Is it just us or does it feel like a lot of people have visited Japan recently? Or at least, have it on their bucket list?
There’s a reason for that. According to figures from Japan’s National Tourism Office, there were almost 50% (46%) more visitors from the UK arriving in the country between January to March in 2024 compared with the year before.
Having been one of those lucky 189,600 visitors from the UK to the country this year, I am in no way surprised. Japan really is spectacular. Yes, it’s a 14 hour flight from London to Tokyo, a long way to go, but there is just so much to see, experience, eat, drink and do. For such a long and special trip, we recommend trying to see as much of this beautiful, diverse and magical country as you can. We had two weeks there and split it into three of the biggest cities; Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.
Before we take you through our top tips for each place, a few things to bear in mind: Google Translate is incredibly helpful if you don’t speak Japanese. While many of the people in tourism and hospitality industries speak a very impressive amount of English, and the rail stations all kindly have English announcements too, it’s not uncommon for restaurants and cafes to only be printed in Japanese meaning the a translation app is a must-need.
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Japan is internationally lauded for its railways with both the famous bullet train system and metro very easy to use and navigate. For the bullet train (or the Shinkansen) to move around – incredibly easily – between the cities, we recommend purchasing a a JR pass. You can buy this online in advance and get it delivered to your hotel or home in the UK, you then need to activate it at a Shikansen station when in the country. When getting around the metros in the big cities we used a Welcome Suica card – similar to an Oyster card – which you can buy and top up there. Riding the metro is much cheaper than the tube in the UK, FYI.
TOKYO
Home to almost 14 million people – the most populated city on the planet – Tokyo is a melting pot of fashion, art, food, business and culture. Not only is it all this, but it’s incredibly clean, the people are so polite and helpful (eschewing global stereotypes of city dwellers). There’s a sense of calmness no matter how many people are packed on the city’s metros and – speaking of which – everything works well, especially the transport system. Even if you’re a native to London, or have been to New York several times, if it’s your first visit to the Japanese capital, the size, amount of people, bright lights and buzz of it all is still something you won’t have experienced until you visit.
Where we stayed in Tokyo
It’s a known fact that affordable accommodation is tough to find in Tokyo and you should go in expecting the room size to be smaller than in other parts of the world. We found a brilliant base in the Moxy Tokyo Kinshicho, which is a quick stroll away from the metro station connecting you to the rest of the Capital. Like the rest of the Marriot group’s millennial-facing franchise, expect neon lights, simple but useful décor making use of all space possible, coffee and snacks served in the downstairs reception area (and drinks with a daily happy hour) plus really helpful amenities in the room.
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A second option is the Pullman Tokyo Tamachi, found in the business ward of Minato. The location is excellent as it overlooks Tamachi station which serves two frequently used metro lines (JY and JK) so is super convenient to get across the city, plus is only a 20 minute drive (not during rush hour!) from Tokyo’s Haneda airport.
The rooms are great – we found them on the larger side compared to other Tokyo hotels and has coffee machines, BOSE speakers and TVs you can link to Netflix and Disney Plus. The breakfast is a standout too, with both an a la carte menu and impressively vast buffet. There is Japanese restaurant Kasa, two bars and a gym on site too.
What we did and what we ate in Tokyo
As Tokyo is so big, we found the best way to explore was to divide it into districts and target each area, one at a time. Though you would need a long time there to visit all must-visit parts of Tokyo, the areas we explored were in the west of the city so Shibuya and Harajuku and in the south east Ginza.
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In Shibuya, visiting (and walking through when the lights turn green) the world-famous scramble crossing is a must. Must-visit shops include the multi-floor Loft store for homeware, beauty and stationery. Walk through the Yoyogi park, stopping by the Meiji Jingu shrine, to Harajuku, reminiscent of Camden and Shoreditch in London. There you’ll find the Cosme flagship store featuring a plentiful amount of Japanese and Korean skincare brands before walking down Takeshita Street where you’ll find sweet treat bakeries galore, pet cafes and so many accessory shops with bows, ribbons and earrings to your hearts’ content.
Ginza is home to the luxury shopping district (as well as the huge flagship stores for global Japanese brands Uniqlo and Muji) so is an excellent spot for window shopping as well as actual shopping. We loved the Ginza Itoya stationery store and when a day’s shopping was over, we went for a rooftop drink at Roof Dogs, which is found on top of the Aloft Tokyo Ginza hotel, and serves delicious rosé and bar snacks.
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Elsewhere, the immersive exhibition at Team Labs is highly recommended, as is a stroll around Ueno park and heading to Kappabashi kitchen street if you’re into cute ceramics to take back home. The top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is also great for views.
