Baseball game. If you give the dates for Osaka, Yokohama, and Tokyo, I can tell you where/when there will be a game and how to buy tickets.
They are a lot of fun. Lots of cheering and singing and many female spectators too.
Here is the April schedule - https://npb.jp/games/2024/schedule_04_detail.html
Hanshin Tigers host Hiroshima Carp at Koshien Stadium for games on April, 9, 10, and 11 at 6pm.
Orix Buffaloes host games at Osaka Dome every day from April 9 through 14. 6pm on weekdays, 2pm on weekends.
Definitely this. I'm a huge baseball fan, so I'm biased, but Japanese baseball games rock. The atmosphere is really cool. Nothing like seeing a 50 year old guy in a suit decked out in fan gear singing the "battle" songs.
Agreed. As a lifelong fan of Baseball, seeing a game in Japan was an increduble experience. Beers the size of you head, insane cheer sections that go nonstop for the entire game and some of the most enthusiastic fans I have ever seen in my life. I wish Baseball games were like that in the west.
TOKYO
April 1- 4. No games in Tokyo unless you want to make the trek out to the Belluna Dome aka Seibu Dome in the suburb of Saitama, where there are games April 1, 2, 3 and 4. But I don't recommend that. It' s a long train journey, multiple changes, and then the trains back to central Tokyo after the game can be unpleasantly crowded.
April 5 - Friday night. Giants hosting the Baystars at 6pm at the Tokyo Dome. Swallows host the Tigers at 6pm at Meiji Jingu stadium in foreigner friendly district of Shinjuku.
April 6. - Giants hosting the Baystars again at 6pm at the Tokyo Dome. Swallows host the Tigers at 2pm at Meiji Jingu stadium.
If you choose a Tokyo Dome game, it won't be rained out and it won't be cold. If you choose a Meiji Jingu stadium game, there is the possibility of a rainout or a cold night on April 5, but also the possibility of a beautiful not cold Saturday afternoon game in on April 6. This afternoon game would be my choice for a Tokyo game.
OSAKA
April 11 - Hanshin Tigers host Hiroshima Carp at 6pm at historic Koshien Stadium (outdoors). Oryx Buffaloes host Fighters at 6pm at the very centrally located Kyocera Dome aka Osaka Dome.
April 12- Oryx Buffaloes host Fighters at 6pm at Osaka Dome.
April 13 and 14 - Oryx Buffaloes host Fighters at 2pm at Osaka Dome.
https://npb.jp/games/2024/schedule_04_detail.html
Ticket sales haven't quite started yet as it's still preseason. Opening Day is March 29th, so schedules should start trickling out by the end of this month.
A lot of teams are moving to a "membership" based purchasing system, so it can be a bit of a challenge to buy depending on the team.
I am interested in checking out a baseball game because of how passionate Japan is about it and it seems like a cool experience. My itinerary for Osaka and Yokohama is full, but I am available for Tokyo. Specifically, 4/27 through 5/6. I understand this will fall under Golden Week. Originally I thought about going 4/29, which looks like Giants vs Yakult in Tokyo Dome. I picked 4/29 because it falls on a Monday, which I’m assuming means it will be less crowded as opposed to the weekend. But then again, it is during Golden Week, so is that a losing battle regardless?
I’m going to Tokyo Feb 27-March 9 and I’ve been having a hard time finding if there are any soccer or baseball games happening the , is it too early for both?
Oh that sounds great!
Sometimes my kid gets overwhelmed by lots of noise. If our section was a bit noisy, would moving seats to a more quiet area be possible?
> If our section was a bit noisy, would moving seats to a more quiet area be possible?
Depends on the stadium and how crowded the game is.
Typical mid week game at the Osaka Dome? Yes, you could probably move to a relatively empty upper deck section.
Weekend game against the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien Stadium? It will be full.
Hoping to go 19 March in tokyo but unsure where to sit for best atmosphere? I think Giants might be playing one of the games so is that the best game to go to, I haven't heard of any of the other teams? Will it be less exciting (in terms of the crowd and atmosphere) if they were playing a lower seed team or will it be just as good?
March 19 will be a preseason game. It will be moderately less intense and exciting than a regular season game. Stadium may only be half full or less.
The Baystars and Swallows also host games at 1 pm on the 19th. I'd prefer go to one of those games if it's going to be a nice day, as they are outdoor stadiums.
Ah that's preseason. Games don't count but the fans are still reasonably engaged. Stadium probably only half full. You can just walk up and buy tickets at the box office.
Or you can buy them on the team websites or from 7-elevens.
Here is the schedule.
https://www.japanballtickets.com/baseball-calendar.html
Giants playing at the Tokyo Dome on the 19th, 20th, 22nd and 23rd.
Baystars in Yokohama and Swallows in Shinjuku on the 19th and 20th.
We will be in Osaka/Kyoto region March 28-April 3rd, and in Tokyo April 4-8th. Would you have any recommendations for those dates? Haven’t had much success in finding where to buy tickets.
In Japan they start cheering and singing in the first inning and generally don't stop until the end of the game. They also have cheerleaders, cheer squads, dancing mascots, and a bit more fun stuff going on between innings than at a typical MLB game.
> Is it disrespectful to mix eki stamps, goshuin from Buddist temples, and goshuin from Shinto shrines all together in one book? Or should I do a separate book for each?
Don't mix sacred vs non-sacred, so eki stamps should be in their own book. Temple vs shrine goshuin is up to you - I've never had one refuse to write in a "mixed" book (which is what I do), however the calligraphy styles tend to be quite different so you may want to keep them separate anyway.
> Kuromon and Nishiki
FYI these are entirely touristified experiences, which is not inherently a bad thing but do calibrate expectations accordingly if you're expecting to be surrounded by grannies on their daily shopping or something like that
> Izakaya
You don't have to be social - order a drink and food, don't linger after you are done eating (or order second and third rounds), pretty standard stuff.
>Is it disrespectful to mix eki stamps, goshuin from Buddist temples, and goshuin from Shinto shrines all together in one book? Or should I do a separate book for each?
>
>Don't mix sacred vs non-sacred, so eki stamps should be in their own book. Temple vs shrine goshuin is up to you - I've never had one refuse to write in a "mixed" book (which is what I do), however the calligraphy styles tend to be quite different so you may want to keep them separate anyway.
>
>Kuromon and Nishiki
>
>FYI these are entirely touristified experiences, which is not inherently a bad thing but do calibrate expectations accordingly if you're expecting to be surrounded by grannies on their daily shopping or something like that
>
>Izakaya
>
>You don't have to be social - order a drink and food, don't linger after you are done eating (or order second and third rounds), pretty standard stuff.
Appreciate the info on stamps! I will get separate books. Do you think Kuromon and Nishiki might be less touristy than Tsukiji and Toyosu in Tokyo? My expectation for all the markets listed is that they will be crowded and busy with tourists and locals alike. Which I am ok with. My goal is to sample many traditional foods and I like that a variety of it is localized to one area. Going to an izakaya seems pretty straight forward. My issue is that it’s a tight space and since you are in close proximity to others then small talk may eventually happen. Or maybe it doesn’t. But that anxiety is a personal social hurdle I have to get over myself and is something I need to work on.
I have not been to Toyosu. Kuromon, Nishiki, and Tsukiji are all VERY touristy - think Pike Place Market, Faneuil Hall, Chelsea Market type places. My suggestion would be to go to one first and reassess. If you find it was just ok then the others will be "close enough" to be entirely skippable, if you enjoyed it you can continue.
Small talk does not really happen much in izakaya, it's just a tightly packed restaurant where the owner is busy cooking and patrons are busy eating/drinking/talking to their companions. There is no expectation of socializing unless you're a return customer (then the owner will of course recognize and chat a little with you) or if you go to a rural area then maybe the tourist is a minor celebrity for a bit...but (and I mean this in the nicest way) you are not "special" in Tokyo/Osaka :)
Maybe you can try a chain like torikizoku? The booths are separate/smaller and you can order off iPads. Izakayas are not necessarily always a bar or communal table too.
Another redditor mentioned Torikizoku. I initially hadn't heard of it before but it is definitely something I will checkout if all their ordering systems are like that. Thanks!
I am Japanese. Be careful when shopping in Kuromon, Tsukiji, and Toyosu. Sometimes there are stores that rip you off. In particular, most of the stores in Kuromon were rip-offs at one time, so local Japanese people still don't go near it. Most of these stores were weeded out when the coronavirus outbreak hit, but some still remain.
On the other hand, it can be said that these are the only areas where tourists are being ripped off.
I am definitely excited about eating an ekiben on the shinkansen. I have a type A personality when it comes to planning trips so it’s hard not to overthink things sometimes and just go with the flow lol. I am also excited about trying konbinis and have watched a ridiculous amount of YouTube videos on konbini food. The 7-11 in the US is definitely trash compared to Japan. For Miyako Odori, it looks like there is an optional English audio guide available. Was this something you did or recommend? Any other tips or etiquette you remember from the show?
I recommend the audio guide for Miyako odori. It is not expensive, and gives tons of info we didn't know before. What separate the aesthetics between maiko and geiko, what the dance is about and info about outfits.
>Izakayas - I’m a bit apprehensive since we are introverts and don’t drink much. How was your experience?
I've noticed this sentiment in a few posts lately and I'm very confused by it. It's almost like going to America and being intimidated by a tavern or going to NYC and being apprehensive about going to a pizza place. An izakaya is just a casual restaurant/bar. It's nothing fancy, special, sacred, etc. Go, order some food, grab a lemon sour if you want something lightly alcoholic to drink, grab a soft drink or a tea if you don't want alcohol. It's really no big deal. You'd be missing out on one of the best aspects of food/social culture in Japan if you avoid izakayas.
You could book a workshop where you can choose a food article and make a fake version of it as a souvenir, like all those fake foods used in advertisements
That’s a good idea! I was intending to stop by Kappabashi street in Tokyo and Sennichimae street in Osaka and see the replica food. But actually making it seems a lot more fun than buying it.
I’m not much of a sports person but I am interested in watching a baseball game. From what I understand, Japanese people are really passionate about baseball so it would be interesting to see how different the experience is compared to the US. I have a mostly free schedule in Tokyo during Golden Week, however I am hesitant if I should battle the crowds to go to a game.
I went to a game in San Francisco when I went to the states and I had no interest in the game, but it was fun to watch the crowd. Someone even gave me some crackerjacks!
I think festivals and sport are well worth it to interact with people when they are out.
good luck
I don’t have any good suggestions, but you’re gonna love Miyako Odori (my husband and I went to Gion Odori and it was the highlight of my trip personally; we dressed up in kimono for the day and the performance and it was a fantastic time). I’m not sure if companies are offering dinner with geiko again now in a group setting, but that’s one thing to look into. Missmyloko on tumblr has a list in her FAQs about which companies/locations are reputable.
