Hi fellow travelers,
After seeing so many awesome trip reports from this sub, you guys inspired me to write one for our recent trip to Japan! All the advice and comments in this thread are SUPER helpful in helping us make this the BEST trip we’ve had.
**Background of our trip:**
* Married couple late 20s from Canada
* When: September 10 – 21, 2023
* Where: Tokyo (5.5 days in total), Osaka (3.5 days), Kyoto (1 day) + Uji (0.5 day)
* Temperature: Day time was around 28C (felt like 33C)… Night time was a lot cooler. Super humid, sweated A LOT during the day. Most of my clothes have sweat stains lol
* Our goal is to explorer as much of Japan as possible, but centered around trying out different food places
**A few “good to know” we learned on this trip (will post the more on** r/JapanTravelTips**)**
* BRING WALKING/RUNNING SHOES
* We walked 20k steps on average per day. Lots of going up/down stairs going in/out of subway lines. Make sure your shoes have enough support!
* GET AN E-SIM. VERY EASY TO USE AND AFFORDABLE.
* We paid $17CAD for 10GB of data. We weren’t sure if that’s enough but turned out to be more than enough (you can top up if you run out). Pocket wifi is more worth it for a larger group tho
* USE OSAKA AS A BASE AND TRAVEL TO OTHER NEARBY CITIES
* We find Osaka accommodations to be much more affordable compared to Kyoto or Hiroshima. If you are spending more time in nearby cities, find a place close to **shin-osaka** or **umeda** station. This will save you a lot of time before hopping onto the shinkasen
* BUY WATER AND SNACKS AT VARIETY/GROCERY STORES IF YOU CAN-
* It’s very tempting to buy all drinks, snacks and daily necessities from convenience stores/vending machine. Grocery stores offer the same products but at a much cheaper cost (ex. a 250mL water bottle in vending machine cost 120Â¥. A 2L bottle cost the same in grocery store)
* 2000Â¥ BILLS ARE NOT WIDELY ACCEPTABLE IN VENDING MACHINE. USE 1000Â¥ INSTEAD
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000\_yen\_note](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_yen_note)
* According to locals, 2000Â¥ bills are rare to find locally in Japan. Only foreign countires are printing them for tourists. Some vending machines will freeze if you put in a 2000Â¥ bill.
* GOOGLE STAR REVIEWS ARE NOT SKEWED IN JAPAN
* In Canada, anything below a 4 star review is to be avoided when choosing a restarant. In Japan, the rating system is more “fair”. 3 stars is considered above passing grade. 4 stars guarentees you won’t walk out disappointed. 4.5 stars is HIHGLY recommended
**Itinerary:** Tokyo (Fly In) > Osaka > Kyoto > Osaka > Uji > Osaka > Hiroshima > Osaka > Tokyo (Fly Out)
**Day 1:**
* Landed in Tokyo at 5PM, Bought temporary SUICA card, airport express train round trip tickets. Exchanged JR pass
* Had a bowl of ramen at Okinawa Food Market in Shibuya
* 2/5- Ramen was average. There are better ramen for cheaper cost. Only 1 menu set with all items listed from adjacent shops, but you can only order the items for the place you sat in. Nobody gave us instructions until we figured it out on our own.
**Day 2 (Shibuya/Shinjuku area):**
* Breakfast at 7-11: Melon bun (worth it) & rice triangles for breakfast at 6am due to jetlet. FYI most coffee/breakfast places open at 7am. Most convivence stores are 24h from what we have seen.
