Where We Eat, Shop & Explore in Japan

A proper Indian restaurant near Kyoto Station — biryani, tandoor breads, and curries handled with the kind of care you don't often find in Japanese cities. Lunch sets are excellent value, portions are generous, and it's the go-to for a change of pace after too many kaiseki meals.

A basement listening bar spinning AOR, Soul, Jazz and Fusion vinyl — closer to a Tokyo kissa than a wine bar, but with a proper wine list. Opens at 7:30pm and runs late. Warm, low-lit, and quiet enough that you can actually hear the records. Grab a stool at the counter and let the owner pick the night's rotation.

South Indian (Andhra Pradesh) cooking done properly in Shibuya — dosa, biryani, gongura pickle, and thali plates you can actually finish. Rare in Tokyo where most 'Indian' restaurants default to Punjabi. Spicy by Japanese standards but they tone it down on request. Great lunch spot if you need a break from Shibuya's ramen-and-yakiniku default.

One of the biggest APA properties in Osaka — a tower hotel with an on-site onsen, pool, gym, and multiple restaurants, all directly connected to Namba station. Rooms are compact (typical APA) but the location is unbeatable if you want to walk to Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, or the Nankai line to Kansai Airport. Best value if you book on the APA app.

The riverfront % Arabica outlet — probably the most photographed coffee shop in Kyoto, sitting right on the Katsura River with a view straight to Togetsukyo Bridge. Espresso, matcha lattes, and single-origin filter. Queue is long, seating is limited, but takeaway is quick — grab a cup and walk the riverbank toward the Bamboo Forest.

The iconic bamboo path that fills every Kyoto travel guide — a 500m walk under towering stalks that filter the sunlight into green shafts. Free, always open. Go at first light (6-7am) if you want photos without hundreds of other people in them; by 10am it's a slow-moving crowd. Pair with Tenryuji Temple's gardens which sit next to the entrance.

The historic yakatabune (river-boat) service on Arashiyama's Katsura River. You can hire a small rowing boat by the hour or join a longer covered-boat cruise. Autumn (koyo season) and cherry-blossom weeks are stunning but heavily booked; a weekday morning in any other season is quiet and gorgeous. Pair with the Bamboo Forest and Otagi Nenbutsuji for a full Arashiyama day.

The most famous knife shop in Kyoto — Aritsugu has forged knives since 1560, originally as sword-makers for the Imperial family. Their Nishiki Market storefront is compact but stacked with gyuto, deba, yanagiba, and their signature copper kettles. Every purchase gets sharpened, engraved with your name in kanji, and boxed while you wait. Bring cash; queues form by noon.

Tokyo's most historic coffee shop — opened 1948, still run to founder Sekiguchi Ichiro's original playbook. Only coffee, hand-siphoned, served in vintage china and champagne glasses. Aged beans (some over a decade old) that most cafés wouldn't dream of using. Tiny room, old regulars at the counter, and one of the few places in Ginza that hasn't changed in 70 years.

A basement café-bar in Amemura, owned by an American from Los Angeles. Days: specialty coffee, matcha lattes, grilled-cheese lunch sets, homemade cookies, laptop-friendly seating. Nights: signature cocktails, video games, board games, and language exchanges — Monday board-game nights run 6–11pm (bring your own or use theirs, one drink minimum). Ideal solo work spot or low-key evening hang.

A small specialty coffee shop hidden in the Nanba lanes. Single-origin filter, house pastries, and one of the calmest spots to reset between Dotonbori and Kuromon. Small seating, quiet — good for a solo pause with a book, not a group meet-up.

Choya is the famous Japanese umeshu (plum wine) brand — this is their experiential studio in Kyoto. Sample flights across their range (green plum, aged, sparkling), get walked through the Ki-Shu-Nanko plum grades, and buy bottles you'll never find outside Japan. Reservations recommended for the tasting sessions.

A basement Italian hideaway near Higashi-Umeda — pasta, wine, and a cult acai bowl that people cross town for. Sofa banquettes and private rooms make it work equally for a date, a girls' night, or a low-key group dinner. Staff will do a plated message on request. Second location of the COMMA group, opened March 2023 — reservation-friendly.

