I got back from my 2-week trip to Japan a few days ago and I had such a great experience. The last time I was there was 13 years ago and I’ve been meaning to go back ever since. Due to the character count limitation on Instagram, I had to change the format for my guide there since Tokyo is such a big and spread-out city that a list by itself wouldn’t be very useful. So instead, I shared some tips on how to make the most of your visit if you’re thinking of going there. Since I’ve got more room here on the blog, I’m also expanding on that guide by listing a few places I liked as well.
I flew Japan Airlines through Qatar Airways. The business class ticket was nearly half the price of Qatar’s, and even if it isn’t as sleek as the Q Suites, it’s really not a big deal. Before flying, head to the Visit Japan website and fill out your landing details. You’ll get a QR code you can use on arrival to enter the fast lane at passport control.
Eat
For meals, I used Google Maps to find spots wherever I happened to be and avoided places with too many reviews to stay away from touristy spots. Three days in, I canceled a Michelin dinner I had booked because I realized I didn’t need it, the food was great everywhere I went. Out of 30+ meals, only one was disappointing. Also, the 7-Eleven egg sando lives up to the hype.
I had great Ramen at Ramen Kamo and Nara Seimen. good eggs and Japanese pancakes at Iriya Plus Café. I had sushi nearly every day but the spots that stood out the most were Magurobito, Tsukiji Sushiko, and Sushi Take. I had a really good okonomiyaki experience at Tamatoya, the best unagi at Yatsumeya and yakiniku at Sankouen and Yamashofu.
Drink
Depending on where you’re staying, you might find plenty of good coffee spots nearby, or in my case, just one. There are lots of great coffee places in Tokyo, but they’re spread out all over the city. My biggest issue with them is that they tend to open late, around 10 or 11AM.
My faovorite coffee spots were Up to you coffee, Dotcom Coffee and Teron Coffee & Bar. When I was in Kyoto I also visited the original % Arabica store there that basically started it all. It’s a small store but the first Kuwait branch was inspired visually by it including the fact they used same materials (the floor for example) which were all imported from Japan. So the Kyoto store reminded me a lot of the now demolished first branch here in Kuwait.
See
I was worried everywhere would be packed with tourists and that I wouldn’t enjoy the trip, but that turned out not to be the case. Most people tend to stick to the main areas and don’t really explore the rest of the city, so as long as you wander around a bit, you’ll avoid most of the tourists and crowds. Even in busy temples, step off the main pathway and you’re alone.
Sleep
Since I was staying for 16 days, I wanted a large room, which isn’t easy to find in Tokyo at a reasonable price. So I ended up booking an apartment hotel in a non-touristy area, which worked out great. In Kyoto, rooms are generally bigger, so that wasn’t an issue.
In Tokyo I stayed at Mimaru Tokyo Ueno Inaricho. It was a very comfortable stay since the room was pretty big for Tokyo and at that price point. It was also in a very quiet neighborhood but 5 minutes from 7eleven and Family Mart. Also a 5 minute walk to the Ginza underground line or a 10 minute walk to Ueno Station which has a number of lines. The Ueno area behind the station is also super busy and packed with restaurants and a Uniqlo. So I really liked the hotel location.
In Kyoto I stayed at Dusit Thani. I didn’t want the ryokan experience, just a comfortable stay so picked Dusit because it had a bit of a traditional Japanese feel, was outside the busy areas and looked really good. The stay there was really great and very comfortable.
Finally, if you like photography then definitely bring a camera with you. Japan is very photogenic and there are a lot of cool experiences you probably want to capture with more than just your phone camera.
If you’re thinking of going to Japan and curious about anything specific, let me know in the comments below.
