Japan, land of the rising sun, home to majestic temples, futuristic technologies, historical landmarks, impressive volcanoes, incredible beaches, delicious food and a stunning culture. Japan is not only a country, it’s a universe, with its own codes, where tradition and modernity coexist peacefully.
For us, travel is mainly about experiencing cultural difference and for sure visiting Japan fulfilled this goal. The Japanese society is built around discipline, respect and pursuit of perfection. Japanese will be dedicated to their craft until they have become the best they can possibly be. It’s really inspiring! Commuters line up politely and wait for their trains, toilet seats are heated and equipped with washing jets, music and deodorizers, restaurants have vending machines where you can select your meal before even entering, there is a convenience store at every corner, umbrellas can be locked in a dedicated space, trash is almost nonexistent, subways are always on time...They have pretty much every comfort/practical issue figured out and it’s truly impressive. It demonstrates hard work, perseverance and dedication. They almost reach perfection, for sure, but at what price?...many rules and a lot of discipline, which can probably feel overwhelming at times…
ITINERARY
We spent almost 3 weeks in Japan, trying to explore as much as possible. We started our journey in Tokyo and ended it in Osaka, with many stops in between. Tokyo was a great introduction to Japan and definitely won our hearts. From there we took the Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train) to Hiroshima where we spent 2 days learning more about the tragic bombing in the Peace memorial museum and Park. We also took a ferry to Miyajima, home to the floating Torii and many cute deers. Another Shinkansen ride took us to beautiful Kyoto, where we spotted a few geishas, explored many amazing temples and indulged in exquisite food. We took advantage of our stay in Kyoto to go to Nara for a day. We were conquered by the majestic temples, beautiful gardens and playful deers. While in Kyoto, we allocated another half day to visit the elegant Himeji Castle. On the road again, this time we arrived to Osaka, the second largest Japanese city after Tokyo. We were surprised by its food scene and vibrant nightlife around Dotonbori river. We spent one day exploring the city before heading to our final destination, Koyasan, the spiritual city of Japan, home to more than 120 Shingon (japanese buddhist) temples. Spending a night in one of the temples nicely concluded our journey in beautiful Japan.
Day 1-6: Tokyo - Nikko (click on the link to check out our article on Tokyo!)
Day 7-8: Hiroshima - Miyajima
Day 9-15: Kyoto - Nara - Himeji
Day 16-17: Osaka
Day 17-18: Koyasan
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR TRIP?
If well prepared, a trip around Japan can be easy and hassle free. Here are some tips and tricks to prepare your stay and make the most of it:
1- Reserve a Japan Rail Pass
Purchasing a Japan rail pass is a no-brainer if you are going to use the bullet train (Shinkansen) more than a couple of times. It’s a special discounted ticket created for foreign visitors. It is not sold in Japan but you can buy it online in advance at this website: https://www.jrailpass.com. Once your online order is confirmed, you can either pick up the exchange voucher or chose to have it delivered to your temporary residence in Japan. This voucher needs to be exchanged for the actual Pass once in Japan (within 3 months) at any of the exchange offices (located in all the main airport terminals and train stations). You will need to bring your passport and the original voucher to be able to complete the exchange.
You can use it for all JR trains and bullet trains, with a few exceptions. A standard 7 day pass costs 220 Euros per person and has to be used for the next 7 days when activated. A standard 2 week pass costs 350 Euros per person.To take full advantage of the pass, plan all JR stops in a way that optimizes the pass use. For example, we traveled Japan in almost 3 weeks and only used the JR pass for a week.
2- Get an IC card
IC cards are rechargeable cards that can be used to pay fares on public transportation and make payments at vending machines and some shops and restaurants. The applicable fare will automatically be deducted once you touch the card onto the reader. There is no discount associated with the use of IC cards but it’s for sure more practical to recharge a card and use it for payments rather than pay for each single ride separately. The initial costs consists of a deposit of 4 Euros plus an initial amount (around 11 Euros) to be charged into the card. Of course, once your trip ends, you can get back any balance left along with your deposit when you return the card. IC cards can be purchased at ticket machines and ticket counters (in most train and subway stations).
3- Rent Pocket wifi
A popular option for tourists in Japan is to rent a portable pocket wifi device. This will enable you to have access to internet while traveling, without having to buy a Sim card and with the possibility to connect several devices. Many accommodation options include pocket wifi but if it’s not included in your accommodation, try to rent it at the airport or at a distribution point in the city you’ll be visiting. We had a pocket wifi available with our Airbnb accommodation in Tokyo and had to rent one for the rest of our trip. We chose Ninja wifi for a cost of 8 Euros/day. We picked it up in the center of Tokyo and returned it at Osaka airport at the the end of our stay. Smooth and convenient!
