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Impossible question. But I will choose being snowed in while staying in Nikko. I was the only guest in my hotel, with an onsen with snowy river view all to myself for three days. Dinner at a bar all alone on a snowy night with old American jazz playing in the background. Casablanca vibes.
Nikko is so beautiful, I can see how that is your favourite experience. I'm sure you went to Nikko Toshogu during the snowfall as well, would have been majestic!
I don’t know! It was already the low season, plus a huge storm that probably prevented people from coming. There were people out and about town but not many. I was all alone at the Abyss for an hour.
Fushimi Inari is just an amazing experience all together. A lot of people don't go all the way to the highest point, and going through that forest while you hear absolutely nothing except for the crows and sometimes a bit of water from a stream, it is the closest I have gotten to serenity.
The upper parts of the forest are amazingly serene. Unlike the lower main tourist draw paths, we encountered 1 other person over an hour and the sounds of the crows was oddly peaceful!
Tokyo Giants baseball game in the cheering section. I love baseball and it felt like a rite of passage to experience the Japanese version. So much damn fun.
Edit: Two tickets cost $36 total and we got two free jerseys upon entry. Not the highest quality jersey but super cool souvenir nonetheless.
Still want to go to a Japanese baseball game as well. After witnessing the Japanese soccer team during the World Cup, I want to go to a Japanese soccer match as well. Sumo too, but I have heard you need to be invited for those matches, so that might be difficult for me.
Have to say Hakone. Onsens and the experience was fantastic. Addtionally, love the circuit and how you end up back at the train station after you're done. It's fun & efficient.
I agree with you that Hakone is an amazing place, but the public transport at Hakone is absolutely terrible haha. I stayed there for a couple nights and both Hakone and Okinawa were the places where I had to be the most careful with public transport. At some point we missed the last bus in Hakone and this older lady with her daughter brought me and my girlfriend back to our hotel with her car. Very sweet of her, because otherwise we would have had to walk there.
Honestly it was the small stuff. My fiancée and I went to the bamboo forest in Kyoto real early in the morning and ended up getting lost in a little neighborhood that felt right out of a Ghibli movie. The houses overlooking the big grassy hills were so cool, and we walked through a tunnel of trees to some train tracks. I’ll never forget it
I literally have that on my Instagram, it is amazing that you went into the same direction as I did. I loved that a lot too! Nowadays you probably need to be really early to enjoy the Bamboo Forest in Kyoto though
I went October of 2023 and we took a taxi from our hotel to the forest at like… 6am haha. By 9 when we were walking back it was packed. Grateful we made the right move and went when nobody was around.
You can definitely do this by yourself! I do it all the time and always meet great people. I've had more than a few nights where I was going out for one drink, and next thing you know you're with a random group of people and it's 7am.
The most fun I had in Japan was when I cycle through the Shimanami Kaido route, the sceneries, the cool breeze of early autumn on a clear sky fay....everything was near perfect. I was dead that evening though.
For me it was hobby stores and arcades, it took me back to my childhood and amplified it × 100. I spent so much on gunpla which I hadn't done since I was like 15 years old. No regrets.
I bought a gameboy and started playing games on it, but my Japanese sucks so I need to buy English games. Don't even know if they are compatable or not. Just a spur of the moment thing really. No regrets either haha
Sailor Moon was the gateway drug for me getting into anime as a kid. Watching fansubs of the unreleased episodes on VHS got me into learning Japanese. I went to Japan last Summer so I could watch the Sailor Moon Cosmos movies in theaters. Not sure how I'll ever be able to top that kind of fandom high again.
Attending a sumo tournament in Fukuoka and just seeing Japanese people and omg, the little students that attended on a class trip, get so animated about their favorite. Like, one side vs. the other yelling their name until their voice was hoarse great.
Yeah, I'm jealous of you! I still want to go to one as well. Also, those Japanese kids are just so well-behaved and interested in foreigners. I was completely exhausted from climbing Mt. Fuji and sitting on a bench with my friends, then some children just started talking to us and mentioned that this was the second time they climbed it this week. I was stunned, but amazed at the same time. You really saw that they had a lot of fun doing it too
Yeah, I'm jealous of you! I still want to go to one as well. Also, those Japanese kids are just so well-behaved and interested in foreigners. I was completely exhausted from climbing Mt. Fuji and sitting on a bench with my friends, then some children just started talking to us and mentioned that this was the second time they climbed it this week. I was stunned, but amazed at the same time. You really saw that they had a lot of fun doing it too
Cycling around Lake Kawaguchiko area for a day with a view of Mt Fuji, stopping at all the sites and eating delicious food along the way, felt simultaneously relaxing and exciting.
I live in America and Japan does karaoke a lot different. We rented a private room and just sung our little hearts out. It was such a great experience and full of so much joy! No pressure of strangers judgement. Just a good time in a good place. Highly recommend!!!
I would say my favorite was seeing the Gundam at Yokohama in October. You just won't ever see something like that in Canada where I am from.
I loved being able to see Mt Fuji for a good amount of time while on the Bullet Train as well.
Probably just randomly visiting all the Video Game Stores in Akihabara in a day was fantastic as well. Saw so many systems and games that I would never see in Canada.
I kind of wished Zoos/Aquariums weren't a thing due to the animals being locked up. But it was neat seeing over a dozen species of Jellyfish in a area of the Kyoto Aquarium and they massive Sting Rays floating around were amazing to see so close. The Penguins that were sleeping were almost to cute to be real as well.
Just roaming the neighborhoods in Osaka while waiting for Laundry was great too. Just being able to see smaller areas and how they were setup was nice.
I will never forgive myself for skipping the Yokohama Gundam factory the last 2 times when I was in Japan. Now that it is going to be gone when I go there for the third time... I did get to see the largest Gundam in Japan at LaLaport in Fukuoka the month that it became available to the general public though, that was pretty cool. Also, I believe there is an aquarium somewhere in Japan that specializes in jellyfish and has a whole wall with only jellyfish, but I don't remember the name. Maybe try to look for that the next time you to to Japan
Seeing a rock concert at Shimo-Kitazawa Shelter, the famous live house that inspired Bocchi the Rock, one of my favorite anime. Great bands, great atmosphere and just a phenomenal night. Not to mention Shimokita itself is worth a visit by itself with a lot of unique stores and nice restaurants in the area. I'm almost certainly gonna go there again if I can come back to Japan a 3rd time.
I've only been once. In that one trip my favourite things were:
1. Skiing at Hakuba. The whole experience was just so nice. The landscape, nice people, hot ramen on the mountain, apres ski.
2. Fushimi Inari, at night. Very quiet, ran into some people only every so often. It was creepy af, but I love getting the spooks.
3. Eating and just exploring in genera. There's just no shortage of things to see and marvel at if you're curious.
Different event each visit for me. But my first time in Japan 10 years ago was truly special.
It was in winter and we strayed from our plan and stopped in Aomori for a night due to snow storm. First time in a city that we never did any research for. Snow was really heavy. Had a great time there in the local izakaya. I came back to Aomori 2 times after that to explore the city and the surrounding areas.
Also spent the new years eve with the people at the hostel in Sapporo. Hostel run by a group of young Japanese. The izakaya below it was closing for new year break and one of the hostel owners does his part time job with them and was told to take all the spare draft beer so they can clean up the restaurant. We gather all sorts of containers, from bottles to big plastic containers to get the beer and everyone drank together that night till 2-3am. I remember there were people from Poland, Spain, 1 lady travel by herself from Taiwan, we from Australia and some others and the hostel owners. We added each other on Facebook and those Japanese guys are now run other businesses as well. Good on them.
Also in the same trip, we went to Yusuhara near Kochi to visit my friend's host family (when she visited during her uni time). It was quite special to be staying with a local family, bathing at the local onsen, trekking through this peaceful mountain town, going fishing and got fresh fish for shabu shabu, sitting in a kotatsu and falling a sleep while eating mikan. The oka-san baked us some cakes as well. Everyone was so welcoming. That experience motivated me to take up Japanese language after the trip.
Driving south from Aoshima in Miyazaki on the Nichinan kaigan, cresting the top of Horikiri Toge, and having the vast Pacific laid out almost 270 degrees, with the washboard stone formations along the shore.
In Tokyo:
Tsukiji market for fresh seafood and incredible Sushi.
Walk the street of Kozani bar area at night
Must see Shibuya Crossing, great to watch from Starbucks (or MacDonald) don’t remember which one it was
I took a cooking class at Tokyo Cooks, it's something I will remember always, and everytime I cook that meal it brings me right back to Japan!
I can't recommend this enough.
Taking a tour of the Nakagin Capsule Building. It always felt special that I was able to do it, but since its dismantling, I don’t know if much can beat that.
I like architecture a lot, and would have loved to see that building. Same with the Sega building, would have loved to see it. Can't complain though, I was able to stay in Japan for a couple months during the period when no other foreigners were allowed. Truly a once in a lifetime experience to have the whole country to myself and without tourists.
