How to TRAVEL Japan! 🥹❤️ The PERFECT two weeks in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Fuji & Nagano

How to TRAVEL Japan! 🥹❤️ The PERFECT two weeks in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Fuji & Nagano

Today, we’re going to show you how to travel Japan, now our new favorite country in the whole wide world. [Music] [Applause] Japan isn’t a big country, but there is a heck of a lot to do. And planning a trip here was quite stressful. Not only because of the crowds and the pricing, but also because we had very high expectations for the country and just wanted to have the perfect trip. Japan has been at the top of our bucket lists for the longest time. And we are so happy to say we are 100% satisfied with how our trip went. We even designed ourselves a little Japan bucket list and were able to takeick off every single item. So, if you’re looking for a life-changing two weeks, you’ve come to the right place. Why is Japan our favorite country? Well, it’s a country that ticks all of the boxes. From having incredible food on every single corner to friendly, polite, and fun locals, insane landscapes that’ll take your breath away, and an incredibly strong and inviting culture that they encourage you to experience hands-on. On top of all of that, it’s super clean, organized, and safe. But honestly, the best part, Japan makes you feel like a kid again, while also grounding you in the present and teaching you respect in the simplest, most beautiful ways. We actually spend almost 4 weeks here, but it can totally be done in two at a faster pace. We say 3 weeks is actually the ideal length of time. This video will equip you with everything you need to plan the perfect trip to Japan. And if you find it at all useful, we’d appreciate you giving it a like. Let’s get into it. When looking at flights to Japan, we found that Tokyo and Osaka were equally good locations to start from. We ended up flying from Johannesburg to Tokyo and followed the golden route in reverse, which was Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Mount Fuji, and then we added Nagano to visit the snow monkeys and to stay at a traditional onen hotel instead of doing Hiroshima, which is what people normally do. But finally, we ended up back in Tokyo for our return flight. We’d say there’s no wrong way to travel Japan. So, we’d recommend just seeing where the cheapest flight inlands and then plan around that. First stop, Tokyo, the world’s biggest and most populous metropolitan area with nearly 40 million people, a city where the past meets the future. We landed at Narita International Airport, which was a breeze. The first thing we did was connect to our Olafly Eims. We then drew money at the convenience store ATM and then we purchased a speaker card, which is one of the most important things to have for your time in Japan, but we’ll talk more about that later in the video. We caught a 1-hour train into the city center and then checked into our cute little traditional Airbnb for less than $100 a night. Because Tokyo’s best attractions are scattered all over the city and public transport is so efficient, no one neighborhood stands out as the best place to stay. We booked a stay just outside Asakusa in the Sumida area which was located close to the sky tree and Senoji Temple. But if we had to book again, we would choose one of the three following locations. Shinjjuku, which is famous for its restaurants and nightife. Shibuya, which is near the Scramble Crossing and lots of shopping. And then Ginsza, which is nice and central near the Tokyo train station. It’s up market with luxury shopping and restaurants and well connected to the Tukiji Fish Market and Team Labs. We’ll include some incredible accommodation options for all budget types in our resource pack. It also includes our Google Maps link to all the best spots we discovered in the city, so look out for it on our website. We had the perfect first day in Tokyo. Starting with a trip to 7-Eleven for some futuristic smoothies. And then next for some culture, we headed over to Senoji Temple. That is a Buddhist temple that was built in 645. It is Tokyo’s oldest temple and I believe the most visited spiritual site in the world with 30 million visitors every year, which is insane. And unfortunately during the World War the main hall here was bombed and completely destroyed but it was rebuilt in 1950 luckily. So this is what it looks like now. That is the biggest lantern I have ever seen in my whole life. That’s sick. Besides Seno G being a very picturesque temple, we love how immersive the experience is with all the activities you can take part in. Starting with the purification fountain called Teimuzuya, which is used to cleanse our hands and mouths before going inside the temple. As incense fills the air, it’s impossible not to take part in the next ritual, the burning of incense and wafting of smoke onto our bodies. It’s believed to symbolize cleansing and healing both physically and spiritually. Near the main hall, you can draw an omuji, a fortune slip. The decayed branch of flowers open again. [Music] That’s fantastic. This is fantastic. A I’m going to keep it forever. And if you receive bad luck like Retti did, you can tie the slip to a special rock to ward off any misfortune. There we go. I conquered the bad fortune. Bye. Okay. After you’re done at the handful, come out to the main entrance. There’s so many cute little stalls to grab some knickknacks, some snacks, and there’s actually some warm restaurants. I don’t know what they’re serving up, but they’re steamed. So, we love it because it is so cold. And if you’re like us content creators, you will spend like 2 and 1 half hours at the sens temple itself and you will freeze your battle if you’re here in March. Yeah. Which you probably should be. [Music] It was time to have our first proper meal in Japan. And of course, it had to be a ramen here at Ichiron. It’s a very popular chain restaurant with a unique dining experience because each person gets their own eating booth. You don’t need to talk to any staff whatsoever. Everything is completely automated from the vending machine that you use to order and pay out to the sheet that you write on to customize your meal. They even have these little wooden pieces with certain requests that you can place towards a staff member. Y looks delicious. You even have a little boiled egg and some extra pork on the side. And considering it is such a touristy experience, this ramen was just incredible and one of the best we have ever eaten in our lives. We’ll definitely be seeking Run out for the rest of our trip. I can promise you that. It’s so perfect for the cold weather. I cannot even deal. And there’s a good amount of noodles and pork and an egg. It’s definitely a good value for money. [Music] So, whenever we’re in a new country, the first thing we try to do is a food tour. We’ll be trying some really famous dishes tonight. Sushi, sashimi, katsu, more ramen, and a whole bunch more. If you want to do this exact tour, the QR code will be on the screen for you. Welcome to Piss Alley. This is actually one of the top things to do in Shinjuku, and it’s on our food tour. This street was formed in 1950 after the war and it’s just so cute. It’s called Piss Alley because it used to be a drinking street where men would get super drunk and because there wasn’t a toilet here, men would just have a pee there. But luckily for us, there is now a toilet. You’ll find they predominantly have barbecues everywhere here. And it’s yucky to food that they specialize here in the street. And we’ve lost our group. Our [Music] [Applause] first meal of the tour was here at a traditional Japanese seafood restaurant where we get to try the freshest sushi and sashimi. Bottomless sake. We’re about to have some saki. [Music] Wow, that’s that’s strong. and various other interesting seafood dishes. First time trying fish egg. Okay, next. Wow. We are literally cooking this mackerel right here right now. Plain grilled mackerel. I think this is the first and only fish restaurant that we’ll be eating at. It’s so so fresh. I’m not the biggest seafood lover, but Ruth says that this food is amazing. So, let’s give it a go just as it is. Yeah. Okay. Cheers. It’s good, right? That is so good. We tried so many incredible meals and iconic drinks on this food tour. We can highly recommend it. Here’s the QR code again for you. Not only did we get to try all the epic meals, but we also got to visit all the best spots. So, it’s a twoin one. Speaking of best spots, it wouldn’t be a day out in Tokyo without a trip to the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing. It’s the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing with as many as 3,000 people crossing at one time and around 2.4 million in a day. And we were lucky enough to see it in the rain. It was magical. They also have the Mario Kart inspired