My Must Do Japan Highlights for First Time Visitors

After returning from our recent trip to Japan, I wanted to write a bit of a different post for my first post on the Land of the Rising Sun. Rather than a guide on any single place or tips for visiting, I’m going to share with you my best of the best. These are my 2023 must do Japan highlights!

These are the things and places I think you must do during your trip to Japan. A lot of these things were a very close call, so I added a runner up section to most of these categories since I felt like they still deserved to be written about here. If you’re eager to see more about these and other places in Japan, subscribe to my page or follow me on social media for future posts on these must do Japan highlights!

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Must Do Japan #1 – Best Place Overall

Without any hesitation, Michelle and I both agreed that Takayama was our absolute must do Japan location. Despite being bigger than I expected, Takayama has a countryside charm we both loved.

Many of the buildings are only a few stories high and, especially in the old town, are all made with striking craftsmanship. Everything was so lovely to look at as we strolled through town.

Takayama also had plenty to keep us occupied, too. It had a couple museums, but we skipped these in favor of wandering through the old town. Here, we were able to stop at three different sake breweries (something Takayama is known for) to sample their wares, window shop at numerous stores selling all sorts of different things, and have some delicious food, including different manifestations of the region’s delicious Hida beef.

After having our fair share of sake, we walked to the top of town to do the Buddhist and Shinto version of a bar crawl. These temples and shrines offer a pleasant walk through the town’s religious history while also giving some great views of the town below.

Runner Up for Best Place

Tokyo was my second favorite place in Japan. It’s the polar opposite of Takayama, and that’s what I enjoyed most about it compared to everywhere else.

Unlike Takayama, Tokyo is loud, bright, intense, huge, and just about any other superlative you want to give it. It’s so big and in-your-face that it frankly may not be for everyone. To be honest, when I first thought about this list, I was going to put Kyoto here, but as time passed, I decided Tokyo had to go here because it has so much to do.

It has temples, museums, great cuisine, some of the world’s best people watching, funky bars, sprawling gardens, shopping…It has everything! What’s more, it has a huge variety of it all. You’re never far from another option if one place doesn’t suit your fancy.

Beyond all that, Tokyo’s bright lights and loud noises are breathtaking. This was especially true for us as Tokyo was the first place we saw in Japan. Exiting the subway station at Shinjuku was a great and lasting first impression of Japan.

Must Do Japan #2 – Best Moment

Japan saved its best for our last full day in the country. Before I share what that moment was, a bit of context is needed.

With the exception of some light rain here and there, we had great weather during the first 11 days of our trip. We seem to always have good luck while traveling, and up to that point, our good fortune seemed to be continuing. With Fujikawaguchiko and Mt. Fuji still to come at the end of our trip, I felt good about our chances to see Japan’s iconic mountain. The weather forecast wasn’t great, but forecasts change all the time, so I wasn’t too worried.

Then, we woke up on day 12 to rain in Osaka. As our train barreled along towards Fujikawaguchiko, the rain only picked up in intensity while the clouds kept getting denser and denser. Upon our arrival in town, clouds, mist and fog were obscuring everything. Mt. Fuji was only a vague image in our mind as we looked in its direction, and the next day’s forecast wasn’t much better.

When I woke up that day, the clouds weren’t as bad and seemed to be slowly clearing. Eventually, I could just make out a small section of Mt. Fuji’s western slope. It was so exciting to see anything after how bad the weather had been!

We did a couple sightseeing things before renting a paddleboat to take out on the lake. From there, we watched as the clouds around Mt. Fuji slowly parted to reveal more of its western slope and eventually the peak. Like before, we were thrilled to see anything. If you had seen us, you’d have thought we just won the lottery. But the best was still to come.

We decided to pick up a picnic konbini lunch to take to Lake Saiko where we hoped for some more peeks at Mt. Fuji. What we didn’t expect was for the clouds to almost completely part during our picnic by the lake. As they day progressed, it just kept getting clearer and clearer till it was fully unmasked by the evening. It was truly breathtaking to see Fuji in all its glory, especially after all the discouraging weather thus far. We couldn’t have asked for a better bookend to our Japan trip.

Runner Up for Best Moment

Even though this next one has little to do with Japan, our visit to teamLab’s Planets exhibit in Tokyo was one of the highlights of our trip. I was excited for teamLab before we visited, but I wasn’t prepared for just how cool it was going to be.

