Japan: Xavier
Where am I? - Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Nara, Fuji-Kawaguchiko)
Duration - 2 weeks (during winter in January)
Suitable for - Japan is amazing for everyone! It’s got the vibrant metropolis of the major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, cultural highlights of stunning Kyoto, Miyajima and Nara, historical sites like Hiroshima and the natural beauty of Kawaguchiko and Mt Fuji.
TOKYO
After landing from Busan, at the busy Narita, we caught the Skyliner Express to central Tokyo to spend our next 3 nights near the bustling Shinjuku area of Tokyo! I was amazed by Tokyo, it’s such a futuristic, neon-lit megacity with stunning calm cultural sites and delicious dining options within this metropolis. The JR Yamanote Line is Tokyo’s most important circular train line and was located nearby to enjoy and access all the fabulous areas of Tokyo.
We split our stay with 3 nights at the start of the trip in Shinjuku area, followed by 3 nights near Ueno at the end. I’m still missing my 7/11 Onigiri snacks and authentic matcha drinks to this day!! My days in Tokyo consisted of jam-packed days of exploration around the many different regions of Tokyo:
Shinjuku & Shibuya: I was amazed by the bustling Shinjuku and Shibuya areas, with its packed neon-lit streets. From the amazing shopping to dining, you can easily spend a day between these two iconic regions. One of my top recommendations is to visit the Omoide Yokocho Memory Lane which is tucked between Shinjuku’s skyscrapers offering a warren of narrow alleys where locals and tourists both enjoy grilled dinners in these small family-run Teppanyaki style restaurants, typically only seating about 5 people at a time. This was such a great dinner experience! Further afield from Shibuya is a great more residential area known as Shimokitazawa which has tons of trendy cafes, vintage clothing stores and a super cute atmosphere – I could have spent days exploring these streets!
Meiji Jingu & Harajuku: If this is your first visit to Tokyo, Meiji Jingu is a must visit shrine dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji, located in the Shibuya region of Tokyo near Yoyogi Park. The main shrine and the surrounding forested grounds are free to enter, which are great for a relaxed stroll away from the busy streets of nearby quirky Harajuku. You can purchase Omamori (御守/お守り) which are typically in the forms of key rings or messages at the shrines throughout Japan, dedicated to Shinto and Buddhist figures, designed to offer luck and protection.
Teamlabs Planets & DisneySea: After hearing about many fellow Aussies visiting Teamlabs, we made sure to reserve out tickets to Teamlabs Planets to visit this great attraction. It features so many cool rooms of digital art and immersive experiences like a sensory water room where you wade through art installations, an unforgettable experience! That night we also visited DisneySea with the nighttime pass entry, which was a fun way to undertake some rides, have a bite to eat and enjoy the fabulous late-night fireworks!
Ueno & Asakusa: In the second half of my Tokyo stay at the end of the trip, I had a solo exploration day of Tokyo visiting some highlights like the iconic Sensoji Temple, which is Tokyo’s oldest and one of the most stunning temples in Asakusa. Right near this temple and the famous Nakamise Street is Kengo Kuma’s Asakusa cultural centre, one of my favourite buildings in Tokyo which offers great rooftop views over the Asakusa region. Kappabashi Street, also known as ‘Kitchen Town’, is a shopping street between Ueno and Asakusa, famous for its array of store selling kitchenware and stunning Japanese plates/crockery – I bought some super cute bowls during my time here!
The fabulous Ueno Park which I explored for hours on end, involved strolling through the stunning gardens and visiting the nearby Ameya-Yokocho Market which was another great spot to visit right near Ueno station, known for its wide variety of produce, clothing and cosmetics. I also enjoyed the Dotcom coffee shop in 浅草橋 Asakusa Bashi as well during my day of exploration in this area of Tokyo.
Ginza: A trip to Tokyo would not be complete without a visit to the fabulous 10-storey Uniqlo in the Ginza area (more CBD) of Tokyo. I couldn’t believe the size of this flagship store!
