Going to Japan (Tokyo & Kyoto)?

(Kiyomizu-dera Niomon Gate)

If you're interested in going to Japan, love trips filled with the best food spots and photo ops, but you're not sure where to begin with planning, then this post is for you.

My husband Michael and I wanted to limit how many times we’d pick up and change hotels, so we decided to focus this visit on Tokyo and Kyoto. Kyoto has more of the slower, traditional Japanese vibe, yet still very tourist friendly. Whereas Tokyo has the classic big city vibe. I wanted to get the best of both worlds and experience a little of each.

HANDIEST APPS TO HAVE DURING YOUR JAPAN TRIP

A few phone applications we recommend using are Google Translate, VoiceTra, and Currency.

Google Translate - has a camera/Google Lens feature that comes in very handy when trying to read a Japanese menu, sign, etc.
VoiceTra - Although you can use Google Translate for communicating in Japanese, I liked that VoiceTra gave the actual translation of the Japanese version, which helped me verify if the translation was accurate. Since some words/phrases are not a straightforward translation, that extra step of verification showed me if I needed to use a different English word to get my point across more accurately.
Currency - was great to get a quick estimate of how much something costs. Although, if you have iOS 18, the calculator app also has a new currency function you can use instead! An easy rule of thumb that I liked to use was moving the decimal point to the left twice - i.e. 1000 JPY would turn into 10, and since the current exchange rate is about 65% that would leave me roughly around $6.50 USD.

EVERYDAY JAPANESE WORDS WORTH LEARNING

Although a lot of people can communicate in English, there may be some cases where you will need to pull out your translation apps. However, I always find it respectful to at least greet people in their own language. So here are some basic words and phrases I often used:

Good morning – Ohayō gozaimasu (pronounced oh-high-yoh goh-zai-mas)
Good afternoon – Kon'nichiwa (koh-nee-chee-wah)
Good night – Konbanwa (kohn-bahn-wah)
Thank you – Arigato Gozaimasu (ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zai-mas)
Where is the toilet? – Toire wa doko desu ka (toi-reh-wa doh-koh-des-kah)
2 people – Futari (foo-tah-ree) - useful when asking for a table at a restaurant, paying for tickets, etc.

Along with most of the greetings above, it is polite to accompany it with a bow. Throughout our entire trip we only heard one person say ‘you’re welcome’ in Japanese. All the other times we thanked someone, they would respond with a ‘thank you’ back to us.

A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TAX FREE If you plan on shopping at all, make sure to bring your passport to the shops to get tax-free benefits. When you first arrive in Japan, customs will put a sticker inside your passport. Every shop that offers tax-free will scan that sticker and take a photo of your passport. Then when you arrive at the airport to leave Japan, you simply scan your passport at customs. It was very hassle-free!
PEDESTRIAN COURTESY You would typically keep on the left side when walking, but you will find that some train/subway stations will have arrows informing you to keep to the right side. It can be pretty confusing, but I recommend just being aware of your surroundings and following the Japanese people.
NO TIPPING It is actually seen as an insult, saying that you don’t think they are properly paid.
CULTURE DIFFERENCES
It is considered rude to eat/drink while walking - you should either eat at the restaurant or take it to a destination to stop and enjoy.
It is also considered rude to talk on the phone or talk loudly on the train/subway.
HIGH-TECH TOILETS Pretty much all toilets have bidets and at times it may not be super clear which button is for flushing. So be careful which buttons you press, and it may be a good idea to bring your phone for translation if needed!

Kyoto

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

To get around, it is best to use the subway or bus. For the subway, you can buy a physical ticket at the station when you arrive. Be sure to insert the ticket both when you enter and when you leave. For the bus, you don’t have to worry about doing anything when you enter through the back door of the bus. You only have to pay as you exit through the front door of the bus. We paid with cash (yen coins) which was 130 JPY per person each ride. You should plan to have the exact amount as they don’t typically give change.

SITES TO SEE / ACTIVITIES TO DO IN KYOTO

Fushimi Inari Taisha - As one of the most popular photo spots in Kyoto, this Shinto shrine has hundreds of orange torii gates creating a tunnel that is perfect for photos. It is quite the workout taking the path/stairs all the way to the top. However, since the photos aren’t significantly better at the top, some (including myself) only go so far to get the photo and explore some of the shrines at the bottom half. You aren’t allowed to eat or drink there, so get in your nutrients prior to starting the trek. It is recommended to go early (at least before 9 AM) to avoid crowds.

