Tokyo Japan

 

Kyoto Kinkaku-ji

Osaka Castle

Tokyo Ginza

With over two weeks to get immersed in Japan, we chose to stay in big cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) and take day trips to smaller cities (Hiroshima, Kobe, Nara).  We also spent 3 nights in Kanazawa to allow for a daytrip to Takayama.  If we did this trip over again, we would have stayed longer in Kyoto (instead of staying 3 nights in Osaka) and done all day trips from there, including just a daytrip to Osaka.  Japan Rail is great, so it’s easy to make the daytrips work. 

Shinkansen

While in Tokyo we chose to stay in Ginza, which has lots of eating and drinking options, and is well served by transit; Tokyo Station (access to Shinkansen bullet train) is just a 20-minute walk.  We stayed at the Aloft Ginza, which is very well located and has nice, modern rooms.  Our first meal was at Kushiyaki Bistro Fukumimi Ginza, just a couple blocks from our hotel.  It was a great izakaya experience, everyone was friendly (English speaking), and would loudly greet each customer.  They specialize in yakitori (skewered meat), and the fried onion was great.  The Star Bar is a dark speakeasy with exceptional drinks and great selections of Japanese whiskeys, run by the President of the Japanese Bartenders Association. 

Imperial Palace keep

Imperial Palace wall

Imperial Palace gate

The entire city of Tokyo was destroyed during the firebombing of 1945, so the city is contemporary with all buildings constructed in the past eighty years (and sadly no remains of the old city).  Our first day of touring started at the Imperial Palace, formally established when the capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo (formerly Edo) in 1868.  It’s quite impressive and a very tranquil spot in an otherwise busy city.   The palace was originally constructed in the seventeenth century, with high walls surrounded by a moat. The reconstructed three-story castle keep is the most striking building on the grounds. The Palace must be reserved well in advance.  I kept checking the Imperial Palace website [link] for availability.  You can download a tour app for the Tokyo and Kyoto Imperial Palaces, which is only needed for the East Garden since the main Imperial Palace grounds are seen via guided tour. 

Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station is a beautiful reconstruction of the original.  Nearby, in the Marunouchi building is the flagship store of Maruzen books, with English language books on the fourth floor.  Across the Nihonbashi Bridge is the Mitsukoshi Department store (there are two adjoining, so go to the entrance with lions flanking the door).  The basement food hall is just incredible.  Nearby, the Ozu Washi paper museum [link] is small but interesting, showing how mulberry bark is turned into strong, water-resistant paper that was used in printing and even making cloth.  We explored the streets southeast of the Ningyocho Station (east of Nihonbashi neighborhood).  The backstreets are an interesting mix of small shops, izakayas and restaurants. 

Myth of Tomorrow

Hachiko

On day two, we took the Metro to Shiboya Scramble, an iconic image of Tokyo with over two thousand people crossing a five-road intersection with every light cycle.  It’s quite an image, especially from above.  We went to Shiboya Sky, which has a rooftop observation deck overlooking the Scramble.  It provided great views of the city, but wasn’t worth the time or expense.  We had a better (free) view of the Scramble from a pedestrian overpass which is home to the famous “Myth of Tomorrow” painting [link], depicting the moment of the nuclear blast in Hiroshima.  It is said to be evocative of Picasso’s Guernica, and I see the similarity.  It’s definitely wort visiting, and you can observe the chaos in the Scramble below.  Also below is the famous statue of Hachiko, who followed his master to the Shibuya station every morning, and met him in the evening when he got off the train.  Sadly, his master died of a stroke in 1925 at work, and didn’t return.  Hachiko kept up his ritual every day for seven more years, waiting for his master until the last train each day. 

Shibuya Center-gai

We explored the pedestrian streets west of Shibuya Station.  Shibuya Center-gai, just left of the world’s busiest Starbucks – because the second-floor seating area has views of the Scramble, is a crazy jumble of neon signs, giant stores selling cheap crap like the popular Don Quijote, and food stalls.  Penguin Street is a small uphill street that transitions from craziness to cultured in just a couple blocks.  

