. I will dream of this meal for ages, if not forever! (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

  • The second one was in Kyoto which on Google is called Yakiniku Douraku Kyoto Rokkaku Street Branch. We paid double the amount compared to the first Yakiniku restaurant we went to and the meat did not come close to being as amazing as the first place. I think we probably would have been more impressed if this had been our first place. But while the staff was very accommodating and put up with a lot of annoying questions from me (the restaurant operates very differently to the first restaurant in terms of how they serve you the meat, so I was a bit confused as to when the meal was actually over), the price was just so much higher (£75 GBP) and the quality was a lot lower, although they did give us more quantity. (⭐⭐⭐)

Aside from the list of things we wanted to try, we also stumbled upon other places that had nothing to do with Japanese food but we enjoyed. These included:

• Ichi Maru Ichi (101) in Asakusa, Tokyo: great for breakfast. They open early and their eggs benedict were fantastic. The eggs benedict with soup and coffee included was just £7 GBP per person (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

• Flannigan’s at Universal Studios Japan was an Irish-inspired bar/restaurant in the New York themed area of the themepark. We were very impressed with the steak they gave us, because we’ve had many poorly cooked steaks at restaurants at home, even at rather expensive restaurants but this steak was CLASS! Never expected that from a themepark restaurant and the price wasn’t bad at all either! We had 4 big beers and 2 steaks which only came to a total of £50 GBP (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Below are some photos of our culinary experience while travelling around Japan.

Takoyaki octopus-filled balls at Tako Tako King in Osaka

Yakisoba (half-eaten already) and Okonomiyaki at Teppan Okonomiyaki Mitsuki, Osaka

The set Wagyu beef meal at Yakiniku Cocoro in Osaka. Just amazing.

The best Udon noodles we had was at a traditional restaurant in Nara named Mizuya Chaya.

The steak at the Irish themed restaurant/bar in the New York section of Universal Studios Japan was surprisingly one of the better restaurant steaks we have had, as well as fairly cheap (2x steaks and 4 large beers for £50)

Tasty and cheap Ramen at Asahusashoten near Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, Tokyo

The Noodle Bazaar at the Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama ended up being a fantastic choice for lunch, as they had noodle dishes inspired from across the globe, set up like a streetfood market with each stall representing a particular country, with each dish costing just £2.80! We had the Japanese, Thai, Malaysian and Italian type of noodles.

The best breakfast we had was at 101 (Ichi Maru Ichi) across the road from the Henn Na hotel in Asakusa, Tokyo. Cheap as well – just £7 GBP for the eggs benedict with salad, soup and coffee included.

And the “Worst Breakfast Award” goes to Hotel Vista Osaka Namba.

We tried a few bento boxes for our journeys on the Shinkansen (bullet train). However, the clear winner in the “on the road snack” competition was without a doubt…

The convenience store ham & egg sandwich!!! These are no ordinary sandwiches, the Japanese do something special with the eggs & mayonnaise that just make them soooo tasty!

Musashi Sushi in Kyoto. This one was the raw horse meat one but we had
17 other different types of sushi, all great.

Mochi with bean paste filling from the 7-11. Not a fan.

These have been my “top tips” and recommendations from our experiences in Japan. Below are details of our itinerary as we travelled around Japan. Note that Japan serves every interest, taste and budget and our itinerary reflects our interests as geeks of tech, games and music as well as lovers of craftbeer and good food.

Tokyo: Asakusa, Akihabara and Daiba neighbourhoods

We had 2 days / 3 nights in Tokyo when we first arrived.

Day 1 – Tokyo: We landed around lunch time at Haneda airport. I had forgotten to fill in our online customs and immigration forms, so we had to stand by desks and fill them in once we landed, as British Airways didn’t have copies of the cards. Even though we didn’t have the electronic QR code for fast-track, it was still fairly quick process to get through customs and immigration. Though I accidentally forgot my suitcase at the desk where I had been filling in my landing cards and only realised when I was about to exit immigration. A bit of panic later, I was allowed to go back and fetch my suitcase. If this had been USA or the UK they would probably not have been so nice.

Once through, we followed signs for the Keikyuu train which led us to a hallway with train ticket machines on both sides. We first went to the right-hand side machines. We were looking for a machine that would issue us with a Suica IC card (used like an Oyster card to ping in and out of public transport as well as paying for shopping at convenience stores, vending machines, etc). But we found that these machines only sold the PASMO card, which is not quite as widely accepted as Suica (from what I have read) so we tried the machines on the left-hand side. This is where we got our Welcome Suica cards (valid for a month), but a kind assistant there that spoke English helped us figure out how to work the machine. The good thing about the machines at the airport is that it lets you top up your Welcome Suica with a credit cards, which is good if you are credit-rich and cash poor. We wished we had topped up our card much more there, as we found out later you need cash for just about all other machines elsewhere.

Once we got our cards we walked towards the Keikyuu train, pinged our cards on the IC gates and off we went straight to Asakusa in Tokyo. Easy.