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest - The other most popular photo spot in Kyoto with paths lined with tall bamboo trees. The best way to avoid crowds is by getting there early (before 9 AM).

Tenryu-ji temple - just outside of the bamboo forest, the garden for this temple has a stunning view of rocks, trees, and mountains surrounding the pond.
Kimono Forest - I didn’t actually make my way over here, but it seemed like a cool spot to check out in the area if you have the time.

Kiyomizu-dera temple (with Kiyomizu-dera Niomon Gate) - This Buddhist temple gives a spectacular view of the city with the temple in the frame. Although it was extremely crowded, we wanted to see the view at sunset and it was definitely worth it! I witnessed the most breathtaking sunset we saw this entire trip from this point. It is quite difficult to get a picture here at sunset without other people in your photo, so be patient and don’t be too disappointed if your picture isn’t perfect! We spent the entire afternoon exploring the surrounding area, so here a few specifics I would recommend:

KIMONO RENTALS Hairmake & Kimono Rental First Kiyomizu Shop - Although there are many places to rent kimonos in the area, this was the one my friend recommended to me. It is one of the larger rental spots so they had a ton of options to choose from, especially considering I went later in the day. It was fun to get all dressed up and learn how much work goes into putting on a kimono. We chose the cheapest option (5000 JPY each) which also included a basic level hair style for the women. I didn’t really end up doing the hair styles they offered because I preferred my photos with my hair down. However, they did add some fun hair clips to still dress it up. Although you can make a reservation online, you really don’t have to. Just be sure to return your kimono before 6PM. It was much more fun exploring the area in the kimonos and my husband ended up really enjoying the experience as well!
THE BEST STREETS FOR EXPLORING THE CITY Sannenzaka Path & Ninenzaka path - Popular paths around the area that also make for great photos. Great area for tourists to try different snacks and shop for souvenirs. Around these areas you could also find a great photo view of Hōkan-ji temple.
CUSTOM JEWELRY glänta Kyoto Ninenzaka - Custom rings made on the spot. You choose the material (brass, silver, or gold), design/width, finish, and size. I also added a personal inscription for 1,100 JPY. There is another location in Kyoto, but I was told this Ninenzaka location had a shorter line. If you can go at opening, you are less likely to wait as long.
COFFEE & SNACKS I also enjoyed % ARABICA Kyoto Higashiyama & Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo which you can find more information on in my “FOODS TO EAT IN KYOTO” section.

Uji: The Ideal Day trip from Kyoto for tea lovers

Although there are plenty of day trips you can take from Kyoto, we chose to visit Uji since it is the city known for having the finest quality teas and where matcha was invented. We decided to book this Matcha Tour and it was truly one of our favorite experiences in Japan! It was about $196 USD per person for a 3 hour walking tour that includes:

Ujigami Jinja - Considered the oldest original Shinto shrine in Japan
Byodo-In Temple - As seen on the 10 yen coin for the “phoenix hall” surrounded by water
Sabo Kunugi - For a delicious matcha soba lunch with waterfront views
Mitsuboshien Kanbayashi Sannyu Main Shop - One of the oldest teahouses in Japan that dates back over 500 years. They have an exhibit showing their service to the shogun and it is currently run by the 16th generation owner. We got to enjoy a matcha making class (which includes tasting of course) and buy souvenirs.
Masuda Chaho - for some yummy matcha ice cream

We were lucky enough to get a private tour because no one else signed up for the same day! Ako was such a sweet, delightful tour guide and she taught us so much. We highly recommend taking the tour as we felt it was such a perfect way to experience Uji. After the tour we also stopped at Nakamura Tokichi Honten (Main Store) since it was a very popular teahouse. Although the cafe had a long wait, it was pretty easy to go into the store to buy some tea/snacks. They even had a section for tea sampling so we could better select which teas we wanted to buy.

FOODS TO EAT IN KYOTO

Sushi Naritaya - Perfect spot to grab lunch while you’re in Arashiyama. The sushi was so fresh and big compared to what we’re used to. I also loved the cold green tea to pair it with. We went right before opening to avoid a long wait.

Kyoto Tonkatsu Katsuda Shijokarasuma (breaded and deep fried) - Recommended by a friend that lives there, this was one of our favorite food spots in Kyoto! We got the pork and chicken cutlet set, which also comes with crispy veggies and an egg. You can see them battering and frying everything right in front of you. So perfectly hot and crunchy, and pretty affordable to order some additional items.

