Below are some photos from my travels to Japan this past September. This was my second trip to the country; my first being a quick 4-day jaunt to Tokyo from South Korea back in 2016. This time I stayed for two weeks and got to travel around a bit more and even visited one of the Okinawa islands.
These photos were taken in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Miyako-jima (one of the Okinawa Islands).
Recommendations by City
Tokyo
Do:
Eat a sushi lunch at Toyosu Market (you’ll want to confirm the market’s operation hours prior to showing up; Toyosu is Tokyo’s largest wholesale market since the famous Tsukiji Market closed its doors in late 2018). You can book an early morning (like 5 am) tour to see the wholesale fish auction, but seeing the market during other hours is quite unexciting. The action happens in the early hours. So if you’re there another time just go eat. The fish is super delicate and fresh.
Listen to Japanese hip hop at the Tsutaya Record Shop in Shibuya Crossing. Most people probably end up at Tsutaya Records by way of the Starbucks on the 2nd Floor, which according to the Internet is the best place from which to take a photo of the famous Shibuya Crossing. Tsutaya is a throwback in that you can listen to CDs using the headphones located in the store.
Dance Dance Revolution at the Sega Arcade in Akihabara complete with six floors. I mean you’re in Japan, the capital of Otaku culture. I’m preferential to DDR, but there are hundreds of other games that should peak your interest.
See Sumo at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan. I went to a sumo match on my last trip to Tokyo in 2016 and I definitely recommend it; ideally as part of a tour so that you learn some of the history/context prior to watching the match (I did mine with Viator). Sumo tournaments only take place in Tokyo in January, May, and September. Other cities have tournaments during other months. Plan ahead!
Grab a drink in Shinjuku’s Golden Gai. I don’t drink, but these dive-y, back alleyway bars are worth a visit even if only to grab a seltzer.
Buy an international data card and download Google Translate! Really! You’ll be able to talk to folks and translate menus from Japanese to English. This was very helpful.
Kyoto
Do:
Stay at a Ryokan (a traditional Japanese inn). There are basic ones like the one I stayed at - Luck You Bukkoji - and ones with more amenities (i.e. baths, etc.) Kyoto is considered the cultural capital of Japan so this is a nice cultural touch unless you have back issues and absolutely need a western-style bed.
Take a meditation course at Shunkoin Temple with Rev Takafumi Kawakami. This was one of the highlights of my trip. Rev Takafumi does a short talk before the 20-minute meditation on mindfulness, western vs eastern conceptualizations of happiness, the purpose of meditation, etc. This temple also has courses for tea ceremony and japanese calligraphy and sits among a complex of temples in northwest Kyoto.
Eat a zen vegetarian meal at Shigetsu, Tenryuji Temple’s restaurant. Lots of little dishes that together are extremely filling. And if you’re not versed on Japanese zen cuisine you won’t really know what you’re eating which is fun in my opinion. Somewhat pricey (between $35-$80 depending on the spread + $5 garden admission), but worth it. You’ll want to make reservations ahead of time as well.
Visit the Daigoji Temple Grounds. Beautiful gardens, pagoda (oldest building in Kyoto), etc. And was not crowded at all when we visited.
Visit Nishiki Market to eat! Lots of little storefronts selling everything from sashimi popsicles to mochi to octopus buns; walk the whole market first to see what’s there and then eat your way through the market.
Right near the Nishiki Market is Daishodo which you will not want to miss if you want a unique Japanese art print or artist book to take home.
Skip the Fushimi Inari Taisha and Arashiyama (Bamboo Forest). These are the first couple of things to come up in Google when looking for what to do in Kyoto. Fushimi is exquisite, but it’s EXTREMELY crowded and everyone is trying (in vain) to get a photo that has no one else in it. Unless you’re really a student/follower of the Shinto religion I think you can take your time at other shrines that won’t be so overrun. Arashiyama was just a let down. It’s pretty small, not much to see, and you will get eaten alive by mosquitoes.
Osaka
I only spent a day in Osaka so my recommendations are pretty sparse.
Visit the Osaka Castle.
Eat a red bean taiyaki.
Hang out by the Dontonbori Canal. I can only liken this place to Times Square so you have been warned.
Stroll the quiet, hipster Nakazakicho neighborhood.
Miyako-jima
Miyako-jima was extremely interesting. It seemed like maybe there had been a bad storm to hit the island recently and folks left as a result. There were a lot of abandoned or closed buildings. A lot of the island is just agricultural land and it’s not super touristy or developed, which I liked. There’s a small downtown with some restaurants, but Miyako-jima is not disney-ified yet. The culture is also way more laid back that mainland Japan, which was a welcome reprieve.
Caution: You need an international license to rent a car in Japan! The best way to get around Miyako-jima is by car, but we made do by renting bicycles from our hotel and pre-arranging rides from taxi drivers met at the airport.
Do:
Bicycle around the island. We biked out of necessity (16 miles/26km on one day in particular), but it was actually a great way to see the island and discover small, untouched beaches.
This goes without saying, but visit the beaches since that’s probably why you’re in Okinawa to begin with. They are fantastic and there’s some great snorkeling to be done.
For relaxation: Sunayama Beach in the north part of the island. This small beach has a picturesque rock formation that lots of folks come to photograph and leave right after lol, but it never got too crowded. Not too many amenities so bring food/drinks with you. Stop at Fukugi Cafe on your way there or on the way back.
For Snorkeling: Shigira Beach (southern side of the island) and Yoshinokaigan Beach (southeast part of the island). Shigira Beach is a part of a resort so you can rent snorkeling gear there and there’s also a restaurant. The water at Shigira is very shallow, so not good for swimming, but great for snorkeling (we saw nemo fish there). Yoshinokaigan Beach is at the bottom of a very steep hill so you will not want to bike there. Gear rental is at the top of the hill. No amenities (bathroom/food) once on the beach so prepare accordingly. We spent the entire day there subsisting off of triangle kimbaps and some random snacks we had. Don’t be us.
For water sports: Yonaha Maehama Beach (southwestern part of the island). If you want to rent jet skis or do other water sports this is a good spot.
