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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/The48Laws on 2024-12-15 01:12:19+00:00.

Just came back from my first trip in Japan of a little over two weeks. Super long post I know, but…

Day 1 (Tokyo):

• I arrive in Narita. I didn’t bring any cash and I didn’t buy a Suica card either. I bought an e-sim with unlimited data before departure.
• I had been studying Japanese for about 3 months at this point, ~2 hours a day on average, but once I got here it was like everything went out the window. I was so nervous to even mutter out “arigato gozaimasu” and everything I learned seemingly disappeared from my memory.
• I immediately take the Skyliner to Ueno and walk to my hotel.
• Then I go outside to explore Tokyo at night for the first time. I just walk around the neighborhood.

Day 2 (Tokyo):

• I’m up at like 6AM ready to explore. I try my first onigiri at a konbini.
• I want to experience “local” Tokyo culture so I head to a quieter shopping street in Koto.
• Everything was closed so I wander around for a few hours and sit down at a Lawson. The neighborhood is really quiet and cute.
• When the stores outside open around 10AM, there’s a bunch of interesting stuff and I buy some dango and mochis to try.
• I check out the fruit markets because I love fruit. Immediately I’m utterly shocked by the absurd size of these persimmons. The photo doesn’t capture if properly but I guess IYKYK.
• Here’s a stall selling fried foods. Actually, looking back on it they looked really good in comparison to anywhere else I’d see later on in my trip.
• This store was busy as hell for whatever reason. It had a line wrapping around the corner.
• I go to Akihabara and visit Yodobashi Camera and Uniqlo.
• I eat my first restaurant meal Roast beef on rice.
• I head to Shimokitazawa. Didn’t even know what to expect I just heard it recommend by many locals. It was mostly just vintage or highly curated “thrift” stores, but beautiful area. I felt a bit out of place fashion wise.
• I buy sushi at a supermarket before heading back to the hotel. I felt like I should have tried a restaurant instead but it still looked super fresh IMO.

Day 3 (Tokyo):

• For breakfast I try sukiyaki for the first time. I didn’t know until after you were supposed to crack the egg in the bowl to dip the meat. I cracked it straight into the soup.
• I’m back in Akihabara because I realize I didn’t even explore the main areas with anime/maid cafe stuff.
• I try a bunch of konbini snacks. Donuts, ice cream, parfaits.
• I see a giant cabbage, tuna head, super fresh looking sashimi at the store.
• I head to Ameyoko. This might be one of my favorite places in Tokyo to roam around. Just so lively and interesting even if it’s a tourist hotspot. They also have great deals on Rorax’s if you’re interested.
• I go to Jinbocho book district. Famous for it’s various stores with outdoor bookshelves.
• I visit 2k540, a small shopping arcade comprised of vendors from Japan who handcraft their goods. I buy some handmade daruma’s. I’d always seen photos of these but never knew what they were until the lady at the shop explained them to me.
• I check into a new ryokan style hotel. This place actually sucked (and it had zero to do with comfort) but let’s not get too deep into that…
• I get dinner from a konbini.
• After I chill out at the hotel I start to notice my ankle is swelling up real bad and is very painful. During the day I noticed some irritation while walking, but I guess with the blood pumping and adrenaline you don’t notice the pain. Still not really sure what happened, but this was super disappointing as I was hoping to do the Shimanami Kaido. It still hasn’t fully healed after my trip.

Day 4 (Tokyo -> Kyoto):

• I’m heading to Kyoto today. I do some last minute exploring around the neighborhood, grab a coffee and eat a bunch of konbini snacks again. Sweet potato donut, chocolate biscuits and an apple cake.
• First time on the Shinkansen. The seats were great, the train was relatively empty and the ride was quick.
• I arrive in Kyoto. First impressions? 1) The station is MASSIVE 2) It’s SO crowded. Felt more crowded than anywhere I’d been in Tokyo. I hated it.
• My hotel was nice and modern, but right on Shijo-dori. Great for being right by all the action, terrible because it’s right by all the action. My initial expectation of Kyoto was not this and I was disappointed. I guess that’s partially my fault for not digging deeper into Kyoto but I also blame travel influencers for painting unrealistic pictures that look better for their vlog/posts.
• I just explore the neighborhood looking for quieter streets, but everything was pretty busy even several blocks in from the main roads. Lots of nice trendy and high-end looking shops, but definitely not the “old and rustic” vibe I was expecting. I see a small temple right off a main road.
• I grab a hamburger steak meal with karaage. It was decent.
• At this point I was feeling really down about Kyoto. It was far from my expectations and super crowded with tourists. I could hear more foreign languages at times than Japanese. I remember texting my friends “I might leave Kyoto tomorrow”. But I told myself to try to keep a positive mindset.

Day 5 (Kyoto):

• The next morning off the advice of a Redditor, I decide to go to this spot (I forgot the name) to see the Tori Gates without the crowds of Fushimi Inari Taisha. I take a taxi 5AM to catch sunrise.
• Don’t get me wrong it was a nice place to visit but I was expecting rows of Tori Gates like Fushima, and not literally two Tori Gates, the minimum to be plural haha.
• It was a park with a temple at the end. I noticed almost everyone I passed would greet me with an “ohayo”.
• I’m in the northern part of Kyoto, I decide to walk all the way back so I can explore the “real” city and get a feel for the neighborhoods. There’s a nice river nearby.
• I see a small farm and greenhouse right in the middle of the city.
• The neighborhood is really quiet and peaceful. There were a lot of small temples/shrines.
• I eat dessert at a local shop and some matcha.
• I see the biggest Family Mart I’ve ever seen and get my first fried chicken there. It was good.
• I walk down a really interesting shopping street. Everything was closed though, I wish I could have gone back another time, it looks like it would be fun.
• I get more dessert. I thought it was somewhere else I saw on Google but I got the name wrong and by the time I found out I was a bit too embarrassed to leave. The texture of the pancake thing was really good though.
• I find this random temple and I’m the only person there. Very cool. More pics [1], [2].
• I find another random temple, this time with a bunch of soccer players? Or some old traditional sport? More pics [1], [2].
• Kyoto is famous for grilled eel I believe, so I get some takeout as the restaurant was packed. It was like $50 or something, not cheap.

Day 6 (Kyoto):

• I made a reservation at Saihōji knowing they limit the number of visitors per day and really wanting to avoid crowds. They had the most beautiful temple there, but didn’t allow photos. We did a quick calligraphy session before roaming the gardens. Pics [1], [2], [3], [4]. Really beautiful and quiet garden.
• Afterwards I grabbed lunch at a small local restaurant. Apparently this type of soba is a regional specialty. Made with sweet potatoes IIRC. It was decent, could use some meat or something. The staff were really nice though. Also got anmitsu for dessert. Another pic of the restaurant.
• I expl…

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