My boyfriend and I are headed to Japan end of March for almost two weeks. We’re thinking Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Any suggestions what we should absolutely check out while we’re there other than the normal touristy spots? Looking for hidden gems (food and otherwise)!! Thanks in advance!

Kyoto train station is fkin epic. Head up to the roof/top and enjoy.

in osaka, you must hit dotonbori. it's like their times square. make sure to get a pic with the glico man and eat some takoyaki and okonomiyaki!
in kyoto, i would definitely recommend 'Fushimi Inari' if you have time and am able to take a 3-5 hour hike.
I'd also recommend a day in Nara if possible, the temple in nara park is old and awesome and the park is filled with deer! (Nara was the capital city before tokyo and kyoto, so it is very traditional)
I lived in Osaka for a year, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Slurp your food (it's polite), don't tip (it's rude) and don't look guys with big silver chains on in the eye (they're mafia). Apart from that, have fun : )

consider JR pass for shinkasen if you plan round trip itinerary between the east and west!

Megan so helpful

following

Fuunji ramen in Tokyo. The tsukemen ramen is the best ramen I’ve ever had in my life

I've been to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto 2x and you'll definitely have no shortage of things to do! You can just wander around and find things to do and delicious food to eat almost anywhere. A lot of the touristy things are touristy for a reason - they're worthwhile! My trip highlights were Nara, Ghibli Museum, Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari, Kinkakuji, Kiyomizu-dera (at night), Yoyogi Park, Ikebukuro, Sensoji (it was close to our hotel in Tokyo and walking past it at night was wonderful), Hakone Open Air Museum, Robot Restaurant, Dontonburi, Osaka Castle gardens.

If you are a ghibli fan their museum is a must. Tickets became available on their ticket website at 10am on the 10th their time for the following month which means sometime in the evening on the February 9th here. Super cheap this way and totally worth it

Night out at Golden Gai in Tokyo is a must. Make some new friends in one of the 100s of tiny bars and you may get invited for some Karaoke

Shevaun

Alfredo Nonato Lapasaran

Bills Australian restaurant at either Ginza or Shinjuko.
Hotcakes....ymmmmm and wagu burger..

Odaiba and kamakura - Hase

Odaiba at night

Golden gai in Tokyo! Stay in a traditional ryokan in Kyoto - I recommend Ryokan Ohanabo with their breakfast and kaiseki dinner.

Don’t miss a place called Hakone . About 82 km from Tokyo. There is a train service from Tokyo train station to Hakone run by Odakyu Railway. You can have best view of mount Fuji from there , experience hot spring volcano, hiking and cable car ride , cruise in lake ashi... wonderful place to see near Tokyo. You can add a day trip to Hiroshima by a high speed train as well when you are in Koyoto..

All in Tokyo...
Bar Champion
Robot bar
Chabuton Ramen

One thing that I always recommend... Most people think they'll want to stay in Tokyo longer, but I found Kyoto (and Osaka) way better. If you like temples and stuff like that, check out Kiyomizudera and Kinkakuji in Kyoto! Both breathtaking. They are pretty touristy, but totally worth it. I also liked this shopping district around Shijo-Kawaramachi - this place is wayyy less touristy and has a bunch of cool shops and really great restaurants, off the beaten path a bit

The mari-kart in Tokyo is pretty awesome. You go kart around in the city. But you'll have to make sure you get your international drivers license at a local CAA beforehand. It is a lot of fun and you see lots while ypu drive through the city. Also check out "ichiran", it's a really neat ramen place in shinjuku.

If you like unique experiences, take an overnight to Koya-san - a monastery outside Osaka. The most tranquil place, and very uniquely Japanese.
Himeji castle is another beautiful day trip from Osaka.
If you want a wintery wonderland, very traditional experience, Takayama is amazing as well.
I lived in Japan for several years. In the cities you listed, bring good walking shoes, as some of the best experiences are just wondering and seeing what you find.
Keep in mind late March is the start of cherry blossom season in Kyoto. It is unbelievably beautiful and a great social party time, but the crowds are immense and prices of everything, especially hotels will be significantly higher than usual.