If you’re unaware of teamLab, they’re a group of artists and programmers that originated in Japan who put on art exhibits around the globe. Their exhibits use artistic techniques and technology to create elaborate, immersive works of art.

After visiting their Planets exhibit, the word immersive almost doesn’t even fully describe it. It was like walking through a psychedelic dream.

Without going into too much detail (you’ll have to look out for a future post for that!), Planets is six different rooms each with their own theme. The themes are loosely based on space and planets, but you can still appreciate them without having any clue what the creators were going for.

It was a mind-blowing experience. One room in particular that used thousands of LED lights and melodic synth tones was like nothing I’ve quite witnessed before. It made me feel a wide array of emotions while at a more superficial level being simply beautiful.

And it wasn’t just me. No matter what room we were in, if I took a second to look at the other visitors, everyone had a wide-eyed expression as if they were seeing the world for the first time. It’s a testament to how unique teamLab was that it ranks as my second favorite thing in such an incredible country.

Must Do Japan #3 – Most Authentic Japanese Experience

I wanted to have something unique in each of these categories, but at the end of the day, nothing else comes close to Sumiyoshi Ryokan in Takayama in terms of a traditional Japanese experience.

I talk in more detail about Sumiyoshi Ryokan below in my favorite hotel category, but everything about it was so perfect. It was exactly what I envisioned staying in a traditional Japanese inn would be like. If anything, it exceeded my expectations because I didn’t really know what the food would be like. That the food was some of the best we had in Japan was just icing on the cake.

I already spend a lot of time talking about Sumiyoshi Ryokan further below, so I’ll skip all the details. But I highly encourage you to check it out if you’re going to Japan. I seldom make guarantees, but in this case, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

Runner Up for Most Authentic Japanese Experience

We had tea in two different traditional Japanese tea houses, one in Kyoto and another in Himeji. While a simple and brief affair, the tea house we visited in Koko-en Gardens in Himeji was one of my favorite “Japanese” things we did.

Now, to be fair, I’m a bit of a tea addict and I love trying different types of teas in different settings, so that is definitely part of my reasoning. Even with that said. Two things made our tea at Koko-en special for me.

First, its setting was exactly what I had been looking for in a traditional tea house. It only had seating for about 6-8 people and at one point, we were the only two there. The room itself was simple yet elegant with only a few decorations and paintings. Outside the room was a lovely Japanese garden. All this taken together created a perfect setting where we could relax, reflect on our trip, and contemplate the experience.

Second, I enjoyed the experience because of the lack of traditional tea houses we saw during our trip. This is either down to unrealistic expectations or else simply not looking in the right places, but we only ever found this tea house and two others in Kyoto. I thought they’d be all over the place and obvious to find. That we found this lovely tea house in Koko-en towards the end of the trip was like finding the prize at the bottom of the cereal box. It was so rewarding!

Must Do Japan #4 – Best Hotel

Both Michelle and I agree that our favorite hotel was Sumiyoshi Ryokan in Takayama. This hotel was everything we both wanted from a traditional Japanese ryokan and then some.

Everything about Sumiyoshi Ryokan was absolutely perfect. The hallways and rooms are filled with antique decorations to give it a traditional style. It’s located along the river that cuts through the new and old parts of town. Our room was overlooking the river and bridge. We could sit at a small table where we were able to see cranes looking for fish in the water and hear the water churning below us. It also had a private onsen where we could rinse off and relax at the end of the day.

The real highlight, though, was the food. Sumiyoshi Ryokan serves Japanese dinners and breakfasts for guests in private rooms filled with traditional artworks. Between the amazing food and great service from a rickety, no-nonsense Japanese lady, each meal was a highlight unto itself.

After checking out, we both regretfully wished we had another night at Sumiyoshi Ryokan. If there’s one downside to this hotel, it’s that it is a little expensive (especially when you add dinner) compared to standard hotels. This is why we only stayed one night despite having two nights in Takayama. Still, considering how much it offers and how charming it is, it’s more than worth the cost for at least one night.

Runner Up for Best Hotel

Togawaso is another traditional ryokan we stayed at in Fujikawaguchiko. It had a similar feel to Sumiyoshi Ryokan but lacked some of its rustic charm and ambience.

