Japan Trip 2025

Travel (Day 0)

Traveling all the way to Japan is a long process, but arriving in Japan and immediately getting your debit card locked away in an ATM makes the last 14 hours of travel seem like nothing compared to the enternity that is the 30 minutes while you wait for a very nice ATM technician to get to your ATM. Also, Dōmo arigatō gozaimasu to the very nice security guard I roped into talking on the phone to the ATM company in order to get the technician to come out and help us.

After all that, it was nice to get to 🛌 Hotel Keihan Tsukiji Ginza Grand, check-in, shower, and curl up in bed. 🇯🇵

Tokyo (Day 1)

Tsukiji Fish Market

Woke up early and went over to the Tsukiji Fish Market. It was a short walk away from our hotel and it was already full of people shopping for some fresh fish and other goods. I was tempted to pick up some chopsticks, but decided to wait.

Went to a coffee place (🥤 Yonemoto Coffee Head Shop) that apparently John Lennon went to at least once. I had the Mango Smoothie which was pretty good, a nice bright way to start the day, but the real treat was just around the corner.

Just on the other side of the market there was a small stand that was slinging Beef Bowls from 🍽️ Kitsuneya. It was great introduction to the we’d be eating throughout the trip, simple but very flavorful food for relatively little money. First time through I didn't get a soft boiled egg on top (that was an error I would correct later), but the food was warming and filling.

TeamLabs: Borderless

We took the metro over to the area that TeamLabs:Borderless is early to walk around the area, stumbled upon shrines and other interesting things, like Tokyo Tower. They had a small “photo area” set up for folks to take selfies with a stand with the right angle to get your group and the tower in a single shot.

We had reserved ticket from TeamLabs: Borderless at 9 AM and wandered around there from the next couple of hours. The exhibits/art installations were all quite impressive and we ended up getting lost in there a few times.

On our walk over to the subway station, we found some cherry blossoms that had already bloomed.

Street Kart Akihabara

We found the place for our Street Kart Akihabara around Tokyo. After a brief safety instruction video and chat, we were out on the streets zipping around different parts of Tokyo. We saw Nihanbasho (Japan Bridge), which was once the “zero marker” for the major roads of Japan from the Edo (check?) period. Also saw the outside of Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, went around the outside of the Imperial Palace.

Next it was on to the oldest beer hall in Tokyo, 🍺 Ginza Lion Beer Hall. They have a handful of beers to choose from and a wide range of sizes; from a small snifter, all the way up to a boot of beer. Not really what I was expecting in Japan (though the "salarymen" drinking large amounts of beer was totally on brand), but a fun and unique experience none-the-less.

First Night Out

Finally, a dinner place was chosen and we ate at 🍽️ TsuruTonTan Udon Noodle in Ginza. All of us took over some bar seats. I was starving for some good soup and got a beef soup with a fried tempura side (shrimp and vegtables). The food and the sake went down easy and helped energize me for a night cap.

Some folks made for the hotel to get some rest after the long day right after all that travel but the brave continued the night at 🍸 Punch Room for some really good cocktails. I'd argue it was some of the best we had while in Tokyo. I had the Matcha Old Fashioned (pictured) and a milk punch (of course).

Tokyo (Day 2)

Imperial Palace Gardens

Everyone was up early, either from excitment or jetlag (probably a little of both). The runners had a "shake-out" run around the Imperial Palace Gardens, so we decided to meet them over there. While there wasn;t much in bloom on the palace grounds, it was still quite beatiful with the start contrast bewtween the old builds and well kept landscaping with the bustling city leaning over the walls and busting through the gates.

Tokyo Skytree

From there we high-tailed it over to the Tokyo Skytree. We had about an hour before our time on the observation deck, so we grabbed some lunch at a sushi place a mere 30 floors above the ground at 🍽️ Uorikisushi Tokyo Skytree Town Soramachiten Sushi. While it was a little last minute, they were able to fit us in and we had a great meal. Stacey tried Sashimi for the first time and the overall experience was quite nice. We were enjoying the views from the 30th floor ad

🍺 Schmatz

🍽️ cucina del NABUCCO

🍺 Abbot’s Choice Shibuya

Tokyo (Day 3)