Once we were at the hotel (Henn Na Hotel Tawaramachi ⭐⭐⭐), we were a bit early for checking in and found that there was not a single human soul attending the reception. There was a place to store your bags but the locking mechanism was weird, we couldn’t figure it out and there was no one there to help us, so we went back out with our bags in search for a pub to have a couple of drinks until our check-in would open. Except Japanese bars don’t really open until after 5pm. We searched Google Maps for any place nearby to have a drink that is open at 1pm and the only place that was open was a Scottish pub named The Auld (⭐⭐). So the first thing we did after arriving in Japan from Scotland was to go to a Scottish pub!

At The Auld Scottish pub in Asakusa

Once we were able to check-in and get rid of our bags, we went out to Akihabara Electric Town, a 7 minute ride on the Ginza Line to Suehirocho Station. There we went to some cool retro game shops like Super Potato and the GiGO arcades.

In Akihabara Electric Town

After Akihabara, we headed back to Asakusa and had a delicious and dirt cheap bowl of Ramen at Asakusashoten.

Once we had our fill of Ramen we headed to Senso-Ji Temple (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐), which was located within easy walking distance of our hotel. I wanted to see the temple at night because:

1. I had read it is a lot quieter (which it was); and

2. that it is beautiful when it is lit up.

Which it certainly was!

Senso-ji temple in Asakusa, Tokyo

After seeing Senso-ji it was definitely bed time after a long flight and a day of exploring.

Day 2 – Tokyo: This was our first full day of exploring Tokyo and the plan was to go to Odaiba in the Tokyo Bay area followed by a stopover in midtown Tokyo before heading back to Asakusa.

We started in day in Asakusa having a fabulous breakfast for just £7 GBP at the Ichi-Maru-Ichi (101) restaurant across the street.

After breakfast we took the Ginza Line to Shimbashi (17 min) where we were to change to the Tokyo Monorail (Yurikamome) to go to the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (⭐) in Odaiba. Though I accidentally took us off the train at Nihombashi (got the names confused) only to find the Monorail definitely wasn’t there. But we just went back into the station and continued along the Ginza line, this time to the right station.

The Monorail is pretty cool as you ride above the city for a bird’s eye view. You also sometimes see people in Mario Karts driving on the active roads below.

The science museum building we went to is absolutely huge with almost nothing in it. As a science museum, it wasn’t terribly interesting but they had some weird stuff like alien-mouse looking robots with lasers that were just bizarre.

After the science museum we headed towards the many shopping centres in Odaiba, outside which is a giant Unicorn Gundam (⭐⭐):

The Unicorn Gundam outside a shopping centre in Daiba, Tokyo Bay

Then we headed to the other side of the shopping centre where there was a great view of the Odaiba Statue of Liberty Replica (⭐⭐⭐⭐) with the Rainbow Bridge in the background.

The Statue of Liberty in Daiba, Tokyo Bay

Next we headed to the SEGA Joypolis within the Tokyo Decks shopping centre. It is an indoor themepark but the reason why we were there was because we wanted to do the Zero Latency fully-immersive free-roaming multiplayer VR (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) that they have there (advance bookings required). You need to pay to get into Joypolis (¥1200/£6.60 GBP), then you pay per ride (unless you purchase a pass). As we didn’t really have plans of going on too many rides, we just paid individually. Zero Latency is ¥2200 / £12 GBP (and cannot be done on a pass), other rides are cheaper. We did have a bit of time until our VR experience at 15:00, so we played a House of the Dead Zombie shooting game but didn’t really find anything else we wanted to play. So we asked if we were allowed to exit and come back on the same ticket, as we were starting to get a bit peckish, which fortunately was allowed. So we explored a bit of the shopping centre and had some rather ‘meh’ lunch there, but fuelled us up for our VR experience.

After lunch it was time for our Zero Latency VR experience. We were booked into Undead Arena at 3pm. We were given a safety brief in Japanese with English ‘flashcards’ of sort. Then we were given a backpack, the VR headset and a VR gun. We were then taken to a large empty square-shaped room and the game was started. It was so cool. And weird. We knew the room was flat but somehow the game had elements that you stood on and you actually felt like you were moving. There were edges where in the game you’d fall off and because it all felt so realistic, I didn’t dare stepping outside the paths as I saw them in the game. If you ever game too close to the edge of the room or to your fellow players (there are several people playing at once) you’d see this red flashing warning light telling you not to get any closer / move away. The game itself was about fighting a horde of zombies and it was scary, intense but also really fun. Definitely recommend the experience if you have the slightest interest in gaming.

Zero Latency free-roam VR experience within the SEGA Joypolis indoor themepark was awesome!

After our VR experience it was time for some afternoon beer o’clock! We headed into midtown Tokyo to try out the craftbeer pub Omnipollos Tokyo (⭐⭐). The pub was fine, pricy as expected but the beer was good. It was getting late though and I was keen to check out the Dawn Avatar Cafe which is famous because you can get served by robots that act as avatars for disabled people from across Japan that control them remotely. Unfortunately, when we got there, there was a sign saying that in order to be served by one of the robots, you’d have to have a reservation, which we didn’t realise we needed. You can reserve here. Note that it costs ¥1500 per person (so £16.50 for two) on top of your food bill to be served by the avatar robots.

