13 days in Japan
They say you aren’t truly a millennial until you take your obligatory trip to Japan. Turning 30 this year, it was time to pay my dues.
This is a 13-day trip but that includes travel to-and-fro. We went to the countryside of Kumamoto for my cousin’s wedding which was beautiful! However, it did create a pinch for time. The odds are that you’re going to have a couple more days to spend in other places, unless you’re also going for a family gathering.
5/13 Day 1:
Left from Louisville early in the morning. We had a 5-hour layover in Seattle, partly by choice to take a break during the day. Here we went to the United Lounge to relax. We have a United card with this option, but for $60 you can buy access. I think it’s worth it for long layovers because you get food, drinks, clean bathrooms, and comfortable chairs to sit in.
Since we have perks linked to our United Card, we try to fly with them as much as possible. ANA is a Japanese airline that partners with United. So while there are many options for flying to Japan, this worked best for us. Bonus for ANA, it has more leg space! Downside, flights typically cost a bit more.
Flight cost: $1,345
5/14 Day 2:
Landed in Tokyo at 7:00pm. There was a 13-hour time difference which was brutal.
Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport: Instead of leaving the airport, we stayed at here. It’s a quick walk from the terminal and there are multiple food options and stores to checkout outside of security. We were back on a flight early in the morning, so it just made the most sense for us to stay close. It cost $185 for the night.
5/15 Day 3:
Woke up early and took a short bus ride to a new terminal. Caught a short flight to Kumamoto airport where we got breakfast and picked up our car. After picking up our car, we headed to Mt. Aso
Tully’s: A chain in Japan with great coffee. 100% recommend the Honey Milk Latte! They also have great pastries and small breakfast plate. Plus, it’s always open early which we found to be rare in Japan.
Toyota Car Rental: We had our car from 5/15-5/17. Total it was $322.14 but that is including the IDP fee. (For first-time drivers in Japan, I highly recommend watching some Youtube breakdowns as it’s a bit of a culture shock for us Westerners. Also, you MUST have an International Driving Permit/IDP.)
Mt. Aso: This is a whole area, but we opted to go to the Nakadake Crater. Unfortunately, it was closed because of a helicopter crash, but we were able to walk the grassy field, Kusasenri, and got close enough to the crater to see active steam. We also enjoyed some yummy black sesame and matcha ice cream.
Akaushi Restaurant Mou: This was a great restaurant near my parents’ Airbnb which was super nice and I will share here. Food was great! I had an amazing curry! In the country side, most restaurants are cash only so definitely exchange currency. Another thing to note is that most restaurants open around noon and close around 5 or 6.
Ended the evening in our cute Airbnb cabin which was $179 for the night.
5/16 Day 4:
This was the day of the wedding so we had some time to kill in the morning.
Shirakawa Springs: Small area with a natural spring, a shrine, and little shops. Very pretty and shaded which was nice on such a hot day. ¥100
Takamori Spring Water Tunnel Park: Again, a nice place to beat the heat, as you are underground by running water. There were art exhibits throughout the tunnel that I am assuming get switched out periodically. It was very unique to say the least but would be something I’d skip if I had better plans. ¥300
Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine: We had to rush this part, but this was the prettiest shrine we saw! It’s up about 260 stairs, but the path was covered by trees.
After killing some time, we headed to Minami Aso Luna Observatory where my cousin’s wedding was held. Here, we had a beautiful, rustic, but quaint cabin that had 2 floors. It was like 100 yards from the main part of the hotel. After the ceremony, we had a wonderful dinner followed by a stargazing tour. They first teach you about the stars and what we expect to see this time of year, then you look through their massive million-dollar telescope before venturing out to a field where they provided cots, blankets, and warm drinks to stargaze. This is an experience that all guests receive when staying at the hotel. It was so neat and an experience I won’t forget.
5/17 Day 5:
After enjoying the countryside, we headed to the city of Kumamoto.
Kumamoto Castle: Dress comfortably as it’s busy and not air-conditioned. Obviously, all the writings in the museum were in Japanese but they provided an app that you can download for translation. Without this, I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much.