go-karts racing through that we weren’t able to book in time. And as if things couldn’t get more Tokyo, the Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift Tour Group came past. Nissen GTRS and all. You can book either of these tours on Get Your Guide. We’ve included the highest rated tours in our Japan wish list for you. Comment Japan wish list and we’ll be happy to share it with you. No. If you seen it and you mean it and you know you have to go. First time for real. Snowing. Oh my gosh. This is insane. I think this is the best day of my life. The best day of my freaking life. It was time for more futuristic adventures. Starting at the Dawn Robot Cafe where we were served coffee by robots only in Japan. We did not know it at the time, but these robots are remotely operated by individuals with disabilities and certain anxieties. They’re now able to work from the comfort of their homes, meet people, and still earn a living. We think it’s a fantastic initiative. Please come and support it. Cheers. Thank you. [Music] telling you, transportation or just being in Japan in general just feels like you’re in an arcade game with all the little jingles that they play all the time, birds in the background. It is so so cool. [Music] Welcome to Akih Habara, Tokyo’s electric town. A vibrant hub of anime, gaming, and cuttingedge technology, where neon lights, towering billboards, and otaku culture come to life. Of course, we’ve come here to do Clary’s favorite thing, the arcade. All right, I can get him. Oh, well, he’s a little bit too big to travel with. Oh, he’s cute. First time at an arcade in Japan. Let’s get it. Okay, I’m just warming up. Okay, by the way, I don’t want to brag or anything, but the claw machine is my thing. I generally have really good luck with this machine. Oh my gosh, I told you. I once won four different toys in Indonesia and I gave it out to the kids there. Oh it doesn’t give you much time. Oh no. It’s a scam. It’s a scam. The next floor is where things got real. Look at the speed demon on the controls. Have you ever seen anything like it? I have no doubt this man holds the top score on this machine. He was so in the zone. He wasn’t the only one though. This place was full of these wizards. We stumbled on something a little more our pace. [Music] [Music] Oh my word, the arcade was so much fun. If you’re a couple, highly recommend coming and playing some arcade games together, let off some steam. Just so much fun. There are also tons of women dressed as like anime characters. They look so cute. It’s so bizarre being here in Japan. Oh my word, it’s so cool. It’s just like the movies. [Music] So huge. Wow. Next thing on the list is to go up the 350 m Sky Tree Tower. The tallest tower in Japan. Wow. And it is. It’s not the world. So cool. We booked this experience on Get Your Guide. It’s just so much easier. that you get to go in the advance line and it’s a little bit shorter than the uh ticket line. So quick. Wow. Nice. Let’s go. A. So once you buy your tickets on get your guide, you just go to that quick cute little red machine and exchange them for the paper tickets. Now we are heading up to the elevator. And you know what the most important thing is that you get to see here besides the whole city is Mount Fuji in the distance, which I’m so excited for. Of course, we’re going to go there later on, but I just want to get my first glimpse of it right now. After a 5minute wait in line and what feels like a short 30-cond elevator ride, we made it to the first observation deck. 350 m above ground, this deck is huge with 5 m tall glass and 360° views of the whole city. This just shows you how big Tokyo is. It is gigantic. The biggest city in the world. You can see up to 70 km away and even catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji out to the west. I would say the best time slot to book for this is 30 minutes before sunset. You get magnificent views and also get to see the city transition to night which is spectacular. [Music] I think now is a good time to tell you how we actually got around this massive city. Starting with the easy and efficient Uber taxi rides. This was our first time using Uber in Tokyo, and we were surprised by how easy it was. Uber is a hit or miss in some countries, but works like a charm here. It’s also pretty fairly priced, which is nice. The alternative ride hailing app is the Go app, which we also used. We only use ride hailing on days where we needed to move around with luggage, but they are also really useful for when the trains stop after midnight. Now for public transport, which as you can imagine is one of the best, if not the best in the world. Starting with the buses, which we use for short distances here and there. The squeaker card is essential to the public transport system. You can get a physical card at the vending machine in the airport or station. Or even better yet, you can add credit to your Sweeter direct on your Apple or Google Wallet. Then just tap your phone as you go. It’s so easy. Oh, and another amazing thing is you can use your Swer card at all of the vending machines across the city. The trains and subway are the fastest and most convenient way to get around. The JR Green Line does a circular loop around Tokyo, stopping at all of the popular destinations. We used Apple Maps a hell of a lot to tell us where the subway entrances are and what platform to get on. Highly recommend you do the same. For some reason, Google Maps was not as accurate and we got lost a few times using it. And that’s about it. Overall, we found it very easy to navigate the city. Now, it’s time to explore the Tsukiji Fish Market, which was once the world’s largest seafood market, famous for its lively tuna auctions and fresh seafood. Today, it remains a bustling food hub where you can find a mix of small seafood stalls, restaurants, and street food vendors. We’re here to do a sushi making class that we booked on Get Your Guide, and it happened to be one of the highlights of our time in Tokyo. We’re being guided by our sushi master, who has been making sushi almost all his life. We learned the different techniques for cutting and deboning the fish, the best knives to use, and how difficult skinning the fish can be. We learned a bit about the different types of sushi and then we got to get stuck in ourselves. We are about to make sushi in Japan. He says, “I’m doing good.” Wait, I think mine looks so cute. So good. Oh my word, this is so much fun. We learned how to make maki with our own bamboo rolling mats and seaweed. And then we got to enjoy our own creations. Yay. Time to eat our own sushi. So good. I’m so proud. Your sushi. Yeah. After our sushi class, we walked around Sukiji Market trying all sorts of delicious foods and viral eats. This was an absolute highlight of our time in Tokyo, and we highly recommend you give yourself three hours or so for the cooking class as well as for the market. We even got to try Wagyu beef for the first time, and it’s one of the best things we’ve ever put in our mouths. Wow. You’re in heaven. It’s so tender. really so juicy, like you cannot even believe it. This video is brought to you by Get Your Guide, and as you’ll see throughout, a lot of our entry tickets and experiences have been booked on the Get Your Guide app. It’s truly our favorite platform to use to find incredible things to do in each destination we visit. Whether it’s a food tour, a unique experience with a private guide, or a skip the line entry ticket, Get Your Guide has something fun for everyone. And if you’re coming to Japan, we’ve created a Japan wish list that includes all of the highest rated experiences and tours we’ve done or would love to do in the future. So head to the description of the video for that link and start booking those experiences now before they get booked up. And don’t worry, you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance in case your travel plans change and you’ll get a full refund. What a game changer. Let’s get back to the video. We found some blossom finally in Tokyo. Wow. [Music] We had no idea that we would be able to see cherry blossoms at this time of March. Everyone on the internet said that only at the end of March, first week of April, do the cherry blossoms blossom in the Tokyo region of Japan. But there’s plenty all over the city that have already blossomed and it’s the 11th of March. Earlier in the day, we actually moved accommodation. We really wanted to try out a capsule hotel. So, here we are. This is 9 hours in the Akasaka area. A capsule hotel is basically a futuristic form of a hostel. Each individual gets their own pod. This is so cool. There’s someone sleeping right next door, so I can’t be loud. But I think I got one of the best parts. Look at that view. and a bag full of goodies. In the bag is a fresh towel, a shower floor mat, comfy PJs that make everyone staying there feel like they’re actually