Visited Japan in March 2024 for 3 weeks (March 5 to March 28).
**Tokyo (March 5 to March 12):**
Ramen – Top 3 on the trip were Nakiryu, Kikanbo & Kagari. The chicken broth ramen at Kagari is so uniquely thick & creamy – I don’t know how else to describe it without sounding like a porno – and also perfectly paired with an array of seasonal vegetables. The tantanramen at Nakiryu is bomb & Kikanbo if you want a cleansing spicier broth. Wait times for all but the queue system at Nakiryu was the best – you get a time slot from a machine outside and can then leave / return for your time.
Yokocho – Favorite nighlife in Tokyo was in the narrow alleyways called Yokocho where you eat skewers & drink beer. Different Yokocho is different neighborhoods and each one has its own vibe / food specialities. Visited Golden Gai, Harmonica, Omoide, Nonbei, Ebisu. Harmonica yokocho had the most local feel because its in Kichijoji, a bit outside the city centre. Golden Gai had a friendly vibe for foreigners / easy to meet people as a solo traveler because you are crammed in these super small bars. Ebisu is not a narrow alleyway in traditional sense, but is lively indoor complex full of small bars and eateries. Omoide & Nonbei were the most touristic / my least favorite, but still worth a visit.
Hiking – Day trip to Mt Takao. Very easy to get to via train from Tokyo & a popular day trip hike for locals. Was a nice change of pace to burn off the all the delicious Japanese food!
Uniqlo – Flagship store in Tokyo. Bring some extra luggage space and go hard on the monochrome.
**Kawaguchiko (March 12 to March 14):**
Ide Shuzo Sake Brewey – Cool sake brewery tour – need to reserve in advance. Get tastings along the way and there is a small area to sit and taste more sake afterwards. Not the most impressive sake brewery compared to others I saw later in the trip, but a nice way to spend a couple hours in Kawaguchiko.
Hiking – you can hike from the Panorama railway to Mt. Mitsutoge. In March, however, it was still quite snowy on the ground and I did not bring hiking shoes. Did some of it but not the whole route – would plan ahead and bring hiking boots if you can plan to do this in winter / early spring.
Ice cream – at Oishi park, there is a shop serving ice cream. GET IT. They have some rad flavors including Muscat – flavors of the grape grown in Japan.
**Koshu (March 15) -** on the way from Kawaguchiko to Matsumoto, I made a day trip to Koshu, which is a wine region in Japan. As wineries are clustered in the same area, was able to visit 5 wineries on foot and do tastings in a couple hours before catching train to Matsumoto. Visited Soryu, Chateau Mercian, Katsunuma, Ikeda, Marufuji. Can’t say Koshu is my favorite wine grape, but it was a fun day excursion to understand the Japan wine scene.
**Matsumoto (March 15 to March 17) -** Small town, didn’t know what to expect but loved it. Famous for being the birthplace of artist Yayoi Kasuma and there is a museum where you can see her works. Sake Pub is a must visit – they have a huge sake list and the owner is extremely friendly / gives you guidance on what types of sake to try. Also dug the craft beer scene – Matsumoto Brewing & Bacca Brewing – the latter which is owned by a Brewer who previously worked in California.
**Takayama (March 17 to March 19):**
Hida Beef – Eat it raw in sushi form, eat it cooked, eat it everywhere. Kobe beef – which I tried later on – definitely my favorite but Hida is no slouch.
Morning Market – Check out the Miyagawa morning market right along the river. Grab some takoyaki from a food stall, a beer from the local brewery stand and chill by the river.
Sake Brewery Tour – Takayama has a huge concentration of sake breweries. When I was there, I unexpectedly got to see the Shizukumiyamatsuri – which is their local sake festival – it takes place in mid-March every year. Grab a map of all the sake breweries in town and do a crawl. Hirase sake brewery is one of the oldest and the best tasting experience – for a small fee you get to try a bunch of their sakes.
**Gero (March 19 to March 20) -** Stayed one night in Gero – an onsen town – which is a short train from Takayama. Super relaxing & authentic ryoko experience albeit a bit pricey. After some onsen time, I don’t think I have ever slept better in my life – that volcanic water really soothes the muscles.
**Kyoto (March 21 to March 24):**
Kaiseki meal – In the geisha district, do a long course kaiseki meal and splurge. Admittedly, not my favorite meal on the trip- others were less expensive and tastier – but it is a cool experience. You sit counter side and see the chef bring out dish after dish of creatively designed food. Book in advance.
Drank – Kyoto Beer Lab is a cool place to meet expats & travelers in Kyoto. Great beers and a friendly vibe. They also a running club each month where they end at the Brewery for some post-workout suds. Sampling matcha tea at a traditional teahouse is also a must. Not a huge matcha person myself, but gotta respect the attention and craft the Japanese put into its production.
**Osaka (March 24 to March 27):**
Tuna – Go to the Kurumon market. Eat the sushi particularly the fatty tuna – it’s incredible, the best I’ve ever had. There is one stand in particular where you will see they prepare the sushi for you, cutting it raw and/or searing it on request – prices there are more expensive than average in the market, but the taste is exquisite.
Kobe – Day trip to Kobe, very easy to access by short train ride from Osaka. We had one mission – eat Kobe beef – and boy did we succeed. The meal is expensive and will put you back 100+ euros, but kobe beef is in its own league. Kobe is also the #1 sake producing region in Japan. Can do a walking tour / sampling of the local sake breweries.
**Hiroshima / Miyajima (March 27 to March 28):**
Day trip in Miyajima island. It was insanely crowded and I thought the IG trap of the underwater gate is overrated. Still, it is worth a visit for a meal to get some of those HUGE oysters. The deer are also funny – they have absolutely no fear and come right up to you trying to steal your food.
Hiroshima was worth a visit for the obvious historical context. Found the museum extremely interesting. For food, the local specialty is okonomiyaki. Can’t say I am a huge fan – it feels more like a bunch of stuff just mushed up together. Good sloppy drunk food, but not my favorite sober meal. Still, eating it tableside at one of the indoor night malls filled with Oki stands is a fun experience.
by nxa74