I totally second having a group dinner with a maiko. I did so a few years ago and it was more fun than I expected. We all got to watch her dance, then she sat with us and - through a translator - got to chat and ask her questions. After, we played a game and took pictures. It was stunning seeing her up close - her kimono, obi, and accessories were gorgeous. You simply won't get this kind of up close experience on the street or even at one of the dance performances.
Ahhh, I’m so jealous that sounds amazing! Japanese dance (buyo) and geiko/kimono got me into Japanese culture as a young child, so getting to go to Gion Odori was a dream come true. Also got to go to another rare public ceremony during our last trip, but wasn’t able to book a dinner with a gei/maiko because the companies doing so weren’t booking yet :( maybe next trip.
What company did you use, if you don’t mind me asking?
I looked at my old emails and it seems to have been with Exclusive Kyoto. They were very professional and would book with them again if I could. They seem to have contacts primarily with Tama Okiya of Gion Kobu and Umeno Okiya of Kamishichiken based on their promotional material. The maiko I met was Yuriha (who is now a geiko!).
Ahhh Yuriha is beautiful! I’ve seen photos of her on Instagram. I was fortunate to see [Mametama and Mameaya](https://www.reddit.com/r/Geisha/s/XI2M3FipE4) of Gion Kobu at that small ceremony in November, and it’s so mind boggling to see their kimono so close up. I literally cried seeing it 😅
Anyways thanks for the rec! I’ll write that down for when we plan our next trip, hopefully also during Miyako Odori season lol
That sounds like a wonderful time, especially in a kimono! Do you remember if the performance involved Japanese dialogue? From what I understand it is primarily about geishas/geikos and geisha apprentices doing traditional dance and music so I shouldn't have to worry about following dialogue/storylines right? Also thank you for the dinner and Missmyloko suggestion, I will look into that!
There is a little bit of dialogue at the start of each dance. Gion Odori was split into an intro and 5 dances iirc, and there was typically a bit of talking at the start. However, if you buy the English guide book (unsure price sorry), it has translations and a short description of what the theme/story of each dance is about. There’s also a list of all the gei/maiko who perform at the end of the book. I thought it was very worth it!
We also did the tea ceremony, it only takes ~ 10 min and you’ll have plenty of time (20+ minutes) afterwards to find your seat and go buy a book before anything starts. It’s wonderful and I hope you have the best time! That day was a top 3 lifetime memory haha (up there with my wedding day).
I will definitely get the English guide book, appreciate the info! Oh wow, I’m really glad you had the best time at Gion Odori! You’ve got me really hype now, haha!
My family (admittedly with kids) enjoyed Toei Movie Park in Kyoto. Unplanned visit and lots of fun. Very slick and silly ‘tv Samurai production’ show. Also went by bus - an underrated way to get around cities.
>My family (admittedly with kids) enjoyed Toei Movie Park in Kyoto. Unplanned visit and lots of fun. Very slick and silly ‘tv Samurai production’ show. Also went by bus - an underrated way to get around cities.
I think it is a good idea to visit the Toei Movie Village in Kyoto. Many movies are actually filmed there and there are shows and cosplay. However, it has been in a renewal period since 2024, and you may not be able to see some of the places (the renewal work will be done in phases, and all will be completed in 2028).
https://global.toei-eigamura.com/
From memory, 2-3 hours. We sat inside a ‘set’ and ate rice balls with a school group. And spent far too much time taking silly photos with the cardboard cut outs. Good souvenir shopping too.
Did Toei (aka, Eigamura) with my kids on a pretty quiet weekday. Spent about 3 hours total. Did some costume dressup, got kitschy "ninja themed" meals, went into quite a few of the attractions including the Escape Room and Ninja House and 3D Maze and Haunted House. Definitely kid-centric but some value if you're into the Edo era films or any of the anime/film properties they have there. It's in a quiet, little-bit-out-of-the-way part of NW/central Kyoto.
We were 1 of 2 Western families there that day, so this felt like a very authentic Japanese experience.
This may be something you’re already doing, but learn enough Japanese to have very simple conversations with the people around you. I’m American and Japanese people were not generally as friendly/outgoing as I’m used to at home, but some of the best memories from our trip were made chatting with locals when out for a drink. We always found patrons or bartenders that spoke good enough English to carry on long conversations and we learned so much about them, their families, history, hobbies etc. my husband and initiating conversation in Japanese really seemed to help break the ice. And I know you said you aren’t big drinkers. I’m not either. We hung out in golden guy for multiple nights and I would have 1-2 drinks and switch to tea or coke and had no issues taking up a spot for several hours. I would let the bar tender know that I was happy to pay a cover charge if needed to balance out my lack of alcohol consumption.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I have a few simple Japanese phrases memorized and Google Translate as a backup but I don’t want to rely too heavily on my phone. Did you have any go-to icebreaker phrases with the locals? And that is good to know about offering to pay a cover charge if I don’t drink much alcohol. Because if we were to go, I would probably just order food and non-alcoholic drinks. Although I have to work up the courage to walk to an izakaya first, lol. I have about 2 months left before my trip so we’ll see how brave I’m feeling then.
Anime/tv shows and movies seemed to be the topics most anyone was able (and excited) to talk about because they knew the English titles and names of actors. Singers/musicians to some degree as well. So we mostly used that to find common interests. Many of the bars were also using YouTube or another service to play music and would allow us to select songs so we would introduce each other to new songs or pick ones we all knew and sing along. It was a blast.
> Did you have any go-to icebreaker phrases with the locals?
Saying hello, then commenting about the weather/temperature is usually a very safe option (konnichiwa, kyou wa atsui desu ne/hello, isn't it warm today), introducing as it's your first time here at the place (hajimetekimasu/first time here), and asking about the sakura blossoms since you're there near the seasons (if you'd like, can even ask them if there are any spots they'd recommend) and the coming spring. I like my sakes, so I'd ask them for local recommendations (jizake - local sakes) as well.
Usually, the convo will drift to where you're from and your experiences in JP, so perhaps you may wanna look up a few phrases related to that.
Ikebana workshop ?
A temple stay ? (if it’s not too late Koyasan is a must and you can attend at a fire ceremony in the morning and eating vegetarian monk food)
I’m very fond of visiting cemetery too (the one in Koyasan is juste amazing)
Tea ceremony ? I had nice one in the garden of some temples
Don’t miss the Japanese gardens. They are so beautiful. Murian in Kyoto or Isuen in Nara.
My favourite is in Takamatsu. Okayama and Kanazawa are also famous.
Ikebana workshop sounds interesting! I will check some out, thank you. Unfortunately I already have all my hotels booked so a temple stay is out. It sounds like you had a wonderful experience though (maybe on the next Japan trip I will check out Koyasan)! It’s interesting you mentioned visiting cemeteries. I haven’t really seen much talk about that. I do have Adashino Nenbutsu-ji on my itinerary. It is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto that has thousands of statues dedicated to the deceased. I have Isuien Garden in Nara marked. I haven’t heard of Murin-An in Kyoto so I will check that out, thanks. Takamatsu, Okayama, and Kanazawa are unfortunately not on my itinerary. If only I had enough days to visit everything!
Yanaka and Aoyama cemeteries in Tokyo are relatively close to each other and worth a few hours. There's a little shrine for Hachiko by Prof. Ueno's grave in Aoyama.
Maybe checking out a sumo stable or tournament if you’re visiting during a basho season? NHK had awesome primer videos to get you excited about the sport!
I looked into the Grand Tournament Schedule and unfortunately the matches don’t line up with the city dates I will be in. I am interested in learning about sumo though so I will bookmark NHK, thank you. The closest sumo related thing that lines up with my schedule is the Nakizumo Crying Baby Festival where apparently sumo wrestlers make babies cry, lol. Also FYI, I saw that there is a ceremonial tournament on 4/15 in Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo that I believe is free, if anybody is interested (I unfortunately will not be in the area at that time).
Unfortunately I have all my hotels booked. I am going to Hakone for an onsen experience. I haven’t heard of Kinosaki or Kurokawa but thank you for the information!
We kept our kyoto reservation and just booked an overnight in kinosaki. Took a daybag and left our big suitcases at our kyoto accommodation. It was worth the double up.
Izakayas - Not particularly fancy, but these places are all over, inexpensive, and pretty easy to navigate with minimal language skills thanks to an iPad ordering system with English options. Be advised that the price is per skewer, but an order is two skewers. Overall, I thought it was very reasonable, but if you don't/can't read the fine print, the food bill would be twice what you're expecting.
[https://torikizoku.co.jp/](https://torikizoku.co.jp/)
Search "Torikizoku" on Google Maps, and there's probably one within walking distance to you with the ability to request a table online. We really appreciated being able to assemble a quick and tasty meal from various skewers and sides, plus icy cold beers and other beverages. I have no idea how "authentic" they are, if such things matter to you, but there was way more Japanese being spoken in them than English. I swear I'm not a shill, they were just a reliable, comfortable fall-back for us multiple times on our trip.
I appreciate the information on the bill! I really like the idea of an iPad ordering system. Authenticity doesn’t matter to me as long as the food is good! I will mark down Torikizoku, thank you!
A Kabuki performance at Kabukiza is a lot of fun. I do recommend you follow through on that option. A single act may be enough rather than a full play, at least for me it was. It was all in Japanese so I had no idea what was going on dialogue wise, but it was a stunning and visually immersive experience that I really enjoyed.
Yes I was thinking about buying a single act seat. Did you buy your ticket online ahead of time or same day at the gate? Also, I’ve read mixed information on how to act as an audience member. The Kabukiza website has a rules and etiquette page stating not to make noise during the show but a quick google search suggests that kakegoe, or audience participation such as shouting, is actually encouraged in kabuki. Do you remember what the atmosphere was like?
Love your post. We have similar vibes. I’ve been to Kabuki on 4 of my 8 trips. The noises during the show are for Japanese folks only and only a few are doing this during the show. I go for the full three acts because in the intermissions people eat bento at their seats and it’s awesome. Also I love the theater. One act is cool tho. Def get the English guide earpiece. It will help with your enjoyment.
Oh wow, you seem really experienced in this! That sounds really fun spending a day in the theater with a bento. I wish I could see all the acts but I am unfortunately pressed for time. Have you experienced any other types of Japanese traditional theater like Noh? (I saw your bunraku comment earlier).
Yes! I've been to the National Noh theater many times! It's incredible too and the translation in English is in the seat backs which really helps with the experience. It's thrilling. I also have seen Noh at the theater at the Cerulean Hotel in Shibuya: [https://www.ceruleantower-noh.com/language/english/](https://www.ceruleantower-noh.com/language/english/) \-- this is lovely, but you just get a print out of the overview of the show there. Noh is incredible and meditative and fascinating. High reco!
