Hey everyone,

I'll be travelling to Japan in about three weeks for 10 days. I'm going to spend most of my time in Tokyo and a little in Kyoto. It would be great, if some of you could give me recommendations on what to see and where to go to aside from the main tourist attractions. So something like a restaurant, a bar, a shop or club would be wonderful. Or maybe a little known park or temple.

That's one thing. The other one is: what books, audiobooks, films and/or mangas should I get? I am far from starting to properly read a book, but I figured I can buy them there much easier and cheaper than here. So something you found particularly interesting or helpful for your studies would be appreciated. I do realise this is a matter of taste, but I am happy, if you give me your idea. I can allways not buy it, if it's nothing for me.

Of course any general tips are great too. Hope to see a lot of answers

On my first visit to Japan, someone advised that I take a short trip outside of Tokyo to Kamakura. I think that's probably the single best piece of advice I've ever received about Japan. So go there.

Also, go to Mount Takao. It's technically "Tokyo," but it feels like you're in a forest, because you are.

Kyoto: Ride the bus to all the temples if you're poor. But if you can spare 2000-3000 yen, take taxis. You'll save about half a day in travel time. The bus is sooooo slow. Make sure you take a walk down Philosopher's Path.

There are websites where you can check train or subway schedules and plan your trip. They will even tell you what time the train arrives to the station, at what platform, and all you need.

Also, I recomend you Yoshinoya's cheese curry, which is a curry rice with hot cheese. It's oh so delicious, and also unexpensive. Besides, Yoshinoya are open all night.

I'd also recomend you to try those ramen dishes where they heat the soup with a piece of hot ceramic. That's both delicious and a show in itself, if you haven't seen it before.

If you are going to have internet access, it would be a good idea to set up some cloud backup service, to keep all your pictures and videos you take backed up in case something happens to your camera/cellphone/computer/wherever you carry your photos.

In Copy.com they give you 15 GB with a free account, plus 5 GB if you register following a referral link (like this one: https://copy.com?r=IlU6lu [/shameless referral link] ), plus 5 GB each time someone uses your own referral link.

You won't have much time, so you better make the most efficient use possible of it. Research on all the places you would want to go, any event that could take place during the time you will be there, and anything that could be useful for your adventure. Using something like Evernote for keeping track of all the info would be a good idea.

Also, it would be a great idea to keep a travel diary, where you write down everyday the places you went, things you did and how you felt about it. If you pair it with photos you take, that could become a treasure you can use when you want to remember your adventure in the future, and to share it with your loved ones and friends.

Have a great trip!

AKIHABARA..............go there although I myself have yet to go to japan. The metropolis of anime,manga and galges. Make sure to bring a good camera and lots of Yen. You might want to also buckle yourself with Japanese phrases too.

Good Luck!

Hard to give recommendations without knowing you or what you're interested in. Based on others recommendations above, there are a couple of things I'd add.

JapaneseRuleOf7 recommended Mt. Takao. I live just a few stops away from there. Mt. Takao is somewhat known for the statues of Tengu associated with the temples there. It does make for a fun little day trip- it's maybe an hour or so out from Tokyo on the Chuo line (take the commuter rapid if possible, the regular rapid as a 2nd choice, and avoid the local train. It would even be worth it to take the Ome special/commuter rapid- also on the Chuo line- as far as Tachikawa and switch from there.), and then change at Takao station to get out to the mountain . Mt. Takao is nice, but a bit of pacified nature- well trodden paths and it can get a little crowded on the weekends. There's also a Trick Art Museum down by the station if you have a few extra hours to kill, or if you get out there and it's raining.

Quite nearby Mt. Takao is the ruins of Hachioji, though they're a little less convenient to get to- the path up Takao (or the train/chairlift to the top) is close to the station, Hachioji castle would likely require a taxi trip- I biked from my apartment. These are also sort of scattered over a small mountain, but the paths are not quite as commonly traveled and you'll be able to escape the crowds and feel even more "in the forest". It's also considered one of the most haunted spots in Japan, all the defenders (the main force was off to a different battle, so it was under-defended) having been put to death when the castle was taken (and the location lost, not to be re-discovered until the 1980s). Personally, I love ghost stories but don't believe in ghosts, so this was a cool day trip. The anniversary of the fall of the castle is coming up soon- June 23rd, I think.

