Here is a Google list of ALL our food recs throughout Japan with some standouts below: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fBrJ999Y3JSnMTix6

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 = Family friendly

Tokyo Standouts

UPSCALE DINING

• FLORILEGE has two Michelin stars but is INCREDIBLY affordable. Lunch starts at ~$73 and Dinner at ~$148. Need to book one month in advance and must book right as bookings open. This place has gotten verrry popular. Book Here

• DEN KUSHI FLORI The brainchild of Florilege and Den (another upscale restaurant) open for lunch and dinner. Slightly more casual setting. Reservations are a must here too, but easier to get. 

PIZZA (the Japanese do pizza verrrry well)

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 SEIRINKAN The OG of Japanese neopolitan pizza. Every pizza place in Tokyo has studied under this guy. They only offer margherita, marinara, and bianca. My hot tip is getting the broccoli appetizer and saving the broccoli oil to dip your pizza crust in! It's a very cool and casual spot and the decor is all Beatles-themed because the owner is obsessed with them. Get there at least 15 min before they open for lunch or dinner to get in line because there is ALWAYS a line.

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 PIZZA MARUMO another great pizza place and this one has more menu variety. My favorite is the Japanese black chili! 

TONKATSU

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 KATSUKURA has multiple locations in Japan. You choose the level of fancy pork! 

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 TONKATSU HASEGAWA smaller joint but very yummy (and very fatty) pork! I think they may also have a location in Ginza now.

KAITEN SUSHI (CONVEYOR BELT SUSHI)

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 SUSHI KATSU-MIDORI a must for us, mainly because it's so cheap for the quality you get! They have multiple locations. Here are theTokyo locations: SHIBUYA and MEGURO

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 KAITEN SUSHI GINZA ODODERA another great option, a little more expensive but even better quality. 

TEMPURA

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 HAKATA TEMPURA TAKAO Order on your phone! Tempura comes out individually to order! 

KAISEN DON (SEAFOOD BOWL)

• TSUJIHAN Kaisendon is similar but way better “poke bowl”. It’s a variety of seafood on a bed of rice. This place has directions on how to eat it! They have multiple locations. We've tried Mukai (the very popular kaisendon place all over tiktok), and even though Mukai has the cute Japanese vibes, Tsujihan tastes better in our opinion).

Kyoto Standouts

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Trattoria Macedonia Yuki: we ate here 3 times and have become friends with him! A good break from Japanese food. He makes amazing Italian food and only does 2 seatings a night so it’s like your own personal dining experience. No walk-in's. You can only make reservations by messaging him on FACEBOOK or whatsapp. I'd recommend buying ALL the appetizers :)

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Katsukura Tonkatsu Sanjo Main Store: I take everyone here! High quality tonkatsu (deep fried pork cutlet) restaurant. Also on my tokyo list!

• Teuchi Toru Soba So good! We believe soba>ramen. Everything is prepared and made by one guy. Only 7 seats so go early or be prepared to wait a little. We also got the kinako soba gaki (dessert) which was amazing. Would go back just for that.

• Koke fancy 1 michellin. Very tasty! Also best wine pairings we’ve had in all of Japan so far.

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Ninigi Gion Main Store My FAVORITE mochi shop that has whole fruit mochi.

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 TADKA 2 South Indian Restaurant. Yes, Indian food is surprisingly EXCELLENT in Japan! If you don’t have reservations, go close to opening. Everything was so tasty. A little pricier for Japanese standards but still amazing.

Special Mentions

• 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 TORIKIZOKU fun izakaya joint where every dish is 360yen! even the alcoholic drinks! It's open late and you order on an iPad. Fun & casual vibes. Look out for the yellow and red sign. Not on my google list because they have so many locations.

• DEPARTMENT STORE BASEMENT FOOD LEVEL (aka DEPACHIKA) On the basement level of basically every large department store, you’ll find a food & dessert haven. A must!

• CONVENIENT STORES: Japan reigns supreme for their convenient stores. 7Eleven, Family Mart, Lawson, Mini Stop, Daily Yamazaki— but the first 3 are the holy trinity😇). Oftentimes, we pick up lunch there! 

Fun Facts & Tips

• No tipping in Japan!

• Many resturants won't "check back on you" to take your order. You have to call out "sumimasen!" to get their attention and they will come OR there is a button on the table at some places that calls them. 

Tokyo

• KAPPABASHI (kitchenware district) a long street with all things culinary! From bakeware, to knives, to fake food, to restaurant supplies, this place has everything. Just search kappabashi kitchen tools street into google maps. 

• SENSO-JI TEMPLE has a famous shopping street in front that’s only 10 min walking from kappabashi

• SHIMOKITAZAWA (vintage shopping district). Lots of stores you can look through and just cool vibes. The only thing I’d say is that many Japanese vintage stores have American vintage items because they love American culture. I don’t go to shimokitazawa often because I don’t care to buy an Ohio state sweatshirt and this area attracts a lot of tourists. 