Meiji Jingu offerings

Meiji Jingu

Meiji Jingu sake casks

From Shibuya we walked along Koen-dori Parkway, past 1964 Olympic venues (long walk, should have taken an Uber), to the Harajuku neighborhood, where the Meiji Jingu Shrine is located.  The shrine was beautiful and tranquil, set deep in a forest, entered under a massive gate (torii) that separates the physical world from the spiritual world.   People present offerings and ask for blessings by writing their requests on small wooden plaques hung around a tree.   Casks of sake from distillers across Japan are presented as offerings each year.  The rest of Harajuku is an upscale shopping area, except for famous Takeshita Street, which reminds one of the chaos west of Shibuya Station. The famous Omote-sando Avenue is lined with all the word famous luxury brands stores, many in architecturally stunning building, and stretches from Harajuku to the equally expensive Aoyama neighborhood.  Lonely Planet provides a nice Architectural walking tour of this street.  An interesting walk from Omote-sando is Maisen Aoyama, it’s a great place to have lunch, with their specialty of fried pork cutlets. 

Golden Gai

Kabuki-cho Godzilla

Kabuki-cho

Our final stop was Shinjuku, with its famous Kabuki-cho neighborhood.  The former redlight district has been cleaned up a bit, much like Times Square in the 90s.  Omoide-yokocho is known as the food alley, and is lined with tiny restaurants and food stalls near the station.  The Hotel Gracery Shinjukue has a giant Godzilla climbing out of it, worth seeing.  Worth visiting is the Golden-gai area just east of Kabuki-cho.  It’s a small warren of tiny bars, each seating maybe eight patrons.  There must be a hundred bars in an acre of land, quite an experience.  Worth visiting in Shinjuku is the Tokyo Municipal Government building, with stunning views from the 45^th floor free observation deck. 

Nezu Shrine

On day three in Tokyo, we explored the northeast neighborhoods of Ueno and Asakusa.  We started with the Lonely Planet walking tour of Yanaka (LP called it Yanesen), northwest of Ueno Park. This was a great walk, and a calm respite from urban Tokyo.  We began at Nezu Jinju shrine, which is a lovely little park in a suburban neighborhood between Nezu and Sendagi stations.  We then picked up the Lonely Planet Walk at Sudo-koen, a tiny park situated in a residential neighborhood.  Yanaka Gina is a typical market street, with numerous Buddhist and Shinto shrines scattered along the eastern end, at the top of the Yuyuke Dandan (Sunset Stairs) – it’s worthwhile to visit this area just to take this walk.  

Gigaku Mask

National Museum

Approaching Ueno Park, we had coffee at Kayaba Coffee, a cute little shop with great coffee and desserts.  Across the street is a one-hundred-year-old liquor store.  Finally, we reached the Tokyo National Museum.  It is huge so we just chose one building to visit, the Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasures.  Many of the artifacts date from the seventh century, including the famous Buddhist Gigaku ceremonial masks.  There are numerous sites in Ueno Park, most interesting to us was the Kiyomizu Kannon-do Temple and the adjoining five tier pagoda built in 1639.  

Ueno Park pagoda

After leaving the southern entrance of Ueno Park, we visited Jusan-ya, a tiny workshop making boxwood combs; the artisan is carving them right in the store.  The nearby Ameya Tokocho Street Market is traditional but hectic, with stalls squeezed into every nook under the railroad tracks.  A short distance east we had lunch at Okina-an Soba (buckwheat noodles); the atmosphere was authentic, and the pork curry over noodles was outstanding.  

Senso-ji Temple

Senso-ji complex

Senso-ji gate

Heading east into Asakusa, we walked along Kappabashi Hon-dori, and the cross street Kappabashi Dogugai, which are lined with kitchenware stores of every variety, some specializing in the famous Japanese kitchen knives (we visited Tsubaya Knives and Kama-Asa).  The main attraction in Asakusa is the Senso-Ji Temple complex, which is absolutely amazing.  The temple has a concrete floor which (unlike most temples) allows visitors to enter, so it was great to see the interior space.  Many local women were wearing elaborate kimonos, which added to the atmosphere.  The pagoda and the great torii gate are incredible as well.  

Kyu Yasuda Garden

Leading south from Senso-ji is the Nakamise shopping street, lined with arcades selling baked goods, meat, and cheap trinkets.   Across the river is the Japanese Sword Museum, which is highly rated but closed for renovations when we visited.  However, next door is the Kyu-Yasuda Gardens, which were among the most beautiful we’ve seen in Tokyo; it’s well worth the trip to Asakusa to see this garden. 

For those visiting from Philadelphia, it is a pilgrimage to visit Kosuke Chujo’s famous “Philly” cheesesteak shop in Nihombashi.  It is filled with Philly sports memorabilia, and the Eagles are always on the TV.  His cheesesteaks have received rave reviews from the Philadelphia Inquirer food critic (details HERE).  Sadly, we visited on Saturday, our second-to-last night in Tokyo, only to find them closed (they are only open 6-9pm Monday-Friday).  