KYOTO
Taking a Shinkansen to Kyoto, we had 6 nights to explore this fabulous region of Japan, with Kyoto serving as a great central base for some super day trips. Basing ourselves near the lovely Nijo castle in Kyoto, I loved exploring many of the cultural highlights of this iconic city, including the popular Kyomizudera Temple (with fab views over Kyoto) and the picturesque streets of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. Here, the lovely sites of Yasaka shrine can be visited, as well as the Pontocho Alley in the Gion District of Kyoto which is a great area to enjoy Kyoto’s bustling restaurant and dining scene!
Given we had a week in Kyoto, we undertook 4-day trips to different surrounding areas, all of which were amazing!
The first day was a visit to Osaka to explore the fabulous Osaka Castle and the famous running man at Dotonbori in Osaka. The night markets and street food of this city were amazing. I would’ve loved more time in Osaka, and it’s super accessible from Kyoto on the JR line!
The second day-trip included a visit to the fabulous Nara and Fushimi Inari where we saw the famous Todai-ji Temple and Diabutsu (Great Buddha). You can buy stunning Omamori calligraphy good luck charms at this temple for 500 yen. Also highly recommend a visit to the Nara Deer Park where you can feed deer, however, be careful as they are very comfortable around people and can be quite aggressive haha! A night visit to the Fushimi Inari was a great stop on the way back to Kyoto to visit the famous Torii Gates (it was cold though during a winter’s night!).
Also highly recommend a day trip to Arashiyama to visit the fabulous Bamboo Grove and Togetsukyo Bridge. I couldn’t believe how tall the bamboo forest was! The Okochi Sanso Garden was another highlight for me within the bamboo forest. It is a beautiful peaceful garden walk with tea in a garden teahouse included in the entry fee. The Monkey Forest Iwatayama was also a great way to get up close with these super cute monkeys up the local mountain – such a cool experience! Be prepared for the walk up though!
I also loved our day trip to the undiscovered Kibune, which was a lovely small tranquil village in Kyoto’s northern mountains, with traditional wooden restaurant buildings, the famous Kifune Shrine, a stunning river and local walking trails, accessible via train and bus from Kyoto. Here, we had a fabulous local set menu lunch in a traditional tatami setting along the river. On the way back to Kyoto, a visit to the fabulous Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) was an iconic site to visit.
HIROSHIMA, MIYAJIMA & MOUNT FUJI
The next 4 days included 2-nights at the historic Hiroshima. It was very saddening, but so interesting to learn about the history at the Peace Memorial and Atomic Bomb Dome. I do suggest including a visit to Hiroshima to learn about the history. Hiroshima is also known for their fabulous Okonomiyaki, so I suggest a dinner at the Okonomimura complex which is a unique food hall offering entirely these Teppanyaki style pancakes in Hiroshima. A day trip to the fabulous island of Miyajima was a great way to see the ‘floating’ Torii Gate, more deer roaming around the island and stunning cultural sites. I enjoyed the local Momiji Manju treats which are maple-leaf shaped confectionary with yummy fillings – the matcha flavour was my favourite!
After an additional Shinkansen back to Tokyo and an express bus to FujiKawaguchiko, I had 2 nights at the stunning Fuji. Despite being wintertime, we still were able to have glimpses of the iconic mountain from this stunning town, although we didn’t have any luck with Mt Fuji viewing at the Chureito Pagoda due to cloud cover unfortunately. If you are visiting Japan in wintertime, a day trip from Tokyo to Fuji might be the best way to visit the iconic mountain. A visit to the famous Fuji-Q Highland was a fabulous amusement park offering Guinness World Record roller coasters, with views over Fuji from the top of the rides!
Overall, I had an amazing 2 weeks in Japan and highly recommend everyone visits, even in the wintertime, especially given it avoids the spring/autumn crowds. I would love to see the Sakura in springtime in Japan one day though and highly recommend combining a Japan trip with a week in South Korea given their close proximity! 😊
Read about my time in South Korea here.