After the failed attempt to grab a snack at the robot cafe, given the clear weather we headed to Tokyo Skytree to see if we could get to go up the tower for sunset. So we took the subway back to Asakusa and walked across the bridge towards the Asahi building which is near the Tokyo Skytree and is famous for the weird golden object on top of the building , called ‘the Asahi Golden Turd’ by many (⭐⭐⭐).

The famous Asahi ‘Golden Turd’ as seen from the bridge going from Kaminarimon-dori Street towards Tokyo Skytree

After a quick photo-op, we then continued towards Tokyo Skytree (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) which seemed so close but was actually further than it seemed. Once we finally got there, there were substantial queues for those who had not already purchased a ticket (like us). But the queue passed fairly quickly and about 30 minutes later or so, we were at the elevator going up to the Tembo deck 350m above ground level. There is a second observation deck even higher (450m) which you can pay extra for but the view from the Tembo is plenty good! Also, there is a very reasonably priced cafe (for the location) one floor down from the Tembo deck where you can enjoy a drink and a snack with stellar views!

The view from the bar inside Tokyo Skytree just after sunset. The peak of Mt Fuji can be seen in the distance.

Looking back at Tokyo Skytree as wel walked back to the hotel at night

Daytrip from Tokyo to Fuji Five Lakes

We decided we'd go on a daytrip to the Fuji 5 Lakes area north of Mt. Fuji from Tokyo. We made the rookie error of NOT booking a ticket on the train, as we thought it was a relatively short journey. Little did we know that the train would be absolutely RAMMED and on top of that the train is pretty old, rickety and noisy so keeping your balance wasn't the easiest when you were stood up. We ended up having to stand in the corridor of one of the train carriages which was incredibly crowded, along with a woman who was suffering violently from motion sickness without managing to get access to the toilet.... So top tip: Book your seat on the train! The journey takes about 1.5hrs on the Chuo Line from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Shimoyoshida Station, which was our first stop. And glad we were when we finally got the chance to get off the train....

From Shimoyoshida Station there's 15-20 minute uphill walk to Chureito Pagoda which offers absolutely STUNNING vistas of the pagoda and Mt Fuji, absolutely postcard-perfect!!

Chureito Pagoda near Shimoyoshida Station in Fuji Lakes

After Chureito Pagoda we made our way to the Fuji 5 Lakes main town, Kawaguchiko, where we were going to buy 1-day bus pass for the region, which includes three different bus routes you can take. In hindsight, seeing as were getting there late-ish in the day as we had stopped at Chureito Pagoda before going to Kawaguchiko, we would have probably been better off just paying for the return ticket to the one destination we ended up going to - the reconstructed traditional Japanese village Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba. However, below is the route map for anybody who may have more time than we did, but you can also purchase multiple day pass.

The bus routes around the Fuji Lakes from Kawaguchiko (Full resolution PDF can be found here)

After waiting on our green line bus for quite a while in Kawaguchiko, it eventually showed up and slowly but steadily took us to our next destination - Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba.

Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba is a charming, open-air museum and traditional Japanese village located on the western shores of Lake Saiko, one of the Fuji Five Lakes. It was established to preserve and showcase the historical lifestyle and architecture of rural Japan, particularly from the Edo period (1603–1868). The village stands on the site of a real farming settlement that was tragically destroyed by a landslide caused by a typhoon in 1966. Decades later, it was rebuilt as a cultural heritage site and reopened in 2006. The village features more than twenty thatched-roof houses, known as gassho-zukuri, which reflect the traditional building style of the region. Each house serves a unique purpose—some are craft shops, others are museums, galleries, or small restaurants—giving visitors a hands-on cultural experience. You can try your hand at making Japanese crafts like washi paper or ceramics, rent and wear traditional kimonos or samurai armor for photos, or simply stroll around enjoying the architecture and views. What makes Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba particularly special is its stunning natural setting. The village sits against a backdrop of lush forests and, on clear days, offers breathtaking views of Mount Fuji. Combined with the peaceful ambiance and the immersive historical displays, the village gives travelers a rare opportunity to step back in time and experience the slower, community-centered life of rural Japan, all within reach of one of the country’s most iconic landscapes.

Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba in Fuji 5 Lakes Area

Once we had explored the village and its surroundings, it was already late afternoon and we had to start making our way back to Tokyo - we had a long way to go! First to get from Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba to Kawaguchiko, then an almost 2hr train back to Shinjuku Station and then from there to Asakusa, which would require one more change of trains!

My recommendation to anybody considering going to the Fuji Five Lakes is:

1. First of all, go! The area is absolutely beautiful and seeing the famous stratovolcano Mt Fuji so close is stunning!

2. I would also recommend NOT doing what we did which was a daytrip from Tokyo, there's just too much to see!

3. Lastly, definitely book yourself a seat on the train!

Osaka – Dotonburi area (4 nights)

We decided we'd stay somewhere relatively close to the action while in Osaka, as we're big foodies and Osaka is famous for food! We ended up staying at Hotel Vista Osaka Namba within super easy walking distance of the Dotonbori Street as well as Kintetsu Nippombashi, Nagahoribashi and Osaka Namba stations, making it super well connected. The room was fairly small but modern and comfortable but the breakfast at that hotel definitely left a lot to be desired. But you genuinely can't beat the location for the price, costing us £402 GBP for the 4 nights.

