I spent all of January traveling through Japan and Hong Kong, I had this planned for over a year, and I'm really happy with how it went.
It was my first time in Japan, and I thought it'd be interesting to share some experiences, since It's on a lot of people's bucket lists.
Japan is put on a pedestal, especially by other Asian countries, and having spent a lot of time in Asia, I couldn't be more excited to finally see it for myself. I visited Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. So here’s the good and the bad. But first, there are 2 myths that were absolutely not true:
The myths
Cost. This was a pleasant surprise, as I had always thought that Japan was really expensive. It’s not as cheap as, say Thailand, but it’s far cheaper than most places in the US and EU. We didn't go during peak season, so I'll exclude the hotel prices, since they're definitely much more expensive during peak season. The exchange rate is also especially favorable for EUR/USD. In fact, it hasn’t been this favorable since the 90s.
Every meal was delicious, and I think the most we ever spent on a meal was $50 for 2 people. Obviously, we didn't do any fine dining.
Clothes were also much cheaper than EU/US and as a foreigner you can get tax back on the spot when you bring your passport, which was honestly the cherry on top of the cake. I bought enough clothes at Uniqlo to last me years.
The only thing that stood out as expensive was, surprisingly, private transportation (Uber and such), but since public transportation is so good you don't ever have to take it.
It is not a cash heavy society. I'm sure this was true before, but they accepted cards in 99% of places I went to, even Amex! The only exceptions were certain street food stalls.
The good
The food. Wow. It’s really hard to overstate this, the food there was worth the trip on its own. Everything is great, but If you like raw fish, you're in for a treat. It's (obviously) the best I've had but also the cheapest. Especially if you're willing to eat in food markets like Tsukiji.
The cleanliness. Everything is squeaky clean. Even public bathrooms.
The kindness and politeness. Everyone is very thoughtful of others. Train carts are jam packed and everyone is in silence out of respect for others. No one J walks or litters. People are extremely polite to each other, I bumped into this guy on the road, it was 100% my fault, and he apologized profusely while bowing his head. It’s hard to explain, they really pay it forward.
Public transportation. 10/10.
The toilets. Once you get used to Toto smart toilets, it's hard to go back!
24/7 convenience stores in every corner.
Nature.
The Bad
Non - Japanese food. I spent so long in Japan that I started missing other cuisines. There aren't many options, and it’s nowhere near as good as their own cuisine. This is in stark contrast to places like Hong Kong, where you can eat some of the best Asian cuisines.
Reservations are kind of a must. This was the one mistake we made in this trip. I don't really like to make a ton of reservations as I feel very constrained by them, but even during low season, many of the restaurants we had planned on going to had a waiting line. This isn't so much that they're really popular, but rather really small, some of them have no more than 4 tables inside.
No trash cans. You can sometimes walk for hours holding an empty cup of coffee with no trash cans in sight. Some people even take their trash home. The key is to use the trash cans inside convenience stores.
Highlights
Robot Café, which is a phenomenal idea and one of the best experiences of our trip. The robots are actually controlled by people with disabilities working from home. They have mics and you can communicate with them. They give people with disabilities a great way to socialize and be members of society even if they are, in some cases, bedridden. It was very wholesome and we had great conversations.
Pig Café. A crazy café with about 20 pigs walking around. They lie on you, you can pet them, it was nice! As an animal lover, this was definitely one of the highlights
TeamLab. Very unique. This is kinda like an interactive museum/art exhibition. You have probably seen pictures of it on social media. It’s worth the hype.
Temples and Shrines
Food. So much food.
Matcha. You can buy a couple of years’ supply of high quality matcha at a fraction of the price!
I'm not big on anime, or I would have been in heaven. Same for Nintendo stuff.
Monthly Picks
A handful of new finds that I think are worth sharing. This time focused on travel:
Airfly SE - This lets you plug your own earbuds into the plane’s entertainment system. Gave this a try, it works.
Travel cubes - Bought a bunch of these at Muji in Tokyo, and I’m happy with them. If you like to travel light and/or are extremely organized, you’re gonna like them too. I know a lot of people recommend the ones from peak design, but they seem way overpriced for what they are.
Video - This is why I actually pack my valuables inside my luggage with my own pin. Not foolproof, but makes me feel safer.
Thanks for reading :)