I had been to Kyoto in 2012, so was really looking forward to going back and seeing more of this wonderful country. And I was not disappointed. This time my partner in crime was my sister Gabi celebrating her 40th birthday.
What is so fascinating about Japan is the juxtaposition of the past/ritual/decorum and innovation. They look to the future while respecting & honoring the past. Everything was so functional, so funny and so foreign!
Here’s a quick list of great memories & amazing facts before I describe our itinerary, stop-by-stop:
1. It’s almost impossible to find a trash bin on the streets or public spaces like a train station for example, yet, everywhere is so clean. You will never find trash on the ground.
2. The famous Japanese toilets are as entertaining as ever. They are warm, spray front and rear and play music. In particular ocean sounds in public toilets!
3. Japanese don’t use napkins, so you will never be given a napkin at a restaurant. Only a wet towel in the beginning of your meal.
4. The Japanese people still don’t speak a lot of English and the translations on signs are beyond hilarious. Here’s one in a department store bathroom: “Excrement, vomit, water, anything other than toilet paper, do not shed”. And the bottle of room spray in my hotel room: “It is a deodorant spray of an effective professional specification to the anxious smell”. It cracked me up :-)
5. They love packaging. Everything is beautifully packaged, even the single banana you will buy at a 7Eleven. It’s a culture where gifting is very important and they place a lot of emphasis on presentation. Just not sure what they do with all the trash from this in this day and age, where we should be reducing the use of plastic!
6. They walk so fast! I’m a fast walker but good luck trying try to keep up with them. A gentleman at Tokyo station noticed Gabi and I trying to figure out where to go to get our train and without barely speaking English, he went out of his way for at least 5 minutes, to bring us to the exact platform we had to be at. What a kind gesture! And he walked fast in that station…..Gabi and I felt we had to speed-walk rolling our suitcases to follow him! He was not the first or last person to assist us. We saw a pair dressed with volunteer t-shirts & hats holding a folder packed with maps. As we asked for directions, they promptly walked us to where we wanted to go about 10mins away.
7. You better like fish and rice, because man oh man, you will eat a LOT of that. Gabi had PTSD – post traumatic sushi disorder – by the end of our trip :-)
8. Men love wearing purses. And I do mean purses! And these are businessmen wearing suits.
9. There’s no traffic anywhere. Even at rush hour. Streets might have a lot of cars, but they move along and you will never hear honking. It’s so civilized!
10. Kids, as young as 6 years old, go to school on their own. You will recognize them with their adorable uniforms with white hats and boxy leather backpacks – red for girls and black for boys – walking around train stations & sidewalks. It’s adorable! Japan is considered very safe even in big cities such as Tokyo.
11. You will see shrines & temples absolutely everywhere! Shrines are Shinto and temples Buddhist. The best way to tell the difference is that shrines usually have a large red gate (torii) at the entrance, guarded by a fox, dog or another animal, and a water basin where visitors wash their hands and mouth before entering. Temples tend to be a more reserved in color on the outside and the interior is often filled with ornate gold statues dedicated to the Buddha. There is usually a large incense burner out front for purification. At temples people pray silently but at shrines they must ring a bell and clap their hands to awaken the gods.
Both belief systems coexist beautifully in Japan and most Japanese practice both. There’s a saying that “Japanese are born Shinto (living spirits take care of one’s life) and die Buddhist (cycle of death and rebirth until the individual achieves enlightment – takes care of the afterlife)”. You see, it’s pretty convenient to be born Shinto but die Buddhist :-)
TOKYO
Tokyo is fantastic! While it is a massive city, it is so clean, relatively quiet, extremely civilized and once in a residential neighborhood, you might as well be in a small town. I had never been to a metropolis that while so stimulating, was not overwhelming; while packed with people, felt tranquil.