I might also recommend Tachikawa. Recently it's been connected to several anime/manga, and if you want to spend a day in the park, you can't go wrong with Showa Kinen park, which is very large and has some very cool areas hidden toward the back (the Sun and Moon Pyramids and the dragon playground are very neat). Honestly, though, since you're only visiting Japan for a short trip, you might be better served by hanging out in Yoyogi park and checking out the performers practicing their routines and such.

As for Akihabara- don't miss the 5 floor Kotobukiya store (they carry a lot of other stuff, not just Kotobukiya products). Akihabara restaurants- if you can manage to get in, there's a restaurant called Granvania near Akihabara station (upstairs from the lightbulb shop near the main Akihabara Electric Town street crossing). While technically a maid cafe as the staff wear the outfits, it's more like a regular restaurant in that they have individual tables and don't do floor shows and go overboard with the cutesy crap. The food is ok, not great (but not bad), but I really like the style and the decor of the place.

If you are into figures/collectibles, another place to check out is Nakano Broadway (roughly halfway between Tachikawa and Shinjuku on the Chuo line, maybe 20 min from Shinjuku). Basically it's a big shopping area with lots of stores carrying figures both new and secondhand, as well as a scattering of other collectible shops, cosplay goods stores, 2nd hand clothing, and other assorted shops.

I'm not much of one for the club scene, so I can't really recommend anything there. For restaurants/bars, though, I do like the SF themed bar Kanda Flux (https://www.facebook.com/kandaflux) over in Kanda (next stop from Tokyo Station). Prices are decent, their food is good, but you might consider it a step above snack food and not quite "meal food" so you may want to eat before going. They have memorabilia from several different SF franchises decorating the place, mostly Western SF stuff, though. There's a life sized Batman, Han Solo in Carbonite, some back to the Future stuff, and the bartender will mix a drink on the spot based on your favorite movie or character.

If you're looking for more of a Japanese traditional restaurant, or Japanese themed, you might want to try Ninja Akasaka (http://www.ninjaakasaka.com/). I've never been there myself, but have been thinking I ought to get there one of these days.

Cheaper restaurants... Coco Ichi Curry. I've never tried Yoshinoya's curry, so I don't know how it would compare, but I do like the Coco Ichi.

As you're out and about, keep an eye out for a store called Book Off. Basically a large used bookstore, you should be able to find some cheap secondhand manga that catches your interest.

Hmm. You said you're leaving in 3 weeks. No idea if you'd be interested, but on June 7th, if you're around, there's an unofficial Japanese Star Wars Fan Convention, which usually involves a lot of cosplay, fan tables, etc. https://www.facebook.com/MoistureFarmersUnion

June 12-14 the Tokyo International Toy Show is open to the public. http://www.world-of-toys.org/japan/tokyo-toy-show/

That's all I've got off the top of my head.

My advice is to spend more time in Kyoto than Tokyo. I have no idea what anyone does in Tokyo for more than four days. Unless you really really love consumerism.

Anyway, Tokyo is the place to go clubbing, so do that there. If you Japanese is good and you want to go to bars try going to Golden-Gai in Shinjuku. First go to a gaijin friendly bar (some bars will have signs welcoming foreigners), befriend people there and they might take you to other bars. Bars there are primarily for regulars so you should find regulars to go with.

The Kamakura recommendation is good, as is Akihabara. Even if you don't like anime or anything Akihabara is quite an experience.

Personally, I like going to Yoyogi-Koen and meeting people there and watching the street performers. I also like getting a ridiculous dessert at one of the famous places in Harajuku while I'm there. A much prettier park with more variety is the Gyoen National Garden in Shinjuku--it's not as good for meeting people but it's a great place to walk around on a nice day. It's kind of like a lot of little parks all together, each with their own feel.

In Kyoto the must-see temples/shrines are Kiyomizu-Dera and Fushimi Inari. Ginkakuji is better than Kinkakuji. Do a side trip to Nara and see Toudaiji. Get drunk in Osaka--either Shinsaibashi or Shinsekai. Kobe is so-so tourist-wise but pretty and has good meat. If you want some Kobe Beef go for lunch for a deal. At night go to the Jazz Restaurant Sone (the night view of Kobe is also great, but it can be hard to get to a good place to see it).

