Travel: 12 Days in Japan

12 days in Japan! If you’re making you way to one of the best food destinations in Asia, then be sure to give yourself time to explore. We spent our 12 days between three of the major cities, Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. We hiked, visited temples, at so much food, and enjoyed people watching, snacks, and the culture. Okay, here are some photos of our trip.

12 Days in Japan

We travelled through Vancouver and the flight was just around 12 hours. We arrived late afternoon in Tokyo and did go sightseeing that evening. Then we spent the next four days hiking, riding the metro, checking out gardens, temples, aquariums, and ramen. Oh, and we had some amazing Indian food, too.

Here’s the info from Tokyo.

Food and Accommodation

• Tokyo Eats
• Act Hotel Roppongi

Museums

• Mori Art Museum
• Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
• Art Aquarium Museum

Sights

• Tokyo Tower
• Tokyo City View
• Sensō-ji
• Shibuya Sky

Activities

• Ueno Zoological Gardens
• Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
• Mount Takao
• Shibuya Crossing

Up next, we visited Kyoto. We took the train, the Shinkansen, to be exact. I’ll share the tips below.

Tips for Trains in Japan

A few tips before we take a peek at the photos.

• For the best deals, look at least 28 days in advance (there are special fares for 28-21 days out).
• Use the EX app if you can – or the Smart EX site.
• If you’re passing Mount Fuji, book seats D and E for the best view.
• Bring food, it’s perfectly acceptable to eat on the Shinkansen.
• You only need to be on the platform about 7-10 minutes before your train is set to depart.
• Utilize virtual passes as they update with boarding locations.

In Kyoto we had an amazing time – the temples were the highlight. Here are the details of our trip.

4 Days in Kyoto

Up first, the quick links to food, hotels, and all the sights.

Food and Accommodations

• Kyoto Eats
• Ibis Styles Kyoto

Sights

• Kyoto Tower
• Kyoto Imperial Palace
• Nijō-jo Castle

Activities

• Kyoto Aquarium
• Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
• Togetsu-kyo Bridge
• Kyoto Botanical Gardens

Temples

• Fushimi Inari Taisha
• Kiyamizu-dera

Now, some photos!

The hike on the Fushimi Inari Taisha trail is a must, don’t visit Kyoto without giving it a go.

Up next, Osaka!

4 Days in Osaka

We’ll look at our hotels, some eats, and some adventures.

Food and Accommodation

• Osaka Eats
• Via Inn Osaka

Sights

• Abeno Harukas
• Osaka Castle
• Dotonbori

Activities

• Team Lab Botanical Gardens
• Osaka Aquarium
• Tennoji Zoo

I mentioned in our 4 days in Osaka post that it’s known as the food capital of Japan, and it doesn’t disappoint. We didn’t have ramen in Osaka, though – so Kyoto and Tokyo hold special places in our bellies for ramen. Oh, the ramen. Even gluten free options, ta-boot!

Okay, here are some photos of our time in Osaka. And snacks, you’ll want to visit a Family Mart to get the best snacks.

That’s it! 12 days in Japan.

We love travelling, don’t you? Up next we’ve got something exciting, yet you’ll have to stick around to see what it might be.

Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you again soon. Safe travels!