Trip Report: 12 days in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, & Matsusaka in May. Pics and tonnes of food!

Just returned yesterday and had an absolutely incredible time!

Background: My friend and I are 29-year-old Aussies. Our primary love is food, but he’s separately into anime and video games, and I’m into fashion, art, and culture. We’re both fairly seasoned travellers and have been to the sunrise land before (this was was my second time and his fourth). This trip was a last hoorah for us as I’m moving overseas. Our goal was to have a phenomenal time, make some good fucking memories, and eat some serious grub.

Some quick notes:

• We were travelling on a budget, with one major exception: food. Note that this was a very flippin’ expensive exception.

• We are platonic male-female friends. The only time this was difficult was trying to find a 2 bedroom, decently located, and within-budget AirBnB in Tokyo – which we did actually manage to do! Beyond that, the word “tomodachi” (“friends”) came in handy a couple of times.

• We’re big into food, so a big focus of this report is food. Apologies for the food descriptions that sound like literotica.

Report time!

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**THURSDAY 9/05 – TOKYO**

• Our plane to Narita was delayed because someone accidentally drove a fucking truck into it (for real), so our 5pm arrival became a 9pm arrival. Grabbed our pocket wifi, charged up our Suica cards, and hopped on the Skyliner. We got to our AirBnB in Shinjuku for around 11.30pm.

• We had originally planned on exploring and finding a restaurant, but the delay meant we were too tired to do anything but grab some snacks and essentials from a 7/11 and crash for the night. (Note: this was the start of my pudding obsession – more on that later.)

**FRIDAY 10/05 – TOKYO**

• First order of the day: Michelin starred ramen joint, Nakiryu! Arrived at about 12pm and waited in line for approx 40 mins. We each ordered the flagship tantanmen. Fantastic depth, with an unexpectedly creamy broth and a good level of spiciness. Surprisingly, though, not a big standout for me in terms of ramen I had throughout the trip.

[Nakryu 1](https://i.imgur.com/ullgqN0.jpg) | [Nakiryu egg]( https://i.imgur.com/KPZo9KL.jpg)

• Harajuku time! My friend hadn’t been before, so we swung through Takeshita-dori and did a bit of shopping. Loaded up at the Stylenanda and Innisfree stores on some of my fave South Korean skincare and makeup products. It was a weekday, so crowds were mild (but no cosplayers out). Friend isn’t a big shopper, but was happy to follow me around and take in the sights.

• Ate lunch at a cute little dessert shop, Milk Craft Cream Café, which my friend had heard of. The ice cream was incredibly creamy and cheesy.

[Ice Cream](https://i.imgur.com/7gm6FHi.jpg) | [Souffle](https://i.imgur.com/JFcSrs1.jpg)

• Went out that night to Anata no Warehouse, an arcade themed after the Kowloon Walled City. Was super cool, but only the first floor really retains the theme; second and third floors are much more traditionally arcadey. Rad place nonetheless.

[Anata no Warehouse](https://i.imgur.com/eSGXbZ2.jpg)

**SATURDAY 11/05 – TOKYO**

• We found an absolute banger of an unagi place on Tabelog: Akasuka Fukinuki. We opted for the hamanako unagi (four seasons eel). Hamanako means you eat the eel four separate ways – plain with rice, then with shallots added, then with shallots and nori added, and finally with shallots, seaweed, and eel broth all mixed in with the rice. This was INCREDIBLE and in my top 3 meals.

[Unagi 1](https://i.imgur.com/jsY7drp.jpg) | [Unagi 2]( https://i.imgur.com/AyhvlDb.jpg)

• We then hit up Shimotikazawa, which is a little boho neighbourhood that features tonnes of second hand shops and crafts stalls. Very cute area. Bought some handmade jewellery.

• Ate at Flipper’s, because you gotta try fluffy pancakes in Japan. A lot of people say the pancakes look good, but don’t taste like anything (or just taste like egg). Disagree vehemently. Pancakes were delicious, and yes, quite eggy – but I love egg. Their milk bubble tea sucked though, as the tapioca pearls weren’t soaked long enough.