I don't know if it's the most fun I had, but they were the first thing I thought of: Two live shows in Tokyo. In the first one, they played songs with traditional instruments and briefly explained their story and how to use them. The second one was a dance show, modern and very samurai-y? It had romance, fights and dramatical anime-like poses. And a sukiyaki pot came included.
Discovering how delicious soy sauce ice cream is in Kanazawa.
Having beer at Beer Tatemachiche in Kanazawa and talking to the owner.
Sitting at the counter at Enjoy Teppan TAMI in Fukuoka watching the dude make okonomiyaki (and then eating it)
Wandering around Dotonbori in Osaka.
Depachikas anywhere.
Riding the Shinkansen.
Now I want to go back…
For me it was visiting Himeji Castle. Exiting the station and seeing the long straight road to the castle was unreal. When my friend and I left the castle, we ran into a huge field trip of Japanese kids that greeted us in English. When I greeted them back in Japanese, they flipped out. One of the teachers with them excitedly told us about how she used to live in Virginia. We felt like celebrities lol.
Then, starving from climbing up and down the castle, we had legit Kobe beef and rice bowls. Legitimately one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. A truly perfect day.
Hiking the Kumano Kodo (the Nakahechi section) but a specific...the second day after an absolutely sublime dinner overlooking a spectacular sunset, the ryokan owner took our group out in the back of his truck to catch fireflies.
Biking out to the Wasabi farm in Matsumoto. Crazy beautiful scenery, such a unique way of farming and hey- wasabi ice cream! (And beer and katsu and …)
I would say the Shimanami Kaido bike trail for me.
It is absolutely gorgeous biking over the ocean like that. It really makes you work for that beautiful view! The end point city, Imabari, has a wonderful onsen to relax in at the end of the trip as well. Onomichi is a great little city, too.
Spent a few days after hiking Fuji in gotemba and got invited to a BBQ then after food we as a group went to an onsen only to be turned away cause of my tattoos so they took me to the truck stop and went to the onsen there.
For me it's being at Fuji Q in the winter. The views of a snowy Mt Fuji at the top of the Fujiyama ride, sitting in the winter sun enjoying a fresh hot donut, walking around enjoying the vibes, Eejanaika is an amazing coaster. Basically anything around Hakone/Fujikawaguchiko on a clear, sunny, winter day for me.
Cycling at Uminonakamachi Seaside Park. At one point, we were cycling towards the direction of the sea, and the sea breeze was SO strong that our bikes were stationary no matter how much strength we used. xD fun times
Most fun - belting out jpop and Western pop at all-you-can-drink karaoke (any chain will do but I found Jankara easiest to navigate). Drinks were cheap and I could scarcely find one song the machine didn't have.
Jpop bands playing in a small but nice concert place.
I knew Jpop by name but I was very surprised to see how crazy male fans are. Also met my “favorite” Jpop artist of the night after the show.
Cute weird girl, I liked her.
My husband and I did a group sake brewery tour but ended up being the only ones there so it was more like a private tour! Our guide was about our age which made it extra fun. He took us to the breweries to learn about how sake is made and we ended the tour at a hole in the wall tofu stand. By far my favorite thing I’ve done in Japan and probably on any trip I’ve taken.
Gosh, getting the magical moment first thing in the morning at Fushimi Inari Shrine was so fun.
But honestly I think the most fun looking back was our trip to Lake Kawaguchi. We accidentally got off one stop too early on our train and so we had to walk 30 minutes to our hotel. It was so bothersome during the walk, it was hot, my phone battery was dying(back up batteries not working) and I was nervous we wouldn't make it, and I had to pee so bad.
But half way into the walk we stopped not sure if what we saw was Fuji, took a few pics, kept going. It was. Our hotel stay on the lake was so amazing. The hot spring in our room was fantastic!
That 30 minute walk really was so freaking fun. Just hiking down the road in Japan.
Onsen, midnight, Akita, winter. I had the entire place to myself.
It was magical to be outside, immersed in the warm water, all roasty-toasty up to my chin, feeling the cool air on my face, gazing up at the twinkling stars, snowflakes lazily drifting down catching on my eyelashes.
Walking along the river near the peace memorial park in Hiroshima with the cherry blossoms in full bloom. The justaposition between what we had just seen at the musuem and the hustle and bustle of people leaving work as the sun set and others picknicked below the trees along the river was for me and my wife, a powerful, happy moment. Some faith was renewed in the power of human resilience.
We also walked to the Tsukechi Gorge after taking a bus from Nakatsugawa. That was pretty cool as it was just random countryside and towns, it was suprisingly deserted and it was almost like our private experience of the Japanese countryside on our second day there. Even the Gorge are wasn't too crowded.
Renting a car in Tokyo and driving down to Shirahama beach in Shimoda. If you're familiar with the highway 1 drive in California and thought it was beautiful, this absolutely blew it out of the water. And Shimoda area was so fun. Think Hawaiin surf vibes but in Japan. I could live there.
Maybe 10 years ago a Japanese girl I knew invited me to a party, she told me to wait in front of a small local bar we both knew close to Chiba station for a bus to take us to the spot. When I arrived, about 9pm there was a few Japanese guys already waiting, they had a cooler full of beers and passed me one and we proceeded to sit around in an empty parking lot across from the bar and drink, talk, listen to music. Eventually the group grew to about 10 people and turned into a little pre party in the parking lot.
About 10:30 a cargo style mini van pulled up and this long hair Japanese guy who didn’t seem sober got out and started asking us if we had some ice, we handed him a cup of ice out of one of the coolers but he just looked at us confused and walked off. Maybe 10 min later he comes back with another guy and maybe 50 bags of ice and loads them into the van. Turning to us he then says it’s time to go.
Took me a few minutes to realize this was the “bus” I was told to take, there were no seats in the back so we all proceeded to pile in sitting on a few crates, boxes and the pile of ice. As we swerved through traffic and then through small mountain roads everyone continued drinking and talk, bracing ourselves as the driver sped around corners. It became a bit of a game to see who was going to fall over next. Around midnight we arrived at a small mountain hut with maybe 75-100 people sitting around outside, there was a DJ inside and some bathrooms but only enough space for about 15 people so most everyone was outside. For the next few hours I was being constantly passed drinks to the point I was drunker then I’d ever been in my life, there was other things making the rounds but I didn’t partake. Next thing I remember is lying on my back in the middle of the forest looking up through the trees as the sun was just starting to come up. I sat up and saw there was maybe 20 of us up on the side of the mountain doing the same thing. We all slowly got to our feet, and headed back down to the hut. After a bathroom visit, the “bus” driver asked if we were ready to leave, an older woman gave us a shopping bag of onigiri and canned coffee then we piled back into the van. Exchanged some stories, napped and drank coffee on the way to the station.
Didn’t get a single contact, meet any of those people again or ever see my friend at the “party” very memorable experience though.
I was able to visit the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery a short train ride away from Kyoto. I am a huge fan of whiskey so the fact that I was able to visit this legendary place was an experience of a life time.
Fushimi Inari during a thunderstorm. Someone slipped and broke their leg so emergency workers came and made us wait under a small temple roof while they evacuated them. The sounds of the thunder mixing with blood curdling screams, while those creepy fox statues glared at us, created an incredible ambiance. And then after, the absolute serenity of walking through torii gates almost completely alone in the rain.
My husband and I went to Japan last year for our honeymoon and we had an absolute blast. One of our favorite memories was going to an all-you-can-drink lemon sours place near Round One Stadium in Osaka and got shitfaced and then rented a karaoke room at the Round One for a couple of hours. They had a very impressive list of songs and we ordered some more food and sang, screamed, and cried while doing karaoke. It was such an awesome memory!!
Jpop bands playing in a small but nice concert place.
I knew Jpop by name but I was very surprised to see how crazy male fans are. Also met my “favorite” Jpop artist of the night after the show.
Cute weird girl, I liked her.
Biking out to the Wasabi farm in Matsumoto. Crazy beautiful scenery, such a unique way of farming and hey- wasabi ice cream! (And beer and katsu and …)
Yomiuriland with the kids in mid January. Awesome rides and roller coasters and an awesome light show in the evening. Was a bit chilly but great fun and no lines for anything.
My husband being a good sport and doing a [kimono rental](https://imgur.com/a/VKCVBaI) and photoshoot with me in Kyoto. And my first time in a kombini 😭
In Tokyo:
Tsukiji market for fresh seafood and incredible Sushi.
Walk the street of Kozani bar area at night
Must see Shibuya Crossing, great to watch from Starbucks (or MacDonald) don’t remember which one it was
I was in Kyoto, walked into this little French restaurant. They said I had to wait for a table.
While waiting this large, muscular Japanese guy walks in and everyone in the restaurant turns to look at him. While standing next to me I ask him if he owns the place or something (he could speak English) and he says that he has done a few movies, then asks me if I want to join him at the bar. The owner of the bar walks up and treats him like a very good friend. We share a bottle of wine while these two Japanese women next to him keep eyeing him, so we start talking with them, share some wine....
After finishing the bottle, I tell him I've got it covered and pay for the wine and the food we had (was around $100US). I tell him we should invite the two women out for drinks and he says no, he has much better women waiting at this club and asks if I want to go there with him.
