Hello, friends, and Happy New Year! It’s been way too long since this reformed blogger turned publicist checked in on the World Wide Web, but I’ve got some travel content that’s been burning a hole in my iPhone photo storage. If you follow along on Instagram, you may have noticed some oversharing of a bucket list trip we took back in November to Japan. Since then, I’ve had so many questions from friends, family, and a few readers (HI!) about planning their own trips to Japan, so I thought I’d put together a little recap of what we saw, did, and ATE. (Obviously.)
First, my overall thoughts on Japan: LOVED it. I certainly have not been to very many foreign countries, but this country is one I would want to visit again. The cities were noticeably clean and safe, and the people were genuinely welcoming and friendly. It’s a culture that is very much about respect. No one is in a hurry, but everyone is on time. Food is prepared with immaculate precision. There is no garbage, litter, graffiti, or the usual smells that you might find in some larger cities. (For that matter, there are hardly any trashcans. If you have trash, you take it with you which really makes you think about your consumption. You want a cup of coffee? Have a seat in a cafe and drink a cup from a real mug.) The parks are pristine; public restrooms are very clean; taxi cabs are well-kept. The language barrier did not feel very difficult, and when we had no other option, we just used Google Translate on our phones.
As far as costs, there is a reason why you probably know someone who recently visited or is planning to visit Japan. The exchange rate right now makes it a very favorable time for Americans to visit. Americanized hotels and things like that are going to be pricey, but the local restaurants and attractions are very affordable. For example, one night in Kyoto, a great Yakiniku (tableside BBQ) dinner with lots of high quality meats and rounds of drinks was somewhere around 9,500 yen, or about $60 USD.
I cannot take any credit for planning or booking our trip as another member of our group took the lead on that. He made the itinerary through a company called Firebird Tours, and while I can’t really attest to the planning process or the ease of working with them (because I did not actually communicate with them), they did plan a very thorough trip for us with seamless, guided transportation between cities. The walking tours in each city do lean pretty heavy towards Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples, and once we had seen a few of those, we did ask some of our tour guides to pivot and take us to the local markets, the restaurants they like to go to, the local underground bar, etc. – and they were usually happy to do so.
We flew from LAX to Tokyo, and there’s just no way around it, the flight is long. Gather all those credit card points and upgrade if you can, and then take a redeye. (We did not take the redeye, but in hindsight, it may have been a better idea. We left on a Monday morning and arrived late Tuesday afternoon.) We did however have amazing seats which really helped eliminate loss of time for jetlag once we were there. Are you sick of reading yet? Because here comes the tour…
First Stop: Tokyo
We actually landed in Tokyo on my birthday, and after a long flight, customs, and airport transport, The Conrad Tokyo was a beautiful sight for sore eyes. It’s a high rise hotel near the city center with beautiful views, luxe rooms, and a very friendly concierge that was key in booking a couple of our dinners while we were there. (For the most part, meals were kind of done on the fly. Pop in here, stop there.) The Conrad is definitely more Americanized and offered a Western-style breakfast every morning that I have to admit I really appreciated. I would say the one downside to the hotel is that location-wise, it’s a business area so the districts we wanted to check out weren’t very walkable. (But taxis are very cheap and easy to find, so it wasn’t really an issue.)
While most of our meals in Japan were really affordable, dinner at mon cher ton ton at The Peninsula Hotel was definitely a splurge that was probably the most WOW meal of the trip. This is traditional Japanese Teppanyaki where a chef (or in this case, team of chefs) cook right in front of you. The food was incredible, and the service might have been even better. I would 100% recommend booking this one for a really special night. Also, the hotel was stunning. I would definitely look into booking it if we make it back to Tokyo.
We loved checking out the Tsukiji Outer Market (local fish market with lots of different food options), and enjoyed a nice afternoon shopping and sipping around Shibuya with the prettiest fall tree-lined streets. We did try to wander down the Harajuku district but found the crowds there pretty unbearable. For high end shopping and strolling, Ginza is sort of a Mecca, and Eric and I found the best little basement bar in the area called Bar Penguin. The bartender there tried to help us out with dinner reservations but then finally typed his favorite local burger joint into my Google translate and we walked there. (BROZERS’ was the place, a funny little American style diner, and the wagyu burger was exactly what we needed.)
A couple members of our group really wanted to see a Sumo match, and we learned that the six Grand Sumo tournaments are during the odd months of the year. Unfortunately for us, the November tournament was quite far from us in Fukuoka. Firebird set us up with a Sumo Practice at a Sumo Stable in Kawasaki where we watched a practice, were invited to participate (I opted out), and then shared a hot pot lunch with the Sumo. If something like this is on your list, it’s a pretty well-done tour.