* [Fulgen Tokyo](https://maps.app.goo.gl/x4aga1HWQfRzNuAE9) for coffee & croissant
* 4/5 stars – Chill atmosphere with vinyl records playing in the background. Staff spoke fluent English. Makes you feel home away from home
* Meiji Shrine. Watched the locals performed prayer ceremony. Scenic area around a crowded city. Glad we visited but won’t go back again
* Explore Harajuku area. Lots of clothing, boutique, snacks shops. There are also some brand name stores when you reached the main streets
* Lunch at [Gyukatsu Motomura Harajuku](https://maps.app.goo.gl/L3oyKsHNSfj8F1nZ8) for beef cutlet rice
* 5/5 – One of the best meals we’ve had on this trip. The beef came in rare. There is a stone plate where you can cook the meat to the tenderness you prefer. Batter was fresh not oily. Crispy on the outside, soft mouth watering beef on the inside. Meal comes with miso soup and a side salad too.
* Tip: If you don’t want to lineup, be there a few minutes before 11:00AM when they opens. When we left at 11:45 there was already a long line up.
* Shopped at Mega Don Quijote. HIGHLY RECOMMEND for souvenirs and snacks. They have skincare, pharmacy, luggages.. lots of different category of items
* Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building near sunset. Beautiful views of the city. Detailed explanation of important landmarks in Tokyo. Saw Mount Fuji from afar.
* [Ichiran ramen](https://maps.app.goo.gl/iqEpL1sys7sZVcX66) at Shinjuku location. No lineup at this Ichiran location when we went at 5:30PM. Lots of seats still available
* 3.5/5 – I personally enjoyed the dining experience more than the ramen itself. From ordering at a vendening machine to enjoying your food at a solo booth with 0 interaction with staff. Ramen was done to the exact preference, but broth flavor wasn’t as good compared to other local places. Worth visiting if you’ve never been.
* Explored Shinjuku area. Stumbled upon the famous red light district by accident. Shopped at Standard Product – discount store that is part of the same chain as Daiso
**Day 3 (Tskiji, Ginza, Asakusa):**
* [Udon & soba noodles from a 24/7 shop](https://maps.app.goo.gl/jki5WfM2fo5EjYjB9)
* 4/5 – If you want cheap breakfast noodles that opens early in the morning, it is the place to be!
* [Hoshino coffee](https://maps.app.goo.gl/n2yLKoKM2RKTQRJq5). Chain coffee shop around Japan
* 2/5 – An americano coffee tasted watered down. Had better coffee everywhere else. Was expecting more for a 800Â¥ coffee
* Tsukiji Outer Market. Spent an hour exploring all the stalls. Lots of variety of small snacks but not cheap. Recommend trying torched tuna steak
* Team Labs. Unique experience with lots of cool exhibits. Great for photos and way to spend to spend 2-3 hours. Highly recommend if you haven’t been before.
* Lunch at [Marui Sushi Ginza](https://maps.app.goo.gl/8AWcQX4WAhV8UGio8)
* 4/5 – More on the expensive side, but overall good quality. Ordered ele on rice & sushi set
* Ginza shopping area. Lots of brand name stores alongside the street (similar to Rodeo drive). Went to the 7 floor UNIQLO (flagship) and MUJI
* Asakusa for knief shopping. They let you try out different kniefs on chopping boards. All the stores offer similar prices
* Dinner at local grocery store. 4.5/5 for the price and options they have (1000Â¥ for dinner for 2 with drinks)
**Day 4 (Osaka):**
* [Blue Bottle Coffee](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GrFVAL3bsbUgDAej6)
* 5/5 – Rich coffee flavor with tasty breakfast options. We tried their coffee in LA and it’s consistently enjoyable.
* Travelled to Osaka on Shinkasen. Got bento boxes on train ride
* 4.5/5 – They have a lot of themed boxes for you to choose from at the station. Each box gives you small sampler. All the sampliers compliments each other too!
* Den Den Town. Lots of manga/anime themed figures, claw machine etc. Must go if you are into anime and pop culture
* Dontobori area. Slightly overrated. Heavy crowds that day since they blocked off a few of the bridges to cross the river. Daifuku and strawberry ice cream at a local shop
* Kuromon Market. Similar style to Dontobori if you don’t have time to explore both. Kumono market has more snack stalls whereas Dontobori are sit down restaurants/shopping
**Day 5 (Osaka):**
* Osaka Aquarium. Would recommend if you are in Osaka. Biggest aquirum in Japan. They have exibits from polar to tropical regions. Took 2 hours to walkaround the entire area.