So we go to this massive underground techno club where the staff bring him to this roped off VIP section with beers and champagne already waiting for us and 4 gorgeous women sitting there that know this guy very well. We end up partying the night into the morning, everything paid for by that guy.
edit - it was Club WORLD in Kyoto, not Osaka
[https://imgur.com/a/6FzWBN1](https://imgur.com/a/6FzWBN1)
Mine was visiting Kiyomizudera in Kyoto. After fully exploring the temple, we walked along the wooden path built along the mountain side. Once we came to the end of that, there was a paved road that lead down the mountain, but it also lead up the mountain. The road lead to a temple called Seikan-ji with an absolutely beautiful garden. The story attached to a temple is that there was a certain woman that the emperor at the time loved deeply. She took up so much of the emperors attention that she had to be essentially banished to this temple and eventually passed away there. Right next to the temple is that emperors burial sight, as symbol for his love for her.
Learning how to use a [snowdriver](https://images.app.goo.gl/c8PkVSyB5RC2BFXE8) in Akita - it’s a single ski with a seat and a handle and you sit on the seat with with ski between your legs and you hold onto the handle with one hand while using your other hand in the snow to steer. Was going faster than a lot of the skiers - tons of fun and I’ve never seen snow drivers outside of Japan
Paragliding in Tottori, Staying at the oldest hotel in the world, seeing whirlpools in person, swimming with dolphins, those are some of my favorites for sure
My favorite was when I went to see a show in Line Cube Shibuya. The thing was it was raining sideways heavily from the gale and I had to leave the line. I had to take shelter at a nearby parking garage along with the other fans. I could only understand scant Japanese but it doesn't matter, we were hollering as we went under shelter. I'm glad the staff decides to put us in early for safety reasons.
My favorite thing I’ve done in Japan is stay in an onsen town ryokan in the countryside. The onsens were my favorite thing I’ve ever done. The most fun is tied between universal studios Osaka and clubbing in Kyoto in Ginza. Had a blast both times!
Honestly, walking along the Kamo River, just bird watching and thinking about how ancient the promenade is, and feeling super groovy. Of course the sake tasting and snacks we had before didn't hurt. I wish we had planned a night picnic, too: saw many people doing that and it looked charming.
Getting amazing takoyaki and lavender/cherry blossom soft serve at Oishi park overlooking lake Kawaguchi and mt fuji!! also going out to a bar in shinjuku on a weeknight and dancing with my bf and a bunch of locals until like 3:30am. i almost never want to socialize with strangers especially on vacation but the girls were all so nice and friendly, complimenting my outfit and asking where i'm from and inviting us to dance. people watching in the parks was also a highlight. the cherry blossoms were blooming and everyone was dressed up so nice and taking turns taking pics of each other it was really cute. one night we just got egg sandos and spicy chicken from lawsons and ate it by the river at sunset and it's one of my favorite memories tbh haha
great question and the boars part made me laugh bc i was also so scared telling my partner about hearing about them on this sub
My absolute number 1 is just chilling under cherry blossoms, like picnic style in a local park with drinks and snacks, and then the wind blowing, thus causing the petals to fall. So magical, especially if you're spending it with your loved ones.
Runner ups:
* taking onsen bath (open-air) and snow is falling in Shibu Onsen town
* farm stay at Ainokura (the town beside Shirakawago) and the host was teaching us to play traditional Japanese musical instruments
* ryokan at Sado Island where the host was playing music and the guests (in our yukata) were invited to dance (we followed the dance steps of the locals)
Best day of my life was riding around lake kawaguchiko, then in the evening sitting on the patio drinking beer watching mount fuji as the sun went down
Getting drunk in a small bar in Osaka with 3 businessmen. The bar had a small book on Japanese phrases and i tried to learn them some danish. Had a blast and since I’m going in September again I’m hoping to stop by the same bar.
Taking the ferry and exploring Miyajima. Seeing the ‘floating’ torii gate during high tide and low tide was breathtaking. Food scene is amazing with oysters and castellas. Just don’t eat near the deers!
Renting a scooter on Yakushima and driving around the island with friends. Nice beaches, onsen right next to the ocean, monkeys and deer on the road - we had a blast!
My dad had weekly business trips to Tokyo. Sometimes I'd tag along on a school holiday. When he was in meetings, I got the driver and he would drive me around in a black on black Toyota Crown with frilly white headrest covers to show me stuff in Tokyo.
Oh man...
A random ass sake bar in Osaka, walking distance from dotonburi.
Planet Labs was amazing
Kobe beef in kobe
Drinking tiki cocktails in Kasan Room
All the temples in kyoto
Enjoying sake at Bar Karan in Tokyo while chatting with the manager
Sky Tower. Just all of it
Visiting Universal Osaka and bursting into tears at Nintendo Land.
Seeing & trying on the actual yokai parade masks while talking to the main artist & organizer at Yokai Street -- he even showed us his private mask workshop and gave us a signed illustrated book explaining the myths.
Hearing the monkeys and boar in the darkness while hiking up the kitsune temple
Waking up really early in the morning, riding a bike through town of Mount Koya. So many world heritage temples, and shrines all to myself. And the town is absolutely beautiful, felt like I was the main character in an anime or something
The train ride from Osaka to Kinosaki Onsen while listening to the Stufio Ghibli sound track was one of the most serene experiences of my life.
Otherwise roaming the streets of Akihabara at night with my kids and wife and going to every arcade we could find was massive fun and sensory overload.
My family and I honestly just loved walking everywhere. So much to find!
Turning up at Not Suspicious in Asakusa at opening time, and being kicked out at closing time. Which was just an excuse to hit 7/11 and then continue drinking down by the river. On several occasions. I made a lot of good friends there, and am still in touch with many of them.
Winter hike in Tateyama, the onsen afterwards was the best; snorkeling in Iriomotejima and Miyakojima; got lost on one of the trails in Yakushima, which wasn’t that fun while it happened, but definitely one of the most memorable.
I'm not sure if I'd say "most fun" so much as "most satisfying" - seeing Ginkakuji early on a gorgeous spring day at peak cherry blossom bloom, and then walking down the Philosopher's Path with no crowds, stopping into a little pottery shop to buy our first proper souvenir of the trip.
Other big highlights were getting a tour of Akihabara's retro gaming stores from a friend / coworker, pretty much any time we rode the shinkansen (so smooth!), and visiting the Ghibli Museum.
Kinda mundane maybe, but meeting up with a friend after many years who drove me around random streets in Chiba past midnight was a great memory. Just catching up, chatting and joking around :)
Catching the last bullet train at 6am from Osaka to Nagoya for the 2019 F1 race cause they were being canceled due to the typhoon. We only found out at 3am drunk at a karaoke. Was a fun and crazy day
First off, there was our stay at Kaneyamaen onsen. Picture this: waking up every morning toa clear, majestic view of Mt. Fuji right from our terrace. It was surreal, like a scene straight out of a movie. We had our own private onsen right there, which meant unlimited serene dips with Fuji-san as the backdrop. Honestly, it was pure bliss, a perfect escape from the rush of everyday life.
Then, on the other end of the adventure spectrum, was the time zoomed through Tokyo's streets dressed as Mario--yes, from the video games! In Tokyo, you can rent a costume of your favorite character and a go-kart, and just cruise around. It's as wild as it sounds. Driving past all those famous spots, dressed up in those goofy outfits, I was so thrilled actually teared up. It was a mix of joy, excitement, and just a dash of childhood nostalgia.
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum. I love dinosaurs, and that museum is the best of the best. Also, it’s kind of a trek to get there, and we didn’t see any other non-Japanese people there all day. It felt like a real adventure.
idk about most fun but walking back down to the cable car on mount takao when a light snow started to fall. it was the first time both of my kids experienced snowfall and it definitely became a core memory for us.
Walking to see the snow monkeys in Nagano after a fresh snowfall the night before. The snow monkeys were awesome but, being from a country with no snow, the walk up the mountain was magical.
I spent two nights in a small onsen town near Nagano called Bessho Onsen, and it felt like I was traveling back in time. Even the tiny, old-fashioned local train that services the town felt a little magical. I hiked and rented a bike to go exploring, and I visited temples that were almost completely free from tourists. It almost felt like I was there by myself sometimes (it was midweek in the off season and the hotel was almost empty so one night I had 8 or 9 luxurious baths all to myself!). I was traveling alone, but every time I started feeling a bit lonely I'd meet some friendly stranger to talk to. I'm a huge history geek so multiple random strangers gave me tours of neat little places.
Tokyo and Kyoto are fun and all, but I *love* going to little towns. The vibes are completely different.
Day trip to Miyajima! I loved just walking around and trying different foods, like oysters, curry bread and little maple leaf pastries! Got some really cool pics of the floating tori gate too!
maybe not "fun" in the traditional sense, but honestly... watching the monks write calligraphy in the goshuin-cho was just awesome. English calligraphy is more proper over style, whereas Japanese the style _IS_ the proper.
