The aroma of chargrilled meats and vegetables wafts mysteriously through the damp January air. Despite the dreary climate, the tidy streets of Shinjuku remain buzzing with energy as night falls and pedestrians scurry with purpose toward the Shinkansen, their homes, or, most notably, their dinner. The lights of Uniqlo and 7-Eleven awaken and illuminate the streets as weary feet carry you toward a heavenly smell. Around the corner of a few unsuspecting shops, stands an alleyway tucked away from Shinjuku Station, with cherry and apricot lanterns beckoning passersby to follow the cobbled path ahead. The warm glow invites you to abandon the bustling evening streets in place of a smoky, intimate watering hole. Meals are seated in cramped quarters in front of an assortment of stovetops and utility sinks. Locals and tourists, garbed in winter coats, sit huddled together over bowls of soba, sushi, and chargrilled cuisine. Frosted mugs of beer are poured ceremoniously as salarymen and internationals rub shoulders. Herein lies Omoide Yokocho.
Dating back to post-World War II Japan, “Memory Lane” or less favorably, “Piss Alley” is a wildly popular row of eateries and bars located south of Shinjuku proper. Once a “black market,” this boisterous space offers a retro-feeling reprieve from the efficiencies of modern-day Japan. We walk, enthralled by every corridor we pass, each offering enticing street fare. Eventually, we file into a food stall and are graciously welcomed by the cook. We try our best to navigate the tight quarters without bumping into the suited regulars enjoying ice-cold glasses of Sapporo, as we claim two uneven stools positioned front and center at the low-rise bar. Like most of Japan’s highly trafficked tourist areas, the chef presents us with a two-sided menu - one in Hiragana and the other in English. We greet him with our broken colloquial Japanese and peruse the menu. We order beer, we order hot sake, we order several skewers to sample and soak in our surroundings. It’s nice to sit in the company of others. After a cold and wet day walking the streets of Shinjuku, the hot glass of sake warms my fingertips and throat as I wash down a bite of Yakitori. The chicken is tender, salty, and flavorful. There is something satisfying (and primal) about eating grub off a wood stick. The chef looks at us to confirm the quality of food and drink and we nod happily, I doubt he could find a more amiable pair than us this evening. Not wanting to overstay our visit, we finish our meal, pay, and exit at the opposite end of the alleyway. We pass several more saloons and head toward the station. Any tension from a long day of stimulating crowds and paved streets has melted away and left us in a relaxed stupor.
Shinjuku has that effect. Dazzling your senses. Pulling you in with its neon lights, novelty stores, and bright chromatic buildings. The following days of our journey provided us with as much contentment as the first, but still, to this day the smoky interiors and clang of pots remain one of my favorite moments from our Japan adventure.
The tight alleyway of Omoide Yokocho.
Nothing but the sounds of quiet footsteps disturb the crisp air of Okochi Sanso, a spacious and serene estate at the brink of the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. Our feet tread on beautiful stone paths, and up picturesque hills as we hike around the property. Like many things in Kyoto, this acreage is a monument to the past and a pillar representing Japan’s deep respect for nature. At least that’s what it’s felt like on our nine-day ramble around the country. Clean establishments, zero litter, uncommon courtesy, and, a reverence for the environment I haven’t seen in many places. We gawk at giant bamboo groves and intricate shrines. We learn about Denjiro Okochi, the Showa-era movie star who built his home in paradise, we sip matcha in a quiet teahouse, we marvel at how Buddhism and Shintoism coexist in harmony, we experience the routine meal of a monk, and how dry sake in the afternoon is a delightful pick-me-up. Kyoto seems to be the antithesis of Tokyo. Mountains and rivers where an abundance of taxis and skyscrapers would be. Traditional Japanese architecture instead of glowing signage. We’re baffled at our past selves for only sparing a day from our itinerary.
