Japan Travel Guide - How to travel Japan

Japan is amongst most people's top 10 travel destinations. It's not surprising as the country's share amount of activities is almost unmatched. I was fortunate enough to be able to spend a good two weeks traveling through the country with my brother. It was an amazing experience from high-tech megacities to small peaceful towns in the countryside. Japan is truly a country of contrast. But figuring out what to spend one's precious time on can get a bit complicated. So I wanted to share my own experiences by creating this travel guide based on my recent trip. I believe this is the ideal way to experience this amazing country for the very first time. The country is massive, consisting of over 6,800 islands, making it larger than Germany. And with its 127 million inhabitants, Japan is effectively the 10th largest country by population. The country consists mostly of four main islands. Honshu is the largest and home to the major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. Hokkaido, the second largest island, home to the city of Sapporo and is famous for its untouched nature and outdoor activities. Shikoku, the smallest one, known for its pilgrimage route of 88 temples. And finally, Kyushu, home to Fukuoka and known for its mountainous regions and active volcanoes. Japan is a highly developed country, but that doesn't mean it isn't budget-friendly. The country is filled with many affordable accommodation options, as well as affordable meals anywhere around 1,000 yen. So you won't go hungry here unless you choose to. Getting around Japan is fairly easy, thanks to the country's highly developed transportation network. I would, however, stay away from taxis, as a trip from the airport to the city center can easily get way too expensive. Instead, grab yourself an IC card, which works with any major public transportations. Any of the seven cards will work in all major cities in Japan, so you don't need to worry about getting a specific one. As for planning on how to get from A to B, I pretty much only use Google Maps. That also goes for what metro lines I should take and what connections I should make during my trip. With all that said, all that would be useless without you being connected. For my trip, I purchased a prepaid sim card from Simcardkey for some light browsing and group planning. It works sufficiently for me, so you may want to check them out. We arrived in Japan via plane and landed at Narita International Airport. From there, we hopped on the Skyliner train, which took us to downtown Tokyo. If you're wondering what's the best area to stay in when in Tokyo, I generally recommend either Shinjuku or Harajuku. Shinjuku, if you're more for the nightlife drinking scene, as well as for the Shinjuku station, which serves as one of the main transportation hubs in the city. Alternatively, Harajuku is more famous for its quirky Japanese fashion scene, but it's also far more relaxed compared to Shinjuku, and it's close to some famous landmarks such as Yoyogi Park and the As for activities, it would be impossible to cover everything, but here are some of my highlights during the trip. Akihabara, known as the Electric Town, famous for anime, manga, and cosplays. Pretty much a geek's paradise. While in Akihabara, check out the massive Don Quixote shop. I reckon it's the place for souvenir gift. Also, don't miss out on the arcades. There's multiple ones in Akihabara, and who knows, if you try your luck, you might win a prize. For the iconic Tokyo Tower view, check out Tokyo City View at Roppongi Hills, and while you're there, you might as well go and check out the Mori Art Museum, which is right next door to the Tokyo City View. Speaking of views, you can't miss out on Shibuya Crossing. If you want a decent view of the crossing, check out Starbucks, or alternatively, locate the Max Park building for a better one. For some out-of-this- experience, check out the Digital Art Museum at TeamLab Planets. Despite the inner markets has moved on, Tsujiki is still worth visiting for its outer market, where there's still a ton of food to try out. If you're into temples, then Sensuji Temple should be on your list, and it also includes the famous Meiji Shrine at Yoyogi Park. For more temple hopping, check out the Sojoji Temple, the Yasukuni Shrine, as well as the Tennoji Temple. In terms of food, there's just too many good options here in Tokyo, so here are just a few that I enjoyed. The famous Ichiran Ramen, Afuri for their yuzu-flavored ramens, and for more Michelin-starred flavors, then check out Nakiryu. If sushi is more your thing, then try out the quirky Conveyor Belt Sushi at Obey Sushi, or Genki Sushi. If you want to step it up a notch, then give Manten Sushi a try. If you want more affordable options, then try out these ones. Kyubei, Sushi no Midori, and Zanmai Sushi. If you're really on a tight budget, then don't be afraid to try out some convenience store foods. They're surprisingly good, and there are a ton of options. After spending a few days in Tokyo, we pack our bags and jump on the Shinkansen bullet train, which took us to the ancient capital of Kyoto. The trip cost us about a 13,000 yen, which equals to about 114 US dollars. You may want to check out the Japan Rail Pass if you intend to be using the Shinkansen multiple times during your trip. Kyoto is very different from the neon skylines of Tokyo. It's still a big city by all means, but it's much more steep in history and traditions. While the city is known for its many temples, Kyoto still has a vibrant nightlife and plenty to offer for a wandering tourist. As for where to stay, I highly recommend staying anywhere near or around the old Gion area where you find most tourist activities. Start your exploration off by heading to the old district of Gion. Walk through the ancient side streets, visit the many old shops, and simply just explore at your own leisure. While in Gion, there are a few things worth checking out. Pandan-jo is an atmospheric dining street packed with different eateries and bars at all price ranges. The ancient streets of Hanamikoji. Here you'll find old wooden storefronts and if you're lucky you