u/Plane-Amphibian6478

Hi everyone,

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I'm back with part 3 of my Japan trip report. You can find parts 1 and 2 on my profile, where I covered the Hokuriku and Kansai regions. I hope you enjoy reading this one as well!

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**April 18 - Tokyo: Shimokitazawa and Odaiba**

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I stayed in Ikebukuro for two days and found it to be a pretty nice area with great train connectivity. I started the day by heading to Gotokuji Temple. This temple is famous for its massive number of lucky cat statues scattered almost everywhere. It seems to be getting quite popular due to social media, as there was a decent crowd of foreigners there, but it was still a very peaceful visit.

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I wanted to explore the Shimokitazawa station area next, as it's famous for its fashion shopping. I had the option to take the train, but I decided to rent a bicycle instead. The neighborhood around Gotokuji and the roads leading toward Shimokitazawa were incredibly pretty. The small streets were lined with colorful flowering trees, which made the ride an excellent start to the morning.

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From Shimokitazawa, I went to Shinjuku to do some shopping before heading toward the Odaiba area to visit the Life-Sized Unicorn Gundam and TeamLab Planets. I really liked Odaiba; it has a very futuristic vibe. I took the Yurikamome line to TeamLab Planets and was completely surprised by the stunning sunset views of the city's skyscrapers from the front of the train. The Yurikamome is a fully automated, driverless transit system, so you can sit right at the front and take in the panoramic view. I honestly think it's a must-do in Tokyo. TeamLab Planets was also incredible—it's highly interactive and definitely worth the visit.

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**April 19 - Tokyo: Ikebukuro and Akihabara**

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I dedicated this entire day to shopping for anime goods. I started in Ikebukuro, where I visited a few well-known shops like Animate, Lashinbang, and K-Books. Ikebukuro is particularly famous among female anime fans, so most of the merchandise there is targeted toward that demographic.

From Ikebukuro, I moved over to Akihabara, where I checked into my hotel for the last two days of the trip. I browsed multiple stores and found that Trader had the most reasonable prices for figures, while Mandarake had the widest collection—especially for older anime and rare figures, though it is quite expensive. Lashinbang also had very reasonable rates for merchandise based on my searching.

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I played some arcade games in Akihabara, which was a lot of fun since they have so many nostalgic coin-operated cabinets. I also tried my hand at the claw machines, which I highly recommend avoiding if you lack self-control when losing, lol. I visited Yodobashi Camera, and the sheer volume of products they carry is absolutely insane. Overall, while Akihabara is quite crowded and touristy, if you go to the right stores, it is still a mandatory stop for any anime or gaming fan.

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**April 20 - Enoshima and Kamakura**

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On the last full day of my trip, I went to Enoshima and Kamakura. I took the JR line from Akihabara to Ofuna Station because I wanted to experience the Shonan Monorail down to Enoshima. It's a suspended monorail and offers an incredible vantage point. I also bought the Enoden Electric Train Pass for 800 yen, as I planned to ride that line multiple times throughout the day.

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I visited the famous Kotoku-in Buddha statue, stopped at classic stations like Gokurakuji, and checked out the iconic train crossing spots for photos. However, despite it being a weekday, the trains and most of the locations were heavily crowded.

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Later, I explored Enoshima Island and took the Enoshima Escar up to the top to visit the Sea Candle. The whole garden was beautifully illuminated. Taking in the nighttime view from the Sea Candle was a fantastic way to finish off my trip.

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This wraps up the trip report for my first visit to Japan. I hope you enjoyed reading it! There were so many wonderful moments and so many things to learn from Japanese society. Like most people who visit, Japan left a huge mark on me, and I really hope I get to plan a second trip soon.

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Hi everyone,

I'm back with part 2 of my Japan trip report. You can find part 1 on my Profile, where I covered the Hokuriku region, here. I hope you enjoy reading this one as well!

April 14 - Toyama to Osaka

I headed to Takaoka again in the morning since I missed the Fujiko F. Fujio Hometown Art Gallery during my previous visit. Walking from Takaoka Station to the gallery, I was pleasantly surprised to find the road lined with sakura trees on both sides. I had no idea there was a famous Sakura spot there called Sakurababa Street, but it was a fantastic, lesser-known gem to stumble upon randomly. The street features several different types of sakura, so many of them were still in full bloom.

