[Music] so [Music] japan is amongst most people's top 10 travel destinations it's not surprising as the country's share amount of activities is almost unmatched i was fortunate enough to be able to spend a good two weeks traveling through the country with my brother it was an amazing experience from high-tech megacities to small peaceful towns in the countryside japan is truly a country of contrast but figuring out what to spend one's precious time on can get a bit complicated so i wanted to share my own experiences by creating this travel guide based on my recent trip i believe this is the ideal way to experience this amazing country for the very first time the country is massive consisting of over 6800 islands making larger than germany and with its 127 million inhabitants japan is effectively the 10th largest country by population the country consists mostly of four main islands honshu is the largest and home to the major cities such as tokyo osaka kyoto and kobe hokkaido the second largest island home to the city of sapporo and is famous for its untouched nature and outdoor activities shikoku the smallest one known for its pilgrimage route of 88 temples and finally kyushu home to fukuoka and known for its mountainous regions and active volcanoes japan is a highly developed country but that doesn't mean it isn't budget friendly the country is filled with many affordable accommodation options as well as affordable meals anywhere around a thousand yen so you won't go hungry here unless you choose to getting around japan is fairly easy thanks to the country's highly developed transportation network i would however stay away from taxis as a trip from the airport to the city center can easily get way too expensive instead grab yourself an ic card which works with any major public transportations any of the seven cards will work in all major cities in japan so you don't need to worry about getting a specific one as for planning on how to get from a to b i pretty much only use google maps that also goes for what metro lines i should take and what connections i should make during my trip with all that said all that would be useless without you being connected for my trip i purchased a prepaid sim card from sim card key for some light browsing and group planning it works efficiently for me so you may want to check them out [Music] we arrived in japan via plane and landed at naruto international airport from there we hopped on the skyliner train which took us to downtown tokyo if you're wondering what's the best area to stay in when in tokyo i generally recommend either shinjuku or harajuku shinjuku if you're more for the nightlife drinking scene as well as for the shinjuku station which serves as one of the main transportation hubs in the city alternatively harajuku is more famous for its quirky japanese fashion scene but it's also far more relaxed compared to shinjuku and it's close to some famous landmarks such as yoyogi park and the meshi shrine as for activities it would be impossible to cover everything but here are some of my highlights during the trip akihabara known as the electric town famous for anime manga and cosplays pretty much a geek's paradise while in akihabara check out the massive don quixote shop i reckon it's the place for souvenir gift [Music] also don't miss out on the arcades there's multiple ones in akihabara and who knows if you try your luck you might win a prize for the iconic tokyo tower review check out tokyo city view at roppongi hills and while you're there you might as well go and check out the mori art museum which is right next door to the tokyo city view speaking of views you can't miss out on shibuya crossing if you want a decent view of the crossing check out starbucks alternatively locate the max park building for a better one for some out of this world experience check out the digital art museum at team lab planets [Music] despite the inner markets has moved on tsujiki is still worth visiting for its outer market where there's still a ton of food to try out if you're into temples then sen sushi temple should be on your list and that also includes the famous mechi shrine at yoyogi park for more temple hopping check out the sochoti temple the yasukuni shrine as well as the tenoji temple in terms of food there's just too many good options here in tokyo so here's just a few that i enjoyed the famous ichiran ramen a furi for the yusuf flavored ramens and for more michelin starred flavors then check out nakuyu if sushi is more your thing then try out the quirky conveyor belt sushi at obey sushi or genki sushi if you want to step it up a notch then give mountain sushi a try [Music] if you want more affordable options then try out these ones kyubey sushi no midori and zanmaizuji if you're really on a tight budget then don't be afraid to try out some convenience store foods they're surprisingly good and there are a ton of options [Music] after spending a few days in tokyo we pack our bags and jump onto shinkansen bullet train which took us the ancient capital of kyoto the trip cost us about a 13 000 yen which equals to about 114 us dollars you may want to check out the japan rail pass if you intend to be using the shinkansen multiple times during your trip kyoto is very different from the neon skylines of tokyo it's still a big city by all means but it's much more steep in history and traditions while the city is known for its many temples kyoto still has a vibrant nightlife and plenty to offer for wandering tourists as for where to stay i highly recommend staying anywhere near or around the old june area where you find most tourist activities start your exploration off by heading to the old district of june walk for the ancient side streets visit the many old shops and simply just explore at your own leisure while in june there are a few things worth checking out ponton joe is an atmospheric dining street packed with different eateries and bars at all price ranges [Music] the ancient streets of hanami koji here you'll find old wooden storefronts and if you're lucky you might even get a few snaps of geishas in between