Trip Report: 2 Weeks in Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Koyasan and Kanazawa

Since this sub was so helpful in planning, I wanted to share my itinerary and trip report! We had an incredible first time in Japan and I can’t wait to go back.

**Couldn’t fit our (very detailed) itinerary in this post, but if you’d like to download it’s** [**here**](https://docdro.id/Te7KCTa)**.**

Medium article version with photos + itinerary is [here](https://medium.com/@katefeetie/2-weeks-in-japan-trip-report-itinerary-ac0ab7ac6ed7).

And our shareable Google map is [here](https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1SWK_5ttCUnLDIVd6hD2PSYeiUasFuLU&usp=sharing).

**About us:**

* We’re New Yorkers in our 30s who have been planning this trip for about 6 months.
* My bf has been learning Japanese for about a year, and I’ve been learning for about 5 months (a mix of Pimsleur and Duolingo).
* Boyfriend is into history and baseball, I’m into skincare and nature, but we’re both big on food so that was our number one priority.
* He has a peanut allergy and avoids all nuts. He learned to say that in Japanese (私はピーナッツアレルギーがあります – “Watashi wa piinattsu arerugī ga arimasu”), and every restaurant and hotel was understanding and careful. Luckily most cuisine is nut-free anyway, but we managed not to have any close calls in 2 weeks which is amazing.

**Some overall learnings:**

* If I were planning this trip again, I think I would skip Kanazawa. It was a lovely town and the food was amazing, but we wished we had spent that time with a night or two in Osaka instead of just making it a day trip from Kyoto.
* Even if you’re not a baseball fan, Japanese baseball games are so much fun. I’ve never experienced anything like it.
* I packed a suitcase and brought a fold-up duffel bag, and halfway through the trip I moved my clothes to the duffel and just used the suitcase for souvenirs. It was a great idea but we ended up buying an extra suitcase at Donki our last day anyway.
* We both felt a bit underdressed compared to locals, especially in Tokyo. I wish I’d packed more dresses, skirts and trousers and fewer jeans and tees – the only people I saw wearing sweats, athletic wear or cutoffs were other tourists. Obviously you can wear what you want, just be aware you’ll stick out! Also, women are generally more covered up, even on warmer days, to protect their skin from the sun.
* If you go clothes shopping, take your shoes off in dressing rooms. I made a right fool of myself.
* Clothes sizing is wildly different in Japan. Know your cm measurements! Your size here may be hurtful to your ego.
* People line up to get on the train (check the ground for a guide of where to stand) and let everyone off before they get on. This seems obvious, but I’ve been living in New York so long that I wanted to weep tears of joy every time.
* If you’re new to sitting showers: there are two buttons. One is to fill up a bowl of water, and the other is to turn on the handheld shower head. Both automatically turn off a minute after you turn them on, but you can also turn them off manually. You sit on the little stool and there’s usually a mirror in front of you, which is… a humbling experience. There are usually also scrubbing washcloths.
* The worst train station toilet was still nicer than a goddamn Nordstrom bathroom. It was a pleasure to have IBS in Japan.
* At many European and American historical sites, you pay a hefty flat fee to see everything. In Japan, you can usually get into the temple grounds for free, then pay for each individual building you go into. Most were 400-700y/person, which felt really reasonable.
* We came at an almost perfect time (mid-May) weather-wise. Most days it was clear or sunny with a high in the mid-seventies. We definitely got some rain, but less than we were expecting (maybe 3-4 rainy days and 5-6 rainy nights).