a part of Squid Games, and lastly, some slippers. You can also ask for earplugs and a toothbrush. Girls and boys are on separate floors, so Claire and I had to actually part ways for a bit. I must say, this was a very interesting experience that we’ll talk more about later in the video. So, after a quick little snooze at our new accommodation, first time staying in a capsule, and it’s actually really not bad. It’s super budget friendly, we’ve come to see Team Labs finally, and it is basically a futuristic art gallery, and we’re so excited to film footage in there. It’s going to be so beautiful. Wo! This is incredible. Trippy, eh? [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] I loved that. I thought it was quite wonderful. So peaceful and relaxing. There’s so many different installations. They’re just all so very different. And the music is beautiful. And it all smells so good. Yeah, it’s a very sensory experience. It’s wonderful. Highly recommend. It is a bit far, so we’ve got a long track back to our capsule hotel. Now, this Team Labs is in quite a random location. It’s quite far out for anybody no matter where you are in Tokyo. There is another one, the Team Labs Borderless, and I think it’s the same kind of thing and it might be a bit closer to Shibuya, but I think most people actually come to this one because it’s the original and it’s really, really beautiful and it’s epic. We’re back together. Good morning. We’ve been separated the whole night. Just Just 9 hours. Don’t make me do it again. That was an interesting 12 hours in the Pod Hotel. I have to say, I really thought the capsule hotel experience would be fun and relaxing, and honestly, it was not. It was way worse than I thought it would be. We’ve got absolutely no plan today. We think it’s great to have these days on your travel to slow down a bit and just enjoy a place for what it is. We ended up doing some shopping, eating more katsu, and then we took a stroll to Tokyo Tower, which was absolutely beautifully lit up in orange lighting. It’s an iconic Tokyo landmark and definitely worth a visit. You can even go up it, but we decided to admire it from below. [Music] Today we headed 500 km southwest down to Aaka, Japan’s third largest city, a lively cultural and economic hub known for its delicious food, friendly locals, and a vibrant night life. We’ll be using the blisteringly fast and super famous Japanese bullet train to get there, which at speeds of around 300 km an hour should only take us about 2 and 1/2 hours. We booked our tickets the day before at Urakucha Station and paid exactly $100 per person. For a one-way ticket, that’s pretty pricey, but it’s the going rate for train travel here in Japan. We were super nervous about navigating the station, so we took an Uber around 1 and 1/2 hours before our train was due to depart just to be safe. Tokyo station is the central hub for the Shinkansen bullet train network. From here, you can take trains all over the country. And as you can imagine, it’s a pretty busy place that can be quite overwhelming. Well done, we made it. Wow. Now, that is a comfortable reclining seat. Wow. So much space. So much better than an airplane. Amazing. Oh, right on time. Safe, efficient. Woo! [Music] We checked into a traditional Japanese home that’s located just 10 minutes on the train from the famous Dottenbur sign. It’s in a quiet and local area and it’s run by the sweetest host who even gave us some gifts. He suggested that we take it easy and just pop down to the local ramen restaurant for some dinner. And that’s just what we did. [Music] [Music] Welcome to Osaka, the culinary and mega cool sign capital of Japan. This is everyone’s favorite city, so we’re extra excited to explore it through taste and of course the sites as well. Osaka is located here in Japan and is in a great location to do some day trips from as well, including Tunara and the Bowing Deers. Coobe, famous for its coobe Wagyu beef and Hiroshima. We’ll be exploring two of the main areas here in Osaka. Shinsukai, known for its retro vibes and funky food, and Namba, known for its signs on the canals, its night life, and of course, the food. [Music] Although our Airbnb is a bit outside of the hustle and the bustle, it’s a lot quieter and cheaper, making it a good option for budget travelers. Other good areas to stay in Osaka are Namba Minami, which contains the city’s most fashionable shopping and entertainment districts. There’s the neon lit dottenberry and nippon bashi dend in town, the otaku Japanese pop culture hub which we stayed in for the second half of our saka trip and loved it as well. This is also where you’ll find arcades like Shinsaiashi Suji shopping street and the seafood rich Kuruman market which we were within walking distance of. Just north is the Omida area, a major business district and retail hub that includes the futuristic Amida sky building. South of Amida allows central Osaka or Hanmachi, primarily a business district, but also a convenient base. To the east is the quieter Osaka Castle area, home to Japan’s largest castle and the Osaka Museum of History. Then, south of Usaka Castle, you get the lively Shinsukai Tanagi area, an old-fashioned entertainment quarter and another area known for cheap street food. Shinsukai was actually developed in the early 20th century as a futuristic entertainment district. It’s home to some really quirky restaurants and shops, retro arcades, and of course the tower in front of us, the 210 Taku Tower. Wow. First impressions of Shinsukai. Coolest signs in the world. They are so epic, so over the top. There’s lots going on as you probably hear. There’s so many different bars and cafes you can eat at and so many games you can play. Shinsukai means new world in Japanese and as such the area was designed to reflect the excitement and progress of the modern world with the northern half modeled after Paris with boulevards and a centerpiece tower. While the southern half was inspired by New York’s Coney Island, before the Second World War, it was a lively entertainment district with movie theaters and amusement park and cafes, making it one of the most modern and fashionable areas of a soccer during this period. This all changed during the war as the original tower was dismantled for its metal, sending the area into decline, becoming known as a rougher neighborhood associated with crime and poverty. A new tower was built in 1956, and Shinsukai became known for its retro charm, cheap eats, and a gritty character. Today, it’s a nostalgic spot loved for its Kushi Katsu restaurants, neon lights, and a glimpse into Aaka’s Shower era past, blending local flavor and quirky vibes. But considering Osaka is the food capital of Japan, we really wanted to explore the food through a local guide to make sure we were eating the best stuff and going to the best spots. And where do you get the best local guide? get your guide. So, we booked this three-hour long tour. We’re trying 15 different dishes all in and around the Shinsukai area. So, we’ve got some time to kill now before our tour starts. We’re just going to walk around, take some videos, and enjoy it. But, I must already say I love this place. I think it’s so cute and quirky and just this it’s just so much fun. You’re here to have fun, and I love that. Wow. Fine. Wow. And this is a giant okonomiyaki. Osaka are so obsessed with okonomiyaki, they made a giant one. Can we get this later? What is that? The beautiful cotton candy. Sure. But a vending machine version of it. Obviously, Japan is so sick. Cute. It’s 500. Yes. 500. Yeah. Cool. Can I have 500 yen, please? Yeah, sure. Okay. Hi. Thank you. Please come here. Okay. Okay. Now set up. Okay. You try this one. Push only. Okay. Imagine push only. Okay. Fighting. I thinking fighting. [Music] More across. Yes. More. Okay. More cross. Oh, lighting. [Music] Amazing. Two gift. Wow. You got bubblegum and dinosaur. Nice. After some fun and games, it was time for our food tour. And it happened to be one of the best guides we’ve ever had. All sacks love their fried food. You’ll see quite a few beer uh beer bellies down here. Me included. I hide it. That’s why I wear black. You got to hide those curves. We actually have a saying in Osak. It says, which translates quite literally to eat until you bankrupt yourself. Oh wow. or something eat until you die. Oh, I love that. So hopefully tonight we can tap into that culinary sort of like legacy and show you a very different experience as opposed to a lot of other cities which are known for their food in Japan. Here is the Japanese version of Robin Hood stole from the rich to give to the poor. Have we been to Osaka Castle yet? No. Okay. Okay. Toy Tommy Hidoshi built it. Well, guess what? He tried to assassinate him. He failed. And uh as a punishment, he was boiled alive at a bath pub with his eldest son. Yeah, Pikachu and Disney come in Japanese. Might be wondering why our