• KOENJI is also great for secondhand shopping and is less crowded. Go go to Village Vanguard and walk all around there!

• GINZA (high-end shopping with lots of brand name stores) The Muji flagship store (one of my favorites) is there. If you're traveling with kids, there's big multi-level toy store called HAKUHINKAN TOY PARK thats worth going to (even if you're an adult!).

• OMOTESANDO (very cute shopping area) they have the flagship of my favorite clothing store (Niko and). If you navigate to B-side Label in Omotesando, it will put you in the heart of all those cute stores.

• HARAJUKU (kawaii culture!) Takeshita street is thee Main Street everyone goes to in harajuku. It also has an otter cafe. There’s usually some guy standing out in front with an otter trying to get people to go upstairs to go in. Cosme (Japanese Sephora) is at the end of Takeshita street towards Harajuku station.

• MEIJI SHRINE (aka Meiji Jingu) is on the opposite side of Harajuku station. It’s a famous shrine with huge surrounding trees. 

• SHIBUYA (a must) Shibuya and Shinjuku are the most famously quintessential Tokyo places. Shibuya has the busy crossing where everyone takes videos of. If you go to the Starbucks and buy a drink, it’ll give you access to the windows to see below if you want. It’s a good area to just walk around! Even if the crowds are not for you, everyone should go at least once!

• SHINJUKU another great area to explore. If you navigate to TAITO STATION Shinjuku GameWorld, that whole area is fun to explore. Taito is an arcade :) Golden Gai is also there. It’s an area packed with realllly small bars! 

• SHINJUKU GYOEN NATIONAL GARDEN nice to explore if you want to pick up some food at the convenient store and picnic there! 

• NAKANO or AKIHABARA if you are an anime lover, these places are for you!

• YOKOHAMA is about an hour from Tokyo and is the 2nd largest city. We have family that lives there! Many people live there and commute into Tokyo for work. It is a port city and things are more spread out compared to Tokyo. Not TOO spread out but things just feel like you have some more breathing room as you walk around. We love to go to the CHINATOWN! They have the best egg tarts. Just walk down and try things that look good to you! It's 'night market-esque'! They also have the CUP OF NOODLE MUSEUM. I've never been myself but I know peopel love it. You can make your own cup of noodles! 

• DISNEYLAND/DISNEYSEA The parks are actually owned by Oriental Land Company and they license Disney. Because of this, the prices for tickets and food/souvenirs in the park are WAY more affordable! For example, a Minnie Ears are $50 in CA, but only ~$15 Tokyo. DisneySea is exclusive to Japan and they have the new Fantasy Springs area. Disneyland is also good too but it’s more like the CA one. BUT it has a trackless Pooh and Beauty and the Beast ride that are amazing. If you have any difficulty buying Disney sea tickets through the app, I can show you how to buy them at 7eleven. And if you REALLY want to be a local, wear matching outfits lol.

Kyoto

• Nishiki Market 400yr old covered market with tons of stalls but crazy packed with tourists. The only place I think is worth going to is Ochanokosaisai for their furikake (rice seasoning).

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• Kiyomizu-dera Another famous temple if you’re not tired of them by now

• Kamo River - My happy place is walking along/drink chu-hi's and eat snacks by the river.

• Philosopher's Path peaceful and scenic walk. 

• Hayakawa Hamonoten Our favorite knife store! Been coming here for a long time now. Prices are the best you'll find! He's very old and honestly should've retired yesterday but he is just the sweetest and I love supporting him. He had a son-in-law that was going to take over the shop but the son unfortunately passed away suddenly in 2020 so the old man will sadly be closing up shop in 2026. I hope it is still open by the time you go. He also does hand-engravings for free. CASH ONLY!

• Not IN Kyoto but good day trips from Kyoto are Osaka, Nara (deer!), and Arashiyama (bamboo forest & monkeys! just outside Kyoto)

TIP: Keep your passport on you. Many places give you tax-free if you purchase 5000yen or more. ALSO, if given the choice to pay in yen or usd, choose yen. It always comes out cheaper.

• UNIQLO I’m sure you know this store but cheaper and fits better in Japan! 

• GU sister store of Uniqlo with more trendy styles and cheaper in price and quality. You can get cute tops for like $5! 

• NIKO AND one of my favorites. Their flagship is in omotesando. Clothing is more expensive than Uniqlo but with trendier/colorful styles and still very affordable. urban outfitters vibes but less frilly.

• MOUSSY/AZUL BY MOUSSY same ish price range as Niko and. Maybe a little more expensive but again, still affordable. Less colorful than Niko and. It’s like if aritzia and Levi’s had a Japanese baby

• CITEN clothes are more expensive but their bags are affordable and cute! You should look at their instagram to see if you like them :) 

• MUJI basic good quality clothing, pens, makeup, and good snacks too! We buy all our luggage here too. So if you need to buy another luggage, this is an affordable and good quality option. 

