Fourteen Days in Japan: A Travelogue
- Caroline Kim
- 4 days ago
- 33 min read
Itinerary
This is for anyone who:
Is planning to visit Japan
Is dreaming of visiting Japan
Has already traveled to Japan and wants to relive their memories or compare notes
Why? Even before I went, a few people asked for advice or wanted to see our itinerary to help them plan for a future trip.
About us our previous exposure to Japan:
Caroline (me): Formerly fluent in Japanese, now functional. I spent a semester abroad in Tokyo during college, worked in Kobe immediately after, and did a 6-month work assignment in Tokyo in 2017 with my husband and kids.
Chris: first visited Japan in 2008, lived in Tokyo for 6 months with family, and visited again the following year. Speaks a little Japanese and understands more.
Tyler: 15 years old, was 6 when we lived in Tokyo, learned some spoken Japanese and hiragana but has forgotten it all.
Dylan: 12 years old, was 3 when we lived in Tokyo for 6 months, does not speak any Japanese.
Background and Preparations
We took a 14 day vacation to Japan, flying from San Francisco to Tokyo Narita airport. We booked the trip several months in advance and engaged a travel specialist named Eleanor at kimkim (no relation to Caroline). We purchased our flights to and from Japan, and the agent took care of the entire domestic itinerary including flights, shinkansen (bullet train), hotels, transfers to and from airports, and tours. While the cost of the trip was pretty exorbitant, it was so helpful to have someone with local expertise to find accommodations and activities to match our desires.
For example, I knew it would be hot in Tokyo and Kyoto during the latter half of June, so I thought it would be a great opportunity visit Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan, where the weather is a little cooler. I had never been there but had heard great things about Hokkaido and its capital, Sapporo. I aspired to visit Okinawa since I had never been there before. Also on my wish list was Hiroshima because of the historical significance, and Koyasan, a magical mountaintop town with over a hundred Buddhist temples that offer lodging. However, given the length of our visit, Eleanor said we wouldn’t have time to fit Okinawa in there, so we decided to save that for a future trip.
Why we chose Japan
What did this trip mean to me and what made us decide take a trip to Japan for our summer vacation? It had been several years since our last visit, and we have been obsessed many aspects of Japanese culture – the food, rituals, history, and nuances of language. We had spent significant time in Tokyo as a family, so it was a part of who we are and our shared history. I wanted to relive some of our memories while also having new experiences. I was familiar enough with Japan to get around, so it would not be completely overwhelming.
In recent years, Japan has grown in popularity as a tourist destination for Americans, so hearing about visits to Japan from other people made me think, ‘Hey, that’s one of MY places.’ I was curious to check out new areas like Hokkaido and Okinawa and see how I'd experience familiar places through the eyes of my family.
Our itinerary was full, so we did not connect with as many friends in Japan as we would have liked to meet up. The kids rode the bus to and from school in Tokyo with the same group of kids every day for six months, so we made it our priority to reunite with those friends after eight years.
Photo credits: Chris Robinson and Caroline Kim
The Journey Begins
Day Zero: Departure
Our departure was only two days after Dylan finished 6th grade. Tyler had completed his first year of high school a week earlier. I had been home for three months after leaving my job at Google and was way too busy with various pursuits in addition to coaching and yoga. It was a welcome pause from that new normal, and an opportunity to reset. And, we would have some damn delicious food and sake.
As we often do for big trips, we made lists, bought supplies, and set aside items to pack in the days before our trip. The kids were looking forward to the trip, thanks in part to informational YouTube videos and our photos from when we lived there. We shared the itinerary ahead with them ahead of time to get them excited.
Our flight was not too early on a Saturday, and we chose ANA, a major Japanese airline. We splurged on premium economy, partly for the leg room that Chris especially needed, but also because when I bought tickets, I was feeling prosperous and unworried about finances. We arrived at the airport and passed through security at the SFO International Terminal without a hitch and found our way to the ANA lounge.
We settled into seats at a small table in the back as we surveyed the drink and food offerings. While we were in the lounge I got a text from my cousin’s wife saying that her friend saw us at the airport. She was also going to Japan, but on a different airline. As we neared boarding time, we headed to the gate with boarding passes and passports in hand.
We passed through first class with a slight pang of envy, then settled into our seats in the middle section. We appreciated finding special amenities for long-haul flights like slippers and eye masks. The flight was 11 hours long, but I only slept briefly. I had books, my journal, my laptop (with a partially written blog post), and plenty of interesting-looking movies to keep me occupied.
Day One: Arrival in Tokyo
Going through customs and immigration at Tokyo Narita airport took a while, and we waited somewhat uncomfortably in an area with weak air conditioning. There was a large group of kids that all seemed to be from the same school in front of us. When we got to the counter we realized that we had to fill out a separate immigration form for each person so we stepped aside to quickly complete the additional paperwork before getting back into a line. It took a while as each of us was photographed. By the time we got through, all of our bags were out. We headed for the exit to meet our driver, who held a sign with my name on it, making me feel like a VIP.