guide Andy is not Japanese. Well, but he basically is. He’s lived here for 25 years. He’s married to a lady from Osaka and he has three teenage kids. He knows this place incredibly well. And we’ve already learned so much about Osaka. It’s also known as the kitchen of Japan. We’ve learned that Osaka ranks fourth for the most Michelin star restaurants and it has over 13,000 eeries. There’s also roughly 2,000 years older than Tokyo, which I didn’t know. And that’s very interesting. Cool. Exciting. I’m so hungry now. [Music] Come on. Come on. The first meal here was dotoyaki. A slow simmered beef tenant cooked in rich miso based sauce. It’s a savory and deeply comforting dish reflecting the hearty downto- earthth soul of Aako’s food culture. Kushi Katsu, meaning skewered and fried, was next and is one of Asaka’s most iconic street foods. Originally made right here in the Shinsukai area and deeply tied to the city’s workingclass roots. Andy described it as fried anything and everything from sweet corn to quail eggs. Delicious. Next up was Johnny’s Karag Bar, specializing in crispy, juicy Japanese style fried chicken. Chicken. He actually works in another restaurant. Very good. Very good. Amazing. Wow. It’s only the second stop. I think we’ve done around seven meals already. So good. Now the sun has gone down. We got the beautiful tower lit behind us. And this street is so popping right now. Look how beautiful it is. Much better at night. Most of Japan looks better at night because it lights up. It’s known for its neon lighting. It’s so pretty. [Music] $25 well spent in my opinion. Do not put that on the in there. We will. Look at how they did the sake here. Completely overflowing. So that when you finish your sake, you can fill it up again. That’s what my girl just told me. The one that’s been put up in front of you there, that is called harami. It is pork, onion, pork, onion, pork with a bit of salt and pepper. They’re also I’ve ordered uh skun. It is pounded chicken breast meat wrapped around a skewer flavored with sweet sauce which we call pare pare in shio sauce and salt. The two quintessential ways that you have yaki you have one of each. Okay. Um as for the vegetable dishes, the one with the red ginger sprinkled on top that is sliced daon radish. That’s really good. But the one next to it, little bit of a dice roll. It’s called yamo, which means pickled yam. Yam in Japan’s a little different from yam back home. It’s like kind of crunchy like a pineapple and a little slimy. [Music] Yaki. Taco yaki. You can see the sake is affecting you. Too much sake. You don’t need it in this cold. This is I think the fourth restaurant. This tour has been unbelievable so far. If you can get Andy as a guide, you are very lucky. Is from another city called Akashi. Akashi yaki and it basically came to Osaka. They tweaked it and it became one of Osaka’s own. It is a sliced octopus and an egg milk flour like battered little ball. All the dishes will have seaweed on and mayonnaise. And I’ve ordered three of the 14 dishes here. And the first one coming at you is the OG. It is very creatively called sauce. I know. All about imagination, eh? Please remember these can be as hot as the surface of the sun. If you put it in your mouth, you’ll cry and I will giggle cuz I’m built that way. And I’m about five drinks in now. That food tour was flipping fantastic. Andy was absolutely hilarial. Hilarious. Hilarious. Highly recommend. It deserves its 4.9 or five star rating on Get Your Guide. So you know it’s good. Yeah, we’ll leave the code over here for you guys so you can scan that code and book that exact to that we did. Anyway, in South Africa we have the saying misu and I can tell you now 100% feeling that it’s time to hit the sack and we’ll see you guys in the morning for day two in Osaka. [Music] Almost as soon as you walk out of the train station, there are just deer everywhere. The place is littered with them. Deer crossing the streets, deer heading to the temple, deer in the park, deer eating chains, deer up in your bits, deer everywhere. Almost 1,200 of them roam Nar Park, and they’re all wild. Legend has it that a white deer carried a god from Ibaraki in Japan’s north down to Kasugatisha shrine in a time where deer were considered sacred until 1637. Killing one was punishable by death. Though they’re no longer sacred, they are still protected. I literally didn’t realize there were this many of them. There are hundreds. Are we in the park yet? Not even. We’re not even at Nara Park yet. Excuse me. Do you know where the park is? [Music] I paid 200 yen for some bickies. They are specifically made for these nar deer and you aren’t allowed to you you aren’t allowed to feed them anything else. Oh sh they coming for me. And apparently they get quite aggressive cuz they’re super hungry. No. It says here, “Part of the proceeds from the Shika Sen by deer crackers are used to protect N deer.” [Music] He’s mocking me. [Music] This one’s begging. He’s hurting me. Okay. Okay. Okay. I’ll do it. That’s okay. Yeah. This one you have to Wow. Oh, you bloody [Applause] [Music] This is the kangaroo. What? Dude, are you trying to What’s going on? Are you just Why do the deers bow, though? They have observed and learned from humans that bowing often results in a treat, and the practice has been passed down through generations. While some theories suggest that the bowing may have originated from a more fearful interaction with humans long ago, the current primary purpose is to elicit food from visitors. The bowing behavior has even been passed down from parents to forms according to Noman’s University. Look at this baby deer trying its best to bow at us. It’s so cute. And now most of them have adopted a no food, no bow policy. [Music] This is just one of the most beautiful experiences of our lives. First of all, this park is absolutely stunning. It’s huge. It’s full of trees and there are cherry blossoms everywhere and there are thousands of deer. I thought it would be quite hard to get to them that there would be so few of them. They’re everywhere and they come to you, you go to them. It’s super chill. Welcome to Toaii. It’s one of Japan’s most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved away from Nar in 784 in order to lower the temple’s influence on government affairs. Until recently, Toadi’s main hall, the Daibutsudin, the big Buddha hall, held the record as the world’s largest wooden building. Despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only 2/3 of the original temple hall size, the massive building houses the world’s largest bronze Buddha, around 15 m tall, it contains 130 kgs of pure gold, and X-rays have revealed more treasures inside. Behind it is a huge wooden column with a small hole the size of the dyutsu’s nostril and if you can squeeze and crawl through is said to bring you enlightenment in your next life. We honestly thought these tourists were just being naughty children. [Music] An absolutely famous spot that has become a viral sensation is this machi stand called Nakatani Door. And for good reason. You get to watch the whole process of how machi is made from scratch through a process called machi tsuki in Japanese. And the chefs, they’re super fun. First, rice is cooked and laid out in a tray. The rice is then pounded into a wet mushy paste by these cool guys. The paste is then put into a machine which pumps red bean paste into the machi and encloses it into a cute little squishy ball of goodness. A staff member then coats the machi in a soybean powder and they’re immediately sold to the masses still warm for 200 yen a piece. They’re so warm. We ate all the machis and absolutely loved our time here in N. In fact, it was a highlight of our trip to Japan, and we highly recommend you make a day trip out or even stay in Nar for one night. We will soon be making a restart station. [Music] [Music] Good morning. We have actually checked into a new accommodation right here in Bonburi. Our hotel’s down there. We walked down the street and voila, we’re right in the thick of it. There’s the famous Glicko sign. But we’re actually going to skip all of this for now. Go straight to Osaka Castle and then come back here when it’s a bit darker and the light literally shine and looks better. We keep saying it, but Japan looks so much cooler in the evening. So busy. [Music] We’ve made the longest walk from the train station to Osaka Castle this morning on a moody rainy day. As our guide Andy mentioned, it was built in the late 16th century by Teayotami Hiroashi, one of Japan’s three great unifiers as a symbol of power, unification, and resilience in Japan’s feudal era. After Hiashi’s death, the castle became the center of fierce battles during the siege of Osaka in 1615 and ultimately was destroyed when the Tokugawa shogunit defeated the Teayotami clan. It has been rebuilt several times since, most notably in the 1930s with major