Welcome to Japan.

Tokyo
Kyoto
Naoshima & More

Japan is quickly becoming one of my FAVORITE places in the world. I’ve been three times so the below come from my personal experiences or from trusted friends who went and raved about these activities, restaurants, etc. Enjoy!

TOKYO

Food & Drink

Where do I BEGIN!? There are truly unlimited places to try in Tokyo and I’ve yet to have a bad meal. Listed favorites below but my quick takes are

  1. Would do 1 omakase if you want the experience but the fish is so good in Tokyo that you don’t really need to pay $200 when you can get great conveyer belt (maybe I’m low brow but I’m okay with that).

  2. There is AMAZING pizza so if you’re wanting to try something non Japanese it’s worth doing.

  3. 7-11 / Family Mart is a worthy meal.

Full list of recs HERE!

Shopping

I spent so much time shopping on my last Tokyo trip and my only regret was not buying more things. (joking but only kinda joking)

The shopping district Koenjiminami is SUCH a hidden gem with incredible vintage finds for a fraction of what you’d pay in the states. I think this will blow up in the next few years so go while you can! While you’re there you MUST check out Kiku Sushi, this hole in the wall joint run by a man and his elderly mother. The omakase was like $8 and so beautifully prepared right in front you. Very old Tokyo and one of my favorite experiences of the trip! Walk through all the shops but my favorite was Super Old (bought 2 burberry coats for like $100 each) and Hachimakura, this cute antique store.

Ginza is also fabulous and high end! If you want a more ritzy shopping experience, would highly recommend. Other favorite chain stores below!

  1. Public Tokyo - obsessed with their jeans

  2. Moussy - much cheaper than Moussy in the US and also love their jeans

  3. BEAMS - great Japanese mini department store with the cutest stuff. Have been wearing the purse I got there almost every day!!

  4. Uniqlo - 40% off in Japan compared to US prices so definitely stock up on basics (I usually buy 10+ socks every time I’m in Asia)

  5. QOO - vibey designer vintage shop, so much to choose from

  6. 2nd Street - all of these are so much better than they are in the states and have great high quality vintage finds!

Activities

Of course I save as much time as possible for shopping (see next section) but to not be total uncultured swine, would recommend these must-dos!

  1. Team Lab (Planets is the coolest but Borderless was also great and more central) - interactive art museum that is actually cool even though touristy

  2. Yanaka & Nezu - two cute neighborhoods that are just slightly out of the city but way calmer. Nezu Shrine is beautiful and they have a mini tori gate without the tourists if you want the photo op. Highly recommend!

  3. Meiji Jingu & Yoyogi Park - beautiful shrine in Shinjuku. Go near sunset and then get drinks at Golden Gai! Yoyogi park is also lovely to stroll through.

  4. Golden Gai - technically this is drink but it’s a neighborhoods with hundreds of tiny bars. Really cool and each have their own vibe, worth seeing!

  5. Head SPA! - way better priced than the US and make you feel amazingggg. I went to Head Spa zwei HAUS but my friend went to Kuu Head Spa and we loved both. Anywhere with good reviews + English speaking will be a winner!

  6. Nakameguro - beautiful quieter area of Tokyo with a lovely walk along the river. SUPER pretty during cherry blossom season!

Where to Stay

I’ve stayed at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku and the Imperial Hotel in Ginza. Personally, I much prefer Ginza to Shinjuku because Shinjuku is SO busy and chaotic and Ginza is a little calmer still with nice restaurants and shopping. Both hotels themselves though were great!

My friends have also recommended the Kimpton Shinjuku and the Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho near Akasaka. Can’t go wrong and public transit is so easy that most hotels aren’t too inconvenient!

Food & Drink

  • There are SO many amazing casual places to eat in Japan. Here are some I’ve been and love!

    • Tenkazushi - walk in conveyer belt sushi that I loved. go downstairs and it’s filled with locals!

    • Uogashi Dogenzaka - i think this must have recently blown up on tiktok bc I had been last june and it was so fun and then came back in march and it was SWAMPED.

    • Kiku Sushi - in the vintage shopping district and the CUTEST sushi spot ever. so cheap and authentic omakase only and it’s this lovely man and his mother.

  • T Nakameguro - BEST steakhouse ever sorry I’m obsessed. Been twice and it’s so so good. Foreign catered so touristy but the food is so incredible it doesn’t matter.

    1. Golden Gai - touristy but so fun to pop in the little bars. each only has like 5 seats and they each have their own vibe. great to bar hop.

    2. Bar High Five - from friend “they interview you and ask a few questions about your palette and make you an INCREDIBLE cocktail, we each had 3-5 drinks and they never missed, such a fun experience, rated one of the top bars in the world so could have some wait time but we got in with no reservation and no line (off-season)“

    3. SG Club - great drinks, better vibes, main floor of the bar is 'Guzzle' and is the party vibe, downstairs in the basement is 'Sip' and is quiet drinking vibes

    4. Grandfathers - Record bar, good drinks

    5. Ritz Carlton - wonderful bar for sunset drinks

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