A Complete Guide to Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Kobe
Guest Blog Written By: Aash Mehta
I cannot think of another country across my travels that has captivated me visually, spiritually, and even existentially as much as Japan. For me, it all comes down to one word: Balance
There is contentment without complacency, chaos without anarchy, and even opulence without greed. Someway, somehow, this island nation with the world’s 4th highest population density has managed to create a society where passion and interest, no matter how unique, is celebrated and encouraged - all while simultaneously remaining respectful of the rich tradition and cultural history of the Japanese people.
Throughout two weeks in Japan, we spent time in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Additionally, we took a day trip to both Nara and Kobe. Instead of giving day by day insights, I’ll share some highlights from each place that I feel are representative of what makes a visit to this country so magical. There is also a map of all the sights at the end of the blog! Before I do so, however, there are a few things general guidelines I want to share when it comes to planning a trip to Japan:
You are not going to be able to see everything you want, much less the entire country, in one single visit. Prioritize accordingly. For our trip, as much as we wanted to go off the beaten path, we decided that would be better saved for a future trip and instead, focused on the three main cities and day trips.
You’ll need to do your own research specific to your interests, especially for Tokyo. There’s really no way around it. There is no ‘right’ itinerary in Japan - it is all about what YOU want to see. This applies not just to which places you want to visit, but how you’ll spend your time within these cities.
Spend some time learning about basic customs in Japan, as they differ in a variety of areas. I’ll share some examples towards the end of this post.
It will feel overwhelming at times when planning, but once you get there, it’s smooth sailing. Everyone is helpful, patient, and willing to help.
Having said that, let’s get into it.
TOKYO
As the world’s largest city, the first thing that surprised me about Tokyo (especially having lived in India and large cities in the United States) is how quiet it was. Even with the large crowds, everything still felt so calm and organized. You could be walking side by side with thousands of other people but never feel claustrophobic or suffocated. Tokyo is MASSIVE. There are so many neighborhoods, each with their own flair - which is why my recommendations for Tokyo will not be as in-depth as they will be for other parts of the blog. You could spend months in Tokyo and still not see it all, so it’s important to narrow down what you want to see.
My advice is to simply pick a neighborhood or two per day and get lost, wandering down the countless alleyways filled with family owned izakayas, stumbling into the many bars and boutiques each with their own speciality, or even doing some shopping at Don Quixote Mega - a 7 floor store with everything from souvenirs, household needs, skincare, designer clothing and jewelry, to snacks (seriously, it’s wild in there, take the time to check it out even if you’re not planning on getting anything).
Neighborhood wise, while we enjoyed our time in Akihabara, Akasaka, and Harajuku, our favorite neighborhoods were Shinjuku (we stayed here and were very happy with our choice), Shibuya, and Azabujuban the last of which is home to a lot of high end bars and restaurants. One place that stood out amongst the rest in this area is a bar called El Fujiyama, which specializes in Mezcal based drinks with a Japanese twist. Some highlights include a Matcha Old Fashioned, Soy Milk Espresso Martini, Yuzu Paloma, and my personal favorite, a Mole Miso cocktail. The owners visit Mexico at least once a year to ensure they are up to date with the latest flavors and spirits, and each drink is made from scratch using real ground up spices (no premixers used) - a testament to their dedication to their craft.
A common theme I noticed throughout our trip was that the majority of bars/restaurants didn’t have more than 15 seats, which allowed chefs and bartenders to properly care and be attentive to their patrons and deliver the desired experience. This noticeable emphasis on quality and consistency vs the bottom line was incredibly refreshing, especially coming from the United States.
Tokyo is one of the most unique cities in the world and truly has something for everyone.