Togawaso felt a bit more like a hostel than the other ryokans we stayed at in Japan. The rooms are all private, but everything else is a shared space.

Each night when I used the onsen, I was there with another person. I didn’t mind it, but it is something to keep in mind if you’re bashful about bathing in the buff around other people. Also, because the onsen isn’t private, Togawaso has two separate areas for men and women. Most importantly, the water in the onsen was pleasantly warm, making for a relaxing 15 minutes or so at the end of the day.

Togawaso also has a shared tearoom with tatami tables and floor-to-ceiling windows where you can look out towards Mt. Fuji. This space was my favorite part of the ryokan. It was nice to sit here with some tea (or sake in the evening) with one of the various books from the hotel’s check-in area.

What really set Togawaso apart from the other places we stayed was its location. From our room, we were able to see parts of Mt. Fuji. Once we stepped outside, though, it was right there on full display for us. In addition to that, Togawaso sits right along Lake Kawaguchiko. It was just a pleasant experience to walk or bike from the ryokan while taking in the views of everything around us.

Must Do Japan #5 – Best Temple or Shrine

This category is another tough one. We saw many great religious buildings throughout Japan, and they all seemed to be special for one reason or another. Todai-ji had the enormous Buddha, Senso-ji was one of the very first things we saw in Japan, Kinkaku-ji impressed with its shimmering golden temple, and the list just keeps going.

However, my favorite is Shoren-in Temple in Kyoto because of its tranquility and subtle elegance. Even with renovations going on, Shoren-in imparted a sense of serenity that I didn’t quite get anywhere else. All the other temples impressed me, but this one made me feel something. At the risk of sounding like a cliche, it felt Zen-like (for what it’s worth, Shoren-in isn’t actually a Zen temple).

In addition to its overall sense of atmosphere, Shoren-in was also unique in that it let you explore more of its halls and rooms than most of the other temples we visited. It was interesting seeing how the building was constructed and the various uses of its rooms. Within these rooms were many nice pieces of art including some remarkably vibrant paintings on the paneled walls when you first walk in.

Another perk of Shoren-in – and one that might have made all the difference – is that we were one of only a handful of people visiting. This temple is relatively unvisited, probably due to its location right next to the much more popular Chion-in. We barely ran into anyone else while strolling through its halls and elegant garden.

Runner Up for Best Temple or Shrine

Staying in Kyoto, my second favorite temple or shrine was the vaunted Fushimi Inari Taisha. If you’ve seen the rows upon rows of vermillion torii gates on social media before, that’s Fushimi Inari.

We woke up early to try to get to Fushimi Inari before everyone else. The anticipation alone as we rode the subway and then walked up to the main shrine was almost enough to make this one of my favorite moments in Japan.

Once we arrived at the first tunnel of torii gates, I was a little underwhelmed. It was unique, but after the buildup, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

That all changed as we made our way up the mountain. As we passed the main rest area around the hike’s midpoint (where most everyone else stops to head back down the mountain), everything about the experience changed.

From this point on, the air got a little cooler, the trees became denser, the light dimmed, and the air started to feel a bit heavier. Fushimi Inari almost felt a bit menacing here, but that isn’t quite the way I’d describe it. It felt a bit solemn, like walking over some hallowed ground where you’re able to feel the spirits of those who came before you.

The famed torii gates took on another layer through here, too. Their appearance stayed the same, but they began to feel a bit more mysterious and otherworldly. Besides all the deep talk, I also had nicer views of the gates here. Because of the steepness of the mountain, the gates ascend over one another, making it easier to see how densely packed they are.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable and profound experience that was well worth the early morning wakeup.

That’s how I felt, at least. Michelle might not agree. The last climb to the top after the midway viewpoint is pretty steep and difficult, which explains why most people turn back at that point. There are also no more viewpoints farther up. The reward is the experience of doing it. Keep that in mind when deciding whether you want to keep going or not.

Must Do Japan #6 – Biggest Culture Shock

Definitely the biggest culture shock was first getting off the train and walking into Shinjuku.

Things only became more shocking once we got to Kabuchiko, one of Tokyo’s most vaunted red-light districts. I’ve been in seedy areas of cities, but Kabuchiko was on a whole other level from what I’ve seen before.