• LOFT Great for souvenirs. Has everything. Stationary, home goods, craft supplies, Knick knacks. Etc. but they mostly focus on stationary I feel like. 

• HANDS same as Loft. You can spend a lot of time looking through all the levels! We love this store.

• DON QUIJOTE a MUST. don’t forget to hit this place up before you leave! So many snacks, makeup, and EVERYTHING

• BEAMS a little pricier but a great curated selection of Japanese souvenirs.

• TOPOLOGIE in Kyoto. fun bags and changeable straps!!

• 2ND STREET secondhand store chain with locations throughout Japan. You'll have to do some digging but you can find some good stuff!

• If you like DAISO (Japanese dollar/100yen store), you'll also love SERIA, CAN.DO, and WATTS. These are other 100 yen shops.

• STANDARD PRODUCTS is Daiso's fancy sister store with prices ranging from 300-1000yen ($2-7 dollars)

• SEKAIDO mega arts and craft store. 

• If you truly want to find unique Japanese knick-knacks, my favorite thing to do is go to Japanese flea markets. You will need to look up if there are any happening during your stay but they are worth it! The only one I was not impressed with is the Oi Racecourse Flea Market. It's a popular one but in my opinion, it's too expensive, not curated enough, and too out of the way. 

Hotels VS Airbnbs

We for shorter trips, since its just the two of us, we mainly stay in hotels. We found that it ends up being cheaper than airbnb's. Not to say that we exclude airbnbs—it's still worth looking into especially if you want a kitchenette and a bigger space. If you are traveling with a larger group, airbnb's are definitely exploring! Make sure you pay attention to bed sizes. A Japanese double bed is close to a US full. 

For longer, month-long stays, we have had great success with Metro Residences. We stayed HERE for 2 months in Tokyo and LOVED it. 

Staying  in Tokyo

Where you stay, really just depends on your vibe! Our favorite places are:

• Akasaka (not to be confused with Asakusa) 

• Ikebukuro (specifically on the EAST side of the station) – 3rd busiest area after Shinjuku and Shibuya, but I really love this area. We have stayed at the Daiichi Inn and Hotel Wing International Select. 

• Nakameguro – trendy, hip neighborhood. cute cafes and shops. Many wealthy locals/celebrities live here.

• Koenji – another famously 'hip' and trendy neighborhood with vintage and secondhand shops here too.

• Yotsuya – central area within walking distance of Shinjuku and the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

• Nakano – Lively but less busy than Ikebukuro. 

• Yokohama – About 1hr south of Tokyo. Many Japanese locals live in Yokohama and commute to Tokyo for work. Yokohama is a great city in and of itself. It's also cheaper to stay in here if you're looking for a budget-friendly option. I would rather stay in a cool area of Yokohama (we like Sotetsu Fresa Inn Yokohama Higashiguchi) and travel 15 more minutes to Tokyo than stay in a random, further out area of Tokyo.

Shinjuku or Shibuya are obviously very popular but usually are more expensive and crowded if you don’t mind it. If you stay in Shinjuku, just avoid the Kabukicho area as it’s the red light party district (unless that's your vibe!). The key is to just find a place that is close to a station—even better if it's on a main line (Yamanote, Sobu-Chuo, Marunouchi).

Staying in Kyoto

We like staying anywhere in this highlighted area: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1FRsoA8YO06IaxaxHXKtOJLnbMwZDRGM&usp=sharing

Where we've stayed before and enjoyed:

• Airbnbs hosted by Yoshimi 

• Hotel Gran Ms Kyoto

Will work on this section but just know that Google Maps is your best friend! 

• Add Suica or Pasmo transit card to your apple wallet and load money onto it. This can be used on most trains, buses, vending machines, and convenient stores! 

• Fill this out and get your QR code for immigration and customs. Everyone has to do this. You either do it now or while you are in line.

• If you don't want to go the international phone plan route, consider getting a pocket wifi or esim. We've used Japan Wireless for renting a pocket wifi and Ubigi for eSIM. Here’s a Ubigi referral code for 20% off: HEUR74S8 or FTHGNMM3. Things to note for both:

  • Pocket Wifi: Once you place your order, you can schedule to have it delivered to the airport post office or your hotel. Just note that if you have it delivered to the airport post office, you need to align it with your arrival time and their business hours. If you have it delivered to your hotel, you just need to navigate your way there without the help of your phone! Although there are MANY free wifi spots throughout Japan (train stations, convenient stores, etc!). To return the device, the package comes with a prepaid envelope and all you have to do is drop it off in a red post office box before you go through airport security. Very easy.

