After an all-night flight through San Francisco, we arrived in a country so different that the term ‘lost in translation’ really does mean something. This was my first time in Japan, so I will lay out a beginner’s itinerary developed by a friend who lived there and repeatedly traveled back to this amazing part of the world. The cities on this itinerary include Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, a great sampling of Japan.
Itinerary
Japan is a deceptively large country with a diverse island geography, making itinerary building challenging. Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto contain many of the highlights when touring Japan and are a great introduction to the country, history, culture, and people. We focused our time on these three main cities for this trip.
Tokyo Highlights
After landing in Tokyo we immediately went about exploring the city and flavors of Japan. Tokyo is a huge city and our 5 days barely scratched the surface but it was enough to get a feel for Tokyo and leave me wanting more. We stayed at the Westin Tokyo which was centrally located and comfortable. The Westin delivered what you would expect from a Marriott property. When visiting Tokyo for the first time focus on wandering through various neighborhoods, shopping districts, eating, and seeing the top temples.
The Priority Sights
In addition to visiting the palace and shrines, make sure to wander through the various neighborhoods of Shibuya, Roppongi, Harajuku, and the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. The Tsukiji fish market was moved in 2018 to Toyosu Market, which is open for sightseeing and the morning fish auction. Many of the shops and restaurants built around the original wholesale market remain in Tsukiji, and may still be worth the visit. However, you can easily grab great sushi all over the city.
The Food in Tokyo
The flavors and the passion which the Japanese put into their food are unique. Make sure to try new things in Japan from Katso Sandos (fried pork sandwich), sushi, Kaiseki, and mouth-watering noodles. In fact, everything in Japan is prepared to perfection including fruit so perfect you won’t believe your eyes. There is also a selection of high end restaurants in Tokyo which serve all kinds of cuisine. We treated ourselves to a meal at the Joel Robuchon flagship restaurant which is incredible and everything you would expect from a three star Michelin meal. You can even get great Indian food in Tokyo. A friend of ours swears by a local Indian food place called Moti. Having traveled to India several times I have to say the naan here is some of the best I have ever had.
Osaka Highlights
We arrived in Osaka for two reasons 1) to see SUMO and 2) to eat street food. The busy metropolis is a major business canter in Japan and while short on temples and gardens it heaves with energy in its streets. We purchased Sumo tickets ahead of time as you can’t just walk into a Sumo tournament, especially a championship match and it was so worth it. There is so much raw power and ceremony in this ancient sport. You are right there too, it is not like major sporting events in the U.S. You literally walk by these giants going to grab a beer between matches, and they are giant. Everyone sits on pillows in little ‘boxes’ to watch and then if the champion loses you get to throw your pillows, yes, that is the only time a major outburst by the audience was noticeable. This experience is one of the highlights of my life as a sports spectator.
Osaka comes alive at night so that is when you will really experience this city. It is a cacophony of sights, smells, and tastes. Spend an evening or two wandering the Dotonburi neighborhood to really experience it.
Kyoto Highlights
Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan and it feels like it. The city is refined and striving to keep it’s heritage alive. Out of the three cities, it feels the most traditional. It also feels like the wealthiest. There are a plethora of fine Japanese restaurants here and traditional Ryokans to experience. We stayed at the Gion Hatanaka and really enjoyed the traditional screens and tatami mats along with the large wooden tub to wash in. Such a different experience than the western hotel. Please note, since Covid this Ryokan has closed but there are many others in the city,
Priority Sites
The Food in Kyoto
As I mentioned Kyoto is more traditional than the other cities we visited and so is the food. This is where the western palate will get stretched to appreciate the more unusual flavors and textures. Kyoto is the place to experience the ‘Kaiseki’ which loosely means a ‘light meal brought in courses’. These are delicately arranged servings consisting of soup, sashimi, and a selection of grilled, boiled, fried, steamed, marinated, and vinegared meat, fish, and vegetable. If you get tired of the more traditional food we discovered Kyoto also has amazing tempura!
Concluding Thoughts
In comparison to other places I have visited, I felt that Japan really strives to stay unique and to itself. The beauty of this island and its culture is unlike anything anywhere else. As Japan ages and struggles to replace the generations that came before I can’t help but think we may be witnessing the setting of the sun on the land of the rising sun.
