Japan
Here is your quick guide to the country
2024
The Visa
Information about this Visa is based on American Citizenship
- Visa on arrival for US citizens
- Up to 90 days
Airport
- Haneda
- Closest to Tokyo
- Can take local lines into anywhere you want in tokyo
- Narita
- Though Narita is farther it is fairly easy to get into Tokyo as there is a Low cost bus.
- Low cost bus is ¥1300
- Leaves you at Tokyo Station
- Takes an hour to get to the city
- I took this to get into the city and it was smooth and efficient
- Can take multiple trains into the city
- The JR Narita Express
- Cost ¥3000
- Direct into city
- The JR Sobu Line
- Cost ¥1340
- Direct into city
- The JR Narita Express
- Though Narita is farther it is fairly easy to get into Tokyo as there is a Low cost bus.
- Has Uber
Must Try Food
- Ramen
- Ichiran is a famous ramen chain you can find anywhere in Japan
- Sushi
- Kura Sushi is a popular revolving sushi chain
- Soba
- Wheat noodles best served cold.
- Kobe Beef
- Find a stand that sells it on a stick- best piece of meat ever
- Udon
- Onigiri
- Rice balls (try as many as possible)
- Curry rice
Drinks
- Matcha
- Also try different things flavored Matcha
- Sake
Check out my favorite eats during my stay in Japan!
Tokyo
& its Neighborhoods
Each neighborhood of Tokyo is unique and time spent here should be mostly used to walk around and explore. Here I will give descriptions of each neighborhood and what they offer.
Shibuya
The most famous Tokyo neighborhood. This will be the busiest area filled with the most people but also the coolest. The nightlife here is some of the best in Japan and deserves to be seen.
Things to do
- The famous Shibuya crossing. Can you spot Hachiko!
- Shibuya Sky
- Cost ¥2200
- Check out this free view point
Harajuku
Here is where you will find the “street style” of Tokyo. Stores here are more local based with their own unique expressions and styles.
Things to do
- Takeshita Street
- A shopping street loaded with all kinds of foods, stores, and animal cafes.
- Meiji jingu
- Free to visit
- Open 6:40am to 4pm
- Omotesando
- Your luxury street for all high end brands
- Yoyogi park
Akihabara
Calling all my anime lovers and gamers this neighborhood will be your realm of expertise. This is the electric city where you’ll find maids literaing the streets and anime posters everywhere.
Things to do
- Go to a Maid Cafe
- Play in the arcades
- Try your hand at the claw machines
- You much do a Gachapon game; it is a rite of passage in Japan
- These usually cost anywhere from ¥300-500
Route Alert! Start in Shinjuku work your way downwards to Harajuku, then finish in Shibuya. As well as; start in Asakusa work your way down to Akihabara and finish in Ginza!
Shinjuku
This is the business district of Japan; lots of skyscrapers and business men. Here is also where you’ll find Tokyo’s red light district as well as good nightlife.
Things to do
- Tokyo metropolitan government building
- Free entry
- Open weekdays 8:30am- 5pm
- Omoide Yokochō
- Famous alleyway with food and drinks; aka “Memory Lane”
- Food can be expensive here and better to find outside the area
- Kabukicho
- The red light district
Asakusa
This is a more traditional area of Tokyo; known for its handmade items. Here is the perfect area to try on the traditional Japanese Kimono and take pictures in front of the Temple.
Things to do
- Sensoji temple
- Free to visit
- Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple built to honor Kannon, goddess of mercy
- Tokyo Sky Tree
- Not actually located in this area but is walkable from here
- Open 10am-9pm
- Combo ticket: access to both sky decks.
Adult ¥3,100; Junior (12-17 year old) ¥2,350; and Kids (6-11 years old) ¥1,450. - Tembo Deck – access to the 350metre high deck. Adult (18 and above) ¥2,100 Junior (12-17 year old) ¥1,550 and Kids (6-11 years old) ¥950.
- Combo ticket: access to both sky decks.
Ginza
For the big shoppers this area is your time to shine. Ginza is known as the shopping district of Tokyo and stores are endless here.
Notable Flagship Stores:
- Muij
- Uniqulo
- 12 floors of shopping
You can reach the Tsukiji Outer Market from Ginza
- This is a popular food market where you can try a variety of foods. Highly recommend all things seafood!
Other Things to do
- Tokyo Tower
- Open 9am- 10:30pm
- Cost ¥1200 Main Deck; ¥2800 Top Deck
- Check out a free viewpoint of Tokyo Tower!