The Dotonbori area of Osaka, which is located by the River Dotonbori is always vibrant but really comes to life at night time. It's a bit mad, in a very Japanese way. We absolutely loved it and Osaka ended up being our favourite city we went to in Japan.

The lights, vibes and all the weird and wonderful things of Dotonbori area of Osaka

Osaka also has some stunning historical heritage sites like Osaka Castle, one of Japan’s most iconic landmarks. Originally built in the late 16th century by the powerful warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, it played a central role in the unification of Japan during the tumultuous Sengoku (Warring States) period. The castle was a symbol of Hideyoshi’s power and ambition, constructed on an impressive scale with massive stone walls and a grand main keep. Although it was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times due to wars and natural disasters, the current structure—rebuilt in the 1930s and renovated in later decades—remains a symbol of Osaka’s heritage. Today, the main tower of Osaka Castle stands five stories tall on the outside (eight stories internally) and houses a modern museum detailing the castle's history, Hideyoshi’s life, and the various sieges and reconstructions it has endured. The museum includes historical artifacts, samurai armor, and interactive exhibits, along with an observation deck that offers panoramic views of the surrounding city and park. The castle is surrounded by Osaka Castle Park, a sprawling green space with moats, stone walls, cherry trees, and walking paths that make it a popular spot year-round, especially during cherry blossom season in spring.

Osaka Castle

As mentioned before, Osaka is famous for its food scene and Osakans take great pride in making good food. We were certainly not disappointed by any of the food we had while we were there! Though the famous Takoyaki (Japanese fried octopus balls) were a thing we would need to get used to, we had a very fun experience eating at the Tako Tako King nonetheless! The atmosphere there is great. We also ordered some Yakisoba noodles just in case we couldn't stomach the octopus, but it all got finished!

Takoyaki and yakisoba dinner at Tako Tako King in Osaka

We also tried the famous dish Okonomiyaki at the restaurant Teppan Okonomiyaki Mitsuki in the Dotonburi area of Osaka, where we also had Yakisoba (fried noodles). The Osakan style of Okonomiyaki is referred to as Kansai-style, but the Osaka’s version is the most common across Japan, a second favourite being the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki. In Osaka, the batter (made of flour, grated yam, dashi, eggs, and shredded cabbage) is mixed together with other ingredients like green onions, meat (typically pork belly), seafood, or cheese before cooking. This mixture is then poured onto a hot griddle and shaped into a thick, round pancake. It’s grilled on both sides and topped with a generous amount of okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, dried seaweed (aonori), and bonito flakes (katsuobushi). It has a fluffy, cohesive texture because everything is blended together before cooking. We had a hot grill in front of us where the food was placed once it had been prepared to keep it warm and we used a metallic tool to cut ourselves a slice and serve, so it was easy to share the two dishes. The Okonomiyaki had quite a lot of mayonnaise (pictured right), so we sort of preferred the fried noodles (pictured left) but both dishes were good.

Yakisoba and Okonomiyaki at the Teppan Okonomiyaki Mitsuki

Our favourite meal by far in Osaka, and in fact of all of our journey through Japan, was the Wagyu Beef Yakiniku at Yakiniku Cocoro on 2 Chome-3-9 Higashishinsaibashi near where we were staying. The Wagyu beef set menu cost £35 GBP to share and it was absolutely melt in the mouth. I will dream of this meal for ages, if not forever!

When you go to a Yakiniku restaurant (the word yakiniku basically means "grilled meat"), you're given a platter of meats and a personal grill with a charcoal fire and you use tongs to cook your pieces of meat to your personal preference.

Having grilled wagyu beef at Yakiniku Cocoro in Osaka

Universal Studios Japan, Osaka

Our primary motivation to go to Osaka was definitely to go to the Universal Studios Japan themepark. Neither of us are particular themepark fans, Joe I think more of a fan than I am as he likes rollercoasters, but the attraction here is to go and see the famous SUPER NINTENDO WORLD! You need to buy a timed entry, which can be easily done on Trip.com nowadays. When we went, it was quite a hassle because we bought an entry ticket and then had to be on the ball with getting a free timed entry ticket through the Universal Studios App and you can only get it once in the park, which is quite tricky cause these "sell out" almost immediately. Even though we were at the gates as the park opened and even then we only managed to get the absolutely final slot of the day for Super Nintendo World. So to avoid disappointment, if getting to the Super Nintendo World is your whole reason to be here and you got a bit of extra cash, it might be worthwhile paying for the pre-booked timed entry instead so you don't miss out on it altogether.

