Many comprehensive Japan travel guides and vlogs are already available for readers to build an itinerary. Therefore, this guide will focus on providing unique insights that are often missed in generic guides. Tourism in Japan is booming now but it is also concentrated in the center of its three primary tourism cities: Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. I will try to recommend some trips outside of these tourist hubs to spread the love around Japan, I’ll recommend some weird finds within Tokyo, and I’ll discuss some of the everyday things that are still interesting to me even after having lived in Japan for about a year, spread across four years.
For up to date events and festivals Tokyo Cheapo.
The Quotidien Details which Distinguish Japan
Grocery Stores / Convenience stores: fresh, seasonal, smaller portions, exceptional prepared food. For budgeting I generally eat prepared food from grocery stores when I travel. Japan’s convenience stores distinguish themselves from the world by providing high quality fresh food everywhere.
Pharmacies: Look around and see what’s different.
Izakaya: Japanese bars with tapas-esque dishes. The more accessible izakayas have English app / tablet ordering. The less accessible ones only provide handwritten Japanese menus seemingly written to not be readable by Google Translate. The latter should be taken as a sign that they would rather not have foreign tourists as customers.
Village Vanguard: chaotic mix of books, anime, snacks, ironic gifts.
Don Quijote: Japanese people have described it to me as a Japanese Wal Mart. That’s true in the sense that it has everything. loud, crowded, cheap, open late.
Tokyu Hands also has everything but higher quality and less chaotic.
Trash cans: scarce in public. Tourists often find themselves trapped (see this classic Japanese “mundane Halloween costume”). You can usually use the convenience store trashcans or vending machines will have a trash can hidden behind them.
Toilets: free, clean, bidets, heated seats, sound masking. If you are in need of public toilet find a metro station (but you’ll have to pay).
Onsens: public bathhouses heated geothermally. I will link some below but you can generally find them everywhere in Japan and i generally choose hotels based on whether they have onsens in the hotel.
Kotatsu (table with heater): low table covered in a blanket with a heater underneath.
Daikanyama / Nakamegura / Ebisu: these neighborhoods aren’t a secret. They are a central hub for foreigners living in Tokyo. That’s the case for a reason though. Some of the best walk routes can be found in this part of Tokyo.
Inside / Around Tokyo
Earthquake Prep - Disaster preparedness facility located in a fire department. Earthquake simulation experience.
Go Club - If you play Go (Baduk) you can drink beers and play some locals.
Enoshima: Beach town with a nice island shrine and a trashy beach bar area. Accessible by the Tokyo metro.
Themed museums in general anywhere and everywhere in Japan. Just see what pops out on Google Maps.
Squirrel Zoo
Live Music: “Live Houses” in Shimokitazawa, Kichijoji
Nissan Museum
Sumo: They have tournaments every couple of months. We bought our tickets through this website.
Snoopy Museum
There’s a cool lively area under the train tracks from Tokyo Station through Ginza and towards Shimbashi.
Logistics
Metro: The subway is a very cool and complex web made up of 3(+) companies. Get a SUICA or PASSMO card at a metro station or convenience store in order to transfer between them seamlessly. The trains almost always arrive exactly on schedule and they are safe enough for children to commute to school, sometimes an hour away from their homes, by themselves.
Car Rental. Japan is the only country I’ve visited where you are actually expected to have an international driver’s license (as an American) to rent a car.They drive on the wrong side of the road but the other drivers generally act more civilized than American drivers.
Outside of Tokyo Recommendations
Ginzanonsen: small picturesque mountain town.
Sendai Earthquake Heritage Museum and here
Gifu
Unique fashion Store
Takayama: known for its beautifully preserved Edo-period streets, traditional wooden houses, and mountain setting.
Nasu / Nikko: Hotels with onsens overlooking the Daiya River in the mountains, zoo
Hakone
Open Air Museum
Atami / Izu Peninsula
Fujikawaguchiko:
Scenic hotel
Hokkaido
Otaru: Seaside town
Strange Modern Park in Sapporo
Beppu Nagasaki: Gunkanjima, Dutch Town
Ehime:
Cool store
Art Island where you bike around and go to galleries.
Military Bases: if you have a CAC or base access Japan obviously has a lot of US military facilities,
Yokosuka
New Sanno Hotel: Hotel in the middle of upscale neighborhood Azabujuban. They have a gym, pool and Sauna you can use for free.
Yokota - This restaurant is good. Also they have a good gym.
Camp Zama - located in nice town. Nice golf course.
Tama Hills Standalone Golf Course / Recreation Area
Okinawa - Kadena was the only base worth visiting IMO. Nice golf course.