On our final day, we visited the Akihabara neighborhood, famous for tech stores and anime.  Chuo-dori Street is lined with multi-story tech stores (LOAX, Sofmap, Mandarake), and the ground floors are filled with shops selling anime, manga and cosplay - I don’t really know what these are, but they are quintessentially Japanese!  On the sidewalk, young girls in maid outfits lure customers into “maid cafes”.  It was an interesting sight. 

Hama-rikyu teahouse

Hama-rikyu Garden

Hama-rikyu house

Ryukyu Spicy Marg
Habu Snake Liqueur

Next, we visited the Tsukiji Outer Market, which is a fish market lined with shops and restaurants selling fresh seafood.  We enjoyed a lunch of fresh sushi and tempura.  Nearby are the Hamarikyu Gardens in Shiodome.  The gardens surround a lake, with a teahouse overlooking the park and skyscrapers in the distance.  It’s really a tranquil spot.  There are examples of traditional Japanese houses that are quite interesting.  We wrapped up the day with a bar crawl: drinks at the Old Imperial Bar in the Imperial Hotel, cocktails at the 24^th floor Peter the Bar in the Peninsula Hotel overlooking the Imperial Palace (where you can get a Ryukyu Spicy Marg made with Habu Snake Liqueur – the snake is in the bottle), and a traditional beer garden at the Ginza Lion Beer Hall.  Dinner at Sake no Ana back in Ginza, where they offer sake from every corner of Japan (you will need Google translate with your camera to read the sake menu).   

Japan really appreciates convenience stores, they are everywhere.  Family Mart, 7-11 and Lawsons are ubiquitous.  The pre-packaged egg salad sandwich is somewhat of a delicacy there, and I have to admit it’s quite good (as is the tuna salad).  Although 7-11’s version is prized, we thought Lawson’s might be better.  Lawson’s egg, cheese and ham was really good. 

Travel tips for Tokyo:

Tokyo has had several catastrophes that impacted the physical city: the great fire of 1657, the earthquake of 1923, and the American firebombing of 1945 that completely destroyed the city.  For these reasons, Tokyo has very few historical buildings, other than those that were meticulously rebuilt.  Unlike major cities like Beijing, Mexico City and New York, you won’t find quant neighborhoods that are centuries-old. 

Arrival at Tokyo Haneda is relatively easy, but the tour books I referenced did not explain the immigration and customs documentation.  There is a Japan Arrival app [link] that you can use to preregister, so all you need to show Immigration is the QR code.  We didn’t have that, so we had to complete paper forms and go through a longer line.  Same at Customs after you retrieve your luggage – we didn’t have the app so we completed a paper declaration form and went through the lines marked “Paper”. 

Once in the Arrivals Hall, it’s a bit overwhelming for someone coming off a long flight.  The line to get tickets to the Monorail was really long, so we opted for the Keikyu Line to get to our hotel in Ginza.  You can review instructions for travel from both airports [link], and training for using the ticket machine at [link].  First step is select “English” on the ticket machine!  The rest is easy. 

The Metro System is amazing and easy to use.  It goes everywhere, costs very little, and it’s never more than a few minutes between trains.  The only catch is that there are several private subway lines, and individual tickets are not honored across lines.  An example is the Asakusa line from Haneda airport, you must specify the line when purchasing tickets.  If a private line and the Tokyo Metro operate at the same station, be careful to purchase the right ticket.  Search by destination station to be prompted with the appropriate fare.  Google Maps works great in Japan, including describing the specific exit number to use in order to arrive at your final destination.  Consider using the IC debit card for travel (see details here)

Japan practicalities

Sign not translated,
what does it mean?

All public signs have English translations.  Many restaurants have English menus or at least pictures to select from.  Google Translate camera option is amazing, translating Japanese Kanji characters easily.  

Cash is needed in Japan.  While most establishments and taxis take credit cards (including AMEX), some don't.  Regional trains, busses, temples and shrines often only take cash. 

Businessmen in suits
pulling weeds

Japan is a formal and polite society – visitors should emulate that. A slight bow and a simple “Arigatou gozaimasu” goes a long way!  I wore dress slacks and oxford shirts and blended in – no shorts and t-shirts please.  See this LINK for an overview of general etiquette.  Read about the shoe culture before arriving (details HERE).  In most temples and some restaurants, you must take off your shoes and leave them in designated spaces (some temples give you a bag to carry them).  Make sure to wear shoes that are easy to take off/put on, and pack only your best socks!  In many places, there will be a wooden platform where shoes are not allowed, marking the transition from outside to inside.  Do NOT step on this platform with your shoes, or put your shoes on this platform!  Restrooms often have special slippers that you don to do your business.  

