Discovering Culture and Cuisine in Japan

by Jessica Kelly
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Sat January 4, 2025

As a longtime Anthony Bourdain fan, I knew Japan would be special before visiting. Bourdain once said in his field notes, “I love Tokyo. If I had to eat only in one city for the rest of my life, Tokyo would be it. Most chefs I know would agree with me.” Knowing this, I knew that food was going to be a big part of the itinerary when working with Marian Goldberg of Goldberg on Travel (who focuses on Japan travel planning) to plan out the Tokyo and Nikko portions of my trip. What I didn't necessarily expect was to fall deeply in love with the culture, the nature, the wildlife, the people (both locals and so many expats from all over the world that came for a temporary visit turned into a permanent stay), the art, and the hospitality.

While preparing for the trip, be sure to pack layers and a raincoat. I traveled to Japan in September and experienced a wide range of weather in my two weeks there. It was chilly (around 50°F) on certain days and 95°F other days. It would briefly rain suddenly. It helps to have some lightweight options to cover up on a whim. Also, have a little bit of local money on you, especially if you want to explore the markets and street food, and remember to download the SUICA app. You can add a little money at a time and use this app for public transportation, vending machines, certain stores, and more. It's very convenient!

Stopover in Honolulu, Hawaii

Flying to Okinawa is a long journey from New York, so on the way there, consider a stopover in Honolulu at a stunning 5-star property to break up the long flight. Halekulani Hotel (2199 Kālia Rd, Honolulu, HI 96815) has beautiful balcony rooms overlooking the beach in Honolulu, along with a massive pool to cool off in and private beach access. Nothing beats jet lag, like dropping your bags in the room and running down to float in the turquoise salt water.

Nearby, visit Mānoa Honey & Mead to learn about beekeeping, assist with harvesting some of the honeycombs, and try the meads and honey paired with local cheeses. Once back at the hotel, please spend some time by the pool with a Knesko Gemstone Face Mask and a cocktail (like their delightful smoked watermelon drink) or grab a massage at the spa. Before dinner, have a cocktail from Tuda Sarian, Director of Mixology, at L'Aperitif before dinner at La Mer. Tuda works with her team to incorporate local, fresh ingredients into her savory and sweet cocktails, blending flavors like chili garlic oil, fat-washed rum, house-made brine and pickled garlic. At La Mer, indulge in the Kampachi tartare with sea urchin, caviar, coconut milk, and basil oil. The juicy lobster with squid ink gnocchi and chorizo cream sauce was another fan favorite at the table. Brunch at Orchids is a must, with the usual brunch favorites in addition to poke, shellfish, sushi, and more.

Okinawa, Japan

Checking in: Halekulani Okinawa

1967-1 Nakama, Onna, Kunigami District, Okinawa 904-0401, Japan

After flying from Honolulu to Okinawa, check into the Halekulani Okinawa. The rooms are spacious, with a balcony overlooking the infinity pools out into the ocean. After spending the day in the water, there's a rainfall shower and a huge soaking tub to warm up in. On property, convenient dining options like SHIROUX are overseen by consulting two Michelin Star Chef Hiroyasu Kawate of Florilege in Tokyo. Their tasting menu displays delicious dishes like red grouper, mochi, steamed buns, and more. House Without A Key, their casual dining option, has soba noodles, pork belly, and tasty dishes on their breakfast buffet, in addition to lunch and dinner.

Activities

Enjoy the water

Through the hotel, if the weather permits, guests can experience the "Discover the Island's Glow" outing, a nighttime firefly kayaking tour at the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site of Yanbaru National Park. Weather permitting, there are snorkeling tours right off the shore from the property. The guides will lead a small group to a deeper point near the coral reef, keeping an eye on the group to be sure we're safe and protected while pointing things out. We spotted an octopus, sea snakes, sea cucumbers, starfish, and a lot of beautiful, colorful fish and coral.

Yachimun No Sato Pottery Village

In the Yachimun No Sato Pottery Village, there are countless shops selling their art and handmade pottery. These pieces make great conversation pieces for your home and gifts for friends and family.

Onna no Eki Nakayukui Market

On the way back from pottery shopping, make a quick stop at the Onna no Eki Nakayukui market for groceries, fruit, and street food snacks. There’s a wide variety of options like shellfish, sweets, fried fish, and fun snacks like an octopus cracker before spending time in the pool.