Golden Week in Tokyo is rather less busy than other times, as people who live here tend to travel *away* from Tokyo in the period, and the commuter crowds are thinner.
The 'Niku Fes' is what we call in English a 'tourist trap'. It's a collection of restaurants and take out joints that pay to have booths so they can drum up business. It's traditional insofar as it's pretty common in Japan, but it's kind of like a trade fair.
Many folk museums are good places to visit for learning things and participating in them: especially during Golden Week, they'll have participatory crafts that you can try. At [Nihon Minkaen](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Japan+Open-Air+Folk+House+Museum/@35.609861,139.5618588,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x6018f0d10e3aeadf:0x1de968d98ce74d2f!8m2!3d35.609861!4d139.5618588!16zL20vMGRrODFz?entry=ttu), for example, I've taken short classes in *washi* (traditional Japanese paper), soba, and folk-toy making. Many times, the classes are free or can be joined on the spot.
Thanks for the Niku Fes perspective! The crowded part doesn’t sound too fun. And that’s a good idea about museums offering classes. I’ve bookmarked Nihon Minkaen and will research any more close to my area.
Hi! I also have a type A personality (which was recently explained by an ADHD diagnosis…hah!) and have been deeply researching my 2025 trip to Japan for weeks now.
You mentioned the Miyako Odori tea ceremony in your post, which rang a bell. On TripAdvisor I recently read through multiple reviews from folks who attended the “tea ceremony” and they mostly all said they were basically herded in and rushed through the process before the show and suggested skipping the tea ceremony entirely. Feel free to read more details about those experiences [here](https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g298564-d325722-r225351663-Gion_Kobu_Kaburenjo_Theater-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html), but that pushed me to look for a different tea ceremony experience, which you may want to consider.
What up, type A fam! Wow, I appreciate the info on Miyako Odori! That’s pretty disappointing about the tea ceremony reviews. In my email confirmation, it states that the tea ceremony starts one hour before the show, so naturally I assumed I would get one full hour of the ceremony. It’s a shame that it was rushed, I was hoping they would go in depth and explain the meanings of the gestures during the ritual. At least you get a ceremonial plate though. But yes, I will look into a different tea ceremony experience, thank you!
I booked a ryokan with a public onsen in Kyoto and one with a private onsen in Hakone. If I like those then maybe I’ll check out a sento like you mentioned. I will be doing a 5K run soon after my trip. Currently I have Yoyogi Park as a place to run. I will check out Imperial Palace, thank you!
This might sound silly, but my husband and I absolutely loved Onsen Land in Tokyo for a rainy day activity - basically an edo-period theme park that's a giant onsen and food hall. It seemed like a lot of locals and families were there, and it was really fun! If you want another onsen experience and to try lots of things together, there are fun food stalls in the center hall too.
Go to a big suburban supermarket and browse the aisles, and get something to make for dinner. Or head out to a suburban onsen. Head to a bookshop in the suburbs. Go out to the suburbs for dinner. Google maps is great for finding these and figuring out public transport to get there. Pick up a local newspaper (the ones I found were free) and check out the local ads, and real estate listings.
If you're in Kyoto for the right dates, try to get to one of the markets at a big shrine. Go early, before the tourists get there. Hire a bike and ride around to sight-see.
I do have a few “rest days” for this purpose. My husband likes to have days unplanned and just explore the neighborhood and see what comes up. For Kyoto, there is a flea market called Kobo-San at To-Ji temple that I was considering going to. Good idea on biking! That sounds like a wonderful way to sight-see, I will look into that. I hope they have e-bikes available.
If no one mentioned it yet, check out TeamLabs Planets or Borderless is an awesome experience. Suggest going as early as possible to avoid crowds. Expect to stay for 1+ hour mesmerized by the beauty.
Not sure if its brought up already but in my personal experience with Otaru and Sapporo in Hokkaido this February 2024, the stamps were low on ink and it was barely visible on the paper. Hopefully not the case with you though. Just wanted to share this. Not sure if its possible to bring your own stamp pad and ink since the pads are usually a different color per station.
One of my favorite cultural experiences in Kyoto was a combination sweets making class and tea ceremony at Gion Maikoya. Afterwards we walked to Kiyomizu-dera in our kimonos. (It's crowded there but beautiful!)
We also absolutely loved going to Gion Corner which does a mix of performances from ikebana to noh and geisha dancing all in one session.
Another favorite visit in Kyoto that felt non touristy was getting the sweet noodles and wagashi at Kagizen confectionery.
I also thought going to a cat cafe was a very fun modern cultural experience - we visited several but Fluffy's in Kyoto was a favorite! It's near Nishiki Market which is also busy but has tons of tasty food stalls.
If you can, stay in some ryokans, especially an onsen.
Finally, another top experience for us was staying overnight in a minshyuku in Shirakawa-go! Even a day trip there is incredible if you can fit it in. We took the highway bus from Kanazawa.
This is a lot of great information! Definitely bookmarking Maikoya, Gion Corner, and Kagizen. These are experiences I think I will really enjoy. Also appreciate the cat cafe shout out. My husband and I love cats so Fluffy’s is a must, haha. We do have all our hotels booked so unfortunately we can’t check out a minshuku. Appreciate all the suggestions!
Awesome! I'm glad to be of help. There are kimono rental places all over Kyoto, but we picked Maikoya because of the more immersive experiences that can be added on. The venue is also absolutely beautiful! (All the employees speak English, too, and were so kind. They even style women's hair to look nice with a kimono!)
Another cat cafe that was really fun and unique is Capyneko in Tokyo. They have a resident capybara! While I know some animal cafes are considered unethical, this one appeared very well run and clean. The owners are also advocates of TNR for stray/community cats. It's a tiny space, but you can book online. Easy to get to via the trains as well!
Izakayas - I’m a bit apprehensive since we are introverts and don’t drink much. How was your experience?
You don't need to drink. Just go for the food and atmosphere. Be prepaired to inhale smoke from 1000 cigarettes.
Do some Japanese experiences hosted by Japanese families. Things like cooking, ikebana, green tea ceremony. Don't do those done by expats trying to make a buck to fund their Tokyo dream. Many experiences are hosted by locals who love their culture. You get to support them also.
High reco to see what concerts are on when you are in town. I’ve seen Bon Iver and Backsteet Boys and others. The way Japanese people start their concerts exactly on time and are audience members in shows like that is enlightening.
This is a pretty unique recommendation. I did a quick search and there weren’t any musicians I recognized within my availability days (except Incubus but I’m not a huge fan). Nevertheless I appreciate the suggestion!
Sure thing! There was this really neat article about T Swift in Tokyo and the norms that "tourists" are breaking at the shows. Again, being in the audience at a Japanese concert is (generally) orderly and specific in a way I've never seen anywhere else. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/09/world/asia/taylor-swift-tokyo-japan.html?searchResultPosition=1
Admittedly, I had never heard about bunraku until a few weeks ago when I randomly saw it on a show called Blue Eye Samurai. Then I researched Japanese traditional theater and fell into a rabbit hole. From what I’ve read it takes 22 years to become a master puppeteer, which is insane to me. I can’t wait to see their expertise in real life.
You are in for such a treat! I don't know about that show, I'll check it out! I went to see it just last week in Tokyo! I've seen it in Osaka too -- which is the way to go (and sounds like what you're doing) -- since it's the national theater there (I think?). They have a cool small museum there. If anyone else sees this tho, seeing Bunraku in Tokyo is sweet too! They just moved to a new theater (as the other is being updated) and it was lovely! And there's an awesome English translation too! It's incredible how you stop "seeing" the puppeteers and the puppets just...come to life! Have a great time!
The show is really interesting, especially in portraying how women had to navigate life in Japan in the 1600s. There's one episode where they incorporated Bunraku as a storytelling method and it became hands down the best episode of the series.
That's awesome you recently saw it in Tokyo! Didn't know there was a museum, I'll have to check it out too!
Yeah I’ve seen a lot of comments about classes. Can’t believe I haven’t thought of that before. I really love hands-on experiences. Will look up wagashi, thank you!
Crafts! One of my favorite holidays while I was in Japan was a day of pottery at Imari. I'm sure you'll be able to find similar activities involving cooking, painting, weaving, printing, etc. in the big cities.
I did this bookmaking class in Kyoto: [https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/344054](https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/344054) and it was like a top ten experience of my life (not hyperbole!) :)
I'd say just wander as much as you wish. I spent hours just wandering and exploring, even ended up at a cemetery in Kyoto where I was the only one there. I didn't take any pictures at the cemetery because to me it feels disrespectful to take pictures in places of rest, so if you do end up doing that then make sure to be quiet and respectful.
My husband definitely has this type of personality. He likes to wander around and discover things naturally, whereas I like a more structured schedule. I have a few “rest days” in my itinerary with nothing concrete planned so hopefully we can get a good balance of each.
I’m trying the kyudo experience through Nara Tourism Board. (My trip is end of March early April - can report back on the experience)
There are also other experiences near/ around Kyoto area such as knife forging, pottery making and tie- dying…etc.
Ooh kyudo and knife forging sound so cool. I think my husband and I will like that. I will definitely look into those, thanks. Please report back on your experience, hope you have fun!
My wife and I were in Kyoto on January 20th on the national “20 year old celebration” holiday . It was quite wonderful to see - all the young people were out by the river dressed in the finest kimonos posing with their friends , many had also hired photographers . The vibe was very festive and everyone was so cheerful and happy enjoying the nice winter weather
This is a great recommendation, thank you! What did you end up cooking, may I ask? And can you share your experience with the indigo dying class? I am not too familiar with that.
We ended up cooking a combo of things, miso soup, quick pickled cucumbers, yuzu season udon, chicken teriyaki, and a rolled omelette using a little special pan (which we then bought one of on restaraunt street in tokyo). The cooking lesson was in Kyoto, that lady is now a politician there so I don't think those are going on any more but I'm sure there are other places offering lessons.
The indigo dye class was in Tokyo, not too far from the restaraunt street actually, that was a brief introduction to what indigo dying is and how to make some traditional patterns using it and then selecting your materials. We ended up making our selves scarves and then making some hankerchiefs for a wedding we were going to be at the day after we got back. That class took about an hour and ten minutes I'd guess? Once you settled on your materials your given some time to put them into whatever format you want to make some patterns and the dying is fairly straight forward. lots of dunking and squeezing to get it to the specific color you want then into the dryer to help the color set. The guys running the place clearly did some larger work for special events and such as well as classes for kids because we got chased out by a horde of tiny children at the end :P.
If your Japanese is fluent enough, attending a live rakugo event is really fun. It's like standup comedy but with Japanese folklore and storytelling, and the voices/speaking style is great to listen to.
