Trip Report (PART 1 OF 2) – Solo first time male traveller – 16 days (incl. transit) in May 2023 – Golden Route

[PART TWO HERE](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/16e6icr/trip_report_part_2_of_2_solo_first_time_male/)

Hi everyone,

I had promised myself I would write up my travel diary to reddit as the least I could do for all of the help I was given in my planning!

It took me a while as my trip was actually back in May, however I’ve finally got round to it.

TOKYO > HAKONE > KYOTO > NARA > OSAKA > UJI > HIMEJI > TOKYO

To put it in perspective, the personal diary this comes from is over 10,000 words(!!!). This was because it was an interesting way to kill the time on the loooong flights home (24 hours transit). Also, around 30 minutes each night was spent chilling with some anime before sleep and jotting down what I had been up to that day!With that in mind, I ran the diary through ChatGPT to summarise the key points so this post wouldn’t be crazily long. It might read as a sort of ‘point-of-view stream of consciousness’ at times because of this. Essentially, every bullet point I’ve made I can expand upon if I looked at on my full diary and there’s plenty missing (e.g. meals, reviews, details). **So, if anyone has any questions or queries about any of the things I got up to below, or wants more of a review of anything I did which might be lacking in the description, feel free to comment and I will get around to it when I can.** I’d prefer public posts to DM’s, purely because from my own experience I know others would benefit from the answers too (something when I was planning, I was really grateful to use)I took a significant amount of photos – so I’m able to upload on request!

**Hopefully everyone can pick ideas from this plan, however for reference I am:**

* A male solo traveller
* In my mid-thirties
* someone with practically zero Japanese language knowledge
* very much an early bird and enjoys getting up and out on holiday rather than having plans that run into the early hours
* a first time visitor interested in a broad introduction to as many parts of Japan as I could squeeze in (i.e. I had no strong pull towards a particular ‘themed’ trip like anime-focused or food-focused). The only real thing I wanted to theme the trip with is collecting goshuin during the visits to shrines.
* someone who tried to the follow the ‘onebag’ guides, so I didn’t travel out with a checked bag, and instead made full use of a planned out 1 backpack packing list. I then bought a holdall at the end of the trip simply to bring home with my souvenirs which I mainly bought at the end of the trip!
* a HEAVY pre-planner, who took time to organise parts of my plan months in advance (e.g. buying tickets for events such as the sumo)
* in relatively good shape and willing to walk significant distances during the day

​

**Two main things I wanted to note:**

* **It was the best trip of my life. I can’t wait to revisit. I enjoyed it so much that I am signing up for evening night classes to pick up the language, am putting money aside each month for a 2024 trip and have since become more invested in Japanese media (TV shows, music, games etc)**
* **I’m almost certain that the best planner in the world would still come up against events in their trip/itinerary they wouldn’t have planned for. Therefore be ready to adapt. This isn’t a bad thing, instead it gives you the ability to listen to your own body or mind about what you’d prefer to do that day. Examples in my trip included certain days with unexpected significant rain, my feet being really sore so adjusting the walking for a day or two, and simply changing my mind on what I fancied that day.**

​

So, the summarised diary!:

**Flight and First Night**

* On Narita Express from the airport, saw lots of rice fields with farmers in wellington boots tending to them.
* Got lost immediately at Shibuya station. Even finding a way out is a struggle. It’s like if the giant shopping centre had multiple train lines throughout.
* One of the first things I did was have a really heavy shower to clean after 30 hours of transit at my hotel. Came downstairs during happy hour, and the room was full of groups of guys chatting. Felt a little out of place (my own shyness because it seemed a fun atmosphere!) but grabbed complimentary coffee before heading out instead.
* Went to Loft (after a lot of random wandering) and found my goshuincho.
* After that went to Yakiniku LIKE for a solo BBQ set. Tried wagyu beef. It was all really fun. The fat from mine kept dripping on to the flames and shot up a bit causing smokiness. No one else seemed to care though so may be normal?
* Then walked down the street a little under the neon lights and bought a banana and chocolate crepe. Carried on after that just dipping into interesting-looking places. Places included a cool record store with whole custom displays for different bands and artists with handwritten notes seemingly from them. Also a cool gachapon arcade with retro music. So many varieties of gachapon like TV shows, anime, films, weird animals, I think there was a Nissan Cube one too!