**Hotel Reviews:**

**Tokyu Stay Shinjuku Eastside (Tokyo):** This was a great basic hotel, close to plenty of transportation and right on the edge of Kabukicho. The buffet breakfast was the highlight – a great mix of Western and Japanese breakfast options, including a great miso soup.**Hakone Airu (Hakone):** Mixed review here. On the one hand, the in-room onsen and public onsen were both wonderful, and the service was extraordinary. On the other hand, the mix of Balinese and Japanese didn’t quite work, and dinner and breakfast were more confusing than enjoyable.**Hotel Alza (Kyoto):** By far our favorite stay. I can’t recommend this place enough, and it was definitely worth paying a little extra. They brought us an amazing bento breakfast in our rooms every morning, they had every amenity we could need (they even re-upped the free sheet masks every day), and the micro-bubble bath at the end of a long day of walking was amazing.**Koyasan Syukubo Ekoin Temple (Mt Koya):** This was a great temple experience. Koyasan in general is obviously pretty tourist-y, but Eko-in still made it feel authentic, and dinner and breakfast were both amazing. Your stay includes a meditation class, morning prayers and a morning fire ritual, and you can pay to attend a cemetery tour, all of which were great.**Utaimachi (Kanazawa):** We were only here for two nights, but this place was pretty good. Very close to the Higashi Chaya area, where we didn’t actually end up spending much time. Always love tatami mat flooring, and the washer/dryer was a nice bonus, but we were also right next to the lobby and right under another room so there was some noise.**The Gate Asakusa (Tokyo):** A great and very Westernized hotel with amazing views of Shinso-ji and the surrounding area. It’s on the top floors of a building right in the middle of all things Asakusa, but is still pretty quiet. And has a wonderful, deep soaking tub with free bath salts.

# Tuesday: Arrival, Shinjuku

**1 PM: Arrival at Haneda**

We got customs and immigration forms to fill out on the plane and everything went fairly quickly. Picked up some cash and Suica cards, went to see about taking the Airport Limousine bus ($10/each) but we should have booked in advance because there wasn’t one for another hour. We ended up taking a taxi (about $50) to our hotel in Shinjuku.

**4 PM: Arrival at hotel – Tokyu Stay Shinjuku East Side**

We dropped our luggage and went to a nearby eel restaurant, Shinjuku Unatetsu. The eel was incredible and not too filling. Wandered Kabuki-cho for a bit, I dragged my bf through all 4 floors of Don Quijote (I had a list of beauty items to pick up), then rested at the hotel.

**7 PM: Dinner in Shinjuku (Tsunahachi)**

We went to Tsunahachi for dinner and got some amazing tempura (I wish we had sat at the bar to watch it being made!) and then crashed by 9 pm, because we are young and cool.

# Wednesday: Harajuku, Meiji, and Shibuya

**7 AM: Hotel breakfast**

Up early for hotel breakfast, which has convinced bf to start making miso soup every morning.

**9 AM: Shinjuku Station – Pick up JR Passes**

We went to Shinjuku station to pick up our JR passes, then spent 30 minutes finding the place where we could get them before 10 AM. There was a long line (staff shortage) so we waited about an hour but we got them and headed to Harajuku.

**11 AM: Meiji Shrine & Yoyogi Park**

We walked to Meiji Shrine, stopping at the gardens along the way (well worth the 500y entrance fee, especially on a beautiful day). We were lucky to come across a wedding at the shrine. Then we walked around Yoyogi Park a bit.

**1 PM: Lunch (Gyoza Lou)**

Walked into Gyoza Lou and were seated right away. Incredible gyoza as well as beer and bean sprouts with meat sauce – maybe 10 bucks total for 2 people.

**1:30 PM: Shopping/museums in Harajuku**

We split up so I could do some shopping in vintage stores – Flamingo, TAGTAG and Kinji (my favorite), and bf could go to the Ota Memorial Museum for their Cats in Ukiyo-e exhibit (which he loved). I walked down Takeshita street to meet him and managed to get a green tea, strawberry and red bean paste crepe from Marion Crepes.

**3 PM: Shibuya Scramble & Hachinko Statue**

We grabbed the train to Shibuya, saw the scramble and the Hachinko statue, then entered the maze that is Tokyu Hands. I got some onsen powders for gifts and some more cosmetics. My boyfriend checked out the Bic camera store and I went to Gu, which is like the love child of Uniqlo and Primark. I immediately undid all the “light packing” I did with new clothes.

**7 PM: Dinner Reservation – Shinjuku Kappu Nakajima**

I got us a reservation a few months ago at Shinjuku Kappu Nakajima. It was probably one of the best meals of my life. The omakase came out to less than $100usd each, which felt like a steal.