might even get a few snaps of geishas in between appointments. The Nishiki market is also a great place to explore. Here you'll find hundreds of small different shops and you'll also be able to taste some tasty local foods. One thing I highly recommend trying out is for some Japanese traditional sweets. Don't miss out on their kuzukiri noodles. While you're in Gion, you might as well check out the main shrine in this area, the Yasaka shrine. For more temple hopping experiences, visit the Nansanji temple and its famous garden, the Kiyomizu-dera temple and its amazing view over the city. And finally, Fushimi Inari shrine, famous for its thousands of torii gates. If you're up for some more natural scenery, then check out the Arashiyama area. Here you'll find the famous Arashiyama bamboo grove. If you're up for a short hike up the stairs and some monkeys, then visit the Iwatayama monkey park. If you haven't had enough of temples already, then visit the famous Tenryu-ji temple as well exploring its beautiful garden. When you're done exploring, then I do recommend taking a scenic train ride on the Sakono Scenic Railway. It's best during the fall seasons as you get to experience the amazing change of leaves. However, it's still a nice ride even during other seasons. For food, you want to try out the Kuro dinner. The region's own twist of the traditional kaiseki dinner, which akens to a multiple course dinner here in the west. You can book kaiseki dinners either at ryokans or at traditional restaurants. Some places I recommend are Kyoto Kicho at Arashiyama, Gion Karyo, and Gion Takuma. Besides kaisekis, there's always sushi and one place I do recommend is Sushi Tetsu, very affordable and very good sushi for its price. Alternatively, if you want to try out something different, then try out the tempura at Komefuku. Oh, and don't forget plenty of sauce. However, if you're in the mood for some proper meat, then try out some barbecue at Yakiniku Hiro. Here you can find some pretty tasty slices of meat at a pretty affordable price. And finally, finish off the evening by hanging out by the Kamogawa river, listening to local artists, and perhaps with a drink in your hand. After Kyoto, we jump on the local train and head towards Osaka. Compared to Tokyo, which is often regarded as cold and reserved, Osaka is often seen as more laid back. The locals are known to be more friendly, more easygoing, and always down for some fun. While the city certainly has a more relaxed vibe such as Kyoto, what Kyoto brings in historic importance, Osaka is more about eating and drinking the night away. As for where to stay during your time in Osaka, I recommend staying in the Inami region, also known as Namba. Here you'll be close to most of the city's attractions such as Dotonbori and the Glico Man. As for things to do other than stuffing your face in delicious food, here's a short list. Explore the famous Dotonbori area. Take a ride on the Tempozan Ferris Wheel. Be amazed by the Osaka Aquarium. Explore the next fashion trends at Americamura and wander the streets of Shinsekai. As for other activities to occupy your time with, check out the Umeda Sky Building, the Osaka Castle, as well as the Universal Studios if you're up for amusement parks. As I mentioned earlier, Osaka is basically food heaven, so there's plenty of good places to check out, but if you're still looking for recommendations, here's a few places I would recommend. Fukutaro for their okonomiyaki. If you're up for some yakitori, then visit Yakitonia Dayu Dayu. I probably butchered that. For some cheesecake delights, check out Pablo. When you're in Osaka, you kind of need to try some takoyaki, so get some decent ones at Kukugu. We can't finish this out without some yakiniku, so visit Yakiniku M from Matsusaka Gyo Beef. After gaining a few pounds in Osaka, it was time to get out of the city and get some fresh air, so you hop on the local train and headed towards Nara. Nara is a small city located to the east of Osaka. You might know Nara mostly for its lovely deer population, but the city also houses some of the most impressive temples and shrines in the entire country. As for where to stay, I recommend staying near Nara Park located in the eastern side of the city. It's also here where most activities will be found, so if you're looking for affordable accommodation options, then try out the Nara Visitor Center and Inn. This is also the place we decided to stay at during our time in Nara. It's centrally located right next to the park, which makes it the perfect starting point for exploring the city. Most activities can be found in Nara Park. Here's a couple of our highlights. Isuen Garden, the Todachi Temple, one of the main temples in the city, and obviously you can't come to Nara without meeting the deers. Enjoy the mochi pounding show and some amazing mochi right after it. During the evening hours, there's no better place to hang out and have a chat with the locals than by the world-famous lamb bar. Also, I have to mention the kuzu mochi balls at Yoshinokuzu Sakura. If that wasn't enough, then here's a few more things. Take a stroll up Mount Wakakuza, visit Nara National Museum, and finally explore Higashimuki Shopping Arcade. After Nara, we head back to Tokyo to spend our last remaining days in Japan. What we didn't manage to do in our initial first days in Tokyo, we made sure we did them here. And that marks the end of this how to travel Japan video for first-timers. Yes, you can easily include Hiroshima, Kobe, and many more cities on the list. There's so many things to do here and it's near impossible to cover everything in one video. But I hope at the very least, I gave you guys some good inspiration and helpful information for your own upcoming Japan trip. It was by far one of my all-time favorite trips so far and there's still so many things I want to explore in Japan and I can't wait for my next trip. So as always guys, if you enjoyed this video, give it a like, give it a comment. It truly makes a difference to my channel and you want more travel-related content or simply want to follow me on my journey, hit that subscribe button. So yeah, that's all for me. Until next time.