[Pancakes](https://i.imgur.com/GQOxg9Y.jpg)

• Hit up Golden Gai in the evening and got smashed with a couple of locals. Bit too smashed. At a certain level of drunkenness, sake goes down like water. Golden Gai is gorgeous, though we were a bit disappointed that the one bar we really wanted to hit up (Death Match in Hell) was closed.

**SUNDAY 12/05 – TOKYO**

• Our original plan was to go to the Fuji Shibazakura festival, but we were still a little toasted from the night before. Stayed in and napped until about 1pm.

• Desperately needed carbs, so headed to Ramen Mutekiya. This was probably the ramen joint I was looking forward to most before the trip, and it PAID OFF. Ramen is my favourite food, and Ramen Mutekiya is hands down the best ramen I’ve ever had. The meat was like butter. Tonkotsu broth was rich and deep. My friend opted for the ½ pound charsiu ramen, I opted for the standard bowl. Go out of your way for this place – getting teary just remembering it.

[Standard Mutekiya bowl](https://i.imgur.com/22udK0c.jpg) | [1/2 lb bowl](https://i.imgur.com/xsYUkrm.jpg)

• Wandered around Shinjuku with no concrete plans. I’m a big Godzilla fan, so we went to check out the Godzilla head. Cool, but we arrived too late to see the light and smoke show. Did a bit of shopping, played a few claw machines (won nothing).

• Still feeling full from Mutekiya, so for dinner we opted for a bit of yakitori. We were lazy and just Googled ones with a decent rating, so ended up at a pretty touristy/expensive spot with a cover charge that we were too awkward to back out of. The yakitori was still yum, but lesson learned and we took the extra time to use Tabelog for the rest of the trip.

**MONDAY 13/05 – TOKYO**

• Tsukiji fish market (the old one). Lots of snacking: otoro, scallops grilled in butter, squid skewers, tamago skewers, octopus cups. We ordered omakase at Sushi Sei Honten; it was delicious, but I made the mistake of snacking too much beforehand and didn’t appreciate it as much as I would have. Standout of the market was an incredible matcha latte made with syrup and cream. My favourite drink from the trip – just the right level of bitter and creamy. I immediately regretted not getting another to go after we left.

[Sushi Sei Honten](https://i.imgur.com/rQT7N4T.jpg) | [Matcha Latte](https://i.imgur.com/054M9oI.jpg)

• Team Borderless! Loved it. The atmosphere is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. My favourite part of the whole exhibit was the café – I won’t spoil it, but it’ll blow your mind. Get the ice cream and tea set. Only major drawback was the sheer length of the lines. DON’T line up for the “Nest” experience if it’s very long – while lying on a giant net is is cool, you see the exact same light show at the Cave sans the queue.

• Went back to Shinjuku to try and catch Godzilla’s light show this time. That was cool, but only worth it if you’re a big fan.

• Did a bit of browsing at Shibuya 109, a fashion mall aimed at young women. Cool area, lots of cheap, cute, one-size-fits-all clothes. I’m fairly thin so clothes were fine, but shoes were a lost cause (size 8 Aus shoe size).

• Dinner was spontaneous tonkatsu at a restaurant in a department store. I don’t remember the name, but as with almost everything else this trip, it was delicious.

[Tonkatsu]( https://i.imgur.com/1pbisS9.jpg)

**TUESDAY 14/05 – MATSUSAKA**

• Caught a combo of Shinkansen and regular trains to Matsusaka, a city known for producing the best beef in the world.

• Ekiben! We got three to share for the trip: a variety bento, a seafood bento, and a beef bento. The beef was so tender and juicy.

[Ekiben](https://i.imgur.com/z70vPpX.jpg)

• Got all fancied up and went to Wadakin, a restaurant famous for their Matsusaka beef sukiyaki and amiyaki. We ordered one set each (to the tune of ¥16,700 and ¥17,700, respectively). Absolutely phenomenal. The best beef I have ever tasted, and the experience was near reverential. The beef just melts. Neither of us are particularly well off, but we saved up specifically for this and consider it 110% worth it.