**9 PM: Golden Gai bar (Bar Araku)**

We wandered Golden Gai and went into a bar where the entrance fee was waived for foreigners called Bar Araku. It was very small but had great vibes, highly recommend. I drank too much sake, which will be a theme.

# Thursday: Shinjuku

**4 AM: Earthquake**

The phone alerts are insanely loud! We rushed down to the hotel lobby and the only other people there were fellow foreigners – apparently Japanese people at the hotel knew a 5.1 is okay to sleep through.

**9 AM: Shinjuku Gyoen**

We strolled around in the sun taking photos for about 3 hours. Today is a lot less planned than yesterday – I kind of wish I’d switched the itineraries after how long getting the JR Pass took. We did go to the fancy Starbucks, of course.

**12 PM: Lunch (Kaiten Sushi Numazuto)**

We tried to go to a nearby sushi place but it was full, so we walked up to Kaiten Sushi Numazuto. We were a little disappointed it wasn’t actually conveyor belt sushi (the conveyor belt was for show and you ordered from the staff). Stopped in Bic camera afterwards for a bit.

**2 PM: Ninja Trick House**

We tried to go to the Samurai museum but learned it closed a few weeks ago. A good excuse to go to the Ninja Trick House instead. You’re thinking: “Isn’t that place for children?” Yes. Yes it is. And we loved every minute. I now have a camera roll full of myself being terrible at throwing stars. The dream.

**3 PM: Don Quijote**

More Don Quijote, mostly to get out of the rain. Got my last few beauty products I really wanted and a few souvenirs. An overstimulating heaven.

**6 PM: 3-hour Shinjuku Foodie Tour**

We signed up for a 3-hour “foodie tour” of Shinjuku that stopped at a sushi place, a Japanese bbq spot with insane wagyu beef, and a sake tasting spot. It was great, and we loved our guide, but wished it had stopped at a few more spots to try more things.

**9 PM: Walk around Shinjuku**

We attempted to play pachinko, got very confused and lost $7. Tourism!

# Friday: Hakone

**7 AM: Set up luggage forwarding to Kyoto with hotel**

Luggage forwarding is brilliant. We did it twice and it went so smoothly, for about $10 USD per bag. Highly recommend.

**9 AM: Transit to Hakone**

We got to experience Japanese transit at rush hour. I can’t believe I have to go back to the MTA after this. We took the subway to Tokyo station and then the Shinkansen to Odawara, then a train to Hakone-Yumoto. The hotel was only a 20-minute walk away, so we decided to take a more scenic route – which turned out to be a forest hike straight up switchbacks most of the way.

**11 AM: Lunch in Hakone (Hatsuhana)**

We stopped in a soba place called Hatsuhana with a system of writing your name down and waiting outside to be called in. They skipped our names because they weren’t in Japanese, but let us in when they realized their mistake. The soba was made and served by old aunties so of course it was insanely good and well worth it.

**1 PM: Hakone Open Air Museum**

We took the train down to the Hakone Open Air Museum, which lived up to the hype. I’m not normally into sculpture, but seeing it in nature, and the way the museum is laid out, made it incredible. And obviously the Picasso exhibit was amazing.

**3 PM: Owakudani, Pirate Ship, Hakone Checkpoint**

We took the train to the cable car to Owakudani, then the ropeway to Togendai, then the pirate ship ferry to Motohakone. We were running behind so unfortunately had to rush through the Hakone Checkpoint, which was empty but very cool.

**6 PM: Dinner at hotel**

Back to our hotel for our kaiseki meal. The staff spoke very little English and Google struggled with the menu, so we had no idea what we were eating half the time, but overall it was pretty good.

**9 PM: Onsen time**

Experienced my first public onsen, followed by the private onsen in our room. The tatami sleep did wonders for my back.

# Saturday: Travel to Kyoto, Philosopher’s Path, Gion

**8 AM: Breakfast, travel to Kyoto**

Took the train to Odawara and then the Shinkansen to Kyoto station. We booked all of our Shinkansen seats about a week in advance but you can also book them on the day, I believe.