We felt the heat and humidity as soon as we stepped outside. But it was okay; we had arrived! Driving into Tokyo, we started seeing familiar landmarks, and the big grin on Chris’s face made me happy. We got to Shiba Park Hotel after about an hour and checked in. The boys were in a separate room exactly one floor above us.
Since it was already late in the afternoon, we attempted to make a reservation at our favorite pizza place Savoy Pizza in our old neighborhood in Azabujuban, but it seemed like it was closed, so we decided to just head to the main commercial area and find a place to eat. It was muggy and we were dazed from the flight and jet lag, so it was a bit of a letdown to see the long line outside of another favorite, Sarashina Horii, a soba restaurant with a 230-year history. Desperation started to hit us as we found there were few familiar places remaining after all the changes in the previous eight years.
Finally, we settled on Gusto, a family restaurant similar to Denny’s with both Japanese and western-influenced dishes, because the boys had enjoyed going there when they were younger. The menu had definitely changed and seemed to have less variety than before, and now they had tablets at every table for ordering. The table where we were initially seated was in a stuffy and warm corner, so we quickly decided to relocate to a cooler part of the restaurant. We found things to order and enjoyed having most items delivered by a wheeled robot. Gusto is an inexpensive spot to get decent food and drinks like beer, whiskey, and sake.
After dinner, we may have wandered a little more and then returned to the hotel by subway. On the way from the station to our hotel, we made our first of many many visits to convenience stores, starting with 7-Eleven. We stocked up on beverages and snacks and called it a night, knowing we had a morning tour the next day.
Day Two: The Quest to See Mount Fuji
Thanks to jet lag, I was wide awake at 2 am but managed to stay in bed until 4 or 5. Chris woke up early too, so we took a walk near Shiba Park. The air was sticky but still a bearable temperature. I quickly got my first mosquito bites, no big surprise.
There was a mixup on our reservation and we only had breakfast tickets for two people, so I met the boys in the lobby to usher them to the restaurant for the breakfast buffet, and Chris and I sipped free coffee.
We met up with our guide Watanabe-san, who messaged me on WhatsApp the previous day to confirm our meeting time at the hotel lobby. He asked about our meal preferences and food restrictions so he could choose a suitable restaurant for lunch. Watanabe-san was also monitoring the weather conditions, especially the clouds, in the hopes that we would get a good view of Mount Fuji. It was a pretty long drive from Tokyo—about two hours—but fortunately we were in a comfortable minivan with plenty of room.
Our first stop was Lake Kawaguchi (aka Kawaguchiko), where we rode on a sightseeing boat that used to be a battleship. The top level had the best views, but was crowded, so we were happy to stay on the lower level in the shade and enjoy the gentle breeze, a welcome reprieve from the oppressive heat and humidity.
Then we went for an early lunch at Konami, a combination restaurant and boat rental store. Their featured dish was hoto, a wide noodle similar to udon that is a local dish from Yamanishi prefecture. Although it was a hot day, we tried hot noodles with tempura and fish -- yamame (trout) and wakasagi (pond smelt) were the local catch. They also had shrimp, pork, and other seafood and meat options.
From there, we headed to Oishi Park, which featured beautiful flower gardens and a view of Mount Fuji. We had a decent view except for some stubborn clouds that obscured the peak. The park was very crowded with tourists taking selfies, so we moved through fairly quickly before stopping by a souvenir shop, mostly for the shelter and air conditioning.
The next stop was Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine, a Shinto shrine complex at one of the Mount Fuji trailheads. There is a nice gravel walkway from the road lined with statues and it wasn't too crowded. We learned that this used to be a Buddhist temple and Shinto shrine, but during the Meiji period, the government tried to suppress Buddhism.
When we finished the planned itinerary, it was on the early side, so our guide offered other options so we might still get a glipse of Mount Fuji, but we were already tired from having just arrived the previous day and wanted to get an early dinner in Tokyo. So we headed back and all of us snoozed during the long drive.
Hot take: if I had to do this excursion again, I would skip the crowded tourist areas entirely. I would have preferred to climb Mount Fuji (partially) or go to an onsen (hot spring). With kids, I probably would not do this activity.
On the way back to Tokyo, I was proud of myself for 1) figuring out again how to make an international phone call and 2) speaking with someone in Japanese to make a reservation at Savoy for that evening. During the day, we also exchanged messages with Eleanor about the included breakfast and she contacted them to sort things out, telling me to check in with the front desk. I waited somewhat impatiently as they went through a drawn-out process to issue our missing breakfast tickets and a refund for the first morning.
After our early return, we took a taxi to Roppongi to browse Don Quijote, which we affectionately call “Donkey”. When we lived in Tokyo many years ago, we stocked up on inexpensive household items for our apartment at Don Quijote and the 100 yen store next door to our apartment. On this first visit of the trip, I picked up mascara and face masks, and the boys bought some very detailed and high-quality diecast model cars. Dylan looked for Pokemon cards, but this particular store didn’t have any for sale.
