Jen's Japan Bucket List!
One of my best friends and I visited Japan for two weeks. We stayed for 11 nights in Tokyo (with day trips to Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, Hakone, Nikko and Utsunomiya, and Kamakura) and 3 nights in Kyoto (with a day trip to Nara). We used a 7-day JR (Japan Rail) Pass (possibly the best bargain available for foreign tourists visiting Japan) to cover the cost of most of our travel outside of Tokyo.
Below are the highlights of our visit to Japan, the things that I would do again if I could go back and take the trip over again. I hope this list helps you plan your dream trip to Japan!
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TOKYO AREA: |
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Exploring Tokyo Disney Resort
(Urayasu) I spent three full days at Tokyo Disney Resort, one day at Tokyo Disneyland, one at Tokyo DisneySea, and one exploring the three hotels (Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, Disney Ambassador Hotel, and Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta) and the shops, especially the Bon Voyage gift shop. The biggest highlights of my Tokyo Disney Resort experience: dining inside the S.S. Columbia, riding rides that don't exist in the U.S., experiencing my favorite Disneyland rides somewhat differently, and soaking in the atmosphere of the Disney hotels. See Jen's review and photos of Tokyo DisneySea! See Jen's review and photos of Tokyo Disneyland! Jen's article: Tokyo Disney's unusual merchandise Jen's article: Tokyo Disney Resort outside the parks Jen's article: Top Ten Tokyo Disney Resort Tips Jen's article: Tokyo Disney's anniversary celebration |
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Cooking our own meal at a
neighborhood okonomiyaki restaurant: Sometaro (Asakusa) Because we chose to be spontaneous with our restaurant choices, I did very little research beforehand. Sometaro restaurant "accidentally" came up in my research of things to do in Tokyo. It turned out to be our most unique restaurant experience overall and the food was delicious! |
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Walking the wooded path through
Yoyogi Park to Meiji Shrine and watching a traditional
Japanese wedding procession (Shibuya) The misty rain that accompanied our visit to Yoyogi park was a lovely addition to the atmosphere of Meiji Shrine. An unplanned highlight of our experience was watching a wedding procession pass through the shrine courtyard. See Jen's review and photos of Meiji Shrine! |
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Finding interesting and tasty
treats at Japanese convenience stores (all over Tokyo, and
Japan) I enjoyed checking out the sweets at grocery and convenience stores to discover new treats. My favorite finds: Meiji chocolates and Glico Caplico Giant "Ice Cream" cones. (The "ice cream" is actually bubbly, flavored chocolate.) |
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Shopping at a Daiso 100 Yen store
(Harajuku) I love U.S. dollar stores (like the 99 Cents Only Stores), and so I couldn't wait to check out Daiso, a 100 Yen store. The store offered some wonderful items at the bargain price of 100 Yen. On my first visit I bought: a Mickey Mouse lingerie bag for the wash, Mickey Mouse chopsticks, a Mickey Mouse mouse pad, and a pack of Mickey Mouse tiny ziplock bags (about the size of credit cards). When I returned to the store one week later, all of these items were no longer available. They were replaced by other items. |
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Getting a birds-eye-view of Tokyo
(and, on one day, Mount Fuji!!) at Park Hotel Tokyo
(Shiodome) Seeing Mount Fuji was on my Japan Bucket List, but I knew that it was unlikely given that I made my trip during the early summer rainy season. I unexpectedly got my chance on a clear day that followed a few days of rain. Mount Fuji could be seen from our hotel lobby, to the right of Tokyo Tower! We also found great views of Tokyo at Tokyo Metropolitan Office Building and Park Hyatt Tokyo (both in Shinjuku) |
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Paying my respects to Hachiko
(Shibuya) Hachiko was a very loyal dog who greeted his owner every work day at the Shibuya train station. After his owner died unexpectedly while at work, Hachiko continued his daily vigil. Today there is a statue to honor the awesome dog. Gotta love dogs like Hachiko! |
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Getting a different perspective of
Sensoji Temple (Asakusa) Although I research and plan my trips with gusto, I always leave myself open to discovering something new and unplanned. When an unusual building across the street from Sensoji Temple caught my eye, I decided to take a detour to check it out. It turned out that the building was Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. It had a free observation deck that offered a unique view of Sensoji Temple, Tokyo Skytree, and Asahi Beer Hall (AKA: the golden turd). I discovered another unexpected surprise when I visited the Sensoji temple and looked at the underside of the big red lanterns there! [SPOILER ALERT: Under some of the large paper lanterns at Sensoji Temple are elaborately-carved, wooden images of dragons! END SPOILER] |