Osaka's neon-lit food street along the Dōtonbori canal — home to the Glico running-man sign, giant crab-shaped Kani Doraku billboard, and half the takoyaki, kushikatsu and okonomiyaki stalls in Japan. Go after dark for the full billboard effect. Avoid the biggest queues (Ichiran, Kinryu Ramen) and try the side streets — the second-best takoyaki spot is often better than the one with the 40-minute line.

A knife specialist on the ground floor of Plear Shimanouchi — Hatsukokoro cuts, honyakis, pocket knives, plus a solid selection of Edo Kiriko glassware and sharpening stones. What sets Ginka apart: try-before-you-buy stations with unsealed knives from regular stock, an in-store sharpening bench you can watch, and custom handle/repair work. Owner ships globally via FedEx/UPS/DHL. Open 1–9pm daily except Mondays.

Polished Korean-Japanese yakiniku high above Dogenzaka — high-end wagyu cuts, Korean side dishes (kimchi, namul, chapchae), and all-you-can-drink course options. Private booths with sunken tables. Good for a group dinner where nobody wants a plain menu.

A tiny cafe in the Nishishinbashi office belt — proper single-origin coffee, homemade cakes, and a small counter that fills up with locals on their lunch break. Best for a mid-morning stop when you're using Shimbashi as a base for exploring Ginza or Shiba-koen.

Proper Hong Kong-style dim sum in Kyoto — trolley service, char siu bao, har gow, and a good yum cha experience if you need a break from Japanese food. Quality is high (real HK chefs), portions are generous, and lunch sets are excellent value. Book on weekends.

A laid-back mid-range hotel on the Takase Canal in Shimogyo — walking distance to Nishiki Market, Kawaramachi, and the Kamo River. Rooms with river views on higher floors, an on-site restaurant and lounge, and a solid free breakfast. Best for travellers who want a central Kyoto base without paying Higashiyama ryokan prices.

Kyoto's central Ichiran — the same solo-booth tonkotsu formula, in the busiest food strip of the city. You order by paper form (broth richness, garlic, spice, noodle firmness), get walled into a wooden partition, and eat with zero interruption. Kyoto Kawaramachi has shorter queues than the Osaka Dotonbori branch but the noodles are identical.

The famous solo-booth tonkotsu ramen chain — you order by paper form (broth richness, garlic level, spice, noodle firmness, chashu), then eat inside a wooden partition that removes every distraction between you and the bowl. Multiple Osaka branches (Dotonbori 24-hour, Umeda, Namba), always a queue at the tourist-heavy ones — Umeda is your best bet for a shorter wait. Deeply focused, slightly theatrical, and the tonkotsu is genuinely great.

A modern kaiseki-influenced steak house in Gion — wagyu cooked with French technique, tableside plating, and a wine list that punches well above what you'd expect from a steak room. Course menus start around ¥15,000. Book at least a week ahead for dinner; lunch is easier to walk into.

A specialist coffee bean shop and tasting counter in a converted machiya in the Omotesando back streets — no drinks menu, no seating, just a small crew who ask what you like and pour you a matching bean's brew. Buy beans to take home in their signature paper canisters. Around 15-20 rotating roasters at any time. Reservations required for the extended tasting.

Osaka's 190-year-old covered food market — 600m of stalls slinging grilled wagyu skewers, raw uni on the shell, giant oysters, tuna otoro, matcha ice cream, and just-fried tempura. Rowdier and more tourist-facing than Nishiki in Kyoto but the produce is fresher and the portion sizes are Osaka-sized. Best mid-morning; many stalls close by 5pm.

The former residence of Japan's Imperial Family, in use until the capital moved to Tokyo in 1869. The palace itself is free to enter and self-guided — walk through the ceremonial halls, pine gardens, and old carriage entrance. Set inside the huge Kyoto Gyoen park, which is worth its own walk. Bring ID; security check at the gate.

Kyushu-style tonkotsu with a Kansai twist — creamy pork bone broth, thin noodles, and a rotating gyoza and karaage menu. 4.6 stars over 1,700 reviews. Long counter, fast turnover, order via ticket machine, and don't skip the extra kaedama (noodle refill).

The Tokyo flagship of the cult wide-body kit and car culture brand — merch, apparel, and a rotating showcase of the actual Liberty Walk widebody builds (Ferrari, Lamborghini, GTR). Half retail, half museum. Worth the detour if you're into car culture; a fun stop even if you're not.

