So, you are off to Japan
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Things to do in Tokyo - (see as much as you can - Tokyo is like 10 big cities.)
There’s a marvellous designer op shop called Ragtag Harajuk (and to get there you need to go past/over/around the busiest intersection in the world!)
Maggie Beer recommends Shirosaka Restaurant in Tokyo’s Akasaka district. Had a fabulous lunch there, it’s really special (we booked online before leaving, a bit expensive, but soooo worth it).
Making wood block prints in Tokyo. We booked by email as soon as we knew our dates.
Look up some great public art (including the Golden Turd)
Loved the big dept stores (every railway station has one!) basement food stalls & hassle-free evening meals in 6th floor restaurants.
Museums around Ueno station.
Flea market in Ginza once a month.
Toyama has glass museum.
Kanazawa has best old garden, castle, museum, Suzuki Zen museum market for meals, coffee shops.
And if you want to see the Ghibli, buy your tickets now (we missed out)
Travel really, really light lots of moving around. You walk millions of steps EVERY DAY so light, light, comfortable shoes.
Other aspects of Japan you need to see
The art islands of Naoshima and Teshima are a must. You can stay in traditional ryokan in village on island- there are lots of guest house type places, and you could catch a ferry to the other islands each day. Or you could stay at Uno, easy to get in and out of). We stayed at a Tonosho Hotel - within steps of the port, easy to do day trips to the islands. There are three - Naoshima, Teshima and Megijima. If you can only do 1 or 2, I’d do them in the order they’re listed here, although Teshima for day trip with lots of strolling is tops. Then there’s the Benesse Art accomodation looks fantastic and would be a real (expensive) treat.
Visit Kyoto It’s delightful and relaxed and fun. The Sanyo arcade is top evening meal and stroll venue.(side trip to Nara or the pilgrimage walk on Kumano Kodo trail below Kyoto.)
Hiroshima - confronting, harrowing, must visit. In addition to ground zero and all the bomb memories If you like seeing old European masters without crowds there’s a fabulous art museum (about stop 3 on the hop on hop off bus from the Granvia - a hotel which is the absolute perfect spot to stay, with a dark and atmospheric cocktail bar downstairs and an expensive five star restaurant upstairs). It’s the perfect foil to the nuclear bomb stuff
Okinawa is possibly the best place I've ever been - three hours flight south of Tokyo, and a whole world away from anything you’ve experienced. It even has whale sharks! and many other fabulous aspects - marvel at the age of people still working every day, the population’s said to be the happiest on Earth, tilling the soil by hand, fresh, fresh, fresh food & seafood. virtually no English.
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS: On Okinawa, we stayed at Nanjo because it had a fabulous onsen. It’s a bit out of town though. Our place was closer to the inspiring, shocking, amazing Peace Museum - learn about history first hand. This is one of the few places we did day tours
Options in Tokyo - if you can, stay close to Shinjuku station (it has one decent coffee shop) stay in east Shinjuku if possible - great restaurants, bars, lots to do; the best thing is shinjuku station - easy to get anywhere
Kimi Ryokan - old style backpacker place, cheap and on Yamamoto line.
Ueno area - stay near Ueno train station as great museums and gardens and market and magnificent people watching.
Kanazawa has Guest House ShIro which is a delight and memorable. Get double room which is futon on tatami. Owners Jiro and Asuka are a young couple who have restored an old merchant's house. It's right across the road from the Ken Ruoken garden and the castle.
Onimichi was a quirky backpacker place in the covered arcade, called Guest House Yado but get the double upstairs room with big window.