4- Always have cash
Japan is not a credit card friendly country. You can use your credit card in department stores and some restaurants but most shops and eateries only take cash (Even subway card machines!!). You can withdraw cash at ATMs located in 7-eleven or any other convenience store (or banks).
5- Rent a translating device
The majority of Japanese don’t speak english and it can sometimes be really hard to communicate. Afraid to get lost in translation? No worries. Rent an instant offline translation device. The most common one is called “ili” and can translate your words from english to japanese (or to spanish and chinese) in no time. We didn’t have one but tried it at one of the hotels we stayed at, it really works perfectly.
WHEN TO GO?
Japan has 4 distinct seasons and each of them offers a different taste of the country. The japanese culture is deeply related to these seasons, with specific activities, food and festivals for each time of the year. Winter from December to February is time for freezing cold and ski trips, spring from March to May is the sign of cherry blossom (Sakura), summer from June to August is the symbol of flower gardens, fireworks and festivals and autumn from September to November is when the leaves turn red and both the light and colors are amazing.
Japan can be visited all year long but winter can be quite cold and summer very rainy with a risk of typhoons. Late spring and autumn are generally the best times to go. Rainfall is light, skies are clear and temperatures are mild.
It’s preferable to avoid Golden week though (end of April and beginning of May). Many Japanese workers get about a week off because of the cluster of national holidays during this time. Golden week is usually one of the busiest holiday seasons with a lot of crowds and higher prices.
JAPANESE CUISINE
Food is very serious business in Japan! We were blown away by how much thought goes into food preparation, presentation and consumption. It’s almost an obsession!
Japanese cuisine is one of the only 3 national food traditions recognized by the UN for its cultural significance (along with French food and recently Mexican food). Ingredients are carefully selected and vary from a season to another. Seasoning is usually minimal and flavor is enhanced using miso, soy sauce, mushrooms and seaweed instead of garlic, chili or oil. Condiments are also key, japanese food is often served with pickles, wasabi, miso...There are also a lot of rules around eating: leaving a messy plate is rude, Sake has to be poured in a specific way and tea is an art. Every region has specialties and uses specific ingredients. Japanese cuisine is an art and it would take a lifetime to master it, but here are some of our favorite discoveries and recommendations (there’s of course no need to mention sushi and sashimi!)
Kaiseki cuisine: small dishes containing up to 12 beautifully presented courses of steamed, simmered or grilled dishes, slices of sashimi, tempura, soup, smoked rice, wagyu and kobe beef. Kyoto is a great place to enjoy this wonderful treat. We’ve tried it in Tokyo, at Gyoenroan and highly recommend this restaurant!
Yakitori: japanese type of skewered chicken, seafood or vegetables (Try it in Piss Alley, Tokyo)
Wagyu beef: literally means Japanese (Wa) cow (gyu). Kobe beef is the most famous and is produced from cows raised according to strict tradition. It’s also very expensive.
Fatty tuna: called Chutoro (medium fatty) or Ottoro (the fattiest part). These parts of tuna will melt in your mouth and will make you refuse to eat regular tuna sushi or sashimi. It’s fatty tuna or nothing!
Izakaya: japanese pub where you will find an extensive and cheap choice of food and drinks. They often offer Tabehodai deals, for a set price you get an hour or two of unlimited drinks and food.
Shabu Shabu: chinese-japanese hotpot dish of thinly sliced meat and vegetables boiled in water and served with dipping sauces
Okonomiyaki: savory pancake famous in Hiroshima and Osaka
Takoyaki: small pieces of octopus cooked in a bread dough-like dumpling, Osaka speciality
Donburi: simmered fish, meat or vegetables served over rice
Mochi: sweet pounded rice cake
Ramen: noodles in a broth
Udon: thick noodles in a broth
Zaru soba: buckwheat noodles served cold with a dipping sauce
Natto: a sticky and slightly smelly concoction made of fermented soya beans (you will love it or hate it!)
Tempura: deep fried fish or vegetables
Teriyaki: marinated meat seared on a hot plate
Katsu: Crispy fried cutlet usually served with a side of cabbage and/or curry
If you love to eat and like to explore new flavors and culinary cultures, head to Japan right away. Also, if you are on a budget, don’t worry! Dining out in Japan can be expensive but there are delicious and hearty options for travelers on budget. You can always find tiny restaurants specializing in a single dish (like ramen) and offering high quality for a cheap price.
BUDGET
Compared to other Asian countries, travelling in Japan can be quite expensive, especially transportation and accommodation wise. A good way of managing the costs is to book plane tickets and accommodation in advance, especially if you plan to visit Japan during high season or Sakura season. Below is an estimate of our expenses in Japan by category, including plane tickets:
Please leave us comments, we will be more than happy to hear your thoughts or answer your questions!
Happy wandering!