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Using
Western-style Japanese toilets (all over Tokyo, and Japan) Each toilet that I encountered in Japan was a little different. Some had magic (ie. motion sensitive) lids that raised automatically, some had heated seats, some had sprays that washed bottoms (front and back), some played “music” (gurgling water sounds). I never knew what I would find when I opened the bathroom stall door. |
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Finding the
ruins of Edo Castle at Imperial Palace East Gardens (Central
Tokyo) There are few really old buildings in Tokyo. It was cool to see one, even if it was only the ruins of one. |
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Shopping at a
Japanese toy store: Kiddy Land (Harajuku) Kiddy Land had a whole floor devoted to Peanuts characters, an entire section devoted to Disney, some merchandise based on the popular Studio Ghibli films, and a bunch of other toys and toy-related items for kids and kids-at-heart. |
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Crossing the
intersection at Shibuya crossing (Shibuya) Having seen Shibuya crossing in Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola's movie starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson), I had to try crossing the famous intersection myself. I was surprised by the experience. When the crossing light changed to green, in the bustle of the huge intersection, I felt like I was part of a few-second-long street fair. People moved around me in different directions. It felt chaotic, in a cool way. I also took in the view from the second story of Starbucks, where Coppola filmed some of her coverage of the Shibuya crossing scenes. |
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Eating at a
Tokyo McDonalds (all over Tokyo) I had to do it. Not because I didn't enjoy authentic Japanese food (I enjoyed my culinary adventure at local restaurants in Japan very much), but on my second to last day in Tokyo, I just had to satisfy my curiosity about the burgers and fries at McDonalds in Tokyo. I wondered whether they'd taste like the ones in America. My verdict: They tasted just like the ones back home! |
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KYOTO and NARA: (Kyoto: 2.5 hours by train from Tokyo (travel free with 7- or 14-day JR Pass)) (Nara: 1 hour from Kyoto (travel free with 7- or 14-day JR Pass)) |
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Meeting and
feeding wild Japanese monkeys at Iwatayama Monkey Park
(Kyoto) At Iwatayama Monkey Park (AKA: Arashiyama Monkey Park), my friend and I climbed into a cage, where we purchased food to feed the wild Japanese macaque monkeys through the bars. Afterward, we wandered the grounds, where the monkeys relaxed and played, without any bars between us. See Jen's review and photos of Iwatayama Monkey Park! |
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Hiking through
tunnels of red torii at Fushimi Inari Shrine (Kyoto) Fushimi Inari Shrine is famous for its thousands of torii that wind their way up Mount Inari. We ended up visiting the shrine in the evening. With most of the tourists already gone for the day, we had the shrine almost to ourselves. Hiking through the gates as day turned to night was absolutely enchanting! See Jen's review and photos of Fushimi Inari Shrine! |
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Drinking the “wish-granting water” at Kiyomizu Temple (Kyoto) Kiyomizu Temple (Kiyomizudera) is well-known for its wooden balcony, built entirely without nails, that offers excellent views overlooking Kyoto. There were some very interesting experiences to be had there and at adjacent Tainai-meguri (AKA: Zuigudo Hall). Read Jen's review and photos of Kiyomizu Temple! |
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Being
interviewed by Japanese school kids (multiple
locations) Apparently, a popular school assignment for Japanese school children on field trips to tourist attractions is to practice their English by interviewing English-speaking tourists. During our trip, we were interviewed at Zeniarai Benten Shrine (in Kamakura) Kiyomizu Temple (in Kyoto), and Kasuga Grand Shrine (in Nara). |
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Feeding the
deer in Nara Park (Nara) Nara is teeming with historic sites and very friendly deer. Some of the deer have even learned to bow in exchange for deer crackers! See Jen's review and photos of Nara, Japan! |
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Getting our
pictures taken at a Japanese photo booth (purikura) machine
and then adding special effects using editing screens that
were solely in Japanese (note: we did this at a machine
located outside an arcade in Kyoto, but similar machines are likely available at arcades in