Toilet gymnastics
strictly prohibited

Speaking of restrooms, clean and free public restrooms are everywhere.  Don’t get me started on the overly-engineered techno gadget toilets!  Napkins and hand towels are rare in Japan.  Consider packing a handkerchief or paper towel, especially to dry your hands after washing.  

Japan Rail has an extensive network, so it’s easy to get almost anywhere in Japan.  The Shinkansen (bullet train) is great but expensive and a bit confusing.  Using the ticket machines (select English), you must book BOTH a base fare and an express surcharge (including to reserve a seat or upgrade).  When prompted to purchase Base, Surcharge or Surcharge + Base, select the latter.  After selecting seats and paying, you will be issued 2 separate tickets, one for base fare and one for your express (although sometimes they are combined); BOTH must be fed into the turnstile upon entry, and they can be inserted together. We tried GranClass, which was quit luxurious but also very expensive.  The Green Car is really nice and less expensive.  Standard Class is a bit crowded, and can be either reserved or unreserved seating.  

The base fare allows riding in any unreserved car, but the express ticket is specific to a given train, car number and seat.  Note that the car number is clearly marked on the train platform, so you know exactly where to stand.  We took advantage of this when all Shinkansen were delayed during our return from Hiroshima to Kyoto.  We just used the base fare to get on the next train headed to Kyoto, found the unreserved cars clearly marked at the boarding gates, and stood for the 90-minute trip.   Standing at 200 mph is a Newtonian Physics experiment IRL.  We got a refund for our unused Express fare. 

For regional rail, consider getting the IC card [link], which is refillable with credit card, while many regional rail ticket machines accept only cash or these debit cards (not credit cards).  JR (including Shinkansen) ticket machines do accept credit cards. 

Credit cards are very widely accepted in Japan (even American Express).  The only cash we needed was for small purchases below the credit card threshold (including shrines and temples) and for the food stalls at markets.  Some smaller restaurants only accept cash.  We spent only about $20 (3,000 Yen) per day in cash.  Tipping is not expected.

[See the following post for Kyoto and Central Japan]

 

Kyoto and Central Japan

 

Chion-in

Fushimi Inari

Kyoto

Gion street

Kyoto was the capital of Japan for nearly one thousand years, from 794 until 1868 when the government officially moved to Tokyo (Edo).  There are countless temples and shrines Kyoto, and centuries-old neighborhoods.  Hanami-koji south of the main east-west street Shijo-dori is an historic neighborhood with quaint houses and shops, as is Kiri-doshi which runs north of Shijo-dori.  The Shimbashi canal runs diagonally from Kiri-doshi, at that intersection is the tiny Tatsumi Shrine.  The Shimbashi neighborhood is home to many of Kyoto’s finest restaurants, and the views along the canal are beautiful.  The Gion neighborhood is just south of Shimbashi and has a small enclave of streets lined with traditional wooden houses just south of Shijo-dori.

Ponto-cho

We stayed at the Gate Hotel [link] , which lies along a canal on tree-lined Kiyamachi-dori.   Running parallel is Ponto-cho, which is a tiny alley lined with restaurants.  The Gate Hotel is in a beautiful building along the canal, and has great amenities in a perfect location (including easy access to subway and major bus routes).  A few blocks away is the famous Nishiki Market, stretching four blocks under an arcade. 

Eiken-do Temple

Ginkaku-ji Temple

Nanzen-ji Temple

We spent a long day exploring Eastern Kyoto – this trip could easily be split into two days.  We started with the Philosopher’s Walk (details HERE), which was established in the early twentieth centuries to connect centuries-old temples and shrines that lie along a canal.  It was modeled after the similarly named path in Heidelberg, and provides a beautiful tour through this hillside neighborhood.  Fodor’s Essential Japan has a nice walk that we followed, starting at Ginkaku-ji Temple with its beautiful garden.  We toured each of the temples, but found Ginkaku-ji and the final two the most interesting: Eiken-do Temple is huge, and the main shrine room (I would call it an altar room) was gorgeous, the most beautiful we’ve seen in Japan; Nanzen-ji Temple is even larger. 