We walked the 10 minutes or so to Azabujuban, taking a trip down memory lane as we passed familiar shops and restaurants, and lined up outside Savoy Pizza before they opened. Somehow my name wasn’t on the reservation list, but I was so indignantly insistent about having a reservation that they seated us before the walk-ins, in a corner right in front of one of the large wood-fired ovens where we got a close-up view of the pizzaiolo in action. We thought we recognized him as one of the guys from the old location, but couldn't confirm because he was wearing a mask. He must have had a cold, because he kept coughing!
We watched excitedly as he prepared their classic Pizza Margherita, as well as two new pizzas that were added to their menu since our last visit - Beef and Yellowfin Tuna. Chris and I shared a Pizza Margherita and a Tuna. The yellowfin was sashimi-grade, seared perfectly in the scorching hot pizza oven, accompanied by cheese, sweet corn puree, and a handful of fresh chives tossed on top after baking with wasabi on the side. Tyler, our resident carnivore, enjoyed his beef-topped pizza. After each of us inhaled a dinner plate-sized pizza, we ordered a fifth one to share. The red wine I ordered was forgettable.
Later at night after we got the boys settled in, we discovered a small tachinomi (standing) bar Miyako Utsushi Toei Shibadaimon across the street from 7-Eleven and asked for a few sake recommendations. We sampled a small flight of sakes with a late night snack and chatted with the server, who was dressed like a rastafarian and was originally from Osaka. He was was eager to practice his English before heading to Toronto for a year-long work study.
Day Three: Tsukiji, Shibuya, Google Tokyo, and Azabujuban
The next day, we had two things scheduled: lunch at the Google Shibuya office and dinner with the bus stop gang from Azabujuban. We had an early start again thanks to jet lag, and visited the Tsukiji Fish Market (technically the Tsukiji Outer Market). It was already scorching hot in the morning, so we tried to stay in the shade as we wandered through the outer market, but it was almost unbearable. We found our way indoors for air conditioning and a mid-morning seafood snack.
From there, we took a taxi to Omotesando to check out the Kiddy Land toy store, which specializes in animated character products like Hello Kitty, Monchhichi, and Rilakkuma. We arrived a few minutes before their 11 am opening, so we ducked into a nearby electronics store for the air conditioning. The kids had a great time browsing in Kiddy Land and each walked away with an item or two.
Next, we took a taxi to the Google office. When I worked in Tokyo on assignment, the office was still at Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills, but two years later, they relocated to the Shibuya Stream building. The new location was very modern and a bit overwhelming, but we eventually found our way to the lobby to meet our host Azusa, whom I met back in 2017. It was strange to be back at Google as a guest instead of an employee. We enjoyed a delicious and varied lunch, and then were joined by my friend and former colleague Xinmei for coffee and dessert while the kids checked out the Android statues and views of Tokyo.
After Google, we took a 20 minute walk to Pokemon Center at Shibuya Parco. Unfortunately, the lines were so discouragingly long that Dylan didn’t even bother to try to get any coveted Pokemon cards. We tried another store in the building, but no luck. As a small consolation, we sat at the lovely Mirai Sake Shop & Bar and did a delicious tasting flight while the boys sipped fancy apple juice.
We returned to the hotel for a short rest before heading back to Azabujuban to meet up with school friends and their parents at a very nice sushi restaurant. The kids had all grown so much and didn’t remember each other, but the highlight was meeting Mahiro’s father Takeshi for the first time. He had been hospitalized for an extended period when we met Mahiro and his mom Tomomi, so it was heartwarming to see him back in the swing of things.
Day Four: Hiroshima - Going Southwest
On Wednesday, we took a bullet train (Shinkansen) to Hiroshima. We got to the station early to buy the famous train station lunch boxes (eki-ben), but discovered there was only one shop inside the ticket gates. Still, we managed to find something for each of us and a small air-conditioned waiting room on the platform. The ride was comfortable and the four hours went by quickly enough. What I appreciate about train travel, especially when compared to flying, is that you have more space, both in the seating area and to walk around.
We immediately felt a difference in the cultural vibe in Hiroshima; our taxi driver was friendly and chatty compared to the silent and serious drivers in Tokyo. Our arrival at fav Hiroshima Heiwaodori Hotel, on the other hand, was a bit disappointing. The employee who checked us in was unfriendly and the included breakfast selection was unappetizing. Not a problem, because there were two convenience stores nearby, and having an in-room washer and dryer more than made up for this minor inconvenience.
After Chris and I scoped the area on foot, all four of us walked to Hondori, a well-known shopping street. We browsed for a while before going to Okonomimura (Okonomiyaki Village), a food hall featuring several floors of small okonomiyaki restaurants. The Hiroshima style has a thin pancake layered with yakisoba noodles, cabbage, egg, and meat or seafood. It’s fun to watch them being made in front of you, and I felt a mix of amusement and horror seeing zombies getting killed on the small TV playing Walking Dead (or one of the sequels - I couldn't say which).
We discovered a large Don Quijote store on our walk back to the hotel and stayed for about an hour. Dylan wasn’t able to find any Pokemon cards there, but scored his first sets from a vending machine upstairs in the same building.
Day Five: Exploring Hiroshima & Miyajima
Our guide for this tour was Yumi-san. We got around mostly on public transportation. First, we took a bus to Hiroshima station, a short train ride, and then a ferry to Miyajima.