If you have extra time try going to Hiroshima for two days. On the day with nicer weather go to Miyajima (start early)--it's beautiful.

I know tons of restaurants and bars in Kyoto, so if you want anything specific I could probably help.

I also disagree with all the fast-food restaurants. There are plenty of non-fast food places to get much better meals for a reasonable price. Only go to a silly chain if you can't find anything else.

watch noh or kabuki performance

mandarake in shibuya has good selection of second-hand manga

if you're into ukiyo-e, this museum in tokyo has great selection:
http://www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/index-E.html

best temple i saw in kyoto was nishi-honganji
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nishi_Honganji

90mins train ride from kyoto is amanohashidate, one of three scenic views of japan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanohashidate

Kamakura is a good call, but Nikko is even better. A bit further to go but well worth it - and if you want some nature in your trip it's probably a much better idea than Takao.

For books, well, if you're feeling hardcore you could go to Jimbocho, the second-hand book district. A lot of it is antique and rare stuff though so it's probably not all that interesting. Difficult to navigate to - so ... yeah, forget that. Just wander into a good-sized Book Off and head to the children's section (I think Ikebukuro's Book Off has the best selection there, but where-ever really). If you can find any, pick up books from the ふたごの魔法使い series - still the easiest good book series that I know. らくだい魔女 is also a fine idea (though significantly more difficult) - probably easier to find too. Or just whatever catches your eye - that's how I usually do it. Assuming you've got plenty of space in your luggage for them you can work out the difficulty and whatnot later.

Thank you all for the replies, I was really looking forward to them!

JapaneseRuleOf7 Wrote:take a short trip outside of Tokyo to Kamakura [...] Also, go to Mount Takao [...] Kyoto: [...] take taxis. You'll save about half a day in travel time. Make sure you take a walk down Philosopher's Path.

Noted all this down, I saved for a few months so that I won't have to limit myself too much in Japan, so taxis it will be. At least in Kyoto, I heard in Tokyo they are very expensive.

Sebastian Wrote:You won't have much time, so you better make the most efficient use possible of it. [...] Also, it would be a great idea to keep a travel diary.

I am trying to compose everything beforehand. It proves a bit of a challange as I am not very good with organizing, but I am getting better at it . The diary is a very good tip, as is the curry. Thanks.

john_sabater Wrote:AKIHABARA

Oh yes

six8ten Wrote:Hachioji [...] Kotobukiya [...] Granvania [...] Nakano Broadway [...] Kanda Flux [...] Ninja Akasaka [...] Coco Ichi Curry [...] Book Off [...] Japanese Star Wars Fan Convention

Wow, thank you very much for the many recommendations! They really sound amazing and not so touristic. Sadly, I'll be in Kyoto on the 7th, so I'll miss the convention. The friends I am going with would have loved to see that.

Tzadeck Wrote:My advice is to spend more time in Kyoto than Tokyo. [...] Golden-Gai in Shinjuku [...] Yoyogi-Koen [...] Gyoen National Garden [...] Kiyomizu-Dera and Fushimi Inari. Ginkakuji is better than Kinkakuji. Do a side trip to Nara and see Toudaiji. [...] I know tons of restaurants and bars in Kyoto, so if you want anything specific I could probably help

I wanted to spend more time in Kyoto, but alas the friends I am going with didn't. We won't be able to make it to Kobe, but that is just a reason for me to come back as soon as I can. It would be wonderful, if you could list your top 3 bars and restaurants in Kyoto!!! Much better to get a tip than to read up a restaurant in a guide. Thanks!

umetani666 Wrote:kabuki performance [...] mandarake in shibuya [...] ukiyo-e [...] nishi-honganji

All written down. Great!

Aikynaro Wrote:Nikko [...] Jimbocho, the second-hand book district. [...] ふたごの魔法使い [...] らくだい魔女

I am into books. Though I have the bad habit of buying to many and reading to little, so I am most grateful for the info. Going to go to that district . And cheers for the book recommendations too!

Thanks again everyone, back to planning!

Congrats, you planned your trip in the middle of the rainy season.

