I feel most of you realize by now that Japan is one in every of my favorite locations on the planet. I’ve carried out earlier metropolis guides (my final Tokyo one linked right here, excuse the outdated formatting – it was 10 years in the past!) however it is a new, up to date one with all over the place we went this journey. Kyoto can be subsequent!
HOW TO GET THERE
We booked our flights with Finnair, it labored out less expensive than BA and had direct flights to Tokyo Haneda, it companions with Japan Airways (whom our flight was with) and I can not suggest sufficient. We bought a taxi to our Resort from the airport after an extended flight however I’ve caught the practice earlier than and it’s fairly straightforward.
TRAVELLING IN JULY
July is such a good time to journey round Japan! There have been many causes for this: firstly, we travelled in July for our honeymoon and beloved it – the Gion pageant (Arts pageant) was on in Kyoto, it was very HOT which made it laborious in some methods but in addition meant there have been much less vacationers than, say, September (when a number of excursions are on) or April (thought of the perfect time to go to for cherry blossom season). It’s round 30 levels in Tokyo however all over the place had air con, even the metro stations, plus the tall buildings means there may be loads of shade so it felt extra nice than travelling round London in comparable climate. It was very humid and it’s wet season, though we solely had one quick downpour this whole journey (final time we had a couple of days of rain) . We selected college holidays because it meant our youngsters went on their very own vacation with grandparents on the similar time. If we return, it might positively be with the youngsters (perhaps in 5 years time), as soon as they’ll actually get entangled and deal with jetlag a bit simpler, we noticed tons extra households with older youngsters this time round.
HOW TO GET AROUND
We walked or took the metro all over the place, taxis are fairly costly and it’s really easy to navigate the town utilizing public transport. We used a Shinkansen (bullet practice) cross to get from Tokyo to Kyoto and one thing we didn’t realise final time is that you simply additionally get free journey on all of the JR strains in Tokyo and Kyoto along with your bullet practice cross. Usually, you may get to the place you want on these strains alone (or stroll a bit further to make it work) which saved us fairly a bit of cash. However the bullet practice may not be probably the most price efficient resolution for those who’re not travelling round that a lot. You will get extra native trains or buses between Osaka/Kyoto/Tokyo which could work out higher worth to your journey.
For different metro journeys we simply topped up a card with money and used it like an oyster, it was actually inexpensive to get round this manner (these playing cards/passes work in Kyoto too). All the time ensure you faucet out at stations – I by chance didn’t faucet out in Tokyo after which my card didn’t work in Kyoto and I needed to wait till I bought again to Tokyo to kind it! For Kyoto I simply paid per journey.
In case you are travelling round, there is a wonderful baggage forwarding service (Takkyubin) which your resort may also help you with. We used it as soon as (though has gone up in worth since final time – it’s now roughly £15-£20 a suitcase) this journey, we despatched our suitcase forward to Kyoto and took a holdall into Mount Koya for one night time and our case was ready for us in Kyoto. They provide subsequent day supply normally however I in all probability wouldn’t danger it the day you fly dwelling! Most stations even have baggage storage if it is advisable depart circumstances for a day.
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed on the Muji Resort in Ginza. I’ve solely stayed in Ginza as soon as round 15 years in the past after I was travelling by myself – it’s the purchasing district with tons of luxurious outlets so figured it was a secure place to remain as a younger girl by myself. Funnily sufficient we didn’t even go to Ginza final journey as we thought it was boring – however we LOVED staying there this time! The outlets shut within the night after which it’s so quiet, it feels fairly villagey, native and secure (particularly because it so effectively lit from all of the indicators). Right here’s why we beloved Ginza:
The Muji resort – I used to be so excited to remain right here and it didn’t disappoint. Small however completely fashioned rooms, it was minimal but purposeful, calm and cozy. It’s above their flagship retailer and as you check-in they current you with a listing of things you possibly can take dwelling with you (together with slippers and stationery!). Breakfast was the right introduction to easy Japanese dwelling: udon noodles, fish and curry but in addition eggs and bacon if you want. Our tip is to not go all the way down to breakfast on the hour (as that’s what everybody does!) – attempt 10 to or 10 previous the hour.