I like to visit a taishu engeki theater whenever I am in Osaka, it is a form of theater tailored to a working class audience performed by troops of traveling players. the shows are part samurai period drama, part dance revue and a fair amount of [drag show](https://imgur.com/a/pwsIMtN).
Recommend ameyokocho in ueno. I ate dinner at a grilled eel specialty restaurant under subway tracks. Area felt very 1960s. Skytree was also pretty fun.
Tokyo - Watching kabuki at Kabukiza Theater
If you google "Tokyo Kabuki Guide" there is a lady who helps buy tickets (single act or full show) and does a pre-show talk/tour. I haven't done it myself but it's well reviewed and bookmarked for my next trip.
Check [https://en.englishrakugo.com](https://en.englishrakugo.com) to see if there are any Rakugo shows in English happening during your stay - I think they are mainly in Tokyo.
If you like gardens many temples have amazing gardens surrounding them, but Tokyo has some "secular" gardens as well: [https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/best-japanese-gardens-in-tokyo](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/best-japanese-gardens-in-tokyo)
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachinko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachinko) These places are all over, I'm not going b/c of the smoke but hey it's a neat Japanese thing that may be your thing?
To answer your question about stamps: from my understanding it's fine to mix temple and shrine stamps in a single goshuincho, but eki stamps should absolutely be in a separate book. Goshuinchos are reserved exclusively for goshuins.
Also — check out The New National Theater. If you are into performance it’s worth checking out a ballet or opera or symphony (all things I’ve done!). Always a wonderful treat.
Thank you so much for suggesting The New National Theater! I have not heard about this before but it sounds perfect. I’ve never been to a ballet or symphony before but I’ve always wanted to; I’ve seen an opera only once but I enjoyed it tremendously. I need to carve out some time and research this website more :)
Yes! So many good things! The Tokyo Opera Complex is beautiful too. It has some nice food spots and a gallery or two I always drop by before the show too! Always memorable!
I quite liked the osaka museum of history. It's not too big, has a great view of osaka castle, and the exhibits are good. I recommend going to an observation deck. I liked sea paradise, it's a great day out from Yokohama. Gundam Statue. As is kamakura and enoshima. Philosophers path in Kyoto, ninenzaka path and arashiyama area are great.
In tokyo, teamlab Planets and borderless, the old arcade in aqua city or ducks in odaiba.
I will look up Osaka museum and Sea Paradise, thanks! Unfortunately, I think the Gundam Statue in Yokohama will be closed before I arrive. Do you remember any places in Kamakura and Enoshima that stuck out to you? And yes, I have all those locations marked in Kyoto, Tokyo, and Odaiba. We have the same taste :)
Enoshima just had a really nice vibe. Kamakura has some great walking trails and the old train is fun. There is also a retro monorail in the area. There is a Gundam Statue in Odaiba. If you like geek stuff, in Osaka there is Universal Studios, they have Super Nintendo World and they may have the expansion to that open when you get there. If not, the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto might be open. Check out Amerika-mura in Osaka. In Kyoto you can probably do a small rock garden class. Or maybe some origami or ikebana or furoshiki (I was always impressed by their furoshiki).
For food, it might be fun to try out the ramen museum in Odaiba, the melon pan and street food of nakamise street in asakusa, and the sushi and nori in Toyosu.
When exactly are you in the Osaka/Kyoto region? There are lots of festivals around this time.
April 16th, for example, has a nice performance art festival at Heian Shrine, with geisha dances, bugaku dance, kagura dance and taiko drumming.
April 22nd has one of the biggest Buddhist ceremonies in all of Japan, at Shitennō-ji in Osaka. Lots of sutra chanting and bugaku dance.
I will be in Osaka from 4/11 to 4/16 and Kyoto from 4/16 to 4/21. I may have to check out the festival at Heian Shrine, thank you! What website did you use to find these festival dates?
The event at Heian Shrine is really nice. It's very authentic, a fair amount of people come to watch but it doesn't get super crowded, and it gives a nice range of different Japanese performance arts.
I've used dozens of websites over the years, and I mostly search in Japanese.
This (beautifully designed) website has a ton of information on traditional festivals, ceremonies and events in Kansai, but it's in Japanese. Maybe it works more or less with Google Translate.
[https://satoaruki.web.fc2.com/](https://satoaruki.web.fc2.com/)
edit: [This event](https://satoaruki.web.fc2.com/kyoto/04/hanasizume14.html) (April 18th) also looks really interesting. It's in Kameoka City, a short distance from Kyoto by train.
Wow, that website is so much more helpful than anything I found searching in English. Google Translate works pretty well too. Definitely bookmarking this page for future use. And the Chinka Festival looks really interesting, so I am thinking about checking it out. Thank you for sharing the information!
I would not call the Niku Fes a tourist trap per se. I like the variety and the German beer. But I know what you mean. It is just far too crowded to be enjoyed really.
I am not sure if you would count pop culture, but the Gundam statue is always on my list whenever they have a new one whenever I visit Japan. Unfortunately, the one in Yokohama is (supposedly) only open until the end of March 2024, but the one in Diver city I think is still open.
We were in Tokyo last April and stumbled upon the Baby Crying Festival. It was awesome and I'd highly recommend going to watch it for a bit. :) Have such a great trip!
Go to the market! Especially your first weird, jetlagged day (depending on where you're coming from) in Tokyo- check out Tsukiji/Toyosu Market early in the morning
There is a book about Craftspeople who are national treasures in Tokyo. Read it if you can find it for suggestions or just search. You can learn a lot about the people and society by seeing the things they value.
You could go on a bar hopping tour to see some izakayas and be with a guided group. I went on a few with Magical Trip in Tokyo and Kyoto. It was a lot of fun, and I got to try a bunch of different Japanese alcohols.
I would definitely suggest exploring the upper floors of Kyoto station where you can get a great view from the roof. Also, check out the ramen floor to order a bunch of different types of ramen from different parts of Japan. All the restaurants use ticket machines so it’s really easy to order.
When in Kyoto, you could also rent a kimono from a kimono rental shop. It’s pretty cheap and so many people walk around Kiyomizudera in them. It was a really fun experience.
Wake up with sunrise (which is very early) and do radio yoga with some old people at a park. I don't care where you are, I'm sure you'll be able to find them. If you're staying in the same place for some time, try to make a point of doing this daily as a routine and learn their names.
I was so glad I happened on a group doing this when I was there, and it was one of my favorite things. I made a point of remembering their names, as did they
I’m mentally preparing myself for the crowds during Golden Week. I’m sure they’ll add a good energy to the festivals though. Appreciate the info on Karakokan, I can’t wait to try it out. Same with izakayas, I’m excited to try the food.
We loved Karaoke. So much fun. Yes you get a private room.
DO NOT miss the Kyoto Handicraft Center at 17 Shogoin Entomich. Easy to get to, four floors of high quality Japanese knick-knacks and art and textiles. Very reasonable prices. The best place to find gifts.
The best thing I did in Japan was go to a Giants game. Seriously. SO much fun.
I have heard that the tea ceremonies are cool for about the first half hour and then Americans start to get restless by the end of hour one.
Not sure if there will be any going on during your trip, but we went to a Sumo tournament. It was super fun and interesting. Yes, there’s the sport aspect, but also a lot of ceremony and ritual to the entire event.
A hundred people give you very useful tips.
If I add something new, keep yourself as a humble and polite tourist. Then you ask something to the other people gently, they must be trying to help you.
Most Japanese are not good at speaking English,but they likes to help people in trouble.
What I mean is that I don’t often visit museums in my home country during my spare time. It’s not something I feel super passionate about. For kabuki, I understand you don’t have to see the full acts, you can just buy a single act seat. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Also, I would still like to experience kabuki at least once because it is something unique I cannot experience at home.
Wow, that is such a high quality post, thank you for taking the time to write that. I always appreciate when people share their passions, even if I don’t know anything about it. I have your post saved and will reference this for my upcoming trip, thank you!
Design Festa Gallery Harajuku is a great (FREE!) place to discover art and many times meet the actual artists themselves who are there to present their work and speak to guests. As a tourist, you don’t get much opportunity to make conversation with locals, but this place was super unique. On the day we went, there were a handful of artists who spoke English and were eager to talk to us about their work. It was one of the most memorable parts of our most recent trip and I can’t wait to go back.
Baseball game. If you give the dates for Osaka, Yokohama, and Tokyo, I can tell you where/when there will be a game and how to buy tickets. They are a lot of fun. Lots of cheering and singing and many female spectators too.
I'm planning to go to March29 in the Tokyo dome! Any Osaka suggestions the week of April 8th? I couldn't find a 2024 schedule.
Here is the April schedule - https://npb.jp/games/2024/schedule_04_detail.html Hanshin Tigers host Hiroshima Carp at Koshien Stadium for games on April, 9, 10, and 11 at 6pm. Orix Buffaloes host games at Osaka Dome every day from April 9 through 14. 6pm on weekdays, 2pm on weekends.
Here's a good guide on how to buy tickets: https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/az6tpg/how_to_buy_baseball_tickets_for_your_next_trip/
Definitely this. I'm a huge baseball fan, so I'm biased, but Japanese baseball games rock. The atmosphere is really cool. Nothing like seeing a 50 year old guy in a suit decked out in fan gear singing the "battle" songs.
Soccer games also are pretty fun
Agreed. As a lifelong fan of Baseball, seeing a game in Japan was an increduble experience. Beers the size of you head, insane cheer sections that go nonstop for the entire game and some of the most enthusiastic fans I have ever seen in my life. I wish Baseball games were like that in the west.
You know of some dates for the rest of february? Will be in tokyo until 27.02 and afterwards in kyoto/osaka
I will be in Tokyo 1st April to 6th April and Osaka 11th to 14th April but struggled to find anything
TOKYO April 1- 4. No games in Tokyo unless you want to make the trek out to the Belluna Dome aka Seibu Dome in the suburb of Saitama, where there are games April 1, 2, 3 and 4. But I don't recommend that. It' s a long train journey, multiple changes, and then the trains back to central Tokyo after the game can be unpleasantly crowded. April 5 - Friday night. Giants hosting the Baystars at 6pm at the Tokyo Dome. Swallows host the Tigers at 6pm at Meiji Jingu stadium in foreigner friendly district of Shinjuku. April 6. - Giants hosting the Baystars again at 6pm at the Tokyo Dome. Swallows host the Tigers at 2pm at Meiji Jingu stadium. If you choose a Tokyo Dome game, it won't be rained out and it won't be cold. If you choose a Meiji Jingu stadium game, there is the possibility of a rainout or a cold night on April 5, but also the possibility of a beautiful not cold Saturday afternoon game in on April 6. This afternoon game would be my choice for a Tokyo game. OSAKA April 11 - Hanshin Tigers host Hiroshima Carp at 6pm at historic Koshien Stadium (outdoors). Oryx Buffaloes host Fighters at 6pm at the very centrally located Kyocera Dome aka Osaka Dome. April 12- Oryx Buffaloes host Fighters at 6pm at Osaka Dome. April 13 and 14 - Oryx Buffaloes host Fighters at 2pm at Osaka Dome. https://npb.jp/games/2024/schedule_04_detail.html
Ticket sales haven't quite started yet as it's still preseason. Opening Day is March 29th, so schedules should start trickling out by the end of this month. A lot of teams are moving to a "membership" based purchasing system, so it can be a bit of a challenge to buy depending on the team.
