Japan & South Korea

February 2020

Konichiwa! Tom & I recently spent 2 weeks abroad - 10 days in Japan and 4 days in Seoul, South Korea - and what a great adventure it was! We felt like we were on the show Amazing Race as we were constantly on the move, trying to catch the next train, searching for the best ramen, trying to find the best deal at markets, etc. We were overwhelmed by the number of people there, but also by how unbelievably peaceful it was! The people were very polite, the streets sparkling clean, the gardens meticulous and tranquil, and the food full of umami. We look forward to sharing all of our favorite Japanese & Korean experiences with you!

Check out our other pages for our FULL itinerary & highlight video!

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Tokyo

Best Eats

• Kitchen Street & South Court at Tokyo Station

• Yakitori: skewered and grilled food, commonly chicken or beef

• Ichiran Ramen: BEST RAMEN EVER! This is a chain in Tokyo known for outstanding tonkotsu ramen. This site describes the experience best!

• CoCo Curry House: various types of Japanese-style curry. Our favorite was the pork cutlet curry.

• Memory Lane: aka pissing street - a small alleyway stuck in the post-war era tightly packed with restaurants serving unique Japanese food, including frog sashimi, pig testicles, soft-shelled turtle, grilled salamander, etc

• Conveyor belt sushi restaurant

• Golden Gai: area with 6 narrow alleyways crammed with over 200 small shanty-style bars seating anywhere between 4-20 people. Some of the bars are only for locals and some require cover charges to prevent tourists from bar hopping. Our favorite one was Araku, with no cover, tourist-friendly, and unique red shaggy carpeted walls going up the stairs.

• Ramen Ouka: great ramen restaurant with halal & vegan options

• Starbucks at Shibuya Crossing: the most busy Starbucks in the world! Grab a cup of coffee and go upstairs for a cool view of the scramble at Shibuya Crossing

Must do, Must See

• Drive Street Karts: We did a 2 hour session from the Tokyo Bay location to include Rainbow Bridge & Tokyo Tower. You get to dress up as your favorite character and see the city from the streets! Our session was from 4-6pm which caught daylight, twilight, and nighttime city views. An international drivers permit is required! You can book through their website, trip advisor, or local sites like Viator.

• TeamLab Borderless: digital art that moves between rooms creating an immersive experience. Tickets can be bought online or in person. This is different from TeamLab Planets which is their other newer exhibit

• Odaiba Park: statue of liberty, Olympic rings, malls (Gundam Base, Aqua City)

• Tokyo Pub Crawl: great way to meet other travelers and explore the local bar scene in Roppongi! This was a good deal for a pub crawl that included free shots & discounted drinks at all the locations

• Ueno Park: lovely area to walk around with pond, sakura (cherry blossom) trees, food carts, temples/shrines, and museums (Japanese National Museum & National Science Museum)

• Sky Tree: tickets are valid for a period of time allowing you to go during the best day! If you have a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji from the top

• Tokyo Tower: you can go up for a viewpoint, however we squeezed this in on our last day and did not have time to go up. It was cool walking around the base and taking pictures of the iconic red tower.

• Imperial Palace: tours occur daily at 10:00 and 13:30 (except Sundays & Mondays). You can apply online in advance and reserve a spot; there are also same-day registration spots available first come-first serve. You should also check out the East Gardens - however we were unable to visit due to various days of closure.

• Hamarikyu Gardens: former imperial gardens, bordering Tokyo Bay. This was a nice alternative to the East Gardens for us

• Toyosu Market (formerly known as Tsukiji Market): fresh fish market known for its tuna auctions. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and couldn't fit this in, but it should definitely be considered!

  
  

Tips and Tricks

Key Japanese Words & Phrases

• Hello: Konichiwa (koh-nee-chee-wah)

• Thank you: Arigato (ah-ree-got-oh)

• Sorry/Excuse me: Sumimasen (Sue-me-ma-sen)

• Yes: hai (hi)

• No: bango (bahn-go)

• Do you speak English: eigo hanasemasuka (ay-go han-ee-see-mas-ka)

• I humbly receive (before a meal): Itadakimasu (ee-ta-da-kee-mas)

• Delicious: Oishī (oi-shii)

• Cheers: Kanpai (cam-pie)

• I don’t understand: Wakarimasen (wa-ka-ri-ma-sen)

• What is the price: Ikura deska (ee-kura-des-ka)

Transportation

• JR Pass (Japan Rail): we picked ours up at the airport and set a date to be activated. We chose this strategically so the 7 days of the pass covered as many trains as possible. If you are taking multiple JRs and moving between cities, likely it is worth it! For more information, follow this link to Japan Guide.