Yoka-Yoka: A restaurant near the castle. 10/10 recommend the bento box meal! Sadly, I did not take photos because I was starving and ate it all before thinking.
We then returned our car and checked into the hotel. We used the streetcar when we didn’t walk and it was very simple. You just tap on and off like trains in the bigger cities.
Mitsu Garden: Our hotel for 1 night which was very nice and cheap! Only $52 a night! From here we shipped our large suitcase to our next destination, Osaka, as we heard it is a challenge travelling with large baggage. All we needed was to provide our next hotel's information and pay the fee. If you ship your bags early they can be delivered in 24 hours, if you ship them in the afternoon, it typically takes 48 hours. We just planned ahead and put the essentials (like clean clothes, chargers, medications, etc.) in our small bags. It cost us about $40 to ship.
Kumamoto Yatai Mura: A food hall with many options! The vendors were a little pushy trying to get you to eat at their place. Don’t pull a Dani, panic, and order raw meat. Just take your time and say no.
Sakae Dori: a walking tunnel where they had shops, arcades, and restaurants sprinkled throughout.
5/18 Day 6:
Shinkansen Day! Our tickets for the bullet train from Kumamoto to Osaka were $124 apiece. The train ride itself took only 3.5 hours. Kumamoto is a small train station so we got there about 30 minutes early which was more than enough time! That being said, the train doesn’t stop for long. Be there and in line to your designated car before set time. More popular stops give you about 5 minutes for people to exit and board the train, but less busy stops only provide 2 minutes. The easiest way to buy a Shinkansen ticket is through the smartEX app. The ride was quick, and comfortable. Small suitcases, like carry-ons can go overhead. Larger suitcases need to be reserved ahead of time. Many people get bento boxes for these rides, often sold at the stations. You might even find a self-heating bento box! Otherwise, cold food it is…
We took a taxi to our hotel from the station since we had small suitcases and it was on the opposite side of town. It cost about $30. We arrived early, but our hotel had lockers that can be used to store your luggage while you explore at no cost.
Omo7: Our hotel room was very modern and clean! We opted for a larger room as there were 3 of us and there was a loft with a bed which offered more privacy. Great for a family! The hotel itself had great service. Every night in Omo7’s large and beautiful yard, they had a small party where you could play a game, get a snack, and have one beverage for free. One of our best hotel experiences to date! Plus, for 2 nights it was only $339.
Osaka Food Tour: we went to Shinsekai Market which was close to our hotel. All the food was so yummy and Jay, our guide, was great! This ran us $81 each and lasted close to 3 hours.
5/19 Day 8:
We started this day on the hunt for coffee. Not many places open early here so finding a Tully’s was a treat. Sure, it’s a chain but it’s a savior for the early risers!
Osaka Castle: In my opinion, it was probably the prettiest castle we saw. There was a moat around the castle and it was up on a hill so it had a pretty view.
Dotonbori: 100s of shops, restaurants, and more. This is the famous spot where you can find the Gilco Man mural. We are typically not the shopping type on vacations but in Japan, the US dollar goes a long way. And if you spend over 5,000 yen you don’t have to pay taxes!
We caught up on laundry at the hotel and got our bags ready for shipping. We planned ahead, knowing it would be a 48-hour turnaround for the luggage to arrive in Tokyo. We squeezed our necessities in a backpack for easier travel.
Our night finished off with the hotel party and returning to the Shinsekai Market to find more local cuisine.
5/20 Day 9:
We woke up early to beat the crowds and get on a train to Kyoto. There are several options for this but we opted to take the subway that was closest to us.
When arriving at Kyoto station, we made a mistake that made us panic when it was time to leave. Note to self, when picking a locker to store your stuff while you walk into town, PICK A NOTABLE AND EASY PLACE TO LOCATE! Preferably by where your next train will leave. Kyoto station is massive and hard to navigate since phones have trouble pinpointing your location. We even dropped a pin at our locker and it took us over an hour to find it. Luckily, we got to the train station early and we did not miss our train.
Fushimi Inari Tashi- 1000 Tori Gates: Hike in the woods through shrines. We were really hoping to beat the crowds, but sadly that was not the case. It was still really pretty, and a nice break from the city! Higher up you go, less people there are, but still a lot of people nonetheless.