I won't tell you where to go to have fun, but I'd advise you to bring an umbrella (or get one of those transparent 500円 ones from any konbini).

If you will take a tablet or smartphone with you, equip it with any app that could prove useful.

For example, Maps With Me is a map app (available for Android, don't know about other platforms) with offline support, in case you get lost or need to find your way to somewhere.

I'm going to Japan around the same time as you, and we're planning to go see Tokyo Sky tree. It's the second highest building in the world, so yeah.
I like high buildings so I think we're going to see Tokyo Tower too, as well as scaling Mt. Fuji (season starts in July).

I've heard that it's so hot in June and July that even though it's rainy season, you're fine in a t-shirt and an umbrella.

If you like Ghibli, you shouldn't miss the chance to visit the Ghibli Museum.



Unfortunately, tickets have to be bought at least 2 weeks in advance, but if you have friends in Japan they can buy them for you. Also, tickets are valid only for a given day and time, so you have to plan everything and get there on time.


If you like amusement parks, roller coasters, and Evangelion, then go to 富士急ハイランド and enjoy their tall rollercoaster and their Evangelion World with a 1:1 replica of Eva unit 01.

Tzadeck Wrote:My advice is to spend more time in Kyoto than Tokyo. I have no idea what anyone does in Tokyo for more than four days. Unless you really really love consumerism.

If I didn't have friends in Tokyo I wouldn't go there. Alas.

When I'm there, I spend a lot of my time in Tokyo sleeping and eating. Restaurants off the top of my head:

-Meat Yazawa in Gotanda: Cheapest A-5 Beef. English friendly.
http://www.kuroge-wagyu.com/my/my_e/lunch.html

-BLACOWS burger in Ebisu: Owned by the same guys that own Meat Yazawa. Burgers.
http://www.kuroge-wagyu.com/bc/top.html

-Rokkasen in Shinjuku: AYCE A-5 Beef Yakiniku. The AYCE menu also has things like fugu! It's quite pricey though.
http://www.rokkasen.co.jp/en/

-Yoroniku, around Ginza: Friend took me here. It's a different experience from the AYCE. The shaved ice is great.
http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1306/A130602/13042979/

-Katsuzen in Ginza: A tonkatsu place with a Michelin star! Go for lunch because it's cheaper.
http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13006519/

-Menya Kissou in Kiba: The only ramen I had in Japan that I remember really liking. The tomato tsukemen in Osaka was good too, but that's not really "traditional." It's also kinda out of the way.
http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1313/A131303/13021140/

If you go to Sensouji, be sure to try the fried manjuu at the stalls. There's also a store nearby that sells gigantic fresh melon pan that changed my opinion of melon pan forever.

six8ten Wrote:If you're looking for more of a Japanese traditional restaurant, or Japanese themed, you might want to try Ninja Akasaka (http://www.ninjaakasaka.com/). I've never been there myself, but have been thinking I ought to get there one of these days.

I've been. Definitely a memorable dining experience. The diners are about half foreigners, half Japanese. They have English-speaking staff. The food was not bad either, but what really makes the restaurant worth going to is the unique experience it offers. The most memorable dish was foie gras paired with shuriken crackers. Although the food is definitely Japanese, I wouldn't consider it traditional Japanese, however. It's more like modern fusion.

If you're into dining, I recommend taking a look at the Michelin guide. Last time I checked, Tokyo has the most Michelin stars out of any city in the world. If you want to taste traditional Japanese food at its finest, I recommend going to a good kaiseki, teppanyaki, and sushi restaurant. Here are my recommendations:

For kaiseki, go to Kyoto. I don't have a clue about kaiseki places there, unfortunately. There should be several Michelin star kaiseki restaurants there, though. Last I remember, Kyoto was also in the top 3 cities with the most Michelin stars.

For Teppanyaki, I recommend Teppanyaki Steak Kisentei (鉄板焼ステーキ喜扇亭). It's in Tokyo Midtown, which is in the heart of Roppongi. Their beef is to die for and I had the best miso soup in my life there.

It might be too late to get a reservation at Sukiyabashi Jiro (the only sushi restaurant in the world with 3 Michelin stars; it's at Ginza station), but there's an amazing sushi restaurant in the Tsukiji fish market called Sushidai (寿司大). It's first come, first served. The wait is long, but it is well worth it.