Chion-in Temple

Yasaka Shrine Gate

Yasaka Shrine

Chion-in bridge

Just south of Philosopher’s Path is Chion-in Temple, with a massive gate (torii), main hall, and the largest bell in Japan which is rung every New Year's and televised across the country.  Lying just west of Chion-in Temple is Yasaka Shrine, the most important shrine in Kyoto which draws lots of locals and tourists, many dressed in kimono.  The white lanterns sport the names of companies and individuals who have contributed to the shrine, in the hopes of earning favor from the spirits.  It was at this point that “temple fatigue” set in.

Ishibe-Koji Lane

Kiyumizu-dori

Kiyumizu-dera Temple

Temple in Sannen-zaka 

Heading south from Chion-in, you pass through beautiful Maruyama Park; look for tiny Ishibe-Koji Lane to the right.  Farther along is the imposing Yasaka Pagoda, then the street leads into an incredible maze of streets that make up this historic preservation district.  Ichinen-zaka, Ninen-zaka, Sannen-zaka are stoned-paved streets of traditional wooden buildings, lined with shops and cafes (caution: it is particularly crowded on the weekend).  At the top of Kiyumizu-dori (the street) is Nio-man gate, which leads to Kiyumizu-dera Temple. 

Imperial Palace gate

Imperial Palace temple

Imperial Palace garden

On our third day, we visited three great sites in central and western Kyoto.  The Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle, and Kinkaku-ji Temple.  The Imperial Palace is located in the large Kyoto Gyoen National Garden (I would call it a park not a garden by Japanese standards).  The palace grounds have been home to the rulers of Japan from 794 to 1867, when the capital was moved to Edo (Tokyo) by Meiji.  The palace burned many times over the centuries, most recently in 1855, so the existing buildings were reconstructed after that fire.  The audio guide [link] tour is very good, and easy to follow.  The walk is entirely outdoors, since the buildings are still used by the imperial family and closed to the public. 

Nijo Castle inner gate

Nijo Castle keep

Nijo Castle moat

The Nijo-jo Castle is about a thirty-minute walk southwest of the Imperial Palace, through a boring working-class neighborhood (take bus or taxi).  We opted for the combination ticket which allows entry into the Ninomaru-goten Palace.  The castle, constructed in 1603, and palace are really impressive, and the self-guided tour was informative and easy to follow. 

Kinkaku-ji Temple

Kinkaku-ji Temple

Kinkaku-ji Temple

The last stop of the day was Kinkaku-ji Temple, located in the far northwest of Kyoto, easy to access via bus.  Fourteenth century Shogun Yoshimitsu built this temple as a retirement villa, having the entire structure covered in gold leaf as a sign of his wealth and power.  The image of the golden temple reflecting in the water of the garden pond is stunning, it’s certainly one of the most beautiful sites in all of Japan.  The current structure was rebuilt after a disgruntled monk set fire to the original in 1955. 

Vermillion gates

Fushimi Inari gates

Fushimi Inari

On our final day in Kyoto we headed south to perhaps the most famous image in Kyoto, the thousands of vermillion gates of Fushimi Inari Temple (train to Fushimi Inari station).  The gates form a path that the visitor follows, which I assume creates a journey of peace and reflection, but that was difficult to achieve with thousands of tourists squeezed between the gates.   I suppose everything worth seeing will be crowded – it was still worth the visit [link].

Tofuku-ji shrine

Tofuku-ji Hall

Tofuku-ji Sanmon Gate

From Fushimi Inari, we visited Tofuku-ji with its immense Sanmon Gate, the largest and oldest gate in Japan.  The temple is interesting, especially the main hall with an immense dragon painted on the ceiling overhead to protect those below [link]. 

Sanjusangen-do Hall

The final stop of our Kyoto visit was the Sanjusangen-do Hall, an immense (400 foot long) structure that is 750 years old (rebuilt in 1266 after a fire)!  Inside, there is a thousand-armed Kannon (enlightened being), flanked by one thousand life-size golden Buddhist statues, the largest collection of statuary in the world.  The statues stretch as far as you can see – it is an incredible sight that I consider a Must Do when visiting Kyoto [link]. 

Lunch at Ikariya 523 Kyoto Bistro, a French bistro along Ponto-cho, which was excellent.  Anzukko is a tiny Gyoza (dumpling) restaurant that seats 8 at the bar and two tables.  The owner is really nice, and the food was excellent.  The Iron Pan Gyoza and the Seafood Boiled Gyoza are both house specialties, and both were delicious.  Bar Cordon Noir (KIyamachi Sanjyo 121 3^rd floor) is a traditional whisky bar with an amazing selection of whiskeys from around the world in a refined atmosphere. 