• 🍽️ Hotel Breakfast
• Marathon
  • Point 1 - 6.2 KM - Iidabashi
    • Saw Ben, Adrian, and Scott
  • Point 2 - 17, 19.5, and 28.5 KM - Kuramae Bridge (Sumida River) w/ Skytree View
    • Saw Ben x1, Adrian x2, Scott x1
  • Point 3 - 34 & 41 KM - Hibya Station
    • Saw Adrian x2, Scott x2
• Post Marathon Hangout at the Tokyo International Forum
  • 🍺 Shake Shack Beers (and a burger for Scott)
  • 🍘 Crispy Cream Doughnuts
• 🍽️ The RC Arms
  • Raisin Cheese Spread with Crackers and Rueben Sandwich
• Quick Rest at the Hotel
• 🎤🍸 Rainbow Karaoke Shibuya
• Shibuya Scramble Crossing
• Hachiko Memorial Statue
  • Statue of the dog that waited for it’s master at the train station for years after his death

Tokyo >>> Kyoto (Day 4)

• 🥤 Yonemoto Coffee Head Shop Banana Smothie (repeat)
• 🍽️ Kitsuneya Beef Bowls /w egg in the Outer Tsukiji Market (repeat)
• 🚅 Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station
• Nintendo Museum
  • Duck Hunt Range (I got 🥉, Bert got 🥇)
• 🛌 Check in to AirBnB
• Nishiki Market
• 🍽️ Moon and Back Ramen Bar
  • Table-side seared beef ramen

Kyoto (Day 5)

• Otani Hombyo Temple and Cemetery
• Kiyomizu-dera
• Old Gion Streets
• 🍽️ Tozentei for a Michellin Star Lunch
  • Hot Sake in “Singing” sake carafes
  • Fruit and abalone
  • Tuna Hand Roll
  • Fish and Plum
  • Fish Sashimi Two Ways
  • Breaded and Fried Fish in Gelatin Soup
  • Poke Bowl with Pickled Radishes with Tea
  • Creme Brûlée with Coffee
• Golden Temple
• 🍸 Ki No Bi Gin Distillery
• 🍽️ Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu - Fushimi-Inari
  • Cut breaded steak that you cook and dress yourself
  • Miso soup, cabbage salad, egg, rice
• 🍫 KitKat Taste Test

Kyoto (Day 6)

• 🍽️ Lawson’s Pastry Breakfast
• Hokan-ji Temple
• Yasaka Shrine
• Maruyama Park - Great park to walk through, would be best with blossoms
• Chionin Temple
  • Grand Bell Tower - It’s a big bell, like really big
• 🍽️ Cafe Hana-Ginkaku
  • Pizza Toast
  • Honey Toast (scoop of gelato on top)
  • Lattes
• Ginkaku-ji Temple
  • Very nice gardens, good nature walk
  • Chopstick buying
    • Mike’s and Stacey’s first set from Hashi (Chopsticks) Gallery Mon
    • Stacey’s second set from unknown store in Gion
• 🍺 Yanagi Koji TAKA
  • Grilled Rice Balls
  • Yakitori
  • Whisky Highballs
• 🍺 Kimiya Izakaya
  • Fish Cake
  • Shrimp Pancake
  • Oni Eggs (Japanese Deviled Eggs)
• 🍽️ Sakahoko - Sumo Hot Pot
  • Chicken balls
  • Chicken thighs
  • Tofu
  • Tofu Skin
  • Mushrooms
  • Cabbage
  • Noodles
• 🍸 The Alchemist (smoking)
• 🍸 Bar Indigo (smoking)

Kyoto (Day 7)

• 🍽️ Lawson’s Breakfast
• Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
• Walk to the River
• Walk down by the river to Togetsukyo Bridge
• Arashiyama Monkey Park
• Tentyu-ji Gardens (Sogenchi Teien)
• Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple
• Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
• 🍘 Family Mart - Spam Sushi & Shohei Ohtani Rice Ball
• Kyoto Station, stairs and stage
• 🍽️ Kyoto Ramen Koji
• Back to the AirBnB to Onsen
• 🍺 Bar Cask - Got a “Smoked” from Tango Kingdom Beer
  • Great artwork on the bottle
• 🍸 Kyoto Momo a.k.a “Music Bar Beatle Momo”
  • Great drinks and an extensive record collection where the bartender takes requests for both drink and the soundtrack of the bar
• 🍸 Bee’s Knees
  • Chocolate Negroni
  • Coke & Penicillin
  • Old Fashioned
  • Friendly staff, recommended takoyaki place
• 🍘 Pontakosakura
  • Best takoyaki place of the trip
• Don Quijote Shijo Kawaramachi
  • Very overwhelming, like a IRL popup ad infested website

Kyoto (Day 8)