After going nonstop the past six days, taking in the stillness of this place is refreshing. Even though Kyoto is a widely popular tourist destination, it feels less frantic than the streets of Tokyo. You can hear the wind rustling the leaves of trees, babbling brooks skipping over rocks, and birds chirping. I can hear myself think (not that I’m complaining, I would have my brain overstimulated by the lights of Shibuya a million times over). Side streets and traffic seem hushed and the clean air filling your lungs is invigorating. After walking terraces, gawking at pagodas, and passing through torii gates, it’s time to catch our train back to Osaka. As the sun sets we walk down the streets of Hanamikoji, orange light reflecting off wood sidings and shutters casting everything in warm tones of melted caramel. We bid our gracious guide farewell, and sit in pleasant trances as the tracks carry us home.
My view of Mt. Fuji on the bullet train as we head from Osaka back to Tokyo.
There are several things you should and shouldn’t do while in Japan to put your best foot forward and to be as respectful as possible:
Say, thank you a lot. Most everyone we encountered was warm and welcoming to tourists so especially my American friends, please say “Arigato gozaimasu” (Pronounced ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zah-ee-mahs) whenever possible, it’s the most polite way to say thank you and they will say it to you a ton.
Do not walk and eat. Find a bench or designated area to stand and enjoy the street fair.
Be quiet on public transportation (especially during morning and afternoon/evening rush hours).
Walk with a purpose.
If you see others taking off their shoes in a place, follow suit.
Do not tip at eating establishments.
If there is a sign that says “no photos” don’t take photos.
This should be a no-brainer for anywhere you go, but don’t litter. Hold your trash till you find a trashcan or disposal area.
If you have tattoos like me and want to participate in an Onsen, make sure you find ones that are fine with tattoos. Japan is still pretty traditional and most Onsens don’t want you to have them.
Public displays of affection are not common practice in public.
Get yourself a subway pass! We used PASMO and would load our cards and then take as many trains as we wanted till it ran out!
See recommendations below.
Eats & Drinks
Food (The best advice I can give is to TRY TRY TRY! There are a ton of restaurants to delight your senses and expand your palate.)
Kura Sushi, even though it’s a chain, it was fantastic. We ate all the sushi our stomachs could hold, which was relatively inexpensive. We had also never experienced conveyor belt sushi, and it was 10/10.
I mentioned this above, but do not miss out on Omoide Yokocho.
Hanamaruken Namba Hozenji has the best ramen I have ever tasted. We stood in line for an hour and it was well worth the wait!
Do you like cream puffs? If not, you do now. Beard Papa was our nightly subway sweet treat and they make them in front of you fresh!
Dotonbori is a must and come hungry. You can try okonomiyaki, bentos, and our favorite street snack: takoyaki.
If you ride the bullet train, pick up a bento box at the station for your journey!
Try Onigiri at 7-Eleven, there are all kinds of fun snacks to go!
Yes…we did go to McDonald's and it was great and the cleanest McDonald’s’ we’ve ever been to. Get their specialty sauces, you can’t find them anywhere else!
Vegetarian/Vegan Food Options
Izakaya Masaka was one of the best meals we had and is located on the bottom floor of Shibuya Parco. I highly recommend the vegan gyoza and soy meat.
Great Lakes offers American-style vegan burgers!
Sasaya Cafe serves delicious plant-based food and dessert!
Coffee (*Japan has an INCREDIBLE coffee scene, that we barely grazed. Make sure to spend your time getting to taste it.)
Glitch (the vibes and quality are 12/10).
Sol’s Coffee (one we’ve missed but have been consistently reminded that we shouldn’t have).
Excelsior Caffé (I believe they’re a Japanese chain, but the latte and apple pie I had were solid).
Geshary Coffee (this is like an international chain, but we enjoyed the tasting experience and presentation, beware it’s on the pricier side though).
It's not a coffee shop, but try a vending machine coffee, I promise it’s awesome and comes heated if you want.
Drinks
Get some warm sake and let it soothe your soul.
Try Shochu (generally made from rice, sweet potato, barley, and buckwheat).
All the Japanese-branded beers I had were solid (popular kinds are Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo, and Suntory).
Whiskey highballs seem to be popular as well!
Points of Interest
Tower Records (Shibuya)
9 glorious floors of music memorabilia and CDS, highly recommend.
Shibuya Scramble Crossing (Shibuya)
This is the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing!
