Japan Travel Tips

Went to Japan for cherry blossom season. It was cold and raining while we were there, but we were able to see some cherry blossoms during our trip. We hit up 3 major cities (Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto) and did day trips in between.

Tokyo

- Shibuya Sky

- Shibuya Crossing

- Shopping in Ginza, Harajuku, and Shibuya

- Tokyo Skytree

- Shrines, Castles, and Palaces

- Ueno Park and Nakameguro for cherry blossoms and festivals

- Disneyland

Day Trips close to Tokyo

- Hakone for onsens. If you have tattoos, a lot of onsens will allow nowadays. I was able to go to public baths with no issues and I have sleeves on both arms. Look at the onsen rules first! I recommended staying at a ryokan. It made the experience memorable! You get a to stay in a traditional Japanese room with tatami mats, traditional Japanese breakfast and dinner, private and public baths with amazing views, and amenities like a spa and sake bar.

- Mt Fuji

Osaka:

- Nara Park to see the deer that bow. It’s so cute!

- Ōsaka Castle

- Dotonbori

- Umeda and Shinsaibashi districts for shopping

- Universal Studios

Kyoto:

- Bamboo Forest

- Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine

- Tea ceremonies

- Pontocho alley (local bars, restaurants, and casinos)

- Higashiyama District (shops and restaurants)

Day trips from Osaka:

- Nagoya

- Ghibli Park

- Kobe

- Himeji

What to bring:

- Pack light. We ended up shopping because there’s so many shopping districts with good prices. We bought extra luggages for clothing and skin care. Designer items are also lower priced and tax free compared to US

- Bring an umbrella just in case

- Get the JR Pass (worth it if you’re planning to see multiple cities. We ended up using JR lines more than we expected).

- Get a Suica card for metros and local trains

- There’s a Shinkansen (bullet train) or limited express train to get from city to city. A little more expensive than local trains, but saved us a lot of time (by more than half!)

- There’s convenience stores for bentos, other food, and drinks at the stations and almost every street corner, so just grab and go. I personally liked Family Mart over 7/11, Lawsons, or New Days

- Ship your luggage from city to city instead of bringing them with you to save time and make your travel days easier. We used Yamato Transport. It will take 1-2 days to arrive, so pack a travel bag.

- Wear shoes. You’ll be doing a lot of walking.

- If you plan on having a private omakase or kaiseki dinner, book at least 1-2 months in advance.

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