​

**Day 1:**

* Woke at 3 am, likely due to jet lag. Managed to go back to sleep.
* Showered and had breakfast around 7:45 am, which included self-serve pastries, coffee, and juices.
* Quickly completed planned activities: obtained a physical Suica card, took a picture with the Hachiko statue, and traveled to Harajuku station.
* Peaceful walk to Meiji Shrine where I obtained a goshuin (paper), paid respects and wrote a prayer for family well-being.
* Walked to Takeshita Street and explored the area before it got crowded. Visited Togo Shrine and obtained another goshuin.
* Had a brief visit to a coffee shop, Cafe Reissue, which was full. Opted instead for coffee at “Streamer Coffee.”
* Found Gyukatsu Motomura Harajuku after seeking directions and enjoyed the ‘medium set’with a coke. Cooked it myself and ordered a second bowl of miso soup.
* Picked up a banana and soy milk smoothie and visited Japan National Stadium for a photo.
* Walked to Hatonomori Hachiman, hiked mini Fuji, and obtained a handwritten goshuin.
* Took JR Yamanote to Shibuya, saw Hachiko again, and went to Shibuya Parco. Explored Nintendo Store, Pokemon Centre, and Jump Shop. Walked to the rooftop park for a break and a high-up view.
* Visited Miyashita Park, which was a walk around each floor, and observed skateboarders and people relaxing.
* Returned to the hotel for coffee before getting ready for my pre-booked tour in Shibuya.
* Met for the Magical Trip Shibuya bar hopping tour with two others – a couple on their honeymoon. Visited three places: a yokocho, Dandadan, and Yata (a Sake bar). Tried various dishes, including sushi, cheese omelette, edamame, and gyozas, and learned the Japanese word for “cheers” (kanpai). Enjoyed Hoppy Beer with Shochu and sampled sake at Dandadan. The final stop at Yata was a sake bar, where we tried recommended sake and various soy sauces from different prefectures.
* Walked back to Shibuya station and said goodbye to the group.

​

**Day 2:**

​

* When I woke up, I saw that I had received an earthquake warning on the phone during the night, reporting a 5.2 magnitude earthquake in Chiba.
* I went downstairs and had soup and pastries for breakfast.
* Walked towards Shinjuku Gyoen, got a bit lost from Yoyogi station, but explored a cool area with traditional buildings and restaurants on the way.
* Shinjuku Gyoen was beautiful and peaceful. Visited the greenhouse, a western-style old house, and a Taiwanese pagoda.
* Used a vending machine for the first time and bought water and unsweetened green tea.
* Explored the park until around 10 am.
* Took the metro to Suga Jinja, paid respects, and obtained a goshuin with gold flecks. Relaxed at the shrine and made a mental note to watch “Your Name.” again after visiting the stairs from the movie.
* Strolled around the area and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.
* Picked up another goshuin from Younji Temple, a paper one with a sticky back.
* Visited a Japanese graveyard and observed the unique offerings and arrangements.
* Rested in Wakaba Park, charged the phone, and then headed to a sushi class.
* The sushi class had about 10 participants. Had a brilliant time – a real highlight.
* Experienced a heavy rainstorm during the class and rushed to buy an umbrella from Family Mart after the class.
* Visited Ginza, Uniqlo store (tax-free), and tried to visit Art Aquarium, however it had shut one hour before Googles advertised closing time.
* Experienced rush hour on the train and realized I lost my mask. Got off at a random station to buy masks at a convenience store and walked underground for about 10 minutes.
* Returned to Shinjuku and explored Kabukicho Tower. There were crane games, gachapon, taiko games, and Mario Kart.
* Bought a random drink with grapes, and the bartender gave me a small glass to have with it. Realised after finishing it that it was 14% alcohol!
* Explored Omoide Yokocho and had meat skewers. Sat next to another solo traveller from South Korea and spoke into the night about our countries and backgrounds.