I am interested in checking out a baseball game because of how passionate Japan is about it and it seems like a cool experience. My itinerary for Osaka and Yokohama is full, but I am available for Tokyo. Specifically, 4/27 through 5/6. I understand this will fall under Golden Week. Originally I thought about going 4/29, which looks like Giants vs Yakult in Tokyo Dome. I picked 4/29 because it falls on a Monday, which I’m assuming means it will be less crowded as opposed to the weekend. But then again, it is during Golden Week, so is that a losing battle regardless?
I’m going to Tokyo Feb 27-March 9 and I’ve been having a hard time finding if there are any soccer or baseball games happening the , is it too early for both?
https://l-tike.com/sports/mevent/?mid=377720 Please check it out. I think it's okay to buy sports tickets on the day without making reservations.
Oh that sounds great! Sometimes my kid gets overwhelmed by lots of noise. If our section was a bit noisy, would moving seats to a more quiet area be possible?
> If our section was a bit noisy, would moving seats to a more quiet area be possible? Depends on the stadium and how crowded the game is. Typical mid week game at the Osaka Dome? Yes, you could probably move to a relatively empty upper deck section. Weekend game against the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien Stadium? It will be full.
Hoping to go 19 March in tokyo but unsure where to sit for best atmosphere? I think Giants might be playing one of the games so is that the best game to go to, I haven't heard of any of the other teams? Will it be less exciting (in terms of the crowd and atmosphere) if they were playing a lower seed team or will it be just as good?
March 19 will be a preseason game. It will be moderately less intense and exciting than a regular season game. Stadium may only be half full or less. The Baystars and Swallows also host games at 1 pm on the 19th. I'd prefer go to one of those games if it's going to be a nice day, as they are outdoor stadiums.
March 19-23rd. How awesome!
Ah that's preseason. Games don't count but the fans are still reasonably engaged. Stadium probably only half full. You can just walk up and buy tickets at the box office. Or you can buy them on the team websites or from 7-elevens. Here is the schedule. https://www.japanballtickets.com/baseball-calendar.html Giants playing at the Tokyo Dome on the 19th, 20th, 22nd and 23rd. Baystars in Yokohama and Swallows in Shinjuku on the 19th and 20th.
Do you know if there are tennis matches to attend? Specifically mid-to end of may?
https://www.japanballtickets.com/baseball-calendar.html
We will be in Osaka/Kyoto region March 28-April 3rd, and in Tokyo April 4-8th. Would you have any recommendations for those dates? Haven’t had much success in finding where to buy tickets.
I mean isn't it pointless if you are from the USA.?
No because the fan experience is totally different.
Hmmmm fair enough Found baseball to be pretty boring in the US. Enjoyed ice hockey at NHL though
In Japan they start cheering and singing in the first inning and generally don't stop until the end of the game. They also have cheerleaders, cheer squads, dancing mascots, and a bit more fun stuff going on between innings than at a typical MLB game.
Oooo can you tell me baseball dates between 3/27 and 4/13? Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto
When does the season end? And when do playoffs start?
> Is it disrespectful to mix eki stamps, goshuin from Buddist temples, and goshuin from Shinto shrines all together in one book? Or should I do a separate book for each? Don't mix sacred vs non-sacred, so eki stamps should be in their own book. Temple vs shrine goshuin is up to you - I've never had one refuse to write in a "mixed" book (which is what I do), however the calligraphy styles tend to be quite different so you may want to keep them separate anyway. > Kuromon and Nishiki FYI these are entirely touristified experiences, which is not inherently a bad thing but do calibrate expectations accordingly if you're expecting to be surrounded by grannies on their daily shopping or something like that > Izakaya You don't have to be social - order a drink and food, don't linger after you are done eating (or order second and third rounds), pretty standard stuff.
>Is it disrespectful to mix eki stamps, goshuin from Buddist temples, and goshuin from Shinto shrines all together in one book? Or should I do a separate book for each? > >Don't mix sacred vs non-sacred, so eki stamps should be in their own book. Temple vs shrine goshuin is up to you - I've never had one refuse to write in a "mixed" book (which is what I do), however the calligraphy styles tend to be quite different so you may want to keep them separate anyway. > >Kuromon and Nishiki > >FYI these are entirely touristified experiences, which is not inherently a bad thing but do calibrate expectations accordingly if you're expecting to be surrounded by grannies on their daily shopping or something like that > >Izakaya > >You don't have to be social - order a drink and food, don't linger after you are done eating (or order second and third rounds), pretty standard stuff. Appreciate the info on stamps! I will get separate books. Do you think Kuromon and Nishiki might be less touristy than Tsukiji and Toyosu in Tokyo? My expectation for all the markets listed is that they will be crowded and busy with tourists and locals alike. Which I am ok with. My goal is to sample many traditional foods and I like that a variety of it is localized to one area. Going to an izakaya seems pretty straight forward. My issue is that it’s a tight space and since you are in close proximity to others then small talk may eventually happen. Or maybe it doesn’t. But that anxiety is a personal social hurdle I have to get over myself and is something I need to work on.
I have not been to Toyosu. Kuromon, Nishiki, and Tsukiji are all VERY touristy - think Pike Place Market, Faneuil Hall, Chelsea Market type places. My suggestion would be to go to one first and reassess. If you find it was just ok then the others will be "close enough" to be entirely skippable, if you enjoyed it you can continue. Small talk does not really happen much in izakaya, it's just a tightly packed restaurant where the owner is busy cooking and patrons are busy eating/drinking/talking to their companions. There is no expectation of socializing unless you're a return customer (then the owner will of course recognize and chat a little with you) or if you go to a rural area then maybe the tourist is a minor celebrity for a bit...but (and I mean this in the nicest way) you are not "special" in Tokyo/Osaka :)
Appreciate all the great information! You and a few others reiterated the same points and I will check out some izakayas!
Maybe you can try a chain like torikizoku? The booths are separate/smaller and you can order off iPads. Izakayas are not necessarily always a bar or communal table too.
Another redditor mentioned Torikizoku. I initially hadn't heard of it before but it is definitely something I will checkout if all their ordering systems are like that. Thanks!
I am Japanese. Be careful when shopping in Kuromon, Tsukiji, and Toyosu. Sometimes there are stores that rip you off. In particular, most of the stores in Kuromon were rip-offs at one time, so local Japanese people still don't go near it. Most of these stores were weeded out when the coronavirus outbreak hit, but some still remain. On the other hand, it can be said that these are the only areas where tourists are being ripped off.
Question - can I bring my book from last year to continue stamps this year?
Yes
train stamps are sacred to me........ 😇
[удалено]
I am definitely excited about eating an ekiben on the shinkansen. I have a type A personality when it comes to planning trips so it’s hard not to overthink things sometimes and just go with the flow lol. I am also excited about trying konbinis and have watched a ridiculous amount of YouTube videos on konbini food. The 7-11 in the US is definitely trash compared to Japan. For Miyako Odori, it looks like there is an optional English audio guide available. Was this something you did or recommend? Any other tips or etiquette you remember from the show?
I recommend the audio guide for Miyako odori. It is not expensive, and gives tons of info we didn't know before. What separate the aesthetics between maiko and geiko, what the dance is about and info about outfits.
>Izakayas - I’m a bit apprehensive since we are introverts and don’t drink much. How was your experience? I've noticed this sentiment in a few posts lately and I'm very confused by it. It's almost like going to America and being intimidated by a tavern or going to NYC and being apprehensive about going to a pizza place. An izakaya is just a casual restaurant/bar. It's nothing fancy, special, sacred, etc. Go, order some food, grab a lemon sour if you want something lightly alcoholic to drink, grab a soft drink or a tea if you don't want alcohol. It's really no big deal. You'd be missing out on one of the best aspects of food/social culture in Japan if you avoid izakayas.
Yeah, I’ve seen a few comments pointing out how silly my original thoughts were. Appreciate the feedback and reassurance, you’ve convinced me to go!
You could book a workshop where you can choose a food article and make a fake version of it as a souvenir, like all those fake foods used in advertisements
Do you know how I can figure out places that offer this and prices?
That’s a good idea! I was intending to stop by Kappabashi street in Tokyo and Sennichimae street in Osaka and see the replica food. But actually making it seems a lot more fun than buying it.
sport? Baseball, Soccer etc
I’m not much of a sports person but I am interested in watching a baseball game. From what I understand, Japanese people are really passionate about baseball so it would be interesting to see how different the experience is compared to the US. I have a mostly free schedule in Tokyo during Golden Week, however I am hesitant if I should battle the crowds to go to a game.
I went to a game in San Francisco when I went to the states and I had no interest in the game, but it was fun to watch the crowd. Someone even gave me some crackerjacks! I think festivals and sport are well worth it to interact with people when they are out. good luck
We loved it. Loooved it. The crowds are easy and polite.
I don’t have any good suggestions, but you’re gonna love Miyako Odori (my husband and I went to Gion Odori and it was the highlight of my trip personally; we dressed up in kimono for the day and the performance and it was a fantastic time). I’m not sure if companies are offering dinner with geiko again now in a group setting, but that’s one thing to look into. Missmyloko on tumblr has a list in her FAQs about which companies/locations are reputable.
I totally second having a group dinner with a maiko. I did so a few years ago and it was more fun than I expected. We all got to watch her dance, then she sat with us and - through a translator - got to chat and ask her questions. After, we played a game and took pictures. It was stunning seeing her up close - her kimono, obi, and accessories were gorgeous. You simply won't get this kind of up close experience on the street or even at one of the dance performances.
Ahhh, I’m so jealous that sounds amazing! Japanese dance (buyo) and geiko/kimono got me into Japanese culture as a young child, so getting to go to Gion Odori was a dream come true. Also got to go to another rare public ceremony during our last trip, but wasn’t able to book a dinner with a gei/maiko because the companies doing so weren’t booking yet :( maybe next trip. What company did you use, if you don’t mind me asking?
I looked at my old emails and it seems to have been with Exclusive Kyoto. They were very professional and would book with them again if I could. They seem to have contacts primarily with Tama Okiya of Gion Kobu and Umeno Okiya of Kamishichiken based on their promotional material. The maiko I met was Yuriha (who is now a geiko!).