We could see the giant torii right on the beach as we approached the island and learned that when the tide is high, it appears to be floating.
It was a really hot day, so we took our time walking around. The kids enjoyed approaching the deer that were roaming the island. We walked through the a street lined with shops where we sampled momiji manju, a maple leaf-shaped cake and local specialty. We also learned that oysters (kaki) were another local specialty, but were out of season in the warm summer months, so the grilled oysters we saw vendors making were frozen instead of freshly caught.
We walked along on a path by the beach towards Itsukushima shrine, dedicated to the three sisters and goddesses of the sea. On the way back, we sampled cold beers from Miyajima brewery with some fried oysters and browsed souvenirs.
The kids weren't hungry yet, so we took the next ferry back. As we left, several large groups of school children in uniform were arriving, so we were grateful we had come to the island early. On the other side, we grabbed a quick lunch at a cafe.
After this, we hopped on a tram. We were originally scheduled to visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum, but the Emperor and Empress happened to be there that day, so we just briefly stopped by the Atomic Bomb Dome.
We were surprised to see angry demonstrators protesting the Emperor's visit, 80 years after the bomb, because the Emperor at the had time refused to end the war and prevent the devastation.
Then we took taxis to Hiroshima Castle, which had some air conditioning but also many stairs to climb. Our kids enjoyed seeing the swords and armor, and we got a nice 360-degree view of Hiroshima from the top of the castle.
The last stop for the day was the lovely Shukkeien Garden, but we were so hot and tired at that point that it was difficult to fully enjoy ourselves. We stopped by the nearby museum's gift shop for a cold drink before heading back to our hotel to cool down and rest.
Later, we explored the Hondori shopping area a bit more, and were lucky to find a small sake bar Tachinomi Fukumotoya (立ち呑み福本屋) for a quick sake tasting, which in retrospect was probably unwise given how tired and drained we were. From there, we found a soba noodle shop called Itasoba Kaoriya (板蕎麦 香り家) where Tyler tried duck for the first time. Duck soba (kamo nanban soba) is not something I’ve seen on a soba menu before, but apparently it is a popular dish in Hiroshima. We were back at the hotel by 6:30 pm and went to bed early as we were thoroughly exhausted.
Day Six: A Somber Morning & the Shinkansen to Kyoto
On our second morning in Hiroshima, we took a shorter tour that was added to our trip when we found out the Peace Memorial Park wouldn't be accessible on the previous day due to a visit from the Emperor and Empress. We met our guide Remi at our hotel and walked to a tram stop to get to the park.
Standing in the park and ground zero (where the atomic bomb was detonated) was a somber and heavy experience, especially hearing about the devastating injuries, deaths, and ongoing suffering that resulted. At the same time, it was touching to see the schoolchildren at the Children's Peace Monument saying prayers and singing songs to pay their respects to the victims and advocate for world peace. As Americans, we remarked that we never learned and fully understood the human impact of the bomb on innocent citizens.
It was another scorching hot and humid day, so after walking through the park and seeing the flame, we entered the Museum. Our visit started with a short film where we heard survivor's stories. The imagery was often graphic and could be disturbing, but it really got the point across about the horrors of nuclear weapons. Then we walked through the museum at our own pace while Remi waited for us in the lobby. Again, a lot of graphic images and written stories, but highly educational. It was surprising to hear that former president Obama was the first sitting US president to visit Hiroshima, and there was an exhibit with his letter and an origami crane that he folded.
After this, our guide took us to a fun kaiten sushi restaurant in Hondori called Kura for lunch, where the food and drinks came on a conveyor belt. The kids really enjoyed that.
Finally, Remi accompanied us back to our hotel where we picked up our luggage and went to Hiroshima station to catch our train to the next destination. She kindly watched our bags while we browsed a few stores at the station. When we said good-bye, she gave us a Hiroshima postcard and a small origami crane made of beautiful printed paper with a thank-you note. A very nice touch.
More on Hiroshima and the Atomic Bomb
The ride to Kyoto was relatively short, about an hour and a half. It was a long walk from the train platform we arrive at to the taxi stand, and we were sweating in the oppressive heat.
Fortunately, the ride to Umekoji Kadensho, our amazing home for the next three days, was quick. Immediately we were whisked away from our hot and sweaty travel mode into a cool, calm and inviting atmosphere. The interior was notably traditional Japanese aesthetically but with modern conveniences. It’s a ryokan and hot spring. The entire facility was shoes-free, and the only major inconvenience was that we had to leave our shoes in a a little locker by the front desk and check our locker keys in to get our room key. The flooring throughout the facility was tatami mats, and it felt amazing under our tired feet. After dropping our things off in the room, we picked out yukata (light cotton kimono robes) and got popsicles and sake from the welcome lounge - heaven!
On the way to Kyoto I was already eager to try some okonomiyaki, which I knew would be closer to the Osaka style that I had loved when I lived in Kobe many years ago. So our first excursion was to Okonomiyaki Ajihei. We were the only customers (we tend to dine on the early side to avoid crowds), and the owner/cook hammed it up while he was preparing the okonomiyaki for us and yakisoba for the kids and Chris took photos and video. It was good, but the pancakes were a bit fluffy for my liking and missing the oodles of shredded cabbage that I consider an essential ingredient.