Almost every building had huge LED screens showcasing the women working inside to help *ahem* relieve their customers of any stress. What’s more shocking are the men, and sometimes women, who stand outside trying to drum up business.

They’re everywhere! The women aren’t too bad. Most seem like they’re just bored from standing outside all day repeating the same lines to passersby who 99% of the time aren’t listening. Their sexualized and provocative outfits are the only thing particularly noteworthy about them. The men are a different story.

These men, referred to as touts, approach people at will trying to get customers. Some will back down with a quick no or wave of the hand, but others can be more aggressive.

One night, I went out to find food after Michelle went to bed early, and since we were staying right on the neighborhood’s outskirts, I saw firsthand how incessant these guys could be. They mostly left me alone when Michelle was there, but now, in their eyes, I was a single man on the prowl. They were relentless. One even grabbed my arm to try to get my attention!

For the most part, I never felt threatened, even when the one reached for my arm. It was annoying more than anything. I couldn’t walk 10 steps without being accosted by them. This wasn’t just a cultural shock – it was the only frustrating experience I had in all of Japan.

Runner Up for Biggest Culture Shock

My runner up for biggest cultural shock is much less risqué. It’s the quality of the trains and subways (from here on, I’ll refer to both as trains) in Japan.

Coming from America, I’m used to our trains experiencing frequent delays and generally being unpleasant affairs. The trains themselves typically feel dated and require various types of cosmetic maintenance.

And, then, there are the stations. They’re usually just straight up dirty, with garbage on the ground and graffiti in places. People gather wherever they want with no sense of order whether waiting for a train or not.

Japan’s trains couldn’t be any further from this. The trains we used were almost all in pristine shape. On several occasions, we watched as staff went through each car in between trips to clean everything, something I’ve never seen in America.

Besides being clean, we also saw a few trains decorated in elaborate themes. There were trains decorated with Hello Kitty, Thomas the Tank Engine, and anime motifs. These made the train ride an experience unto itself.

The stations were all in tip-top shape, as well. Despite a general lack of garbage cans (another bit of a culture shock in Japan), it was hard to find any significant amount of trash throughout the stations. Additionally, there was absolutely no graffiti.

People were generally much more orderly, too. Waiting for trains was easy, with everyone waiting patiently in line rather than trying to run each other down to get in.

Perhaps that’s because of how reliable trains were, though. Every train except one arrived exactly on time and departed promptly. The one exception was our last train going back to Tokyo. This train was only two minutes late, which in America wouldn’t have even registered as being late. It’s a testament to how efficient the train system is in Japan that we both commented on this train’s lateness to each other.

Must Do Japan #7 – Favorite Meal

This category is probably the hardest to pick on this list because there were so many must do Japan meals. We had so much amazing food that it’s hard to narrow down to just one favorite. With that said, Mansai Naritaya in Fujikawaguchiko edges every other meal we had because of the whole experience it offered.

On our penultimate night in Japan, we found Mansai Naritaya just a short bike ride away from our ryokan. It was exactly the type of izakaya I had been hoping to find during our whole trip.

Mansai Naritaya had it all: a cozy space with tatami seating for about 8-10 people, free bites (as long as you were drinking), very friendly service, and delicious food and drinks. It was just an incredibly fun night with tasty food at Mansai Naritaya.

Runner Up for Favorite Meal

While not exactly a meal, I have to name our food tour through Osaka as my runner up for favorite meal in Japan. I’m only saying this wasn’t my favorite because it wasn’t a traditional meal in the sense that we didn’t eat everything in a single sitting at a restaurant.

Still, we had several amazing things to eat throughout Osaka and a great time with our guide, Adam. From the beginning, it seemed like we had a good group with an engaging guide, and the food was all so good. What’s more, he took us to places everyone in the group agreed we would never have set foot in without a guide. From a beef stew in a place owned by a former professional wrestler to gyoza in a restaurant that looked like office space from the outside, everything was exceptional.

Apart from the food, Adam was a top-notch guide. He was entertaining while also having plenty of insider info on Osaka and its food. He took what would have been a dizzying night amid Osaka’s bright lights and shouting food vendors and made it into an informational, fun and delicious 3-hour tour.