**1 PM: Lunch in Gion**

Our Kyoto hotel let us check in early, and then we went looking for lunch. Quickly learned that most every place in the Gion area has a line outside and closes at 2! We eventually found a tiny spot with insanely good ramen. It also had chicken sashimi on the menu but we weren’t brave enough.

**2 PM: Philosopher’s Path, Ginkaku-ji**

We took a bus over to the Philosopher’s Path, which was not busy at all because of the rain. It was pretty, and I could see how great it would look in cherry blossom season. We had to kind of rush to Ginkaku-ji, which was gorgeous nonetheless.

**4 PM: Honen-in, Nanzen-ji**

Stopped by Honen-in (which we had completely to ourselves, thanks rain!) and then Nanzen-ji. My bf is a big history guy and he went feral for the Hojo rock garden. It was very pretty and I’d love to see it in better weather.

**6 PM: Food Tour of Gion & Pontocho**

This food tour stopped at two places (an izakaya and a standing bar) with a walking tour of Gion and Pontocho in between. We also stopped at Yasaka shrine and caught a rehearsal of a traditional Japanese performance.

**10 PM: Pain**

My feet hurt so bad. Bring waterproof shoes, but make sure they don’t have 5 year old insoles. I tried some stick-on cooling acupuncture foot pads I picked up at Donki and they were bliss.

# Sunday: Arashiyama, The Golden Pavilion and Tea Ceremony

**8 AM: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest**

The forecast was for heavy rain all day, but we lucked out and only got a few drizzles here and there. We headed to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in the morning and it wasn’t too crowded. We did have an amazing bamboo dish at dinner last night so now bamboo makes me hungry.

**10 AM: Tenryu-ji, Iwatayama Monkey Park**

Headed over to Tenryu-ji, which was very nice but very crowded, and then to one of the things I looked forward to most on the trip, the Iwatayama Monkey Park. It’s a 20 minute hike up there but it is worth it. Oh my god. Getting to feed a baby monkey made my whole week.

**12 PM: Lunch near Arashiyama (Udon Arashiyama-tei)**

Headed back down to the main road and got duck udon at a little place called Udon Arashiyama-tei. I know I keep calling everything incredible but… yes.

**1 PM: Ginkaku-ji**

Ran into some bus issues (the first time we experienced anything public transit-wise not running as expected!) but eventually got over to Ginkaku-ji. It was also very crowded (seems like Japanese schools are big on field trips, which I’m jealous of) and not my favorite temple, but beautiful nonetheless.

**3 PM: Daitoku-ji**

We were ahead of schedule so we got to spend some time at our meeting place for the tea ceremony, Daitoku-ji. It ended up being our favorite temple, especially Daisen-in, a small and very quiet spot with a great self-guided tour. The monks showed us a section normally closed to non-Japanese tourists with beautiful calligraphy.

**4 PM: Tea Ceremony (90 mins)**

The tea ceremony we booked said it was in groups of up to ten, but it ended up being just us. It was very nice and relaxing, plus we got a little meal.

**6 PM: Dinner (Gion Kappa), Pontocho Alley**

We both nearly fell asleep on the bus back so we took it easy for the night. Went to an izakaya called Gion Kappa which had the best tuna belly we’d ever eaten, then did a quick walk around Pontocho Alley, got treats at 7-11 and went to bed early.

# Monday: Fushimi Inari, Nishiki Market, Kyoto Imperial Palace (kinda)

**9 AM: Fushimi Inari**

Our plans to get up super early to beat the crowds to Fushimi Imari were hampered by the fact that we are no longer in our 20s. It was packed by the time we got there, and the amount of littering and defacing done by tourists was a bummer.

**11 AM: Tofuku-ji**

We had planned to go to the Imperial Palace at 10:30 for the Aoi Parade, but decided instead to get away from crowds by hiking from Fushimi Inari to Tofuku-ji, which was beautiful (I’d love to see it in the fall).