Nightlife – Ginza isn’t buzzing like different Tokyo districts at night time however it has a stunning environment and we found so many superb eating places in our neighbourhood. We beloved heading out on the metro within the day after which simply strolling to and from dinner within the night. There have been a great deal of karaoke locations close by too.
Location – Ginza is actually near most locations, you possibly can stroll to Shimbashi, it’s close to Tsukiji Fish Market and our resort was additionally proper by the Metro (Ginza-Itchome) which is a central cease for getting across the metropolis.
The purchasing – this journey I needed to benefit from the outlets extra and Ginza has all of them – Daiso (the 100 yen retailer, the whole lot beneath £1), Itoya (100 12 months outdated stationery retailer), and Loft in addition to the fancier shops like Louis Vuitton and Gucci (which we didn’t frequent!).
WHAT TO DO
This time we needed to spend time in Tokyo like locals, we did all the massive sights final time (the Sensō-ji Temple, Yoyogi Park, Harajuku) and this time we needed to only eat and calm down. However first: Studio Ghibli Museum (which was shut final time we have been right here – it’s closed on Tuesdays!). It’s actually laborious to determine whether or not or to not go to this museum, you’re not allowed to take images inside so there’s not a lot to analysis on-line and it’s a forty five minute journey exterior the town however we determined to take a punt on it, in spite of everything we have been in Tokyo and Chris is a large fan.
It was attractive, the world of Mitaka itself was suburban, leafy and a pleasure to stroll round, attempt to get there on time because the queues begin for the gallery as quickly because it opens. There are limitations on guests on a regular basis (Oomi Japan organised our ticket for this, aparently they’re fairly laborious to pay money for upfront!) which implies it’s busy however not overly so. There have been lots of households and children (have been we the one grown-ups on our personal? Maybe, however we didn’t really feel bizarre) and there’s a lot to see: unique illustrations, stills from movies, a number of interactive parts and also you get to see a singular quick movie solely accessible to guests (in Japanese, however it’s fairly a easy plot to observe!). It was a morning effectively spent, it nonetheless felt very native and never too touristy, you can also’t spent various hours there which was a pleasant shock and meant we have been again to the centre of Tokyo by lunchtime.
My favorite store in Tokyo is Loft and there’s a 5/6 story one in Ginza which I spent lots of time in. It’s like strolling across the backside flooring of a division retailer like Selfridges: teas, chococlates, gifting, stationery – however far more inexpensive. The alternate fee to GBP was actually good, so even within the 100yen retailer Daiso (my different favorite retailer), every merchandise was round 65p every. We primarily purchased presents for the youngsters or stationery we will’t get simply within the UK (see my reel on what I purchased right here). Lawson, 7 Eleven and any Pharmacies are additionally value visiting, the place you could find quirky presents, meals, snacks and Japanese magnificence merchandise cheaply.
Akihabara was one other place on our checklist as we solely briefly visited final time, it’s ‘Electrical City’ and a bigger than life a part of the town stuffed with anime and manga outlets, gaming shops and 5 story buildings stuffed with ‘Claw Machines’ that didn’t appear to be rigged – we each gained on our first go! It’s a tween/teen heaven but in addition enjoyable for adults, we loved spending a couple of hours right here and introduced again photobooth stickers of us as anime characters (after utilizing the sweetness stations arrange subsequent to the cubicles, after all).
A spotlight was karaoke, there are many locations to do it – Massive Echo is a well-liked one, we did Karaoke Kan which was proper by our resort and had nice views out to Tokyo (it was roughly £25 for an hour which included 2 beers).
After which we spent the remainder of our time consuming!
WHERE TO EAT
We primarily ate noodles in Japan, it’s a lot simpler to return throughout and a less expensive, on a regular basis meal. You may’t actually go fallacious with ramen right here and even the most cost effective meals you order from a merchandising machine is scrumptious! Our first night time we arrived late so requested the workers at Muji for his or her suggestions (I might all the time suggest this) and we ended up in a cute, trendy ramen place close by known as Menya Yukou – 2 beers, 2 ramen dishes and a facet of gyozas got here to £20. There’s no tipping tradition in Japan so it made an enormous distinction to how a lot we spent.