Favorite sites: Golden Gai, Omoide Yokocho, Shibuya Crossing, Kabukicho, Meiji Jingu
Favorite restaurants/cafes: Sushi Punch, Sabasu (get the black garlic pizza), Ichiran Ramen
Favorite bars: El Fujiyama, Mikkeller Brewery, SG Club (reserve a bar seat vs table)
KYOTO
Kyoto was our favorite part of our trip. It was the perfect balance of history, culture, nature, city, all with a vibrant culinary scene and exciting nightlife. Home to over 2000 temples and shrines, this cultural capital of Japan has a beautiful way of taking you back in time, particularly around the Gion and Higashiyama areas. You will find no shortage of beautiful temples and gardens to wander into in this area, but a few highlights were Kiyomizu-dera, Yasaka Shrine, Kennin-Ji, and Maruyama Park, as well as walking through Ninen-Zaka & Sannen-Zaka, and the Philosophers Path. The Gion area is also home to a plethora of wonderful bars and restaurants, making it the perfect place to stay during a visit to Kyoto. Many of these look very unassuming, almost as if they were individual apartments in multi-story walk up with no real signage. However, if you know what you’re looking for/search up bars on Google Maps, it’s fairly easy to find.
One place to highlight here is Bar Ixey, where owner/mixologist Hiroaki Oda serves up incredibly unique and balanced cocktails. Oda intentionally does not strongly advertise the bar in order to ensure it doesn't become a tourist trap, where he can maintain the quality he holds himself to as well as within the bar itself (you might be sensing a trend here). When we first walked in, I thought it was strange that there was no music playing at the bar, but after realizing how engaging Oda is with his customers, it all made sense. After a while, you're so focused on what Oda is doing/making that you don't even notice anything else. Oda is an insanely good mixologist and has a vast understanding of flavors, but what I think sets him apart from the rest is his drive and dedication. When COVID happened, the Japanese government said he couldn't serve alcohol. What did he do? He created his own line of nonalcoholic spirits and now has a distillery that sells zero proof liquor made from things such as cedar, citrus leaf, mushroom, and lavender. Our visit to Bar Ixey was a beautiful reminder about what's truly important when it comes to following a passion. If you're in Kyoto, it's well worth a visit.
The Higashiyama area does get fairly crowded, but there is far more to Kyoto than its famous strip of temples. Fushimi-Inari Taisha, famous for its red ‘torii” gates, is a beautiful site to visit. The crowds may seem daunting at first, but once you get further into the mountain via the hiking trail, the crowds thin out and it becomes a very peaceful experience. I would highly recommend taking time to go all the way to the top of the mountain. As you can see in the photos above, it makes a difference.
Arashiyama is another beautiful district within Kyoto. While famous for its bamboo forest and monkey park, spending time wandering through the park and river areas is a great way to get away from the busier parts of the district. The earlier you get here, the better.
No trip to Kyoto is complete without a visit to the world famous Nishiki Market. I would highly recommend booking a tour for your visit here, as the options are simply overwhelming. The variety of food you’ll get to try is unmatched, and you should look no further for any of your food-related shopping. We picked up everything from sake, spice mixes, chopsticks, and even chef’s knives here.
Lastly, a visit to the golden temple, Kinkakuji, and its gardens are well worth your time - not only because the temple itself is stunning, but also because of what you can find around the area. A 15 minute walk away from Kinkakuji is the Imamiya Shrine. However, what makes this worth the visit isn’t the shrine itself.
Near the Imamiya Shrine are two shops, pictured in the photo on the left: Ichiwa (right) & Kazariya (left). The only thing on the menu at each is a plate of Aburi Mochi, a rice-flour cake that has been rolled in soybean powder, grilled over hot charcoal, coated in a sweet sauce made from white miso paste. Ichiwa is over 1000 years old, and is currently run by the 25th generation of the same family that started it over a millennium ago. Kazariya is a little younger, having started over 400 years ago. Both shops are delicious, a testament to the technique and recipe passed on through generations. I would highly recommend trying both while enjoying freshly brewed tea, and enjoying their gardens.
Kyoto is full of stories like this, rooted in passion, tradition, and a commitment to quality over all else. It’s these traits, and many more, that made it our favorite city in Japan (so far).
Favorite sites: Wander Gion/Higashiyama, Nishiki Market, Fushimi-Inari, Arashiyama, Kinkakuji, Pontocho Alley
Favorite restaurants/cafes: Sushi Yoshino, Momoharu (Lunch), Juu-go, Ippodo Tea House, Ichiwa
Favorite bars: Bar Ixey, Bees Knees, Beer Bar Miyama, Bar Prost (Whiskey)
OSAKA
Osaka, though unique in its own way, was our least favorite destination during this trip. The neon lights are enticing, and the street food mouthwatering, but our time there made us feel like it was a city that looked better on Instagram than it did in reality. The size of the crowds compared to that of Tokyo, but without the organization. However, there are a few highlights from our time there.