renovations after World War II. Entrance to the castle grounds are free, but if you want to, you can pay to go inside, which houses a modern museum with artifacts, samurai gear, and displays about Hiroashi’s life and the castle’s history. You can also pay to go up to the eighth floor observation deck, offering 360° panoramic views of Aaka City, which is amazing at sunset. And in spring, it’s one of Aaka’s top spots for cherry blossom viewing. [Music] All right, we are finished at the castle and we have popped down to grab some lunch and it’s a very famous Osaka meal called okonoma yaki. One of Asaka’s most beloved and iconic foods. Often called Osaka’s soul food, the word okonomiyaki literally means grill it how you like. It’s a savory, thick Japanese pancake made of a batter from flour, eggs, grated yam, dashi broth mixed with lots of shredded cabbage and your choice of fillings like pork belly, shrimp, squid, cheese, mochi, pretty much whatever you like. We’re so excited for this pork. Thank you. So, okonomiyaki is a cabbage focused dish with bacon, but there’s egg in here drizzled with sauce. Oh my lord. Wow. Just I’m excited for this. Eh, that is the biggest flavor bomb to come out of Japan. Absolutely phenomenal. Highly recommend. Especially that restaurant. They do say it’s the best in the world. Kuraman Ichiba Market is one of Asaka’s most vibrant, mouthwatering destinations. Often called the Saka’s kitchen, it’s over 190 years old, stretches more than 580 mters, and offers more than 150 different shops, and in our honest opinion, is one of the best markets we’ve ever explored on our travels. It’s massive. And look at the produce. Look at all the seafood right now. Amazing. So many knickknack stores that are actually like quality, beautiful pieces. There’s amazing fruit and sea food and oh just so much tons of Wu beef. So if you haven’t tried it yet, you can try it here. Wow. Really, this is 1,000% a must do and you can spend easily like 2 3 hours here. [Music] We’ve come out. It’s night time now. It’s bustling. It’s such a vibe. And we’re about to see the Glick sign. Whoa, there he is. The signage is massive. So, the Glicko man was originally put up in 1935 and I believe it’s now on its fifth iteration. It is a massive sign. It exudes all happiness and fun, and I think everyone likes to come here and do the pose and take a photo. It’s just iconic. It’s been here for a long time. It’s almost It’s 90 years old this year, I believe. [Music] This is Dottenbury, a neon lit entertainment and food street that runs along the Dottenbury Canal. It all started in the 1600s when a local merchant named Yui Doton tried to build a canal to boost commerce in the area. After he died, the city finished it and named the canal after him, Dottenbury. Over time, it became Osaka’s hot spot for entertainment, especially the Kabuki theaters and Banraku puppet shows. Today, it’s famous mostly for food, night life, and its neon madness. I must admit, I am in love with this city. I think it’s so much fun. And the cool thing about it is that everything is within walking distance. Besides Osaka Castle, you can walk between all the attractions here. It’s so jam-packed as a result. But it’s just so cool here, guys. I don’t know. I think Osaka is a little better than Tokyo in my opinion. And I’ve heard it before. A lot of people say that, but now in my honest opinion, I prefer Osaka to Tokyo. Wo! I just love Japan. Please look at all the claw machines and how cute all the teddy bears are. Oh my word. Oh, Snoopy. I thought I won. You got 20 seconds still. There’s no rush. I feel like that’s good. You’ve got it. You’ve got it, Snoopy. You’ve got it. Please. Oh, I think that was bad. Okay. [Music] Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I told you. Perseverance. Oh my word. My goodness. I told you I would get it. Well done, love. I’m running. I’m super tough for you. To top off an incredible time in Osaka, we found a retro gaming bar called Space Station. For a gig like me, this was a nostalgic trip down memory lane. I got to play Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Genesis, a console I used to have when I was just 8 years old. Incredible memories. They have over 600 games from multiple retro systems going back through the ages and are all free to play. You just need to buy a drink and enjoy. And yes, CLA did beat me at Mortal Kombat. Blasphemy. That was like one of the best days ever of our lives. Both Rhett and I have such big hearts right now. Full full hearts. Oh my word. This little city is a gem. I won’t lie. It is so fun. Lots to do. Definitely my favorite. Sorry, Tokyo. A Osaka has my heart. Yeah. Konichiwa and welcome to Kito. [Music] We’re so excited to be spending the next 48 hours here in Kyoto, a city that served as the imperial capital of Japan for more than a millennium. It is a city steeped in history, culture, and tradition with over a thousand Buddhist temples, stunning Shinto shrines, and beautifully preserved wooden town houses. It is undoubtedly one of the best places to immerse yourself in Japanese culture and experience the true traditional arts of this incredible country, and we intend to do exactly that. [Music] We’ve arrived in Kyoto and this is a place we are so excited to explore. We’ve just checked into our accommodation here. It’s called the Wise Owl Host, but we were lucky enough to get a twin room. We’ve actually got bunk beds for the first time. So, this is quite cute to share a bunk bed with Clary. It’s a very small room. It’s only 7 square m, but that’s all we need because downstairs we got a nice little uh living area, dining area, kitchen, and then there’s shared bathrooms. So, yeah, it’s been very comfortable. I must admit, I really struggled to find affordable accommodation here in Kyoto. So, everything is so expensive and all the good, highly rated stuff was booked up. So, if I have any advice for you, book this place in advance. It is the one of the most popular destinations in all of Japan and it’s super crowded as well, but for good reason. [Music] We are on our way to our first activity here in Kyoto. And I can already tell you I am in love with this place. The architecture of the little houses, the gardens, so cute. Everywhere you look, there’s just a beautiful temple or another beautiful gate or finely pruned tree. It’s so stunning. And then this box. First stop this morning is here at Kimono Rental Mimosa to pick up our outfits for the day. We wanted to experience Kyoto the way people once did. Moving slowly, soaking up the atmosphere and becoming a part of the scene instead of just observing it. And walking Senzaka in Kimono with the pagod of Yasaki G in the distance and little stores selling sweets and souvenirs along the way was one of those moments where you feel completely immersed in Japanese culture. [Music] [Music] I did watch a video of a guy interviewing Japanese people and asking them their thoughts on foreigners wearing kimono and apparently they absolutely love it and they take it so seriously because we are here respecting their culture and really diving into it. So I’m I’m chuffed about that. That’s why we decided to do it. [Music] The word kimono translates simply to a thing to wear. It is one of Japan’s most enduring and iconic garments rich in history, symbolism, and cultural meaning. Once worn daily by samurai, merchants, and artisans, the kimono varied in style and fabric to reflect social class and occupation as Japan modernized and western clothing spread. The kimono transitioned from daily wear to formal attire, worn during special occasions. At its heart is the obi or sash. Traditionally tied at the back and pressed flat across the front. Its flatness is more than aesthetic. It embodies discipline, refinement, and respect for tradition. Every fold and detail speaks to a quiet devotion to form and ritual. The kimono is a living symbol of Japanese identity, expressing elegance, restraint, and a deep connection between the individual, the season, and the surrounding world. out of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. Kyoto is my favorite. This is just the Japan I wanted to see. Natural materials everywhere. The traditional Japanese architecture. Obviously, everyone in kimonos makes it so much better. But it kind of feels like barley to me in a sense, like the barley of Japan. And it’s because of I don’t know just so much nature and the natural materials, stone, wood. Yeah. Trees. Oh, it’s just I just love it here. I really do. [Music] Wow. I’m just so happy and grateful to be alive. This is a beautiful walk. Oh, this is where we should have come all along. [Music] Stop it. I love it. [Music] We are now in the walking street of Kyoto. And if you want to take any knickknacks home, like beautiful gifts, definitely buy them here. Please look. That entire shop is dedicated just to fans. Incredible Japanese fans. There’s such