10 Day Japan Itinerary

I didn't come to Tokyo with many expectations, but I did come expecting ramen. Lots of ramen, the best ramen I've ever tasted. With my expectations set so high, it would have been easy to be disappointed. But I was not! I was in ramen heaven. Some of the best bowls of noodles were from Ramen Street (a commercial row underground below a train station) and from the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum on the outskirts of town. There, ramen stalls from all over the world showcase various international takes on the dish. Kudos to Germany for making some of the best ramen in Japan (is that heresy?)! But my favorite part of ramen culture in Japan is the communal setting. Most ramen shops (or ramen-ya) consist of a U-shaped bar wrapped around the kitchen. Most diners keep to themselves as they slurp their noodles, but the dining experience is inherently a social one. I'm a sucker for food cultures that bring people together for the common purpose of enjoying delicious food.

I'm not a gamer, in fact as close to celibate end of the gaming spectrum as possible, but my jaw dropped when I set foot inside my first SEGA arcade (now sold and rebranded "GiGO") in the Akihabara neighborhood. Level upon level was stocked with all kinds of rhythm games (think Guitar Hero), and the kids playing them are world-class. Hands whizzing, they played with speed and precision that I could hardly believe. I awkwardly walked around observing for what must have been an hour.

There's much more to say about Tokyo, but maybe it's better if you go and find out for yourself :)

There are endless reasons to visit Kyoto, and endless things to do once you get there. Kyoto is home to so many iconic sites: Kinkaku-ji (or the Golden Pavilion), the Fushimi Inari Shrine (the long trail of bright orange torii gates inscribed with businesses looking to secure some good fortune), and the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, just to name a couple. When I was there, a travelling art exhibit was installed in the park. The park was filled with 10-foot illuminated colored eggs, all communicating and changing colors with touch sensors, creating an otherwordly immersive experience. I also visited a Zen temple; these, with their carefully manicured stone and sand gardens, are distinctly different from other Japanese Buddhist temples. I tried some of the famous hand-crafted buckwheat soba noodles, but found them underwhelming. Compared to the rich explosion of umami I found in ramen, sushi, and other Japanese dishes, soba tasted a bit bland (despite being very expensive!). 

Also, the geisha culture is still very much alive in Kyoto. If you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a geisha ducking into a client's home. But be respectful, don't gawk, and don't make a scene!