First off, Osaka looks absolutely electric at night (no pun intended). While the neon lights are a sight to see, for us it masked the reality that most of these shops/arcades pictured were deserted, and the areas surrounding it being less than appealing. Perhaps we came at a bad time, but walking through the city did not feel nearly as enjoyable as it did in Tokyo or Kyoto. However, the food and bar scene in Osaka is both delicious and unique. There are two places in particular that I would like to highlight below.
We stumbled upon Italiano ViaScialo (left) because the restaurant we actually wanted to go to next door was closed. We weren’t expecting much from this 12-top Italian restaurant, but boy were we wrong. Turns out, Chef Goshi Inatsuki worked in Italy for 7 years, including at a 3-michelin star in Florence. He speaks fluent Italian, and even gave us some Italian lessons. The food was delicious - fresh, balanced, and masterfully executed. It was yet another example of how the pursuit of one’s passion pays dividends, no matter where you’re from or what you want to accomplish.
Bar Nioka (middle) can be found in one of the more interesting locations we stumbled upon in Japan, a basement called “Mittera Hall”. On the outside, it looks like a deserted building with some ominous steps leading into a poorly lit lower level. However, when you actually enter the basement area you find yourself surrounded by a multitude of doors, some painted with creative designs and next to a well lit sign, while others are more subtle in nature. Behind each of these doors is a different bar, each with its own theme and specialty. The one we loved the most was Bar Nioka, named after the charming and charismatic owner. Nioka opened his bar in the 90s and has been running it ever since. We had a great time communicating with him using broken english and our translation apps, making it the perfect way to cap off a night in Osaka. He even gave us some of his hilarious coasters (right), with the man himself pictured in a cartoon-ish manner.
Favorite sites: Shinsekai Retro District, Dotonbori, Amerikamura
Favorite restaurants/cafes: Italiano ViaScialo
Favorite bars: Bar Nioka
NARA/KOBE
Osaka is a great base to do some day-trips. While Hiroshima was a tempting option (2 hours one way), we opted to visit Nara and Kobe within a single day. About 40 minutes away, Nara is known for their free-roaming deer that will bow to you in exchange for a treat. The deer are incredibly friendly, but be warned - they want their food. I would advise you to feed one at a time vs approaching a large group, and also to only show one treat at a time and hide the rest. Otherwise, it may get overwhelming, as there were a few instances where other deer who weren’t being fed approached from behind and gave us a little ‘bite’ on our butt asking for food (this doesn’t hurt at all since they don’t have sharp teeth).
A lot of people also backed away when more deer approached, which only made the deer come even closer. I found that it’s best to be a bit firm and to hold your ground. Start by showing the deer you have your food, bow to them, wait till they bow back, feed them, and then throw both your hands up in the air and clearly show the deer you have no more food on you.
Overall though, the deer are very friendly and it is a really unique experience being able to interact with them in such close quarters. While the deer are by far the main attraction, Nara is also home to some beautiful gardens. Yoshikien Garden was our favorite, and had free entry for tourists. Additionally, be sure to visit Nakatanidou Mochi, which not only has delicious mochi that will melt in your mouth, but also has Mochi pounding demonstrations throughout the day.
After spending the morning at Nara, we embarked on our ~75 minute train ride to Kobe. Our main reason for visiting Kobe was to try not only the world famous ‘Kobe Beef’, but also their sake. Kobe's fame for their meat often overshadows the fact that it is the largest producer of sake in Japan. To try some, we visited Sannomiya, a liquor store that specializes in sake and offers flights from some of the region’s best breweries.
While we didn’t need reservations for sake tasting, we absolutely did for our dinner at Kobe Beef Genkichi. What makes this place so special is that they serve ‘champion’ kobe beef, which is the best of the best. The chefs are expert in their craft (no surprise) and are incredibly helpful in guiding diners with their orders. Kobe Beef Genkichi was one of the best meals we had on this entire trip, and alone is well worth the visit to Kobe. A 20 minute train ride later, you’re back in Osaka where you started the day, with plenty of time left for a nightcap.