**Day 3:**

​

* Checked out of the hotel and had breakfast at the hotel after confirming it was okay to do so on check out day.
* Took a train to the new hotel in Ueno.
* Explored a flea market in Ueno Park with various old items like keychains, chess sets, and kimonos.
* Received the first goshuin of the day, hand-drawn, from Shinobazunoike Benten-do, and lit incense before entering.
* Obtained a paper goshuin at another shrine before visiting Toshogu Shrine, known for its amazing building and sacred tree.
* Tried takoyaki at a carnival shop near the National Museum, along with a strawberry smoothie.
* Then onto the baseball at Tokyo Dome! Bought 2 player towels (one for me and one as a gift). Purchased a Taco Bell beef meal with nachos as something light to keep my hunger away.
* As the game went on, I ended up buying a full bento box with a substantial amount of food. Was blown away by the amount of food you can get for a reasonable price compared to UK sporting events. It included six types of fried chicken with different sauces and rice! Ate the bento box with chopsticks in my seat, feeling a bit under pressure, as I was surrounded by South Koreans who were expertly eating their food and I was clearly struggling but trying my best!
* Bought a beer and a coke from the girls selling drinks in the stands.
* Enjoyed a live performance by an idol boy group called Be:First, who performed the first pitch and made appearances throughout the game.

​

**Day 4:**

​

* Woke up at 6:15 am to visit Tsukiji Fish Market early. Had a special maguro zanmai (a tuna bowl with rice) and scallop. Tried grilled nihon unagi skewers at a nearby restaurant.
* Visited Tsukiji Iroha for white strawberry red bean daifukomochi. Enjoyed coffee and orange juice at a coffee shop with John Lennon memorabilia as he had visited a few decades ago.
* Started raining, so took the subway to Toyosu. Visited Hokanji Temple and completed a prayer ritual. Watched the monks setting up the shrine.
* Explored LaLaport and visited TeamLab Planets. Incredible!
* Visited Uniqlo again and picked up some more new clothes. After finishing in the area, I picked up & activated my JR Pass from Ueno (a 30-minute wait) before on to Akihabara.
* Explored Akihabara and visited the Gigo building with unbelievable gloved players playing the music games. I tried various games, including a guitar hero-like game for hands and a taiko game. An American joined me for a few 2 player taiko songs.
* Explored anime and retro game shops before heading to Tokyo Station.
* I bought Godzilla merchandise at a pop-up store and asked for help in Japanese to find “Ramen Street” and ordered ramen and char siu rice. Slurped ramen like the locals but couldn’t finish it due to a full stomach!
* Returned to the hotel early, packed for Hakone, and rested. Watched anime while waiting for laundry to dry and did research on Hakone plans considering the updated rainy forecast.

​

**Day 5:**

* Woke up at 6:15 am and decided to get the Hakone Free Pass despite the weather and make the best of it!
* Arrived at Okachimachi station and ordered a salmon rice ball for breakfast. Took pictures of the Romancecar train. During the train journey, the conductor bowed deeply, and people on the platform took photos of the train at various stops.
* Arrived at Hakone Yumoto, and cleaning staff bowed to the train. Again found this a respectful and nice part of the trip.
* Took the Tounzan switchback train, which had interesting facts mentioned during the ride.
* Checked into the hotel, dropped off luggage, and started the Hakone Loop despite the weather.
* Cablecar ride had no visibility due to clouds but had a pre-recorded announcement about points of interest. People on the cable car laughed because it was pointing out things to look at which we simply couldnt see. We made the best of it though!
* Had black eggs and soft-serve ice cream and continued the loop.
* Saw a Neon Genesis Evangelion statue at Togendai and took a boat to Moto Hakone, which was well-decorated and provided shelter from the rain.
* Visited Hakone Shrine, got a goshuin, and walked up to pay respects.
* Explored the Old Tokaido Road, which was incredible to me as I had loved learning about samurai history. As it was heavy rain, I encountered incredibly slippery cobbles and added coins to piles of stones which I believe were set up as shrines? I would not recommend doing this walk in bad weather as it was very slippery underfoot, however I am really glad to have done it because of my own interest in walking the path.
* Reached Amasake Chaya, an super old traditional tea house. I had a hot drink, mochi, and tea by the burning pot.
* Waited for a bus in the rain and a kind young Japanese man called Aoi from Nagoya was insistent that he gave me a 40 minute trip back to my hotel so I didnt have to wait in the rain. On the drive, he practiced English with me and he taught me some phrases. He would not accept my offer of money at the end as a thank you and instead asked that we get a photo together as a memory before he set off!
* Checked back into the hotel, used the onsen (nervous!), and had an excellent buffet dinner. The best I have ever had. The buffet included various dishes like mackerel, tuna, salad, miso soup with clams, tempura shrimp, and ice cream. Throughout the stay I wore the provided yukata.
* Read a short story in the reading area and cleaned shoes with a toothbrush after the muddy hike earlier that day!