I’m donut?: A fun Donut shop with SO MANY options!
Nishiki Market: Ate lunch here where there are plenty of food stalls and restaurants to choose from.
Instead of taking the train, we opted to walk back to the station to explore other areas in Kyoto. I would recommend getting there AT LEAST an hour early since it’s tough to navigate. After getting lost and walking the station 10 times, we finally found our bags and were off to Mishima!
5/21 Day 10:
Our reason for staying in Mishima was the chance to see Mt. Fuji. Going in May, we knew the odds were low, but we had to try.
Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel: close to the Shinkansen that had an onsen and rooms with a Mt Fuji view for $135 a night.
If the weather was nice, we planned to go to the Sky Bridge in Mishima to have a better view of the mountain. Sadly, weather wasn’t on our side so we grabbed breakfast and caught a train to Tokyo.
Since we had no bags, the local subways were a breeze. We did have some difficulty figuring out of Shinjuku Station because it had many entrances and exits. GPS on phones doesn’t work great underground. By the time we checked into our hotel, our suitcases were already there from Osaka. (Seriously the best feature!)
Hotel Mystays Nishi Shinjuku: Our hotel for 3 nights. The rooms were smaller, but decent for a couple and cost us $645 per room.
Gyopao: Great dumplings and gyoza! We ate here for a late lunch and walked right in without reservations. I would recommend reservations if you are going for dinner because the place is very small.
Giant vs Swallows Baseball game: If you are wanting to go to a game, make sure you book out far in advance here. All sporting events sell out quickly in Tokyo. Tickets were $61 a piece. Great environment!
5/22 Day 11:
Our first full day in Tokyo, we had no set plans but to explore!
Tokyo Metropolitan- There are many spots to view the city, but this is a free spot that has two viewing towers with 360 views! They also have a piano where people play and a gift shop with cool Tokyo trinkets. You just don’t realize how many people can play the piano!
Shibuya: Here we stopped at all the must see attractions like Shibuya crossing, Pokémon Store, Onitsuka Tiger, Tower Records, and all the streetwear spots.
Cappiness Shinjuku Capybara Café: One of my favorites stops on our trip. We got to pet, feed, and hang out with capybaras! It was $21 a person and you were there for about an hour. There were 3 of capybaras and the groups entering were small so you felt like you had plenty of time.
Torikizoku: Finished our day with dinner in Shinjuku. There were multiple of these in Tokyo. Our friend who lives here recommended and we were able to get so much food for cheap! It’s best to get online and make reservations. We often had to wait 45 minutes to an hour at every restuarant.
5/23 Day 12:
Flippers: Souffle pancakes are a big deal thanks to social media and there are many places that serve them. We were able to get into Flippers with about a 45-minute wait and that’s with us getting there right at open. Luckily, Blue Bottle Café was across the street where we could get a cup of coffee while we waited.
After brunch, we caught up with a friend who took us to his suburb. I recommend venturing out of the touristy areas to experience a “real” everyday Tokyo if you have the time!
Spin Coaster Record Bar- This was the neatest bar! Very small which is typical for Tokyo, but when you order a drink you are able to pick one song to play from their massive list of records. A DJ pulls the album and blends it into their set. They also had free bar snacks on each table which was a great touch. Such a vibe here!
5/24 Day 13:
Our last day in Tokyo. We had to make a last minute stop at Don Quijote and 7/11 to find our favorite snacks, and to get a large bag to use for extra luggage we acquired along the way. We found a thick plastic bag for about $5 and did not get damaged in transport!
We were recommended to use a taxi since we had all of our bags. It was about an hour drive and cost about $50. We got a nice comfortable van with lots of leg room which was a plus.
Finally made it to the airport to start our 16 hour journey back home, but this time arriving the same day instead of skipping a day.
5/25- Memorial Day
Thankfully we all had Memorial Day off which was WONDERFUL. Having a day of recover before returning to work should be mandatory, although I think I would have benefited from 2 extra days off. Maybe even 2 extra… weeks?
Actually, next time we’ll probably just forget about the whole returning home part…
Photos by: Dani Brocar, Bryce Brocar, and Drew Uesseler