As we had arrived first thing as the gates opened, and wouldn't get to access Super Nintendo World until just before the park closed, we had A LOT OF TIME to kill. I guess just as well, cause as we went around to try to "kill time" by going to the many attractions the themepark has, including VR experiences, rollercoasters, restaurants and shops, we found that queueing for each attraction took absolute ages - like 1-2 hours for each! And while there are "fast track" tickets, judging from how fast those queues were moving, it seems people still have to wait the best part of 30-40 minutes for each ride. And it was INCREDIBLY HOT at the start of June with the sun beating down and very little shelter or shade, so come prepared for that if you're going in summer! The Hogwarts section of the park which doesn't need special timed entry was insanely busy - I couldn't believe how many Harry Potter megafans there out there.

Pictures from around Universal Studios Japan in Osaka

Seeing as we had to spend the whole day in Universal Studios Japan, we had to find ourselves some lunch. Given our experience of tickets generally being pretty overpriced to access the attractions, we expected low-quality, quick-turnaround, highly priced food but we needed to eat something. We found ourselves at this Irish American inspired bar in the New York themed area of the park called Finnegan's and we actually ended up being very pleasantly surprised! We were very impressed with the steak they gave us, because we’ve had many poorly cooked steaks at restaurants at home and abroad, even at rather expensive restaurants but this steak was CLASS! Never expected that from a themepark restaurant and the price wasn’t bad at all either! We had 4 big beers and 2 steaks which only came to a total of £50 GBP (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐). One of the best meals we had in Japan!

Fantastic meal and great beers at Finnegan's Bar Grill at UNiversal Studios JApan

It was EVENTUALLY time for us to go to our main destination - SUPER NINTENDO WORLD!! And even though it was very busy, the visuals certainly didn't disappoint! Though the Mario Kart ride was a bit boring for the excessive wait required to access it. It's more fun just to walk around this incredible place. To be honest, pictures don't really do the place justice, cause you won't get all the many moving parts, the music and the sounds that surround you. It was so cool! But here go a few photos anyways.

Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka

Half-day trip from Osaka to Nara

Nara is best visited from Osaka and it was even easier from where we were staying in Osaka (Dotonbori) as we could walk to the train station and take a very quick 35min, easy and direct train straight to Nara from Kintetsu-Nipponbashi Station.

A visit to Nara Park in Japan offers a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage and wildlife encounters, but the free-roaming bowing deer of Nara Park is what draws most visitors to the ancient city. Visitors can purchase special deer crackers to feed these animals. Beware however that the deer can be quite impatient if they know you got food and will bite you in the bum or the belly if you don't hand the crackers over after they bow for you!

THe bowing deer of Nara PArk

Nara Park is a living museum, home to some of Japan’s most historically significant landmarks, including the famous Todai-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that houses the Great Buddha (Daibutsu), one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha in the world. The park also features Kasuga Taisha, a centuries-old Shinto shrine famous for its hundreds of bronze and stone lanterns. The tree-lined park is particularly beautiful during cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons.

Photos from around Nara Park

After quite a while of exploring, we were getting pretty hungry and to our amazement there was this incredibly cozy, charming little Udon noodle restaurant in the middle of the park serving delicious noodles called Mizuya Chaya. Highly recommend a stop here if you're ever in Nara.

Udon restaurant Mizuya Chaya in Nara Park serving very cheap and delicious noodles

Once we were done with all our exploring, we headed back to the train station. It was very warm and we were very thirsty, dying for a cold beer. Searching "craft beer" in Nara took us to a place near the train station called Yamato Brewery - JUST what we needed! Kanpai!

Having a drink at Yamato Brewery in Nara before heading back to Osaka

Half-day trip to Okayama when travelling from Osaka to Hayashima

We travelled from Osaka to Okayama by bullet train, but not just any old (or new!) bullet train - I timed it such that we'd get to board the very famous Hello Kitty bullet train! There's one departure per day in each direction and the time table that was valid when we were there is shown below. If you're planning to see the Hello Kitty shinkansen, I'd recommend double-checking the current departure times.

The timetable for the Hello Kitty Shinkansen bullet train

The train was brightly decorated in pink with lots of images of Hello Kitty across the length of the train, both outside and inside.

The very pink Hello Kitty Shinkansen we took between Osaka and Okayama

It must be said that Okayama is not on very many tourists' radar. However, the city is a really underrated gem for travelers. It’s often overshadowed by bigger cities like Kyoto or Osaka, but it has a lot to offer if you like history, culture, nature and a more relaxed vibe. The reason why we ended up there was because Joe's friend lives in a town near Okayama, so we had to travel to Okayama first to connect to where he lives, in Hayashima.

Ed came to find us at Okayama train station and took us around the city for half a day before heading to Hayashima. We saw Okayama Castle, which apparently is nicknamed the "Crow Castle" because of its striking black exterior. We didn't go in though on this occasion. It's a reconstructed castle, but beautifully done and offers great panoramic views of the city.