TO DO Yoyogi-koen Park & Meiji-jingu Shrine [start your day walking around this beautiful & lively park and make a stop at the famous Meiji Shrine next door] Omotesando Boulevard [from the park, wander down Omotesando, a wide, tree-lined boulevard with high-end fashion stores on both sides, great modern architecture, and fun for people watching. Don’t miss the charming side streets, full of lovely boutiques and cafes] Aoyama [look for Blue Bottle Coffee Shop, a legendary California coffee brand, in one of the back streets, and you will find a very modern space with a Japanese vibe and lines out the door. Don’t miss the really charming café next door and behind it a food court made of containers, quite hip and young. Also the Nezu Museum set in a beautiful garden with a glass box café is nearby] Shibuya [which isn't that special a part of the city – a little seedy - but it is worth seeing the crosswalks in front of the Shibuya station and the mass of humanity that politely crosses the enormous intersection with extreme civility. If you go to the rooftop of the Magnet building, you will get a bird’s eye view of the crosswalk. Also make sure to check out this store that will give you a glimpse into the young adult fashion trends in Japan. Take the stairs instead of the elevator so you can see all the mural art] Ginza [shopping district that showcases various types of modern architecture, fun shops and bars, and overall exciting vibe] Yayoi Kusama Museum [while I really admire her work, the museum was a bit disappointing; really small, not much to see and lacking on the dots, which is what Yayoi’s work is mostly famous for. I would skip it but thought I would mention so you spend your time elsewhere] Mori Digital Art Museum [I wish we had gone to this museum instead!! Book tickets ahead of time] WALK [if you are able walk everywhere. My sister and I walked 6-8hrs a day and that’s how you really get to see and experience a city]
STAY Trunk Hotel [great boutique hotel where I would have liked to stay but was sold out] Granbell Asakusa [where we actually stayed; nothing super special, but nice enough, great location and price]
EAT Tokyu Foodshow [located in the basement of the Tokyu Department Store next to the east exit of Shibuya Station, this food hall is amazing with a great selection of fresh fish, meat, produce and prepared foods of all kinds - tonkatsu, sushi, grilled chicken, tofu products, pickles, deli salads, and all kinds of bento boxes. Do not miss it!] Yurakucho District [lively restaurant district built up under the brick arches beneath the elevated train tracks - Gado-shita. It occupies all of the free space under nearly 700 meters of track on both sides of Yurakucho Station. Many of the eateries under the train tracks are authentic izakaya – Japanese tapas - and yakitori – grilled chicken skewers - joints] Bird Land [is a one-Michelin starred yakitori place located in the basement of the Ginza subway station in Tokyo. It sits across the corridor from its more famous neighbor, Sukiyabashi Jiro, which I will talk about next. Bird Land is loud, smoky, and crowded. Fun & good food] Sukiyabashi Jiro [made famous by the Netflix documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”, this 3-star Michelin restaurant was a major disappointment. Making reservations was not easy, and the whole meal was 20-minutes long, without exaggeration. We had to eat pretty much one nigiri per minute, and while it sounds like plenty of time, try doing it!! You are supposed to eat each nigiri within a minute of it being placed on your plate, otherwise the rice starts to come apart due to the sauce that is slightly brushed over the fish. We were out of the restaurant at 5.50pm, each person $400 poorer (no alcohol included) and there was not even a line of people waiting. Outrageous. I felt robbed!] Kaiseki Gi [while a bit out of the way, this restaurant specializes in soba noodles and was quite a nice meal. Very friendly staff] Pizza StudioTamaki [while it sounds crazy to look for pizza while in Japan, this place is apparently not to be missed. While we did not make it there, some people claim that the pizza here is better than in Italy!]