major cities all over Japan) Before our trip, I had heard about Japanese purikura machines and thought they sounded like fun. We spotted a few outside an arcade in Kyoto and decided to give them a try. After dropping 400 Yen into the money slot, we posed for our photos, but when we went to pick up the photos from the slot outside the machine, they weren't there. Fortunately, a nearby group of teenage girls guided us into a booth adjacent to the photo booth, where we were supposed to add special effects to our photos before they were printed. Through trial and error, we decorated our photos as a clock on the screen ticked down. The results were pretty funny! |
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Passing through
the wooden “column of enlightenment” at Todaiji Temple (Nara) Todaiji Temple is known for its Great Buddha. There is a special tunnel in one of the columns inside the building that houses the Buddha. It is said that those who are able to pass through the tunnel will attain enlightenment. I gave it a try. See Jen's review and photos of Nara and Todaiji Temple! |
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Strolling
through a grove of bamboo at Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (Kyoto) The bamboo grove in Arashiyama is relatively small, but it had a mystical quality. I imagine it would be even more magical in the rain. |
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HAKONE: (2 hours by train from Tokyo (travel cost 5000 Yen with Hakone Free Pass (or 3900 Yen with 7- or 14-day JR Pass)) |
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Eating a black
egg and “egg-flavored” soft serve ice cream at Owakudani
Valley in the mountains of Hakone The black eggs in otherworldly Owakudani Valley were tasty, and eating one might have added seven years to my life! See Jen's review and photos of Hakone and Owakundani Valley! |
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Taking a dip in
a traditional Japanese onsen: Tenzan Onsen Taking a nude dip in a public bath was a bit intimidating for me at first, but the experience turned out to be surprisingly calming and relaxing. See Jen's review of Tenzan Onsen! |
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Doing the
Hakone Free Pass loop Seeing Mount Fuji up close should have been the highlight of our trip to Hakone, but it wasn't because we didn't see her. We did encounter some unanticipated fun surprises though. See Jen's review and photos of Hakone! |
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NIKKO and UTSUNOMIYA: (Nikko: 2.5 hours by train from Tokyo (travel free with 7- or 14-day JR Pass)) (Utsunomiya: 1/2 hour from Nikko, plus ½ hour bus ride to get to Utsunomiya Zoo (travel free with 7- or 14-day JR Pass, plus approximately 500 Yen each way for the bus ride to the zoo)) |
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Going to Utsunomiya Zoo where I fed monkeys, lemurs, an elephant, and
giraffes (Utsunomiya) The Utsunomiya Zoo is a tiny zoo where visitors may purchase food to feed some of the animals. We visited Utsunomiya as a side trip on our way from Tokyo to Nikko. See Jen's review and photos of Utsunomiya Zoo! |
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Seeing
colorful, intricate Toshogu Shrine in the woods (Nikko) Toshogu Shrine is nestled in a mystical forest in the mountains and was unlike any other shrine that we visited in Japan. See Jen's review and photos of Toshogu Shrine! |
KAMAKURA: (1 hour by train from Tokyo (travel free with 7- or 14-day JR Pass)) |
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Hiking to the Great Buddha There's an easy, civilized way to visit the Great Buddha of Kamakura, but my friend and I chose a rugged, slippery, muddy hiking trail known as the Daibutsu Hiking Course instead. It was a great decision! See Jen's review and photos of the Daibutsu Hiking Course and the Great Buddha of Kamakura! |
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Seeing the hydrangeas (June and
July only) and stone statues at Hase Temple This unique temple has hundreds of small Jizo statues, a cave dedicated to a sea goddess, and (in June and July) a fairytale-like garden of blooming hydrangeas. See Jen's review and photos of Hase Temple! |
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ABOUT JEN Jen is also known as J.W. Lynne, a best selling author of eleven novels. Click on any of the titles below to see the book on Amazon! THE UNKNOWN: Eight kids learn the shocking reason why they were kidnapped. ABOVE THE SKY: A girl lives in a world where touching her soulmate is forbidden. THE DARKNESS OUTSIDE: A teen is locked in a bunker to take a simulated trip to the moon. KID DOCS: An experimental program turns kids into doctors. WILD ANIMAL SCHOOL: A girl falls in love with a boy at an exotic animal ranch. WHAT HE DIDN'T TELL ME: A traumatized girl meets a boy with a horrible secret. IF I TELL: A teen wonders if her father is a serial killer. Besides reading books and dreaming up stories to write, Jen's favorite activities are singing along to musical theater soundtracks and hiking in California's beautiful parks. **Jen's books are available on Kindle Unlimited.** |
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