• Airport (HND) to Tokyo by train: take the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho Station. Then take a JR to Tokyo Station - either the JK (Keihin-Tōhoku Line) or the JY (Yamanote Line)

• Subway: We also got a day pass for the Tokyo subway which paid for itself after the first 2 rides. They come in 24, 48, or 72 hour increments. These can be purchased at the tourist information desk or at any subway ticket station.

• Tokyo Station: We first arrived at Toyko station and we're SOOO overwhelmed! We felt like we were on the show Amazing Race trying to buy tickets, get food, and find our train. Here's a link I liked that helped me better navigate the maze that is Tokyo Station. We recommend allowing yourself plenty of extra time for inevitable mishaps.

• Pro Tip: Most of the main stations had coin lockers for your luggage. These were super helpful if you were just stopping through and wanted to go explore without being weighed down by luggage. Or if you couldn't check into your hotel yet. We used them a few times and found them very helpful! One of the large bottom lockers fit both of our standard carry-on suitcases stacked on their sides.

Japanese Etiquette

• Don't walk across the street unless at a crosswalk and the light says "walk."

• Don't leave a tip.

• Don't walk and eat/drink at the same time

• Don't litter. Trash bins are not common so keep a bag on you to collect your trash as you walk

• Don't pass food with your chopsticks, stick your chopsticks upright in rice, or rub the chopsticks together (to get rid of splinters)

• Don't talk on your phone on public transportation

• Nod your head politely, don't shake hands unless offered to you first

• If traveling for business, look into additional customs. Have plenty of your business cards available. Take someone's business card with two hands and read it thoroughly. Place either on the table or in a jacket pocket-do not place in your back pants pocket.

• Review other recommendations here.

Tax

• Dine-in is +10%

• Take away is +8%

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Hakuba Valley

Best Eats

• Yamagami Syokudou: must try the dumplings! The ramen and cook-it-yourself barbeque were also great. There's always a waitlist, but it's so worth it. Recommended by a local ✅

• Blizzard: great spicy salami (aka pepperoni) pizza, the prosciutto rolls were also very tasty! Live music and drinks every night too. Recommended by a local ✅

• Unjaune: burger restaurant. Recommended by a local ✅

• The Echoland area also came highly recommended for restaurants. Our time was cut short, but would definitely check it out next time!

Must Do, Must See

• Ski!! Hakuba Valley was home to the 1998 winter Olympics! This is a Westerner friendly ski area - heavily populated with Australians. Your lift passes cover 9 different mountain resorts! We skied Happo One, Hakuba 47, and Goryu. Our favorite was 47! Check out the trail maps HERE

• Onsens (public hot springs/baths) were highly recommended. Our hotel had a bath so we rested our muscles there instead. Definitely worth looking into if have not had a post-skiing hot bath/spa experience before

Tips and Tricks

• Happo One area has a free shuttle bus. Find more information and the schedule here.

• There are a ton of equipment rental companies in the area. We chose Central Snowsports due to their close proximity to the main gondola for Happo One and our hotel. They made the pick-up process very easy, returned our shoes to our hotel, and came to pick up our gear at the end of our last day!

• We stayed at Alp Lodge, which we found on Hotels.com; however, it had more of a hostel vibe. The room was quaint, with mattress pads on the floor (traditional Japanese style) and shared bathrooms on each floor. There was a shared lounge and kitchen/bar area where they served breakfast, other meals, and drinks at night. There was a dry room for storing your gear and coin-operated laundry machines. Each floor also had complimentary tea & coffee.

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Kyoto

Best Eats

- Nishiki Market: aka Kyoto's Kitchen, best around lunch time - find more details here

• Tako tamago: a small candied octopus on a stick with a quail egg inside the head

• SUSHI

• sesame dumplings

• Chinese dumplings

• fresh grapefruit juice

• variety of fresh & pickled produce

- Matcha: Kyoto is one of Japan's main matcha-growing regions, and there is no shortage here! I recommend trying traditional matcha tea and some matcha-flavored treats - my favorite is matcha ice cream!

