Very OT: travel recs for Japan
I went about a year ago. Had a delicious dinner for six at this halal Wagyu place in Tokyo for around US$100: https://maps.app.goo.gl/r2867fgB9gV6389AA.
Also, this place in Tokyo where you catch your own fish and then they cook it for you is pretty cool: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g14133673-d1177395-Reviews-Zauo_Shinjuku-Nishishinjuku_Shinjuku_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html
To reach the Japans it's best to sail thru Magellan's Pass.
March 17th, 2024 at 11:54 PM ^
Underrated comment
Tokyo can be very cheap, or as expensive as you desire, depending on your budget. Just like NYC.
Enjoyed street-side uni and Wagyu in the old Fish Market.
Also enjoyed 3* Michelin restaurants and $200 pp omakase. We emphasized places that spoke English. If you don't speak Japanese, would emphasize this: just like Paris, a little lingua franca goes a long way
Lived in Japan 1995-97, go back every year b/c my wife is from there and both boys (now teenagers) were adopted from there as infants.
I know Tokyo a lot better than Kyoto. But do recommend Kyoto a LOT, just haven't spent much time there.
I'm a temples, festivals, culture, secondhand markets kind of guy. My favorite resource from the Japan National Tourist Office (see especially the monthly Events Calendars (they come out a week or two before the month actually starts, you can see examples) are their "Travel Brochures". They cover the whole country, usually with Kanto (East Japan where Tokyo is) at the top and other regions to follow (Kansai is Western Japan where Kyoto is), so just scroll down to the region you recognize/want:
https://www.japan.travel/brochures/eng/index.php?publisher[]=1
I think that one of the most unique thing about Japan are the festivals. I'm not sure you can experience anything quite like them outside of Japan. If you can catch any one of those listed in the Event Calendars at the above link, they are more than well worth it.
I recommend Hiroshima as others above have said (Okonomiyaki building for food, peace memorial park, peace museum, nuke dome, etc.). Also the nearby super famous Miyajima Island (has the huge bright red/orange tori gate out in the water (as long as it's not low tide :^)). You take a ferry there. You can hike around the mountain, which is ok, but if time is short nothing earthshaking, I don't think (maybe see wild monkeys - it's just if you've been in a lot of urban Japan, it's nice to get out hiking in the wilderness a little, to clear the head a bit). Got surprise head-butted in the rear by a male deer there (who I guess thought I was hitting on his girl?!), so minor PTSD from that, is all.
Regarding Kyoto, I like all the well known temples and think they're all worth a visit at least once.
Definitely see kinkaji (golden temple) but then as a nice compare/contrast also see "ginkakuji" = silver temple, very zen, smaller in scale and much less crowded. Tons of great temples (Kiyomizudera - the street that you take a long walk on up to the temple is lined with all kinds of small shops - great to pick up a souvenir - kitschy or otherwise, maybe a traditional metal furin [little wind bell/chime that you hang in the summer time], etc.) and old imperial (or former private) gardens, if you are into that sort of thing. Kyoto has volunteer tour guides who will do a tour in English for you (they want to practice their English). Some of them can be quite knowledgeable and good.
I like this temple in Kyoto:
https://www.kanpai-japan.com/kyoto/sanjusangendo
Near Kyoto you can also spend a night & eat a meal in a Bhuddist temple (someone mentioned it above I think). There are some mountain hikes to get to some.
I also didn't like the deer in Nara, but the temples are good - with a Daibutsu (giant Bhudda amongst others) and lots of traditional old wooden architecture (often little shops with nice traditional items - I got a great pair of small carved painted wooden dolls for my mom there). Nara was an ancient capitol, then Kyoto, then Kamakura, then eventually Tokyo as the current capitol.
Regarding Tokyo it's so big, so many possible things to see. Good sources of local information for Tokyo include:
https://metropolisjapan.com
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo
Metropolis puts out a monthly English print magazine for Tokyo that is free - at tourist offices (@ Ueno & JNTO tour info desks at Narita and Haneda for sure, probably lots of others but those I have actually used).
"Timeout" has printed books you can find at the major english bookstores (Kinokunia, top floor, out south exit of Shinjuku station, past Takashimaya; Maruzen maybe near Tokyo station, I think).
If you're going now, try to see plum or cherry blossoms. Here's the latest forecast, don't miss it if you can help it:
https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0001033/
I love this place too:
https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-shinjuku/article-a0001595/
This is the world's best stores (17 or 18 & counting) for all kinds of manga (comics) cultural items - comics, plastic figures, robots, kaiju, toys, model kits, cosplay outfits, vintage and reproduction movie posters, vintage tin metal signs, tons & tons of vintage stuff, manga art cells, old Tomica cars/vehicles (Japan version of matchbox, but much better 😅), kamen rider, astroboy, vintage metal toys/robots/cars/trucks, etc.
