Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto
28 FEBRUARY – 15 MARCH
Areas Visited
Tokyo:
Shinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa, Akihabara, Harajuku
Yokohama
Osaka
Kyoto
Trip highlights
● Kurama Mountain and Onsen
● Mario Go Karts
● Universal Studios
● Asakusa
● Bamboo Forest and Monkey Park
Osaka Castle
Accommodation
Airbnb -Shinjuku-Okubo (6 nights)
This was a great option, in the quiet alleys just out the craziness but still accessible to the
popular area of Shinjuku.
Henn Na Osaka (3 nights)
Dinosaur Robot Hotel, great location. It wasn’t everything it was made out to be, you
checked yourself in on the tablets. The robot in the room wasn’t working. Rooms were ok
for a crash pad but no where to put your bags, and noisy at night. However, we were so
tired it didn’t bother us.
Gion Ubell – Kyoto (4 nights)
I would stay here again! It was beautiful, located right in the heart of the historical buildings
of Kyoto. Highly recommend this hotel to anyone staying in Kyoto.
Hotel Material – Kyoto (1 night)
I had wanted to experience a few different hotels, so decided to change the last night in
Kyoto. I had regret this, as we had obviously had to pack up all our bags again lol. Once we
arrived at 10am to drop our bags off, the hotel didn’t open until noon. I thought this was so
bizarre and was feeling hopeless at that point being stuck on the side of the road with our
bags! However, a little later, we noticed a couple coming out, so quickly snuck through and
left our bags behind reception with our hotel voucher on our bags, praying for the best lol.
They were there when we got back later in the day. Phew!!!! The accommodation was
awesome, a funky modern style of a Royan. Very noisy but awesome area too.
Hotel Groove – Shinjuku- Tokyo (1 night)
This accommodation was my favourite! Wes splashed out for a nice hotel to end our last
night back in Tokyo. I highly rate this. 35 Stories high with panoramic views. I didn’t want to
leave the room! The popular area of Shinjuku was at your feet.
Japan Tips and recommendations
On arrival at Narita Airport, we purchased a Pasmo card approx. $20NZD which you need for
transport around Japan if you intend to use the trains and buses. It was a simple process.
We loaded up our Pasmo card, which is valid for 10 years, so ideal if you intend to come
back. The Pasmo card allows you to use the trains and buses, it’s a convenient and seamless
option. Keep in mind it doesn’t cover the Shinkansen train. It can also be used in most
stores for purchases. We loaded $80NZD each and that lasted until almost the end.
From the airport we booked the Narita express to reach Tokyo, approximately $37NZD, it a
bit pricier than the other train options but is the most efficient. I recommend booking
Shinkansen tickets online at least three days before departure for reserved seating as it’s
cheaper that way. It is the same price to book online and at the station for green class,
which I didn’t think was necessary. Remember to pack snacks and drinks for the
Shinkansen journey, you can even drink alcohol.
For access to the internet, you can rent a pocket WIFI for your duration of the trip. They can be picked up at the airports and numerous locations around Japan and simply dropped off to your nearest post office or other drop off locations. We didn’t want to have extra weight to carry around, so we downloaded an ESIM through the app store on our phones and purchased a data pack, which was far cheaper than roaming chargers. We also took advantage of free Wi-Fi on the trains and stations to save on data.
It takes a few days to get the hang of Japan’s train system, but trust me, it will make sense soon enough. I’d recommend allowing yourself an extra hour for each trip in case you get lost—believe me, it will happen! But once you get used to it, the trains are a fun, chaotic, and efficient way to get around. All the trains and stations have their unique quirks and strange arrival and departure noises. You’ll also need a good power bank since you’ll be using Google Maps for directions and translation throughout the day.
It is vital in Japan to have accommodation near a train station. If you are near a train
station, you can reach almost anywhere. Keep in mind that Japan involves a lot of walking, a good pair of walking shoes is a must. The Japanese girls think otherwise, in their knee-high platform boots and miniskirts. lol!
Although very little English was spoken, it was no barrier to understand the basics. Most stores use translators when understanding becomes a problem. I used google translate many times to read the packaging or signs- it was very helpful.
For a fun and unique experience, I highly recommend trying the Mario Kart tour. It’s an adrenaline rush like no other and a great way to see a large part of Tokyo quickly. I’d recommend booking the 4 pm, this allows you to experience the sights during the day, the sunset, and into the night. Just make sure you have your international driver’s license, local license, and passport for this activity.
Yokohama was another cool area. We travelled here to visit the noodle cup museum where
you make your own noodles to take home. There is so much more to noodles than just cup
noodles. It is an interesting story of how the cup noodles began. Here we also checked
out Chinatown, it was cool, lots of fortune tellers. (I’m getting married apparently. Loool !!!!)
Always carry your passport with you. It’s often required for tax free shopping. Cash is also important as many shops, especially at street markets, only accept it. Fortunately, withdrawing cash is easy from convenience stores with minimal fees.
For the budget travellers, Japan can absolutely be done on a budget. If you stick to the smaller, authentic restaurants, you can enjoy meals for as little as $7-$12 NZD. Universal Studios is also worth a visit, but an express pass is a must. Without it, the wait times for rides can be up to 90 minutes. Walking straight through the lines was the best part.
Kyoto was beautiful. I highly recommend taking a night tour when the streets are calm and peaceful. To escape the crowds, we went to Kurama, a small town in the mountains of Kyoto. The train ride through the mountains was stunning. We hiked Kurama Mountain,
which offers trails for all fitness levels, with both short and long routes. There’s also a cable car that takes you halfway up and down. Afterwards, we spent the afternoon relaxing at Kurama Onsen, nestled in the mountains. Kurama is a hidden gem, for me it was the highlight of the trip.
We over shopped majorly; we had packed a large flat shopping bag just in case, and sure
enough. Because we were with Fiji Airways, we had a 30kg allowance. We somehow jam
packed everything in our bags, and when we got to Auckland, we quickly shoved everything
into the large shopping bag as another checked luggage because we had booked a flexi
refund, so we had the 2 x checked bags with AIR NZ. It worked well.
