Just wanted to have a list of suggestions not only for future visits but also to share with friends who decide to make a trip to Nihon.
Inspired by my Summer 2015 trip with Hayg. There was only so much we could do in nine days so the list isn't very comprehensive, but I promise it will grow.
Amazing huge fish market. Very touristic at this point but still worth going. It opens at 9am, go as early as nine to see everything.]
- Delicious sushi nearby for breakfast :)
- Sushi Dai*
- 5am Tuna auction
- If you wake up early enough and get lucky, it's doable.
Start at Kudanshita station and make your way down. The whole park is worth exploring.
- Nippon Budokan
- We stumbled in for Saturday morning tournaments. Really cool.
- National Museum of Modern Art
- Amazing art, part of which is Japanese.
- Imperial Palace
- UOBEI
- Touch screen ¥100 sushi that zips to you on rails
- Midori
- A must
- Best sushi I've had in my life. Worth the wait.
- Umegaoka location preferable
- Ichiran
- Interesting booth style seating. Delicious.
- Seiya*
- Ramen Hakubutsukan*
- Ippudo
- Always a safe bet, but not amazing.
Definitely a must.
A UNESCO world heritage site. By staying overnight at the temple you will have the special opportunity to attend the morning service with the monks in Kon-do. You will also be given free pass to enter Goten, the palace area where you can explore.
Life-changing experience. There is a strip in Ninna-ji temple that you walk after the Kon-do and when you walk that strip after you pray, you are thought to be reborn.
Authentic japanese breakfast included.
Kyoto is a very bike friendly city and biking from temple to temple through alleyways and hidden neighborhoods is the best way to explore the city.
- Bike down the Kamo river to Fushimi-inari and back up the stream near it.
- ¥1000 for the whole day
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Izakaya - cozy authentic place with delicious deep fried finger food and drinks. Go at night, wait out the line.
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A long-loved eel restaurant from the taisho era. They've been in business for around 100 years. This place is a must. (a bit pricey)
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Kyoto is all about Japanese confectionaries. Kagizen Yoshifusa is most famous for its kuzukiri noodles. This is the only place the imperial palace orders kuzukiri noodles from. Definitely come here when you are walking around Gion!
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A must
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A lot of different religious artifacts to see
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Overlooks Kyoto
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A must
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Tori tunnels, beautiful
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Fox statues
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It is a mountain with temples scattered all over it. Monks come here to train and you can see the houses they live in. It is technically a hike, but a beautiful one.
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Miroku Bosatsu statue
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Amazing moss garden. Need to apply for visitor passes, long process but pays off.
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One of the first, if not the first, Zen temple. It is a large complex with a cool rock garden etc.
Good day trip from Kyoto.
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Deer
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Everywhere
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Photograph, pet, feed, get bitten.
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Astonishing - houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha
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Try to pass through buddha's nostril - get blessed.
Good day trip from Kyoto.
- shrug
If you plan on leaving Tokyo, definitely get a Japan Rail Pass. It's $220 but it will save you a lot of money. Make sure to use it in Tokyo as well - you can take JR lines for free.
We decided to take a local train north from Nagoya and got off at the last stop of a track in a little town in the mountains called Tarumi.
Luckily a local helped us find a hotel with an onsen. Most authentic and beautiful experience. We were the only foreigners there.
A great majority of these were suggested to me by others. Just sharing what I've collected from friends and adding my own!
Many, many thanks to Hana 🌀 for suggesting most of these things and making my 2015 trip amazing!!
Thanks to Hayg for visiting Japan with me in 2015 and sharing these amazing experiences. Best travel buddy 😊
Also thanks to Nao, Yokopopo and Marc.
Email me suggestions at souren@papazian.info if you want to contribute!
*haven't tried myself, most likely great though
:) :)