**12 PM: Nishiki Market, lunch (Gyukatsu)**

Grabbed lunch first at Gyukatsu (wagyu katsu – delicious) then wandered Nishiki a bit. It’s touristy, but fun.

**2 PM: Kyoto Gyoen, Kyoto Handicraft Center**

It was supposed to rain all day but ended up sunny, so we went back to the hotel to drop off our rain jackets and umbrellas. Stepped back outside and within ten minutes it was raining. We went to Kyoto Gyoen and saw the outside of the imperial palace; it was closed because of the parade earlier and half the garden was blocked off because the former emperor was visiting. Without the palace, Kyoto Gyoen is kind of meh. We walked over to Kyoto Handicraft Center which was also meh, but we picked up some nice lacquerware.

**7:30 PM: Dinner at Roan Kiku Noi**

We had a reservation at Roan Kiku Noi where we had maybe the best meal of our lives. Amazing that it only has two Michelin stars, honestly. Had fun trying to decipher the pain meds aisle at a Japanese pharmacy afterwards and then called it a night.

# Tuesday: Day Trip to Nara

**8 AM: Travel to Nara**

We took the subway to the JR and were there in about an hour.

**9 AM: Nara Deer Park**

Two things about the Nara deer. One: if you bow to them, they bow back, and it’s very cute. And two, if you buy the 200y rice crackers to feed to them, do it somewhere where there aren’t very many of them. I got mobbed by like 15 deer and bitten 3 times. My fault for having skin approximately the shade of a rice cracker.

**10 AM: Kofuku-ji, Nara National Museum**

We saw Kofuku-ji and then the Nara National Museum, then stopped at a random little cafe for rice bowls with some kind of regional sauce (I can’t find it now!).

**12 PM: Isetan Garden**

We spent a long time finding the entrance to the Isetan garden only for it to be closed on Tuesdays.

**2 PM: Giant Buddha**

Saw Nandaimon Gate and the Daibutsu (giant Buddha), which are both every bit as enormous and glorious as advertised, as well as very crowded.

**3 PM: Kasuga-taisha Shrine**

Wandered over to Kasuga-taisha shrine, which is famous for its hundreds of lanterns and thousand-year-old trees. There’s a special inner area (paid) where you can see the lanterns lit up in the dark.

**4 PM: Wait for the emperor**

We got held up by a procession for, guess who, the former emperor again. Stalker.

**5 PM: Nara shopping and snacks**

Walked around Higashimuki Shopping Street and Mochiidono Shopping Arcade, bought a nice sake set and an amazing little hand-painted cat, ate some red bean paste pancakes and headed back to Kyoto.

**7 PM: Dinner in Kyoto**

Walked around Pontocho searching for dinner and landed on Yoshina, where we got even more kaiseki. Finished the night at Hello Dolly, a gorgeous jazz bar overlooking the river.

# Wednesday: Day Trip to Osaka

**7 AM: Depart hotel**

Started by taking the subway to the JR. Took us about an hour altogether, though it would have been faster if we’d caught the express.

**9 AM: Osaka Castle**

We got to Osaka Castle in time for it to hit 85 degrees out. The outside of the castle is gorgeous, but the line to get in was long and I don’t know if the museum parts were worth the wait, especially with the crowds. The view from the top is nice, though.

**12 PM: Okonomiyaki lunch (Abeton)**

We went to an okonomiyaki spot in Avetica station called Abeton that was full of locals and absolutely bomb as hell.

**1 PM: Shitteno-ji, Keitakuen Gardens**

We headed to Shitteno-ji (our oldest temple yet) which was nice, though the climb to the top of then 5 story pagoda wasn’t worth the sweat. Then we walked over to Keitakuen Gardens, a small but gorgeous garden in Tennoji Park. Had a nice sit in the shade to digest and plan our next moves.

**3 PM: Ebisuhigasbi, Mega Don Quijote**

I am a crazy person, so I had to go to the Mega Don Quijote. We walked around Ebisuhigasbi for a while first, and while I was buying gifts in Donki, my boyfriend entered a sushi challenge for westerners (which turned out to just be “can a white boy handle wasabi”) and won a bunch of random crap! Now we own Japanese furniture wipes.

