An Epic Journey through Japan

I was inspired by Alexandra Kostoulas, founder of the San Francisco Creative Writing Institute to start writing again and thought, why not return to my blog. Hello blog, it’s been a while. 

I could talk politics or religion or parenting or dating, but thought I’d start by writing about my recent trip to Japan. I am still grieving my dad who passed away in November and Japan has special meaning for me because my dad was stationed in Okinawa while serving in the Navy. Embarking on this trip was a way for me to honor his service to our country and how much I treasured our adventures together.

Upon return, I had a Zoom sync with my friend Mike who said, “You are the embodiment of genki!” Genki is a Japanese word that means lively, full of spirit, energetic, vigorous, vital, spirited, healthy, fit, the basic energy of the universe that flows through everything. Quite flattering given I was still suffering from jetlag! I guess the Japanese ethos rubbed off on me. 

Franco (10 years old now!) and I went to Japan for an extended Spring Break. I took him out of school for a week, then he had the following Easter week off. We spent Easter Sunday on a bike tour in Kyoto and Easter Monday learning that Pope Francis had passed away. 

Before I get into the travel logistics, let me share my overall impressions of the country, its people and the culture. Japan is very safe. Last year Franco and I traveled to Iceland for Spring Break and Iceland is considered the safest country in the world. Despite how populated it is, Japan felt just as safe. The people are polite, respectful, quiet and even their language is melodic. In many ways, Japan is the opposite of America. The Japanese take a lot of pride in what they do and how they carry and conduct themselves. They’re so civilized! They’re not angry or irritable or in a rush. They’re calm, thoughtful, and level-headed. What stood out most is how intentional they are. Maybe this has to do with their religion (Shintoism or Buddhism), but they are focused on the present moment. It’s a beautiful way to live–and beautiful as a tourist to not just witness, but also be immersed in this intentionality for 10 days. 

One big example of intentionality is that you are not to eat or drink while walking. There are signs in markets that prohibit this. If you buy food from a stall, you stand and eat in front of the stall, and only move on when you’re done. People are not walking around with Starbucks coffee in hand. This takes getting used to. 

Japan is hyper-efficient. Shit runs like clockwork. The Japanese are also rule-followers. Because I’m an obnoxious American, I would jay-walk and cross even at a red light. Why not? No cars! But the Japanese would wait patiently until there’s a green light. They’re completely law-abiding.

There are no public garbage receptacles which also takes getting used to as an American. This is primarily because of the 1995 sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway. I came prepared with small plastic bags in my purse to carry any garbage back to our hotel. But for the first few days, I must have told Franco at least 10 times to stop looking for a garbage can. 

Typically when I travel, I am used to locals thinking I am one of them (Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil); sadly, I did not get that treatment in Japan. I’m too dark! Franco, however, looks half Japanese and he was very consistent with his bowing and Japanese greetings. I should ship this kid off to a Japanese boarding school. 

I know many people who have traveled to Japan and know just as many who will soon go. It completely lived up to the hype. My friend Joe went with his partner, then returned to Japan solo two months later. I laughed when he told me this, but left Japan truly wanting to return again soon! Japan is a great place to take your family, but it should also be high on the list for bachelor/ette parties or an adult getaway with friends. There is so much to see and do! Golden Gai is an area within Shinjuku, Tokyo consisting of over 200 bars cramped into a few narrow alleyways. Franco and I walked all around and peeked into these tiny bars with only a handful of bar stools for seating. The temptation was so strong to pop into one and have a drink, but I couldn’t do that with my kiddo. Golden Gai has been recreated at Burning Man as Golden Guy and it’s well done. If you can’t get to Tokyo, get to the Burn! 

Japan is a cash-based society. As someone who works in payments, I find this very odd. When we went to Iceland, we did not bring any cash–it wasn’t necessary. I used my credit card everywhere. Not possible in Japan! You can use your credit card at Starbucks, department stores, convenience stores (Lawson, FamilyMart, 7-Eleven), your hotel and some restaurants, but you are going to need cash for everything else (markets, the train station, buses, bakeries/cafes, temples and shrines). 

I will say this until I die, but if you want to maintain your mental acuity, plan international travel and navigate the local public transportation on your own. Organizing a trip like this takes a lot of agility, research, patience and resourcefulness. I can see why people love to go on cruises. So much easier! 

Japan travel logistics are detailed below. 