We recommend a food tour to get to know an area and sample the best of Japanese food. Arigato tours offer them in both the Shibuya and Ginza areas. An excellent perk we discovered during our trip was that you can eat out pretty cheap at ramen and sushi places in Tokyo and that, of course, most places are delicious. For endless fun – and deliciousness – head to Kura (there are several locations) for a revolving sushi experience. Maguro-to-Shari in Shibuya was a delightful spot for lunch and Tokyo also does great pizza – we loved Pizza Marumo. After either restaurant, head to Bar Trench to wash it down with delicious cocktails. If you fancy it, an Omakase is an incredible Japanese dining experience. Usually sushi, the name essentially translates to the customer leaving the decision up to the chef so what is served is entirely at the head chef’s discretion. The chef presents the dishes to everyone in the restaurant at the same time and explains what it is. You can expect up to 20 different sushi courses here.
KYOTO
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For a more traditional side of Japan, head to Kyoto, the former capital of the country where you’ll find stunning temples, beautiful green spaces and if you happen to go around the end of March and start of April like we did, you will catch the start of the blooming of the cherry blossom trees that really do take your breath away. It’s just over two hours away from Tokyo, and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Mount Fuji on the way.
Where we stayed in Kyoto
If you’re looking to splurge and treat yourself to a night or two during your trip, we recommend doing it in Kyoto at Hoshinoya Kyoto – found half an hour’s drive away (and an 18 minute train) from Kyoto’s central station in the Arashishyama district (which if you’re not staying in is absolutely worth a visit for the beautiful river, Togetsukyo bridge, Tenryu-ji temple and Sogenchi Teien gardens and Bamboo Forest).
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The Japanese run Hoshinoya resorts takes inspiration from traditional ryokan’s so there are several intentional nods to Japanese culture and history throughout. The hotel provide you with Japanese loungewear during your stay, to fully immerse yourself both in the culture and the relaxing nature of the area. At Hoshinoya, our room overlooked the Katsura river, blooming cherry blossom branches and the Sagano scenic railway, which was so beautiful it almost didn’t look real. Dinner at Hoshinoya was a traditional kasekei multi-course menu of seasonal dishes like steamed tilefish, sea urchin and grilled eel. There’s also an option to start your morning there with a guided stretch session outside in the garden, which energised us for a day of exploring. We’d also recommend signing up for a traditional incense ceremony and Hisui boat ride down the river where you can make your own matcha tea while gazing out at the blossom trees climbing the mountains surrounding the river. It’s unforgettable.
What we did and what we ate in Kyoto
A must do is an excursion to the Fushimi Inari trail and shrine. Dedicated to Inari, the god of good harvest and success in business, the route (there are various available) is lined with thousands of bright red wooden gates to walk through and is truly spectacular. As you ascend, there are a number of viewpoints with picturesque views over Kyoto.
When wandering around the city of Kyoto be sure to check out the Nishiki food market to sample tempura, sushi and karage (Japanese fried chicken) and take a stroll in Gion, the Geisha district. Visit the Kyomizu-dera temple and walk down the Sannenzaka path down before strolling through the stunning Mayuma park too.
OSAKA
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I’d describe Osaka as Tokyo’s cooler younger sister city complete with plenty of spots to eat, drink and explore.
Where we stayed in Osaka
We stayed at the relatively new OMO7 hotel, which opened in 2022. Our room was on the fourteenth floor and had incredible views across Osaka, directly opposite the Tsutenkaku tower. It’s worth mentioning that the hotel’s proximity to Universal Studios is evident with families encouraged, shuttle buses running from the base to the park and a light show displayed on the side of the hotel every evening paying homage to Mario and his friends. The hotel has everything you need including a free amenities station should you need a hairbrush, toothpaste or loungewear and also generously provides guests with free craft beer and Takoyaki, a delicacy of octopus balls native to Osaka, every night.
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What we did and what we ate in Osaka
The neon lights and gaudy signs at the Dotonburi bridge district are super cool to visit, as is the Shinsekai market area which both have a ton of restaurants nearby. Speaking of food, Osaka is a proud foodie city, and native dishes like okonomiyaki which is a delicious savoury pancake dressed with a special sauce is delicious are not to be missed.
We also couldn’t resist visiting Japan’s Universal Studios which if you’re a Harry Potter fan is an extremely necessary visit (seriously, the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride won the world’s number one ride five years in a row).
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Olivia Blair is Entertainment Editor (Luxury) at Hearst UK, working across ELLE, Esquire and Harper’s Bazaar. Olivia covers all things entertainment and has interviewed the likes of Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Michaela Coel and Ryan Gosling over the years.
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