Kyoto's oldest public park, right behind Yasaka Shrine in the heart of Higashiyama. Free, always open, and home to the massive weeping cherry tree that lights up at night during sakura season. Off-peak it's a quiet slice of green after a walk down Ninenzaka. Good spot for a picnic bento from Nishiki.

Traditional back-alley yakiniku joint specialising in Matsusaka beef — the Kobe-tier wagyu from Mie prefecture. Private rooms, tableside grills, sets covering rare cuts (misuji, zabuton, chateaubriand) that even most yakiniku places don't carry. 4.8 rating over 2,800 reviews. Book ahead, especially on weekends.

Japan's most iconic peak at 3,776m — best viewed from the Fuji Five Lakes region. Chureito Pagoda gives you the classic postcard shot with the tower in the foreground; Lake Kawaguchi is the best for reflection photos. Climbing season runs July to early September; buy an official ¥2,000 climbing pass online before you go. Distant views from Hakone hot-spring inns and the Tokyo-Kyoto shinkansen are also worth catching on a clear day.

Kyoto's 400-year-old covered food market — five blocks of narrow lanes packed with pickle shops, dashi vendors, matcha stalls, and yuba (tofu skin) makers. Best mid-morning on a weekday to dodge tour groups. Skirt the outer edges to find real produce stalls, not tourist snacks. Great for a slow graze rather than a sit-down meal.

One of Ben and Sam's absolute go to ramen places when in Japan. They have eaten there so often its become tradition.

Shio (salt-based) ramen right in Center Gai — the exception to the tonkotsu-dominant Shibuya ramen scene. Clean, light broth built on chicken and seafood, thin noodles, and precise char siu. Late-night hours make it a common last stop before the last train. Order the tsukemen if it's on the menu.

One of the largest aquariums in the world, built around a single massive central tank holding two whale sharks. You walk down a spiral ramp seeing the same tank from different depths — Arctic top, tropical Pacific mid, deep-sea bottom. Two to three hours end-to-end. Book online to skip the ticket queue, and combine with the Tempozan Ferris Wheel next door for a half-day at the bay.

Osaka soul-food (okonomiyaki, teppan yakisoba, negiyaki) transplanted to Ginza. Cook at the tableside grill or let the staff do it — either way you get proper Kansai flavours (thick sauce, tons of bonito, plenty of cabbage) in a room that's calmer than the Namba originals. Good weekday lunch stop between Ginza shopping.

The most delightful under-the-radar temple in Kyoto — an 8th-century Buddhist temple famous for its 1,200 stone rakan (disciple) statues, each carved by a different worshipper in the 1980s and 90s. Every face is different, some hilarious, some meditative. It's a proper hike uphill from the Arashiyama centre (or a 15-min bus) which keeps the crowds thin. Worth the effort for the calm alone.

A Namba massage studio specialising in aroma-lymph and dry-head-spa treatments — booked out with locals for a reason. English is limited but they have picture menus and the treatments speak for themselves. A good end-of-day reset after a long walking day around Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi.

A tiny prawn-broth ramen specialist in Nipponbashi with a devoted local following (4.8 rating, ~370 reviews). The whole menu is built around ebi — deep, sweet, umami-heavy shellfish broth topped with big char siu slices and precise seasoning. Small counter, short menu, expect to queue. Skip if you don't love shellfish, essential if you do.

A Western-style smoke grill and cocktail bar in Gion — steaks, smoked ribs, wood-fired pizza, and a serious cocktail programme. Sitting in the middle of the traditional Gion streets it feels a little incongruous, but the food is genuinely good and it's open late enough to catch after a Kyoto dinner elsewhere.

Hunter-themed Italian in a traditional Kyoto machiya — game meats (venison, wild boar), house-made pasta, and Italian wines chosen to match. The setting is what makes it: 100-year-old wooden interiors, an open kitchen, and courses paced properly. Reservation only. A rare non-Japanese option that doesn't feel out of place in Higashiyama.

Sakai-forged knives sold at the source. Sakai is Japan's traditional professional knife hub — most Michelin-star Japanese kitchens run on blades from this town. Mitsuhide's Namba shop stocks their in-house range plus edited selections from other Sakai forgers, offers name-engraving, and can pair a handle to any blade. English service, tax-free for tourists.

