Japan: Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo Part 1 of 2

Our trip began 10/11 with an incredibly roundabout flight path from Seattle to Washington D.C. to Tokyo to Osaka. An exhausting way to start but these were "saver award" tickets bought with credit card miles, so I was more than happy to spend an extra couple hours on a plane to save some cash.

After finally arriving in Osaka we met up with my sister Justine and her husband Andrew in the airport. They had also just arrived and we would be traveling together for about the next week. And we would be visiting my brother-in-law's childhood town of Moroyama and his parents, a unique opportunity.

A quick bowl of ramen was enjoyed around the corner from our rental in Osaka and we all slept well that night.

Andrew my brother-in-law and his wife, my sister Justine on left. Samantha and I on the right all enjoying ramen in Osaka after way too much time on airplanes.

Osaka & Kyoto

Japan: conjuring images of cherry blossoms, sushi, pagodas, and ancient katana wielding samurai, this country has a unique culture founded in centuries of feudalism cemented in isolationism. This has left behind deeply rooted traditions and societal practices still very much evident today. We found that the Japanese people were incredibly kind, humble and carried an individual sense of duty and social responsibility. These characteristics formed the foundation of a society where the day-to-day activities flowed peacefully, as if life itself was distilled into an elegant Japanese Garden. Even the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and Shibuya Crossing had an orderly nature to it. Externally, this conformity creates a smoothly operating society, but we were not naïve to the individual pressure and conflict these same norms can engender. My advice as a gaijin, or foreigner; speak quietly and politely, treat your hosts with the same respect and reverence they are almost guaranteed to show you, and you’ll find this a delightful, slightly mysterious and welcoming place to spend a vacation.

Osaka has some well recognized attractions and a few lesser known ones we added to our itinerary. We planned to spend just one full day here to capture the highlights. We started with the Shin Sekai market area, known for its retro Showa looks and great quick eats. Look for doteyaki, beef tendon slow simmered in miso and rice wine. You'll find it offered in uncomfortably small quarters, eating elbow to elbow with your neighbor at a standing room only counter. Embrace the awkwardness, the passing glances from neighbors and the proprietor's attempts to help are all well meaning. Our choices of oden style daikon radish, cold octopus salad and the doteyaki made it all worth it. It doesn't get more local than this. Pro tip: Maybe do this later into your trip, to reduce the clumsiness of the experience.

After our snacks we wandered through Keitakuen Garden, a nice stroll for anyone who appreciates these thoughtfully created landscapes. After a sushi lunch, it seemed the evening was upon us and we headed to Dotonbori, one of the best known areas in Osaka and home to the famous neon Glico Running Man. We joined the masses and got lost in a sea of lights and translucent umbrellas as the falling rain only enhanced the surreal glow of the streets. That night we ate okonomiyaki, an Osaka street food classic, and it actually turned into a comically bad experience, and our only bad food on the trip. I believe it was a strange one off occurrence so I'll refrain from mentioning specifics as it was otherwise a highly rated spot.

The next morning we took the Yamatoji train to Nara, storing our bags in a convenient locker, followed by a local line to Tenri. If you've read anything on this site. by now you'll know that I, Moose, love to walk. And if you travel with me, there will be walking. In an obscure small book on Japan I had found the Yamanobe-no-miche, the remnants of an ancient road, one of the oldest on record in Japan and an interesting hike today. We began our walk heading south, through persimmon orchards, rice patties, centuries old cemeteries and past small self-service stands where we bought fruit and fresh steamed black soybeans to eat. Lunch was a persimmon based Japanese curry, enjoyed at a friendly trail-side restaurant. About six miles and zero tourists later we arrived in Yanagimotocho and caught the train back to Nara. There, in almost total darkness, we went to the city park to visit the famous bowing deer. My advice, come here earlier, skip the walk if that's not your thing, although I very much enjoyed it, but include Nara on any Kyoto itinerary. There was traditional mochi being made on the street, cute shops and deer that bow if bowed to, it's almost too ridiculous to believe! For dinner we found a tiny place serving an incredibly local specialty, a vegetable nabe, or hotpot, containing only locally grown produce. Some karaage was also ordered, and for anyone who has not tried Japanese deep fried chicken, this is a must. Chicken thigh chunks are perfectly fried, creating crispy yet tender bite-sized morsels. Feeling almost sated and hara hachi bun me, a phrase you may hear that roughly translates to "belly 80 percent full", a Confucian practice still common today. This may be good for ones' health but can leave you hungry, especially as a Westerner. (This actually impacted my food budget, as I had to order more than expected due to smaller portion sizes, something to keep in mind if you're very active like we are.) Finally, we took a quick and convenient train ride to Kyoto to find our apartment.

