Wrapping up our trip to Japan. This subreddit was invaluable during my trip planning. Huge thanks to all the people who take the time to contribute and share their knowledge/experiences.
We (family of four, including a 15 year old and 12 year old) spent five nights in Tokyo, one night in Hakone, five nights in Kyoto, and three nights in Osaka (with side trips to Nara and Himeji).
Below are recommendations for some of our favorite restaurants and points of interest. (I found Tabelog to be a great resource while planning, so I included the rating in case it’s helpful.) At the end, I include some comments and observations on our hotels and transportation.
Warning: This is a long post! (Split into three parts. This part contains my report on Tokyo.)
Favorite Food/Meals in Tokyo
Sushi Masuda (without kids) – Located in Minato City. We arrived about five minutes before our reservation time and a front of the house staff member was already outside waiting to greet us. The counter had eight seats and everyone began the meal at the same time. We started with a series of appetizers (stand outs included slices of flounder with a monkfish liver dipping sauce and female snow crab topped with uni) and then one delicious nigiri after another. The end of the meal was an unagi hand roll followed by tamago. Chef Masuda had a hand in making every appetizer and prepared each of the nigiri. Everything was very delicious. A very memorable meal. Reservations through omakase.in. Tabelog score: 3.89
Yakiniku Jambo (with kids) – Located in Hongo near Tokyo University. Top-notch yakiniku restaurant offering a number of different cuts of beef. We went all out and ordered various cuts of A5 Wagyu beef and they were incredible. The meat was tender, flavorful, and when eaten right off the grill, utterly delicious. We also pre-ordered the family rice pot, which came in a cast iron pot filled with chunks of juicy beef, rice mixed with some type of aromatic soy based sauce, and topped with scallions. Reservations through tablecheck.com. Tabelog score: 4.30
Pretty Pork Factory (with kids) – Located in Shinjuku. Pork shabu shabu restaurant. The non-descript exterior of the building belies a very nice modern interior. We ordered the pork shabu shabu set meal which came with a series of tasty appetizers before the main shabu course, which came with six different types of heritage pork cuts. It was fun comparing the different cuts and loading up on veggies. Reservations through tablecheck.com. Tabelog score: 3.79
Oreshiki Jun (with kids) -Located on Ramen Alley in Tokyo Station. Tonkatsu ramen. I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to ramen so I’m sure there are better bowls of tonkatsu ramen in Tokyo. That said, a steaming bowl of ramen with thick slices of chasu from this ramen shop hits the spot 100%! I ordered mine topped with black garlic oil and the whole family agreed it was the right move. Queued for 15-20 min. Tabelog score: 3.61
Yakitori Morimoto – Located in Shibuya. Yakitori place with an old school, no-frills atmosphere that we loved. We waited in line for about 20 minutes and upon sitting, ordered a bunch of different skewers including meatball, thigh with scallions, and hearts. All fragrant, juicy, and well seasoned. And the beer was served in ice cold frosty mugs. Service was efficient and to the point. No lingering here! We were in and out in under an hour. Not sure I would cross town to go here, but if you are in the area, it’s a great option. Tabelog score: 3.68
Points of interest
We explored a different area each day. I don’t have much to add beyond what has been repeatedly said on this subreddit about the different neighborhoods. Some favorite experiences included:
1) Guided food tour of Senso-ji and surrounding area through Air BNB experiences. This was so fun; my kids had a blast. Our guide Masa customized the tour for us (we prefer savory over sweet street food) and brought us to some terrific places including a minced beef and onion fried cutlet stand that was one of the tastiest bites of food on our whole trip, and a great unagi onigiri place that we never would have found in our own. Plus, he took photos of us during the tour and sent me the google drive link afterward.
2) Teamlab Planets. Seems this exhibition is quite polarizing; I’m definitely in the “ love it!” category. Each of the rooms was fun, whimsical, and creative. My kids had a ball and were smiling from ear to ear the entire time. I do think, however, our overwhelmingly positive experience was due in large part to reserving the first entry of the day. We did not have to step over crowds of people and got to experience each room without a bunch of people already in the room. If you’re on the bubble about going here, try to book the earliest slot possible.
3) Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Nakameguro. Like most other 15 year olds, my daughter is obsessed with Starbucks so we took a side trip here for her. I’m really glad we did for two reasons: 1) We got a chance to walk around the Nakameguro neighborhood, which had a great young, hip, and laid back vibe. Very different from the other areas in Tokyo we visited. 2) The coffee and pastries were delicious! Having coffee made from beans freshly roasted onsite was a nice treat.