12 Days in Japan - Itinerary and Food Report
tamagoken omurice in akihabara
For my summer break, I had 12 days off–and I knew I wanted to go to Japan. But the question was, what should I do? And more importantly, as your resident ramen enthusiast, where should I eat?
After tons of research, following around a friend who lives in Japan, and stumbling across stuff myself, here’s my breakdown for almost two weeks in Japan.
Navigation
Day-by-Day Breakdown
Tokyo
Day 1: Shibuya Crossing, Koreatown, best sushi of my life
Day 2: Asakusa, Sensoji Temple, Edo museum, curry and katsu pork, Tokyo Skytree, met up with friend at Shinjuku for Ichi Ramen
Day 3: Akihabara, omurice, Odaiba, Teamlabs Borderless, tacos
Day 4: Meiji Jingu, Harajuku, crepes, Imperial Palaces, Suga Shrine & Your Name stairs, Yakitori Alley
Day 5: Chill day, left for Kyoto at noon
For Tokyo, I stayed at Nui hostel, which had a great atmosphere and was super clean. They have a bar/cafe downstairs, which was a liiiittle bit pricey (I mostly opted to grab ongiri and sliced apples from convenience stores instead), but convenient.
Although Day 4 was way too packed, I think this itinerary was solid. I also got lost in Shinjuku station for, like, three hours and couldn’t find a bathroom on Day 2. So, uh, watch out for that.
My favorite eats:
Katsumidori Seibu Shibuya – Conveyor belt sushi place inside a mall, near Shibuya crossing. The line was long but moved fast and I seriously think about their fatty tuna at least once a week. Best meal of the trip by far
Tonkatsu Hasegawa: Michelin starred (but not too pricey) curry and katsu, rich and delicious
Tamagoken Akihabara – Omurice placed tucked in an alleyway in Akihabara
Ichi Ramen – big chain restaurant where you can customize ramen
omurice
Kyoto
Day 5: Got there around 3, Nishiki Market, udon, Fushimi Inari shrine (at night)
Day 6: Kenko-ji Golden temple, ramen and gyoza, Kyoto Imperial Palace (was closed), Gion area, yakitori and miso soup, Japanese culture show at the Opera House
Day 7: Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari (daytime), Sanjusangendo, Kiyo-mizudera (my favorite temple), more ramen
Day 8: Left for Hiroshima eaarrllyyyy
In Kyoto, I stayed at Piece Sanjo. I liked it–super clean and spacious, but more like a hotel than a hostel in terms of atmosphere. They also had a bar/cafe downstairs, and the bartender let me sample a ton of sake one night. Still, it was hard to meet people, although there were tons of middle-aged Italians so I got to practice listening again.
I’m extremely happy with my itinerary in Kyoto, but I definitely pushed myself on Day 7. I did SO MUCH and in the heat? I don’t even know how I did that! I took lots of breaks, including at a cat cafe near Fushimi Inari. And yes, I did go to FI twice–I wanted to see it at night and during the day. I recommend going at night, there’s zero crowds, and it’s a very spiritual place.
My favorite eats:
Ippudo Nishiki-Koji – ramen place, fast service. Got their spicy version with gyoza, and apparently they have a vegan/veggie option.
Ramen Sen-no-Kaze Kyoto – another ramen place. This place by far had the best chashu pork on my trip.
Hiroshima/Miyajima
Day 8: Arrived in Hiroshima at 10am-ish. Headed straight to Peace Park, A-Bomb, Hypocenter, okonomiyaki lunch, bomb museum, grabbed a ferry to Miyajima at 5pm, saw the floating shrine and relaxed in my airbnb’s onsen
Day 9: Took the cable car up Mount Misen, ate more okonomiyaki, chatted with my host and learned some Japanese calligraphy, wandered the market, Daishoin temple, ferry back to Hiroshima and left for Osaka at 7.
I stayed at Miyajima Guesthouse. I originally booked a Japanese-style room, but they put me in the modern bunks. The rest of the guesthouse made up for it.
People told me I should stay in Kansai since my trip was so short, but I’m SO happy I went ahead and made it down to see the Peace Park and Peace Memorial Museum. This leg was my favorite part of the trip. I stayed in Miyajima, which was only a ten minute ferry ride away from Hiroshima, and between my wonderful host, the deer, the gorgeous sunsets and the mountain, it was a more peaceful and impactful experience than I could have asked for.
My favorite eats:
Nagataya – Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki (noodle pancake), across from the A-dome. I got there at 11, which was lucky because 10 minutes later there was a huge line. So good, so worth it.
Sheba Cafe – little brunch place, across the street from Peace Park. Good coffee and a really yummy sea salt ice cream.
Momiji Manju – not a place, but a traditional maple-leaf shaped cookie in Miyajima, often filled with adzuki bean jam. The chocolate ones were my favorite.
hiroshima-style okonomiyaki at nagataya, across from the A-dome
Osaka
Day 9: Arrived in Osaka late, met up with my friend and got shabu shabu. Walked around Dotonbori.
Day 10: Universal Studios
Day 11: Fluffy pancakes, Osaka Castle, takoyaki, Toro’s Sushi stall, Dotonbori again, the Ferris Wheel, steak bowls
Day 12: Left for the airport at 9am.
I stayed at Capsule hotel Astil – Dotonbori, which was a really clean capsule hotel. It was a cool experience! I wasn’t used to having to check out every day by 11am, but it actually kept me from unpacking too much.
People asked me why I was going to Universal when I only had two days in Osaka–well, my friend wanted to go, and I’m so glad we did! I’ve been to Universal in America, but it was soooo fun going again. I bought way too much Harry Potter merch and got to see their Attack on Titan show (which was wild af). And honestly, Osaka was small enough that I got to see everything I wanted.
My favorite eats:
Don Shop Shabutei Mitsuderasuji – Shabu shabu hot pot place. It was good!
Umai-ya – Super old takoyaki place, as featured on Netflix’s Street Food. It was SO good.
Toyo’s – Also featured on Netflix’s Street Food. I’m gonna level with you, it was good…but that sushi place in Tokyo was better.
Cafe & Pancake Gram – Really good Japanese-style fluffy pancakes. They only serve 20 orders of them at 11am, 3pm and 6pm, so it’s recommended you get there 30 mins early.
Red Rock Americamura – roast beef steak bowls. Came with this horseradish sauce that was…*chef’s kiss*
Some Important Notes
My Japan trip was incredible, but I also pushed myself hard. If I wanted to be kinder to my body, I should have either taken out some of the temples (especially in Tokyo and in Kyoto) or added more days (which I logistically couldn’t). It was extremely hot, and by the end of each day I was so physically exhausted. Still, I’m happy with my itinerary, but if you’re planning a trip to Japan, keep in mind your physical needs and limits, especially if you’re going in summer.
I did buy the JR Pass since it paid for itself with how many cities I went to. If I took out Hiroshima/Miyajima, then I would have not bought the pass and paid for trains separately.
If I’m lucky enough to go back to Japan, I would love to hit up Hakone and Mt. Fuji. My friends suggested it, but given my time restraints, it wasn’t possible.
Thanks for reading!