Kyoto is considered the cultural and spiritual center of Japan and days are easily lost exploring ancient Buddhist and Shinto temples and tiny alleyways choked with even smaller shops, some with room for only one or two customers. Start early to better enjoy Arashiyama Bamboo Garden and the popular temples, recent increases in tourism have led to congestion in these areas during peak hours. We spent two full days in Kyoto and used a third to travel to Himeji Castle, I'd say this was barely enough time to see the essentials. It should work for couples, but for groups of four or more, especially with children, another day could be added to the itinerary. We began with the bamboo garden in the early morning, a vegetarian lunch in a Buddhist temple at Izusen, enjoying courses of tiny, intricate dishes and Kinkaku-ji in the late afternoon, after the heaviest crowds. The Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji, was a photogenic delight. Soft, indirect lighting allowed us to capture the whole scene, while the warm, radiant glow of the gold leaf accented the surrounds.

On our second day we wanted to have an experience that would contrast with the more typical touristic temples and eateries. Several weeks before our trip I booked a spot with Taro Saeki of Haru Cooking Class to secure spots in one of his small and intimate classes offered in his home. This turned out to be as much of a culture experience as a culinary one, where conversation about Taro's contrasting life in Japan and America flowed freely and comfortably.

Day three we took the bullet train from Kyoto to Himeji Castle. This is castle dates to 1333 and is one of the best preserved in Japan, miraculously surviving the bombings of WWII. Despite the nearly 100 miles distance, Japan's efficient high speed rail system made this an easy trip and we were back in Kyoto for a late lunch. We visited another impressive pagoda, Kiyomizu-dera and visited busy Nishiki Market for dinner and snacks.

Moriyama & Tokyo

Bullet trains again made the trip to Tokyo from Kyoto fast and easy. From there we transferred to a local train and made our way to Moriyama to visit my brother-in-law's family. He spent most of his adolescence living in Japan and we were excited to experience some of his past. His family took us on a short hike to Shukuya-no-Taki waterfall and we toured a traditional soy sauce factory, one of only a few left using these methods. This was actually very interesting, and the giant bubbling vats of koji (mold) and soybeans were impressive. They had an in-house restaurant were we ate a cold citrus and soy sauce soup, a seasonal offering.

Andrew's Dad joined the four of us as we returned to Tokyo to go to Tsukiji fish market. There are countless vendors and stalls here, endless live seafood and more food than you could try in a lifetime. If you have specific places you want to go make list beforehand, otherwise just join the ebb and flow of the crowds and see where fate leads you. We tried uni (sea urchin), toro (fatty tuna) and who knows what else. I do think the relocation of the wholesale fish market a handful of years ago has led to a more tourist focused Tsukiji, but that was probably the direction it was headed anyway, and its still worth a few hours of time.

Andrew's Dad boarded a train back to Moriyama and after a few more hours and a visit to Senso-ji temple, Andrew and Justine did the same. Sammi and I retrieved our luggage from our train station locker (take advantage of these!) and headed towards our hotel. After checking in and dropping off bags we headed out into the new neighborhood of Asakusa. Here we stumbled into a traditional celebration, with dance and music. Again we found ourselves enthralled in a fascinating mix of ancient tradition and modernity, as men and women wearing kimonos, rhythmically beating drums, proudly marched into the open glass doors of a shopping mall.

The next day we toured Harajuku Street, with its anime shops and comical bad t-shirts. We went to Shibuya Crossing to see the hubbub and one of the most photographed places in Japan. That night we walked to Ebisu Yokocho, a narrow, smoke filled building packed with tiny izakaya's, small food stalls that serve specialty small plates and drinks. We ate at an izkaya that served exclusively mushroom dishes. Dining on enoki and shiitake mushroom while assaulted by the shouts of the cooks, the flash of fire from woks, wafting smoke and scents both familiar and new, all while listening in on conversations we'd never understand, was simultaneously overwhelming and invigorating. A perfect ending to our time in Tokyo.

Make sure to read Japan: Part 2 to see the real adventure on Kyushu and Hokkaido!