Japan

Tokyo:

Things To Do:

Harajuku: the most famous street in Tokyo, known for it’s colorful shops and edgy fashion, I recommend trying the giant cotton candy from Totti Candy Factory and the potato chips on a stick with the chicken seasoning.
Tokyo Skytree: the world’s largest tower (second largest building). Really pretty view at night and on a clear day you can see Mount Fuji. I thought the views at the 350m deck were great and I didn’t think paying 1000 yen to go to the 450m deck was necessary.
Ueno Park: well manicured park in the middle of the city and a great / quiet place to relax.
Senso-ji: colorful Buddhist temple, usually crowded with tourist (free attraction).
Robot Restaurant: one of the most popular things to do in Tokyo. Definitely the weirdest show I’ve experienced. Semi-expensive for what it is, but worth going once!
Shibuya Crossing: the busiest street crossing in the world. You can get a great view of it from the second floor of the Starbucks.
Golden Gai: several blocks of tiny bars that hold ~5-10 people each.
Central Road: check out this area at night, it reminded me of Times Square.
Ginza District: a higher end, very nice place to shop.
Aoyama Flower Market & Tea House: a cute little flower market with a tea room in a greenhouse.
Disneyland Tokyo: if you are a big Disney fan, it’s a fun day trip. Some important things to note:
- The price to get in the park is $70.
- Food and drinks inside the park are cheaper than they are in the parks in the US.
- The park is very crowded, make sure to get there as early as you can to get Fast Passes (you can get 1 every 2 hours).
- There are 2 parks: Disneyland and DisneySea. Read HERE for a detailed breakdown of the Tokyo Disney experience and the difference between the 2 parks.
- Going from the center of Tokyo to Disney takes about 30 minutes on the metro.

Accommodation:

Shinjuku District is the best place to stay if you’re looking to be near great bars, a younger crowd and some of the main attractions. This area also has a central train station, which makes it easy to commute around the city.
- Imano Tokyo Hostel: fantastic location and staff
The Prime Pod (Ginza): a fantastic experience and would highly recommend (as long as you are not claustrophobic). It’s very similar to a hostel, but you are more enclosed in your “pod.” The Prime Pod is also 15 steps from a metro station.

Food:

Ichiran: voted the best ramen in the world. Easily customizable and worth the wait!
Tenryu Gyoza: the BEST gyoza I had in Japan. One order of 8 pieces is big enough for 2 people.
Ramen Yoroiya: try the traditional ramen and the gyoza.
Kawaii Monster Cafe: a fun dining experience where all the food is rainbow colored. The food isn’t anything special, but the menu is creative, the restaurant is decorated like crazy and there’s a show while you’re there.
Stand Up Sushi Bar: sushi made right in front of you, and like the name suggests, you stand up while eating.
Shinjuku Kakekomi Gyoza: a variety of gyoza, try the fried ones!
Ippudo: really good, semi-customizable ramen.
Try any mochi dessert and try macha ice cream.
Dominique Ansel Bakery: famous for their ‘Cronut’ (croissant donut), they have a variety of decadent desserts (Note: not exclusive to Tokyo, it was started in NYC).
Eggs N’ Things: a Hawaiian style breakfast, I would highly recommend the breakfast potatoes.

Nightlife:

Golden Gai: check out Champion Bar (has karaoke) and Ally Nuts (a rock music bar).

Notes:

If you’re traveling through the city for a few days, I would recommend getting a Pasmo card. The Pasmo card is a reloadable card that works on the public transportation. It’s must easier than buying individual tickets. There is a 500 yen deposit for the card.
The train system is very efficient and the trains are never late and leave exactly on time, so make sure you’re at you’re train a few minutes early!

Kyoto:

Things To Do:

Teramachi Dori: shopping street with everything from food to souvenir shops to upscale shops to boutiques.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest: peaceful bamboo grove. Go early in the morning (8-8:30am) to avoid large crowds.
Kiyomizu-dera: Buddhist temple with great views of Kyoto. ~20 minutes walking to the top. Pay the 400 yen to walk on the deck, the views get even better.
Kinkaku-ji: Zen temple covered in gold.
Tenryū-ji Temple: World Heritage Site near the bamboo forest. Worth stopping by and walking through the gardens.
Kyoto Imperial Palace: free admission. Not as extravagant as the other temples, but teaches you a lot of Japanese history.

Accommodation:

Kyoto Morris Hostel: the BEST hostel I’ve ever stayed in. Free laundry and bike rental. AC in the rooms. Very comfortable beds and super friendly staff. Would recommend to anyone staying in Kyoto.

Food:

Chaochao Gyoza: a bunch of varieties of gyoza. There’s usually a wait to get in but worth it! Try the fried chicken and mozzarella gyoza.
Beer Pub Ichi-ya: local brewery, I highly recommend the Belgium wheat beer and the edamame.
Ippudo-Nishikikouji: great ramen!
Shinshindo Bakery: delicious bread and pastries, you can smell them down the street!

Notes:

The best way to get to Kyoto from Tokyo is the bullet train. It is expensive, ~$250 round trip, but if you’ve never been on a bullet train before, that in itself is an experience!
Pasmo cards work in Kyoto on the busses and the metro. Each bus ride has a flat fare of 230 yen for adults.
Consider renting a bike to explore the city! Many of the streets are bike friendly.

Background photo taken at Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, Japan.