Okayama Castle

After the castle we enjoyed a relaxing stroll through the Korakuen Garden, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan (along with Kenrokuen in Kanazawa and Kairakuen in Mito). It’s gorgeous year-round but especially magical during cherry blossom season and fall colors. Unfortunately I was too busy just enjoying the vibe to take many pictures, but I recommend a visit if you find yourself in Okayama - the Japanese are something else when it comes to landscaping gardens!

the famous Korakuen Garden in Okayama

We didn't stay in Okayama for long, just half a day, but if you were coming here as a tourist, it is also a popular jumping-off point to go to Naoshima Island, the "art island" with famous the contemporary art museums and outdoor installations. You may have seen the famous sculpture by artist Yayoi Kusama below, several of which are found in Naoshima:

Naoshima ISland Art by Yayoi Kusama (From: TravelCocktail.org)

Another thing I really wanted to see while in Okayama area, but didn't have the time or opportunity to do, was to see the Vargula hilgendorfii, a tiny, fascinating marine creature — a kind of small crustacean (related to shrimp and crabs) called an ostracod. It's about 3 millimeters long — really tiny, like a grain of rice. It lives in shallow, sandy areas near the coast, often buried in the sand during the day. At night, if they are disturbed (by waves, predators, or people stirring the sand), they emit a beautiful blue bioluminescent glow. The light they produce is a chemical reaction involving luciferin (the same kind of chemical system that fireflies use). Their glowing is thought to be mainly a defense mechanism — the sudden flash of light can confuse predators. In Japanese, they’re called ウミホタル (umi-hotaru) — literally "sea fireflies," which is such a perfect name. They’ve even been historically important: during World War II, the Japanese military used dried sea fireflies as a source of dim light to read maps at night without giving away positions.

In Okayama, the best-known place to see them is around the Hinase area (日生), particularly near Hinase Port and the nearby beaches and quiet coves. Hinase is a coastal town in Bizen City, about 40 minutes east of Okayama City by train (on the JR Ako Line). It's famous for its oyster farms too, but at night, in the warmer months (especially late spring through summer), you can sometimes see sea fireflies along the calm, sandy or pebbly shores.

THe Vargula hilgendorfii sea fireflies in Okayama area (Image from: ThisIsColossal.com)

Hayashima (2 nights)

Hayashima isn't a touristy place but rather a residential hub for nearby cities like Okayama and Kurashiki. ​We were there staying with Joe's friend who is from the UK and has been living there for many years with his Japanese wife and young children. It was our first visit, both to see him and his family in Japan, but also our first ever time staying in a Japanese home. His wife cooked us an incredible Japanese style yellow curry while we were there and I am officially hooked! Ed also took us on a daytour from Hayashima and south to Hiroshima and Miyajima Island while we were there. We also discovered an excellent and very reasonably priced craftbeer place next to the station called Kurashiki Brewing, so if you're into your craftbeer as we are, that's a great wee stop!

Daytrip to Hiroshima and Miyajima Island

We went on a day-long road trip with Joe's friend Ed from Hayashima to Hiroshima in the car. I assume that most people have heard of Hiroshima, but for those of you who haven't heard about it or know little about it, Hiroshima is remembered as the first city in history to suffer a nuclear attack. On 6th August 1945, during the final stages of World War II, the United States dropped an atomic bomb, codenamed "Little Boy" on Hiroshima. This was a uranium-based bomb, and it exploded approximately 600 meters above the city center. The bomb’s use was officially justified by U.S. leadership at the time as a way to hasten the end of the war and "save lives" that would otherwise be lost in a ground invasion of Japan. However, historians have long debated whether it was truly necessary, or if Japan was already close to surrendering. Some also argue that the use of the bomb was meant to intimidate the Soviet Union in the early days of what would become the Cold War.

From the perspective of the completely innocent people of Hiroshima, what happened was an unimaginable human tragedy — a civilian city reduced to ashes in an instant, with suffering that continued for generations. The immediate effects were catastrophic. An estimated 70,000–80,000 people, nearly one-third of Hiroshima's population at the time, were killed instantly. By the end of 1945, due to injuries and radiation-related illnesses, the death toll had risen to around 140,000. Entire neighborhoods were obliterated; about 70% of the city's buildings were destroyed or severely damaged. Many of those who survived the initial blast, known as hibakusha, suffered long-term effects like radiation sickness, cancers, severe burns, psychological trauma, and social stigma.

Today, Hiroshima has been rebuilt and is a thriving city but its Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was established at ground zero, a stark reminder of the horrific acts undertaken that took place. The Genbaku Dome (Atomic Bomb Dome), one of the few structures left standing near the blast’s epicenter, remains preserved as a haunting symbol of destruction and a call for nuclear disarmament. Every year, on August 6th, Hiroshima holds a Peace Memorial Ceremony to honor the victims and advocate for a world without nuclear weapons.

Hiroshima

The Atomic Bomb Dome

When you go to Hiroshima, it is important to visit the Peace Memorial Park. It is also important to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. It is located tnside the Peace Park, the museum documents the events of August 6, 1945, and the aftermath. Expect raw, emotional exhibits: there are personal belongings of the victims, photos, models, survivor testimonies. It is an incredibly gut-wrenching experience, but people need to be aware of what the US did, and what must NEVER happen again. You can't help but feel dispair and anger on behalf of the completely innocent people who suffered this horrendous act of violence and anybody who thinks "there wasn't any other way" is sorely mistaken. There is always another way than this way. This should never have happened. Be prepared to feel deeply saddened coming out of this museum, but remember the message that it leaves behind. We can't allow governments to act this way.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

We came out of the museum feeling pretty down and everybody was very quiet. However, we had been on the road for a while and were not getting pretty hungry for our lunch, so Ed did a bit of research to find us a traditional place for Hiroshima's take on Okonomiyaki, but there's a bit of a rivalry between Osaka and Hiroshima who has the better Okonomiyaki.