* Lunch at [Sukiya](https://maps.app.goo.gl/pbxLRaGBoctMNAaSA)
* 5/5 if you are looking for quick, cheap and reliable restaurant for japanese “fast food”. Many chain locations across Japan. We ordered curry beef gyudon. Combo comes with miso soup and salad. Quality and price is on point.
* Umeda Sky Building. Enjoyed reading the concpet/history of how this building came to be, more than the view itself (cloudy when we went). Would recommend going if you want a nice area view of Osaka
* [Fluffy pancakes for snack](https://maps.app.goo.gl/bwapfLUCeQBKPXtm9)
* 4/5 – super soft on the inside. The butter spread on the pancakes was the star of the dessert
* Ramen at [kamukura](https://maps.app.goo.gl/mpFE4aEAuQYLwXxR8)
* 4/5 – We were craving vegetables and something less salty on this trip and this place delivers it! Broth was light with lots of noodles and vegetables.
**Day 6 (Osaka):**
* Morning coffee at [Cafe LA.](https://maps.app.goo.gl/38j6kdzMNMKgCZAc7)
* 4/5 – Staff is fully english speaking & friendly. Mostly tourists and expats. Have updated english board games. Feels like a board games cafe back home. Only critism is the place is dimmed with lights. Feels like a bar more than a cafe.
* Osaka Castle. Didn’t have the best time since it felt like 40 deg. Saw someone getting a heat stroke. Walking outside the castle perimeter is more than enough to get a good view
* Okonomiyaki at [Ajinoya](https://maps.app.goo.gl/eBTnDX18piJYuTD76)
* 5/5 – Waited for 2 hours in line. Restaurant exceeded wait time capacity at 6:30PM for a resturant that closes at 11PM. Ordered an okonomiya and yakisoba shared between 4 people. Super satisfifying.
* Round One. Chain aracade games with bowling area. Perfect for group hangouts and killing time if you don’t want to shop or eat or walk.
**Day 7 (Kyoto):**
* Arashiyama Bamboo Grove The main forest area surrounded by torists. Hard to get a nice photo. At one of the crossroads, we paid 1000Â¥ to see the a private garden (Okochi Sanso Garden). Felt that was more worth it since it’s less crowded.. feels more scenic and peaceful to walk around.
* [Arabaca coffee](https://maps.app.goo.gl/qMLQdW5qD1mwa9558)
* 5/5 – Waited 30 minutes in total for the coffee. But totally worth it!
* Nishiki market. Better expereince with more unique food stalls compared to Kuromon Market. Got a few skewers for lunch
* Matcha dessert at [Maccha House](https://maps.app.goo.gl/dthPL4gdUusErTCDA)
* 4/5 – Waited for 1.5 hours to get in. Their green tea tarimisu is promoted on Tiktok everywhere but it doesn’t taste the same as the ones you get at an Italian resturant (the presentation is amazing tho). Their other desserts such as the the maccha drinks taste better.
**Day 8 (Uji):**
* Explored local area. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this small town if you want to avoid crowds to a more scenic area. Saw more locals visiting than torists.
* Macha souvenirs at Nakamura Tokochi. They have English speaking staff that can help you choose which matcha product fits you. Also have a tasting room to try all the items for a low cost before making any purchases
* Dipping udon at [Mita-Seimenjo Namba](https://maps.app.goo.gl/75sgjRuuT8VTZ9jD8). Ordered Tsukemen style udon (sauce and udon seperated)
* 3.5/5 – Love the idea of having seperate udon & dipping sauce for people who doesn’t want to inhale all the sodium in most soup broths. A bit on the salty side but super savery flavors. They make the broth with both fish & pork.