[Wadakin 1](https://i.imgur.com/SklP6LS.jpg) | [Wadakini 2]( https://i.imgur.com/KLi0cqd.jpg) | [Wadakin 3](https://i.imgur.com/7zxz4SZ.jpg)

• Hit up a couple of bars afterwards. Fancy glowing cocktails to end a fancy night!

[Cocktail](https://i.imgur.com/o6uwLxu.jpg)

**WEDNESDAY 15/05 – ISE AND KYOTO**

• Someone here recommended that, while we were in Mie, we should go to the little township of Ise and hit up the Akafuku teahouse and try their mochi. I am SO glad we did, because this day stands out as my favourite day the whole trip.

• Ise is a little township approx. 40 minutes outside of Matsusaka. Beautiful mountain views, woodlands, and gorgeous old architecture. Akafuku is a historical teahouse that’s been serving the exact same mochi for over three hundred years. The mochi and the teahouse were both beautiful.

[Ise township](https://i.imgur.com/iesIVST.jpg) | [Akafuku Teahouse](https://i.imgur.com/6UKlvlh.jpg) | [Akafuku Mochi](https://i.imgur.com/RBMk57V.jpg)

• There was a market on in the area! As Ise is a little out of the way, most people at the markets seemed to be Japanese with a small smattering of tourists like us. We wandered and snacked on stall food for hours. Had a light soba for a refreshing lunch.

• We unfortunately had to leave mid-afternoon to get to Kyoto before our AirBnB check-in closed. I would absolutely come back to Ise again.

• AirBnB in Kyoto was fantastic, with tatami flooring, shoji doors, tonnes of space, and a central located. An absolute fucking steal for $900AUD (620USD) across 5 nights. The only drawback was that my friend, who is 6’3”, smashed his head against the doorframes a total of 9 times during our stay (which honestly was kind of another benefit for me, because hearing a muffled *CROMF* “FUCK!” at 2am is hilarious).

• We were pretty dead after walking all day, so phoned it in that night and grabbed some ramen from a nearby Ichiran. Was my friend’s first time eating at an Ichiran. Good for if you just want a quick fix o’ carbs.

[Ichiran](https://i.imgur.com/tXYQspd.jpg)

**THURSDAY 16/05 – OSAKA**

• Left at 10am for Osaka, but trains were delayed for over two hours due to a fatal track accident. That was pretty sad. Kyoto Station was thrown into a bit of chaos so English announcements understandably fell to the wayside, but we were eventually able to find the alternate train.

• First thing we hit up was Osaka Aquarium, which was pretty cool. The whale shark tank was awesome, as were the emperor penguins. Good way to kill 2 hours or so.

• Headed out to Dotonbori and grabbed some okonomiyaki (an Osaka specialty) and omusoba from one of the restaurants lining the river. Delicious, very filling, and fun to eat.

[Okonomiyaki](https://i.imgur.com/nSjeQq8.jpg) | [Omusoba](https://i.imgur.com/ylmBQaI.jpg)

• Ate some kobe skewers, squid skewers, and takoyaki. The main street of Dotonbori was absolutely PACKED so we retreated to the quieter back streets, which had very urban hip vibes.

• Fashion is a lot different in Osaka than Tokyo – less cutesy/classy, more grunge and hiphop influenced streetwear. The shops reflected this and were v. cool, albeit expensive.

• We went to World’s Second Best Freshly Baked Melon-pan Ice Cream, a famous melon bun stall which has now set up a permanent storefront. It was DELICIOUS, an excellent combination of hot and cold, and far and away my favourite dessert in Japan. Strongly recommend opting for the matcha ice cream.

[Melon Bun Ice Cream](https://i.imgur.com/muJ3LQE.jpg)

• Finished out the night at the “hidden” bar, Bar Nayuta. Very cool, dark atmosphere with a secret entrance and a tiny door you need to stoop under. You’re also unlikely to find any locals here, as it’s definitely a tourist bar and quite expensive. Stayed for a drink each and dipped.

**FRIDAY 17/05 – KYOTO (KIBUNE AND KURAMA)**

• Put on our best walkin’ shoes and caught the supercute Maple Leaf Train to Kibune.