Okonomiyaki Hiroshima Style

The two are quite similar in some ways, however I found that the one we had in Osaka was a bit too heavy on the mayonnaise for my taste. The sauce was better I think in Hiroshima but I preferred the presentation better in the restaurant we went to in Osaka, where they put the noodles on a griddle on the table in front of us, which was quite fun. However, both styles were good and I personally wouldn't really recommend one over the other!

Miyajima Island

A classmate of mine when I was studying at the Iceland Tour Guide School was living in Japan for a while and he recommended a visit to Miyajima Island as a "must see" while in Japan. It made sense to go there too as we were already in Hiroshima, but getting there is very straight-forward from there. You just need to get yourself to Miyajimaguchi ferry terminal, but there are trains from Hiroshima centre to there (it's within the wider Hiroshima metropolitan area to the south). Then it's just a short and cheap ferry ride over, but if you are travelling on the JR pass, it apparently is included in the pass as well. Ferries from Miyajimaguchi operate frequently, so reservations aren't necessary.

As you approach Miyajima Island, you get your first view of the famous floating torii gate.

Miyajima Tori Gate and Hiroshima City in the background

Once on Miyajima Island, there's loads of places to see and do. It's absolutely beautiful and definitely lifts your spirits after visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. There are numerous beautiful temples like Itsukushima Shrine and the Five-Story Pagoda. There are also lots and lots of free roaming deer everywhere.

Pictures from Miyajima Island

Once you finish exploring and are waiting for the ferry to go back to Hiroshima, there's a very interesting and fun little market street called Omotesando Shopping Street which sells lots of different types of traditional Japanese snacks and sweets. There you can find things like Momiji Manju (maple-leaf-shaped cake filled with sweet bean paste), grilled oysters (a local specialty) and anago meshi (grilled eel over rice). Ed had us try some sweets made of sweet bean paste, and while it was interesting to try, I must say it's definitely an acquired taste!

Omotesando Shopping Street in Miyajima

To be honest, if you were so inclined, it would be very easy to spend more time time in Miyajima and even stay overnight - there's plenty of stuff to see! Though accommodation tends to be a bit pricy on the island.

Kyoto – Gion area (3 nights)

When we were trying to book accommodation in Kyoto, it was a bit tricky as the tourist attractions are spread all across all ends of the city. We however ended up going for somewhere within the Gion area, eventually choosing THE GATE HOTEL Kyoto Takasegawa by HULIC. While it was the most expensive hotel we paid for in Japan, we loved it. The rooms were huge and the breakfast was amazing. We kinda felt sloppy walking around the hotel, because it's definitely very up-market and we did not have clothes for the occasion. However, it we had a great stay and the hotel is really conveniently located.

The Gion area of Kyoto offers a rare and immersive experience of traditional Japanese culture, best known as Kyoto’s historic geisha (or geiko, in Kyoto dialect) district. You can spot elegantly dressed geiko or maiko (apprentice geisha) walking between appointments in the evening, especially around Hanamikoji Street. Beyond its charm and aesthetics, Gion is centrally located, providing easy access to many of Kyoto’s major attractions. From here, you can walk to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama Park, the historic Higashiyama area and the famous Nishiki Market, but Gion is also well connected to other areas of interest in Kyoto by public transport.

One of the first things I demanded we'd do once we got settled into our Kyoto hotel was to go and see the Nishiki Market. There's lots of weird and wonderful things in this market, but unfortunately it just gets so incredibly crowded that there's absolutely no chance you can just stand next to a stall and browse in peace as you just get shuffled around by people trying to get past you.

A few snaps from Nishiki Market in Kyoto

With all the busy madness at the market, we didn't really manage to find ourselves anything to eat but thirst by this point was getting the more critical feeling of the moment, so we searched for a pub and had a beer.

During this whole time that we had been in Japan, and despite being big foodies, we still hadn't got around trying authentic JAPANESE sushi in Japan. We love sushi back home and it really would have been a crime to not try some while in Japan. So we made it our mission to find somewhere in Kyoto to try some. We ended up at this place not too far from our hotel called Musashi Sushi, a conveyor belt style of sushi restaurant, which turned out to be excellent! Not only that, but it was also really fairly priced and also near a laundromat, so we could chuck our clothes into a washing machine while we grabbed a quick bite to eat nearby. They do a sort of a smoked (?) horse type of sushi too, which I found curious (but tasty!).

Sushi at Musashi Sushi in Kyoto

You are really spoiled for choice when it comes to attractions in Kyoto, but it also really depends on how much you've seen of Japan already by the time you get there. You could probably just go to Kyoto and see a "Japan in a Miniature" and experience just about everything culutral and historic there is about Japan, but that wouldn't be any fun would it? At least I thoroughly enjoyed seeing lots of Japan but it also meant that by the time we got to Kyoto, we were perhaps a bit "Templed Out", as in we had seen lots of temples, shrines, pagodas, castles, tori gates and so on. We had also had loads of traditional Japanese food and were getting to the point of the trip that we were getting a bit sick of rice. However, we did go and see quite a lot of the city's top magical attractions, including the following.

Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社) is quite possibly the No. 1 attraction of all of Kyoto for every single visitor that goes there. It is famous for its endless rows of bright red torii gates leading up the mountain and is very "Instagrammable". It's open 24/7 and free to enter. People say that early morning or dusk visits feel almost magical, but we were there in the late morning and was still spectacular.

Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto

What was always highest on my bucketlist for Kyoto attractions (if not all of Japan) was Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺 / Golden Pavilion). I used to have a Japanese pen pal as a child called Yoshi and he sent me a postcard of this incredible golden building which I found absolutely fascinating and I knew that once I finally got the chance to go to Japan, I would visit this beautiful temple. Once I got there, it didn't disappoint. It's a breathtaking temple covered in gold leaf, shimmering over a mirror-like pond. Absolutely iconic. If you were there in autumn or winter snow, it would be even more special.

Kinkaku-Ji in Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺) was just on our doorstep practically where we were staying in Gion district of Kyoto. It's a huge wooden temple perched on a hillside with incredible views over Kyoto. Famous for the massive veranda ("stage") and the beautiful walkways nearby. The old streets leading up — Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka — are also super charming.

Kiyomizu-dera in Gion area of Kyoto

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (嵐山) is located in western Kyoto near Arashiyama Station. You walk along a path surrounded by tall, swaying bamboo stalks — it feels like stepping into another world. There are several other attractions in that same neck of the woods, of which we visited a few, including the Kimono Forest and the Arashiyama Monkey Park. It is best to visit early morning to avoid crowds.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto

You get to Arashiyama area via Arashiyama Station of the Randen Tram (also known as the Keifuku Electric Railroad). At the station you'll find The Kimono Forest (着物の森) a stunning and unique art installation. The Kimono Forest consists of colorful, cylindrical pillars adorned with traditional kimono fabric patterns. These pillars, illuminated at night, are wrapped in a different kimono fabric design, showcasing various traditional patterns, textures, and colors that are synonymous with Japan’s textile history.

Keifuku Electric Railroad tram line to Arashiyama Station

Kimono Forest at Arashiyama Station in Kyoto

While you're in Arashiyama, it's worthwhile visiting Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama if you enjoy nature, walking, views and wildlife. The park is a unique wildlife experience located in the scenic Arashiyama district of Kyoto situated atop Mt. Arashiyama. The park is home to approximately 120 wild Japanese macaques, also known as snow monkeys which roam freely in their natural habitat, providing visitors with an opportunity to observe them up close in a semi-wild setting. You need to be mobile to get up there, as it is a 1.5km nature trek up a hill with 110m elevation gain and bring plenty of water if in summer, as it get proper hot and stuffy on the way up.

Once at the top, you'll have plenty of close encounters with the monkeys, who are totally used to being around people. However, the feeding stations are caged, with the humans caged inside while the monkeys are free on the outside.

Arashiyama Monkey Park in Kyoto

One of the last things we did in Kyoto was to check out the once-monthly Tenjin-san Market (天神さんの市), also known as the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Flea Market, seeing as we just happened to be in Kyoto when it was open. It is a popular flea market held on the 25th of each month at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto. It’s one of the most famous monthly markets in the city and a great place to experience local culture, history and shopping. And as we were at the market next to the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮) , we went to that beautiful shrine as well at the same time.

Tenjin-san Market

Kitano Tenmangu Shine

Tokyo – Shinjuku Kabukicho area (2 nights)

We ended our trip in Tokyo for obvious reasons - as we were flying back to the UK from there. We had decided we'd stay in a different area compared to when we first arrived, just to get to know the city a bit better so we opted for Shinjuku Kabukicho area, which is well connected by public transport, including transport to the airport. We booked ourselves a hotel next to the famous Hotel Gracery Shinjuku, famous because of the giant roaring Godzilla head that sits on top of the building. However, we stayed at the APA Hotel Shinjuku Kabukicho Tower simply because it was cheaper. What we didn't know at the time though was that this is basically in Tokyo's red district. Kabukicho is a vibrant entertainment district in Shinjuku known for its neon lights, entertainment options and nightlife. It's home to bars, nightclubs, hostess clubs, love hotels, karaoke joints, and a mix of other adult-themed entertainment, none of which we were actually (obviously) looking for. It's still a generally safe area, so in that sense it was fine, but there were just more than usual drunks on the street and more noise and rowdiness than elsewhere we had seen in Tokyo.

Godzilla in Shinjuku Kabukicho

Once it turns dark, the area really comes to life and the neon lights I must say are quite attractive!

Shinjuku at night

There was an incredible 3D display of a killer whale on one of the buildings (see above image to the right) which you could just stand and watch for ages, it was so realistic! Nowadays apparently they have a 3D cat display instead which is just as good, if not better!

3D billboard in Shinjuku