  • E-Sim: E-sims only work with unlocked phones—meaning it has been fully paid off and unlocked by your carrier. And if you purchase a new phone for your trip, you have to wait 60 days before you can fully pay it off and unlock it (at least for AT&T). 

• Make your dinner reservations! Check out my food tab. 

• A lot of people ask me if they need cash before going....Japan is definitely a cash country. Although many places take card now, it is still good to have some cash on hand. I always get it after I land. Just go to any convenient store and use their ATM! 

• MEDS: Japanese medicine is not strong AT ALL. So bring some Advil, allergy pills, and any other meds you think you might need.

• FIBER SUPPLEMENTS: If you're planning a longer trip and eating out mostly, you will find that vegetables are hard to come by. They're either pickled or tempura-ed! To keep your bowels running smoothly, consider bringing fiber supplements. We get THESE. 

• 2-PRONG CORDS: 2-prong US plugs work in Japan, but Japanese outlets don’t accommodate 3-prong plugs. To avoid any issues, ensure all your cables (especially computer cords) have only 2 prongs!

• DUFFEL: I always pack a soft sided duffle so I can throw my clothes in there and keep all my precious souvenirs and snacks safe in my regular suitcase. You can also buy one at Don Quijote!

• COMFORTABLE SNEAKERS: You will walk more than ever!

• COIN POUCH: You will gather lots of coins so bring a coin pouch or buy a cute one there!

• PORTABLE PHONE CHARGER: You will use your phone (google maps) to navigate everywhere.

• TRAVEL WHITE NOISE: If you can't sleep without one. We like THIS ONE!

• COMPRESSION BAGS: For those who overpack (like me 🙃) THIS or something like it!

• BLUETOOTH TRANSMITTER for HEADPHONES: We use THIS. It allows you to use your bluetooth headphones on planes.

• AIRPLANE FOOTREST: If your are an economy person (like us) you might want this footrest.

• GIFTS: If you are visiting any Japanese locals, Trader joes totes & snacks and in-n-out shirts are bit hits!

• DO NOT bring marijuana. A friend of a friend had a bag with weed residue and got banned for life, but he is allowed to petition it after 10 years...🥴

I've made all the mistakes so you don't have to! 

BUYING TICKETS

The most affordable way to purchase ticket is through the Suzuka website's purchasing platform–Mobility Station. The catch is that you can only access it in Japan. BUT if you get a vpn and set it to Japan, you can access the site! I use Mullvad VPN but I'm sure any will work. 

1. Do some research beforehand on where you want to sit. THIS PAGE has all the areas, including videos with the view. We've sat in C and B2-1 and have loved them! 

2. Set your alarm for when the tickets go on sale. Double check this and make sure you got this accurate with the time difference.  

3. Create an account on the Mobility Station website for a smooth purchase process.

4. Contact your credit card company to warn them that you will be making a large purchase to Mobility Station in Japan. 

5. Turn on your Japan VPN and on day of purchase, you will be put in a queue. If you do all the steps above, you should be good to go! The main thing is making sure your CC company is allowing the purchase to go through. It maybe be even beneficial for you to have them on the phone while you make the purchase.

GETTING THERE

The circuit is in the middle of nowhere. The closest big city is Nagoya–where more people stay. Nagoya station usually has some interactive F1 setup during this time. You can also commute from Osaka or Kyoto but there are things to consider. 

RESERVATION-ONLY DIRECT BUS: top choice! This is reservation-based so purchase your tix when they go live and you're good to go! The best part is you are guaranteed a seat and the bus goes straight to the track (unlike the train where you have to walk 20 from the station). If traveling from Osaka or Kyoto (which we like to do), note that the busses only run Sat (FP3 & Qualifying) & Sun (Race Day). 

TRAIN: the closest station is Suzuka Circuit Inou Station (not to be confused with Suzuka Station) which is a 20 min walk from the track. There's a lot to say about the trains but just expect it to be crazy if you don't get a reserved seat ticket in advance. I will add more to this section later.

ENJOYING THE RACE

• If you purchase on Mobility Station, they will send you frequent emails about all the events surrounding the event. You can also find all the info here: https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/eng/f1/index.html

• Being at the race in thrilling in person but even though there are TVs, you are a bit blind to the parts of the track you cant see. PRO TIP is to purchase a radio with a earbud so you can simultaneously listen to the F1 broadcast and watch it live. Go to any Bic Camera (there are many locations in Japan) and purchase this https://www.biccamera.com/bc/item/10840297/ for $7! Make sure you listen with the earbud because that is the polite thing to do 🙂

• If it rains, bring a poncho as umbrellas are not allowed. You can purchase at any convenience store

• You can bring snacks! But also the food there is so inexpensive. Have you ever heard of $3.50 beers at a sporting event?! Just make sure you get the LONG FRIES! We love 'em.