**5 PM: Dotonbori & America-mura**

We took the Osaka Loop to the Dotonbori area, which was super crowded as expected. We walked around America-mura and enjoyed seeing what they think of us. There are great designer vintage clothing shops here if that’s your thing.

**6 PM: Dinner (Jiyuken)**

We tried to get into Koni Doraku, a crab restaurant, but they were booked up, so we went to a tiny spot called Jiyuken for curry instead. I would do things for this curry. It was the platonic ideal of curry. It was served by old Japanese aunties from a very old recipe, so we knew it was going to be good, but it exceeded our wildest expectations… for <1000y each.

**7 PM: Return to Kyoto**

My feet were feeling real bad (the Nikes may look cool but they cannot support 25k steps a day) so we headed back to Kyoto and packed for our early morning tomorrow.

# Thursday: Travel to Koyasan, Temple Stay

**8 AM: Bus from Kyoto to Koyasan**

The transit from Kyoto to Mt Koya is complicated, so we ended up just booking a bus directly from Kyoto Station to Koyasan (which barely cost more than public transit!). We got there bright and early for the 3 hour trip – if you take a bus out of Kyoto Station I definitely recommend giving yourself extra time to navigate to the right bus.

**11 AM: Arrive at Eko-in, lunch**

We arrived in Mt Koya and checked in to our temple, Eko-in. The quiet and the beauty hit me hard and I fell asleep for a few hours. We got a nice lunch at Hanabishi in town.

**4 PM: Meditation class, dinner**

The temple offered a meditation class, which was lovely, followed by a vegan dinner in our rooms. I can’t explain how peaceful this place was.

**7 PM: Okuno-in Cemetery**

We signed up for a monk-led tour of Okuno-in, which was definitely worth it. Came back for some public baths and fell asleep to the sound of rainfall.

# Friday: Travel to Kanazawa, Higashi Chaya District

**7 AM: Service & ritual at Eko-in**

The day started with a religious service and a fire ritual at the temple. Both were stunning. I did wish that my fellow tourists had been a bit more respectful by showing up on time and following directions, but luckily, no one has more patience than a Buddhist monk.

**9 AM: Travel to Kanazawa**

We took a taxi through some sketchy mountain roads to Gokurakubashi Station, took two trains to Osaka Station, and then the JR Thunderbird to Kanazawa.

**1 PM: Arrive at Kanazawa, Lunch (Maimon)**

We got into Kanazawa station and went straight for a sushi spot called Maimon, which was delicious. Struggled a bit with the bus system and eventually got to our hotel, Utaimachi.

**4 PM: Higashi Chaya District**

Wandered the Higashi Chaya district a bit. It seemed kind of dead, but maybe we are just used to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo/Kyoto.

**7 PM: Korinbo, dinner (Uguisu)**

Walked down to the Korinbo area southwest of the park and found a tiny ramen spot called Uguisu. Incredible. Some of the best broth I’ve ever tasted plus amazing sous vide meats.

**9 PM: Bar in Korinbo (Kohaku)**

Went to a little upstairs whiskey bar called Kohaku. Boyfriend got Japanese whiskey and they made me a custom cocktail with sake, pineapple and passion fruit that was just insane. They were very nice and talked baseball with us for a while.

# Saturday: Omicho Market, Kanazawa Castle, 21st Century Museum

**9 AM: Kenroku-en Garden**

We walked over to Kenroku-en Gardens, which were as beautiful as advertised. I was hurting pretty bad (crampy ladies, just know Japanese OTC painkillers are much weaker than ours, BYO Advil) so we’re moving slowly today.

**12 PM: Omicho Market, lunch (Iki-Iki Sushi)**

Walked to Omicho Market and ate little bits from different stalls, then waited about an hour to get into Iki-Iki Sushi. It was worth it. Some of the best, freshest sushi of my life.

**2 PM: Kanazawa Castle, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art**

We walked around Kanazawa Castle a bit, then walked over to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. It was packed and the line to get tickets to the special exhibits was crazy, so we looked at the free ones and then headed back. Along the way we stopped in a few little stores and bought some handcrafted lacquerware from a local artist.