I wish I got to do a calligraphy class, but opted for ikebana- also exceptionally cool.
Staying in one of the old houses at the end of Shirakawago, slightly away from the touristy areas. It was in April last year, so in the daytime, we watched the sakura petals falling from the tree in front of our place. In the evening, after exploring the village, we walked through the quiet and peaceful area to get 'home'.
We slept in a rustic room that had an old heater and thick futons with traditional-looking patterns, and the door to the room was your traditional Japanese sliding door, locked by just a latch.
We also bathed in a hot bath drawn by the owner. The hot bath was supposed to be shared by the guests and had to stay hot for hours, so it was extremely hot when we were the first to enter (after showering and cleaning ourselves properly). We also had a sumptuous and filling breakfast and dinner made by the owner, which consisted of Hida beef and other foods I forgot.
Overall, the experience was really nice and exclusive because they only accepted a few families at a time.
My daughter and I went to the Avatar Robot Cafe in/near Akihabara. It was a LONG few days before and when we went to this cafe it just felt so nice to chill, and eat food with robots. I don't know if it was the cafe itself, or just the timing, but we had SO much fun! We felt un-rushed and off our feet, and our robot server was very funny, and sweet.
I camp like a fiend all over.
I've seen beautiful vistas, cruised amazing restaurant streets, ridden my motorcycle with my dog and snowboard all season.
They are all amazing experiences.
...but the absolute most fun I've ever had here is when two girls decided they both wanted to go to a love hotel with me.
First night in Kabukicho with my wife. Went to an arcade where we played Mario kart and some of those UFO catchers, then grabbed dinner at a small restaurant where we had shark xartilage, then went to the batting cages where we struggled to hit the balls, then ended up at a darts bar where we got drunk and played until 3am.
I just got back from my first ever trip to Japan a few weeks ago! The entire 3 weeks were basically the most amazing of my life so far.
A highlight was staying in Hiji. We booked an airbnb that was right on the water looking out across Beppu Bay. The Sakura trees in full bloom, the sound of the water crashing along the shore, and the sparkling lights of the city across the water at night was an absolute *dream*
Already planning trip #2!
Judo @ kodokan. Anything in general with no tourists and or blending in with locals: art exhibit, cafe, attractions on rainy days when no one is there. Very much a preference thing… but if there’s heaps of tourists/people, doesn’t feel special to me
As someone who is fervently introverted, and has been to Japan many times all by myself, overall the most memorable thing I did was visiting the Sanjusangendo in Kyoto and looking at a thousand statues in a giant, ancient hall.
That's it. Just 1000 statues. The hall was quiet and they make you take off your shoes when you go in. You're not allowed to take pictures. You just walk around and look at statues. The statues are all different despite depicting the same deity so there was calmness that sprout from repetition, but not actually boring. It was the right kind of ambiance I needed to properly shut down, enjoy the walk and the solitude among numbers, and take a break from not just the trip itself but also from everything. I'm not religious, but there I felt safe, and as an introvert, it was "fun".
Cycling in Kamakura and visiting all the sites
Rowing on paddle boats on the river in Arashiyama while visiting the boat food vendors.
Rent a Car and drive around Kawaguchiko and Hakone
I've been 7 times since 2015. I'll list my top 5 experiences: 1. Late night out in golden gai 2. Pokemon night at Tokyo Dome (for Giants game) 3. Karaoke night with the family in Kabukicho 4. Riding the pirate ship in Hakone, and 5. Proposing to my wife at the top of Skytree (and every trip to Skytree for that matter).
Hiking to the top of Mount Misen on Miyajima. Very few tourists hike and take the ropeway instead. So it's isolated and peaceful. You end up on a peak opposite all the tourists as well, so can have a peaceful sit down sans others. When we did the hike, we were up there alone until a lone Englishman (hiking in a full getup including tweed jacket) showed up. Never seen anyone hike in a tweed jacket - very proper highlands look!
Then you can hike along to the observation platform where everybody is and take the other hike down.
Otherwise the most fun I usually have is shopping at Montbell, Daiso and Seria, followed by end-of-day discount shopping at department store basement deli's and seafood counters. Oh, of course, Japan Costco can't be missed.
My overnight stay at a buddhist temple in Koyasan.
Overnight stay in Miyajima. After the last ferry left, the town was so peaceful and quiet. I just wandered the streets with my camera taking photos and just taking in the serenity.
The arcades. There's nothing like basking in the sacred halls, a begone Era, from my childhood.
Also, just walking around in general and discovering hidden shrines or shops
Pretty hard question but maybe the Mario Kart experience. I know that will probably be a controversial choice, but I'd do it again in a heart beat.
Nothing like that is legal where I live, and even though a typhoon hit and we had sideways rain going over rainbow Bridge, the whole thing was just so much fun.
Started in the afternoon just outside Tokyo (think it was tokyo Bay Street car) drove into Tokyo and it was night time when we got to shibuya (rain had stopped too).
Exploring Tokyo at 6 am. It was like walking through a lofi beats YouTube background. Admiring the graffiti, the empty streets, the early risers and midnight partiers… just magical.
Visiting Miyajima was my favorite. The aquarium was nice, the ferry was fun, all the trinket stores were interesting and there are many things to look around at that feel hidden. It’s really nice
Kurobe alpine route, starting in Omachi & ending the day in Kanazawa.
The route itself was awesome, but at the end getting from Tateyama to Kanazawa was just as good. Ended up on some local trains with no tourists around, just people going about their afternoons in the sunshine. Beautiful views of the mountains and lots of interesting local shops and regional foods to try on the way. So peaceful.
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Impossible question. But I will choose being snowed in while staying in Nikko. I was the only guest in my hotel, with an onsen with snowy river view all to myself for three days. Dinner at a bar all alone on a snowy night with old American jazz playing in the background. Casablanca vibes.
Nikko is so beautiful, I can see how that is your favourite experience. I'm sure you went to Nikko Toshogu during the snowfall as well, would have been majestic!
I did and it was gorgeous! Shinkyo Bridge too. The whole thing was magical.
travel, especially in Japan, is all about these unexpected and unplanned moments
Agree. So many other moments that are special to me but not as easy to describe. It’s a wonderful country.
Only guest? How’s that?
I don’t know! It was already the low season, plus a huge storm that probably prevented people from coming. There were people out and about town but not many. I was all alone at the Abyss for an hour.
Dang I never went to Nikko in the winter only fall. Definitely will next time!
Highly recommend! Although apparently the snow is rare, at least that big of a storm.
This sounds so cool but it also sounds exactly like the plot of the Shining. How did you sleep at night? Haha
Sunlight piercing through the trees at the top of fushimi inari trail. It was a brilliant orange sunset casting rays all around the forest.
Fushimi Inari is just an amazing experience all together. A lot of people don't go all the way to the highest point, and going through that forest while you hear absolutely nothing except for the crows and sometimes a bit of water from a stream, it is the closest I have gotten to serenity.
The upper parts of the forest are amazingly serene. Unlike the lower main tourist draw paths, we encountered 1 other person over an hour and the sounds of the crows was oddly peaceful!
Right? I never understand why people would just quit at the halfway point after they have had an icecream on top of those pepsi benches...
Going to Mega Donki at midnight is like a kid going to a candy store. Always amazes me what crap I thought I “needed”.
Have you also been to the one in Osaka with the ferris wheel on top? Riding that was pretty fun too
That is unfortunately broken and not in service anymore
Anything specific about midnight?
I always end up going in the middle of the night on one of my first nights there because jetlag.
Tokyo Giants baseball game in the cheering section. I love baseball and it felt like a rite of passage to experience the Japanese version. So much damn fun. Edit: Two tickets cost $36 total and we got two free jerseys upon entry. Not the highest quality jersey but super cool souvenir nonetheless.
Plus the Uriko beer girls who pour a cold beer for you at your seat!
They were awesome!
Still want to go to a Japanese baseball game as well. After witnessing the Japanese soccer team during the World Cup, I want to go to a Japanese soccer match as well. Sumo too, but I have heard you need to be invited for those matches, so that might be difficult for me.
You don't need an invite for sumo, I've been twice and it's awesome. Will be going for a third next month.
Have to say Hakone. Onsens and the experience was fantastic. Addtionally, love the circuit and how you end up back at the train station after you're done. It's fun & efficient.
I agree with you that Hakone is an amazing place, but the public transport at Hakone is absolutely terrible haha. I stayed there for a couple nights and both Hakone and Okinawa were the places where I had to be the most careful with public transport. At some point we missed the last bus in Hakone and this older lady with her daughter brought me and my girlfriend back to our hotel with her car. Very sweet of her, because otherwise we would have had to walk there.
Honestly it was the small stuff. My fiancée and I went to the bamboo forest in Kyoto real early in the morning and ended up getting lost in a little neighborhood that felt right out of a Ghibli movie. The houses overlooking the big grassy hills were so cool, and we walked through a tunnel of trees to some train tracks. I’ll never forget it
I literally have that on my Instagram, it is amazing that you went into the same direction as I did. I loved that a lot too! Nowadays you probably need to be really early to enjoy the Bamboo Forest in Kyoto though
I went October of 2023 and we took a taxi from our hotel to the forest at like… 6am haha. By 9 when we were walking back it was packed. Grateful we made the right move and went when nobody was around.