We returned to Kadensho and decided to make appointments for massages the next day. Tyler had a mosquito bite from Tokyo that swelled into a giant blister that was about an inch and a half in diameter and looked like it was ready to pop at any moment, so we stopped by a pharmacy to pick up band-aids that would be big enough to cover it after we drained it. We were pretty beat from the travel and heat, but we did decide to try out the private hot spring baths, which were outdoors but still provided complete privacy.
Day Seven: Kyoto Sightseeing with Sake Tasting
The breakfast buffet at Kadensho was amazing. It was almost overwhelming with its wide selection of Japanese foods plus a sprinkling of Chinese, Korean, and Western items.
Our tour guide in Kyoto was Hector. It was another very hot and humid day, and luckily our hotel was right next door to the train station. We traveled to Kinkakuji (aka Golden Pavilion) by train and bus. There were a lot of tourists there taking selfies, so we moved through fairly quickly while Hector told us about key points of interest. We got matcha ice cream while waiting for the bus and made our way to Nijo castle. We had watched the new Shogun series on Hulu not long before, and it was interesting to see rooms and scenes that were reminiscent of the show. The kids also found Nijo castle interesting because there were stories of samurai and ninjas.
From there we took a taxi to Tanukikoji, a shopping arcade with many food shops and restaurants. It was too crowded for us, however, so we ducked into a side street and found a little brewery that served pizza (Beer Pub Ichi-ya). When we met back up with Hector, our kids mentioned they were hungry, so he took us to Chao Chao Gyoza (full of gaijin).
Our last stop was the Gekkeikan Okura Sake museum, where we watched a short film explaining the sake making process and then browsed the museum. At the end, we were able to taste from a wide selection of sakes.
We were originally scheduled to also visit Fushimi Inari Shrine, but it was getting late in the afternoon and we knew it would be crowded and hot, so we asked Hector to skip that part of the tour and returned to our hotel by taxi. In retrospect, I would have requested to visit sites that are less popular with tourists, or at least foreign tourists. We really don't enjoy long lines and crowds, and since the tours are private, you can tailor them to your preferences.
We were so exhausted that night that we got dinner from 7-Eleven across the street. We went to sleep early, but not before hitting up the onsen baths again and getting the most amazing massages that started with a much-needed foot massage, and then included some back and neck. Pure heaven after a day full of walking.
Day Eight: Free Day in Kyoto
After a few busy days of guided tours and travel, we were glad to have a free day to wander on our own. We had a chill morning, starting with an early morning stroll before the sun came out in full force.
We took a short train ride to Kyoto Station, where we checked out the Toys’R’Us store at the nearby AEON mall for the boys and the Shoyeido Kankan incense shop in the station for me. For lunch, although there was a nice selection of Japanese cuisines available at the station, we randomly ducked into a little Irish pub Man in the Moon for fish and chips and a couple pints of Guinness.
Then we headed to the Samurai Ninja museum for the Basic guided tour experience. This was something that we booked on our own the day before. Thankfully, the building was well air-conditioned, because it was another scorching and humid day. We arrived a few minutes before the start and were led to a room with exhibits where we could read and learn basic facts and history about samurai and ninja. There were between 20 and 30 participants on this interactive tour representing many ages and countries. Our guide tested what we had already learned before taking us through rooms where we learned history and customs and had a chance to view and sometimes touch armor, swords, and other paraphernalia. It was interesting enough to keep the boys fairly engaged, and at the end we were given plastic shuriken (ninja stars) to toss at a board with targets. There was a contest to see who got closest to bullseye and Dylan won! His prize was keeping his throwing star. The tour was about 30 minutes total, and after this we could explore the room with try-on armor and the gift shop.
We explored on foot, hitting up yet another Don Quijote, checking out Pokemon cards, buying stickers from B-Side Label, hitting up Masuya Saketen for a tasting with snacks, and then got more Okonomiyaki and yakisoba for dinner at Kinoya. The boys had ice cream next door for dessert. Back at the ryokan, we parents enjoyed the private baths and massages one more time that night.
Day Nine: Kyoto to Koya-san
On our last morning in Kyoto, we had planned to get out for a bit, but it started raining and the air was thick with humidity, so we chilled at Kadensho and had a conbini lunch. Eleanor had arranged a ride for us to Koya-san, so we waited in the lounge until he arrived. Although in the past I went to Koya-san by train (and partly on foot as a hike), it was nice to have a private car given the size of our luggage and the extreme heat.
Koya-san is not super well known even among Japanese people, but it has a special place in my heart. When I lived in Japan in the mid-90s, I joined a hiking club and someone led a hike to Koya-san that included an overnight stay. I wasn’t able to make that one, but I decided to organize another one there, so I went with a few friends to scope it out, and then later took a group there. Koya-san, the center of Shingon Buddhism, once had thousands of temples, but a few massive fires over the years left just 117 temples standing, 50 of which were shokubo, offering food and lodging to those on pilgrimages and now tourists. We stayed at the same Buddhist temple, Rengejoin, both times, and this was also where I took Chris on his first visit to Japan in 2008, so it has a special place in my heart.