TOURS Food Tour: Culinary Backstreets - Tokyo Time Machine:Handmade To High Tech [once again Culinary Backstreets did not disappoint with its food tour. We started our tour at a depachika (department store food hall) in Shibuya, the epicenter of trendy Japan. We tasted traditional sushi, pickles, cakes, gyoza, etc. From there we boarded a train to Kichijoji, an outlying city only 15 minutes away that has successfully maintained its strong local identity. We got to sample fugu (the famous blow-fish that is extremely poisonous and only very well trained chefs can serve it), yakitori (mostly chicken skewers – every part you can imagine of a chicken is on a skewer!), wagyu beef balls, and traditional rice crackers at Hanami Senbei, a small factory at the back with a store upfront, where rice crackers are still produced in the traditional way by hand. The shop is run by mother and daughter and it was the highlight of our tour! Our time in Kichijoji ended at one of the quickly disappearing traditional yokocho drinking alleys to sample sake or beer at an izakaya, or Japanese gastropup] Tsukiji Market [we took a tour of what is left of the famous fish market in Tokyo. The original wholesale market, famous for the tuna auctions, has been moved to a new location and what is left is the outer market with wonderful stalls selling fresh seafood, spices, traditional snacks, knives, sake, teas, etc. It gives you a great insight into Japanese culture. There is a small part of the wholesale business remaining that serves the many local restaurants in the area, including very high end ones in Ginza. We took this tour with Japan Wonder Travel and while it is not highly recommended, it was a good enough 3-hr tour. We got to sample very fresh tuna sashimi, omelet - that is too sweet for me in Japan, sake and ended with lunch at a sushi restaurant nearby]
HAKONE
Our next stop was Hakone which is a popular destination among Japanese and international tourists. It is famous for it’s hot springs, natural beauty and the views of Mount Fuji.
It was a quick stop for us so we only had time to enjoy our lovely hotel Gora Kadan and the nearby Open Air Museum, with large-scale sculptures sprinkled along beautiful gardens. We had our meals at the hotel, served in our Japanese style room by Mayumi, who was assigned to tend to all our needs. She definitely spoiled us!
KYOTO
While what I will recommend is not necessarily all we did, but this is how I would do it now, knowing how the amount of tourists in Kyoto has substantially increased with most temples mobbed with people. I think as travelers we are now experiencing over tourism in most places, and one has to get creative to avoid getting trapped with a million other people that honestly are not all that well behaved and considerate. Maybe visit a temple or two but spend most of your time walking around neighborhoods, including residential ones away from the touristic areas. Another idea is to get up really early and walk around – streets, parks, etc….while the city is still pretty quiet.
TO DO
Itinerary 1: Kiyomizu-dera Temple - wake up really early – 5am - and make your way to the Kiyomizu-dera temple up the hill from the Hashiyama district. It opens at 6am and you will have the place to yourself. Trust me, it’s well worth the early morning rise.
After exploring Kiyomizu-dera, walk down Matsubara-dori Street (lined with shops hopefully still closed – you are not missing anything super special) to reach the lovely preserved district of Sannen-zaka Hill. Continue down the street to where it flattens out and then go a bit further and take a right down into Ninnen-zaka, another lovely preserved district. You will come to a larger cross street with cars. Go left down the hill then quickly turn right into Nene-no-Michi, which is mostly free from cars. Follow this north, with one quick right-left jog to reach Maruyama-koen Park.
Exit the north side of Maruyama-koen and follow the street north to the impressive main gate of Chion-in Temple. Climb the steep steps and enter the wide courtyard of Chion-in. Return down the steps and continue north. You’ll soon pass the enormous camphor trees in front of Shoren-in Temple. Enter the temple and enjoy a nice cup of green tea and a sweet while looking out over the garden. Continue on to Konchinand then head to a major temple compound called Nanzenji. Climb the big wooden gate there. Then walk on to Eikando, Honenin, ending at Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion). After Eikando make sure to take the Philosopher’s Path - a pleasant stone path that follows a canal which is lined by hundreds of cherry trees - to Ginkakuji. You also don’t have to enter all or any of these temples. This is a lovely walk!
Itinerary 2: Fushimi-Inari Shrine is famous for its thousands of vermillon torii gates that you can hike through. Make sure to go first thing in the morning – this is key for you to have a good experience. By the time you are done with the hike and heading back you will see why! Then head to the Nishiki Market to experience its culinary abundance. Fish, squid, eels, vegetables, tea, pickles, seaweed, and sweets are just some of the items you will find on this market. The surrounding streets are fun and full of little cafes & shops worth exploring. Walk around and get lost!