Also, I have no idea what the people who say there's not many cheap things to do in Tokyo are talking about. If you're into contemporary art, Tokyo is the best place in Japan to be. The number of world class museums is comparable to NYC. Even ancient art is best sought after in Tokyo, not Kyoto. There are many museums decided to fine lacquerware, ceramics, and woodwork. Furthermore, Tokyo has plenty of award winning architecture designed by Pritzker prize winners. Even random buildings in Marunouchi and Roppongi have free art exhibits in their lobbies. Most of these things are free or comparable to whatever entry fees you'd pay at temples/shrines in Kyoto.

Besides art, people watching in Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Harajaku is quite enjoyable. The only place in Kyoto that might be as as unique in terms of people watching would be Gion.

Speaking of Gion, I strongly recommend a rickshaw tour starting at Kiyomizudera. Your tour guide should be able to answer any question about Kyoto. Anyway, it'll end at Gion and you'll get a coupon for a Japanese sweets cafe (at least I did). Order the warabi mochi and some gyokuro-cha. You can then die happy.

At any rate, I'd say go to Kyoto for traditional Japan and Tokyo for modern Japan. This applies in all respects (cuisine, arts, culture, etc.). The point of my mini rant is not to put down Kyoto, but not to brush aside Tokyo.

P.S. Go to Arashiyama in Kyoto and eat sweets and drink matcha at Kuro Maru (sorry, no English page). I found Arashiyama to be the most beautiful part of Kyoto. It's a pleasure to simply wander around there.

vileru Wrote:It might be too late to get a reservation at Sukiyabashi Jiro (the only sushi restaurant in the world with 3 Michelin stars; it's at Ginza station), but there's an amazing sushi restaurant in the Tsukiji fish market called Sushidai (寿司大). It's first come, first served. The wait is long, but it is well worth it.

There are three other sushi restaurants with 3 stars in Tokyo: Sushi Mizutani, Sushi Saito, Sushi Yoshitake.

I was treated to sushi by a friend at a neighborhood shop in Tokyo and I thought it was superb, but when I looked on tabelog it was only 3.0. I think that going to a 3-star without a developed palate might be a waste.

I found this review for a Michelin 1-star sushi place in Tsukiji that isn't Dai or Daiwa and it seems pretty easy on the wallet (comparatively). Personally, I hate waiting for anything, lol.
http://www.tinyurbankitchen.com/2013/11/sushi-iwa.html

I've been on many ten day trips to Japan, with an emphasis on Kyoto, and here are some things I've learned:

Trains and subways are cheap and fast, but will often require a walk or taxi to your final destination. Taxis are more expensive and can be very slow because of traffic, but they pick you up where you are and drop you off where you want to go. I haven't found Japan taxis to be more expensive than those in major US cities, and of course they're more cost effective when shared. You can download train and subway maps for Kyoto and Tokyo from the internet. I strongly recommend this unless you are planning to taxi everywhere (which I'll admit I find boring). Avoid buses if at all possible.

Getting around takes much more time than you think it will. Don't expect to do too many major things in a day; two per morning or afternoon is my max. It helps to have a daily plan, i.e, a short list of where you want to go and how you plan to get there. Trying to decide over breakfast what to do that day is a huge time-waster, especially if more than one person is involved. Of course, just wandering around in the streets without a plan can be really fun, too. It just depends on how you want to spend your time.

For every day meals try to find places to eat near where you're staying or where you're visiting, so you don't spend a lot of extra time traveling to and from meals. This isn't hard to do, since you can find onsite food service, nearby restaurants or street food at almost every tourist destination and around most train and subway stations. All the department stores have dozens of take-out food stalls in the basement and a variety of restaurants (sometimes beer gardens in the summer) on the top floor(s). Special meals are a different story, of course.

Here are two restaurants I really like in Kyoto. They're very different, but both are very Japanese. They have good-quality food and a selection of beer and sake, and are not crazy expensive.

Izusen is lunch only (11-4) in the garden of a sub-temple in the Daitokuji temple complex, with traditional tatami rooms. The food is shojin ryori, with a choice of two set meals (from an English menu), each consisting of many courses. It's vegetarian, being Buddhist temple food, but my hard-core carnivore friend loved it, and it's a LOT of food.

