3rd time in Japan. Trip review.
Hi there, y’all!
As this was my third time visiting this amazing country, let me share a few thoughts about my recent trip. Since it was my third visit, things got a little complicated when trying to design a one-of-a-kind itinerary.
Advice: You might find some of my comments a bit controversial.
Dates: We were there from June 15th until July 3rd.
Flights: MAD (Spain) to NRT (Narita) via IST (Turkey). Very pleased with the service. Comfortable plane and great food. $700 round trip. 2 bags max, 23 kg per person.
THE ITINERARY
Initial Plan: 3 days Tokyo, 5 days Hokkaido, 4 days in Kyushu, 2 days in Busan (South Korea), and 3 days in Tokyo again.
Actual Route: 3 days in Tokyo, 5 days in Hokkaido, 1 DAY IN FUKUOKA, 9 days in Tokyo.
Locations visited: Tokyo (Jindai-ji, Koenji, Kichijoji, Chofu), Nikko, Sapporo, Otaru, Noboribetsu, Fukuoka, Kawagoe, Kanazawa, Enoshima, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Chiba, Narita. (Canceled: Yufuin, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Busan).
WEATHER
Well, let’s say this time almost everything happened. We already knew it was the rainy season, but that wasn’t a problem for us.
The first three days in Tokyo, there was no rain. It wasn't too hot, maybe a little chilly? Sapporo had perfect weather—no rain, just beautiful sunny days.
Then, two typhoons hit Southern Japan. I don’t know if we made the right call, but we decided to change our itinerary as soon as we arrived in Fukuoka. The TV news said we should expect some horrible weather, which meant no day trips. So we decided (and now I’m regretting that decision) to take a flight back to Tokyo, as we were worried we wouldn't be able to fly to Busan or get back to Tokyo later.
Let's just say we come from a country without this kind of weather, so it was a little scary for us.
But then... 9 days in Tokyo. Rain, rain, rain, rain, oh—one sunny day—and then rain and rain again.
So, keep it in mind: you might get lucky and have dry holidays, or you might get wet ones. Even with the rain, the weather was hot—not unmanageable, but a humid 29°C. Since we come from a part of Spain where it can rain non-stop for months, the rain itself wasn't an issue. Just grab an umbrella and you'll be fine. The real problem... was the people.
TRANSPORTATION
Even though I have a driver's license, I'm not used to driving on the left, so we relied on public transportation. No regrets.
On past trips, we used the Shinkansen a lot (the Golden Route the first time, and the Hokuriku Arch Pass last year—amazing!). This year, we gave domestic flights a chance. Let’s just say everything was incredibly smooth. I’m not used to that in Europe, where flying can turn into a difficult ritual. Here, it felt like taking a bus... with wings! Comfortable, fast, and easy.
We tried Peach and JetStar (Peach is kawaii and JetStar is convenient). Good prices. They didn't have strict controls on liquids or carry-ons, but they are very VERY STRICT with luggage weight.
TRIP REVIEW & BASES
Base 1: Tokyo (First Part)
Hotel: Toyoko Inn Asakusa Kuramae 2. We love the Kuramae Station area. Very convenient and quiet at night.
Since it was our third time, we didn’t want to spend too much time in central Tokyo. Don't get me wrong, I love Tokyo, BUT it has a major issue with tourism. Forget about enjoying spots like Senso-ji, Akihabara, or Ikebukuro... I know, I KNOW they are the main tourist spots, but we wanted to give them a chance anyway.
First day trip (Jindai-ji - Koenji - Kichijoji - Chofu): Reasonable amount of tourism. Not too packed. Nice places and great spots.
Second day trip (Nikko): It was perfect. Packed with Chinese tourists, but manageable. Beautiful spots. We decided to do Nikko as a day trip and have no regrets. Sunny days and a perfect, very relaxing, and peaceful place. We took the Spacia X and purchased the Nikko World Heritage Pass for the buses.
HOKKAIDO
Base: Tokyu REI Hotel Susukino (our first time staying at a Tokyu REI). Great location and amazing staff. Average, Japanese-style rooms, but clean and comfortable.
We loved Susukino. It’s empty by day and packed at night, but totally manageable. We absolutely loved Sapporo—the atmosphere, the people, and the city. It's very accessible even without a car. Odori Park is amazing, Mt. Moiwa is a must, and the Sapporo Beer Museum is great. It's a very friendly city with plenty of convenience stores.