• Kibune is a super quaint little mountain village. Beautiful old houses, stunning views, a river winding through the main street, and shrines everywhere. VERY popular tourist destination so we didn’t bother looking for authenticity and just popped in at Hirobun. Hirobun is known for their flowing noodles, but we opted for the kawadoko kaiseki (kaiseki served on flooring placed over the river). Such a tranquil experience.

[Kibune](https://i.imgur.com/I0IGipt.jpg) | [Hirobun 1](https://i.imgur.com/vRT4uiD.jpg) | [Hirobun 2]( https://i.imgur.com/rVag14Y.jpg ) | [Hirobun Kaiseki 1](https://i.imgur.com/dFdgGZ2.jpg) | [Hirobun Kaiseki 2](https://i.imgur.com/854SHnm.jpg) | [Hirobun Keiseki 3](https://i.imgur.com/G2KrkZW.jpg)

• We then did the hike from Kibune to Kurama, another mountain village. The hike is lined with temples and shrines along the way, and took us about 2.5 hours. Very beautiful little trip, and quite peaceful – there weren’t terribly many people around. I’m fairly sure I saw a monkey, but not 100%. (I at least saw something with a very monkey-like butt scamper behind a shrine).

[A more populated stretch of the hike](https://i.imgur.com/zF9fu6v.jpg) | [Kurama](https://i.imgur.com/k2KvErT.jpg)

• Most websites have you go from Kurama > Kibune, but we did Kibune > Kurama so we could finish the day at Kurama Onsen. Kibune > Kurama is also more downhill, so slightly more merciful on our legs.

• Kurama Onsen was great after several hours of non-stop walking. This was my first onsen so I needed a bit of help figuring things out, and was definitely a bit nervous about being naked around strangers, but the nerves disappeared the second I stepped into the hot spring and took in the mountain views. Most other visitors there were also foreigners, so I didn’t really stand out. Came out feeling as smooth as a seal.

• Took the 30-minute train back to Kyoto and finished the night at Kura Sushi, a ¥100 sushi train chain where for every five plates deposited down your booth’s chute you get a chance at winning a little prize. Sushi was decent, esp. for the price.

[Selection from Kura 1](https://i.imgur.com/Ehy4P88.jpg) | [Selection from Kura 2](https://i.imgur.com/yNVLzY2.jpg) | [Selection from Kura 3](https://i.imgur.com/a9ehRBB.jpg)

**SATURDAY 18/05 – KYOTO**

• Headed out to Nishiki Markets for (obviously) the street food. Quail egg-stuffed octopus, seafood skewers, dango, more dango, fish tsukudani, skewered fish cakes, onigiri, matcha ice cream, and matcha parfaits were had. The matcha ice cream at the main matcha store in Nishiki Market is incredible – we got the second heaviest concentration, which was the perfect blend of bitter and sweet for us.

[Octopus](https://i.imgur.com/ZODKLEJ.jpg) | [Parfait](https://i.imgur.com/Gb3pTkI.jpg)

• Swung by the Kyoto Manga Museum. I’m not super into manga, but still really enjoyed it. The museum has a massive library of manga in all different languages that you can just grab and pop down in various reading spots with. Lots of manga history, beautiful drawings, etc. An eye in the storm after the mad crowds at Nishiki.

• Dinner was Okariba, a rustic little wooden smokehouse about twenty minutes out of the main city area. We ordered the grilled boar, boar tataki, smoked duck loin, horse sashimi, wild nametake, charcoal grilled salted trout, grasshopper tsukudani, and – naturally – some sake. Standouts were both styles of boar, the grasshoppers, and the trout. The boar was gamey (in a very good way), robust, and rich. The trout was perfectly salted, skin crispy, and the flesh tender and juicy. Grasshoppers were sweet with a satisfying crunchy texture.

[Okariba storefront](https://i.imgur.com/Y5MTWVk.jpg) | [Charcoal Boar](https://i.imgur.com/rLOE3K6.jpg) | [Boar tataki]( https://i.imgur.com/0unEUxn.jpg) | [Smoked duck loin](https://i.imgur.com/xYxSkqD.jpg) | [Horse sashimi](https://i.imgur.com/hg2qXtA.jpg) | [Wild nametake](https://i.imgur.com/HotjMuE.jpg) | [Charcoal salted trout](https://i.imgur.com/WH5KSOL.jpg) | [Grasshoppers](https://i.imgur.com/YBnJc99.jpg) | [Grasshopper closeup](https://i.imgur.com/fZyqppu.jpg)

• Finished the night with an assortment of 7/11 snacks back at our apartment (although I could barely fit anything in!).