The gallery dedicated to Fujiko F. Fujio is a wonderful experience, especially if you grew up watching Doraemon. It offers great insight into how he came up with the idea for the series, along with a lot of manga and anime history. It is definitely a must-visit for any anime fan.

I headed back to Toyama to grab my bags—it's a quick train ride, and I didn't want to lug them around Takaoka. From Toyama, I took the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga Station, which takes about two hours. Since Tsuruga is the final stop on that Shinkansen line, I transferred to the Thunderbird limited express for the rest of the journey to Osaka. The ride offered beautiful views of Lake Biwa on one side. The transfer at Tsuruga was incredibly smooth, with highly visible signs pointing to the transfer gates. The entire trip took about three and a half hours. I used Osaka as my base camp for the Kansai leg, staying close to Osaka Station to maximize the use of my rail pass.

In the evening, I explored the Namba area, checking out Dotonbori and checking out some anime stores in Nipponbashi. Dotonbori was actually the only place during my entire Japan trip where I noticed garbage on the streets and a bit of messiness, though it's completely understandable given the massive crowds.

April 15 - Nara and Ikoma

I originally planned to visit the Naruto theme park in Hyogo today, but due to a strong rain forecast, I swapped my days and went to Nara instead, figuring it had more indoor spaces to explore.

I took a JR train covered by my pass to Nara Station, and since I had a few extra spots planned, I also bought a Kintetsu Nara Pass. I took the bus directly from the station to Todai-ji and visited the Great Buddha Hall first. The temple and the surrounding area were incredible to explore, and it was noticeably less crowded when it came to feeding the deer. The bowing deer are a lot of fun, but they will absolutely chase you once they smell food, so you have to be a little careful!

From Nara, I took the Kintetsu line to Ikoma to see Hozan-ji Temple. There’s a super cute dog- and cat-themed cable car that runs from Ikoma Station up the mountain. Hozan-ji and its surroundings were truly mesmerizing, giving off strong Studio Ghibli vibes. The stone-lined stairs leading down toward the city were brilliant, and because of the rain, the entire atmosphere felt mythical. I highly recommend visiting this area; there was barely anyone around, and the experience was fantastic. There is an amusement park at the top of the mountain (Ikoma Sanjo Observatory) known for its great sunset views, but unfortunately, it was closed due to the heavy rain, and the peak was completely fogged in. Overall, this was easily one of the best hidden gems I found near Nara.

April 16 - Naruto Nijigen no Mori Theme Park in Hyogo

As a massive Naruto fan, visiting the Nijigen no Mori park in Hyogo was a huge priority. I took the train to Maiko Station and then transferred to a highway bus to reach the park. Since it was a clear day, the ocean views from both the train and the highway were absolutely majestic. Nijigen no Mori is a massive theme park featuring dedicated areas for various shows like Naruto, Shin-chan, and Attack on Titan. The Naruto section was incredibly fun, packed with ninja missions to complete and mysteries to solve.

After heading back to Osaka, I spent the evening roaming around Osaka Station and the Umeda area. I really liked Umeda; it’s very modern and surrounded by huge shopping malls.

April 17 - Kyoto and Uji

For the final day of my Kansai leg, I had planned a short trip to Kyoto to hit some famous spots. However, when I arrived at Fushimi Inari Taisha, the sheer intensity of the crowds made me pivot to Uji instead.

I took a local train and spent half the day there. While Uji did have some people, it was nowhere near the level of Kyoto. It has beautiful riverside areas that are perfect for taking pictures. I enjoyed some traditional matcha and sweets with a lovely view of the water, making for a very relaxing experience.

Afterward, I headed back to Kyoto and visited Higashi Hongan-ji Temple, which is located right near the station and offered a very peaceful atmosphere.

In the afternoon, I started my journey back to Tokyo. Since my Hokuriku Arch Pass was still active, I took the Thunderbird from Kyoto to Tsuruga, then transferred to the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tokyo. This route takes almost five hours, but it saved me a significant amount of money. I was completely exhausted by this point, so the spacious, comfortable trains were exactly what I needed to rest and relax all the way back to the city.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my Kansai leg! For me, Ikoma was the true hidden gem of this region, and I highly recommend adding it to your itinerary. I will be back with my last part covering Tokyo and Kamakura.