% ARABICA Kyoto Higashiyama - I got this while exploring the Higashiyama Ward and really enjoyed the Kyoto latte (latte with condensed milk). There are other locations but we saw the line at the Arashiyama location, which was significantly longer.

Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honpo - Yatsuhashi is a speciality snack of Kyoto that is a flat, triangular form of mochi. It is mostly known for the cinnamon flavor, but comes in other options as well. We stopped at this shop while exploring the Higashiyama Ward and ended up coming back for more. We loved the soft yatsuhashi to enjoy in the near future, and the hard cookie version to bring home to family and friends as a souvenir.

Nishiki market - Although there are plenty of things to try at the market, we already ate so we went more for snacking. Our favorites were the ichigo daifuku (mochi with fresh strawberry) at STRAWBERRY papa and the steak stick at Kyo no Onikudokoro Hiro. I also got the popular red furikake from Ochanokosaisai Nishiki, which also has a few other locations.

Wajoryomen Sugari - This highly rated ramen shop is hidden behind a little bamboo door. I am five feet tall and I even had to crouch to enter! Although the line can be long, the wait didn’t feel too bad since they have some seating around the courtyard area. It was a yummy ramen spot, but Michael felt that it was a bit too salty for his taste.

Chao Chao Sanjo Kiyamachi - Overly hyped online for having the best gyozas, but honestly wasn’t worth the wait. Although I like the thin and crispiness of their pork gyozas, we didn’t think it was special enough to justify our 1.5 hour wait.

Honke Owariya Main Branch - we really wanted to try this place because it is the oldest soba shop in Japan. However, we ran out of time since they are only open for lunch and we were always busy exploring other areas during the day.

Tokyo

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

To get around, you’ll want to use the train/subway so I highly recommend getting a Suica card on your Apple wallet. It makes it so convenient to tap in and out of the stations. Costs are based on how far you go, so I found it easy to load 1000 JPY at a time and reload as needed. In total for my full week in Tokyo I purchased about 3500 JPY.

SITES TO SEE / ACTIVITIES TO DO IN TOKYO

Shinjuku Area - This was truly one of our favorite areas in Tokyo! The Shinjuku Free Walking Tour probably played a big role because we learned so much from the tour that one definitely wouldn’t have known just from roaming around. The tour included:

Omoide Yokocho (a.k.a. Memory Lane) - Lane of little izakayas (bars) meant more for locals in the sense that you are not meant to talk to other groups
Golden Gai - Alleys of little izakayas (bars) meant more for foreigners in the sense that it is welcome to talk to other groups
Kabukicho - Redlight district which includes seeing Godzilla Head and ‘Love Hotels’
3D Cat Billboard

Earlier in the day we visited the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. My favorite spot at the garden was Kyu-Goryo-Tei (Taiwanese style pavilion) that reflects beautifully in the water and is surrounded by greenery.

Shibuya Area - Shibuya Scramble Crossing is known for being the largest and most hectic crosswalks in the world. It’s the place to avoid if you don’t like crowds, but it does make for a unique experience! Just next to the Scramble is the Hachikō Memorial Statue. After visiting the statue, we went back to the hotel and I balled my eyes out while rewatching the movie Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, which is based on the Hachikō story.

Another experience I would recommend in this area is Shibuya Sky, which is one of the best observation decks we’ve ever experienced! Not only does it have a large rooftop area to hang out, but all around the deck are tall glass windows with minimal structure to block the view. If you want to snag a ticket around sunset time, you’ll need to score it at the exact release time a month in advance. The tickets are released at exactly midnight in Japan time, so plan accordingly in whichever time zone you live in. We were lucky to snag a 3:20 PM ticket and stayed until sunset, but it was not an easy ticket to get!

Also in the Shibuya Area is Meiji Jingu Shrine, which has peaceful path of greenery leading to the shrine. This was the location where the Meiji Restoration took place. The restoration was the declaration of branching out and trading with other countries, which founded modern Japan.

Sensoji Temple - Another great tourist spot where you can check out the temple, try a bunch of street foods, and buy some souvenirs all in one spot! We were lucky enough to see a ceremony during our visit, which included a golden dragon dance and geishas!

