Omg you guys! My partner just surprised me with the best Xmas present! Chris' deal to Tokyo!!! Going in Sept.
What should we do?! We'll be in Tokyo for a week and Osaka for a few days. Would love cool hotel recos, "can't miss" things to do and see, etc. This will be our first big trip in about 7 years, and since our kids were born. Squeeee!!!
Thanks!

Sushi in the fish market in Tokyo!!!!

It's outside of Tokyo, but check out Japan Foods'n Booze with Manami. It's a great experience.

The new Beauty and Beast land is opening at Tokyo Disneyland in the summer!

September can still be sticky hot in Tokyo, head up to the mountains if you can, some great spots in Nagano or north. Also, September is still baseball season. Even if you’re not a big baseball fan I’d 100% recommend going to see a game. The atmosphere is amazing, and nothing like a ball game here. (In Tokyo I’d see Yakult over the Giants)

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Kyoto is a short train ride from Osaka and it is wonderful and unique. There are a lot of cool traditional house with tatami bedroom you can choose from Airbnb.

Lesley Also Nara, the bamboo forest of Arashiyama, and Minoo falls. All short train rides from Osaka. Fugetsu is a great okonomiyaki/yakisoba chain. Have fugu once on your trip too maybe near Dotombori bridge.
https://globalwheels-japan.com/ In Osaka, ask for Gareth - he’ll hook you up!
GLOBALWHEELS-JAPAN.COM
Japan Touring & Road Bike Rental: Globalwheels

https://www.beautifullytravelled.com/itinerary-one-week.../
BEAUTIFULLYTRAVELLED.COM
The Complete Itinerary: How to spend one week in Tokyo

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You have to go see Teamlabs Borderless and Planets in Tokyo! Planets was our favourite. Such a unique experience.

Tokyo cheapo is a great website to help you save money while going to cool things in Japan, I can’t stress enough on eating a variety of foods, can’t find a bad meal, also there are a lot of youtubers that make videos on Japan so there is an abundance of info on YouTube

Kyoto > Osaka

Paul I agree. Osaka has some cool bars but would definitely stay longer in Kyoto. At least 2 days are needed

Are you guys more food tourists, sight seers, looking for nerd spots, anything like that? I can tell you I was just in tokyo for two weeks and it didn't feel like enough time.

Good point! I'm vegan, and my partner is allergic to shellfish...so I don't think we can be food tourists, unfortunately.
Generally, we just want to see cool stuff, experience the "real" Japan (ie not only the touristy stuff), and enjoy the sights. Also I love mountains...so def want to explore that.

Josh forget being vegan in Japan! My son lives there and was vegan before he went. Very difficult even being vegetarian...they just don’t get the concept. You might find “ meatless” dishes, but they will have fish oil or beef fat somewhere in the ingredients. Being meatless just means there isn’t a chunk of meat on the plate. Best you can do is probably Indian restaurants, as at least some of the dishes are vegetarian. Good luck!!!

You have to keep in mind vegan is a western thing and vegetarian means very different things depending on the country (ie from the British I have talked to you still eat eggs) . Best I can say is say you are Buddhist (travel tip from a few muscians I know) and you might get close to vegetarian. Most things have at least a fish broth base. The usual tourist places are nice fuji, akihabara so forth. We really found staying in a business district like gotanda was great since it was quieter and close enough to things a twenty minute train ride gets you pretty much anywhere. Osaka to Tokyo is a solid train ride so keep that in mind. Haven't toured Osaka yet but Tokyo is a walking designed city and everyone is quite friendly. The bars have great food and open late so they were our stop off points exploring. Check out any of the big parks near the yamata line and they are great. Enjoy your trip, wish I had more pin point things to give you but we did mostly food and nerdy tourism.

Have a proper Kobe steak, teppanyaki style at this place:
Hakushu Teppanyaki
17-17-10 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0031, Japan
+81 3-3461-0546
https://goo.gl/maps/syzbm7eH16wbZAMA8
Amazing experience, reasonably priced.
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Whoops. Just saw the post above about you being vegan. Never mind the recommendation...but if anyone else is going and looking for a good spot, highly recommend it!

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For Tokyo: Asakusa/SensojiTemple, Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Disneyland, Meiji Temple, Sunshine Center, Tsukiji Market (maybe skip this since you guys are vegans), Imperial Palace, Harajuku Shopping. I went to Tokyo twice and I honestly enjoyed just walking around, checking out tiny shrines hidden in alleyways, trying ramen shops that didn't have any English, and eating all kinds of different vending machines and convenience stores foods/drinks. My wife and I are also big nerds so we spent a lot of time shopping in Akihabara and Ikebukuro. Try these websites: https://www.japan-guide.com/ and https://www.gotokyo.org/
JAPAN-GUIDE.COM
japan-guide.com - Japan Travel and Living Guide

I recommend researching the Tokyo transportation system thoroughly beforehand because it is very complicated and different companies own different train lines so you have to pay differently for certain lines. I believe there are 2 different train pass cards that you can use within Tokyo: Suica Card or Pasmo Card. We used Suica since we mainly stayed within central Tokyo and Suica was sufficient. If you plan to travel back and forth between Kyoto and Tokyo, I recommend getting the JR pass that will give you a discount for the bullet train.