Hi All,

I completed my Japan trip in April, but I've been a bit lazy and am finally getting around to writing my trip review. I spent 12 days in Japan as a solo traveler and vegetarian. This was my first solo trip ever. I used the Hokuriku Arch Pass to do Hokuriku plus Golden triangle, and honestly, it was completely worth it. Since the Hokuriku region sits at a slightly higher altitude compared to Tokyo or Osaka, I still managed to catch the late sakura. I hope you all enjoy reading my detailed report!

April 10 - Tokyo

I landed in the morning at Narita and took the Keisei Main Line to my hostel in Ueno. It was half the price of the Skyliner, and I wanted to start the trip with a local train experience.

Here are the spots I covered on day one:

 * Senso-ji and Sumida Park in Asakusa: It wasn't overly crowded, making it a great spot to kick off the journey.

 * Suga Shrine in Shinjuku: The famous stairs from the anime Your Name. It’s a fantastic spot if you're anime fan.

 * I rented a LIME cycle from the Suga Shrine area and rode to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. It was honestly one of the best experiences of the trip, and the light drizzle only added to the atmosphere.

 * Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden: I was searching for another anime location here (from The Garden of Words), but it wasn't easy to locate, and there were too many people around to take good pictures anyway. The park still had many late-blooming sakura, which was amazing, though it started to rain heavily while I was there.

Afterward, I headed over to Shibuya to check out a few stores, the Hachiko statue, and the Shibuya Scramble Crossing.

April 11 - Toyama (Base for the Hokuriku Region)

I had purchased the Hokuriku Arch Pass online and picked up the physical ticket at Ueno Station on the first day (finding the ticket office there definitely wasn't easy).

I had a reserved Shinkansen seat but missed my first train because I overslept after a tiring first day (late check-out charges are quite high in Japan, lol). I hopped on the next available Hokuriku Shinkansen to Toyama, which took around two hours. The train was incredibly spacious, even in the regular cars, and the view of the Tateyama mountain range was truly breathtaking.

After reaching Toyama, I headed straight to the Asahi Funakawa Spring Quartet. I caught a local train from Toyama to Tomari Station and used a LUUP e-bike to cover the 3km distance to the site. Getting to cycle through the Japanese countryside was a remarkable experience and something I will never forget; it was definitely a major highlight of my trip.

The Spring Quartet is a famous sakura viewing spot in the region. The combination of tulip fields, cherry blossom trees, and the snow-capped Tateyama mountains in the backdrop creates an absolutely stunning picture.

April 12 - Toyama City, Takaoka, and Kanazawa

I roamed around Toyama City in the morning, which was incredibly relaxing and refreshing. I found it to be a very well-designed city, complete with a beautiful park near the station and some highly photogenic trams.

Next, I took a train from Toyama to Takaoka to check out the Doraemon attractions. Takaoka is the hometown of Doraemon's creator, so the city is filled with themed spots. I visited Otogi-no-mori Park, which features a life-sized recreation of the characters' classic backyard setting. Since it was close to the Shinkansen station, I decided to catch a quick 30-minute train ride to Kanazawa from there.

Because I arrived in Kanazawa a bit late, I only had time to visit the Higashi Chaya District. However, this allowed me to spend more time exploring the area without the crowds, and the nighttime views of the traditional tea houses were fantastic before I headed back to Toyama.

April 13 - Nagano

It only takes 45 minutes to travel from Toyama to Nagano via the Shinkansen, and the views of the Japan Alps along the way are spectacular.

Because I was short on time, I only visited Zenko-ji Temple in Nagano. The dark underground passage and the museum at the temple were completely worth the trip. Afterward, I visited Joyama Park nearby, where I got to experience *sakura fubuki* (cherry blossom blizzard). Watching the petals fall like snow was another massive highlight of the trip for me.

Upon returning to Toyama, I hit a few local spots, including the Toyama City Hall Observation Tower, which offers a great view of the city with the Alps in the background. I also visited the Starbucks at Kansui Park—it arguably has one of the best views to just sit and enjoy a coffee.

This wraps up my Hokuriku region report. I'll be back with another post for the Kansai leg of the trip!