Because of our personal history, arriving at Rengejoin felt like a homecoming. It was a bit of a gamble taking our kids there, but I was convinced they would be as captivated by the traditional charm, natural beauty, and interesting sites as we were. The cherry on top was that Eleanor had booked a beautiful suite with an attached bathroom. On my previous stays, we stayed in simple tatami rooms and it felt much more like a dormitory with shared bathrooms.
Knowing that all of the food would be vegetarian and vegetable-heavy, we went to the closest (and possibly only) convenience store, Family Mart, to pick up some extra food for the kids and some drinks. It was about a 20 minute walk from the temple.
Chris and I joined the 5 pm meditation, conducted in both Japanese and English, which lasted about 40 minutes. Then we went to our designated dining room for dinner. We sat on cushions and the food was served on small raised trays. There wasn’t much to do after that, but we did go for a short walk in the vicinity and found there were a number of other temples right nearby.
Day Ten: Okunoin and Sapporo
We "slept in the next morning" (considering we still had jet lag) because it was raining, then attended the 6 am chanting ceremony. I was the only one who really enjoyed the breakfast, so we were glad the kids had some Family Mart snacks left.
We took our time packing up and then caught a bus to Okunoin, a sacred Buddhist cemetery with over 2000 graves and monuments. It was still drizzling, and the mosquitoes were out in full force, leaving me with several itchy hives all over my hands. Chris stopped to take photos so I walked ahead with the boys. We caught a bus back to Rengejoin to retrieve our luggage and meet our driver who would take us to Kansai International airport for our flight to Sapporo.
Kansai International (KIX) was my home airport when I lived in Kobe, so I felt a sense of nostalgia going back there, if only for a short domestic flight. However, it ended up being so crowded and chaotic when we arrived that I didn’t really get to appreciate being back there. The line to check in was long and slow, but we had plenty of time. We sat across the aisle from the kids with Chris in the aisle seat closest to them, and at the beginning of the flight the boys got into a fight and started hitting each other! I didn’t see it first hand, but Chris was furious, especially since they were seated next to another passenger.
We knew the weather would be unusually hot in Hokkaido, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that the air was drier like we were used to in California. It was a big relief to get a break from the humidity. The ride from Chitose airport to the Mitsui Garden Hotel in Sapporo was quiet, as we had unfinished business with the kids. We had a serious talk with them about their conduct on the flight as soon as we arrived at our hotel. We told the boys they were on their own until breakfast the next day, something we could feel comfortable doing in a safe place like Japan with several convenience stores within a block of the hotel.
As we ventured out for dinner, we were pleased to find that our hotel was in a very central location near Sapporo station, so there were several department stores as well as underground arcades in the area with plenty of dining options. We chose the aptly named Umi-he (海へ, which means “to the sea”), an izakaya featuring a wide selection of the seafood that Hokkaido is known for. We enjoyed our seafood feast, and even gave warm sake a try. After dinner, we wandered for a bit before settling on Karaokekan. I used to love going to karaoke box when I lived in Japan, but I think I may be over it for now, because I was mostly turning to old standbys (though I did throw some Chappell Roan in there for fun).
We ended our outing with snacks from a convenience store and went back to the hotel. At some point we had started a load of laundry and needed to run the dryer again, so we stayed up pretty late and I didn’t get a lot of sleep. For the majority of our trip, jet lag woke me up early and I rarely if ever got more than 5 hours of sleep.
Day Eleven: Day Trip to Furano, Ramen, and Evening Exploration
The kids seemed to do just fine feeding themselves both dinner and getting to the breakfast buffet, and we told them to be in the lobby at 9 am for our tour. At 8:05 am I got a call from our tour guide Yuko, who thought we were meeting at 8 am. Apparently there was some misunderstanding, possibly because we had to make some last minute adjustments to our schedule due to confusion about our departure date from Japan. I double checked our itinerary and then briefly deliberated to myself whether we should try to just hurry and meet her as quickly as possible, but ultimately told her that we wouldn’t be ready until 9 and that I was sorry she had to wait. It would have been stressful to rally the kids and possibly interrupt their breakfast, and since the mistake wasn’t ours. For all of the previous tours, our guides contacted us the day before to confirm our meeting time and place, and the one time it didn’t happen, it would have actually prevented this from happening. I wondered what happened, but for my own peace, I let go of both my annoyance and unwarranted guilt and was proud of myself for maintaining a boundary.
Yuko met us in our hotel lobby and showed us to a brand new luxury minivan driven by Aya. She kindly brought a bag full of snacks for the ride to Furano, which was an arduous 2-1/2 hours. We stopped midway at a Family Mart for a bathroom break.
