Japan Top 10 List

It is incredibly difficult to make a top 10 list in the heat of the moment. Almost every day on the trip I found something I loved, so by the end of my trip, there'd be many items from the early part of the journey that'd be missing from the list. Now that I've given myself a few weeks to decompress and look back on the trip as a whole, I've come up with a top 10:

10. Sapporo

Is it fair to write down an entire city? This is my list, so I say yes! Sapporo was tied for the shortest stay with Nagoya, both of which lasting only 19 hours, so the way I see it, you can do what I did in Sapporo in a single day trip. The three main tourist attractions in the city are all grouped very close together, Odori Park was a beautiful snow covered stretch, plenty of shopping and food to go around as well. Sapporo is at the top of my list for cities I want to see again, mostly based on that I wasn't able to spend much time there.

Sapporo TV Tower, Clocktower, and Government Offices.

9. Tokyo: Harajuku, Tokyo Tower/Tokyo Skytree, Gundam Base Tokyo

Going off the previous entry, Tokyo was the city I spent the most time in, officially 7 days, 6 nights. I loved everything across all of Tokyo, but if I had to narrow it down, it would be: Shopping, Heights, and Fun.

Harajuku is fashion central in Tokyo, the streets are jammed to the brim with clothing, gift shops, arcades, and food. I had such a fun experience buying clothes at Yellow House, and with Shibuya on one side and the Meiji Jingu Shrine on the other, Harajuku is a perfect place to visit.

Harajuku

Tokyo Tower has the history, Tokyo Skytree has the height advantage. Both were very enjoyable to visit, both have fantastic views of the city around them, but if you only have one day in Tokyo, choose one and you're done.

Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Skytree

Gundam Base Tokyo holds a special place in my heart, because I've been a fan of Gundam for years, dating back to when it was airing on Toonami in the afternoons. In recent years I started building kits, so Gundam Base Tokyo is basically a pilgrimage. It's packed wall to wall with kits to buy, limited edition clothing, and custom builds by some of the best Gundam artists in the world.

Gundam Base Tokyo

8. Harbor Cruise in Toba

When me and the Boo family were hanging out together in Toba, we went out on a harbor cruise together. It turned out when they booked the cruise, it was a better rate to go on a private tour than buy tickets for everyone through one of the main tour lines. The bay is beautiful with the little islands dotting the seascape, seagulls follow the boat and you can throw them chips, and occasionally, you can find a few hawks as well. Toba is known for pearl cultivation and seafood, so be sure to stop in town and grab a bite as well.

Toba

7. Beppu

Beppu was my favorite surprise of the trip, because I never would have thought to go so far out of my way to Beppu if it wasn't for the ramen shop Yume Wo Katare. The majority of the tourist sights in the city can all be done in one day: Beppu Tower, Hells of Beppu Tour, Mount Tsurumi, onsens, and "Hell" steam cooked food. The whole city has a cool retro vibe and has been a local tourist destination because of the numerous onsens. On clear days, you can see the neighboring city Oita perfectly across Beppu bay from the peak of Mount Tsurumi.

Hells of Beppu

6. Yume Wo Katare

Speaking of Yume Wo Katare, they make number six on the list. As of my trip to Japan, there are six open and operating YWK's, north to south: Sapporo, Onagawa, Tokyo, Kyoto, Beppu, and Okinawa. Their plan is to have one open in every prefecture by 2030. Their concept is they're a dream workshop: you can use the same focus and dedication to eat their massive bowl of ramen, as you can to achieve your dreams. One of my dreams was to travel to Japan, so I worked hard and dedicated a savings to be here, so thank you Yume Wo Katare.

Yume Wo Katare Beppu

5. Miyajima & Hiroshima Peace Memorial

Hiroshima today is a huge and bustling city, and there's a lot to see in town, but my number one recommendation is the Peace Memorial Museum. Modern Hiroshima is shaped from World War 2, and even though they've recovered and prospered, understanding the importance for the removal of nuclear weapons is central to the city's history and culture. Miyajima on the other hand, is just a quick ferry ride across the water, and it's full of beautiful walking trails, ancient shrines, and a calming atmosphere. They're the perfect yin and yang.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Miyajima

4. Mount Hakodate

Hakodate makes it very easy to hit all the main attractions in a single day, and with a ride up the ropeway to the peak of Mount Hakodate, the observatory overlooks the entire peninsula. It's an absolutely stunning view of the city, especially at sunset or at night with all the lights of the city glowing. Even though it seems like Beppu and Hakodate are identical, Mount Hakodate is closer to the city giving an unforgettable panorama, and that notches it a little higher on the list.

Mount Hakodate

3. Hakone: Yama No Chaya

Yama No Chaya is a Ryokan located 20 miles southeast of Mount Fuji in Hakone. Their service and quality was above and beyond: all guests are treated like VIPs, the in-room dinner service was the best food I've ever had in my entire life, the onsens were gorgeous and the water was the perfect temperature, and the room I stayed in was spacious and featured it's own private bath. Instead of counting sheep, if I need to sleep I just think of being back here and relaxing in the hot springs. The only reason they're bumped back to number 3 on the list was that VIP treatment comes at a cost, for me that was $470 for one night, which might break the bank for others traveling.

Yama No Chaya

2. Fukuoka: Uminonakamichi Seaside Park

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park in Fukuoka costs ¥450, or $4, a far cry in price from a fancy ryokan. However, for that incredibly low price there is so much to do and see. The park has different play areas for kids, a putt-putt golf course, a rose garden, a hill covered in flowers (spring&summer), a zoo where you can walk up to the animals, go karts, water fountains, and it directly across the street from an Aquarium. Fukuoka is another city with great transportation, but there are so many places to see, you won't be able to see them all in one day. Next time I go to Fukuoka I'll see Dazaifu, but for now, Uminonakamichi Seaside Park was such a great experience, especially in the winter where I basically had my own private time in the quiet park.

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park Zoo

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park Rose Garden

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park Play Areas and Flower Hill

1. Osaka

Osaka, as in the entire city, everything. It's such an easy city to navigate through, and combined with the Osaka Amazing Pass making most places free, it made it so enjoyable to visit and see as many beautiful sights in a very short period of time. Even though I only saw a third of the places I wanted, I still made it to Osaka Castle, Tennoji Zoo, Shinsekai, Cosmo Tower, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel, and Umeda Sky Building. I loved every second of Osaka, the food, the sights, the vibe. It's the only city in the world I've been to where I genuinely felt I could live there for the rest of my life.

Osaka Castle

Shinsekai

Cosmo Tower

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel

Umeda Sky Building

Thanks for reading,
Joe