Tokyo Skytree - Another observation deck that isn’t too far from Sensoji temple if you want to check it out while you’re in the area. We decided not to go since it was cloudy and we wouldn’t have much of a view anyways.

Tokyo Tower - Another observation deck that looks a lot like the Eiffel Tower in Paris! We just went to check it out from the ground level.

Takeshita street - Famous shopping street known for it’s unique fashion and anime. Down the street is The SHE’TTER TOKYO Tokyu Plaza Omotesando “Omokado”, which has a really cool outdoor escalator filled with mirrors making you feel like you’re in a Dr. Strange movie. Unfortunately, when we visited, the front was covered with massive advertisement, but we were still able to get a cool picture from the inside of it.

FujiTV Observation Deck - Michael loves unique architecture so it was a bucket list item for him to see this building from the courtyard.

GiGO Akihabara Building 3 - the Akihabara area is known for electronic stores, anime, and arcades. This GiGo building gave us the retro arcade games we were looking for! We got to play a legit pinball machine, defeat Time Crisis 2, get our hearts pumping on DDR (Dance Dance Revolution), and more! We had so much fun playing all the throwback games!

Tokyo DisneySea - Tokyo Disney parks are known for being some of the best parks in the world because of their awesome theming and well maintained rides. Although some rides may be similar to the ones you’ll find in parks in the U.S., they are less likely to have broken animatronics, which make the rides so much better.

Lucky us, we were able to explore the recently opened land, Fantasy Springs, which had stunning waterfalls and greenery scattered throughout. We were both blown away by Peter Pan's Never Land Adventure as it was such an immersive 3D ride that included all of our favorite scenes from the movie! We also loved Rapunzel's Lantern Festival. Although it was way too short of a ride, the room with all the floating lanterns was truly magical! Our favorite area of the park had to be the part of the Mediterranean Harbor where you get on the Venetian Gondolas ride. That tucked away corner was a romantic replica of Venice, without all the dirty parts! The fact that the hotel had actual guests through the windows made it so realistic and prevented it from feeling like a fake prop. Merch is so much more affordable here so if you’re into Disney swag, this is Tokyo is the place to stock up!

Shopping

While we aren’t the type of travelers to do a ton of shopping on vacation, I had anticipated doing a lot in Tokyo! Be sure to bring your passport in case you can get some tax-free benefits! Some shops we specifically planned on hitting up include:

Uniqlo - This flagship store in Ginza is 12 stories high! In addition to tax-free for tourists, it is slightly more affordable than the locations in the U.S. and there is a ton more selection. One of my favorite things about Uniqlo is the free hem option for pants, as long as you can come back the next day to pick it up.
GU - The sister store of Uniqlo which has some slightly cheaper basic styles. They also offer hemming for pants, but it costs 300 JPY which is less than $3 USD.
MEGA Don Quijote - The ultimate convenience store! There are several locations but the MEGA location with 7 stories high is located in the Shibuya area. You can stock up on almost everything here. I mostly focused on getting toiletries (since Japanese skin and haircare are supposedly elite) and souvenir snacks!

FOODS TO EAT IN TOKYO

Ginza Steak Ginza Honten - AYCE (all you can eat) A5 wagyu is seriously a special experience in Japan! This restaurant had excellent customer service and did not skimp out on the meat when it came to AYCE. There are several small courses and once you get to the steak course you can ask for more as soon as you finish the amount on your plate. We chose the menu option marked as ‘most popular’ because we wanted both lean and marbled meat. Definitely a place we would recommend in Tokyo! Be sure to make a reservation ahead of time.

Gyukatsu Motomura - This beef katsu (breaded and deep-fried) spot was one of our favorites because of how easy it was to bite into the beef. It was great to be able to cook the beef to our preference since we tend to like our steak more cooked than others. We went to line up before they opened so we didn’t have to wait very long.

Ichiran - One of the most popular ramen chains that specializes in tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen. They’re known for their customizable options for things like saltiness, oil amount, noodle texture, etc. They are also known for having single person seating, perfect for introverts. The location I linked is in Asakusa (near Sensoji temple), which didn’t have much of a line when we went around 11 AM on a Friday!

Kanda Matsuya - A soba noodle shop that is known for serving handmade soba for over a century. The wait didn’t feel too long and I enjoyed watching the guy cut the soba noodles inside. I always enjoy a classic cold soba with tempura.