Hachiko Statue (the most loyal dog in Japan, I’m not crying you’re crying!)
MEGA Don Quijote (Shibuya)
If you want your senses overloaded spend any amount of time in this department store. From Yen pancakes to Magikarp hats “this place has everything”.
BIC Camera (they are all over but we went to the one in Shibuya)
Another, insane department store that carries tech, games, home goods, and even bidets.
Shibuya Sky Scramble (Shibuya)
Tickets are 2,200 Yen for adults (almost 14 dollars USD)
Go at night and you get a pretty amazing view of the city.
Map Camera (Shinjuku)
This is a photographer’s dream. Almost every digital and analog camera you could want is available, so do not miss this one.
Pokemon Centers (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto)
We hit all of them across Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto and my little nerd heart grew three times each visit. They’re neat because each one carries items that are different. I hope you packed an extra suitcase for the plushies.
Sensoji Temple (Asakusa)
A beautiful Buddhist temple located in Asakusa with free admission.
A long corridor of shops for souvenirs and local snacks leads to the second gate and main area.
teamLab Planets (Tokyo)
This interactive art experience/museum was so neat!
Make sure to get your tickets ahead of time, they are 3,800 Yen ($23 USD), and weekends are 4,200 Yen ($26 USD).
Retro Game Shopping Akihabara (Tokyo)
Super Potato
Book-Off
Traders Headquarters
BEEP
Dotonbori (Osaka)
I mentioned this in the eating section but there are so many neat shops here and it’s a great area for people-watching and night photography!
The Glico Sign is a classic tourist spot.
Ebishubashi Bridge is picturesque.
Namba Yasaka Shrine (Osaka)
One of the most famous features of this shrine is its guardian deity building.
The lion head is thought to swallow evil spirits and bring good luck!
Super Nintendo World (Osaka)
I can’t recommend this enough if you’re a Nintendo fan. We had a blast and didn’t even mind the outrageous line for Mario Kart.
Try the theme park food (it’s much better than ours in the States).
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (Kyoto)
This sprawling bamboo forest is beautiful and we heartily recommend it!
Following the path will eventually lead you to the entrance of Okochi-Sanso Villa.
Okochi-Sanso Garden (Arashiyama, Kyoto)
Beautiful gardens with villas and spots for tea.
Fushimi Inari Shrine (Kyoto)
This is probably the most famous Shinto shrine in Kyoto with thousands of torii gates.
There are beautiful fox statues around the grounds and mountain trails to explore.
DEI in the area (These are my perceptions and observations of how intolerant/tolerant an area seems to be to diverse people groups. Please let me know if you have had a positive or negative experience in an area and I will include it in the list. *I know you can’t truly understand the depth of a place in a handful of days, but hopefully, this clarifies what it felt like while I was there.)
Culturally Japan is a homogenous country and 99% of the time I was the only brown person in any given space, but I never felt offput or discriminated against. Everyone we encountered was kind and polite, the worst I experienced was curious glances but nothing more.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community shouldn’t experience intolerance in Japan, despite its conservative-leaning society. Please note that even though I’m bi, I have a straight male partner, so we’re insulated from outward discrimination in this respect wherever we go.
IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association) provides resources to travel safely.
Responsible Travel is a lovely resource for what to expect while traveling and how to travel ethically.
All the trains, subways, and the bullet train were accessible to wheelchair users and every shopping center we went to had an elevator available to access high floors if you needed to avoid stairs. This site seems like a great place to access accessibility needs for travel, but please let me know if you’ve experienced a better resource!
As I mentioned above, if you have tattoos ensure you’re covering them appropriately. Onsens generally want them covered or forbid them from their establishments. Some don’t mind if you have them, research accordingly!
In general, we found that if you’re respectful and aware of cultural differences in Japan, Japan will treat you well!
Japan might be for you if:
If you love experiencing new cultures.
If it excites you to try different cuisines.
Enjoy getting your steps in (bring comfy shoes to traverse the city).
If you are a Nintendo, Godzilla, general gaming, or Anime fan.
If you’re really into coffee.
If you love nature and clean cities.
If you love shopping.
Have an interest in history and different religions.
If you don’t mind crowds.