Kokekokko is on the 11F of Isaten department store in Tokyo Eki. It's a modern, beautifully designed kushiyaki restaurant with lots of izakaya food on the English menu. Open late.

Be aware that in the last several years, all of the major tourist sites in Kyoto have been overwhelmed by crowds that come, literally, by the bus load. You might not be as crowd-averse as I am, but it does alter the experience of being in a place that was designed for contemplation and relaxation, especially the smaller gardens, like Ginkakuji. I go to those places very early or very late, if at all. But there are always less popular sub-temples, smaller gardens without bus parking, and places outside the city to visit.

I found Shimokitazawa to be a both cosy and lively neighbourhood in Tokyo. A bit alternative and a very nice atmosphere.

andikaze Wrote:Congrats, you planned your trip in the middle of the rainy season.

Haha yeah I know, but wasn't able to change the timing

Sebastian Wrote:If you will take a tablet or smartphone with you, equip it with any app that could prove useful.

Good idea! I will look for something on iOS

Northern_Lord Wrote:Tokyo Tower

Yes we will do that too. I just hope there won't be an earthquake once I am up there

Sebastian Wrote:Ghibli Museum

I would like to see the Ghibli, I will try to get some tickets. I very much liked Howl's Moving Castle.

kainzero Wrote:Restaurants off the top of my head

Cheers for the list!

vileru Wrote:If you're into dining, I recommend taking a look at the Michelin guide.

I have the green guide, which is more cultural orientated, but has the most important about the restaurants too.

kainzero Wrote:I found this review for a Michelin 1-star sushi place in Tsukiji that isn't Dai or Daiwa and it seems pretty easy on the wallet (comparatively).

Will take a look!

codex Wrote:You can download train and subway maps for Kyoto and Tokyo from the internet. I strongly recommend this unless you are planning to taxi everywhere [...] Be aware that in the last several years, all of the major tourist sites in Kyoto have been overwhelmed by crowds that come, literally, by the bus load.

I will use the train a lot, I allways think it gives you more of a feel for the city and how people live (well, to an extend). I know what you mean with the crowds. How are you supposed to enjoy the atmosphere of a shrine, if you allways hear a guide in the background screaming "this way please"? But I guess one has to get used to this more and more as there will be more people in the future. Thanks for the two restaurants, will note them down.

Hinsudesu Wrote:Shimokitazawa

Okay, wrote that down too

Thank you all for the recommendations!!!

So how did the trip go?

Great! Thank you for asking. I didn't have time to do everything, but it was a wonderful experience! Thank you all for the great tips! I walked a lot in Tokyo and it really is a fantastic city. The districts are so different, in terms of crowd, buildings and things to do. I loved that. Personally, I think Kyoto might be nicer to live in though. The many temples and shrines and the green surrounding was stunning, especially so in Arashiyama. I really want to go again and next time with the ability to have a conversation in Japanese, not just being able to ask for the toilet like this time. I bought tons of stuff, but it will be a while till I can read the manga and books I bought or play the games that I brought home with me. Such a wonderful country!

Overall, how clean was Japan? I know you're in Germany which has similar levels of cleanliness so there might not be much to compare. But pretend you're American me and the only things I see are gang graffiti on buildings (or as they prefer to call it, public urban art), fast food wrappers on the road, bubble gum on public transport seats, and dried blood (due to school shooting #846246575).

How does Japan compare to that?

qwertyytrewq Wrote:Overall, how clean was Japan?

I hope this helps answer your question:

Japanese World Cup fans clean stadium after loss to Ivory Coast

Quote:Japan opened its World Cup campaign with a 2-1 loss against Ivory Coast on Sunday.

How did the Japanese fans react?

They didn’t carry on and sulk. Or cause problems in the streets.

They cleaned their section of the stadium afterwards, as the tweets below prove.

Haha this is actually quite accurate. Everything is very clean (much more so than here in Germany, though this will depend on where in Germany you are) and you hardly see any trash on the floor despite everything being wrapped in twice the amount of paper/plastic. They sure like packaging. Can recommend this country in terms of cleanliness

I thought Osaka was about as clean as downtown Chicago.

You can think about that in whatever way you choose. =)