One thing my wife and I really enjoyed was wearing rental kimono and walking around the Asakusa/Sensoji Temple area. We used this vendor and they were kind and helpful: https://www.asakusa-7henge.com/
ASAKUSA-7HENGE.COM
浅草で着物レンタル着付・リサイクル着物販売。『浅草七変化』

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Buy a Japan railways pass in canada for $350 - unlimited travel. Kyoto and Hiroshima/miyajima r a must

Might not be the best option for a 10 day trip with only Tokyo and Osaka on the list. JR pass only helps for city to city. Still need a metro pass to get around Tokyo.

There is so much more off the main tourist trail, so to speak. Especially in Tokyo. Decide if you want to do what everyone else does or just explore on your own. I would say if you are foodies, make it a focus. So much amazing food here. Vegan, Veg, Gluten free, whatever... airbnb has some amazing stays if you want western sized rooms. We are at one in Ometasando currently and love it. Worth staying at a capsule hotel and somewhere with an onsen/sento (hot spring/public bath) for a night too. Star some favs on google maps, pay attention to open and closing times (lots of specialty shops with items like mochi close early when they sell out, while lots of the best restaurants don't open until 5pm). Would hate to see you taking the subway all over the place just to meet closed doors! Bring some Yen too. Lots of cool shops and restaurants that don't take cards. Have fun!

We went this September and I saw on FB that there was a fireworks festival - it was wonderful hanging out alongside the locals and seeing young couples dressed in their kimonos as is tradition to wear for festivals - truly the only time when I felt like a local rather than a tourist.

I love Japan, have been four times. Here's my list of tips: Y100 = $1 / Y1000 = $10 - basically strike two digits off any price to convert.
Shinjuku neighbourhood:
-Meiji Jingu, one of the holiest shrines. Take advantage of your jet lag and go at dawn before the crowds, it opens at 5 am so make it the first thing you do.
-The main street with all the flashing signs at night, Yasukuni Dori, is the opening scene of Lost in Translation with all the lights reflecting on his windshield in the taxi
-Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar is the bar in the film where they meet. Entry is free before 9 pm, but a beer is $14. It's on the top floor of a tower though so think of it as an observation deck (ie. it costs $40 to go up the CN Tower) that's how I justified it.
-Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building aka City Hall has a free observation deck. It's the tallest building in Shinjuku. You literally go inside and to the elevator and a person presses the top floor for you and then bows to you as the doors close, then you emerge to a sweet view for $0. Must see.
-Ramen: Fuunji (Yoyogi 2-14-3, near Shinjuku station), google map it, if you get to the corner and don't see it because the sign is only in Japanese, you should see a police officer in the little police booth there, just say Fuunji he'll know
-Yakitori: at night there's a narrow alleyway Yakitori Alley it's literally under the train tracks of Shinjuku station and its packed with people grilling meat and drinking beer (izakaya) as trains rumble overhead it's really awesome and unique
-The craziest department stores ever: Lumine, Times Square. Massive stores that sell everything like the most intricate hand painted Japanese dishwater and kimonos and fashion brands you haven't even heard of, but the craziest thing is the food level (basement) which has a shocking variety of perfectly presented dishes on display a truly dizzying array of colours and tastes .. come hungry.
-Yodabashi, 7-storey camera and electronics store, gadget heaven
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Shibuya
-Shibuya crossing! World's busiest crosswalk, also featured prominently in films.
-There's a building there called Shibuya Mark City it's another big store, the basement level is called Tokyu Food Show and is Japan's biggest food hall with dozens of vendors it's again a dizzying array you'll want to eat it all. If you go to the tall bit of Shibuya mark city which is a hotel and hit the top button on the elevator you emerge to a windowed hall way with a wicked view over the crossing for free, just act like a guest
-Shibuya Booksellers a famous book store if you're into that
-The 7 floor Muji is in Shibuya if you like that store
-Sushi: Uogashi Nihon-Ichi (walk away from Shibuya station, cross the famous crossing and up the neon lit mall towards the HMV sign, there's a McDonalds opposite a Burger King, it's next to BK and the English says "standing sushi bar")
-next stop on the line is Harajuku but you could walk it in 25 mins, Harajuku is the adjacent neighbourhood and it's like.. Hip Shibuya, it's just more off the wall and quirky. cosplay.
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Chiyoda
-the Imperial Palace garden, where the Emperor lives. Japanese garden in the middle of Tokyo its the green square downtown when you google map tokyo immediately noticeable. lots of corporate HQs in the area glistening towers, manicured streets
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Akhihabara
-the famous 'electric town' -- 6 or 7 floor arcades, massive anime posters, cosplay in the street, 5 floor retro video game stores (go to Super Potato off Chuo Dori) -- anyone who grew up in the 90s and liked Japanese video games .. heaven.
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Asakusa
-The famous Senso Ji temple, narrow streets of classic japanese architecture
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Ginza
-gotta go to the Ginza, it's the most expensive real estate per square ft in the world. really high end. lots of rich people fancy cars like yorkville but way way crazier. you won't be able to afford anything but it's cool to walk around and see how the other half lives.
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Roppongi
-popular hangout for foreigners lots of cafes and bars. the main thing is Mori Sky Deck in Roppongi Hills .. there is an outdoor deck on the helipad on the roof of this tall building in central Tokyo that affords you a wicked view and no glass glare in your pictures and the wind blowing in your hair since you're outdoors high above Tokyo and can see it's concrete jungle stretch forever (don't worry there's a railing and a net you won't fall off)
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other stuff:
-great ramen and sushi is everywhere and often in train stations since trains are such a big part of the day for many japanese. look for full places that's always a good sign. the bottom line is you can't go wrong more or less. you will get quality everywhere for about 700 yen ($7)
-train will take you everywhere for cheap. english signs too. there are two train systems each infinitely better than the TTC, the map will be bewildering. there is the Subway and the JR (Japan Rail, regional, like GO), so pay attention to which you're on since they're separate tickets so can't transfer on the same fare between them, like you can't transfer to TTC from GO, but they serve a lot of the same destinations so its easy to get confused. JR runs above ground like GO, Metro runs underground. the main thing is the JR Yamanote Line (the green circle) will take you everywhere you need to go in Tokyo. It's the world's coolest train line. Shibuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo Stn (downtown), Akhihabara, Harajuku, etc
-there are lots of cool cafes in tokyo for your java fix, but the ubiquitous Family Mart (seriously they're everywhere best convenience store) has amazing Americanos for $1 like you won't believe it's a convenience store coffee, trust me, perfect cup every time, arguably my favourite coffee in the world is from a convenience store. Not too weak, not too strong. Just right. Also a great place to stock up on tasty snacks like all the Kit Kats and Pocky flavours we don't have and buy some shit you've never heard of too!
-Konichiwa (hello) and Arigato-gozaimas (thanks very much) with a smile go a long way.
-in addition to the main Meiji Jingu, Senso Ji etc, look for little shrines tucked in alleyways as a refuge from the busy streets of tokyo -- it's the ultramodern next the ancient.
-Japanese ATMs are often incompatible with foreign debit cards, but the JP Post (post offices) are everywhere and all have an ATM that works with canadian cards. so before you waste time going to like 4 banks and getting rejected just look for a post office.
-The "Time Out: 100 Things to Do in Tokyo" pamphlet available at the airport tourist info stand along with a free map is full of good ideas.
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that's it for now. there's always more to see in Tokyo. let me know what you find.