[7/11 Snacks](https://i.imgur.com/IXrxaKO.jpg)

**SUNDAY 19/05 – KYOTO**

• Kichi motherflippin’ Kichi. My friend and I have been desperate to eat at this place for years. You need to reserve in advance, and the seats book out in minutes, so the relief when we got our reservation was palpable.

• And it was INCREDIBLE. Chef Motokichi is entertaining as all get out, and obviously extremely skilled with a pan. He served my omurice “super flying style”, in which he flips the omelette out of the pan and onto the rice where it then splits itself. That being said, watching him slice open the omelette on each patron’s rice was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.

• The omurice was, obviously, delicious and I will cherish it always. The standout for me, however, was actually the beef stew – a stew served with extremely tender beef in a concentrated broth made out of the same stock used in the omurice beef sauce. Overall, everything I expected it to be.

[Kichi Kichi omurice](https://i.imgur.com/lY2b9Vi.jpg) | [Kichi Kichi beef stew](https://i.imgur.com/HAh6kQ8.jpg)

• After Kichi Kichi, we swung by Kyoto Tower (more out of a sense of obligation than anything). The views were nice, but I have a feeling I’d have enjoyed it more if I went at night.

• From there, we rented bikes and cycled out to Kiyomizu-dera. The temple was unfortunately under renovation and covered by tarp, but the area was still lovely and very humbling.

• From Kiyomizu-dera, we biked to Gion and – specifically – Hanami-koji street. I’d been here before, but it was my friend’s first time in Kyoto so I thought it was important he see the area. It was as beautiful as ever, especially at night. We were lucky enough to see three geisha/meiko, which felt pretty magical. This area has a fantastical atmosphere I’ve never felt elsewhere.

• We then Tabelog’d food nearby and wound up at a yakiniku place called Ishiya. They gave us a grill, a plate of kobe, a cube of lard, some condiments, and away we went. Mouth-watering beef that just exploded with flavour.

[Yakiniku beef](https://i.imgur.com/Pm9Y3AJ.jpg) | [Yakiniku grilling](https://i.imgur.com/elYquA3.jpg)

• We grabbed after-dinner dinner at a CoCo Curry House (delicious curry chain) and spent the rest of the night biking around the backstreets of Gion, and eventually alongside a canal – complete with grazing deer! – back to our AirBnB. This was another of my favourite experiences; strongly recommend overnight bike rental in Kyoto.

**MONDAY 20/05 – TOKYO**

• Back to Tokyo! We returned our bikes and took our sweetass time selecting four (!) ekiben for the Shinkansen back.

[Ekiben](https://i.imgur.com/qlq0OTa.jpg) | [Close up of pink one](https://i.imgur.com/NiPVnNU.jpg)

• We went to Akihabara with a joint mission of finding some One Punch Man merchandise. We only ever saw the same two figures amidst an endless sea of One Piece and Dragon Ball merch, but it was still fun to browse. I liked pointing out the super risqué figures for the sole purpose of embarrassing my friend. I also found a Cowboy Bebop stand, which was super exciting for me, but it was unfortunately sold out of almost everything.

• We tried to hit up the Eorzea Café but didn’t realise until that you need reservations at least one day in advance. We went to the Honey Toast Café instead, where we ordered this beautiful monstrosity. Inside the loaf are smaller cubes of bread. It was awesome.

[Honey bread loaf](https://i.imgur.com/iq8o9hE.jpg) | [Honey bread loaf guts](https://i.imgur.com/X5HECqP.jpg)

• We then downed some takoyaki and Magikarp taiyaki and made our way to Sanji Ramen, which was unfortunately closed early. Instead went to a nearby tsukemen place we found on Tabelog called Meshokudo Isshintei. Very hole-in-the-wall and buzzing with the locals. The meal was lovely and unpretentious, and with a surprisingly complex seafood (I think) broth.