appointments the nishiki market is also a great place to explore here you'll find hundreds of small different shops and you'll also be able to taste some tasty local foods one thing i highly recommend trying out is visiting kagizen yoshifuza for some japanese traditional sweets don't miss out on their kuzukiri noodles while you're in yeon you might as well check out the main shrine in this area the yasaka shrine [Music] for more temple hopping experiences visit the nan sanji temple and its famous garden the kyo mizudera temple and his amazing view over the city and finally fushimi inari shrine famous for its thousands of torii gates if you're up for some more natural scenery then check out the arashiyama area here you'll find the famous arashiyama bamboo grove you offer a short hike up to stairs and some monkeys and visit the iwatayama monkey park [Music] if you haven't had enough of temples already then visit the famous tenruji temple as well exploring its beautiful garden [Music] when you're done exploring then i do recommend taking a scenic train ride on the sacono scenic railway it's best during the fall seasons as you get to experience the amazing chains of leaves however it's still a nice ride even during other seasons for food you want to try out the kryo kaiseki dinner the region's own twist of the traditional kaiseki dinner which aikens to a multiple course dinner here in the west you can book kaiseki dinners either at a ryokans or a traditional restaurants some places i recommend are kyoto kicho and arishiyama yon kario and [Music] takuba besides kaiseki's there's always sushi and one place i do recommend is sushi tatsu very affordable and very good sushi for its price [Music] alternatively if you want to try it out something different then try the tempura at kome fuku oh and don't forget plenty of sauce [Music] however if you are in the mood for some proper meat then try out some barbecue and yaki niku hero here you can find some pretty tasty slices of meat at a pretty affordable price and finally finish off the evening by hanging out by the kamogawa river listening to local artists and perhaps with a drink in your hand after kyoto we jump on the local train and head towards osaka compared to tokyo which is often regarded as cold and reserved osaka is often seen as a more laid back the locals are known to be more friendly more easy going and always down for some fun while the city certainly has a more relaxed vibe such as kyoto what kyoto brings in historic importance osaka is more about eating and drinking the night away as for where to stay during your time in osaka i recommend staying in the minami region also known as namba here you'll be close to most of the city's attractions such as dotonbori and the glico man ask for things to do other than stuffing your face into delicious food here's a short list explore the famous dotonbori area take a ride on the tembuzan ferris wheel be amazed by the osaka aquarium [Music] explore the next fashion trends at american mura and wander the streets of shinsekai as for other activities to occupy your time with check out the omida sky building the osaka castle as well as the universal studios if you're up for amusement parks as i mentioned earlier osaka is basically food heaven so there's plenty of good places to check out but if you're still looking for recommendations here's a few places i would recommend fukutaro for the okonomiyaki if you offer some yakitori then visit yakitonya daiyudayou i probably butchered that for some cheesecake delights check out [Music] pablo you're in osaka you kind of need to try some takoyaki so get some decent ones at cuckoo [Music] we can't finish this out without some miyaki niku so visit yakiniku m from tomato sakakyo beef [Music] after gaining a few pounds in osaka it was time to get out of the city and get some fresh air so you hop on the local train and headed towards nara nara is a small city located to the east of osaka you might know nara mostly for its lovely deer population but the city also houses some of the most impressive temples and shrines in the entire country [Music] as for where to stay i recommend staying near nara park located in eastern side of city it's also here where most activities will be found so you're looking for affordable accommodation options then try out the nara visitors center and in this is also the place we decided to stay at during our time in nara it's centrally located right next to the park which makes it the perfect starting point for exploring the city most activities can be found in nara park here's a couple of our highlights isuan [Music] garden [Music] temple one of the main temples in the city and obviously you can't come to nara without meeting the deers enjoy the mochi pounding show and amazing mochi right after it during the evening hours there's no better place to hang out and have a chat with the locals than by the world famous land bar also i have to mention the kuzu mochi balls at yoshi no kuzu sakura if that wasn't enough then here's a few more things [Music] take a stroll up mount wakakuza visit nara national museum and finally explore hika shimuki shopping arcade after nara we head back to tokyo to spend our last remaining days in japan what we did managed to do in our initial first days in tokyo we made sure we did them here and that marks the end of this how to travel japan video for first timers yes you can easily include hiroshima kirby and many more cities on the list there's so many things to do here and it's near impossible to cover everything in one video but i hope at the very least i gave you guys some good inspiration and helpful information for your own upcoming japan trip it was by far one of my all-time favorite trips so far and there's still so many things i want to explore in japan and i can't wait for my next trip so as always guys if you enjoyed this video give it a like give it a comment it truly makes a difference to my channel and you want more travel related content or simply want to follow me on my journey hit that subscribe button so yeah that's all for me until next time [Music] you