Hello there
I just bought my flights for Japan, I am very excited to go there because it will be my first time! I'll go from the 20th of September until the 7th of October.
I was wondering if you have any recommendations of things to see, experience and not to be missed. As we don't have a lot of time, we will focus on Tokyo, Osaka and a day trip to Hiroshima (is it doable from Osaka?) because I really really want to see it.
In Tokyo & Osaka, any recommendations? How many days there?
Some other city I shouldn't miss?
What books to learn about the culture and a bit of the language would you recommend?
The 9th wave of covid should be finishing by the time you get there so that will be good timing. At the moment it's exploding due to all the tourists flooding the country as Japan relaxed their rules around testing.
I'd recommend not doing the things in the guidebooks if that helps. Everybody sees the same things and has the same experiences and you'll be doing it with thousands of other people. Best to have smaller experiences in places with fewer people. If you want to do those things you can find them on the web on any site about traveling in Japan. But some things you might want to try could be...
1. buy lunch/dinner from the food floor of a department store. The choice is dazzling... along with the prices! But the food is pretty fantastic.
2. If you're going to famous foods (and you should try ramen, okonomiyaki, takoyaki etc.) don't get it from the shops with the lines of tourists, there will be better local places you can come across. Although with ramen I do recommend Kamukura.
3. Definitely try yakiniku, tempura and kushikatsu. yakiniku at a chain is fine, but don't go to Korean Town for it, the Japanese do it better in my book. More variety and more fun. Tempura you can find just about anywhere, no need for one that tourists go to, but kushikatsu def should be had in Shinsekai in Osaka. You can go to the top of Tsutenkaku tower and enjoy the history of the area in a gloriously cheesy 80s presentation. Any of the shops that do Kushikatsu in the area are fine. Just don't double dip!
4. Oh and go to rotary sushi if you like that. It's quite fun and one of the chains you get to play a little game for every 10 plates you finish and can win little trinkets.
5. traveling from Osaka to Hiroshima for the day you'll need to take the Shinkansen, it's a little exxy. I'd recommend doing an overnight stay and seeing Miyajima if you want to see other things in Hiroshima. I personally don't recommend the peace museum as I find it somewhat tacky, but that's just me. I preferred the museum in Nagasaki even though some facts are rather interesting. The Dome in Hiroshima is a decent landmark and worth some photos if a nice day. But if you could only do one thing in Hiroshima it's Miyajima. There is a temple behind the shrine on the island that many don't know about and that is worth walking around. They actually take care of the shrine. You do need to catch a ferry across to the island. An overnight stay in hiroshima is recommended as it makes it easier.
6. Osaka, just walking the sides streets in interesting enough. I don't recommend the main shopping arcade in Namba/Shinsaibashi as it's purely for tourists. You will want to see Hikakebashi (pick up bridge, aka doutonbori) even though the running man is now LED lights and not as interesting as he used to be. That has to be seen at night.
7. You may just miss the Kishiwada Danjiri. Not sure, but if you can get to see that, I'd recommend it.
8. And also Tobita Shinchi (red light district) is rather interesting. It's not the old school place it once was, but far more commercialised now. No longer will the chase away foreigners, but instead welcome the Chinese tourists. It's both tragic and fascinating at the same time.
Anyway, hope that gives you some food for thought... And here's a little quiz I found on Japanese culture for you to try!