Ross seems you really love japan.

Ross great recos- thanks for all the detail!

I know an izakaya guide in Tokyo. Brings you to local usually hard to find izakayas. Here’s his IG page:
https://www.instagram.com/a.k.a._kanpai_japan/
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Jenna Wutzke

Whaya!..I am so happy for You!

Ueno Park and museums district after which walk down through the outdoor market under the JR tracks.

Kieran Cooley

i haven't been but there is a muji hotel!!!

Hey friends! Where did you get your JR pass from? I've been recommended a place by Dundas and Bay.

The MOST fun was Go Karting in the streets of Tokyo! We went for 2-3 hours, we chose 5:00pm start so we could see the citylights turn, and we had the most fun we’ve ever had. Great way to see the city! You will need to get an international drivers licence, very simple, call CAA find out where.

Just got back from Japan, if you have more than a week definitely get a JR Pass.We did Kyoto, Osaka, Kamakura& Nara.
Tokyo - Akhihabara, Shinjuku, Shibuya Crossing, Team Lab Borderless., Harajuku.
Within Tokyo you can use Suica or Pasmo , we did Suica it didn’t have any deposit.

I am at Tokyo right now, just came back from Ameya-Yokocho market, it is an interesting place to visit. The crowd level is just like the Raptors parade

You can't go to Tokyo and not see Nara and Kyoto as well as Osaka.I lived in Japan and worked at Expo 70 and there are just too many things to see. In Osaka you need takoyaki with your sake and don't miss a night in a ryokan. Remember no soap in the bathtub and you might consider a visit to a public bath for a lesson in manners and a cultural exchange. I have to go back every couple of years at the demand of friends there. You'll love it and should plan on return trips. This thread is a gold mine of information. I also used this flight deal, but went on to four weeks in China a couple of years ago. Don't be shy. All school kids speak English and someone will always help you find your subway train. The Bullet Trains are fast. Enjoy!!

Any thoughts on staying in a temple? We are only in Japan for 7 days and Koyasan for a temple stay was recommended to us but it adds quite a bit of travel time onto our already short visit. Is there a temple stay that would be recommend close to Kyoto or Tokyo?