**Day 9 (Hiroshima):**
* Miyajima Island. Alternative to taking pictures with deers at Nara (although you can’t feed them here), they are everywhere. Make sure you account for at least half a day for this island since it’s a bit of a far travel.
* Hiked Mount Misen. Around 1 hour hike, medium in difficulty. Need to take a cable car ride to the top of the mountain before hiking to the peak. Would recommend if you want a high point view of islands in Hiroshima area
* [Okonomiya at Okonomiyaki Ron](https://maps.app.goo.gl/tXfHv8h69CjbTof87)
* 5/5 – The owner makes amazing hiroshima style okonomiyaki! She is super engaging with all guests and makes them feel very welcomed! She speaks fluent English. We saw some customers stayed for hours drinking beer and hanging out around her shop. We got free dessert on the house after the meal from her too!
* Atomic Bomb Dome. The history of this place is rich. Learned more about the impact of the atomic bomb and the impact it casued local communities. Wish we had time to visit the museum as well. Would recommend if you are in the area
* Conveyor Belt Sushi [Sushiro](https://maps.app.goo.gl/xyKEpuLtR6ppopwe6)
* 4/5 – Very afforable sushi. Love their conveyor belt experience with lots of options and customization avaliable. You can order half sushi rice to get more from the sashimi
Day 10 (Tokyo)
* [Japanese grill house](https://maps.app.goo.gl/KRCsM6AYpSgQcskcA)
* 3/5 – Staff cooks the meat for you. Delicious wagu rolls. The place didn’t exceed our expectations but we are glad we tried a grill house.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to ask questions or leave a comment on any feedback you have.
11 comments
That’s awesome. Did you carry cash out r were cards accepted?
The 3 times I had to sleep around Kansai area, the Kyoto budget accommodations where always cheaper, better and more centrally located than the surprisingly expensive „cheapest“ Osaka locations. A bad bunkbed for two people in a hostel in Osaka was almost always same price or more expensive then a two person room in a cheap hotel in Kyoto.
Plus night and early walks are much more enjoyable in Kyoto imo.
Most tourists should focus on Kyoto anyway and do daytrips to Kansai destinations from there sinxe the bulk of their Kansai trips are probably best spent in Kyoto 👀
Wow you fit so much into your 11 days!
We were there for 14 around the same period and did a similar itinerary so understand how challenging the weather was for people from northern climates. Reading your day summaries makes me feel sweaty and tired lol. Thank you fot sharing.
IMO, U should focus on staying in Kyoto if you’re touring Kansai. Kyoto’s budget lodgings offer better value than Osaka’s priciest. U save more, and night and early strolls are a vibe in Kyoto. Daytrip2 other Kansai spots from Kyoto, U’ll have a blast. JSYK, the bulk of your trip will likely be spent there anyway. 👀
Did you stay over night in Hiroshima or make it a day trip?
Canadian couple here who went last week for 2 weeks. I already miss it. If you like coffee, try Koffee Mameya Kakeru next time. We had their coffee tasting course and it was a very nice experience. I heard good things about Glitch as well. 🙂 the weather is so hot, I’m glad to be coming back to fall (currently in S.Korea).
Which esim company did you use?
Great write up! We have a very similar trip coming up so this will all be very helpful.
I do have a main question to ask you. Did you fly into Narita? If yes how long would you say it took you from getting off the plane to on the Narita Express after JR exchange and any checked luggage(if you brought any)?
We are arriving at about 530 PM and need to catch the Shinkansen to Osaka. (Glad to see I wasn’t the only one with the idea to base out of Osaka to see Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Nagoya! Thought I was crazy.) I’ve heard the timeframe is much better now that quarantine is no longer required but I want to make sure we don’t have to stay in a capsule hotel if we get out of the airport too late.
Did you use 1 ic card for the whole trip?
I’m having a hard time getting an esim service. Did you have to unlock your phone?
Do you think Japan is accessible without internet during the day, and using wifi only? Was thinking of doing that instead.
Did you have any problems spending your 2000 yen notes? Did anyone refuse to take them?