Itinerary 3: Early Bird Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Tour with Kyoto Bike Tour. This tour is a great way to see the Arashiyama District at the foothills of the mountains outside the city center, visit the Bamboo Forest before it gets overtaken by tourists and also to visit the Tenryuji Temple in that area.
Some other suggestions:
Kenninji Temple– while not on the list of famous temples, this is a very charming temple in Higashiyama, without the crowds. Worth a stop!
Pontocho Alley- a very narrow street parallel to the Kamogawa river that’s full of bars and restaurants.
EAT Soba Noodles at Honke Owariya [over 500-year old restaurant in a charming old wood building is not to be missed. Order the cold soba noodles that comes in a tower of stacked bowls with a variety of trimmings] Tempura at Yasaka Endo [even though a meal of fried food is not normally what I go for, the fresh vegetables and seafood lightly fried and served here are not heavy or greasy, and a real treat. Tempura is the name for dishes that have been dipped in a mixture of cold water, flour and egg then fried in oil. It is most commonly eaten with 'ten-tsuyu' - a dipping sauce made from dashi, soy sauce, and mirin (sweet rice wine). It's also quite common to add grated ginger or grated Japanese daikon radish to ten-tsuyu. Finally tempura is best eaten with just a sprinkling of salt. The matcha or yuzu citrus peel salts are my favorite] Ramen at Kyoto Ramen Koji (Ramen St) at Kyoto Station [it’s an entire floor - if I remember correctly the 10th floor - full of ramen shops with each one serving their own specialty of ramen] Tofu at Okutan Nanzenji, Ukutan Kiyomizu or Nanzenji Junsei [even if you are not a tofu fan, it’s worth trying one of these restaurants. The variety of tofu is unlike anywhere else] Shojin Ryori at Shigetsu in Arashiyama’s Tenryuji Temple [shojin ryori. is best explained as Zen temple vegetarian cuisine. Buddhist belief forbids the killing of animals for human consumption, so shojin ryori is entirely plant-based, revolving around soybean based foods, fresh vegetables, seeds and nuts, and wild mountain plants. Seasonings tend to be simple and restrained, so the flavor of the raw ingredients shines through. It’s a very nice experience!] Kaiseki Meal at Yuzuya Ryokan [kaiseki is a multi-course parade of small very seasonal dishes served with sake. A must-experience in my opinion. You will find many restaurants serving kaiseki meals throughout Japan, but kaiseki is typical from Kyoto so I would experience it there] Sushi at AWOMB [while I did not go to this restaurant, I have heard great things about. What is unique about this place is that you get to make hand-rolled sushi yourself using a variety of colorful & local ingredients. Very fun!] Matcha ice cream at Kinakoya [I am a huge fan of matcha. This is the style of tea where one imbibes the entire leaf. You will see matcha flavored everything, everywhere in Kyoto. But beware, there is okay quality matcha and there is great quality matcha. I liked the matcha ice cream at Kinakoya because it is soy based with good quality matcha. If you want to buy some matcha tea, Ippodo is a reputable tea company] Isetan Food Hall at Kyoto Station [foodies heaven!!! I will leave it at that. Go!] Vegetables at ISOYA [this izakaya is modern, hip and serves an abundant harvest of vegetables that you choose from]
STAY Granbell Hotel [very nice boutique hotel at a great location in the Gion district]
NAOSHIMA ISLAND
Naoshima is a small and formerly remote island that is now becoming one of the world’s most noteworthy art destinations. While my sister and I were not blown away by it, there are some gems worth seeing on the island. Note that it is a bit of a trek to get there - a couple of trains & a ferry - that will take good part of a day. Be mindful that every museum on the island closes on the same day – Mondays, with the exception of the Benessee House Museum. So if you happen to have only 2 days on the island and one happens to be a Monday – our case – you’re out of luck!