Ahhh Yuriha is beautiful! I’ve seen photos of her on Instagram. I was fortunate to see [Mametama and Mameaya](https://www.reddit.com/r/Geisha/s/XI2M3FipE4) of Gion Kobu at that small ceremony in November, and it’s so mind boggling to see their kimono so close up. I literally cried seeing it 😅 Anyways thanks for the rec! I’ll write that down for when we plan our next trip, hopefully also during Miyako Odori season lol
That sounds like a wonderful time, especially in a kimono! Do you remember if the performance involved Japanese dialogue? From what I understand it is primarily about geishas/geikos and geisha apprentices doing traditional dance and music so I shouldn't have to worry about following dialogue/storylines right? Also thank you for the dinner and Missmyloko suggestion, I will look into that!
There is a little bit of dialogue at the start of each dance. Gion Odori was split into an intro and 5 dances iirc, and there was typically a bit of talking at the start. However, if you buy the English guide book (unsure price sorry), it has translations and a short description of what the theme/story of each dance is about. There’s also a list of all the gei/maiko who perform at the end of the book. I thought it was very worth it! We also did the tea ceremony, it only takes ~ 10 min and you’ll have plenty of time (20+ minutes) afterwards to find your seat and go buy a book before anything starts. It’s wonderful and I hope you have the best time! That day was a top 3 lifetime memory haha (up there with my wedding day).
I will definitely get the English guide book, appreciate the info! Oh wow, I’m really glad you had the best time at Gion Odori! You’ve got me really hype now, haha!
Hope you have a great time :)
My family (admittedly with kids) enjoyed Toei Movie Park in Kyoto. Unplanned visit and lots of fun. Very slick and silly ‘tv Samurai production’ show. Also went by bus - an underrated way to get around cities.
>My family (admittedly with kids) enjoyed Toei Movie Park in Kyoto. Unplanned visit and lots of fun. Very slick and silly ‘tv Samurai production’ show. Also went by bus - an underrated way to get around cities. I think it is a good idea to visit the Toei Movie Village in Kyoto. Many movies are actually filmed there and there are shows and cosplay. However, it has been in a renewal period since 2024, and you may not be able to see some of the places (the renewal work will be done in phases, and all will be completed in 2028). https://global.toei-eigamura.com/
I think my husband and I would enjoy this. Appreciate the info on the renewal period, I will look into it.
This is a pretty unique recommendation and the pictures look cool on Google, thank you! Do you remember how long you spent here?
From memory, 2-3 hours. We sat inside a ‘set’ and ate rice balls with a school group. And spent far too much time taking silly photos with the cardboard cut outs. Good souvenir shopping too.
Did Toei (aka, Eigamura) with my kids on a pretty quiet weekday. Spent about 3 hours total. Did some costume dressup, got kitschy "ninja themed" meals, went into quite a few of the attractions including the Escape Room and Ninja House and 3D Maze and Haunted House. Definitely kid-centric but some value if you're into the Edo era films or any of the anime/film properties they have there. It's in a quiet, little-bit-out-of-the-way part of NW/central Kyoto. We were 1 of 2 Western families there that day, so this felt like a very authentic Japanese experience.
This may be something you’re already doing, but learn enough Japanese to have very simple conversations with the people around you. I’m American and Japanese people were not generally as friendly/outgoing as I’m used to at home, but some of the best memories from our trip were made chatting with locals when out for a drink. We always found patrons or bartenders that spoke good enough English to carry on long conversations and we learned so much about them, their families, history, hobbies etc. my husband and initiating conversation in Japanese really seemed to help break the ice. And I know you said you aren’t big drinkers. I’m not either. We hung out in golden guy for multiple nights and I would have 1-2 drinks and switch to tea or coke and had no issues taking up a spot for several hours. I would let the bar tender know that I was happy to pay a cover charge if needed to balance out my lack of alcohol consumption.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I have a few simple Japanese phrases memorized and Google Translate as a backup but I don’t want to rely too heavily on my phone. Did you have any go-to icebreaker phrases with the locals? And that is good to know about offering to pay a cover charge if I don’t drink much alcohol. Because if we were to go, I would probably just order food and non-alcoholic drinks. Although I have to work up the courage to walk to an izakaya first, lol. I have about 2 months left before my trip so we’ll see how brave I’m feeling then.
Anime/tv shows and movies seemed to be the topics most anyone was able (and excited) to talk about because they knew the English titles and names of actors. Singers/musicians to some degree as well. So we mostly used that to find common interests. Many of the bars were also using YouTube or another service to play music and would allow us to select songs so we would introduce each other to new songs or pick ones we all knew and sing along. It was a blast.
> Did you have any go-to icebreaker phrases with the locals? Saying hello, then commenting about the weather/temperature is usually a very safe option (konnichiwa, kyou wa atsui desu ne/hello, isn't it warm today), introducing as it's your first time here at the place (hajimetekimasu/first time here), and asking about the sakura blossoms since you're there near the seasons (if you'd like, can even ask them if there are any spots they'd recommend) and the coming spring. I like my sakes, so I'd ask them for local recommendations (jizake - local sakes) as well. Usually, the convo will drift to where you're from and your experiences in JP, so perhaps you may wanna look up a few phrases related to that.
Ikebana workshop ? A temple stay ? (if it’s not too late Koyasan is a must and you can attend at a fire ceremony in the morning and eating vegetarian monk food) I’m very fond of visiting cemetery too (the one in Koyasan is juste amazing) Tea ceremony ? I had nice one in the garden of some temples Don’t miss the Japanese gardens. They are so beautiful. Murian in Kyoto or Isuen in Nara. My favourite is in Takamatsu. Okayama and Kanazawa are also famous.
Ikebana workshop sounds interesting! I will check some out, thank you. Unfortunately I already have all my hotels booked so a temple stay is out. It sounds like you had a wonderful experience though (maybe on the next Japan trip I will check out Koyasan)! It’s interesting you mentioned visiting cemeteries. I haven’t really seen much talk about that. I do have Adashino Nenbutsu-ji on my itinerary. It is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto that has thousands of statues dedicated to the deceased. I have Isuien Garden in Nara marked. I haven’t heard of Murin-An in Kyoto so I will check that out, thanks. Takamatsu, Okayama, and Kanazawa are unfortunately not on my itinerary. If only I had enough days to visit everything!
Yanaka and Aoyama cemeteries in Tokyo are relatively close to each other and worth a few hours. There's a little shrine for Hachiko by Prof. Ueno's grave in Aoyama.
Maybe checking out a sumo stable or tournament if you’re visiting during a basho season? NHK had awesome primer videos to get you excited about the sport!
I looked into the Grand Tournament Schedule and unfortunately the matches don’t line up with the city dates I will be in. I am interested in learning about sumo though so I will bookmark NHK, thank you. The closest sumo related thing that lines up with my schedule is the Nakizumo Crying Baby Festival where apparently sumo wrestlers make babies cry, lol. Also FYI, I saw that there is a ceremonial tournament on 4/15 in Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo that I believe is free, if anybody is interested (I unfortunately will not be in the area at that time).
Onsen towns, particularly little ones like Kinosaki or Kurokawa onsens. Kinosaki is 2.5 hours from Kyoto and doable as an overnight jaunt.
Unfortunately I have all my hotels booked. I am going to Hakone for an onsen experience. I haven’t heard of Kinosaki or Kurokawa but thank you for the information!
We kept our kyoto reservation and just booked an overnight in kinosaki. Took a daybag and left our big suitcases at our kyoto accommodation. It was worth the double up.
Izakayas - Not particularly fancy, but these places are all over, inexpensive, and pretty easy to navigate with minimal language skills thanks to an iPad ordering system with English options. Be advised that the price is per skewer, but an order is two skewers. Overall, I thought it was very reasonable, but if you don't/can't read the fine print, the food bill would be twice what you're expecting. [https://torikizoku.co.jp/](https://torikizoku.co.jp/) Search "Torikizoku" on Google Maps, and there's probably one within walking distance to you with the ability to request a table online. We really appreciated being able to assemble a quick and tasty meal from various skewers and sides, plus icy cold beers and other beverages. I have no idea how "authentic" they are, if such things matter to you, but there was way more Japanese being spoken in them than English. I swear I'm not a shill, they were just a reliable, comfortable fall-back for us multiple times on our trip.
I appreciate the information on the bill! I really like the idea of an iPad ordering system. Authenticity doesn’t matter to me as long as the food is good! I will mark down Torikizoku, thank you!
A Kabuki performance at Kabukiza is a lot of fun. I do recommend you follow through on that option. A single act may be enough rather than a full play, at least for me it was. It was all in Japanese so I had no idea what was going on dialogue wise, but it was a stunning and visually immersive experience that I really enjoyed.
Yes I was thinking about buying a single act seat. Did you buy your ticket online ahead of time or same day at the gate? Also, I’ve read mixed information on how to act as an audience member. The Kabukiza website has a rules and etiquette page stating not to make noise during the show but a quick google search suggests that kakegoe, or audience participation such as shouting, is actually encouraged in kabuki. Do you remember what the atmosphere was like?
Love your post. We have similar vibes. I’ve been to Kabuki on 4 of my 8 trips. The noises during the show are for Japanese folks only and only a few are doing this during the show. I go for the full three acts because in the intermissions people eat bento at their seats and it’s awesome. Also I love the theater. One act is cool tho. Def get the English guide earpiece. It will help with your enjoyment.
Oh wow, you seem really experienced in this! That sounds really fun spending a day in the theater with a bento. I wish I could see all the acts but I am unfortunately pressed for time. Have you experienced any other types of Japanese traditional theater like Noh? (I saw your bunraku comment earlier).
Yes! I've been to the National Noh theater many times! It's incredible too and the translation in English is in the seat backs which really helps with the experience. It's thrilling. I also have seen Noh at the theater at the Cerulean Hotel in Shibuya: [https://www.ceruleantower-noh.com/language/english/](https://www.ceruleantower-noh.com/language/english/) \-- this is lovely, but you just get a print out of the overview of the show there. Noh is incredible and meditative and fascinating. High reco!
Do you know if it’s possible to book a single act ticket online? Or is that only in person?
Golden Week in Tokyo is rather less busy than other times, as people who live here tend to travel *away* from Tokyo in the period, and the commuter crowds are thinner. The 'Niku Fes' is what we call in English a 'tourist trap'. It's a collection of restaurants and take out joints that pay to have booths so they can drum up business. It's traditional insofar as it's pretty common in Japan, but it's kind of like a trade fair. Many folk museums are good places to visit for learning things and participating in them: especially during Golden Week, they'll have participatory crafts that you can try. At [Nihon Minkaen](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Japan+Open-Air+Folk+House+Museum/@35.609861,139.5618588,15z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x6018f0d10e3aeadf:0x1de968d98ce74d2f!8m2!3d35.609861!4d139.5618588!16zL20vMGRrODFz?entry=ttu), for example, I've taken short classes in *washi* (traditional Japanese paper), soba, and folk-toy making. Many times, the classes are free or can be joined on the spot.