[Magikarp taiyaki](https://i.imgur.com/URYEjT8.jpg) | [Meshokudo Isshentei tsukemen](https://i.imgur.com/g01geLF.jpg)

• Closed the night out by getting destroyed by my friend in Street Fighter at a nearby arcade, and then hitting up a Don Quijote for last minute souvenir shopping. Also picked up/restocked some skincare and beauty classics (Biore Watery Essence sunscreen, Kikumasamune lotion, shitloads of Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium lotion, Kiss Me Heroine eyeliner). Swung by Sensoji on the way home, which was beautiful at night – listening to the giant lanterns creaking in the midnight winds was something else.

**TUESDAY 21/05 – TOKYO**

• Absolutely pissing down rain, but like that’s gonna slow our roll. We swung by Sanji Ramen as soon as it opened, and I’m so glad we tried again because it was oishii as fuck. Second favourite ramen I’ve ever had, and that’s a surprisingly close second to Mutekiya. Garlic and crab based broth served with extra firm noodles (my favourite!), quail eggs (!!), and some delicate slices of fatty charsiu (!!!). We were also given an extra little dish of crushed garlic to optionally mix in with the broth, which my friend did. The extra garlicky broth was unfff, but I opted to not add any to mine.

[Sanji Ramen](https://i.imgur.com/zy7Jy92.jpg) | [Sanji Ramen quail eggs](https://i.imgur.com/VZjLFkf.jpg)

• We then headed to Kappabashi to check out the fake food sample shops. I had originally planned on purchasing a bowl of fake something (I already have a ramen at home), but was feeling pretty light in the pantaloons at this point so opted to mostly just browse. Picked up a couple of food keychains and magnets for family and friends back home.

• Next stop was Michelin starred onigiri joint, Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku. We shared a set of three onigiri, opting for the pickled plum, ikura, and salted squid guts fillings. My favourite was the plum and his favourite was the ikura (which was surprisingly sweet). The salted squid was extremely salty, and we suspect more of an acquired taste (and we have fairly accommodating palates). Fantastic onigiri with perfectly sticky, fluffy rice.

[Michelin onigiri]( https://i.imgur.com/Rbf5A1k.jpg) | [Ikura onigiri](https://i.imgur.com/M8g4mui.jpg)

• Swung by a Uniqlo and a café to escape the rain for a bit, then back to Sensoji temple and the surrounding markets. Munched some taiyaki, crispy chicken skin, and another melon pan ice cream.

[Taiyaki](https://i.imgur.com/62sNw7X.jpg) | [Melon Bun](https://i.imgur.com/oGC0HlC.jpg)

• Airport time. We bought five puddings for the road (to stave off withdrawals for as long as possible). We were absolutely soaked from the rain and I got to spend the next 24 hours looking homeless in various planes and airports.

—

Overall, a defining experience that I will never forget. Those twelve days in Japan were some of the happiest in my life, and my friend and I have already started planning our next trip in two or three years’ time (Hokkaido, we’re comin’ for ya). Happy to answer any questions y’all may have!

**General food tips:**

• Puddings. We became OBSESSED with the little pudding cups you can get at konbini. We got at least one each day we were there. We tried every variety, but in the end [this one](https://i.imgur.com/tkSPNTL.jpg) emerged the victor (with Ohayo brand pudding coming in second). You know how good dessert used to taste when you were little? Yeah, this is that taste again.

• “Osusume onegaishimasu” gets you places. Menu all in Japanese, and waitstaff don’t know any English? Osusume. Overwhelmed by options? Osusume. Just interested in what the chef/waitstaff recommend, but don’t wanna go full omakase? Osusume.

• “Gochisosama deshita” for when the food really blows your socks off and you need something more than just “arigato gozaimasu”.

• Strongly recommend Tabelog. Tabelog is the Japanese equivalent of Yelp, and you can assume anything above a 3.5 is fantastic (anything above 4 stars is often Michelin starred). Excellent website for finding where the locals eat. Restaurants with high ratings on Tripadvisor etc – i.e. popular with tourists – were often rated comparatively lowly on Tabelog. Just don’t expect English at the restaurants you find (osusume, osusume, osusume)!