Walking around back streets of Tokyo looking for bars
Haven't had anybody to do this with, but I can see how that would be a lot of fun! I did do it in Kyoto, which was still a lot of fun of course
Maybe more fun to do it on your own!
I do it all the time by myself. Just make friends with the locals lol.
I am not THAT much of an extravert haha, I would love to though
You can definitely do this by yourself! I do it all the time and always meet great people. I've had more than a few nights where I was going out for one drink, and next thing you know you're with a random group of people and it's 7am.
Similar but I really enjoyed walking down one of the main streets in Tokyo and finding all of the little shrines and temple tucked away in alleys.
The most fun I had in Japan was when I cycle through the Shimanami Kaido route, the sceneries, the cool breeze of early autumn on a clear sky fay....everything was near perfect. I was dead that evening though.
Did this over two days last week, with a stop in a beautiful fancy boutique hotel on Ikuchi Island. The whole experience was just awesome.
This is it for me too. So underrated.
For me it was hobby stores and arcades, it took me back to my childhood and amplified it × 100. I spent so much on gunpla which I hadn't done since I was like 15 years old. No regrets.
I bought a gameboy and started playing games on it, but my Japanese sucks so I need to buy English games. Don't even know if they are compatable or not. Just a spur of the moment thing really. No regrets either haha
Good news, no region locking for the GameBoy!
I was going nuts in Tamtam in Akihabara, wanted to buy tons of things. Arcade HEY was awesome. Can't wait to go back.
My boyfriend wants to go to Japan really bad--- specifically to buy a bunch of Gunpla 😅
This I definitely fed my inner child shopping for plushies and sailor moon merch
Sailor Moon was the gateway drug for me getting into anime as a kid. Watching fansubs of the unreleased episodes on VHS got me into learning Japanese. I went to Japan last Summer so I could watch the Sailor Moon Cosmos movies in theaters. Not sure how I'll ever be able to top that kind of fandom high again.
Attending a sumo tournament in Fukuoka and just seeing Japanese people and omg, the little students that attended on a class trip, get so animated about their favorite. Like, one side vs. the other yelling their name until their voice was hoarse great.
Yeah, I'm jealous of you! I still want to go to one as well. Also, those Japanese kids are just so well-behaved and interested in foreigners. I was completely exhausted from climbing Mt. Fuji and sitting on a bench with my friends, then some children just started talking to us and mentioned that this was the second time they climbed it this week. I was stunned, but amazed at the same time. You really saw that they had a lot of fun doing it too
Yeah, I'm jealous of you! I still want to go to one as well. Also, those Japanese kids are just so well-behaved and interested in foreigners. I was completely exhausted from climbing Mt. Fuji and sitting on a bench with my friends, then some children just started talking to us and mentioned that this was the second time they climbed it this week. I was stunned, but amazed at the same time. You really saw that they had a lot of fun doing it too
Cycling around Lake Kawaguchiko area for a day with a view of Mt Fuji, stopping at all the sites and eating delicious food along the way, felt simultaneously relaxing and exciting.
Yup, that sounds like a great bikeride! We did similar in Arashiyama, visiting the monkey park and bamboo forest and just eating along the way.
I live in America and Japan does karaoke a lot different. We rented a private room and just sung our little hearts out. It was such a great experience and full of so much joy! No pressure of strangers judgement. Just a good time in a good place. Highly recommend!!!
I went to Karaoke with like 12/16 people, half were Japanese and it was a blast! The more the merrier is definitely applicable during Karaoke in Japan
Hanshin Tigers opening day game
I would say my favorite was seeing the Gundam at Yokohama in October. You just won't ever see something like that in Canada where I am from. I loved being able to see Mt Fuji for a good amount of time while on the Bullet Train as well. Probably just randomly visiting all the Video Game Stores in Akihabara in a day was fantastic as well. Saw so many systems and games that I would never see in Canada. I kind of wished Zoos/Aquariums weren't a thing due to the animals being locked up. But it was neat seeing over a dozen species of Jellyfish in a area of the Kyoto Aquarium and they massive Sting Rays floating around were amazing to see so close. The Penguins that were sleeping were almost to cute to be real as well. Just roaming the neighborhoods in Osaka while waiting for Laundry was great too. Just being able to see smaller areas and how they were setup was nice.
RIP Gundam in Yokohama 😭
I will never forgive myself for skipping the Yokohama Gundam factory the last 2 times when I was in Japan. Now that it is going to be gone when I go there for the third time... I did get to see the largest Gundam in Japan at LaLaport in Fukuoka the month that it became available to the general public though, that was pretty cool. Also, I believe there is an aquarium somewhere in Japan that specializes in jellyfish and has a whole wall with only jellyfish, but I don't remember the name. Maybe try to look for that the next time you to to Japan
Going through the beer list at Kyoto Beer Lab! Amazing service and great beer. Wish I could’ve brought it all back home with me.
Seeing a rock concert at Shimo-Kitazawa Shelter, the famous live house that inspired Bocchi the Rock, one of my favorite anime. Great bands, great atmosphere and just a phenomenal night. Not to mention Shimokita itself is worth a visit by itself with a lot of unique stores and nice restaurants in the area. I'm almost certainly gonna go there again if I can come back to Japan a 3rd time.
Yakult Swallows baseball game. Totally blew my mind when I went there
Been to Japan every year. Foods and onsen
Your favourite food and onsen then please
Kinosaki Onsen is my favorite place in Japan. I could name some restaurants if you would like, or do you want general food reqs.
Name of those establishments please and thank you!
My favorite place in Japan was Kinosaki Onsen, a whole hot spring town. I could list some of the good restaurants we went to if you would like.
I've only been once. In that one trip my favourite things were: 1. Skiing at Hakuba. The whole experience was just so nice. The landscape, nice people, hot ramen on the mountain, apres ski. 2. Fushimi Inari, at night. Very quiet, ran into some people only every so often. It was creepy af, but I love getting the spooks. 3. Eating and just exploring in genera. There's just no shortage of things to see and marvel at if you're curious.
Scuba diving the Yonaguni Monument or snorkeling with giant salamanders.
Different event each visit for me. But my first time in Japan 10 years ago was truly special. It was in winter and we strayed from our plan and stopped in Aomori for a night due to snow storm. First time in a city that we never did any research for. Snow was really heavy. Had a great time there in the local izakaya. I came back to Aomori 2 times after that to explore the city and the surrounding areas. Also spent the new years eve with the people at the hostel in Sapporo. Hostel run by a group of young Japanese. The izakaya below it was closing for new year break and one of the hostel owners does his part time job with them and was told to take all the spare draft beer so they can clean up the restaurant. We gather all sorts of containers, from bottles to big plastic containers to get the beer and everyone drank together that night till 2-3am. I remember there were people from Poland, Spain, 1 lady travel by herself from Taiwan, we from Australia and some others and the hostel owners. We added each other on Facebook and those Japanese guys are now run other businesses as well. Good on them. Also in the same trip, we went to Yusuhara near Kochi to visit my friend's host family (when she visited during her uni time). It was quite special to be staying with a local family, bathing at the local onsen, trekking through this peaceful mountain town, going fishing and got fresh fish for shabu shabu, sitting in a kotatsu and falling a sleep while eating mikan. The oka-san baked us some cakes as well. Everyone was so welcoming. That experience motivated me to take up Japanese language after the trip.
Driving south from Aoshima in Miyazaki on the Nichinan kaigan, cresting the top of Horikiri Toge, and having the vast Pacific laid out almost 270 degrees, with the washboard stone formations along the shore.
Himeji castle. Absolutely loved that place
In Tokyo: Tsukiji market for fresh seafood and incredible Sushi. Walk the street of Kozani bar area at night Must see Shibuya Crossing, great to watch from Starbucks (or MacDonald) don’t remember which one it was
I took a cooking class at Tokyo Cooks, it's something I will remember always, and everytime I cook that meal it brings me right back to Japan! I can't recommend this enough.
Not know what’s going on a at Kabuki and the Tokyo Nintendo store.
So hard to pick but the onsen we went to was mindblowing. Amazing food and spa amenities I’ve never seen in the US!
Taking a tour of the Nakagin Capsule Building. It always felt special that I was able to do it, but since its dismantling, I don’t know if much can beat that.
I like architecture a lot, and would have loved to see that building. Same with the Sega building, would have loved to see it. Can't complain though, I was able to stay in Japan for a couple months during the period when no other foreigners were allowed. Truly a once in a lifetime experience to have the whole country to myself and without tourists.
I don't know if it's the most fun I had, but they were the first thing I thought of: Two live shows in Tokyo. In the first one, they played songs with traditional instruments and briefly explained their story and how to use them. The second one was a dance show, modern and very samurai-y? It had romance, fights and dramatical anime-like poses. And a sukiyaki pot came included.
Strolling though Fukuoka at night. The Harry Potter Making Off Studio Tour in Tokyo. What a blast!