Must Do, Must See

• Fushimi Inari Taisha: path with traditional shrine gates. Open 24/7, best at 7-8am

• Nijo Castle & Traditional tea house

• Yasaka shrine: temple known for pom pom decorations

• Hokanji temple: picturesque 5-story Buddhist pagoda temple with wonderful views from the top

• Sanneizaka: traditional shopping street with food and souvenir shops, a great place to buy matcha canisters

• Kiyomizu-dera: This iconic, picturesque Buddhist temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site

• Kodaiji temple: This temple in the Higashiyama district is the largest subtemple of the Kennin-ji branch

  
  
  

  

  

  
  
  

• Yasui Konpiragu: This shrine consists of a large stone with a hole in it. The ritual at this site is to pray for ending bad relationships and starting new, good ones by writing down wishes on a white, paper amulet, crawling through the hole in the stone, then back through again before pasting the amulet on the stone. More information about this unique shrine here.

• Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Path: open 24/7, best at 7:30AM. We were surprised how short the path was - this was definitely worth getting there early before it became too busy.

• Tenryuji Temple: found in the Arashiyama district, this temple was first among Kyoto's five great temples and is a UNESCO World Heritage site

• Kimono Forest: art installment at Arashiyama Station
  

Tips and Tricks

Both the Arashiyma bamboo path and Inari gates are best between 7-8am to avoid crowds. If you have to pick between the two to do earliest, do the bamboo grove. The gates spread along a longer path, and we were able to pause and catch wonderful pictures using turns to protect us from further parts of the crowds.

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Osaka

Best Eats

- Dotonbori:

• Ichiran ramen: did I mention that this was the BEST RAMEN EVER?! First ramen shop in the world to receive a Michelin star

• Kobe Beef

• Seafood: crab legs/sticks, clams, nigiri, etc

• Takoyaki: octopus & batter balls - a local favorite, however we were not the biggest fans

• Cheese fondue loaf at the Three Monkeys

• Candied strawberries

• Rikuros cheesecake: this place kept popping up on lists as a must do so we tried it and we're not impressed. We were not expecting a New York-style cheesecake; however, this still was very unusual for us as it was very eggy. We did not like it however urge you to try it for yourself. The only thing on the menu is one whole cheesecake for ¥750.

- McDonalds: let me preface this by saying we have a tradition of trying a local menu specialty everywhere we go. Here in Japan, we tried the shimp cutlet patty burger and the rice bun & bacon burger. The latter was outstanding but only served after 5pm. Definitely recommend giving it a try! We also enjoyed a Kit Kat McFlurry!

- Izakaya Toyo: sushi with a show! This place is near Osaka Castle and was on our list, but we didn't make it. Be sure to check what days/times it's open

- Zauo Fishing Restaurant: grab a fishing rod and catch your own dinner!

Must Do, Must See

• Shintennoji Temple & garden

• Osaka Castle

• Osaka Aquarium

• Shinsaibashisuji: shopping/food market

• Hozenji Temple

• Natural Cultural Gardens & ExpoCity

• Umeda Tower & lookout

Tips and Tricks

• All of the markets are walking distance in the southern hub of Osaka known as Minami [Kita means north and Minami means south in Japanese - both terms correspond to the respective epicenters of Osaka]. Put on a good pair of walking shoes and wander down streets of high fashion (Gucci, Louis Vuitton), restaurants, bargain shopping, and street market food {Shinsaibashisuji, etc}

• Osaka Amazing Pass: is it worth it?? We crunched some numbers and decided a 2 day pass was worth it for us! Online, there is a list of all the things you get free with the pass as well as those with discounts. It also includes a subway pass for the city for those two days which was necessary for getting around. Look at what you plan on doing and compare with the list of what's covered to see if the Amazing Pass is worth it for you!

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Hiroshima

Best Eats

• Okonomiyaki: this is a Japanese savory pancake with a special local flair that can be found at Okonomimura. This place is like a mall food court but all of the restaurants serve okonomiyaki Hiroshima style - on a teppan grill top. It's hard to choose which one to go to but we chose one based on local recommendation. You won't go wrong with any of the kitchens at Okonomimura!

• Oysters ("kami"): Hiroshima is the number 1 oyster harvesting city in Japan. The best times are January and February. You can have them raw, on okonomiyaki, BBQ style, etc. Hiroshima oysters are known for being large, plump, and somewhat sweet in flavor.

• Ekohiiki: izakaya with okonomiyaki and oysters

• Mo's Burgers: Japanese specialty burgers - we kept seeing them everywhere and had to try them! We had a shrimp patty burger and a pork & beef Gouda burger. Yum!

Must Do, Must See

• Atomic bomb dome

• Children's Peace Monument

• Peace Memorial Park & Museum

• Hondori shopping street

• Hiroshima Castle

• Shukkeien Garden (our favorite Japanese style garden of the entire trip!)