TIPS FOR FIRST TIMERS:
I wanted to end this blog by sharing some overall tips/useful information regarding not only travel/trip logistics, but also about Japan and its customs:
Do not tip, it's considered rude.
Cash is king in Japan. A lot of places take credit card/apple pay, but always have cash on you.
7/11 is your best friend. Delicious for a quick bite, to withdraw cash, or even pick up basic essentials.
Japan is a late night country and things do not open early. Most cafes open around 10/11am, which meant we often started our day with breakfast at 7/11. This actually worked out really well, as if you get to most places before 9, you’ll beat out most of the crowds.
Money is not passed hand to hand, it is placed down and picked up when paying (usually a tray)
Japan has added a lot of English signage, but I would make sure you have your translation apps w/ Japanese downloaded and that the app you’re using has a camera function. Apple or Google Translate worked well.
At restaurants, raise your hand and say "Sumimasen" to get your server’s attention. It feels really strange and almost rude doing it at first, but you’ll notice it is common practice.
It is rude to eat things while walking. Most people will eat directly outside of the stall they purchased the food from, and then throw their trash away. Japan is very clean, and there are very few public trash cans. It also promotes staying in the moment and enjoying your meal, versus being in a rush.
You need to keep your passport on you at all times, it's the law. It is hardly enforced, but legally they can give you a steep fine if you don’t have it on you.
Make sure every place you stay has AC, especially in the summer. It is not a given.
Be prepared to wait in a queue. It could be 10 minutes to 2 hours. The best places to eat ALWAYS have a queue, especially if they don’t take reservations. Prepare yourself mentally, especially if you are unfamiliar with this eating culture.
Use Tabelog to find restaurants and reservations. It is used by locals and has a higher volume of restaurants that may not be easily found on other apps. Anything with a 3.5/5 or higher is considered a really good rating by Japanese standards.
Download the SmartEX app for booking bullet train tickets and buy tickets a couple weeks in advance for cheaper fares. Sometimes it gets tricky with foreign credit cards, but AMEX has worked well for the most part. When choosing seats (if you go for that tier of train ticket), always sit in seats D, E, or F as that gives you better views and the potential of seeing Mt. Fuji.Add a Suica card to your Apple Wallet and load it up with money. Suica is a type of “IC card” which is used for public transportation all around Japan but can also be used at convenience stores like 7/11. Note: Bullet trains are a separate ticket all together. After you do this, download the Suica app so you can get your ‘IC card number’, and then link that to your SmartEX app so that your bullet train tickets are automatically loaded to your card (that way, you can just scan your Suica card at the gate). If this doesn’t work, I’d recommend printing out the QR code bullet train ticket as I have heard that the mobile QR code sometimes gives an issue when scanning on the device.
Trains are clean and efficient. However, sometimes Uber can be a more time efficient albeit more expensive option. We used Uber in every city we were in to save us time, which to us was worth the upcharge. Also, even though Uber just calls a local taxi, the benefit is that your destination is already inputted so it saves the trouble of having to communicate that with the driver.
Don't open or close the taxi door, it's always automatic. The driver will do it for you.
r/JapanTravel subreddit is your best friend during trip planning. It’s more than likely that any question you have has already been asked and responded to.
Overall, I hope you found this helpful and enjoy your trip to Japan! Feel free to DM me on instagram @aashmehtamusic w/ any questions.
MEET MY GUEST.
This is Aash!
We met at a Superbowl party in Chicago and bonded over our love for travel. He travels more than I do (if you can believe that)! But we are usually visiting the same places which is fun to follow and see how our experiences differ. Check him out so you can follow along too.
He has been to Japan twice and this blog is SO GOOD. It has so many great recommendations and tips for your first time visiting. There is a lot of good content in here that you can’t plan your trip to Japan without.
In addition to being a world traveler, he’s also an artist. If you like Big Wild, 3LAU, Quinn XCX, you need to check him out on Spotify.
Thanks Aash for putting your heart and soul in this!