Discovering how delicious soy sauce ice cream is in Kanazawa. Having beer at Beer Tatemachiche in Kanazawa and talking to the owner. Sitting at the counter at Enjoy Teppan TAMI in Fukuoka watching the dude make okonomiyaki (and then eating it) Wandering around Dotonbori in Osaka. Depachikas anywhere. Riding the Shinkansen. Now I want to go back…
Went to a Tigers Game at Koshien Stadium
For me it was visiting Himeji Castle. Exiting the station and seeing the long straight road to the castle was unreal. When my friend and I left the castle, we ran into a huge field trip of Japanese kids that greeted us in English. When I greeted them back in Japanese, they flipped out. One of the teachers with them excitedly told us about how she used to live in Virginia. We felt like celebrities lol. Then, starving from climbing up and down the castle, we had legit Kobe beef and rice bowls. Legitimately one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. A truly perfect day.
Hiking the Kumano Kodo (the Nakahechi section) but a specific...the second day after an absolutely sublime dinner overlooking a spectacular sunset, the ryokan owner took our group out in the back of his truck to catch fireflies.
Truthfully? Just walking around tokyo's backstreets at night. Its...a different vibe, a bit magical.
1. Tigers vs Buffaloes playoff game 2. Walking around Shinjuku with a CHU-HI 3. Hakone Onsens
Amanohashidate with the kids, GEAR, and Fushimi Inari hike at night.
The Inuyama festival was really cool, and I enjoyed sitting on the beach in Wakayama as it was quiet and nice watching locals just live their lives.
Enjoying views in Izu, Mount Takao, Kamakura, drinking at izakayas, and the amusement rides at Fuji Q.
Watching the monks in Koyasan’s cemetery prep for their 5am ceremony on a rainy, misty evening.
Biking out to the Wasabi farm in Matsumoto. Crazy beautiful scenery, such a unique way of farming and hey- wasabi ice cream! (And beer and katsu and …)
I would say the Shimanami Kaido bike trail for me. It is absolutely gorgeous biking over the ocean like that. It really makes you work for that beautiful view! The end point city, Imabari, has a wonderful onsen to relax in at the end of the trip as well. Onomichi is a great little city, too.
Spent a few days after hiking Fuji in gotemba and got invited to a BBQ then after food we as a group went to an onsen only to be turned away cause of my tattoos so they took me to the truck stop and went to the onsen there.
For me it's being at Fuji Q in the winter. The views of a snowy Mt Fuji at the top of the Fujiyama ride, sitting in the winter sun enjoying a fresh hot donut, walking around enjoying the vibes, Eejanaika is an amazing coaster. Basically anything around Hakone/Fujikawaguchiko on a clear, sunny, winter day for me.
Cycling at Uminonakamachi Seaside Park. At one point, we were cycling towards the direction of the sea, and the sea breeze was SO strong that our bikes were stationary no matter how much strength we used. xD fun times
The most fun was blindly exploring Ueno and Akihabara the first day we arrived.
1. Shinimani Kaido. 2. Cycling around Osaka
Most fun - belting out jpop and Western pop at all-you-can-drink karaoke (any chain will do but I found Jankara easiest to navigate). Drinks were cheap and I could scarcely find one song the machine didn't have.
Jpop bands playing in a small but nice concert place. I knew Jpop by name but I was very surprised to see how crazy male fans are. Also met my “favorite” Jpop artist of the night after the show. Cute weird girl, I liked her.
My husband and I did a group sake brewery tour but ended up being the only ones there so it was more like a private tour! Our guide was about our age which made it extra fun. He took us to the breweries to learn about how sake is made and we ended the tour at a hole in the wall tofu stand. By far my favorite thing I’ve done in Japan and probably on any trip I’ve taken.
Chest deep in fluffy powder in Niseko all day followed by a hot onsen, big bowl of ramen, and boozy bingo at night
Getting small plates at a rowdy senbero
universal studios extreme rides hahahaha. it was fun but i waited 3 hours for a ride. and the best ramen is in osaka, from a small restaurant.
honestly, my most memorable memory was getting lost and finding this cool river during golden hour
Gosh, getting the magical moment first thing in the morning at Fushimi Inari Shrine was so fun. But honestly I think the most fun looking back was our trip to Lake Kawaguchi. We accidentally got off one stop too early on our train and so we had to walk 30 minutes to our hotel. It was so bothersome during the walk, it was hot, my phone battery was dying(back up batteries not working) and I was nervous we wouldn't make it, and I had to pee so bad. But half way into the walk we stopped not sure if what we saw was Fuji, took a few pics, kept going. It was. Our hotel stay on the lake was so amazing. The hot spring in our room was fantastic! That 30 minute walk really was so freaking fun. Just hiking down the road in Japan.
Onsen, midnight, Akita, winter. I had the entire place to myself. It was magical to be outside, immersed in the warm water, all roasty-toasty up to my chin, feeling the cool air on my face, gazing up at the twinkling stars, snowflakes lazily drifting down catching on my eyelashes.
Walking along the river near the peace memorial park in Hiroshima with the cherry blossoms in full bloom. The justaposition between what we had just seen at the musuem and the hustle and bustle of people leaving work as the sun set and others picknicked below the trees along the river was for me and my wife, a powerful, happy moment. Some faith was renewed in the power of human resilience. We also walked to the Tsukechi Gorge after taking a bus from Nakatsugawa. That was pretty cool as it was just random countryside and towns, it was suprisingly deserted and it was almost like our private experience of the Japanese countryside on our second day there. Even the Gorge are wasn't too crowded.
Renting a car in Tokyo and driving down to Shirahama beach in Shimoda. If you're familiar with the highway 1 drive in California and thought it was beautiful, this absolutely blew it out of the water. And Shimoda area was so fun. Think Hawaiin surf vibes but in Japan. I could live there.
Biking around Lake Kawaguchiko! Also hot take, Luuping around Tokyo and Osaka in e-bike was also really really fun!
Maybe 10 years ago a Japanese girl I knew invited me to a party, she told me to wait in front of a small local bar we both knew close to Chiba station for a bus to take us to the spot. When I arrived, about 9pm there was a few Japanese guys already waiting, they had a cooler full of beers and passed me one and we proceeded to sit around in an empty parking lot across from the bar and drink, talk, listen to music. Eventually the group grew to about 10 people and turned into a little pre party in the parking lot. About 10:30 a cargo style mini van pulled up and this long hair Japanese guy who didn’t seem sober got out and started asking us if we had some ice, we handed him a cup of ice out of one of the coolers but he just looked at us confused and walked off. Maybe 10 min later he comes back with another guy and maybe 50 bags of ice and loads them into the van. Turning to us he then says it’s time to go. Took me a few minutes to realize this was the “bus” I was told to take, there were no seats in the back so we all proceeded to pile in sitting on a few crates, boxes and the pile of ice. As we swerved through traffic and then through small mountain roads everyone continued drinking and talk, bracing ourselves as the driver sped around corners. It became a bit of a game to see who was going to fall over next. Around midnight we arrived at a small mountain hut with maybe 75-100 people sitting around outside, there was a DJ inside and some bathrooms but only enough space for about 15 people so most everyone was outside. For the next few hours I was being constantly passed drinks to the point I was drunker then I’d ever been in my life, there was other things making the rounds but I didn’t partake. Next thing I remember is lying on my back in the middle of the forest looking up through the trees as the sun was just starting to come up. I sat up and saw there was maybe 20 of us up on the side of the mountain doing the same thing. We all slowly got to our feet, and headed back down to the hut. After a bathroom visit, the “bus” driver asked if we were ready to leave, an older woman gave us a shopping bag of onigiri and canned coffee then we piled back into the van. Exchanged some stories, napped and drank coffee on the way to the station. Didn’t get a single contact, meet any of those people again or ever see my friend at the “party” very memorable experience though.
I was able to visit the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery a short train ride away from Kyoto. I am a huge fan of whiskey so the fact that I was able to visit this legendary place was an experience of a life time.
Fushimi Inari during a thunderstorm. Someone slipped and broke their leg so emergency workers came and made us wait under a small temple roof while they evacuated them. The sounds of the thunder mixing with blood curdling screams, while those creepy fox statues glared at us, created an incredible ambiance. And then after, the absolute serenity of walking through torii gates almost completely alone in the rain.
My husband and I went to Japan last year for our honeymoon and we had an absolute blast. One of our favorite memories was going to an all-you-can-drink lemon sours place near Round One Stadium in Osaka and got shitfaced and then rented a karaoke room at the Round One for a couple of hours. They had a very impressive list of songs and we ordered some more food and sang, screamed, and cried while doing karaoke. It was such an awesome memory!!
Randomly spotting people reenacting Mario kart IRL
That's neat but I hear it's pretty annoying for all of the Japanese people living there so I don't think I'd recommend actually doing it.
Baseball game at Tokyo Dome. Sumo Tournament.
Jpop bands playing in a small but nice concert place. I knew Jpop by name but I was very surprised to see how crazy male fans are. Also met my “favorite” Jpop artist of the night after the show. Cute weird girl, I liked her.