**6 PM: Onnagawa Festival, dinner (Huni)**

As we walked towards the restaurant, we came upon the Onnagawa Festival on the Plum Bridge, which included a beautiful dancing ceremony and lantern lighting. We went to Huni for dinner, our first “westernized Japanese” restaurant, and it was fantastic. 9 dishes served slowly over 3 hours at a table overlooking the river. Highly recommend if you’re in Kanazawa.

**10 PM: Why does the bathtub have a phone**

We went back to our hotel, struggled with the automated bathtub, and enjoyed our last night on tatami floors.

# Sunday: Travel to Tokyo, Tokyo Giants Game, Ueno Park

**7 AM: Travel to Tokyo**

Grabbed a taxi we arranged the night before to Kanazawa Station – it would have been an easy bus journey but our number of bags has increased – and boarded the Shinkansen for Tokyo.

**12 PM: Travel to Tokyo Dome and Tokyo Dome Park**

Dropped our bags at our hotel in Asakusa, then headed for Tokyo Dome. We got there a little early to look around – there’s basically a full mall and food court and amusement park there. We grabbed some beers and some chicken katsu curry that was delicious.

**2 PM: Tokyo Giants vs Chunichi Dragons**

Japanese baseball games are so. much. fun. This was a random mid season game, and the stadium was full and people were amped. I’ve been to many American baseball games and never seen fans this excited. We also scored some fried cheese-wrapped hot dogs on a stick and a few more beers and had the time of our lives cheering for the Giants.

**5 PM: Ueno Park**

After trying and failing to find the jersey we were looking for, we walked to Ueno Park and looked around a bit. It was lovely, but we were exhausted and full of too many beers, so we headed back to Asakusa.

**7 PM: Dinner in Asakusa**

There was a festival all day around Shinso-ji and there were a ton of street vendors and day-drunk people when we arrived in the afternoon (as a native Louisianan, I approve) and it seemed like the partiers were going on into the night. We ducked into a restaurant for some buckwheat soba (never got the name, but it was only okay) and tucked in early.

# Monday: Tsukiji Food Tour, Kapabashi Dougu, Akihabara

**8 AM: 3-hour Tsukiji Food Tour + lunch**

We started the day with a Tsukiji food tour, which ended up being my favorite food tour of the 3 by far. The guide was great, and we stopped by a dozen food stalls and sampled everything from mochi to fresh tuna to octopus cakes. We finished with lunch at Sushi Katsura, where our chef prepared everything in front of us.

**12 PM: Imperial Palace, Don Quijote**

We were planning to spend the afternoon exploring the Imperial Palace and Edo Castle Ruins, but it was hot and the palace was closed, so we walked to Taira no Masakado’s Grave, then headed back to Asakusa for, you guessed it, Don Quijote. I did not intend for this trip to be “guess how many Don Quijotes I can visit” but here we are. We bought another suitcase and I filled it with food and gifts to bring home.

**3 PM: Kappabashi Dougu**

We walked Kappabashi Dougu and browsed kitchenwares while wishing we had a bigger kitchen, an unlimited budget and a way to get a hundred pounds of porcelain home in one piece.

**6 PM: Akihabara dinner + games + drinks**

We took the train to Akihabara, got dinner at Tsukada Nojo, then played games in a few arcades and ended the night at Game Bar A-button, which lets you play vintage handheld games while you drink.

# Tuesday: Senso-ji, Flight

**9 AM: Breakfast, Senso-ji**

We got breakfast pancakes at Kohikan, then walked around Senso-ji and the surrounding shopping streets for a while.

**12 PM: McDonald’s**

Look, I couldn’t leave Japan without doing it, okay? I got the Teriyaki Chicken Burger (too sloppy and sweet) and bf got the Ebi Filet-O (he said it tasted exactly like a Filet-O-Fish). It was not great but I deserve that!

**3 PM: Cab to the airport**

I caught the flu on the flight home and have now been in bed for a week! Welcome back to America, baby.