We love the simplicity of Coco Ichibanya for katsu curry. Kaitensushi (conveyor belt sushi) is an inexpensive approach to eat however they’re not as frequent as you’d assume, rather a lot are in malls or practice stations – we did see Sushi-go-round which seemed good and for inexpensive sushi – Sushi No Midori. The perfect locations for us are the small, unassuming locations that don’t look fancy, they typically have the perfect environment, too. In Ginza most eating places are at floor stage, so many locations in Tokyo you need to get a elevate to the doorway and it’s very laborious to again out for those who’re unsure on the vibe! Right here you possibly can peek in and see if it’s busy or the meals appears to be like good.
We did a ‘Ramen Tour’ while in Tokyo with Frank, a ramen fanatic (his website 5am ramen ought to turn out to be your go-to if visiting) who taught us the various kinds of ramen, from my favorite: tsukemen (dipping noodles) to all of the totally different forms of broths and toppings. He gave us a low-down on his high 5 ramen eating places in Ginza (they have been all inside 5 minutes stroll!), gave us their historical past and backstory (each had a distinct segment: feminine owned, household run for 50 years, well-known for his or her spicy broth and so forth) and we picked our favorite to go to.
We ended up in Hashigo – it was a easy bar, no tables and so busy that as quickly as you may have completed, you permit, to let these within the queue behind you begin. It was the perfect ramen I’ve ever tasted and it was a small unassuming place we’d handed by a couple of occasions with out noticing (in all probability as a result of there have been no English indicators – however they’d an English menu as soon as seated). These have been Frank’s different ramen suggestions (in/round Ginza):
A small phrase of warning: for those who purchase snacks or a takeaway iced espresso, there aren’t any bins. Actually. Not one on the streets. We spent hours strolling round with a plastic container and couldn’t discover any. We realised after some time that nobody was consuming ‘on the go’ and there are even indicators in cafes asking for those who take away, you are taking your garbage dwelling with you. I’m nonetheless incredulous that the streets are so clear with none bins! However that’s one other one of many superb issues about Japan.
EXTRA INFO
We took primarily money, which appears loopy in such a contemporary metropolis however it helped us observe our spending plus we had learn a couple of articles saying that abroad playing cards don’t all the time work and the few occasions we tried our card they have been temperamental! In all places we went accepted money no downside, and within the countryside it’s most well-liked (the Temple we stayed in Kyosan insisted on money, and apparently it’s fairly laborious to withdraw as solely sure cashpoints inside 7 Elevens work with abroad playing cards). One thing to remember.
Information roaming was costly for us, so we used wi-fi from the resort. Most tube stations and purchasing malls (and Starbucks) have wi-fi readly accessible and in locations like Kyoto they’d their very own ‘metropolis wifi’.
Plugs and voltage are the identical because the US, in different phrases your straighteners may not work. Fortunately I had a pair of $5 Goal mini straighteners which served me effectively!
Google translate is useful for menus however we discovered no downside with language and have been all the time understood not directly!
We booked our flights then used Oomi Journey for lots of our itinerary (beforehand Distinctive Japan Excursions – whom we booked our honeymoon with!). We paid for our journey and knew roughly the place we needed to go however Darina helped e book the whole lot and all of the extras we wouldn’t have imagined – our itinerary was fairly easy this time and was mainly Tokyo – Koyasan – Kyoto – Tokyo – London (our final journey was extra intricate and you may personalise your itinerary as a lot as you want). Oomi really useful the Muji Resort, the journey to Koyasan, booked all our bullet trains and transport, in Koyasan we had a personal tour information and stayed in a single day in a Buddhist Temple run by Monks, in Tokyo we additionally did a sushi making course run by probably the most superb Japanese girls. It’s completely potential to e book Japan by your self however for the additional journeys (particularly Koyasan, or the unbelievable island of Amami the place we visited on our honeymoon, lots of these resorts haven’t any English web sites), Oomi helped make it further particular (and saved us time while working full-time with two youngsters!). This isn’t a paid promotion however needed to present a shout out, as I’ve really useful them to anybody we all know going to Japan!
A couple of inexpensive eating places really useful by Oomi Japan:
Ramen Jiro (well-known ramen spot, queues begin as early as 7am!)
Tonkatsu Maruya – a typical workplace staff lunch spot
Yakitori Takumi – for yakitori, typical Japanese kebab fashion meals, meat charcoaled on (typically) bamboo skewers)
