As you may have figured out by now, I adore Europe and have made it my goal to see every country in this beautiful continent I’m lucky enough to call home. Of course I want to see many places across the globe, but until recently I had been focusing on one continent at a time and only had the time and money to see one non-European country (see post on Morocco). However, I decided to take a trip with my younger brother to Tokyo, mainly due to his obsession with anime and Japanese video games, to experience Japan firsthand. And, to my surprise, I fell in love with the place. We spent just 10 days there (8 if you exclude 2 days of travel) and by the end of it I felt like I genuinely never wanted to leave. We had initially planned to spend all of our time in Tokyo- there is certainly more than enough to see in the capital city alone in 1-2 weeks- but ended up visiting Kyoto and, thanks to a chance encounter with a lovely Japanese girl, her beautiful hometown Kamakura. In this post I’m including some personal tips and anecdotes for anyone with an interest in one day visiting this incredible country, which is the ideal combination of tradition and modernity- and sometimes the very weird, but mostly in a good way!
Tokyo
Tokyo is a serious sensory overload from the minute you arrive. We stayed just a 20-minute walk from the lively Akihabara Electric Town, which was unlike any place I had ever seen before. Think neon lights, streets full of skyscrapers, maid/cat/owl/rabbit/hedgehog cafés, cosplay, and seven-floor arcade game stores on every corner. The following is a condensed list of my top things to do and see; it is in no way exhaustive:
Culture: Senso-ji Temple, Kaminarimon Gate, and the surrounding market; Ueno Park; Tennoji Temple and Yanaka Cemetery; Imperial Palace East Gardens; Zojoji Temple (next to the iconic Tokyo Tower). ALL FREE.
Shopping/anime: Akihabara; Harajuku District; Shibuya (check out the bustling Shibuya Crossing beside popular department store Shibuya 109); Ikebukuro; Shinjuku. Top shops: Animate, Volk (anime shops in Akihabara selling a range of books, accessories and figurines); WEGO, ACDC RAG (quirky clothes and accessories shops on Takeshita-dori, Harajuku- think 1960s glam rock); Shibuya 109 and Shibuya 109 Mens (department stores in Shibuya- designer clothes and other fashionable accessories).
Best vistas: The most popular locations for views over the city tend to be Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree. However, these are a bit pricey and so, being on a budget, I chose the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building which houses two observatory decks, both free to the public, on the 47th floor. It’s best to go on a clear day in order to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji in the distance. For other cheap or free events/sights in Tokyo check out https://tokyocheapo.com/, an indispensable website for any traveller to Tokyo which I came across by accident before the trip.
Other: There are loads of maid cafés in Tokyo, mostly scattered across Akihabara. You might be ableto miss the slightly hidden cafés themselves, but you can’t miss the scantily-clad maids with forced high-pitched voices scouting out the tourists. Indeed it’s quite a weird experience for the uninitiated and some can be overpriced, but I don’t regret going just to see what it’s like. When in Japan, eh? If you’re not up for spending money on a maid café, there’s always other types of themed cafés, such as vampires, or the popular animal cafés ranging from the traditional cat to the relatively new hedgehog cafés.
Kyoto
Once upon a time, historic Kyoto was the capital of Japan. Just a 2-3 hour journey from Tokyo on the famous bullet train (Shinkansen), a visit to this beautiful city is a must. Be aware, however, that tickets on this high-speed train aren’t cheap (the fastest, the Nozomi, costs 13,700 yen one-way- approx. £90), so if you plan to see several cities in Japan during your visit, the best option is to purchase a JR Pass online before arriving in the country: it works out to be the best value.
Culture: Kinkaju-ji Temple (The Golden Pavillion); Tenryu-ji Temple and Okochi-Sanso Villa (beautiful gardens); Arashiyama Bamboo Grove; Higashi Hongan-ji Temple; Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine (10,000 red torii, or gates, snaking up a mountain).
Shopping: Gion District- Hire a kimono for the day (or buy a second-hand one like I did) before going off to spot geisha in Pontocho Alley.
Other: For a truly authentic Japanese experience, spend a night or two in a traditional ryokan; there are lots in Kyoto for fairly good prices. We stayed in the simple but charming Ryokan Kyoka, just a 10-minute walk from Kyoto Station- although we managed to get lost anyway, only finding it after 2 hours of walking in circles…
Kamakura
I have to admit I hadn’t heard of Kamakura before I encountered a Japanese girl in the hostel who came from this gorgeous city. A mere 1 hour from Tokyo on the train, it would be a shame not to take a day trip here. The girl, Mianu, kindly showed me around her hometown and we were lucky to come across a hydrangea path event (an uphill path of flowers which bloom only during Japan’s rainy season; ‘ajisai’ in Japanese) during a visit to Hasedera Temple.
