General Information

Rush hour in Tokyo: between 8-9 am!

How to pack for summer in Japan:

• http://herpackinglist.com/2015/05/packing-list-for-japan-in-summer/

GF places in Japan:

• https://glutenfree-restaurant.com/

Train timetable:

• http://www.hyperdia.com/

Guide about the JR pass:

• http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html

Japan Cheap:

• https://japancheapo.com/

Calendar of Events in Japan:

• http://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/japan-calendar

Shinkansen Reservations JR pass:

• From Tokyo to Osaka ask for seats on the right hand side. Tell at the ticket counter that you want "mountain-side" or "yama-gawa".　Seat alphabet "D" and "E" (window).

Tokyo

Getting Here

• From Narita Airport:
  • Take Keisei Main Line until Nippori Station and then change to the JR Yamanote Line which will take you to Ikebukuro

  • Website with timetable and fair : http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/timetable/index.php#narita1_kml

• Tickets from travelling within Tokyo explained:

  • http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/travel/practical/tonai_ticket.html

Sightseeing

• Imperial Palace East Gardens

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q54CRJm?m=&node=250668616

• Sensoji Temple

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q54xxrd0-?m=

  • Website: http://www.senso-ji.jp/guide/index_e.html

• Kaminarimon Gate (gateway to Senso-ji Temple)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q54w118g-?layers=N&m=&way=173154849

• Nakamise Shopping Street (the street between the Kaminarimon and the Sensoji Temple must take this route!)
• Omoide Yokocho (best seen at evening)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5yL5HBQ-?m=&way=103063334

• Shibuya Crossing
• Hachiko Statue

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5nP6FMs--?m=&node=597685675

• Tsukiji Fish Market

  • http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3021.html

  • Address: http://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=35.6614&mlon=139.7694#map=14/35.6614/139.7694&layers=T

• Tsukiji Honganji Temple
• Ueno Park
• Meiji-Jingu Shrine

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5ne4RE?m=&relation=3603909

• Bunkyo Civic Center Observatory (FREE unlike the Tokyo tower 25 floors up)

Eating

• Glutenfree cafe littlebird (especially if we are visiting shinjuku and surroundings)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5nZjZWx--?m=

  • Website: http://www.foods.thinknext.co.jp/en/GFinfo/

• Soranoiro (GF/Vegan ramen)
  • Prder the Vegan Vegetable Noodles because you can choose rice noodles and the broth is vegetable based with tomato, olive oil and other veggies

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5n~ebI9--?m=&relation=4243739

• Afuri (GF-vegan ramen ask for konnyaku men noodles)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5nh4aVY--?m=&node=3307021787

• Natural cream kitchen (50cm sweet roll)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5nxKPv8?m=

• Satake (soba noodles)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5nhn15x--?m=

  • To see the menue: https://yebisublog.wordpress.com/2016/01/12/satake-soba-noodles-made-of-100-buckwheat-flour/

• Q pot cafe (super cute cafe with themes)

  • Website: http://www.q-pot.jp/shop/cafe/

• Kawaii Monster Cafe

  • Website: http://kawaiimonster.jp/pc/en/menu/

  • Oppenign hours Mondays to Saturdays

    Lunch	Dinner	Sunday
    11:30-16:30	18:00-22:30	11:00-20:00

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5nxOTjA--?m=&node=4208482890

For food some important words:

• beer named Nodogoshi Nama is the only gluten free Japanese beer

  • http://glutenfreeinjapan.blogspot.de/2013/06/gluten-free-beer.html

• inari sushi this is the rice inside the tofu pouch sushi
• mugi tea is tea made of barley!
• Osenbei are rice crackers, ask for those with salt

Extras/Festivals

• Shinyokohama Ramen Museum
• Harajuku Omotesando Genki Matsuri Super Yosakoi Festival 2017
• Asakusa Summer Night Festival—Toro Nagashi (Paper Lantern Floating)
• Hibiya Park Marunouchi Ondo Bon-odori Dance Festival
• Asagaya Tanabata Matsuri Festival
• Comiket (Comic Market)

Calendar of events in Tokyo https://www.gotokyo.org/eventlist/en/list

Shopping

Location of 100 yen shops in Tokyo Yamanote line: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/travel/practical/100yen.html

What to see on the Yamanote line: https://blog.gaijinpot.com/exploring-tokyo-yamanote-line/

• Mitsubado (cosplay! for cheap!)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q54ND4sR--?layers=H&m=&node=4069489666

  • Website: http://www.mitubado.com/46_101233.html

• Animate

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q54NIyZU--?layers=H&m=&node=1996594184

• Don Quijote (Biggest cosplay place)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q54NI9TN--?layers=H&m=&node=1996594184