In Tokyo, there are a zillion good art museums. i like woodblock (ukiyo-e). This is very small, but consistently great, but closed for renovations until April 3rd:
http://www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/eng
Also there is the Hokusai museum (of Wave off Kanazawa fame):
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3054_hokusai.html
It's not everyone's taste, but I highly recommend taking in at least one act of Kabuki (Japanese theater). Best in the world is "Kabuki-Za" in Ginza in Tokyo. This month there is an 11am show and then a different 4:30pm show. They last 3-4 hours with 10-25 min breaks in-between various "acts". You can get a ticket for just one act as well there, if you want to be cautious. There are dramas, and dances. I tend to like the dramas (b/c there's a stronger narrative story line than the dances). If you go, get the English language ear phone guide (for 700 yen) which has a very useful, but not excessive or overbearing, narration of what is going in the various moments of the act;
https://www.kabukiweb.net/theatres/kabukiza/
Regarding temples in Tokyo - must see is Meiji Jingu (Harajuku station on Yamanote line). It's a loooooong walk to the buildings, but that's actually kind of one of the main points (green space in Tokyo occurs in three places - temples, schools/college campuses, and vertical spaces that are too difficult to build on :-).
Also must see (from my perspective 😅) is Yasukuni Jinja:
https://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/
Actually probably not a lot to "see" unless there is a festival, it's famous as main Shinto shrine for WW 2 & WW 1 dead. It is very controversial from a liberal/conservative/government point of view. If you're in Japan during WWII surrender day (Aug 15) it's the place to go to see the current state of the power struggle in Japan. It might also be interesting on Aug 6th or 9th as well (when the two bombs were dropped), but not sure.
IMHO it has an amazing museum about Japanese history/war history. Worth the price and dozens of rooms. The exhibit of old WW2 battle equipment (there is a plane and locomotive in the entrance to the museum, but there is a huge room deep inside the museum for a lot more) are neat as well as the rooms of official photos of soldiers after their training was done before they went off to die in the war. Very powerful. You could spend hours in it if you wanted. Also, excellent gift museum, with lots of WWII type commemorative paraphenalia.
Watching sumo practice (someone else mentioned) is also excellent. Just call ahead and schedule. Watching real summo is even better, but is only in Tokyo in Jan, May, Sept. I like to go early (like 10am or so when it opens) and watch all the 98 lb weakling teenagers who are just starting their journey, with hopes of becoming famous some day. The big matches start much much later in the day:
https://boutiquejapan.com/sumo/
Pick up a Japan Times, local English language press (of the stature of the New York Times or Washington Post) (though it's not published on the weekends) at a station kiosk along the Yamanote or Chuo train lines. The Japan News is the other major English language paper, but is definitely a step down from the JT in my opinion, although it can have really excellent articles on culture or history.
Lastly, if you want to get really adventurous and have a one of kind momento from Japan, at a big temple like Yasukuni or Meiji Jingu, ask for a "go shu-in" book (hon) (every temple has their own kind - buy one at the first temple you go to :^). They are 1000-2000 yen or so, and then at each temple you visit ask at the desk where they are selling good luck charms and other things for a "go shu-in". They will make a wonderful calligraphy of their temple name with bright red ink stamps and the date (all in Japanese, of course :^). Costs maybe 300 or 500 yen for that calligraphy. Very memorable and unique. Some temples have pre-made "go shuin" and just fill in the date, if you don't want to buy a book to get them in fresh that day. It various with how busy they are and how big a temple they are.
https://en.japantravel.com/guide/goshuin-the-perfect-traditional-souvenir-from-japanese-shrines-and-temples/69653
March 17th, 2024 at 10:06 PM ^
This is awesome! I’m definitely bookmarking this post and coming back to it when I go back to Japan.
March 17th, 2024 at 10:14 PM ^
My wife and I were in Japan last week, as well.
She taught English in Japan for a couple of years a long time ago, so she has a proficiency in Japanese that helped enormously.
I basically didn't need to try to talk to anyone. From what my wife said and the very limited interaction I had, my understanding is that Japanese people, particularly in Toyko, often have a much better written understanding of English than spoken. Often when they were trying to speak English (many do automatically if they see someone is foreign), I couldn't really tell whether they were speaking Japanese or English.