Include the Kanazawa

if you're into cheap (and tasty!) eats and an exciting nightlife, I'd recommend staying longer in Osaka > Kyoto, and perhaps just catching the train into Kyoto for the day because I found that it really dies off after sunset!
however, if you are making any day trips out of Kyoto (I'd recommend arashiyama and Nara), then it may be a good place to base yourself to avoid overly long days
definitely try to find a hole in the wall izakaya bar in Tokyo! there's an alley somewhere in shinjuku (sorry, I don't have specifics!) with dozens of these - worth the experience, though be warned you're typically required to purchase a drink to sit down
feel free to pm me for any more suggestions! I love love Japan and would be happy to help

The first 4 or 5 days ...you will have jetlag ...pace yourself accordingly

During my 2 trips I didn't have any jetlag when arriving in Japan, but it hit me hard when I returned to Canada!

Depends on your body. It will feel out of sorts and you may get tired faster in the first 3 day.s but coming home depending where you live is the hardest. Toronto to Tokyo was the easiest. Coming home i went via Vancouver and then the red eye but found it more tiring.

Oh and drink lots of water in the first day or so as you will likely be very dehydrated from the long flight.

Phil Brian

Go see a Yomiuri Giants baseball game! Even if you're not a huge baseball fan it was an absolutely amazing experience and one of the best things I did in Japan. It's what I imagine a European soccer game is like more than NA baseball.

Brian RobertsLaura SinclairEmma McCartney

Kim Johnson Winston Sih some good info for us, it’s the same time frame

PM me if you want to go on cultural immersion... not at the touristy side of japan

Jenn

Myriam Wlmy check itttt

Hiroshima is a must!

In Osaka don’t miss spa world and Dotonburi (sp?)... we took a day trip to mount koya from Osaka and loved it, very peaceful. Kyoto is amazing! Enjoy the cherry blossoms you will be there just in time (you will think you miss them and then they appear suddenly overnight)... to celebrate a lot of locals take the day off and have big celebrations in the parks. If you are in Tokyo, you can go to Ueno park but go early. There’s a chain of coffee shops called Doutor and they make a Sakura latte which is just interesting to say you’ve tried
have fun!

RiikoKitayama ?

I had an unforgettable and expensive meal in Kyoto at Steakhouse Ashiya, it’s quite an incredible place.

Hey your head is probably spinning already from all the useful tips and suggestions. There is tons to see and do in Japan especially during Sakura. I suggest you do some research yourself, you will love Japan, it’s the most fascinating country in the world. Bon Voyage

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!! Really appreciate it

Tulika Singh

nara to see the wild deers ! Nara is between Osaka and Kyoto, worth it! It's a half day trip

Rickshaw in Kyoto bamboo forest

Take a day tour or 1/2 day tour of the temples. It is way easier and you have priority enterance. I had really good suishi under the Kyoto tower in the food court. You can ait down in the restaurant but taking it out is cheaper. The market in Tokyo near ueno has some awesome street restaurants. Not sure with the weather the way it has been. Do your research as some places are open only certain days and closed others. Make sure for the Shinkansen that you are on the platform early and ck the train signs. They arrive to the second. The ark is a good hostel in Osaka.

Most of the comments and recommendations above are along the what we call "Golden Route", it may be a good experience for first timers. The JNTO or the Japan National Tourism Organization is promoting more of the countryside experience. Nagano ranks 10th in their list for places to visit in Japan. But the "18 Must Visit Destination in 2018" as published by US based CNN Travel, Nagano came in 7th! The ONLY place representing Japan. The place sound familiar because it hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics and Paralympics that helped Nagano to be on the map. It is also the home of the famous Snow Monkeys where 200 long-tailed wild Japanese Macaques soak in natural hot spring. They are wild species but has the "attitude" of a Japanese. Some tourists spent days just to study their behavior and natural habitat. They have this interesting hierarchy system and respect for their elders. They are closely knit families that you can commonly see them caring for their babies. For the most part of Nagano, it is still unknown and conservative. In this sense, for those who want to experience real cultural immersion, this is the place to be. I am presently working at Tourism and Hotel Industry... If you need further information and/or assistance, do note hesitate to PM me.

or you might want to ski at the famous "JaPow" and enjoy the snow monsters... JaPow is short for Japan Powder which describes the quality of the snow that skiers and boarders alike are crazy about. You may google both, "JaPow and snow monsters at Shigakogen"...

Snow Monsters can be seen in 2 places in Japan. In Shigakogen and Zao

This is the best travel guide on a budget: https://tokyocheapo.com/
They have travel deals too for cheaper train tickets and some discounts on hotels for going between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka
TOKYOCHEAPO.COM
Tokyo Cheapo | The Ultimate Guide To Tokyo

Neetu Gill
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