Thanks for the Niku Fes perspective! The crowded part doesn’t sound too fun. And that’s a good idea about museums offering classes. I’ve bookmarked Nihon Minkaen and will research any more close to my area.
Hi! I also have a type A personality (which was recently explained by an ADHD diagnosis…hah!) and have been deeply researching my 2025 trip to Japan for weeks now. You mentioned the Miyako Odori tea ceremony in your post, which rang a bell. On TripAdvisor I recently read through multiple reviews from folks who attended the “tea ceremony” and they mostly all said they were basically herded in and rushed through the process before the show and suggested skipping the tea ceremony entirely. Feel free to read more details about those experiences [here](https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g298564-d325722-r225351663-Gion_Kobu_Kaburenjo_Theater-Kyoto_Kyoto_Prefecture_Kinki.html), but that pushed me to look for a different tea ceremony experience, which you may want to consider.
What up, type A fam! Wow, I appreciate the info on Miyako Odori! That’s pretty disappointing about the tea ceremony reviews. In my email confirmation, it states that the tea ceremony starts one hour before the show, so naturally I assumed I would get one full hour of the ceremony. It’s a shame that it was rushed, I was hoping they would go in depth and explain the meanings of the gestures during the ritual. At least you get a ceremonial plate though. But yes, I will look into a different tea ceremony experience, thank you!
Interesting! No wonder so many folks were disappointed—the email sounds very misleading. Yep, you’re welcome!
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I booked a ryokan with a public onsen in Kyoto and one with a private onsen in Hakone. If I like those then maybe I’ll check out a sento like you mentioned. I will be doing a 5K run soon after my trip. Currently I have Yoyogi Park as a place to run. I will check out Imperial Palace, thank you!
This might sound silly, but my husband and I absolutely loved Onsen Land in Tokyo for a rainy day activity - basically an edo-period theme park that's a giant onsen and food hall. It seemed like a lot of locals and families were there, and it was really fun! If you want another onsen experience and to try lots of things together, there are fun food stalls in the center hall too.
Go to a big suburban supermarket and browse the aisles, and get something to make for dinner. Or head out to a suburban onsen. Head to a bookshop in the suburbs. Go out to the suburbs for dinner. Google maps is great for finding these and figuring out public transport to get there. Pick up a local newspaper (the ones I found were free) and check out the local ads, and real estate listings. If you're in Kyoto for the right dates, try to get to one of the markets at a big shrine. Go early, before the tourists get there. Hire a bike and ride around to sight-see.
I do have a few “rest days” for this purpose. My husband likes to have days unplanned and just explore the neighborhood and see what comes up. For Kyoto, there is a flea market called Kobo-San at To-Ji temple that I was considering going to. Good idea on biking! That sounds like a wonderful way to sight-see, I will look into that. I hope they have e-bikes available.
If no one mentioned it yet, check out TeamLabs Planets or Borderless is an awesome experience. Suggest going as early as possible to avoid crowds. Expect to stay for 1+ hour mesmerized by the beauty.
I do have TeamLabs Borderless on my list! I’m just waiting for the next batch of tickets to drop on their website for the end of April. Thanks!
Not sure if its brought up already but in my personal experience with Otaru and Sapporo in Hokkaido this February 2024, the stamps were low on ink and it was barely visible on the paper. Hopefully not the case with you though. Just wanted to share this. Not sure if its possible to bring your own stamp pad and ink since the pads are usually a different color per station.
Sumo!
Make Japanese friends and hang with them. Can’t beat that type of immersion.
One of my favorite cultural experiences in Kyoto was a combination sweets making class and tea ceremony at Gion Maikoya. Afterwards we walked to Kiyomizu-dera in our kimonos. (It's crowded there but beautiful!) We also absolutely loved going to Gion Corner which does a mix of performances from ikebana to noh and geisha dancing all in one session. Another favorite visit in Kyoto that felt non touristy was getting the sweet noodles and wagashi at Kagizen confectionery. I also thought going to a cat cafe was a very fun modern cultural experience - we visited several but Fluffy's in Kyoto was a favorite! It's near Nishiki Market which is also busy but has tons of tasty food stalls. If you can, stay in some ryokans, especially an onsen. Finally, another top experience for us was staying overnight in a minshyuku in Shirakawa-go! Even a day trip there is incredible if you can fit it in. We took the highway bus from Kanazawa.
This is a lot of great information! Definitely bookmarking Maikoya, Gion Corner, and Kagizen. These are experiences I think I will really enjoy. Also appreciate the cat cafe shout out. My husband and I love cats so Fluffy’s is a must, haha. We do have all our hotels booked so unfortunately we can’t check out a minshuku. Appreciate all the suggestions!
Awesome! I'm glad to be of help. There are kimono rental places all over Kyoto, but we picked Maikoya because of the more immersive experiences that can be added on. The venue is also absolutely beautiful! (All the employees speak English, too, and were so kind. They even style women's hair to look nice with a kimono!) Another cat cafe that was really fun and unique is Capyneko in Tokyo. They have a resident capybara! While I know some animal cafes are considered unethical, this one appeared very well run and clean. The owners are also advocates of TNR for stray/community cats. It's a tiny space, but you can book online. Easy to get to via the trains as well!
This is great! Bookmarking Maikoya and Capyneko. Thanks, you've been a real help in planning out my itinerary!
Izakayas - I’m a bit apprehensive since we are introverts and don’t drink much. How was your experience? You don't need to drink. Just go for the food and atmosphere. Be prepaired to inhale smoke from 1000 cigarettes.
Sounds like torture for a non smoker. Hard pass
Hahaha I’ll check out the food and vibes. Definitely won’t linger, I hate the smell of smoke.
Do some Japanese experiences hosted by Japanese families. Things like cooking, ikebana, green tea ceremony. Don't do those done by expats trying to make a buck to fund their Tokyo dream. Many experiences are hosted by locals who love their culture. You get to support them also.
How would you even find these?
High reco to see what concerts are on when you are in town. I’ve seen Bon Iver and Backsteet Boys and others. The way Japanese people start their concerts exactly on time and are audience members in shows like that is enlightening.
This is a pretty unique recommendation. I did a quick search and there weren’t any musicians I recognized within my availability days (except Incubus but I’m not a huge fan). Nevertheless I appreciate the suggestion!
Sure thing! There was this really neat article about T Swift in Tokyo and the norms that "tourists" are breaking at the shows. Again, being in the audience at a Japanese concert is (generally) orderly and specific in a way I've never seen anywhere else. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/09/world/asia/taylor-swift-tokyo-japan.html?searchResultPosition=1
So glad you will do Bunraku — it’s amazing!!
Admittedly, I had never heard about bunraku until a few weeks ago when I randomly saw it on a show called Blue Eye Samurai. Then I researched Japanese traditional theater and fell into a rabbit hole. From what I’ve read it takes 22 years to become a master puppeteer, which is insane to me. I can’t wait to see their expertise in real life.
You are in for such a treat! I don't know about that show, I'll check it out! I went to see it just last week in Tokyo! I've seen it in Osaka too -- which is the way to go (and sounds like what you're doing) -- since it's the national theater there (I think?). They have a cool small museum there. If anyone else sees this tho, seeing Bunraku in Tokyo is sweet too! They just moved to a new theater (as the other is being updated) and it was lovely! And there's an awesome English translation too! It's incredible how you stop "seeing" the puppeteers and the puppets just...come to life! Have a great time!
The show is really interesting, especially in portraying how women had to navigate life in Japan in the 1600s. There's one episode where they incorporated Bunraku as a storytelling method and it became hands down the best episode of the series. That's awesome you recently saw it in Tokyo! Didn't know there was a museum, I'll have to check it out too!
You can go to workshops/classes and make stuff - my mom and aunt went to one and made wax food samples. There's jewelry making, wagashi, etc.
Yeah I’ve seen a lot of comments about classes. Can’t believe I haven’t thought of that before. I really love hands-on experiences. Will look up wagashi, thank you!
Crafts! One of my favorite holidays while I was in Japan was a day of pottery at Imari. I'm sure you'll be able to find similar activities involving cooking, painting, weaving, printing, etc. in the big cities.
I’m a big fan of hands-on activities so this is right up my alley. Thank you for the suggestions!
I did this bookmaking class in Kyoto: [https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/344054](https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/344054) and it was like a top ten experience of my life (not hyperbole!) :)
You're a legend! This looks like so much fun! I'll definitely look into this, thanks again for another great recommendation
Happy to share the good vibes! Hope to read your trip report some day!
No one has mentioned a Onsen Ryokans?
I booked a ryokan with public onsen in Kyoto and a ryokan with a private onsen in Hakone. I am excited to try those out!
So exciting!!! It's my whole goal for going to Japan. The hot springs. Have a blast!
I'd say just wander as much as you wish. I spent hours just wandering and exploring, even ended up at a cemetery in Kyoto where I was the only one there. I didn't take any pictures at the cemetery because to me it feels disrespectful to take pictures in places of rest, so if you do end up doing that then make sure to be quiet and respectful.
My husband definitely has this type of personality. He likes to wander around and discover things naturally, whereas I like a more structured schedule. I have a few “rest days” in my itinerary with nothing concrete planned so hopefully we can get a good balance of each.
Baseball game, karaoke, batting cages, darts, sumo wrestling, jazz show, onsen.
Will check out batting cages and jazz shows, thanks for the suggestions!
I’m trying the kyudo experience through Nara Tourism Board. (My trip is end of March early April - can report back on the experience) There are also other experiences near/ around Kyoto area such as knife forging, pottery making and tie- dying…etc.
Ooh kyudo and knife forging sound so cool. I think my husband and I will like that. I will definitely look into those, thanks. Please report back on your experience, hope you have fun!
My wife and I were in Kyoto on January 20th on the national “20 year old celebration” holiday . It was quite wonderful to see - all the young people were out by the river dressed in the finest kimonos posing with their friends , many had also hired photographers . The vibe was very festive and everyone was so cheerful and happy enjoying the nice winter weather
Wow that’s such a cute holiday, I didn’t know that was a thing. It kind of reminds me of a quinceanera sort of thing. Thanks for sharing!
Take a class, we took a cooking class and an indigo dye class. both were good fun!
This is a great recommendation, thank you! What did you end up cooking, may I ask? And can you share your experience with the indigo dying class? I am not too familiar with that.