Air and Transfer

Our biggest expenses were the flights and hotels. Once you’re there, everything is cheap. We flew direct from San Francisco (SFO) to Haneda Tokyo (HND) on Japan Airlines. I had debated flying Zip which is the low-cost carrier owned by Japan Air, but was turned off by several bad reviews. That said, a lot of people have flown Zip with no issues. Ideally, you could fly first class on Zip, but that was sold out by the time I booked. Japan Air was $500 more for both me and Franco and I figured it was worth it. The service was great and the food was great too. 

I would absolutely book an airport transfer from the Tokyo airport to your first hotel. You can do this on Klook. You will be assigned a driver who will communicate with you via WhatsApp. He will have a placard with your name on it. Ours also took a photo of exactly where he was standing. You will be seamlessly shuttled from the airport to your hotel. It’s worth the expense. 

High-Level Itinerary and Hotels

• Tokyo (3 nights) – APA Shinjuku Gyoemmae hotel – APA is a popular chain, cheap, and mobbed with tourists. The room was clean and tiny, but that’s to be expected. I really liked that there was an onsen (spa and hot tubs) in the basement. I was there every night! 3 blocks away from the nearest train station, 10 minute walk to Shinjuku station. 
• Hakone (1 night) – Mount View Hakone ryokan – I imagine all of the Hakone ryokans (traditional Japanese hotels) are wonderful. That said, we really loved our stay at Mount View. Our meals (dinner and breakfast) were some of the best meals we had in Japan and there were multiple onsens at our ryokan that we took advantage of. 
• Kyoto (3 nights) – Miru Kyoto Nishiki hotel – This was my favorite hotel of our trip. It was a sleek boutique hotel a few blocks away from the popular Nishiki market. Fewer than 25 rooms. Rooms were decent sized with luxe bath amenities. Every morning freshly baked croissants are waiting for you. Free communal laundry. Perfect location. 
• Tokyo (2 nights) – KOKO Residence Asakusa – We were upgraded to what seemed like a penthouse suite: separate bedroom (2 beds), living room, dining room, in-room washer/dryer. 2 blocks away from the nearest train station. 

After doing the above, I would probably adjust our itinerary to the following:

• Tokyo (3 nights)
• Hakone (2 nights)
• Kyoto (3 nights)
• Tokyo (1 night before flight home)

I’m not a fan of being somewhere for only one night and everyone had said that one night in Hakone was sufficient, but I disagree. There was so much more we wanted to do. I’ll get to that later. 

Apps / Resources

]After booking your flights and lodging, here are the apps you will need:

• Google Maps – critical for navigation
• Google Translate – critical for reading signs (use the camera) and communicating. English is limited in Japan and it’s common to resort to showing your device and vice versa. 
• Currency – for conversion
• Klook – to book local tours and airport transfer
• smartEX – to book the Shinkansen bullet train
• Uber – for rides
• Japan Web for immigration into Japan 
• CPB MPC – for smooth re-entry back into the U.S. and zipping through customs
• Always bring a portable charger with you. Don’t think you’ll be fine for the day. You will absolutely need to recharge. 

Tokyo and Train Navigation

• Shinjuku area
• Shinjuku train station
• Shibuya Crossing
• Tsukiji market
• Nakameguro
• Mori Art museum
• Takeshita street
• Mipig cafe
• Meiji Jingu shrine
• Imperial Garden
• Sensoji temple
• Skytree
• Odaiba
• Bay Cruise
• Ueno Park
• National Museum of Nature and Science
• National Museum of Western Art
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation Deck
• Hie shrine
• Omoide Yokocho
• Golden Gai

Franco and I both slept on the flight and had no problem unpacking, walking around, getting dinner, going to bed and waking up ready to go the following day. We did a lot of wandering around, but Google Maps is a good resource for finding nearby sites and restaurants with excellent reviews. 

Our first three nights were in Shinjuku, Tokyo which is like the Times Square of Asia. I think it’s a great location, lots of buzz, lots of restaurants and everything you need right outside your hotel. 

We started our first full day in Tokyo heading to the Shinjuku station to get our Suica cards and navigate the train system. A Suica card is your train pass (similar to the Bay Area’s Clipper card) and you can get this online and use your device. The problem is everyone needs their own device so I could only have my Suica card on my device and could not also include Franco. Franco does not have his own cell phone. Personally, I also like having a physical card. Here’s a tip: if you have kids, bring their passports for a discounted Suica card. I did not bring Franco’s passport with me to the train station and was unable to get him a child Suica card. So I ended up getting two adult Suica cards for the two of us. You load each of them with a set amount of money. 