Our first stop in Furano was Farm Tomita, which featured melons and lavender. It was teeming with large tour groups, mostly Chinese and Korean, so it was quite crowded and busy. It was a hot and sunny day, but fortunately Hokkaido was not humid like the places we had visited on Honshu. The lavender fields were absolutely stunning. There were many different types that varied in color and flowering seasons, and we had beautiful views of the active volcano Tokachidake (Mt. Tokachi). Here, we had a snack consisting of lavender and melon ice cream and a juicy wedge of melon, both delicious. Then we walked through the fields a bit more and bought lavender-themed souvenirs at one of the shops. Yuko bought us some melon pan, a sweet bread snack filled with cream, but we had just had ice cream and were headed to lunch soon, so we saved it for later.
Next was lunch at Furano Resort Orika, a golf resort up on a hill. The restaurant had beautiful views of the mountains. We weren’t feeling very hungry after the snacks, so Chris and I shared a negi toro lunch set that was quite delicious. I made the mistake of trying a red local wine called Higuma that Yuko had recommended it was disappointingly bad. They served it cold, and it improved slightly when it warmed up, but was not a wine I’d ever intentionally drink again. Fool me twice, shame on me. It was a reminder to stop trying Japanese red wines, because they clearly are not the taste profile that I enjoy! After lunch we stopped at the resort gift shop where we picked up small gifts for my golf-loving brother-in-law Ron.
Our next stop was Shikisai-no-Oka, the Panoramic Flower Gardens. You could explore the flower fields on a tram or drive a golf cart. We chose the freedom and privacy of our own golf cart, and (don’t tell anyone!) we let Tyler drive a small portion of the route once we were far enough to be out of sight. So many beautiful and colorful flowers!
From there, we intended to visit Biei Pond (aka Blue Pond), but there was a long line of cars waiting to enter the parking lot, so we decided to visit Shirahige waterfall first. The water was a bright blue color due to aluminum hydroxide from volcanic activity and the view from the bridge was stunning. The nearby onsen looked like it would be worth checking out on a future visit. We drove by Biei Pond again but the line had only grown, so we opted to head back to Sapporo, but Yuko, knowing that we like wine, arranged a quick stop at Furano Winery where we sampled a few wines (as Dylan would say, “Mid”) and bought some Hokkaido cheese for a snack.
On our drive back to Sapporo, we discussed dinner options and asked Yuko if we could be dropped off near Ramen Alley (Ganso Sapporo Ramen Yokocho) instead of our hotel. We were hoping we could find some vegetarian or pescatarian options for Chris and me, since ramen broth is typically made with pork and sometimes chicken. Unfortunately the ramen shop we had in mind didn’t have a vegetarian option, but Tyler spotted a shop at the end featuring clam-based broth called Shimijimi, a play on shimiji (clam). As a bonus, there was no line. We bought tickets at the cash-only machine and presented them to the cook. I was not surprised to see a young Korean couple sit at the counter shortly after us because clams are popular in Korean cooking.
The broth was nice and light without a distinct seafood flavor, so the kids liked it too. I got mine with corn and hard boiled egg, and they also had pork for the carnivores. We all enjoyed our delicious ramen!
After dinner we hit up the nearby MEGA Don Quijote, where we picked up some gifts for family and the boys bought more toys. After that, we walked back to the hotel, dropped the kids off, and ventured back out to check out the nightlife. Our first stop was a tachigui place called Choi (we learned it means eat, no relation to the Korean last name), where we had a drink and chatted with the bartender and a few locals. The vibe was friendly and the patrons seemed to know each other. Then we wandered around a bit more and ended up at a hole-in-the-wall Sake Bar Kamae that was a granny bar, or snakku, run by an elderly couple. There was one patron already there, sitting at the far end of the small counter. They were friendly but asked us to pay 600 yen up front, then gave us a generous pour of sake and some tsumami consisting of various crackers and dried things and a yummy little ice cream dish. They all spoke a little English, but the doctor was fluent. We learned that the owner had been an actor in several movies, playing…a bartender! The ojiisan kept insisting that I was Japanese, not Korean, and that got old after a while so we bowed out after our first drink and headed back to the hotel, still amused.
Day Twelve: Moss Canyon and Lake Shikotsu
The Moss Canyon (Kokeno kairo, also referred to as Moss Corridor) hike was one of the highlights of our two-week trip in Japan! We met with Sumi, our guide, at the hotel lobby, and she introduced us to her colleague Taki. We could tell right away that they were outdoor enthusiasts based on their gear, outdoor apparel, and healthy tans, somewhat rare for Japanese people. Sumi drove us in a minivan and it took about an hour from Sapporo to get to the Lake Shikotsu area. She gave us a bag with snacks in case we got hungry on the way. We loved the beautiful scenery along the drive, even before that first stunning glimpse of Lake Shikotsu.
Sumi expertly navigated to an elusive one-car parking spot on the side of the road, and we walked right through the forest to get to the Moss Canyon trailhead. The online pictures for the tour did not do this place justice. It was absolutely stunning with the array of vivid greens and so many beautiful, tiny details. The hike itself was only about 2 km and flat, but we saw multiple types of moss, a leaf that resembled snakeskin, mushrooms, snails, spiders, rocks, and trees eaten by termites.