TO SEE The Chichu Art Museum [designed by the famous Japanese architect Tadao Ando, this museum is unusual in that it is located almost completely underground yet uses natural light to illuminate the artwork. The building itself is part of the art show in my view. No pictures are allowed inside or outside, and at first I was bummed out, but came to really appreciate it. People were present with the artwork versus trying to get the best shots. Book your tickets ahead of time and I suggest for the 10am time slot when the museum opens, to avoid the sure to arrive crowds. The other thing to keep in mind is that for viewing some of the artwork you will need to take off your shoes] The Benesse House [this complex includes an art museum, outdoor art displays, restaurants, shops, and accommodations. Its four buildings are known as the Museum, the Oval, the Park, and the Beach and were all also designed by Tadao Ando. It is here that the famous Yellow Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama is exhibited. BTW, there is another pumpkin – the Red Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama right next to the ferry terminal at Miyanoura Port that is a lot more interactive since you can get inside it. The Benesse House Museum has a great combination of photographs, paintings and sculptures] The Art House Project in Honmura [abandoned houses, workshops, temples, and shrines were transformed into modern structural works of art and venues for Japanese artists. The Ando Museum is part of this complex. Make sure to book tickets ahead of time as well] The Lee Ufan Museum [another Ando-designed semi-underground structure that features the work of the Korean artist Lee Ufan who lives and teaches in Japan] Teshima [day-trip - ferry to the neighboring island of Teshima. It is a quiet, pretty island with the Teshima Art Museum, a stunning architectural work shaped like water droplet]
STAY The Benesse House [as described above, the Benesse House is a complex of buildings with two very good restaurants, a great location on the island, walkable to the outdoor exhibits and the Benesse Museum. Not to mention that you will be steps away from the famous Yellow Pumpkin and can have it all to yourself in the early morning before the crowds arrive. Benesse House also offers a free shuttle for its guests to all the major sites/museums on the island. Another great way to get around the island is to rent a bike. But beware that there are some hills]
KUMANO KODO
Kumano Kodo Trail is a UNESCO World Heritage spiritual pilgrimage site.The Nakahechi (or Imperial) route is the central trail and most accessible. We booked a 5-day self-guided tour with Oku Japan, and they reserved the guesthouses along the way for us to spend the night, and also transported our luggage, so all we had to carry was a daypack. It is a beautiful hike, mostly in wooded forest settings, with a LOT of climbing, so be prepared for that.
OSAKA
Osaka is arguably the food and drink capital of Japan. Many of the food places in Osaka are small, and seat no more than a handful of people and they are everywhere – on alleyways, basements, several stories up on non-descript high-rise buildings. It’s actually overwhelming and I felt a bit paralyzed not knowing where to go!!
EAT Pie Shop [café with tasty drinks like lattes and iced matcha and one type of food only - American-style pies. There are a variety of flavors and they are quite good. After being in Japan for over 2 weeks only eating Japanese food, a slice of pie hit the spot] Wad Omotenashi Café [this bright café feels like a Japanese oasis. Not the place to come for a quick coffee, but instead to experience traditional Japanese teas. The matcha is prepared in the same style as in a tea ceremony and small food dishes can accompany your tea] Department Stores [we mostly ate at department stores that never stopped to amaze me with the outstanding selection of ready-to-eat meals, fruits, sweets, etc. Daimaru – basement food hall at the Shinshibashi store or at Umeda at Osaka Station; Hanshin at Umeda was also great] Kitamura [for sukiyaki – meat alongside vegetables which is slowly cooked at the table in an iron pot. Make reservations ahead of time] Robatayaki Rikimaruchaya [nice little izakaya restaurant] Eat Your Way through Osaka Food Tour [this food tour hosted by Chie at Airbnb Experiences, took us to all the best places, according to Chie, to try Osaka staples such as Takoyaki, also known by Westerners as “octopus balls” and Okonomiyaki which is a pancake with a variety of ingredients such as eggs, shredded cabbage, diced meat and/or seafood and diced onion. The mixture is grilled on both sides then topped sauce, seaweed flakes, bonito flakes and Japanese mayonnaise. We also had great sushi in a tiny place, and I mean tiny! Pretty much stand only space]
STAY Moxy Osaka Honmachi [relatively well located, with modern & comfortable rooms. Caters to a young, hip crowd. Not my favorite scene, but the price is great for what you get]