beautiful stuff here. Japan is known for its incredible ceramics as well. So, there’s tons of little teacups and soya sauce things that you can take home. Stunning. We have made it to the next stop here in Kyoto, and that is the Samurai Museum. We’ve just signed up for the 1-hour tour, so we’re going to quickly learn as much as we can about the history. I’m super amped about this cuz I played Ghost of Tsushima. I actually finished it just before we came on this trip. So, I’m very excited to actually see the armor here in real life. Samurai were the hereditary warrior class of feudal Japan, serving as military nobility from the 12th century until the 19th century. They followed a strict ethical code known as Bushido, which emphasized loyalty, honor, discipline, and marshall skill. Samurai were often tied to powerful feudal lords and held political and military authority. We also got to learn about Saigo Takamorei, often referred to as the last true samurai and legendary figure here in Japan. He bravely led the Satsuma rebellion against the Maji government who were abolishing traditional Japanese values such as honor, loyalty, and marshall discipline in favor of rapid westernization. His rebellion ended in defeat, but after his death, he was seen as a hero and symbol of honor and resistance to cultural erosion. He was later pardoned by the emperor and today his statue still stands in park in Tokyo as a national icon. Ninjas or Shinobi were covert agents or mercenaries active primarily during the Sangoku period, a time of civil war and chaos in Japan. Unlike samurai, ninjas were not part of the noble warrior class. Many ninjas actually came from commoner or peasant backgrounds. Because they didn’t have access to formal weapons or armor like the samurai, they adapted with what they had, which was mostly farming tools. Over time, these tools were modified for self-defense, stealth, and sabotage. They specialized in espionage, infiltration, assassination, and guerilla warfare. Please don’t throw yet. Don’t throw yet. Thank you. Ninja experience. I’m ready. Let me show you how to use your quick sh Ninja. That’s it. Done with the museum. We had to quickly zip out after the shuriken toss. We are on our way to the tea ceremony. What exactly is going on? I think it’s a whole story. Making tea in Japan is not like making tea back home. It is so much more special. It takes a lot of discipline and patience and it’s more like a meditative way of creating art. M. It’s not just tea. Okay. Well, let’s go learn all about it. It’s time to put on yet another kimono. Two kimonos one day. There’s so many beautiful colors here. Beautiful [Music] one. Hey, come first. Just see the details. Oh, look at this. Before entering any shrine, temple or tea room in Japan, Chisuya is an important act of spiritual and physical cleanliness rooted in the Shinto belief of purity. It reflects core Japanese values like respect for tradition, mindfulness, and harmony with nature and the divine. Tea was originally introduced to Japan from China in the 9th century and became popular amongst the elite. In the 15th century, a Buddhist monk suggested the preparation of tea should be a form of spiritual practice, simple, meditative, and deeply respectful. The following century, Senor Rku considered the grandmaster of the tea ceremony refined the practice into a highly codified ritual. He emphasized wabishabi, a beauty in simplicity, imperfection, and quiet elegance. His influence still defines the tea ceremony to this day. The aim of each gathering is to create ichigo. It written on the hanging scroll. It means once in a lifetime occasion for both the host and the guest. Every movement and gesture in the ceremony is deliberate, encouraging both host and guests to be fully present and appreciate the moment. Matcha is a finely ground powder from whole green tea leaves. Whisking helps to airate the tea which enhances its natural grassy aroma and softens the flavor making it creamier and more balanced. Creating a layer of foam indicates proper technique, freshness and a deep care for the guest. Normally we have some sweets before tea is served. So pink thing on the small plate is Japanese traditional sweets called wagashi. The design of wagashi is often inspired by seasonal motif. So today’s motif is sakura cherry blossom. And today’s wagashi is made from white beans, sugar, and rice flour. So it’s completely vegan. We feel incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to experience something like this in Japan and can highly recommend. And now we have these epic photos to show our grandkids one day, too. That was such a fantastic experience. I literally can’t even recommend it more. It’s just such a short little beautiful traditional Japanese experience. And I do think you have to do it before you leave Japan. And it came with a kimono. A lot of um tea ceremonies don’t actually include the kimono. And it was even more beautiful kimono than before. So highly recommend we book that one on get your guide. And we’ll link it down below for you and on the screen now. And right next to it is the street food market. So we’re going to get a meal here. Perfect. One of us. Thank you. 1,210. Okay. Thank you. Udon. It’s our first in Japan. First udon. Yeah. Smells beautiful. Peppery. We’ve got green onions. Yeah. Nice little udon there at Benzo. And that’s going to wrap up the day. We’ll see you guys in the morning for the next fun day here in Kyoto. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Good morning. Look where we are. Founded in the year 711, Fushimi Inari predates Kyoto’s rise as the capital of Japan. It’s famous for its thousands of Tory gates that have been donated over time by individuals and businesses as acts of gratitude or prayers for success. Walking the Tory covered paths is both a physical and spiritual journey representing a movement from the everyday world into a sacred purifying space. It isn’t just a tourist attraction. It’s a living symbol of Kyoto’s spiritual heritage. This is one of the most photogenic, beautiful places we’ve ever been. And I cannot believe it’s for free. All of these people just get to wander around here for free. We’re all so lucky. Anyway, our time is up. We’re going to head down. And it’s actually quiet now. Coming back down at 8:00. So, I don’t know if coming early early is actually the best idea. We took the train from Kyota station to Nara Station. It was literally like a 5-minute train and we got here. So worth it. So easy to get to. It’s super amazing. And I believe this was built like over 1,300 years ago. I’m just blown away. Look how full it is. So busy. [Music] So this building was built by Kao. He was a great painter. He drew a big dragon on the ceiling of Nan’s temple. So this is main garden. That phone was made imitating a liver. Wow. Of main gate of Kyoto more than 1,000 years ago. Wow. Very young. That’s incredible. This is chasu. It means t ceremony room. The symbol of this room is the p with a knot. That video was given from Japanese emperor more than 100 years ago. Looks like monkey, right? I monkey and the moon. That’s incredible. Wow. Thank you. So this is backyard. These glasses was made more than 100 years ago. Now it’s impossible to make a same thing. The glass. Yes. Japanese old technos. After you finish eating, we can walk here. Yes. You can go into the garden from here. To the side on the temple. Visiting the Kubu family residence was an absolute highlight and perfect end to our time here in Kyoto. It really is a place where tradition is not just remembered but lived. And we felt that transported back to a time where craftsmanship and nature moved as one. The former owner’s love for art lives on too. Taking the shape of Hanawarabi Machi, a luminous, delicate sweet adorned with edible flowers like fleeting blossoms captured in glass. We can’t recommend this enough, especially if you want to appreciate the little things in life. [Music] That was a fabulous experience that we didn’t actually plan for. We were actually going to go to another bamboo forest, but we luckily got to see a bit of a bamboo forest at the temple this morning. So, we decided, let’s go have some tea. And yeah, that was unexpectedly amazing. We were going to do the Arashiyama bamboo forest. It’s very popular. But apparently you have to get there early in the morning just like this morning’s temple. Otherwise, you’re met with plenty crowds. And unfortunately, we’re off now. We’re leaving Kyoto and we’re on to our next destination. So, we didn’t have another morning to do it. But definitely, guys, please plan another night or two. Two nights in Kyoto. Absolutely not enough. There’s so much to do here. You guys, I’m so sad to leave Kyoto. This has been my favorite by far. And tomorrow we are off to Mount Fuji. So stick along, stick along, stick around. Fujian, as it’s affectionately known here in Japan. At 12,388 