Sumi pointed out several interesting flora and fauna at the beginning, and then I found myself becoming more mindful and present as I noticed the breathtaking natural beauty around me. I felt calm and relaxed, and just so peaceful. When we finished the hike, we walked to a small beach on the lake and Dylan skipped stones on the water with Taki.
We had a delicious lunch near the Lake Shikotsu visitor center (also a good place for a pit stop) at a restaurant called Kotobuki that featured fresh Princess Salmon (himemasu). I had the himemasu sashimi set, which was so fresh and delicious, especially washed down with a little cold sake. I was in heaven! After our feast, we walked along the lake for a while, and enjoyed some ice cream before making our way back to Sapporo.
This tour was such a wonderful way to end our trip in Japan and left me wanting to visit Hokkaido again to experience more outdoor adventures.
That evening we were pretty wiped out from the heat of the day and staying up late the night before, so we looked for dinner near the hotel. We settled on a kaiten sushi restaurant called Kurukuru that strangely only had the names and pictures of dishes going around on the conveyor belt, not actual food. It was very fresh and the kids enjoyed the food, but Chris and I didn’t weren’t super hungry.
Back at the hotel, we went to bed early.
Day Thirteen: Kitano Gurume, Shopping, and back to Tokyo
Shout out to my friend Peisun for recommending Kitano Gurume, a seafood market and restaurant featuring all the delicious Hokkaido specialties. One of our tour guides mentioned that we could get a free shuttle from the hotel, so I made a reservation online. You can also reserve via the front desk, and what I didn’t realize was that our breakfast tickets could also be redeemed at Kitano Gurume!
Before the shuttle came, we had time to pack up and get ready to check out. Chris and I went over to check out Tokyu Hands, which is now the Tokyu department store with one Hands floor and other brands like BIC camera for electronics and Uniqlo and GU for clothing.
We went back to get everyone checked out of the hotel and left our luggage with the front desk. The shuttle to Kitano Gurume came a little early so we were off! Although we didn’t have a big appetite, I had a rice bowl with uni, shrimp, ikura (squid), salmon, maguro (and maybe one other type of tuna(, clam, abalone, and scallops, and shared grilled salmon with Chris. So fresh and deelish!
The boys weren’t interested in the seafood menu, so after the adults ate, we went around the corner to Nouilles Japonaise Tokuichi, and it turned out to be an elevated ramen shop with a French-trained chef. There was a small line outside, but we didn’t have to wait too long. Tickets were still sold in a machine, and it was cash-only. The boys said it was the best ramen they had tasted on the entire trip.
We used the rest of our time before the return shuttle to browse the fish and seafood shops and markets and pick up a few gifts for family. After returning to Mitsui Garden Hotel, we took the kids to Hands. We were pretty tired after a while, and after unsuccessfully seeking a place to get a drink and ice cream, we went to the basement and had yummy ice cream made with Hokkaido milk.
I had almost forgotten the wonder that is Japanese department store basements (same thing in Korea). The entire floor is filled with a wide variety of food counters, including hot food, packaged food, snacks, teas, and desserts. There is usually also a grocery store. We grabbed drinks from the grocery before heading outside to return to our hotel and meet the driver taking us back to Chitose airport.
We decided to get checked in and go through security before seeking dinner, which might have been a mistake in retrospect because there weren’t as many choices. We flew into Haneda instead of Narita at my request because I noticed it was much closer to Shiba Park Hotel, where we’d be staying again for our final night in Tokyo. We got our bags fairly quickly and the drive was only about 30 minutes, but it was pretty late so we got the kids settled back in before Chris and I hit the town one last time.
Unfortunately, the tachinomi place across from 7-Eleven that we went to during our first Tokyo stay was full and near closing time, so we had to explore to find another place that stayed open until the wee hours of the night. We finally settled on Izakaya Noruka Soruka, open till 5 am. We were seated in the back next to a party that was already drunk with one women who was particularly loud and obnoxious, talking like she was a yakuza (my interpretation). They were also smoking, so I couldn’t wait for them to leave. We had a couple drinks and some small plates, then got dessert from 7-Eleven, because why not?
Day Fourteen: Saying Goodbye to Japan (For Now)
On our last morning, Chris and I took another early walk before breakfast, met up with the boys, and finished packing for the long flight back to San Francisco. We left our bags with the front desk and took a taxi to Azabujuban because we all wanted Savoy Pizza one final time for lunch.
We knew from our previous visit that we needed a 5th pizza to satisfy the big appetites, so we ordered three Pizza Margherita, one Beef, and one Tuna. For some reason the Tuna Pizza took forever, but it finally made its way to us after we finished the others. This time, instead of setting myself up for disappointment with red wine, I had a refreshing sake with my pizza.
We wandered through the neighborhood just a little more, and I stopped by our favorite sake shop to pick up a couple of stemmed sake glasses. We caught a taxi back to Shiba Park hotel and met the driver who was taking us to Narita. Checking in wasn’t too bad, and I found a nice bottle of Iwa sake in the duty free shop. The ANA lounge was really nice with a variety of Japanese and western foods and drinks to choose from. And with that, we wrapped up an awesome two weeks in Japan. Otsukaresama deshita!
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