​

**Day 6**

* Woke up with a slightly sore throat, possibly due to tiredness from a busy itinerary.
* Enjoyed a buffet-style breakfast at the hotel.
* Hotel attendant mistakenly brought an iron and ironing board, leading to multiple apologies and nods after he realised he’d come to the wrong room. He couldn’t apologise enough and I tried to say it’s absolutely fine!
* Noticed Japanese people were relaxing after the spa treatments by reading manga in the reading area.
* Explored Gora Park, nearly alone due to heavy rain, and admired the greenhouses and fountains.
* Took the Tozan Railway switchback to Odawara via Hakone Yumoto.
* Changed my Shinkansen reservation to an earlier time, allowing for a visit to Odawara Castle.
* Bought onigiri, sushi, and green tea with Demon Slayer characters on the train and used the opportunity to recharge my IC card with another 10,000 yen.
* Explored Nishiki Market, had Kuroge Wagyu, scallop with butter and soy sauce, and a beer.
* Visited Yasaka Shrine for another goshuin and observed people in yukata and kimonos.
* Explored Maruyama Park and noticed a cool statue of two samurai.
* Captured a quick picture of Chion-in, an enormous temple gate.
* Wandered through Hannamikoji, where I saw a man with a string puppet of a bird doing a fun street performance.
* Discovered Kenninji Temple and saw many school trips taking their school photo in front of it (was it school trip ‘season’?) and noticed many women in traditional kimonos with sun umbrellas.
* Walked back to the hotel and checked in at 17:15.
* Enjoyed Okonomiyaki at Hanamichi, chatted with a fellow traveller from Tennessee about various topics, including Neon Genesis Evangelion and UK/US differences.
* Walked back through Gion to my hotel.

​

**Day 7:**

* Woke up at 5:30. Bought coffee, water, and tuna with salt onigiri.
* Explored the quiet streets of Gion, including Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka.
* Visited Kiyomizudera temple, relieved to go early and experience the peaceful atmosphere.
* Drank water from the temple’s fountain, believed to have healing properties.
* Explored the temple grounds and learned about its construction.
* Returned to the cool Starbucks in the area and waited in a long queue for its opening. Ordered a warm waffle and cappuccino.
* Returned to Kiyomizu-dera as the office opened later for a goshuin. When I arrived it justified my decision to go so early as it was incredibly busy, so I was glad that I only was back for the goshuin.
* Tasted Uji matcha handed out in the area.
* Found a tiny park with older people playing mini golf on shallow sand.
* Visited Ryozen Kannon, an enormous statue, and offered incense. Explored shrines dedicated to each year of the animals and dedicated to miscarried babies. The area itself seemed to be a tribute to fallen Japanese soldiers in World War II.
* Had onigiri and coffee while resting in the shade.
* Visited Heian Jingu and got another goshuin. Learned about using the reverse of the goshuincho for new stamps.
* Walked through the philosopher’s path, stopping at a Japanese art shop. Bought green tea soft-serve ice cream, finding it delicious.
* Visited Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) and received a goshuin. Experienced the bus system, initially worried about the IC card as everywhere had told me that I just tap in when I get on, however there was nowhere to tap!
* Bumped into the couple i had gone on the bar hopping tour! So unlikely as that was back in Tokyo.
* Walked to Kyoto Imperial Gardens but found the palace closed so strolled some of the perimeter.
* Experienced rush hour on the subway.
* Took a hot bath to relax before eating at Ichiran Ramen.
* Wandered around Tokyu Hands store.
* Bought breakfast and snacks for the next day at 7/11.

