Japan Trip to Tokyo, Kamakura & Kyoto
This trip to Japan looked a little different from my last visit with Silhouette (watch here), instead of exploring solo, I got to finally share it with my family. It was their first time and from our first egg sando in Ginza to teamLab in Kyoto, I documented the whole thing in a 3-part vlog series and I'm rounding it all up here with the highlights, hotel picks, food finds along the way and all the links you’ll need if you are thinking of visiting Japan.
Vlog 1: Ginza + Day Trip to Kamakura & Enoshima Island
We started our trip in Ginza, staying at the Hyatt Centric Ginza with our Hyatt points and we got a King Bed Deluxe upgrade. Ginza quickly became my favorite home base of the trip. There was so much to do within walking distance, rooftop gardens on top of the malls, revolving sushi on a giant screen, and lots of matcha and coffee shops.
One of the best decisions of the whole trip was our day trip to Kamakura and Enoshima Island timed perfectly for hydrangea season and of course after watching the Kdrama “Can This Love Be Translated”. The hillside walks were covered in hydrangeas, even along the train tracks, and it was worth the crowds and the stairs for the views alone. We also walked over to the island, and it's still one of my favorite memories from the trip. Watch the vlog below and also find all the links from this part 1 vlog!
Hyatt Centric Ginza- https://maps.app.goo.gl/townh53wzwUXbgmv8
Refa Flagship Store- https://maps.app.goo.gl/8ds2LTDCXwKvBBEY6
Glitch Coffee Ginza- https://maps.app.goo.gl/LTkKxtNkRQ1hu8uK7
Sushiro- https://maps.app.goo.gl/DApoYNcbFeQF9NbVA
Pain Maison- https://maps.app.goo.gl/GKV6gquw2MTGLZmz6
Cloud Club Matcha- https://maps.app.goo.gl/RcKqm1ZSYk6TLgYr6
Hase-Dera Temple- https://maps.app.goo.gl/MyFrzcVLgFT9BQSt8
Enoshima Island- https://maps.app.goo.gl/cZjaqB3iuLbucsY98
Bread, Espresso &- https://maps.app.goo.gl/qJCZPx8eJPe58QdTA
Giraffa Enoshima- https://maps.app.goo.gl/4kH66xonXNJvb3Ft8
Nezu Shrine- https://maps.app.goo.gl/wQkNAiC9hZcEEJh76
Vlog 2: Kyoto, teamLab & Arashiyama
Next stop was Kyoto and our first time riding the Shinkansen. We went all in on the bento experience, including one that self-heats with a pull string. We stayed in a traditional Kyoto machiya with two upstairs bedrooms and the best part about our stay here was the massage chair after all our walking days (20,000+ steps).
This was the city of early mornings for all the photo moments, we were out the door by 5:30am a few days in a row to beat the crowds at Kyoto's most photographed spots and it was worth it. Initially didn’t think teamLabs was a must but it really was impressive and so glad we didn’t skip it, we especially loved the Infinite Crystal World room. We also made the walk through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and when you walk through the forest it takes you to the Togetsukyō Bridge which was beautiful.
Then we ended with a quick half-day trip to Osaka for vintage shopping and of course we said hi to the “Osaka guy” at Dotonbori before heading back to Tokyo. Watch the full vlog below and find the links also.
We stayed at Tanimachikun- https://maps.app.goo.gl/EBbPVhnSgENySwk59
Ninenzaka- https://maps.app.goo.gl/VpZbyRuyQg6DS87f6
Kyomizu Temple- https://maps.app.goo.gl/ywycJsbppr8zt27i7
Sot Coffee- https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZQZUYevnswwYLqCA8
teamLab Biovortex Kyoto-https://maps.app.goo.gl/KhSyWBZeNhujC4sJA
Gyukatsu- https://maps.app.goo.gl/9sHePWzADooXc3Md9
Bamboo Forest- https://maps.app.goo.gl/cG5o5M8dhUZLLbAD9
Togetsukyō Bridge- https://maps.app.goo.gl/2Dd5xwjhf6bqCigu9
% ARABICA Kyoto Arashiyama- https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y73DTzamir4qMhAU9
Nishiki Market- https://maps.app.goo.gl/jYzYbCTQYLDH47wX6
Pizza Strada Kyoto- https://maps.app.goo.gl/Q2XXrVfjSDaWiH2B8
WEEKENDERS COFFEE ROASTERY- https://maps.app.goo.gl/4pv2LU2hCxmKpkkh8
Shogun Burger- https://maps.app.goo.gl/cVui31GeZZFuZZjBA
Futaba Soba- https://maps.app.goo.gl/z8rpnPJ5V4kgDQLn7
Dotonbori- https://maps.app.goo.gl/XvZdoanE2AkhX89n7
CAFE FRISKY- https://maps.app.goo.gl/x5tMeu9Ypkg6EK179
Mikazuki Hyouka Shaved Ice- https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ee5jFkgjEA19GpmZA
Walden Woods Kyoto- https://maps.app.goo.gl/JLbrz25N8ExyK6De7
Kyoto Ramen Labo- https://maps.app.goo.gl/vKUBEH93aFh1R6VJ7
Vlog 3: Back to Tokyo — Toranomon Hills & Andaz Tokyo
We made our way back to Tokyo and now that the jet lag had worn off, we were ready to actually explore and finally go shopping since we tried really hard not to shop too early in our trip. We stayed at Hotel Toranomon Hills, part of the Hyatt collection and again we booked with points, and got upgraded to a deluxe room with a view. I also experienced my first Japan earthquake here. It was funny we were in the hotel lounge somewhere on the 40th floor and felt the building move which got me so scared but other hotel guests had asked where do we all go during an earthquake in Japan? They asked do we go outside? And I realized umm we are on the 40th floor, you don’t go anywhere. Funny we went to a science museum a few days after this and saw how Japan makes their buildings for earthquakes and glad to say we were all safe and those buildings are safer than going outside.
We also made it to Shibuya and hunted down Godzilla in Shinjuku, and found a standing sushi bar that gave us the best sushi of the whole trip for around $13. We saved the best hotel for last! The Andaz Tokyo, with a 51st floor lobby and city views that made it the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in. We then did some last-minute shopping and sightseeing to close out the trip. Watch the vlog below and please make sure to subscribe and like.
Hotel Toranomon Hills (The Unbound Collection by Hyatt)- https://maps.app.goo.gl/LrVJV5135AnLwtUs7
Arabica- https://maps.app.goo.gl/Eja4Yxpe75pN3vjh6
Shibuya Sarashina- https://maps.app.goo.gl/zk8ZgFzVQTPq9mqq7
Tachigui Sushi Uogashi Yamaharu- https://maps.app.goo.gl/kyq9w5yEBUQ6hJvD8
Bongen Coffee- https://maps.app.goo.gl/YXxJyC362TvnNqzeA
Kushiyaki Bistro Fukumimi- https://maps.app.goo.gl/kReRXjVrCJEbPvfe8
Andaz Tokyo- https://maps.app.goo.gl/o4S9CPkBMqEkTxSX9
Hikiniku no Toriko- https://maps.app.goo.gl/dzXvJ4aaCApEkB8H9
If you're planning a Japan trip with kids, I hope these three vlogs give you a real, lived-in look at what a family-paced itinerary through Tokyo, Kamakura, and Kyoto can look like. Thank you so much for following along my vacation, I’m now back in my craft room working on some giant paper flowers for a backdrop so stay tuned for some new giant flowers coming soon!