Tokyo is the busiest city in the world. The Shinjuku station is the busiest train station in the world. This is where we tried to figure it all out and were immensely frustrated. People are rushing by and it’s hard to ask anyone for help. We stopped a group of friendly women who told us that even though they were Japanese they weren’t from Tokyo and they were also lost! Haha. It’s not just us Americans! 

Here are some tips. You are going to rely heavily on Google Maps for navigation. Hone in on the train line. For example, M is the Marunouchi Line and it is color coded. Follow the signs for the M line. Google Maps will tell you how far on the line you need to go. For example, you need to go from M10 to M7. There should be signage that will tell you whether the upcoming trains are going up or down, but Google Maps will also tell you exactly which platform to board from. All of the platforms are labeled.

One of our tour guides said that Shinjuku station has over 200 exits. Don’t bother trying to get to a certain exit. Just find any exit and get out. 

After gaining a few wrinkles from the public transportation debacle, we made our way to Shibuya crossing. There’s a Starbucks in one of the buildings and you can make your way to the 2nd floor and take pictures of the crossing. 

We were quite proud of ourselves navigating next to the Tsujiki Market which Franco absolutely loved. We stood in line for this sugary omelet which I didn’t really understand what all the hubbub was about. The wagyu beef was solid. I don’t quite understand Japan’s obsession with assaulting their strawberries with sugar. Candied strawberries are a thing and I think it’s absolutely gross. 

Barely any cherry blossoms during the time we went, but there were some trees blooming and we managed to take some photos. The great thing about going in the spring (we’ve been told) is that the weather was perfect, while in the summer it’s hot as hell. 

We walked around the Nakameguro neighborhood which was lovely. We went to the Mori Art museum, but I would skip it. Takeshita street is bustling. 

In general, I’m not a fan of the animal cafes of which there are many. It’s inappropriate for wild animals to be confined to small spaces. Even for domesticated animals, there are issues. We went to a dog cafe and half the dogs were fucked up (some were wearing diapers, one french bulldog couldn’t stand up straight). I felt awful spending money there, but Franco (who loves animals) really wanted to go. The Mipig cafe seemed different. The pigs looked like they were well attended to and cared for. And Franco will tell you it was one of the highlights of the trip for him.

The next day we took this popular all day Tokyo bus tour and it was fantastic. 

Our tour guide was half-Filipino, half-Japanese and she was amazing: informative, humorous, spoke 3 languages. She could answer every question and added lots of detail and background. I highly recommend the tour. It covered all the major spots. Something we learned: shrines are for the Shinto religion, while temples are for Buddhism. 

We spent the rest of our time in Tokyo (including the latter part of our trip) visiting museums, other sites and quaint streets. A lot of museums are concentrated around Ueno Park. We visited the National Museum of Nature and Science which was nice, and the National Museum of Western Art which was surprisingly amazing. Some of the artists represented were Rodin, Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Pollock, Miro. I felt like I was at the Chicago Art Institute. Such an impressive collection. 

Hakone

• Hakone-Tozan train to Gora
• Hakone Open-Air Museum
• Hakone Ropeway
• Owakudani volcanic valley
• Lake Ashi
• Pirate Ship
• Hakone Shrine

Franco and I have a tradition of going to a national park annually. This started after Dean and I got divorced, and I wanted to create special memories to ameliorate the pain of our changing family dynamic. We started by going to Yosemite several years in a row, then Death Valley with my parents. We got adventurous with multiple national parks in Iceland. For this trip, it was Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, with Hakone sitting within this larger national park. 

We took a shinkansen from Tokyo to Hakone. I think of Hakone as the Calistoga of Japan; it’s known for its hot springs and views of Mount Fuji which we couldn’t see because it was cloudy. Like I said previously, I think Hakone deserves 2 nights. Most people make it a day trip and do a loop which consists of a train, cable car, ropeway, bus, and pirate cruise to see the main sites. Outside of the loop, we went to the Hakone Open Air Museum which reminded me of Burning Man with all its art installations. There was a building dedicated to Picasso and his work. We were there for two hours and could have stayed longer. There are other museums in Hakone we missed because we didn’t have time. Plus Hakone is serviced by a bus system and each site takes time to get to. I wish we had more time, but we definitely packed it all in. It is deserving of more than just a day trip.