After 3 nights in Tokyo, a driver picked us up and drove us two hours + a ferry ride to:
Second Stop: Hakone
We kicked off our visit to Hakone with an Ashi Lake Cruise by ferry boat and then a tram ride on the Hakone Ropeway which provided for some pretty spectacular views. Hakone is known for its onsen which are traditional Japanese hot springs containing high levels of natural minerals. Our hotel, Hoshino Resorts KAI Sengokuhara, featured gender segregated indoor and outdoor baths as well as private hot spring tubs for every room. It could be a nice little retreat for those who love a relaxing hot tub dip, but Eric and I were glad we only had one night there. The hotel and its restaurant were nice but VERY traditional which meant wearing a traditional Samue set to dinner (optional but I obviously loved it) and a very hard to navigate dinner menu for me followed by airplane snacks in the room.
The following morning, a car picked us up and took us to the high speed bullet train with tickets to…
Third Stop: Kyoto
When anyone asks which city was my favorite, I have a very hard time choosing, but MAYBE it was Kyoto. It’s definitely an older city, a cultural center, and an amazing place to just roam around. The bullet train from Hakone took a couple of hours, and it was very pleasant. (We did get first class tickets for the bullet train which I would recommend if you are traveling around with luggage – it helps to have the space.) We checked into our hotel, and Eric and I decided to take the day off from the tours. Instead I headed to the spa at the Four Seasons for the most relaxing facial, and 10/10, I would do it again.
For dinner we walked from our hotel to the Nakagyo Ward which is absolutely where you want to be. You’re basically roaming around back alleyways that are lined with restaurant after restaurant, this way and that way, hidden behind sliding doors and curtains – it’s wild. You’ll find everything here from sushi to yakitori (chicken skewers) to yakiniku (tableside BBQ) and speakeasy bars. (And if that’s what you’re looking for, make sure to stop into Bar Alchemist for great cocktails in the coziest space.) We also spent some time wandering around Nishiki Market which is where you’ll find lots of local food and vendors.
After two nights in Kyoto, we took the bullet train about 40 minutes to…
Fourth Stop: Osaka
If you ask Eric which city was his favorite, he’ll probably tell you he’s undecided but wishes that we had more time in Osaka. If Kyoto is a bit more old school, Osaka felt really bright and shiny. (But that could be because the weather was so much nicer while we were there?) We stayed at The St. Regis Osaka which was far and away my favorite hotel of the trip. (I know, I know – very Americanized. Sue me.) It was just beautiful and beyond comfortable and decked out for Christmas.
We had a wonderful tour guide in Osaka who took us through the popular shopping districts (Nippombashi and Soemoncho are a couple I recall) selling local food, clothing, knives, chopsticks, you name it and then to a pretty great fried chicken spot for lunch. We also checked out Orange Street which was a cool area for vintage shopping and lesser known street brands. For dinner, our guide recommended this sushi spot that was walkable from The St. Regis, and we had a great night there. The chef noticed that a couple of us (the girls) weren’t as adventurous foodwise as others (the boys), so he brought out some delicious steamed fish and crab, enjoyed some sake with us, and then demanded we become Facebook friends. If we find ourselves back in Osaka, we will definitely be taking our seats back at his table.
We would have loved to spend another day walking around Osaka, but instead we took a…
Day Trip to Miyajima and Hiroshima
Admittedly this day was a trek. We took the subway to the bullet train to another train to a ferry boat to Miyajima. It’s a small island outside of Hiroshima, and it was seriously beautiful. The scenery and temples were something to see, but the little deer really stole my heart. They were everywhere – lounging on the sand, following tourists around, rubbing their little heads on your hand like a puppy – I couldn’t get enough.
We enjoyed a little ramen and tempura lunch and then headed to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum which unfortunately was a big bust for us due to the crowds. I have never been packed into rooms with more people, shoulder to shoulder, overheating, all shuffling around trying to figure out how to either see the exhibits or get to the exits. The tickets were way oversold and packed with school fieldtrips, so if you’re interested in that one, buyer beware. We made the trek back to Osaka for our final night then took the bullet train back to Tokyo the next day to make it to the airport for one last stop before home…
Aloha from Hawaii
On our way home, we stopped in Hawaii for three nights, and after all the go, go, go in Japan, it was such a nice way to wind down from the trip. Plus, when we finally made it back to Southern California, the two hour time difference felt like nothing. We left Tokyo at 9:00 pm on Wednesday night and arrived in Honolulu at 9:00 am Wednesday morning, time traveling backwards towards America. (If given the option, a redeye is definitely the way to go.)
All in all it was an amazing trip that we will talk about for years and years to come. If you’re considering visiting Japan, my advice to you is to GO for it. (And pack your most comfy shoes.)
xoxo