We got around almost entirely by train, with just a couple of buses where it was more convenient. Train prices are quite reasonable. It's about $1.50 for a subway ride in Tokyo (get a daily pass or the Pasmo Passport if you're going to use it a lot). Make sure you get the right tickets - there might be only one place in a train station where you can actually buy passes or even the individual ticket you need. That can take time.
The food is excellent and very low-priced for what you're getting. One example - we spent a morning at the Tsukiji Outer Market, which is the tourist/retail counterpart to the fish market that restaurants use and is one of the largest and most notable in the world. We went into a restaurant for lunch where we sat a bar and a chef stood in front of us and prepared ten pieces of sushi each, every one different and as fresh as they come - probably the best sushi I've ever had. Our bill was under $60. The exchange rate is great for us right now.
One place we really enjoyed - the Gyoen gardens in Shinjuku. Tokyo is so crowded. But they have their massive parks - and this one I think puts Central Park to shame. They have numerous teams of workers trimming and doing maintenance all day long. With the cherry blossom season coming up next week, it will be crowded, but definitely worth it.
We spent about half our trip in the mountain area near Nagano for a change of pace. That was welcome, because the one thing I did not like about Japan was the crowds everywhere. They don't have the luxury of personal space we have. I missed that almost immediately. Other surprises - almost everywhere, there are signs in English. You don't need to ask people much. I had a little trouble orientating myself getting out of train stations, which is unusual for me. I guess I rely too much on street names, and they don't. But there are maps everywhere and eventually you get it. Another surprise - I guess the air quality is pretty bad because it seemed everyone was coughing and harrumphing all the time. That wore thin at times. If we had a couple more days, we would have gone to Kyoto.
We were prepared to use cash more than we needed it. Having a credit card with no fees for international transactions was great.
March 17th, 2024 at 10:58 PM ^
Great tips, especially on train travel and the sushi at Tsukiji!
Possibly a reason you had trouble with orientating coming out of train stations is that the maps on the streets just outside the stations have one big difference from American maps - ours ALWAYS have North to the TOP. There is NO such convention for Tokyo maps. They can be any orientation you like. So be sure to check that first. I'm not sure the pattern but I think they usually orient in the most convenient line of sight.
March 17th, 2024 at 10:15 PM ^
If you make it to Osaka, you should most definitely go see a Hanshin Tigers baseball game. One of my top sports experiences ever and sooo uniquely Japanese... I can't comment what it's like post-pandemic, but Koshien Stadium is a wonder (like seeing a game at Wrigley or Fenway melded with a major college football atmosphere... especially if you sit in the right field bleachers with the band and super fans that lead all the organized cheers).
If you Google "Hanshin Tigers English News" they have a very helpful write-up on how to buy tickets before you go.
Excitement should be especially high since the team just won their first championship in almost 40 years.
March 17th, 2024 at 11:08 PM ^
Also near Osaka:
Osamu Tezuka (God of Japanese comics) museum:
https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1031/
Takarazuka dance review (very famous, haven't been, not sure it is my cup of tea :^):
https://kageki.hankyu.co.jp/english/index.html
And Osaka castle (ferro cement rebuild after it was destroyed in WWII, but still pretty impressive):
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4000.html
March 18th, 2024 at 10:45 AM ^
I haven't been to baseball game in Japan but I talked to some people who have who told me it's a super fun experience and definitely worth going (and very much different from the experience here in the US).
March 17th, 2024 at 11:06 PM ^
Overwhelmed with all the responses. What a joy to be a part of this community. Y’all are the best !
March 17th, 2024 at 11:11 PM ^
Some of my favorite restaurants in Tokyo as follows. I haven't been there in about five years but I'm heading over on April 2nd.
Nanbantei Yakatori in Roppongi, Tokyo. They have a good set course.
Moti Indian Restaurant in Roppongi, Tokyo. They have the best butter chicken I've had in my life. Reasonable prices.
Tonki Tonkatsu (fried pork) in Meguro, Tokyo.
Just checked they're all still open.
When are you going?
March 17th, 2024 at 11:26 PM ^
User name 100% checks out!!!
Last week of May
March 18th, 2024 at 10:55 AM ^
Good time to go as I have memories of going in the fall and trying to figure out how to watch the Michigan game in the middle of the night.
My gf and I were thinking of going there soon, she has a severe anaphylaxis to tree nuts (carries epi-pen). I assume our best best for restaurants is more in the hotel or nice restaurants? Not sure how sensitive they are to food allergies. Will definitely have to avoid eating at food markets and such unfortunately :-( will def be venturing to Kyoto and Tokyo, among others.