Kyoto transit: The Kyoto City Bus system is really easy, just follow the Google Maps directions.  Enter the bus through the rear door, and pay 230 Yen on your way out the front door (they give change up to 1000 Yen bill).  The bus stops are clearly marked with the route numbers and schedule.  The Kyoto Subway system is also easy to use, but like Tokyo’s, it has multiple private companies running subways, so in some cases you must change stations/lines. 

 

Kanazawa

Japanese Alps from
train to Kanazawa

Lunch at Fukuwaichi

Higashi Chaya

Kanazawa is 2.5 hours by Shinkansen from Tokyo (see Shinkansen video HERE), and lies between the Japanese Alps and the Sea of Japan.  It’s a mid-size city with two significant historical quarters: Higashi Chaya and Nagamichi Samurai.

Higashi Chaya

Shima Ochaya teahouse

Shima Ochaya teahouse

Higashi Chaya is the former geisha district, with well-preserved teahouses that continue to function or have been converted to restaurants and shops.  The Hakuza Hikarigura Gold Leaf store is historical and interesting to visit.  The Shima Ochaya teahouse [link] is a museum that allows you to walk through the former teahouse where geishas (or Geiko as they call them in Kanazawa) performed; the rooms appear as they would have two hundred years ago. 

Nagamachi canal

Nagamachi Samurai street

Nagamachi Samurai District

The Nagamachi Samurai District surrounds a centuries-old canal that brought water to the residences, and contains entire streets with original buildings, some surrounded by mud walls.  The Myouryuji Temple [link] is a former samurai residence, with intriguing secret passageways, trap doors, and a hidden tunnel connecting to the castle for escape – all defensive measures in case of attack. The tour is in Japanese, but visitors are provided an English booklet to explain each room.  It’s definitely worth a visit.  The nearby Nishi Chaya district is a small cluster of period homes, worth a stop on the walk back to the Samurai District. 

Shinise Memorial Hall

Shinise Memorial Hall

Namura Residence garden

The Namura Samurai Residence is a smaller home, but worth visiting to see the beautiful garden.  The Takada Family House is the gatehouse where samurai gatekeepers and stable hands lived.  The Kanazawa Shinise Memorial Hall [link] is a former pharmacy, originally built in 1579 but rebuilt after a fire in 1873, with a small museum attached.   The lane leading up to the Kaburaki Pottery shops is really interesting and well-preserved, with mud walls surrounding each house, some have been turned into shops. 

Kenroku Garden

Kenroku Garden

Kenroku Garden

Castle West Gate

Kanazawa Castle

The Kanazawa Castle and Park are really impressive.  The castle has been completed rebuilt after a catastrophic fire in the late 1800s. and is amazing to see.  The accompanying Kenroku Gardens are perhaps the most beautiful we’ve seen anywhere.  Water flows everywhere, and the trees and shrubs make a perfect, harmonious landscape.  We were not able to get reservations to the Myashian tea house in the park, but I highly recommend doing so because of the beautiful setting.  The park alone justifies a trip to Kanazawa. 

We had lunch at Fukuwaichi, which is a 120-year-old house converted into a restaurant.  The atmosphere was great, as was the food and service (great Udon noodles, and inexpensive).  The Oriental Brewing Company has several locations in Kanazawa, but the main operation is in Higashi Chaya.  They have surprisingly good beers, especially the Yuwaku Yuzu Ale with local Kanazawa citrus, and the pizza is adequate.  Dinner at Ekinukura on the third floor of the mall above Kanazawa Station was excellent.  The food was very good (especially the black cod and the crispy tofu), great atmosphere, and inexpensive. 

Takayama

Japanese Alps
near Takayama

Higashiyama Walking course

Sanmachi street

Sanmachi street

Takayama is famous for Sanmachi Suji District, streets lined with merchant houses and shops from the Edo period (1603-1868).  The historic village is really quaint.  The Onoya Soy Distillery has miso, and the Funasaka Sake Distillery is worth checking out. 

Government House

Government House

Government House Garden

"Interrogation" room

"Interrogation" instructions

The Takayama Jinya (historic Government House) is really impressive, with an easy self-guided tour.  Don't miss the torture room used for gathering "testimony" before trial.  If you only tour one building, make it the Jinya. 

Nakabashi Bridge

Nearby is the vermilion Nakabashi bridge - you can't miss it.  A short hike up the hill leads to Shoren-ji Temple, built in 1504 reputedly from a single cedar tree.  The Kusakabe Folk Museum is a former merchant home and warehouse.  It's an impressive building, but the audio tour left much to be desired. 