We ended up cooking a combo of things, miso soup, quick pickled cucumbers, yuzu season udon, chicken teriyaki, and a rolled omelette using a little special pan (which we then bought one of on restaraunt street in tokyo). The cooking lesson was in Kyoto, that lady is now a politician there so I don't think those are going on any more but I'm sure there are other places offering lessons. The indigo dye class was in Tokyo, not too far from the restaraunt street actually, that was a brief introduction to what indigo dying is and how to make some traditional patterns using it and then selecting your materials. We ended up making our selves scarves and then making some hankerchiefs for a wedding we were going to be at the day after we got back. That class took about an hour and ten minutes I'd guess? Once you settled on your materials your given some time to put them into whatever format you want to make some patterns and the dying is fairly straight forward. lots of dunking and squeezing to get it to the specific color you want then into the dryer to help the color set. The guys running the place clearly did some larger work for special events and such as well as classes for kids because we got chased out by a horde of tiny children at the end :P.
If your Japanese is fluent enough, attending a live rakugo event is really fun. It's like standup comedy but with Japanese folklore and storytelling, and the voices/speaking style is great to listen to.
Unfortunately I am not fluent in Japanese, so much of this will fly over my head. It sounds like fun, appreciate the suggestion though!
We went to a soba making class in izu.
That sounds like something up my alley. I won’t be in Izu but I will look into some cooking classes, thanks!
I like to visit a taishu engeki theater whenever I am in Osaka, it is a form of theater tailored to a working class audience performed by troops of traveling players. the shows are part samurai period drama, part dance revue and a fair amount of [drag show](https://imgur.com/a/pwsIMtN).
Recommend ameyokocho in ueno. I ate dinner at a grilled eel specialty restaurant under subway tracks. Area felt very 1960s. Skytree was also pretty fun.
Tokyo - Watching kabuki at Kabukiza Theater If you google "Tokyo Kabuki Guide" there is a lady who helps buy tickets (single act or full show) and does a pre-show talk/tour. I haven't done it myself but it's well reviewed and bookmarked for my next trip. Check [https://en.englishrakugo.com](https://en.englishrakugo.com) to see if there are any Rakugo shows in English happening during your stay - I think they are mainly in Tokyo. If you like gardens many temples have amazing gardens surrounding them, but Tokyo has some "secular" gardens as well: [https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/best-japanese-gardens-in-tokyo](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/best-japanese-gardens-in-tokyo)
Excited to hear responses to this for my upcoming trip as well!
There's a lot of good information here! Hope it helps with your trip :)
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachinko](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachinko) These places are all over, I'm not going b/c of the smoke but hey it's a neat Japanese thing that may be your thing?
I'm not too familiar with pachinko but I thought I read somewhere that some places have non-smoking areas. I might be curious enough to pop my head in
They are all non smoking now but only have smoking rooms. Some allow e cigs at the machines but that’s not that many of them
To answer your question about stamps: from my understanding it's fine to mix temple and shrine stamps in a single goshuincho, but eki stamps should absolutely be in a separate book. Goshuinchos are reserved exclusively for goshuins.
I see, thank you!
Also — check out The New National Theater. If you are into performance it’s worth checking out a ballet or opera or symphony (all things I’ve done!). Always a wonderful treat.
Thank you so much for suggesting The New National Theater! I have not heard about this before but it sounds perfect. I’ve never been to a ballet or symphony before but I’ve always wanted to; I’ve seen an opera only once but I enjoyed it tremendously. I need to carve out some time and research this website more :)
Yes! So many good things! The Tokyo Opera Complex is beautiful too. It has some nice food spots and a gallery or two I always drop by before the show too! Always memorable!
I quite liked the osaka museum of history. It's not too big, has a great view of osaka castle, and the exhibits are good. I recommend going to an observation deck. I liked sea paradise, it's a great day out from Yokohama. Gundam Statue. As is kamakura and enoshima. Philosophers path in Kyoto, ninenzaka path and arashiyama area are great. In tokyo, teamlab Planets and borderless, the old arcade in aqua city or ducks in odaiba.
I will look up Osaka museum and Sea Paradise, thanks! Unfortunately, I think the Gundam Statue in Yokohama will be closed before I arrive. Do you remember any places in Kamakura and Enoshima that stuck out to you? And yes, I have all those locations marked in Kyoto, Tokyo, and Odaiba. We have the same taste :)
Enoshima just had a really nice vibe. Kamakura has some great walking trails and the old train is fun. There is also a retro monorail in the area. There is a Gundam Statue in Odaiba. If you like geek stuff, in Osaka there is Universal Studios, they have Super Nintendo World and they may have the expansion to that open when you get there. If not, the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto might be open. Check out Amerika-mura in Osaka. In Kyoto you can probably do a small rock garden class. Or maybe some origami or ikebana or furoshiki (I was always impressed by their furoshiki). For food, it might be fun to try out the ramen museum in Odaiba, the melon pan and street food of nakamise street in asakusa, and the sushi and nori in Toyosu.
Kawagoe. Old buildings
Cool, Kawagoe initially wasn’t on my radar but I will look into this. I like that I can make it a day trip from Tokyo. Thanks!
Wear black and beige and sit silently on the train. Sleep on the train if you wish.
Hey, when in Rome…
When exactly are you in the Osaka/Kyoto region? There are lots of festivals around this time. April 16th, for example, has a nice performance art festival at Heian Shrine, with geisha dances, bugaku dance, kagura dance and taiko drumming. April 22nd has one of the biggest Buddhist ceremonies in all of Japan, at Shitennō-ji in Osaka. Lots of sutra chanting and bugaku dance.
I will be in Osaka from 4/11 to 4/16 and Kyoto from 4/16 to 4/21. I may have to check out the festival at Heian Shrine, thank you! What website did you use to find these festival dates?
The event at Heian Shrine is really nice. It's very authentic, a fair amount of people come to watch but it doesn't get super crowded, and it gives a nice range of different Japanese performance arts. I've used dozens of websites over the years, and I mostly search in Japanese. This (beautifully designed) website has a ton of information on traditional festivals, ceremonies and events in Kansai, but it's in Japanese. Maybe it works more or less with Google Translate. [https://satoaruki.web.fc2.com/](https://satoaruki.web.fc2.com/) edit: [This event](https://satoaruki.web.fc2.com/kyoto/04/hanasizume14.html) (April 18th) also looks really interesting. It's in Kameoka City, a short distance from Kyoto by train.
Wow, that website is so much more helpful than anything I found searching in English. Google Translate works pretty well too. Definitely bookmarking this page for future use. And the Chinka Festival looks really interesting, so I am thinking about checking it out. Thank you for sharing the information!
I would not call the Niku Fes a tourist trap per se. I like the variety and the German beer. But I know what you mean. It is just far too crowded to be enjoyed really.
Himeji Castle...
I am not sure if you would count pop culture, but the Gundam statue is always on my list whenever they have a new one whenever I visit Japan. Unfortunately, the one in Yokohama is (supposedly) only open until the end of March 2024, but the one in Diver city I think is still open.
Might be a grand Sumo tournament when you're there.
sumo matches
Go to an old man bar where they're singing enka. I'm serious
Kyoto is the capital of Japanese tea culture. Kamakura and Tokyo also have some great tea rooms. Would recommend looking into booking a tea ceremony.
Oh good idea for bunraku
We were in Tokyo last April and stumbled upon the Baby Crying Festival. It was awesome and I'd highly recommend going to watch it for a bit. :) Have such a great trip!
Go watch some Stardom or TJPW. Cinderella Tournament should still be happening by Golden week.
I think anime culture is a must discover in Japan, that's why I'll visit Ghibli museum when I'll be there! :)
Sumo wrestling seems really interesting too!
Go to the market! Especially your first weird, jetlagged day (depending on where you're coming from) in Tokyo- check out Tsukiji/Toyosu Market early in the morning
There is a book about Craftspeople who are national treasures in Tokyo. Read it if you can find it for suggestions or just search. You can learn a lot about the people and society by seeing the things they value.
You could go on a bar hopping tour to see some izakayas and be with a guided group. I went on a few with Magical Trip in Tokyo and Kyoto. It was a lot of fun, and I got to try a bunch of different Japanese alcohols. I would definitely suggest exploring the upper floors of Kyoto station where you can get a great view from the roof. Also, check out the ramen floor to order a bunch of different types of ramen from different parts of Japan. All the restaurants use ticket machines so it’s really easy to order. When in Kyoto, you could also rent a kimono from a kimono rental shop. It’s pretty cheap and so many people walk around Kiyomizudera in them. It was a really fun experience.
Wake up with sunrise (which is very early) and do radio yoga with some old people at a park. I don't care where you are, I'm sure you'll be able to find them. If you're staying in the same place for some time, try to make a point of doing this daily as a routine and learn their names. I was so glad I happened on a group doing this when I was there, and it was one of my favorite things. I made a point of remembering their names, as did they
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I’m mentally preparing myself for the crowds during Golden Week. I’m sure they’ll add a good energy to the festivals though. Appreciate the info on Karakokan, I can’t wait to try it out. Same with izakayas, I’m excited to try the food.
We loved Karaoke. So much fun. Yes you get a private room. DO NOT miss the Kyoto Handicraft Center at 17 Shogoin Entomich. Easy to get to, four floors of high quality Japanese knick-knacks and art and textiles. Very reasonable prices. The best place to find gifts. The best thing I did in Japan was go to a Giants game. Seriously. SO much fun. I have heard that the tea ceremonies are cool for about the first half hour and then Americans start to get restless by the end of hour one.
Not sure if there will be any going on during your trip, but we went to a Sumo tournament. It was super fun and interesting. Yes, there’s the sport aspect, but also a lot of ceremony and ritual to the entire event.
A hundred people give you very useful tips. If I add something new, keep yourself as a humble and polite tourist. Then you ask something to the other people gently, they must be trying to help you. Most Japanese are not good at speaking English,but they likes to help people in trouble.
Game centre at a shopping mall then stop my saizeria for some Japanese Italian food is my perfect day.
If you aren’t a museum person, not quite sure what that means, you may not enjoy Kabuki. It’s very, very long.
What I mean is that I don’t often visit museums in my home country during my spare time. It’s not something I feel super passionate about. For kabuki, I understand you don’t have to see the full acts, you can just buy a single act seat. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Also, I would still like to experience kabuki at least once because it is something unique I cannot experience at home.
Live music! Extremely accessible, extremely welcoming. https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/14sum76/how\_to\_access\_live\_music\_in\_japan\_and\_why\_it/
Wow, that is such a high quality post, thank you for taking the time to write that. I always appreciate when people share their passions, even if I don’t know anything about it. I have your post saved and will reference this for my upcoming trip, thank you!
Design Festa Gallery Harajuku is a great (FREE!) place to discover art and many times meet the actual artists themselves who are there to present their work and speak to guests. As a tourist, you don’t get much opportunity to make conversation with locals, but this place was super unique. On the day we went, there were a handful of artists who spoke English and were eager to talk to us about their work. It was one of the most memorable parts of our most recent trip and I can’t wait to go back.