Must Do Japan #8 – Best Place for a Drink

Without question, the best place for a drink during my trip to Japan (and possibly anywhere I’ve ever been) is Golden Gai in Tokyo.

Golden Gai is a tiny section of Tokyo’s red-light neighborhood of Kabuchiko (itself the seedy part of Shinjuku) that fiercely holds on to the city’s post-World War II aesthetic of narrow roads and cramped shops. Signs for the many different bars hang overhead while smoky lighting permeates the air.

There are over 200 bars to visit in Golden Gai, but we only managed to make it into two of them. We would have seen more had we not wanted to see other parts of Shinjuku’s nightlife during our brief time in Tokyo. Even though we only drank in two bars, we still walked through Golden Gai’s alleys to at least check out the exteriors of everything else.

Like I said, we only drank in two bars, but I loved both of them! Not only were they the type of bars I like, but they were also what I was hoping to see in this part of Tokyo. Each was small, cramped, smoky (okay, that part wasn’t great, but it did fit the setting), had seemingly random knickknacks on the walls and had friendly service. They were also fairly cheap and not busy, which I was surprised about considering Golden Gai’s notoriety.

Don’t be alarmed by the somewhat gritty appearance of Golden Gai. This is a definitely a must do Japan activity even if you don’t plan on drinking.

Runner Up for Best Place for a Drink

Mizno Hotel in Fujikawaguchiko is a pretty big chang from Golden Gai. In fact, it’s a huge change from Japanese pubs as a whole.

Mizno Hotel’s lounge felt like a speakeasy out of an American city rather than anything we had seen in Japan. Except for a handful of Buddhist objects, Japanese-style paintings and photos of Japanese celebrities (which admittedly sounds like a lot, but there weren’t many of these items), the lounge had nothing else to let you know you were in Japan.

Instead, Mizno was decorated a bit like a dimly lit library. On one wall were small, private alcoves where couples could sit with shelves lined with books for guests to flip through while having a drink. A bit farther in, it was set up with several tables with leather bound chairs in an open space. The walls were lined with black and white pictures of famous actors and musicians. Along with the decor, they were also playing old timey jazz that helped tie everything together.

I was by no means tired of Japanese styled bars, but Mizno Hotel was a nice change of pace. It had me wishing we were staying there just so I could sit there in the morning with some tea and then come back for a nightcap at the end of the day.

Must Do Japan #9 – Most Expensive Meal

This category is a bit of a misnomer because even our most expensive meal was still relatively cheap compared to a similar meal in America. Still, our most expensive meal was at Yoshino Sushi, a sushi place in the Pontocho area of Kyoto.

It was a small shop run by a sushi chef, his apprentice (I don’t actually know if that’s true, but it sounds more romantic than saying sous chef) and a single assistant. It gave serious Jiro Dreams of Sushi vibes if you’ve ever seen that documentary. Inside were only about eight seats all arranged around the prep area so customers can watch the two chefs make their masterpieces. The menu was also somewhat limited compared to other sushi places we’ve been, likely because of what ingredients were available that day.

All that is to say that it had the outward appearances of looking expensive, and after eating several rolls, it was expensive. But it was worth it! All the sushi we had was very tasty. Even the miso soup was exceptional.

At this point, you’re probably wondering what the actual cost of our meal was. It was only about $70 for all the food plus three drinks. So, it was more expensive than everything else we had in Japan, but a comparable meal in America likely would have cost us around $100.

Must Do Japan #10 – Least Expensive Meal

The cheapest meals we had in Japan were all from konbini, and if you don’t know what konbini are, you’re missing out on something special.

Konbini is the Japanese word for their 24/7 convenience stores that can be found everywhere you look. The top three are 7/11, FamilyMart and Lawson. Regardless of which one we grabbed food from, it was all so good. Take whatever notion you have of food from an American convenience store and throw it out the door. This stuff is way better than anything you’ve had before.

We had all sorts of konbini goodies during our two weeks in Japan like egg salad sandwiches on the fluffiest white bread, sticky buns filled with cheese curry, and bento boxes filled with a wide array of delicious treats.

The best part of konbini meals is the price, though. We never paid more than 1,000 yen, or about $6.50, for a konbini meal. Their cheap price and quality made them great breakfasts for the many early morning train rides we had.

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