Tsukiji fish market - An outdoor food market that is an ideal spot to try a bunch of street foods in one place. We unfortunately went during their Sports Day holiday so some spots were closed but we were still able to enjoy some snacks including:

Matcha maruni - There will be a bit of a line but we really enjoyed the matcha latte and hojicha latte
Tamgoyaki - Sweet Japanese egg is one of my favorites so I was excited to get it on a stick here with some eel
Ichigo daifuku (mochi with fresh strawberry) - The fresh strawberry is such a great pair with the mochi because it makes it more refreshing
Strawberry and grape tanghulu - So many people told me I had to try this but it just wasn’t for us. We’re not the biggest fans of hard candy, but we also felt the sweet fruit didn’t need the additional sugar.
Hokkaido milk ice cream - Super creamy soft serve

Kura Sushi and Mo-Mo-Paradise - These are two places that we are lucky enough to have in Los Angeles but wanted to try while we were in Tokyo.

Kura Sushi is a conveyor belt chain restaurant where you order the small plates on iPads and they get delivered to your table via the conveyor belt. They are much more reliant on technology in the Tokyo locations as you sign up for the queue, seat yourself, and pay the check completely through iPads. You could avoid talking to anyone the entire time you’re there! Of course the sushi is much more affordable there as well - for instance, 2 piece basic nigiri was 150 JPY (less than $1.50) whereas the same dish is $3.95 in LA.
Mo-Mo-Paradise is an AYCE shabu shabu chain. Although the general experience was pretty similar to the LA locations, there were a few differences. We preferred lean beef at the Tokyo location because it was easier to bite into than the lean beef at the LA locations. The Tokyo location also had unique ice cream flavors - we really loved the black bean kinako flavor! However I do appreciate that the LA location has AYCD (all you can drink) boba milk tea, which the Tokyo location we went to did not. It was slightly more affordable in Japan, especially since there isn’t a mandatory tip like they have in LA.

YAKITON izakaya YAMANE Nikuten - Although there are countless izakayas (bars) to choose from in Tokyo, especially in the Shinjuku area, this is one we enjoyed. It felt a little less cramped and noisy than some others, which we appreciated. Lots of izakayas offer all-you-can-drink options, but I mostly went for the cheap, late-night appetizers.

Creamia - Super rich soft serve ice cream in a buttery langue de chat cone. There will be random places that sell Creamia ice cream so you’ll have to keep your eye out for posters with the classic Creamia cone pictures. I was able to find it at a random spot on Takeshita street as well as at the Narita International Airport.

BONGEN COFFEE Tokyo Ginza - Was it a great coffee? Yes! Was it worth the wait? Not unless you have extra time to kill! We enjoyed the Bongen latte since it had a strong coffee flavor the way we like.

Udon Shin - Was it delicious udon? Yes, the noodle texture was perfect! Was it worth the wait? Debatable…they have an iPad ticketing queue that allows you to leave and come back in two hours. If it was just that, I would say it was worth it. Unfortunately, once that wait time is over, you then are expected to get into the line in front of the restaurant, which was an additional hour wait. That really frustrated us because we don’t understand the point of making us come back and wait for an additional hour in front of the restaurant. It would make more sense for the online queue to tell us to come back in three hours instead. That really soured the experience for us. We got the popular carbonara style udon - I really liked it and thought it was a unique flavor, but Michael thought it was too buttery and it upset his stomach a bit.

Final Thoughts

Not only is there so much more you could see and do in Tokyo and Kyoto, there are also plenty of other nearby cities around Japan that may be worth exploring! It truly depends on your preference and the type of things you prioritize in vacations. For instance, we purposely limited how many shrines and temples we’d visit since they start to feel repetitive in our opinion. And as much as we would have loved to visit Mt. Fuji, the weather is pretty unpredictable so I didn’t want to waste time taking a day trip and end up just seeing it covered in clouds.

The great thing about Japan is that you really can’t go wrong when it comes to the food! You can walk into a random restaurant and you’ll likely be very satisfied coming out. Some popular spots may not be worth the wait so if you don’t have the time to kill, just find another spot with similar dishes nearby! As much as we love sushi and ramen, there are so many other Japanese dishes that are just as delicious, so be open minded!

Japan is truly one of the best vacation destinations if you enjoy good food and quality tea. It’s also one of those destinations that has so much to see and do that you’ll feel like you’ll just have to go back at some point!

SOCIALLY SAMMI