Don’t just be the observer looking in… it’s extra important to take part in local experiences when visiting Japan. The majority of Japanese don’t speak English, they have a culture of quietness in public areas, and it’s easy to be just a number in their large cities – if you don’t actively seek out making connections.
1. Go Karting
Dressed up as characters and driving through the streets of Tokyo is one of the most fun things I’ve ever done! Shibuya is THE area to go karting – I lost track of how many times we drove through the Scramble Crossing. I recommend this tour in the evening – an electric feeling with all the people and neon lights! During our days in Tokyo – we saw go karts in other areas of the city, and it just didn’t look comparable to our experience in Shibuya.
2. Sumo Wrestling
As the official national sport of Japan – a Sumo event is not to be missed during your trip. My husband and I attended a Sumo demo at the Shinjuku training club, which is the perfect small venue. With an energetic English speaking emcee – we learned interesting history and facts about Sumo wresting. The wrestlers entertained us with their senses of humor, demonstrations of the moves, and friendly matches. I highly recommend – lots of fun!
3. Mt. Fuji Day Trip
Even though Tokyo is a quiet city for its immense size – a day trip to the countryside is a nice break from all the lights, skyscrapers, and crowds of people. We took a day long tour to the Fuji Five Lakes region (about 60 miles west of Tokyo). Mt. Fuji likes to play hide and seek, but we were lucky to get quite a few glimpses of this famous mountain from the unique stops (including the famous Lawson convenience store). We also got the added bonus of the fall color -the maple trees were on fire (those tiny leaves are a color of red my eyes have never seen before)! The cherry blossom photos look pretty – but I’ve declared autumn THE time to visit Japan. 😉
4. Golden Gai Eats & Drinks
What an end to our time in Tokyo! This tour started with a meal at a Hokkaido (norther region of Japan) inspired restaurant; where we cooked dinner table side with the owner. Many laughs were shared with my novice chopstick and Japanese cooking skills!
After dinner, the bar hopping started in the small alleys of Golden Gai. A tour is key here, as many of these tiny bars aren’t accessible to non locals or walk in patrons. One of the bars was owned by a famous Japanese theater actor – interesting hearing the stories and seeing the photos. My favorite stop was to a musically inspired bar; with its collection of guitars and CD’s lining the walls. Besides making drinks – our bartender performed one of his own songs with acoustic guitar (he’s composed over 100 songs). This is an evening I’ll be reliving for quite some time!
5. Meet a Geisha
This trip was filled with so many once in a lifetime experiences… and we ended our trip on a high with this extra special tour! It started with walking through the most famous Geisha district of Gion (in Kyoto). Our guide was so knowledgeable on Geisha culture – we were sponges soaking it all in.
For the main event – our small group of 6 was treated to an hour with a Maiko (an apprentice Geisha, or Geiko as they are called in Kyoto). With our guide/translator – we enjoyed a QA session and 2 dance performances in a lovely intimate teahouse setting. Photos and video were allowed, but we were asked to not share on social media. Unfortunately with more tourism – the Geishas are experiencing frequent harassment on the streets with aggressive tourists and photographers (sadly, we also witnessed this behavior). There are numerous respectful tours and events to learn about this fascinating culture.
I look forward to helping you plan your trip in Japan – with special experiences included! You can also click here to read my TBK tips for traveling to Japan.
Until the next adventure – bon voyage!
Kris