The rooftop observation deck of Shibuya Scramble Square — 360° open-air views over the Shibuya crossing, Tokyo Tower, Skytree, and Fuji on clear days. Best hit at sunset for the day-to-neon transition; book online 2+ weeks ahead for the golden slots. Cheaper and more atmospheric than Tokyo Tower or Skytree observation decks.

New-York-style pizza by the slice in Harajuku — thin, crispy base, honest toppings (pepperoni, margherita, white pie), and slices big enough to fold in half. Takeaway focused with a couple of standing counters. Solid budget lunch in an area that leans expensive.

Creative teppanyaki on the Nakanoshima riverside — the chef works a single counter grill in front of you, doing course menus that hop between wagyu, seasonal seafood, and vegetable-forward small plates. 4.7 rating, tiny room (about a dozen seats), so book ahead. Ideal for a proper Osaka dinner if you want more finesse than the Dotonbori teppan spots.

Immersive digital-art museum where you walk barefoot through knee-deep water, mirrored infinity rooms and giant projected flower installations. Different feel to teamLab Borderless (which is Azabudai) — Planets is more physical and experiential. Wear or bring shorts, phones OK but no waterproof cases needed. Book timed-entry tickets 1-2 weeks ahead, especially for weekends. 60-90 minutes end to end.

112.5m Ferris wheel on the Osaka Bay waterfront with sightlines across the bay to Rokko Mountains, Kansai Airport, and Awaji Island on clear days. A rotation takes 15 minutes and the cabins hold up to 8. Best at sunset for the illumination show, and pairs naturally with a Kaiyukan Aquarium visit.

The only Disney park in the world with a nautical theme, and widely considered the best Disney park anywhere. Seven themed 'ports' including Mediterranean Harbor, Arabian Coast, and Mysterious Island. Book Fantasy Springs tickets well in advance — the 2024 expansion added Frozen, Rapunzel, and Peter Pan lands and they sell out.

Japan's original Disney park — Cinderella's Castle, meticulous theming, and rides that lean harder into detail than the US parks. Best on a weekday to dodge queues; grab a Premier Access ticket in the app on the way in for Pooh's Hunny Hunt and the Big Thunder Mountain area. Whole-day visit; food is much better than most theme parks.

Tokyo's Eiffel-inspired 333m orange-and-white lattice tower, opened 1958. The Main Deck at 150m is the classic view; the higher Top Deck at 250m costs extra but gets you above most surrounding buildings for cleaner sightlines. Sunset gives you the daylight-to-neon transition in one 20-minute window. Book Top Deck tickets online to skip queues.

One of the best-stocked knife shops in Osaka, with English-speaking staff (rare for Japanese knife stores) who'll explain steel types, help you pick a shape, and engrave your name in kanji while you wait. Range spans beginner-friendly Tojiro up to serious Nigara Hamono and Sakai-forged blades. A must-visit if you're building or restocking your collection while in Japan.

A design-forward specialty coffee bar in Sakuragaokacho — house roasts, all pour-over, served in signature white-glass tumblers. Small space, clean minimalist fit-out, more focused on quality than volume. Great pre-Shibuya-Sky stop.

A tiny Japanese-Italian wine bar tucked into a Hozenji Yokocho alley — 500+ bottles, heavy on France, curated by owner-sommelier Masato Inoue who's walked the vineyards himself. Counter on the 2F is built for solo diners; 3F is quieter table seating. Jazz on low, seasonal plates, and the sort of room that feels like a well-kept secret.

Serious wagyu yakiniku on an all-you-can-eat format — A4 and A5 cuts, 100+ dishes ordered from a tablet at each table. Box seats keep groups comfortable and there's a semi-private room for 7–8. The 90-minute premium course sits around ¥6,200 and is the sweet spot. Book weekends — it fills.

A traditional Kyoto knife shop away from the Nishiki tourist rush. Yoshisada carries hand-forged Sakai blades, kitchen scissors, and speciality Japanese cutlery, with the third-generation owner sharpening and demonstrating on-site. Small shop, no rush, real conversation about which shape fits your kitchen. English limited but they make it work.