ft, it is the country’s tallest mountain towering over the landscape with a quiet majesty that has inspired poets, artists, and pilgrims for centuries. On clear days, its snowcap peak can be seen from Tokyo, nearly 100 km away, standing as both a natural wonder and a cultural icon. Mount Fuji isn’t just a mountain. It’s a symbol of endurance, beauty, and the spiritual heart of Japan. We’ve come to witness it up close, to walk the paths that countless others have taken before us, and to feel just briefly the deep sense of connection this mountain inspires. [Music] It was a 5-hour travel day to get here, though. We traveled from Kyoto to Shin Fuji using the Shinkansen bullet train, and then we had a 2-hour bus ride up and around the mountain to Fuji Yoshida. But luckily for us, the views were truly insane the entire way. We got to see a full 180° view of this magnificent mountain with no cloud cover. videos don’t quite do Mount Fuji justice because the first time we saw it from the train, we gasped. It literally took our breaths away. I can’t deal. It’s so epic. I want to cry. Once we made it to Mount Fuji Station over here, we had to take a taxi to our accommodation. And boy, what a surprise that was, but we’ll get into that a bit later. Choosing where to stay in the Fuji area is a bit difficult. There are a number of towns scattered all around the base of the mountain offering different kinds of accommodation. The three most popular areas are Fuji Oshida where most of the photo spots are and where we have decided to stay. Then there’s Lake Kawaguchko which was very close to us and has amazing views of Fujistan. It’s definitely on the pricier side here and unfortunately out of our budget. Then there’s the hotring paradise of Hakone which is a bit further out but apparently it’s beautiful as well. And lastly, there’s Fuji City itself down here, which is also an option. It’s much closer to Shin Fuji train station, offers way more restaurant options than I is, but comes with the major downside of needing to take a 1.5hour bus ride to get to the more famous spots. Have you ever arrived at an accommodation that you booked and thought to yourself, “Shit, I may have actually taken budget travel a little too seriously on this one.” Well, that’s what’s happened here at the base of Mount Fuji in an area called Fuji Yoshida. We’ve booked this little onen called Osumi Onsen. It was the same price as every other accommodation we’ve been staying in here in Japan. It was rated 9.1. The comments were fantastic. They absolutely raved about it, so I booked it a couple of weeks ago, not thinking much of it. But as we arrived here and check in, it shook me a little bit. And only because it’s just so different to what we’re used to. and we’ll take you through it, show you what it is like staying in a local familyun onsen here in Fuji. I’m just taking a quick stroll outside to see if I can catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji from our little Airbnb here. And I can see the bottom of it, but unfortunately the rest of it is covered in cloud for today. I think until maybe this afternoon when it clears up. Quite beautifully peaceful here. It’s very like local where we are. We’re in a nice little home stay with an old couple that are looking after us. There’s about I’d say 15 rooms in here. They’ve got two onsons which we enjoyed last night. Very interesting though. That’s our shower. That’s also our shower. Shower to sit down and wash your feet with your bare bum on there, but lots of bare bums going on there today. So, we won’t do that. That’s our bathroom. And that’s as much as you’ll see now because we’re about to get naked. Quite an old style, quite an old sort of rundown on but let me tell you the hot water in the shower was piping hot and it’s very good for Look at the steam coming off of it. Do you think that helps with body pain and stuff? Yeah, for sure. It’s good for the muscles. We had a really good night’s sleep. Just very quiet. And this morning, this area is super peaceful with all the birds and nature. Like, there’s hills all around us and it’s amazing. [Music] Good morning. The sun has risen and so have we. It’s time to go see Mount Fuji. It’s hard to miss. It’s everywhere. It’s insane. We have such clear views of it this morning that we’re going somewhere extra extra special to see it. [Music] 3 and 1/2k is not too bad. It was only about 20 minutes. It wasn’t that bad. I’m just sweating, I think, cuz I’m not feeling well. So, we picked up these bikes from our little home stay. There’s only two. We had to reserve them yesterday. And now we have like a half an hour hike, by the way. Okay, we’re going to take it easy. So, there’s two routes up to this pagod. There’s the stairs. It’s harder, but it’s quicker. And then there’s a road that winds its way up. It’s easier, but it takes much longer. We’re going to do the hard route. Thank you. Made it. [Music] [Music] Welcome to Sharto Pagoda. We are here at around 7:00 in the morning and it’s quite pleasant actually. You know, there’s not too many people and we just got a bit unlucky because down here there are a ton of cherry blossom trees and they are not bloomed yet. The only ones in Japan. Usually this entire region is white and pink. It’s stunning. I’m actually going to take a photo and I’m going to edit some blossoms in there. Yeah, this is what it usually looks like. I’ll try to find some footage. Anyway, we on to the next spot on our morning. [Music] We found the cafe. There’s like one open in the whole of this Fujiushima area. Everything else opens at like 10, 11:30. But it’s quite a nice little spot. And it’s right here where there’s like this famous viral photo spot where the street lines up with Mount Ruji. Fantastic. [Music] So, this is one of the famous photo spots and generally Mount Fuji is over there, but as you can see, the clouds have already come and you can barely see him, but there are still people taking photos here and I can almost bet you they’re going to photoshop Mount Fuji into the background there. [Music] All right, we have made it to the Fuji train station and we found our little parking for our little bicycles. Now we’re going to hop on a train or a bus, whatever’s quickest to hopefully get us to the lake Kawagucho. Kawagucho. Mount Fuji is only visible 80 to 100 days of the year. So to get good sightings and also avoid the crowds, we stayed in the area for three nights. But it is also possible to do a day trip here from Tokyo. You can scan the QR code on the screen now for highly rated tour. If you do stay in the area, most of your time will be spent going to different photo spots and viewpoints. So after Tito Bagod, we caught the bus to Lake Kawaguchki, which also has great views of Mount Fuji and is a famous spot for wedding photo shoots, too. On our way back from the lake, the bus passed the famous Lawson convenience store. So, we hopped off for a quick snap. It’s a very popular spot, as you can see by all the tourists here. For dinner, we found a really cozy little Izzy Kaya nearby, which was an experience we highly recommend. It’s a local restaurant/bar with a warm, chilled vibe to it. Perfect meal to end off this day. You can see Mount Fuji. Oh my gosh. Can you on the camera? Yeah. Oh, it’s so beautiful and majestic. Oh, what a fun ride through the streets of Japan late at night. Amazing. What a memory. One for the books. You wouldn’t be riding in the middle of the night on a bicycle in a lot of countries in the world. True. And be comfortable, but Japan. What a fantastic country. [Music] One final goodbye of Mount Fuji. absolutely devastated to be leaving those. But I just wanted to vlog quickly this morning and tell you that we are absolutely not upset with staying at the sunumi onen in this beautiful local area here. It was very difficult to get around here. No jokes. And it did have some cons, but it also had so many pros. Obviously, the views, but also being amongst the locals and the daily vibes here and being looked after such a sweet old couple. It felt like we were living in their house. They woke us up for breakfast every morning and now OA is taking us to the train station he offered. So, it’s been absolutely fantastic and it’s really an experience we’ll never never forget. Gosh, I honestly can’t stop looking at this mountain, though. It’s unbelievable. The weather is impeccable today. And it only gets better from now cuz it’s spring. After spending two nights at the foot of Mount Fuji, it was time to make our way up north to Nagono, a prefecture known for its stunning natural beauty, rich history, and some of the most scenic ones towns in Japan. Oh, and how could I forget these little guys, the Japanese Makis, known for their unique behavior of bathing in hot springs. If you don’t have your own car, getting to Nagano from Mount Fuji involves quite a bit of travel. There didn’t seem to be a direct bus, so