• 🍽️ Lawson’s Breakfast
• Fushimi-Inari
  • Tori gate, after tori gate
  • Nice views of Kyoto and you can see Osaka in the distance
  • Snowed on the way up to the top and the mountains across the city were dusted with snow
  • Small bamboo forest about near the beginning of the walk
  • Cats, lots of cats
• Nara Park
• Todai-ji Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall)
• Manyo Botanical Gardens - Moss Garden
• Home to relax and Change
• 🍽️ Dinner at Waygu Steak Hiro Kyoto
• 🍺 Mikkeller Beer Garden
• 🍸 Bee’s Knees
  • Bubblegum Sour
  • Mojito

Kyoto >>> Hakuba (Day 9)

• 🍽️ Lawson's Breakfast and Lunch
• Nagano (host of the 1998 inter Olympics)
• 🛌 Hotel Moegi Hakuba
• 🍺 Recovery Bar
  • Pizza, Buffalo and BBQ Chix
• 🍽️ Unjaune
  • Korean Fried Chicken

Hakuba (Day 10)

• 🍽️ Hotel Breakfast (Sandwiches were ham, chocolate cereal)
• Ski
• 🍽️ Fried Pork Curry and Rice
• Ski
• 🍸 Hakuba Apres by HHG
• Hakuba Happo Onsen Obinata no yu
  • Nice private hot springs (winter only)
• 🍽️ Blizzard by HHG Pizza
  • Service was slow

Hakuba >>> Hiroshima (Day 11)

• 🍽️ Hotel Breakfast (sandwiches were sausage)
• 🚌 Hakuba to Nagano
  • Got there about 15 minutes before the bus leaves, buy tickets from the machine inside
  • Didn’t get on the first 8:10 bus, but they ran multiple (2)
  • Some folks who showed up didn’t get on the second bus, so that is a possibility
• 🍘 Stacey found these buns with mushroom, spicy greens, and pumpkin inside, I grabbed some rice balls for the train rides
• 🚋 Shinano 10 (11 AM from Nagano)
  • Two ladies tried to stuff oversized bags into the luggage rack, somehow they stayed
• Transferred to the the Shinkansen in Nagoya
• 🛌 Checked in to Royal Rihga Hotel
  • Had a welcoming rep come up tot he room with us and walk us through everything. Very nice, but kind of too much. We just wanted to crash and shower.
• 🍽️ Had dinner in the hotel, sushi place on the 6th floor

Hiroshima (Day 12)

• 🍽️ Breakfast at the hotel (Japanese Breakfast)
• Hiroshima Castle and Museum
• A-Bomb Dome
• Peace Memorial Park
• Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Victims
• 🍽️ Okonomiyaki
• 🍸 Drinks and snacks at the Sky Bar in the Royal Rihga Hotel

Miyajima Day Trip (Day 13)

• 🍽️ Breakfast at the hotel (Sky Breakfast)
• ⛴️ Ferry from Peace Memorial to Miyajima
• Floating Shrine
• Ropeway from the town up to the top of the mountain
• Great views from the top
• Walked down from the top
• Saw a shrine on the way down
• 🍽️ Lunch (Curry Fried Oysters)
• 🍫 Matcha/Vanilla Twist Ice Cream
• ⛴️ Ferry back to Peace Memorial
• 🍽️ Hole in the wall Yakitori place in Fukuromachi

Hiroshima >>> Tokyo (Day 14)

• Breakfast at the Hotel (Sky Breakfast)
• Streetcar to the Shinkansen
• 🍽️ Lunch on the train (4 hour ride)
• Hotel check-in
• 🥷 Ninja Live Show at Warp
  • Great show and dancing
  • Fun interactive shuriken contest, one a real shuriken
• 🍽️ Fancy Sushi Dinner in Shinjuku

Tokyo (Day 15)

• 🍽️ Breakfast at hotel
• Tokyo Municipal Government Building Observatory
  • Clear-ish day in Tokyo, but still no view of Mt. Fuji
• PopMart shopping spree
• 🍽️ Ramen at small shop in Harajuku
• Walk around a shrine near Harajuku
• Walked back to Observatory to see if Mt. Fuji was visible
  • Line was too long and we skipped it
• Drinks at Jeremiah (sister bar to Bee’s Knees)
• 🍽️ Dinner at small bars (Izakaya)
• 🍶 Sake, Sake, Sake!!!
• Hunt for cute Marusan toys

Travel (Day 16)

• 🍽️ Breakfast in the hotel
• Walk around Shinjuku Gyoen near hotel
  • Go to the Greenhouse
• 🍽️ Lawson’s Snack Attack Lunch
• Dinner on the plane