Hida beef milk bun

There are two morning markets: a produce market near the Takayama Jinya, and a much more interesting market with food stalls near the Kusakabe Heritage House.  There we tried the famous Hida Beef, roasted on a stick, and also a delicious milk bun with Hida beef inside.

Higashiyama gate

Higashiyama temple

Higashiyama bell tower

Higashiyama gate

A lesser-known attraction in Takayama is the Higashiyama Walking course [details] which connects over a dozen 17th century temples and shrines.  Modeled after Kyoto's Higashiyama, it's a great experience, each temple is just a couple hundred yards from the next.  You can get a detailed map at the TI just outside the train station. 

Best ramen

Menya Shirakawa

Lunch at Menya Shirakawa was great, best ramen I've had. The owner Munehiro Shirakawa was very gracious and spoke to us for a while (and took our picture).  They only sell one style of Ramen, your only choice is medium or large, and whether you want to add an egg.  The staff is really friendly! 

Hiroshima

The morning of August 6, 1945 was a typical warm summer day in the western Japanese city of Hiroshima.  Businessmen were commuting to work, shops were opening, and over 8,400 school children were bused to the city center to clear debris and establish fire breaks in the event of an American firebombing (as had occurred in Tokyo just a couple months prior).  At 8:15am, an atomic bomb detonated 1,900 above the city center.  In less than one second, nearly every standing structure was destroyed across four square miles, and 80,000 people died instantly, including 6,400 of the children working in the city center that day.  In the days and years that followed, 180,000 addition humans succumbed to their injuries, radiation poisoning, or diseases caused by radiation exposure such as leukemia.  It was devastation beyond human comprehension and without precedent, until repeated three days later in Nagasaki.   

Modern Hiroshima

Hiroshima 1945

Clock stopped at 8:15am

Hiroshima is a vibrant city, showing no evidence of its utter destruction.   The Peace Park contains museums and memorials to the bombing and the victims.  The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum provides an immersion into the events of August 6, the devastation wrought, and the physical and mental damage inflicted, including the individual stories of survivors.   It is an emotional experience walking through this museum.  

A-Bomb Dome

Peace Park

Peace Park

Outside the museum, the "Phoenix tree" is a Chinese Parasol tree that was scorched by the explosion, but miraculously sprouted new buds the following Spring - it is still alive today, and seedlings from it have been planted across Japan.  The most iconic image of Hiroshima is the A-Bomb Dome, a building damaged but not destroyed, despite being just a couple hundred yards from the hypocenter of the explosion.

Shukkeien Garden

Shukkeien Garden

Shukkeien Garden bridge

Shukkeien Garden in 1945

The Shukkeien Garden provides a pleasant respite from the sobering Peace Park and Museum.  The gardens were constructed in 1620, and is known for its small bridges crossing ponds filled with Koi (carp), and tiny islands sprouting small pine trees.  

Okonomiyaki Nagataya

For lunch we ate Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki, which is cabbage and fillings between two crepe-like pancakes.  It's tasty and filling, and popular, as the 45-minute wait at Nagata-ya testifies.   Each table has a warming plate that keeps the Okonomiyaki warm as you eat.  You can see the chefs preparing Okonomiyaki HERE.  

Osaka

Boku no Banh Mi

Boku no Banh Mi

Tsutenkaka Tower

We explored two iconic neighborhoods in Osaka: Shin Sekai and Dotonbori.  Shin Sekai neighborhood was developed in 1912 to copy the small neighborhoods of Paris or New York, including a bastardized copy of the Eifel Tower called Tsutenkaka Tower.   Candidly I didn’t see much similarity to Paris, but we did have a great lunch at Boku no Banh Mi & Akutagawa Coffee (the bistro under the PAX hostel), which served the best Bahn Mi we’ve ever had.  

Isshin-ji Temple

Isshin-ji Temple

Keitaku-en Gardens

In the nearby Tenno-ji Park area, there are several attractions, including the impressive Isshin-ji Temple, and the beautiful Keitaku-en Gardens.

Dotonbori

Dotonbori River

Ebisu Bridge, Running Man

The most famous neighborhood in Osaka is Dotonbori, which surrounds the Dotonbori River.  The streets are lined with restaurants and shops, with neon signs everywhere.  From the Ebisu Bridge we got the iconic view of “Running Man”.  See the famous animated crab from Dotonbori [link].  