we took the train. You can either take the local train back to Tokyo and then a 1 and a half hour bullet train up to Nagano or do what we did and use only local trains, five in total. Overall, the trip takes a bit longer this way, but it is cheaper and more scenic. The slower pace allows you to actually take in the environment around you, which is absolutely stunning, especially in the spring and autumn. There was even time for a quick cut to noodles during one of our transfers. It took us a total of 5 hours to get to our hotel and cost roughly $34 each instead of the 80 the Shinkansen would have cost. You can pay for the local trains with speaker cards and also cash on the train itself so you don’t have to book tickets in advance. Our hotel is located in a little traditional hotring town called Tura which is 50 minutes south of the city of Nagano. It is not just any hotel though. It is a classic Japanese lean. One of the most unique and immersive ways to enjoy Japanese culture, hospitality, and relaxation. A Leokan is a traditional inn that dates back centuries. Rooms are usually fled with tatami mats and furnished minimally. There’s sliding shouju paper doors, low wooden tables, and cushions on the floor to complete the simple elegant style. At a Leokan, you are encouraged to wear the Yucata, a casual cotton kimono which adds to the relaxed atmosphere and sense of tradition. This is one of the stays we’ve been most looking forward to on this trip. Let’s see. I love it. We just checked into the club windmill. It’s It’s like not in Nagelo. It’s a bit out in nature. And this is our room. I love it. We’ve got two futon beds. We’ve got tatami mats. Look at this. Look at the lighting. There’s freaking bamboo and the traditional material that we love so much that all the houses are made out of. So, well, ch. And guys, this is less than $100 a night. [Music] All right, it’s time for dinner. And I went down to reception and asked, “Should we wear our outfits?” And she said, “Sure.” So I’m like, “Okay, let’s do it. Time to get changed. See you in 3 2 1.” Tada. How do we look in our traditional yucats? I think we look rather suave. And I don’t think everyone’s going to be wearing the outfit. It’s totally up to you. But guys, when in Japan? Yeah, man. Embrace it. Thank you. Wow. Is this a highlight of my life? This is insane. What is going on right now? Here’s the rice pork. I don’t want to light the fire another p and it will take 30 minutes to be cooked. It is not cooked. Then it will take 30 minutes to be cooked. Okay. Yeah. The p is sh and when I light the fire another p and one is still boiling. And here’s vegetables. And you can put the vegetables and meat into it. Okay. You can enjoy this sauce together. Okay. And this is already cooked. Yeah. Just ready to enjoy it. Okay. This is beef. These two. Fantastic. Our favorite. This is unreal. I actually want to start crying. This is a very special experience. Amazing. Japan is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. Home to numerous volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. This geothermal activity has resulted in numerous natural hot spring baths. Club Windham has six of them to choose from, some hotter than others, some indoors and some out in the open air surrounded by nature. Before entering an onen, it is important to follow proper etiquette. In a shared onson, men and women are separated. You must be fully naked and showered before you enter. It’s advised to spend between 5 to 15 minutes soaking. The minerals and heat will help heal your body, get rid of any inflammation and tightness in your muscles and even improve your skin. Once finished, you dry off, but making sure to keep some minerals on your skin. You can then head to the fridge for a lolly, which helps with rehydration and is an important step after any time spent in the onen. [Music] [Music] Good morning, beautiful people. It’s a change of scenery today because we have finally made our way to see the snow monkeys. They’re very famous and very cute. We’re very excited, but it was a bit of a mission to get here this morning, and we’re not even there yet. The day started with our hotel shuttling us to the station. We then took a local train from our station to Nagan station and then we jumped on the snow monkey bus and it was around an hour and a half to get here, I think. And now we have an hour hike up the mountain. It’s so beautiful. [Music] bought tickets here at the gate and they were 800 yen each and you can buy them at the Ghana train station and that means you can skip this line here which could be a good idea if you’ve got enough time to do so. I would recommend it. Oh my goodness gosh. There are just monkeys everywhere. And there’s a baby. Oh, sweetie. Okay, so they’re not answering. They’re just chilling everywhere. I think it’s too warm for them. Oh my gosh. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh, well, we didn’t get to see the monkeys in their unique setting, obviously, in the onen having a bath. We’ll insert some footage here so you can see what they look like and in the snow in the winter. It’s absolutely amazing. But nevertheless, we got beautiful footage of them and their cute little interactions. They’re running about. They’re like little fluff balls running everywhere. They’re so cute and they’re like picking each other and just chilling, bro. It’s so cute. I’ve never seen monkeys so used to humans before. usually like they get ang a aggro or like they’re really funny with you. These are like the most respectful chill monkeys. They come around you. They’re so relaxed and in fact I think they love the attention because I’ve been watching the monkeys now. They all like turn and make sure they’re looking into your cameras. They look at everyone’s cameras like a celeb on a red carpet completely. I was looking. They look straight into my lens. I’m like, “Thank you.” Yeah. know exactly what they’re doing and they love it and they’re free roaming. They can go wherever they want, but they just stick around the water here because I think they do feed them some seeds and stuff. So, no, they’re living the good life. It’s all good here. We’ll have to come back one day in the winter cuz I think this place is super magical. Then, the snow is melting at quite a rapid rate and it does mean that the monkeys just don’t want to swim. It’s too hot for them. It is too hot. Big burly coats on. you know, they don’t want to go in the water that’s hot. So, yeah, that’s it. Really enjoyed that. At least we got one monkey that was swimming, though. That’s a good good monkey. Oh, he’s a paid actor. There’s obviously a lot more to do in Nagano. So, if you want to see some of the other things, then we probably recommend getting a private driver that you can hire and they’ll take you around to a lot of the top spots. You can find one of those on Get Your Guide. We almost booked it, but we just wanted to come and see the monkeys. So, we thought, let’s just grab the bus and come in and out. And it’s been pretty good. But if you do want to get dropped off at the top of the hill instead of having to be walking up from the bus stop down at the bottom, then the private driver will definitely be more handy. I would recommend a private driver for sure for this Nagono region. This is like the end of our Japanese trip. Like, we are so done. We have seen so much on this trip. It is officially my favorite country we have ever traveled to. Ever. It trumps India. Sorry India. You were my number one for so long. We are exhausted. We are It’s been a lot broken. I’ve got blisters on my feet now from this stupid walk. And I think we’re going to end the vlog here because well, there’s not much else to share. We’re just going to go back to our little le. We’re going to answer. We’re going to eat more food and uh we’re probably going to do a couple more days in Tokyo, shop for some things for our new house, take some gifts, and that’s it. Then we fly home and we will catch you guys in the next video. [Music] [Applause] [Music]

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Chapters:
0:00 – Intro
2:30 – How to get to Japan
3:03 – Where to stay in Tokyo
4:08 – What to do in Tokyo
16:10 – How to get around Tokyo
18:20 – Sushi Making Class
21:20 – Pod hotel Tokyo
22:08 – TeamLabs Tokyo
24:45 – Shinkansen to Osaka
28:05 – Osaka Where to stay
29:15 – Shinsekai
32:30 – Osaka Food Tour
38:05 – Nara Park
44:19 – Osaka Castle
46:06 – Okonomiyaki
48:00 – Dotonbori
49:50 – Arcade in Japan
52:00 – Where to stay in Kyoto
53:47 – Kyoto what to do
55:14 – Kimono Rental
58:34 – Samurai Museum
1:01:18 – Tea Ceremony
1:05:40 – Fushimi Inari
1:07:06 – Traditional Tea House
1:10:26 – Travel to Mt Fuji
1:12:00 – Where to stay Mt Fuji
1:15:04 – What to do Mt Fuji
1:21:01 – How to get to Nagano
1:22:12 – Traditional Ryokan
1:26:34 – Nagano Snow Monkeys

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