- Rainbow bridge
- Illuminates at night
- Mario Kart
- Need to have an international drivers license
- Multiple different companies offer this experience
- Watch Sumo wrestling
- Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena
- Imperial palace
- Free to visit
- Open 9 to 11:15am then 1:30pm to 2:45pm
- TeamLab Planet
- Cost ¥3200
- Open weekdays 10am- 8pm ; open weekends 9am-9pm
- Helpful Tip Alert: Do not wear long pants as there is an area where water is up to your knees.
- TeamLab Borderless
- Open 10am- 8pm; except Tuesdays 10am-4pm
- Cost ¥3800 adult ticket
- Ushiku Daibutsu
- A Statue of Buddha outside of Tokyo. The 5th tallest statue in the world.
- Open 9:30am-4:30pm
- Can go inside and visit the observation deck 85 meters up (depending on the weather you can see as far as Mt Fuji)
- Tokyo Disney
- Unfortunately there are no two park passes.
- Tokyo Disneyland
- Opens 8am to 10pm
- Cost around $55
- Tokyo Disneysea
- Opens 9am to 9pm
- Cost around $45
- Mt Fuji
- Read all about my Mt Fuji Day Trip here! Watch the Vlog here!
Kyoto
The City of 1000 Temples
Things to do
- Nishiki Market
- Food Market open 9am – 6pm
- Fushimi Inari Shrine
-
- Known for its 1000 Tori Gates; dedicated to the god of rice and agriculture
- Open 24 hours; gets less crowded the further up you go
- 2.8 mile loop trail, takes about 1.5 hour to finish (depending on how many times you stop for pictures)
-
- The Philosopher’s Path
- A walking path that is lined with cherry blossom trees in the spring
- Ginkaku-Ji Temple
- Near the path
- Cost ¥500
- Open 8.30 am- 5pm
- Kinkaku-Ji Temple
- Aka “The Golden Pavilion”
- Open 9am- 5pm
- Cost ¥500
- Kyoto Tower
- Open 10am- 9pm
- Cost ¥800
- Tenryu-ji Temple
- Open 8:30- 5pm, last entry at 4:50
- Cost ¥500
- Kiyomizu-dera Temple
- Unesco world heritage site
- Open daily from 6am-6pm
- Cost ¥500
- Beautiful spot to watch the Sunset in Kyoto
- Kyoto Imperial Palace
- This is located in the middle of a beautiful park
- Nijo Castle
- Open 8.45am- 5pm
- Cost ¥1300
- Was one of my favorite spots in Kyoto
- Heian Jingu Shrine
- Free to visit
- Open Everyday 6am- 6pm
- Huge Tori Gate on the opposite side of the temple
- Explore Gion
- Entertainment district
- Popular walking streets
- Hanamikoji Street
- Ninenzaka
- Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
- Free to visit
- Nonomiya Shrine at center
- Adashino Nanbutsu-Ji Temple
- Has a small less crowded bamboo forest
- Open 9am- 4.30pm
- Cost ¥300
- Otagi Nenbutsu-Ji Temple
- Known for the 1200 moss-covered Rakan statues that cover the hillside around the temple grounds.
- Open 8am- 4.30pm
- Cost ¥300
- Adashino Nanbutsu-Ji Temple
Osaka
Known as the “Nation’s Kitchen”
Things to do
- Dotonbori
- Canal entertainment district
- Americamura
- Area near Dontonbori inspired by New York and its street style
- Shinsekai
- A retro area inspired by both Brooklyn, New York and Paris
- Tsutenkaku Tower
- Open 10am- 8pm
- Observatory
- Cost ¥900
- The Slide
- Cost ¥1000 for adults, ¥500 for kids
- Tsutenkaku Tower
- A retro area inspired by both Brooklyn, New York and Paris
- Osaka Castle
- Open 9am- 5pm
- Cost ¥600
- There is view point at the top
- TeamLab Botanical Garden
- Open 7.30pm- 9.30pm; closed Mondays
- Outside exhibit
- Cost ¥1600
- Namba Yasaka Shrine
- Open 6am- 5pm
- Free to visit
- SumiYoshi Taisha Shrine
- Open 6.30am- 5pm
- Free to visit
- Shitennoji Temple
- Open 8.30am- 4.30pm
- Free to visit
- Chushin Garan
- Cost ¥300
- Universal Studios Japan
- Opens 9am-9pm
- Cost around ¥10,000; prices vary depending on time of year, weekend, and holidays
- Can get various types of tickets from Klook
- Avoid the weekend