Otaru: A tourist hotspot, but it deserves a day trip. Very easy to visit. Amazing streets and beautiful canals. Give this city a chance; don’t just stick to the canal and the main street—explore the rest of it. Must-try: LeTao cheesecake. AMAZING.
Noboribetsu: Even though we are not "onsen people," we loved this day trip. We were practically alone on the bus. It was great to explore and wander around. We discovered an amazing gyoza place. Not much tourism. Jigokudani Valley, Oyunuma Pond, and the Oyunuma River are well worth a visit, even in summer. They must be incredible in winter.
Jozankei: We took it out of our plans because some locals in Sapporo told us that if we enjoyed Noboribetsu, Jozankei would feel like more of the same, and that it's only truly worth it in autumn.
KYUSHU
Base: Fukuoka - Livemax Hakata Ekimae
Well... we only had one day in Fukuoka because we freaked out and left for Tokyo. But let me say, it is an amazing city. We loved the vibe, the people were incredibly cool, and it's a really enjoyable city that balances tradition and innovation. Great spots. We loved the Yatai (food stalls).
Even with the clock ticking, I think it’s a city where you can easily spend 1 or 2 days. The reason we left was that a typhoon was hitting the area, and the news showed warnings for the days we were supposed to stay. We thought we would run out of things to do inside the city, especially since we found out later that the trains to Yufuin, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto had been canceled. :(
TOKYO (PART 2)
Base: Mystays Asakusa. Even though we had to deal with renovation works, we loved this place. The rooms come with a microwave and feel like tiny mini-homes. Friendly staff.
As I said, there might be some controversial takes here. This was our 3rd time visiting the city; we had already seen the main sights and found it hard to find new places. However, after rearranging things due to the weather, we decided to give another chance to places we had been to before.
Kamakura & Enoshima: We decided to give this area another chance, and we have zero regrets. Sunny day. Perfect. Do yourself a favor and DON'T FOLLOW THE CROWDS—get lost in the area. Yes, visit the main streets, the Great Buddha, and the shrine, but I felt like I discovered a completely different Kamakura this time just by wandering around.
We tried to take the Enoden line and... well, you know those videos of rush hour in Tokyo? This was WORSE! And it wasn't even the weekend. So we decided to get off at Hase and walk all the way to Enoshima. It was perfect. We discovered so many spots and didn't suffer from the overcrowding.
Enoshima: Loved this island. If it’s your first time, take the stairs; if not, use the escalators. The Sea Candle is amazing.
Kawagoe: Decided to repeat this one too. Just like with Kamakura: don’t follow the crowds, just walk around. It never disappoints. The main spots were packed, though.
Narita and Chiba: This was an amazing experience and discovery. I had always heard about it, but the Narita-san Temple was AMAZING. Lots of nature and almost no one there. We took notes to repeat this one.
Yokohama and Kawasaki: This was a NIGHTMARE. People everywhere! And what happens when you mix tons of people with tons of rain? Yes, a perfect disaster. I had been to Yokohama before last July and enjoyed it, but not this time.
TOKYO ITSELF & THOUGHTS ON OVERTOURISM
Well... I don't know if it was because it was our third time, but I was still able to enjoy the city in a different way. Don't get me wrong, this time we discovered lots of new, uncrowded neighborhoods like Chuo, Nihonbashi, and Tsukuda.
BUT IKEBUKURO? SHINJUKU? What is wrong with people?! I know I'm writing this as a tourist myself, but please, JAPAN IS NOT YOUR AMUSEMENT PARK!
As a tourist, I always read a lot about the places I’m going to visit. I probably still make mistakes, but I always try to show respect to the country, its people, and THEIR TRADITIONS!
You can’t stand in the middle of Senso-ji shouting and making a video call as if you were pe**ng on the stairs just to be funny... Or mess around with the fortune sticks just to get social media likes... Or get on the train and SHOUT as if no one else is around...
Japanese people are furious with tourists because so many behave like they are at home. But you are not. Please, do yourself a favor and read a little bit about the etiquette of the country you are visiting.
I was really upset this time because I couldn't enjoy certain parts of the city like I did on past trips. This is getting out of hand, and the Japanese government will regret not being stricter with laws and regulations. You can easily spot the difference between Tokyo and places like Sapporo, Fukuoka, or Toyama.
I think people are using Japan just as an "Instagram trip" experience, completely missing the point of discovering this amazing country. I know many people can only do this trip once in their lifetime and feel forced to hit the main spots... but they are missing what matters most about Japan.
Do yourself and everyone else a favor: PLEASE, MIND OTHERS AND BEHAVE.