Tokyo, Japan

Checking in: Park Hotel Tokyo

Shiodome Media Tower 1-7-1 Higashi Shimbashi, Minato-ku 1057227 Tokyo

After arriving in Tokyo and braving the subway, I got to my hotel to check into the "Beauty of Akita" by Yuka Ohtani, one of the artists who painted rooms in the hotel. Not only is the Park Hotel covered in contemporary art and galleries throughout the lobby and shared spaces, but there's a selection of rooms painted by local artists. The rooms themselves are compact and basic (unless you opt for a modern suite or corner room), with a nice view of the city, but the art element adds so much character to a small space.

Checking in: Shiba Park Hotel

1-5-10 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0011

For a change of scenery, consider switching hotels after a few nights to experience a different neighborhood. I checked into the Shiba Park Hotel right near the Tokyo Tower. Similar to Park Hotel Tokyo, the rooms are modest and simple but have everything you could need in a great location, within walking distance of public transport.

Activities and Tours

Exploring Ginza with Arigato Travel

If you want to take a break from endless research on where the locals go, navigating directions, and figuring out public transportation, book a tour with Arigato Travel. I met up with Norma, and she showed me some of her favorite hidden gems in the Ginza neighborhood. Without revealing too many secrets of the tour, Norma took me to see some local art by Kenji Yonobe, touring and sightseeing around the city before stopping to share sweet soy sauce pickled shrimp and tempura in Hibiya Okuroji while sipping rice wine. Afterward, we visited a bar specializing in sake cocktails. I sipped a savory beverage made with Junmai sake, seaweed-infused vodka and port wine while we snacked on some smoked daikon radish topped with cream cheese and truffle. The last stop was for taiyako filled with custard before heading back to rest for the evening.

Eat your way through the Tsukiji Market and beyond

The next day, I met Josh from Arigato Travel for a full-day private tour at Tsukiji Turret Coffee (delicious iced spice mochas). After doing a bit of sightseeing, stopping at Tsukiji Hongan-ji and the statue of Shinran, we made our way to the famous Tsukiji Market. We started with breakfast at an off-the-record spot where Josh takes his private tours, consisting of flame-grilled mackerel, sticky rice, hot miso soup, pickled veggies, and tea. While venturing through the market, we tried wagyu beef, pickled mini eggplant (among other pickled veggies), blowfish (fugu), bonito flakes, sweet shrimps, fresh tuna sashimi, uni, and more. Afterward, we made our way to the Sunset Steps in Yanaka, stopping in some shops like Goto's Candy, a 100-year-old candy shop. Josh set up a traditional matcha tea experience to learn how they prepare the matcha, pair it with sweets, and even choose an antique tea cup to sip it out of, each with its own backstory. After walking for a while, building our appetite back up, we tried tokoroten made with seaweed and black sugar syrup before heading to the Buddhist Temple in Asakusa to get a fortune, visit the temple, and explore the vendors in the surrounding area. We stopped for skewers, a hoppy, and some flavorful beef tendon stew.

Asakusa, Harajuku, the famous The Shibuya Crossing, and more

After meeting up with Norma from Arigato Travel, we stopped at the Shinshōji Temple in Asakusa before heading into town for some senbei (Japanese rice crackers dunked in salty soy sauce). After a visit to the Togenuki Jizoson Koganji Temple, we had lunch at Ohashiya for soba noodles. Once finished, they pour a little soba water into the sauce and wasabi mixture left over from the noodles, creating a delicious broth to sip. Norma showed me around Takeshita Street in Harajuku, browsing through vintage shops, street art, and stores like B-side Label. We visited the Design Festa Gallery, which is covered in public art and has vendors inside (free to explore and see). After shopping through Mega Don Quijote, filled with beauty products, snacks, souvenirs, and more, we did the scramble at The Shibuya Crossing.

According to Travel Japan, "During its busiest times, an estimated 1,000 to 2,500 people forge their way across this intersection every two minutes, enough to quickly fill up a football stadium. The phenomenon gave rise to its nickname "scramble," as pedestrians cross from all directions." I ended the night with a group tour through Arigato Travel with their guide, Yappy. Our small group visited the Shibuya Hyakkendana, where we went to Chūkamenten Kiraku, the oldest ramen shop in Shibuya. One of the highlights for me! After a few stops, we ended at a bar to finish the night with some nostalgic food and drinks. While waiting, customers can take a basket over to the shelves filled with retro candies and snacks to fill for free. You can try as many as you'd like!