• Mandarake Nakano (anime & comic goods)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5yQzOyk-?m=&way=51979646

• Pokémon Center Tokyo

  • Address: http://www.openstreetmap.org/node/3350332481#map=17/35.72883/139.71916

• Ameyayokocho Street Ueno Station (Great Bargains!)
• Yanaka Ginza Nippori Station (Street with tradition souvenirs not super touristy)
• Takeshita Street (another busy street with funny clothes)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7Q5nxWLnM--?m=&node=597685675

• Ghibli Museum

  • http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/ticket-information/

  • http://www.jtbgmt.com/eng/ghibli/TicketSystem.html#Regions

  • http://www.japanspecialist.de/ghibli-museum/

Kyoto

Guide to reach places in kyoto by train: http://jprail.com/destinations/kansai-area/guide-to-take-trains-in-kyoto-how-to-choose-the-best-route-by-train-to-get-the-major-spots.html

• Arashiyama Mountain
• Kyoto International Manga Museum

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQzRsdA-?layers=T&m=&relation=4225854

  • Website: kyotomm.jp
• Nishiki Market

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQylZSs--?layers=T&m=&node=4170367989

• Takashimaya Basement Food Floor

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQyq0v?layers=T&m=&relation=357794

• Pontocho Alley (prettier by night!)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQ4TcE?layers=T&m=&relation=357794

• Geisha district

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQ4L1K?layers=T&m=

  • Tram stop: Gion-Shijo

  • Website: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3902.html

• Yasaka Shrine (in the Gion district best seen at night)
• Kiyomizu-dera Temple

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQua0R--?layers=T&m=&way=336641107

  • Tram stop: Gion-Shijo
• Visit the Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka Preserved Lanes that lead down from the temple
• Ishibei-koji Lane
• Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHRMbi?layers=T&m=&way=98115917

• Gion Corner (the show is a highly concentrated introduction to several traditional Japanese arts and include short performances of a tea ceremony, ikebana, bunraku, Kyogen comic plays and dances performed by real maiko)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQt1i4?layers=T&m=&way=349681060

  • Website: http://www.kyoto-gioncorner.com/global/en.html

  • Coupon: http://www.kyoto-gioncorner.com/coopon.html

• Toji Temple (Japans largest pagoda)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQgAczA-?m=&relation=357794

• Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine (10000 Toi gates, takes 2 hours to go from the bottom to the top)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHF5Ytk?m=&way=96291583

Eating

• Mumokuteki Café (vegan/vegetarian)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQy5XSB--?m=&node=4545936090

• Choice (チョイス） (vegan and gluten free) (Read in Gluten free expats!)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQ5OkDR--?layers=H&m=&node=4550028390

• Organic house Salute (サルーテ) (vegan not sure if GF)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QHQhtm~F-?m=

  • Website: http://da-maeda.shop-pro.jp/?mode=f12

• Macrobiotics Prunus (in Arashiyama in case we decide to go to the mountain call to prepare GF one day ahead)

  • Address: http://osm.org/go/7QF62_~vM--?layers=T&m=

Festivals

• Daimon-ji Fire Festival

  • http://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/daimonji

Osaka

How to move around Osaka: https://www.japan-rail-pass.com/japan-by-rail/travel-tips/osaka-loop-line

Osaka Castle and Park, Dotonbori, Amerika-mura (just to look at shopping is too expensive), Shitennoji Temple, Umeda floating garden Minami (Namba) Den Den Town

• Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

  • http://osm.org/go/7QEw6Q1k-?m=&way=143328734

Guide to Osaka: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4001.html

Eating

Nara

Todai-ji temple Great Buddha Nara Koen Sanjusangendo esoteric Buddhist temple (Tendai school)

Eating

• Daifuku deli stall
  • Address: there is a supermarket under the station (sub-level), Before you go down the escalator from the station to the supermarket, you walk through a concourse with lots of little deli-style food stalls. On your left, directly after you enter this area, and before the escalators, is a stall that sells fresh daifuku and mochi.

Hiroshima

• How to access to Miyajima from Hiroshima

  • http://jprail.com/trains/sort-by-type/local-lines/how-to-get-miyajima.html/comment-page-3#comment-264219

• Tourist Loop Bus, Meipuru-pu bus stop

  • http://jprail.com/travel-informations/basic-informations/station-information/hiroshima-station-guide-how-to-change-the-trains-shinkansen-and-local-train-to-miyajima-how-to-catch-tram-and-loop-bus-meipuru-pu.html

Eating

• Shanti Yoga Vegan Cafe (Buddhist vegan cooking)

  • https://www.happycow.net/reviews/shanti-yoga-vegan-cafe-hiroshima-73516

Curiosities

• Penis festival
• Capsule hotels man only
• Train prices, even have to pay for not having a reservation!