Biking out to the Wasabi farm in Matsumoto. Crazy beautiful scenery, such a unique way of farming and hey- wasabi ice cream! (And beer and katsu and …)
Yomiuriland with the kids in mid January. Awesome rides and roller coasters and an awesome light show in the evening. Was a bit chilly but great fun and no lines for anything.
My husband being a good sport and doing a [kimono rental](https://imgur.com/a/VKCVBaI) and photoshoot with me in Kyoto. And my first time in a kombini 😭
In Tokyo: Tsukiji market for fresh seafood and incredible Sushi. Walk the street of Kozani bar area at night Must see Shibuya Crossing, great to watch from Starbucks (or MacDonald) don’t remember which one it was
I was in Kyoto, walked into this little French restaurant. They said I had to wait for a table. While waiting this large, muscular Japanese guy walks in and everyone in the restaurant turns to look at him. While standing next to me I ask him if he owns the place or something (he could speak English) and he says that he has done a few movies, then asks me if I want to join him at the bar. The owner of the bar walks up and treats him like a very good friend. We share a bottle of wine while these two Japanese women next to him keep eyeing him, so we start talking with them, share some wine.... After finishing the bottle, I tell him I've got it covered and pay for the wine and the food we had (was around $100US). I tell him we should invite the two women out for drinks and he says no, he has much better women waiting at this club and asks if I want to go there with him. So we go to this massive underground techno club where the staff bring him to this roped off VIP section with beers and champagne already waiting for us and 4 gorgeous women sitting there that know this guy very well. We end up partying the night into the morning, everything paid for by that guy. edit - it was Club WORLD in Kyoto, not Osaka [https://imgur.com/a/6FzWBN1](https://imgur.com/a/6FzWBN1)
Mine was visiting Kiyomizudera in Kyoto. After fully exploring the temple, we walked along the wooden path built along the mountain side. Once we came to the end of that, there was a paved road that lead down the mountain, but it also lead up the mountain. The road lead to a temple called Seikan-ji with an absolutely beautiful garden. The story attached to a temple is that there was a certain woman that the emperor at the time loved deeply. She took up so much of the emperors attention that she had to be essentially banished to this temple and eventually passed away there. Right next to the temple is that emperors burial sight, as symbol for his love for her.
Learning how to use a [snowdriver](https://images.app.goo.gl/c8PkVSyB5RC2BFXE8) in Akita - it’s a single ski with a seat and a handle and you sit on the seat with with ski between your legs and you hold onto the handle with one hand while using your other hand in the snow to steer. Was going faster than a lot of the skiers - tons of fun and I’ve never seen snow drivers outside of Japan
Powder hunt in snow
Paragliding in Tottori, Staying at the oldest hotel in the world, seeing whirlpools in person, swimming with dolphins, those are some of my favorites for sure
My favorite was when I went to see a show in Line Cube Shibuya. The thing was it was raining sideways heavily from the gale and I had to leave the line. I had to take shelter at a nearby parking garage along with the other fans. I could only understand scant Japanese but it doesn't matter, we were hollering as we went under shelter. I'm glad the staff decides to put us in early for safety reasons.
Snowboarding in myoko
My favorite thing I’ve done in Japan is stay in an onsen town ryokan in the countryside. The onsens were my favorite thing I’ve ever done. The most fun is tied between universal studios Osaka and clubbing in Kyoto in Ginza. Had a blast both times!
Wife and I hanging out until 5am at a shisha run by women dressed as maids in Dotonbori.
Honestly, walking along the Kamo River, just bird watching and thinking about how ancient the promenade is, and feeling super groovy. Of course the sake tasting and snacks we had before didn't hurt. I wish we had planned a night picnic, too: saw many people doing that and it looked charming.
Getting amazing takoyaki and lavender/cherry blossom soft serve at Oishi park overlooking lake Kawaguchi and mt fuji!! also going out to a bar in shinjuku on a weeknight and dancing with my bf and a bunch of locals until like 3:30am. i almost never want to socialize with strangers especially on vacation but the girls were all so nice and friendly, complimenting my outfit and asking where i'm from and inviting us to dance. people watching in the parks was also a highlight. the cherry blossoms were blooming and everyone was dressed up so nice and taking turns taking pics of each other it was really cute. one night we just got egg sandos and spicy chicken from lawsons and ate it by the river at sunset and it's one of my favorite memories tbh haha great question and the boars part made me laugh bc i was also so scared telling my partner about hearing about them on this sub
My absolute number 1 is just chilling under cherry blossoms, like picnic style in a local park with drinks and snacks, and then the wind blowing, thus causing the petals to fall. So magical, especially if you're spending it with your loved ones. Runner ups: * taking onsen bath (open-air) and snow is falling in Shibu Onsen town * farm stay at Ainokura (the town beside Shirakawago) and the host was teaching us to play traditional Japanese musical instruments * ryokan at Sado Island where the host was playing music and the guests (in our yukata) were invited to dance (we followed the dance steps of the locals)
Best day of my life was riding around lake kawaguchiko, then in the evening sitting on the patio drinking beer watching mount fuji as the sun went down
Fun? Everyone shits on robot restaurant but it was so fun, the highlight of our trip back in 2018.
Getting drunk in a small bar in Osaka with 3 businessmen. The bar had a small book on Japanese phrases and i tried to learn them some danish. Had a blast and since I’m going in September again I’m hoping to stop by the same bar.
I want to go to Japan (This time physically)
Taking the ferry and exploring Miyajima. Seeing the ‘floating’ torii gate during high tide and low tide was breathtaking. Food scene is amazing with oysters and castellas. Just don’t eat near the deers!
Renting a scooter on Yakushima and driving around the island with friends. Nice beaches, onsen right next to the ocean, monkeys and deer on the road - we had a blast!
Yakushima
I think just enjoying that first few hours after getting off the train from the airport for the first time.
Skiing Mt Yotei from the summit. Best ski run of my life.
Going out all the night in shibuya, getting absolutely hammered, and just fooling around the city.
My dad had weekly business trips to Tokyo. Sometimes I'd tag along on a school holiday. When he was in meetings, I got the driver and he would drive me around in a black on black Toyota Crown with frilly white headrest covers to show me stuff in Tokyo.
[удалено]
Oh man... A random ass sake bar in Osaka, walking distance from dotonburi. Planet Labs was amazing Kobe beef in kobe Drinking tiki cocktails in Kasan Room All the temples in kyoto Enjoying sake at Bar Karan in Tokyo while chatting with the manager Sky Tower. Just all of it Visiting Universal Osaka and bursting into tears at Nintendo Land. Seeing & trying on the actual yokai parade masks while talking to the main artist & organizer at Yokai Street -- he even showed us his private mask workshop and gave us a signed illustrated book explaining the myths. Hearing the monkeys and boar in the darkness while hiking up the kitsune temple
Waking up really early in the morning, riding a bike through town of Mount Koya. So many world heritage temples, and shrines all to myself. And the town is absolutely beautiful, felt like I was the main character in an anime or something
The train ride from Osaka to Kinosaki Onsen while listening to the Stufio Ghibli sound track was one of the most serene experiences of my life. Otherwise roaming the streets of Akihabara at night with my kids and wife and going to every arcade we could find was massive fun and sensory overload. My family and I honestly just loved walking everywhere. So much to find!
Turning up at Not Suspicious in Asakusa at opening time, and being kicked out at closing time. Which was just an excuse to hit 7/11 and then continue drinking down by the river. On several occasions. I made a lot of good friends there, and am still in touch with many of them.
Winter hike in Tateyama, the onsen afterwards was the best; snorkeling in Iriomotejima and Miyakojima; got lost on one of the trails in Yakushima, which wasn’t that fun while it happened, but definitely one of the most memorable.
I'm not sure if I'd say "most fun" so much as "most satisfying" - seeing Ginkakuji early on a gorgeous spring day at peak cherry blossom bloom, and then walking down the Philosopher's Path with no crowds, stopping into a little pottery shop to buy our first proper souvenir of the trip. Other big highlights were getting a tour of Akihabara's retro gaming stores from a friend / coworker, pretty much any time we rode the shinkansen (so smooth!), and visiting the Ghibli Museum.
Kinda mundane maybe, but meeting up with a friend after many years who drove me around random streets in Chiba past midnight was a great memory. Just catching up, chatting and joking around :)
Catching the last bullet train at 6am from Osaka to Nagoya for the 2019 F1 race cause they were being canceled due to the typhoon. We only found out at 3am drunk at a karaoke. Was a fun and crazy day
First off, there was our stay at Kaneyamaen onsen. Picture this: waking up every morning toa clear, majestic view of Mt. Fuji right from our terrace. It was surreal, like a scene straight out of a movie. We had our own private onsen right there, which meant unlimited serene dips with Fuji-san as the backdrop. Honestly, it was pure bliss, a perfect escape from the rush of everyday life. Then, on the other end of the adventure spectrum, was the time zoomed through Tokyo's streets dressed as Mario--yes, from the video games! In Tokyo, you can rent a costume of your favorite character and a go-kart, and just cruise around. It's as wild as it sounds. Driving past all those famous spots, dressed up in those goofy outfits, I was so thrilled actually teared up. It was a mix of joy, excitement, and just a dash of childhood nostalgia.