• Museum of Contemporary Art

Tips and Tricks

• Tram cars are pay-as-you-go, no pass, no tickets in advance

• We also used Uber here because the MOCA is quite a distance and not on the tram line - we did walk there along the river but Ubered back

• Sunrise Seto/Izumo: This is one of Japan's traditional sleeper trains and was quite the experience! We were able to use our Japan Rail passes towards our tickets from Hiroshima to Tokyo via Himeji: nobi nobi seats are of no extra charge and consist of a twin sized mat in a train car next to about 20 other sleeping mats; this option comes with a blanket, but no pillow. There are other private rooms of various sizes and space for additional cost, often including blanket and traditional Japanese "pillow". There are restrooms, leisure rooms, vending machines, and showers on board. These tickets, unlike the JR passes, can only be booked at a ticket station in Japan. It was a unique experience that saved us time and the cost of an extra hotel night! Definitely recommend the experience!

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Seoul

Best Eats

- Korean BBQ: go to Hongdae for a slew of restaurants offering Korean BBQ around $12 USD unlimited.

- Hongdae: area with bars, restaurants, and shops, great for a young (20s-30s) international crowd

-Paris Baguette: grab-and-go pastry/sandwich restaurant great for breakfast & lunch, wonderful food!

- Street food:

• Gyeranppang: Korean cheesy egg bread

• Candied strawberries

• Jeon: traditional Korean pork pancake

• Kimchi: fermented & spiced cabbage (We were not the biggest fans but recommend trying it yourself!)

• Gimbap: cooked rice and other ingredients rolled in gim (dried sheets of seaweed) and served in bite-sized slices, similar to sushi but often served with either chicken or vegetables inside

- Bulgogi beef & rice: often served at a sit-down restaurant with kimchi, bone marrow soup, acorn jelly, tea, etc.

Must Do, Must See

• Gyeong Palace

• National palace museum

• National folk museum

• Seoul Tower

• Bukchon Hanok Village: traditional village to walk around, please be quiet at people do still take up residence here

• Jogyesa Temple

• Gwanghwamun Square

• Lotte Tower & Mall: wonderful view of the Olympic Park & the river leading up to Seoul Tower

• Songpa Naru Park: walk around or pick up motorized scooters just outside Jamsil station

• Bukhansan National Park: wonderful area to hike, the back side of the mountain is cold and icy - bring a jacket and wear proper hiking shoes. The trail to the peak is steep & dangerous with chain & post railings and some steps carved into the side of the rock. Only experienced hikers should attempt the peak trail; but let me tell you, the risk is worth it! The views over the entire city were amazing!

• Dongdaemun Design Plaza

• Seoul City Hall & Heonggyecheon stream

• Gwangjang market

• Ihwa Mural Village

• Namdaemun Market: shopping for clothes, purses, jewelry, shoes; also with street food

Tips and Tricks

• Get a Tmoney card from a 711 and load with cash for the subway, buses, taxis, some vending machines, etc.

• Local drinking age is 19

  
  

Key Korean Words & Phrases

• Hello: Anyong haseyo (on-young ha-say-oh)

• Thank you: Gamsahamnida (gam-som-nee-dah)

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Since being back state-side, we have gotten a lot of questions about the novel coronavirus & COVID-19. I wanted to take this opportunity as a healthcare provider to address this as well. The COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus which results in fever, cough, and/or difficulty breathing 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. The exact transmission (droplet vs airborne) is still not known. Research continues every day to learn more about this virus.

What you can do to protect yourself and limit the spread of disease: At this time, specialists are recommending standard precautions to include good hygiene (frequent handwashing & covering your cough/sneeze in your elbow), staying well (get your flu shot, healthy diet/exercise, hydration), stay home from work/school if you are sick, and social distancing (keeping 6ft between yourself & others in public). Stay home if you can to reduce your risk of exposure. Please do not just walk into your nearest emergency department to get tested for COVID-19. If you feel like you may have the virus, call a healthcare professional and seek expert recommendations. Remember, ERs should be reserved for potentially life-threatening emergencies.

For more information & to stay informed, you can find the CDC recommendations here and the WHO recommendations here.

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Japan/South Korea Itinerary

My Pinterest Inspiration

Our trip to Japan & South Korea was a whirlwind as we tried to cram in as much adventure, food, culture, and more! We would go back in a heartbeat!! I hope you feel more comfortable tackling such a wonderful country like Japan & fun city like Seoul and find our successes and pitfalls helpful in your endeavors. As always, feel free to comment or message us if you have any specific questions or need guidance in planning your next trip to Japan and/or Seoul!

XOXO, Tom & Katie "The Wandering Olivers"

Last updated on: 3/17/2020