Top favorites of Japan
Tokyo
Tokyo shook our hand, kissed us, then slapped us in the face. She was a lady of many moods, and they'd shift as quickly as a summer downpour. She was a mixtape that mashes tradition and tech, where each district carries a unique sound.
ATTRACTION
Rippongi Hills Sky deck
Inside a mall (Rippongi hills). Take elevator to sky deck level for expansive views.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Shinjuku
Shinjuku is the old “red light district”. It now has a ton of amazing neon lights and night life. Must see at night.
Must visit:
Golden Gai - alleys of bars/restaurants (best at night)
Rain and Ramen in Golden GaiYakitori Alley - A narrow alley filled with small yakitori stalls in Shinjuku.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Akihabara
A fun area if you’re into anime, action figures, tech, and video games.
TEMPLE
Senso-Ji
In Asakusa district, this temple draws big growds with it’s massive red gates. If you go before sunset, there are usually stalls full of shops and delicious food infront of the temple and behind.
SHINTO SHRINE
Meji-Jingu
This is the park leading up to Meji-jingu, a serene Shinto shrine in the yeart of Harajuku district.
ATTRACTION
Teamlab borderless
Teamlab is a collective of interactive artists. Borderless is one of their art installations. Very cool if you’re into that sort of thing. We loved it!
Read: Inside teamlab borderless
Kyoto
While Tokyo dazzled us with her lights, technology, and boundless nightlife energy, Kyoto soothed us with a calm smile and a perfectly poured cup of matcha tea. She welcomes all who flock to her with warmth and stoicism.
To most, she's a lady of mystery and secrets — an attraction worth getting to know. She poses for pictures but never speaks a word. Some try to be her. They copy her clothing, wear her makeup, and don her geta sandals, but none can move with poise and grace like her. None can imitate the history and culture that runs through her veins. She's a one-of-a-kind, a jewel that will forever attract adoration and awe.
TEMPLE
Kennin-Ji
Famous for it’s dragon ceiling, Kennin-ji dazzled us with their stunning rock gardens and mossy atrium. Bring good socks! They make you take your shoes off to visit.
ATTRACTION
Arashiyama bamboo forest
This is a major attraction, but honestly, don’t believe the hype. The bamboo is not as green as i have it in the photos, and the “forest” is quite short.
TEMPLE
Otagi ninbutsu-ji
Not far from Arashiyama forest, is a hidden gem! This buddhist shrine has hundreds of individual buddha statues, all carved by patrons in different styles and covered in moss. It’s a serene exerpeince.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Pontcho alley
A really fun area for nightlife. Lots of great bars and restaurants.
ATTRACTION
Fushimi-inari shrine
Very touristy and busy, but a great hike up the mountain under these red torii gates.
ATTRACTION
Nishiki market
Fantastic covered market with all sorts of vendors.
Osaka
Osaka, the kid sister to Tokyo, welcomed us with a boisterous hug and a sparkle in her eye. What she lacks in size and tradition, she makes up for in pageantry. She tugged on our sleeves and dragged us off to her favorite places. Whether it's getting a panoramic view of the city, shopping for red octopus plushies, or playing pinball at the local mall arcade, she was determined to show us a good time.
At night, she came alive in a maze of streets and canals packed with restaurants, all touting unique flavors as big as their storefront mascots.
She flaunted her culinary alchemy, feeding us traditional Osakan street food like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and fluffy cheesecake. Her energy is intoxicating, and her charms are endearing.
DISTRICT
Dotonbori
This district feels like disneyland meets food markets. There are tons of neon signs, and massive “characters” that sit above food stalls. The street food is amazing.
Castles
Kanazawa Castle
Stunning castle + has one of the best gardens in Japan: Kenroku-en
Okayama Castle
Another really amazing one with a beautiful garden, Korakuen.
Hikone Castle
Really nice area for a day trip from Kyoto. Beautiful wooden interior. You can explore multiple levels and look out from the higher floors. The gardens are lovely too.
Osaka Castle
Osaka castle has been modernized for tourism. The inside is a multi-floor museum complete with an elevator. We were unimpressed.
Nagoya Castle
Beautiful interior of this one. Lots of intricate details with ornate Shoji screens and golden inlay work. The moat was massive.
More rural places
Kashimikimi Kumano Shrine
Very famous shrine in the woods near Kumamoto. You walk up these magical steps in the forest. Apparently the trail continues on behind the shrine to a cave, but we missed that part!
Reigando cave
A short jaunt through the forest, peppered by peaceful buddha statues terminating at a cave that was once a shrine.
Takahicho gorge
Touristy, but you can get on a row boat and row down this channel of water. It’s very short, maybe 30 minutes there and back, but Takahicho in general is beautiful if you’re in that area. We had some amazing soba in this small village.
Tomonoura
A charming fisherman village that inspired backgrounds in the beloved Ghibli film, Ponyo. We did a day trip here from Okayama. Took a 30 minute bus that was quite pleasant. Just check the bus times so you don’t get stranded!
Kakunodate
A samurai village in the north of Japan. If you can’t make this one work, there are other Samurai villages you can look for in the south.
Tokaido road
When we visited Hakone, we did a short hike on a portion of the Tokaido road which is an hold historic rout used in the Edo period. Be sure to wear good shoes! It was slippery.