Kyoto

• Nishiki market
• Kitano Tenmangu shrine
• Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji)
• Tenryu-ji temple
• Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
• Iwatayama Monkey Park 
• St. Francis Xavier catholic church
• Hokan-ji temple
• Kosho-ji temple
• Higashiyama district
• Gion district
• Pontocho Alley
• Ninenzaka

Next up: Shinkansen to Kyoto. I fell in love with Kyoto. It’s Japan’s original capital city and it’s so charming and damn cute. Both Franco and I kept saying we could live in Japan and if I had to choose, I’d live in Kyoto. Every street is magical. Navigating Kyoto is a little different because you will use a combination of trains and buses to get around. 

The day after we arrived, we did an all day bike tour. Our tour guide wasn’t that great. He gave us pretty basic information. But otherwise, Franco and I are big fans of bike tours. We make a point of doing them wherever we go. 

We weren’t able to start our bike tour on time because we were waiting for a family of 5 from England. They were 30 minutes late. When they finally arrived, the mom bowed to each of us and apologized profusely, “I am so sorry. I am so very sorry. It’s all my fault. I couldn’t find my train ticket and almost lost my mind. Please we will make it up to you. We’ll get you ice cream and beer. My apologies.” I told Franco it was really good for him to see that because she handled the situation perfectly. 

At this point, I’m going to be honest, I was completely out-shrined and out-templed. Even as a devout Catholic, once I’ve seen a couple churches, I’m done. We weren’t able to make it to Easter mass because we were on our bike tour, but the following day when Pope Francis died, I googled nearby St. Francis Xavier catholic church and stopped in to pray. By the time we got to Kyoto, we had already seen several temples and shrines in Tokyo. I really could not take many more and my attention span dropped. 

The best part of the bike tour was the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. We went back the following day via bus/train to the Iwatayama Monkey Park. Remember Franco loves animals. This was another highlight of the trip. Snow monkeys right in front of you. The hike up to the monkey park was also beautiful. 

I think the best part of Kyoto was just wandering, no agenda. There are some really cute streets and districts which are listed above. 

Osaka

What’s missing from our itinerary is Osaka. There’s a debate between Osaka vs Kyoto, and of course you should do both if you can. I’m the type of traveler who prefers to pick fewer locations and spend more time in each vs trying to do it all. I can’t speak for what we missed out on, but I’m so glad we chose Kyoto–and as I said, Kyoto is probably my favorite of all the places we went. 

Packing

Franco and I packed extremely light–only enough clothing for three days. I was told that laundry was easily accessible and that was true. Every hotel has laundry. In the U.S., I had gotten the flu and most recently was coming off of a cold. I did pack a bunch of flu/cold medicine, but that is unnecessary. There are plenty of pharmacies for whatever you need. Also, you don’t need to bring adapters. Our chargers plug into their outlets just fine. I purchased a Japan journal for Franco so that he could document the trip and get his book stamped. There are stamps at all the train stations, museums and major sites, and it’s cute to watch kids stamp the pages of their journals. 

Luggage delivery through Yamato is a convenience you can take advantage of. Your hotel can help you fill out the paperwork to have luggage delivered the following day to your next hotel. We tried this once and did a happy dance to see our luggage efficiently transported to our next hotel room. But we’ve also lugged our luggage up and down the stairs of Shinjuku station and stowed it above our heads on the Shinkansen train–totally fine!  

Drinks

I have been drinking Starbucks hot chocolate for breakfast since I started working full-time in my twenties. Starbucks locations are plentiful in Japan, but my preference is always to choose local. I had a hard time finding coffee shops close to our hotels. No problem finding bakeries, but the bakeries don’t sell drinks. Also restaurants don’t automatically pour water. You need to request it. The water is safe to drink and I read that it goes through a double purification process. My alcohol of choice is Chardonnay (because red wine gives me headaches). If a restaurant serves wine, it’s listed as red or white. I had to break out Google Translate to ask to see the bottle or if they carried Chardonnay. 

Miscellaneous Travel Details

• You can easily take a taxi or Uber from your hotel to the airport to go back home. No need to book a private driver like we did entering Japan. 
• Call your cellular service provider and turn on international roaming.
• When using your credit card, choose to pay in yen vs dollars. 
• No need to tip in Japan.
• Jet lag from Asia back home to San Francisco is no joke! It really does take about a week to adjust. 

What else can I help with? Would love to hear any questions. And who’s coming back with me to Japan?!