Must see/do: The Great Buddha, Kotokuin Temple (an impressively immense bronze Buddha statue which you can even go inside for just 20 yen! There’s also an entrance fee to see the grounds and outside of the statue of about 500 yen); Try Matcha (green tea) ice cream, huge crepes and waffles, takoyaki (octopus snack), rice dumplings covered in special honey, or taiyaki (fish-shaped snack with sweet red-bean filling) on the lively Komachi-dori (main food and shopping street).
General Tips
– Try to learn at least a few basic phrases in Japanese. Most locals we encountered spoke very little English so even knowing how to greet and say ‘please’ and ‘thanks’ in Japanese can go a long way to making your experience in Japan the best possible.
– It is worth noting that the Japanese are very polite and, those we met at least, go out of their way to help you if you just ask. Often in shops, for example, the sales assistants will end the transaction/encounter with a small, polite bow of the head. Fun fact: in addition to being very polite, the Japanese people we came across were also very grateful when someone did something for them, for example I picked up a man’s fallen handkerchief and he cycled home to bring my brother and me some karate badges and t-shirts as a thank you!
– Japan has a reputation as being very expensive, the most expensive country in 
Asia, in fact, but it is definitely possible to see it on a budget. Noodles are fairly cheap and the chain store Seven-Eleven has a wide range of cheap meals and drinks. As for accommodation, we spent the most part in Anne Hostel, Asakusabashi, and one night in a traditional ryokan in Kyoto. Hostels are my favourite place to stay, not just because they’re great value but also because it offers you the opportunity to meet other like-minded travellers.
– Don’t be shocked when you see toilets in Japan: they range from holes in the ground (but in private cubicles) over which you should squat (not a good idea when wearing jeans) to high-tech with buttons and sound effects!
– This is probably obvious to most of you but the currency used in Japan is the Japanese Yen. Surprisingly few places accept foreign credit/debit cards and most people still pay with cash. Also, if you’re looking to withdraw money from a non-Japanese account, the best place to go is a Seven-Eleven store as foreign cards don’t work in a lot of ATMs on the street.
– Check out the capsule machines in Akihabara- there’s even one that dispenses hats for cats and another that gives out little jumpers to keep your drink bottles warm…
– For transport in Tokyo, I recommend purchasing a Suica/Pasmo card. The card requires a deposit of 500 yen (refunded once you return it) plus the amount you wish to top up by. The card actually works all over the country but you might prefer to rent a bike in smaller cities such as Kyoto.
– Due to the sheer size and hustle and bustle of big cities like Tokyo, it’s easy to get lost. My advice? Instead of panicking, embrace the feeling of being lost in the unknown and explore those side streets- with something happening or something to see around every corner, who knows what you might find? For example, once we took a wrong turn and ended up seeing a traditional Japanese festival!
– Prepare yourself for the lack of rubbish bins in Japan- it would take me at least 40 minutes to find somewhere suitable to dispose of my rubbish. The most unusual thing about this is that, despite almost no rubbish bins, the streets of Tokyo, Kyoto and Kamakura- and I’m sure elsewhere in the country- are the cleanest I’ve ever seen!
– Don’t leave Japan without going to a karaoke bar. Tokyo is full of them and they’re reasonably priced. Pair bad singing with some delicious sake (rice-based wine) and you’re set for the perfect night out in Japan!
– Finally, if you get a chance to- I didn’t unfortunately- take a break from busy city life to check out one of Japan’s amazing Onsen (natural hot spring baths). You do have to be naked but it’s sex-separated.
If you plan on solely seeing Tokyo, which I wouldn’t recommend considering how many other places there are to see as well, a week to 10 days is pretty sufficient in order to see most of the main sights and explore cool neighbourhoods such as Akihabara and Harajuku. However, if you have enough time and money, I recommend seeing Kyoto and Kamakura like I did, as well as nearby Yokohama (Japan’s second biggest city), Osaka and Nara- both close to Kyoto, and the latter of which is home to a group of friendly and mischievous deer. If you have a month or so, don’t miss the chance to see Hiroshima and the allegedly stunning Miyajima, home to the famous “floating” shrine. The truth is there is just so much to see in this wonderful country and I’m already thinking of ways I can go back and explore more!