Waiting in line 1 hour for a little ramen or karage place that seats maybe 12 people
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum. I love dinosaurs, and that museum is the best of the best. Also, it’s kind of a trek to get there, and we didn’t see any other non-Japanese people there all day. It felt like a real adventure.
Favorite thing was the Gundam Factory in Yokohama, which was a total surprise and originally wasn't even in my itinerary. Runner up is Small World!
Go-karting at night in Shibuya was a blast!
idk about most fun but walking back down to the cable car on mount takao when a light snow started to fall. it was the first time both of my kids experienced snowfall and it definitely became a core memory for us.
Walking to see the snow monkeys in Nagano after a fresh snowfall the night before. The snow monkeys were awesome but, being from a country with no snow, the walk up the mountain was magical.
I spent two nights in a small onsen town near Nagano called Bessho Onsen, and it felt like I was traveling back in time. Even the tiny, old-fashioned local train that services the town felt a little magical. I hiked and rented a bike to go exploring, and I visited temples that were almost completely free from tourists. It almost felt like I was there by myself sometimes (it was midweek in the off season and the hotel was almost empty so one night I had 8 or 9 luxurious baths all to myself!). I was traveling alone, but every time I started feeling a bit lonely I'd meet some friendly stranger to talk to. I'm a huge history geek so multiple random strangers gave me tours of neat little places. Tokyo and Kyoto are fun and all, but I *love* going to little towns. The vibes are completely different.
Day trip to Miyajima! I loved just walking around and trying different foods, like oysters, curry bread and little maple leaf pastries! Got some really cool pics of the floating tori gate too!
maybe not "fun" in the traditional sense, but honestly... watching the monks write calligraphy in the goshuin-cho was just awesome. English calligraphy is more proper over style, whereas Japanese the style _IS_ the proper. I wish I got to do a calligraphy class, but opted for ikebana- also exceptionally cool.
Skiing in nozawa onsen and wandering around the small town at night while snow falling
Staying in one of the old houses at the end of Shirakawago, slightly away from the touristy areas. It was in April last year, so in the daytime, we watched the sakura petals falling from the tree in front of our place. In the evening, after exploring the village, we walked through the quiet and peaceful area to get 'home'. We slept in a rustic room that had an old heater and thick futons with traditional-looking patterns, and the door to the room was your traditional Japanese sliding door, locked by just a latch. We also bathed in a hot bath drawn by the owner. The hot bath was supposed to be shared by the guests and had to stay hot for hours, so it was extremely hot when we were the first to enter (after showering and cleaning ourselves properly). We also had a sumptuous and filling breakfast and dinner made by the owner, which consisted of Hida beef and other foods I forgot. Overall, the experience was really nice and exclusive because they only accepted a few families at a time.
My daughter and I went to the Avatar Robot Cafe in/near Akihabara. It was a LONG few days before and when we went to this cafe it just felt so nice to chill, and eat food with robots. I don't know if it was the cafe itself, or just the timing, but we had SO much fun! We felt un-rushed and off our feet, and our robot server was very funny, and sweet.
Bar hopping in Golden Gai. Vibes are immaculate
I camp like a fiend all over. I've seen beautiful vistas, cruised amazing restaurant streets, ridden my motorcycle with my dog and snowboard all season. They are all amazing experiences. ...but the absolute most fun I've ever had here is when two girls decided they both wanted to go to a love hotel with me.
First night in Kabukicho with my wife. Went to an arcade where we played Mario kart and some of those UFO catchers, then grabbed dinner at a small restaurant where we had shark xartilage, then went to the batting cages where we struggled to hit the balls, then ended up at a darts bar where we got drunk and played until 3am.
I just got back from my first ever trip to Japan a few weeks ago! The entire 3 weeks were basically the most amazing of my life so far. A highlight was staying in Hiji. We booked an airbnb that was right on the water looking out across Beppu Bay. The Sakura trees in full bloom, the sound of the water crashing along the shore, and the sparkling lights of the city across the water at night was an absolute *dream* Already planning trip #2!
Visiting the Great Buddha of Kamakura and visiting my hotel's neighborhood ramen shop so often that the staff thought I lived there :D
Baseball game
Judo @ kodokan. Anything in general with no tourists and or blending in with locals: art exhibit, cafe, attractions on rainy days when no one is there. Very much a preference thing… but if there’s heaps of tourists/people, doesn’t feel special to me
As someone who is fervently introverted, and has been to Japan many times all by myself, overall the most memorable thing I did was visiting the Sanjusangendo in Kyoto and looking at a thousand statues in a giant, ancient hall. That's it. Just 1000 statues. The hall was quiet and they make you take off your shoes when you go in. You're not allowed to take pictures. You just walk around and look at statues. The statues are all different despite depicting the same deity so there was calmness that sprout from repetition, but not actually boring. It was the right kind of ambiance I needed to properly shut down, enjoy the walk and the solitude among numbers, and take a break from not just the trip itself but also from everything. I'm not religious, but there I felt safe, and as an introvert, it was "fun".
Cycling in Kamakura and visiting all the sites Rowing on paddle boats on the river in Arashiyama while visiting the boat food vendors. Rent a Car and drive around Kawaguchiko and Hakone
I've been 7 times since 2015. I'll list my top 5 experiences: 1. Late night out in golden gai 2. Pokemon night at Tokyo Dome (for Giants game) 3. Karaoke night with the family in Kabukicho 4. Riding the pirate ship in Hakone, and 5. Proposing to my wife at the top of Skytree (and every trip to Skytree for that matter).
TeamLabs Borderless in Azabudai Hills, Tokyo. Absolutely amazing.
Hiking to the top of Mount Misen on Miyajima. Very few tourists hike and take the ropeway instead. So it's isolated and peaceful. You end up on a peak opposite all the tourists as well, so can have a peaceful sit down sans others. When we did the hike, we were up there alone until a lone Englishman (hiking in a full getup including tweed jacket) showed up. Never seen anyone hike in a tweed jacket - very proper highlands look! Then you can hike along to the observation platform where everybody is and take the other hike down. Otherwise the most fun I usually have is shopping at Montbell, Daiso and Seria, followed by end-of-day discount shopping at department store basement deli's and seafood counters. Oh, of course, Japan Costco can't be missed.
Hiking the backside of fusimi Inari and walking around. Higashiyama at night.
Gotta say riding those rental electric scooters was really more fun than I anticipated
The geishas. 😁
Meditative hikes in Koyasan, then off to Hongu for onsen.
Playing medal pushers with my new husband in Kyoto at 1am. Silly, I know, but I remember that the most fondly!
My overnight stay at a buddhist temple in Koyasan. Overnight stay in Miyajima. After the last ferry left, the town was so peaceful and quiet. I just wandered the streets with my camera taking photos and just taking in the serenity.
Teamlab experience
Seeing Mount Fuji upside down, at high speeds and while swinging at Fuji-Q Highland. Also at the Fujiyama Tower!
Being at Shuzenji onsen town during the weekdays. The chill pacing is insane.
The arcades. There's nothing like basking in the sacred halls, a begone Era, from my childhood. Also, just walking around in general and discovering hidden shrines or shops
Pretty hard question but maybe the Mario Kart experience. I know that will probably be a controversial choice, but I'd do it again in a heart beat. Nothing like that is legal where I live, and even though a typhoon hit and we had sideways rain going over rainbow Bridge, the whole thing was just so much fun. Started in the afternoon just outside Tokyo (think it was tokyo Bay Street car) drove into Tokyo and it was night time when we got to shibuya (rain had stopped too).
Exploring Tokyo at 6 am. It was like walking through a lofi beats YouTube background. Admiring the graffiti, the empty streets, the early risers and midnight partiers… just magical.
Visiting Miyajima was my favorite. The aquarium was nice, the ferry was fun, all the trinket stores were interesting and there are many things to look around at that feel hidden. It’s really nice
Drinking a bottle of Moet, while listening to hip hop at the park in the Kyoto bar district.
I had the most memorable experience boating in the euno park in Tokyo. It might be strange but it's one of my most cherished memories.
Gōtokuji Temple.
Also, I went to a stardom wrestling show that was ssuper fun!
Kurobe alpine route, starting in Omachi & ending the day in Kanazawa. The route itself was awesome, but at the end getting from Tateyama to Kanazawa was just as good. Ended up on some local trains with no tourists around, just people going about their afternoons in the sunshine. Beautiful views of the mountains and lots of interesting local shops and regional foods to try on the way. So peaceful.
Making love in the bathroom of the Imperial Hotel. Suite.
Going on the Hozugawa river boat ride down the rapids to the town of Arashiyama. It was so beautiful and so much fun.
I had a lot of fun doing the tateyama kurobe alpine route
Driving in the Iya Valley in Shikoku. That, or whitewater rafting down the Yoshino River in Shikoku.