Osaka Castle moat

Osaka Castle wall

Osaka Castle wall

Osaka Castle

The final stop on our tour of Osaka was the huge Osaka Castle.  It has a massive outer defense wall, with a moat separating the inner defensive wall. The castle itself is beautiful, perhaps the most impressive one we saw in Japan. 

Dinner near our hotel at Basserie Boo Umeda, which specializes in the local pork.  The pork roasted in red wine, the candied sweet potatoes with lemon, squid with shrimp and scallops, and the assorted bread were all great.   

Fatty tuna and pickled
daikon sushi roll

Our Osaka friends

We had an outstanding sushi dinner at Sushi Bar Sashisu, in the Basement (B2 level) of Kitte Osaka, just a couple hundred yards from Osaka Station (following the underground concourse).  The specialty is fatty tuna and pickled daikon wrap, which is perfect!  The eel was great, as was the black miso soup with clams.  We struck up a conversation with the young couple next to us, and the gentleman introduced me to the fatty tuna and daikon roll – I am forever in his debt. 

 

Nara

Todai-ji Inner Gate

Todai-ji Temple

Todai-ji Buddha 

Nara-koen deer

Nara-koen deer

Todai-ji outer gate

On a daytrip to Nara from Osaka, we visited two UNESCO World Heritage sites.  The first was Todai-ji Temple, although founded in 855 it was rebuilt after a fire in the sixteenth century.  The Hall of the Great Buddha is massive, 157 feet high and 187 feet long, which is claimed to be the largest wooden structure in the world.  Inside the Hall is an enormous (53 foot tall) Buddha constructed in 752 AD!  The Great Southern Gate is immense, and dates from 1199.  The Todai-ji site, as well as the entire Nara Koen (park) is populated by the famous Nara deer.  They are domesticated, and actually a bit aggressive checking your hands and pockets for food.  See one of the deer eating a tourist's map [link].

Horyu-ji Temple

Horyu-ji Great Hall

Horyu-ji Pagoda

Lecture Hall

The other UNESCO site we visited is about ten miles out of town.  Horyu-ji Temple is a huge complex of multiple temples and shrines, enclosed by earthen walls.  The buildings date from the seventh to tenth centuries, and are the oldest surviving wooden structures in the world.  The Chumon (Central) Gate dates from 607, the five-story Pagoda is from 609, and the Lecture Hall behind the pagoda and Great Hall was reconstructed after a fire in 990 AD.   

Kobe

Kobe is a quick ride from Osaka Umeda Station, and a perfect daytrip.  The regional rail stops at Sannoiya Station, which is right downtown. 

Mentaki Falls

We started by visiting Nunobiki Falls, specifically the Mentaki lower falls.  They are just a ten-minute walk up the hill behind Shin-Kobe station, just head under the station to the right of the main entrance.  If you are going to start your trip to Kobe with the Nunobiki Falls, it’s much easier to arrive at Shin-Kobe Station. 

Kitano-cho

Kitano-cho

Weathercock House

From Shin-Kobe Station we walked west into the Kitano-cho neighborhood.  This was popular with expats in the early twentieth century, and they built many western style mansions.  These are now tourist destinations, and of great interest to the Japanese (you will see many tours occurring in Kitano-cho).  The English House is quite famous; it’s a museum during the day and a pub at night.  On the way to Weathercock House (a museum), we had ice cream at Kobe Rokko Farms, which was selected the best ice cream in Japan. 

Higashimon Street

We then went downhill on Kitanozaka street into the busy downtown of Kobe, then followed Higashimon Street to our lunch destination.  We traveled to Kobe specifically for the Wagyu beef, and Kobe Beef Steak Restaurant Royal Mouriya has a great reputation for serving excellent A5 (highest grade) Kobe Wagyu beef.  We had an outstanding meal, as the chef prepared our steak right in front of us, searing the meat in small batches of bite-sized portions (eating with chopsticks) so we were always eating the steak at the right temperature (see the chef preparing our beef HERE).  The beef was beautiful, perfectly marbled, and delicious.  The service was great, and the chef provided a lot of entertainment during our meal.

Royal Mouriya

Kobe Wagyu A5 beef

Our last stop in Kobe was to visit the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery and Museum.  They have been distilling sake since the mid-eighteenth century.  The museum was very interesting, with old equipment and videos displaying the sake making process.  There is free tasting available afterwards.  It’s just a ten-minute walk from a couple train stations, so an easy stop on your way back to Osaka from Kobe. 

Hakutsuru Sake Brewery

Hakutsuru Sake Brewery

Hakutsuru Sake Brewery