I have never had a bad food experience in Japan. Even the smallest ramen shop has a guy that's been perfecting his craft for 30 years behind the counter.
I'm currently in the Philippines, and it just sucks in comparison.
Korea is somewhere in between, pretty standardized food, but some really great stuff at the top end and not as nearly as many bad food as in the Phils.
Hi, I live in the greatest city in the world, Tokyo (the last time I posted here was a recap of my crazy 36 hours from Tokyo->Houston->Tokyo for the national championship). It is a difficult question because the food scene here is unbelievable; you can find most any genre of food prepared amazingly and moderately priced (especially now with the Yen historically weak against the USD). Also, while you are in Kyoto, it is a short local train ride to Osaka where you can have some of its regional specialties (Osaka excellent foodie destination). What are you looking for in particular? Do you know what area you will be staying at?
were you the guy in line behind me at immigration at narita on the way back? i was in a sainristil jersey. you said your plane on the way there got diverted to san antonio or something right? go blue.
ha, yeah that was me. made it into the stadium at halftime. go blue!
March 18th, 2024 at 10:52 AM ^
The food scene really is incredible in my experience. While there are some really awesome restaurants (Japan has more Michelin starred restaurants per capita than any other country in the world), you can basically not go wrong with almost anywhere you end up. And just given the exchange rate currently it works out pretty well price wise.
You can of course also go to a high end omakase and the like and it will also be awesome and more expensive but you can have a very good experience at lots of moderately priced spots. And Japanese cuisine is so diverse that there's so many different options and choices. The other thing on a good omakase spot, you can usually get a much better deal price wise if you go there for lunch.
I also wouldn't sleep on the Tokyo pizza scene. I know the idea of going to Japan and eating pizza sounds ridiculous, but Tokyo in particular has some really awesome spots (which are all well priced).
Can connect with fellow Wolverines on FB group:
Wolverines in Japan
this is a great resource for wolverines in or visiting japan. definitely recommend reaching out to them (Paul is very helpful).
You should watch the youtube channel abroadinjapan for recommendations. Great time to go since the yen is relatively weak now.
if you are in Tokyo on the 30th of March, the michigan alumni club will be participating in the intercollegiate hanami (cherry blossom viewing party) at Komaba Park. there should be a number of ex-pat and other Wolverines there, including myself. Info here: Facebook
I went to Japan on my honeymoon a few years back--focused mostly on Kyoto and Tokyo, and day trips nearby.
Kyoto has lots of stuff to see, but it's a sleepy city. While Tokyo doesn't have as many "sights", I liked riding the JR, visiting the main areas (e.g., Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc.), and walking around a lot.
Others will have better reccos I think, but I really like day trips to Kobe and Osaka. Would recommend those.
In Tokyo I think the Tsukiji fish market is a must. Getting there earlier is better. I think the action peaks at round 7 am., or did when I was there right before COVID.
Wandering the stalls at 6:30 a.m. with a Japanese beer in hand is an awesome experience.
As for cheap restaurants, I've never had a bad meal in Tokyo. Even the dumpiest looking places are often the most popular and serve excellent food.
You can't really go wrong in Kyoto either. The food is fabulous and it's a beautiful place. A day trip from there to Mount Fuji, about a 2 hour train ride, is always fun.
A drink at the Ace Hotel bar is an epic experience. All over Kyoto are these cozy little bars called Izakayas that serve really good food and drinks. Some are little holes in the wall and some are fancier but all are a blast.
Have fun!!
March 18th, 2024 at 10:46 AM ^
We are staying at the Ace Hotel when we are in Kyoto. Looks like a nice spot in a great location. I'll definitely be having a drink (or ten) there!
March 18th, 2024 at 11:49 AM ^
No matter what, do not mention Godzilla!
Perhaps surprisingly, many of the big department stores in Tokyo have great food "courts" (of a kind) on their top floors. Often many different shops each with their own speciality kind of food (Italian, pork cutlet, soba, udon, tempura, etc.)
Places like:
Isetan, Seibu, Tobu, Parco, Takashimaya, Mitsukoshi, etc.
Also, don't sleep on their basement food levels as well - a huge variety of foods are displayed and on sale - sometimes (Japanese) sweets and snacks, sometimes specialities from around the country (famous types of seaweed or pickled vegetables, etc.), or full on restaurants.
I love to just go and look at all the different possibilities available in the department store basements! 😅
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/shopping/your-ultimate-guide-to-tokyos-department-stores