​

**Day 8:**

* Woke up at 5:30, showered, and had breakfast sushi and coffee bought last night from the room fridge.
* Walked to Gion Shijo and took a 6:48 am train to Fushimi-Inari.
* Started the Fushimi-Inari hike early to avoid crowds, found it not as difficult as expected.
* Discovered a small store selling handwritten torii souvenirs, bought one for a friend’s family. Witnessed the blessing with sparks over the gate performed by the shopkeeper.
* Encountered a large hornet or similar insect, wild cats, and bought UV spray to help against the intense heat.
* Visited Tofukuji and its Zen temple garden.
* Took the train to Nara via Tofukuji station using JR Pass.
* Enjoyed coffee and buns at the station before exploring Nara.
* Visited Kofukuji temple, strolled through Nara Park, and saw the National Museum.
* Explored Todaiji temple, lit incense, and received a handwritten goshuin.
* Visited Kasuga Taisha shrine and received another handwritten goshuin.
* Walked back toward Harushika Sake Brewery via a peaceful woodland path. Tasted 6 different Sakes at the brewery, including unique flavors.
* Walked through quiet back streets of Nara.
* Arrived at JR Nara station and took a train to Kyoto Station. Ordered black char Siu ramen with gyoza and rice at Ramen Iroha in Kyoto Station.
* After getting back to hotel, enjoyed a latte, water, and matcha ice-cream while watching baseball on TV and Demon Slayer.

​

**Day 9:**

​

* Allowed myself a long sleep for a relaxed day. Woke up with a runny nose and sore throat which could have been triggered by how much I had squeezed into my days.
* Changed plans to visit Rengeo-in temple and Nijo Castle. Took a bus to Rengeo-in, a Buddhist temple with 1000 statues. Witnessed a Buddhist monk’s ritual and received a handwritten goshuin and walked around the temple grounds
* Took subways to Nijo Castle, learned about its historical significance.
* Got hungry and went to Kikyo Sushi for lunch. Had sushi set with miso soup, watched the chef make sushi in front of me.
* Strolled to Kyoto Imperial Palace and learned there was a free tour. Explored the palace grounds and decided to join the tour at 2 pm.
* Caught a bus to Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) and visited the temple. Received a written goshuin and admired the gold-covered pagoda.
* Returned to Shijo by bus. Had dinner at Takamatu Mensho, enjoying chicken and seafood with dipping noodles and a separate bowl of duck.
* Returned to the hotel to do laundry and repack for Osaka.
* Explored Pontocho Alley in the evening.
* Bought snacks, figured out the aircon, and relaxed before bed.

​

**Day 10:**

* Woke up at 7:30 and enjoyed coffee and Pocky.
* Had a hot green tea and arranged to store my backpack at the hotel.
* Traveled to Kyoto Station and recharged my IC card with 10,000 yen.
* Enjoyed breakfast at Vie de France.
* Took the 10 am train to Uji, where it was raining.
* Planned to visit tea shops and temples while waiting for the rain to stop.
* Visited Mitsiboshien Kanbayashi Sannyu and had matcha with mochi. Learned about the shop’s historical significance. The owner was so proud of his history and showed me newspaper articles of his family making tea for the emperor. He asked where I was from and I showed him on a map.
* Explored Byodoin, received a written goshuin, and visited Phoenix Hall. Walked around the connected museum and visited Uji Shrine.
* Went to Tsuen, the world’s oldest tea shop, and had matcha with cha dango.
* Took pictures of Murasaki Shikibu, the world’s oldest novelist.
* Returned to Uji (JR) station, picked up my stored bag, and headed to Osaka.
* Checked into the next hotel, showered, and watched Sumo on TV.
* Bought dinner from Family Mart – tuna salad, imitation crab corn sushi, miso soup, and a bottle of coke.
* Relaxed at the hotel for an earlier night.