Knife skills, kimonos, ramen, pop culture, and the Akihabara neighborhood with RamKy from Japan Unfiltered

I met up with a local guide, RamKy with Japan Unfiltered, for a full day of discovering the city, and he had some wonderful surprises planned. RamKy is quite knowledgeable about everything to do and see in Tokyo. In addition to being packed full of historical information and fun facts about the culture in Japan, his tours are 100% customizable based on your interests. We started with a visit to the Sengakuji Temple. The temple is famous for its graveyard, where the "47 Ronin" are buried. Afterward, we visited a kitchen for a private tutorial on Wa-Bocho (a Japanese style of knife), focusing specifically on Kazarigiri, a technique of cutting food into art. I had the chance to learn from the owner of Alisha Robes about approachable kimono robes, touching on the tradition, before visiting a local fabric dyeing factory to design my own scarf, hand mixing the color, brushing and stretching the fabric. RamKy set up a charming experience. We had lunch at a ramen restaurant before heading to Akihabara to dive deep into Japan's J Pop culture.

Nikko, Japan

For just one night, I took the train to Nikko from Tokyo. My guide, Coco, met me at the station to ride with me to Nikko. It's quite common for people traveling all the way to Japan to do the famous trio of Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo. I've heard incredible things about Osaka and Kyoto, and I already know that I would love to return to Japan, but for this trip, I wanted to explore some different destinations starting with Okinawa and ending with Nikko.

Checking in: Chuzenji Kanaya Hotel

2482, Chugushi, Nikko, Tochigi, 321-1661, Japan

After checking into the hotel and making my way to the room, I was pleasantly surprised by the spacious bathroom, large layout, and beautiful balcony leading out to a woodsy area where you can look out for wildlife. The hotel has indoor and outdoor onsen to enjoy at your leisure. The hot springs felt therapeutic after a day on our feet, exploring all that Nikko has to offer.

Activities

Sake tasting and tour at Katayama Shuzo

We started the day touring and tasting different sakes at a local sake brewery, Katayama Shuzo, which has been around since 1880, keeping old-school brewing methods alive today.

Enjoy the outdoors

The journey up the mountain to the lake is part of the fun, taking in the incredible view and spotting wildlife along the way, like the adorable macaque monkeys, known for making their way to the natural hot springs to keep warm during the cooler winter months. The Chuzenji Lake Boat Cruise is beautiful and scenic, and in September, the weather began to cool off, and the leaves started to change a bit. Kegon Falls is a must-see! It took my breath away; you can view this waterfall from multiple platforms.

Toshogu Shrine

Stopping to hear the story behind the Three Wise Monkeys of Tōshōgū Shrine in Nikko was high on my list, but I was surprised by how much there is to see at the temple itself. We spent hours here, taking in every detail of this remarkable place.

Visit the “Ghost” Buddha’s

A lesser-known thing to do that’s unique to Nikko is visiting the “ghost” jizo buddhas. “There’s a legend about the Jizo statues of Kanmangafuchi. Because of their ghostly nature, they're said to have the power to disappear and reappear. That's why they're nicknamed "Bake" Jizo (ghost Jizo). There are about 70 of them along the Kanmangafuchi Abyss. But if you try counting them, apparently, you'll never find the same number. I tried and was confused indeed. I'll let you make your own attempt when you get there." I can say from experience that you get a different number every time!

Shinkyo Bridge

Visiting the Shinkyo Bridge in Nikko is an important stop. The bridge is a focal point in the city, with the Nikko Mountains in the background, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dining

There are many delightful hole-in-the-wall modest places to enjoy coffee, desserts and meals throughout Nikko. When we arrived, we had an incredible meal celebrating tofu skins (yuba) and the many ways to prepare them. In addition to tofu, there was tempura, soba, and sweets to enjoy throughout the many courses. Nikko Coffee is the ideal spot to grab your caffeine fix, selling locally made products and Nikko Cola Syrup. Kiyotaki Trout Farm distributes the freshest trout to restaurants nearby and is a great place to stop for a tour and trout sashimi with wasabi and soy sauce (schedule ahead of time). If you'd like to try their trout cooked, head to Nikko Kanaya Hotel for lunch and dessert, but save a little room for Mitsuyama-Youkan, dating back to 1895. They're known for red bean jelly, which uses natural water from Nikko and has an almost juicy texture (think of the texture of cranberry sauce). They're happy to let you taste the available varieties so you leave with one you genuinely enjoy. Saryo Nichirin is the spot for shaved ice with red bean, condensed milk, and flavored syrups like Nikko Cola, yuzu, and strawberry. All quite delicious!

Japan is a special place to enjoy and not be rushed through. Take your time and explore each destination thoroughly. Meet the locals, dive into the culture, and be sure to go hungry because you'll want to taste it all!

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