Get yourself a Japan Rail Pass before you go as you can't buy them in Japan and they save

a LOT of
money on the train system
https://www.japan-rail-pass.com/transportation/japan-rail-pass/national
The main railway stations have a JR Pass counter which can help with timetables and bookings
Enjoy the Shinkansen or Bullet Trains! They are fab!
Buy a PASMO Passport once you get to Japan. You'll need to show your passport to purchase one.
It’s like the Oyster Card except its used pretty much all over Japan for the metro, local trains, buses
etc https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/

Haven't been to Okayama or Takayama

Osaka I'm not that keen on but the castle is worth a visit as well as Dotonburi and the aquarium
Here are my recommendations for the rest:

Tokyo

Asakusa
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3004.html
…and Gonpachi Restaurant in Asakusa - fab restaurant!
https://gonpachi.jp/asakusa/

Ueno Park and museums (recommend Shitamachi Museum and the Tokyo National Museum)
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3019.html

Meguro Parasitological Museum

https://www.kiseichu.org/e-top

Sengakuji (the graves and museum of the 47 Ronin)

https://sengakuji.or.jp/about_sengakuji_en/

Hokusai in Tokyo
https://www.stutler.cc/other/sketchbook/hokusai.html

Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Stadium

https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1692/
Tickets
https://www.sumo.or.jp/En/

Earthquake Museum Royogoku (behind the Sumo Stadium)

https://www.japan-experience.com/all-about-japan/tokyo/museums-galleries/great-kanto-
earthquake-museum

Kabukiza information and tickets for the Kabuki

https://www.kabukiweb.net/theatres/kabukiza/

walk around the perimeter of the Imperial Palace grounds

Yasukuni Shrine and museum

https://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/yushukan/

Ichigaya Japan Self Defence Force barracks and site tour

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g1066457-d3407183-r727695347-
Ministry_of_Defence_Ichigayadai_Tour-Shinjuku_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html
For many other recommendations trawl through my Trip Advisor reviews
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Profile/brixtontrev?fid=5e0313d9-9b37-4c95-a6dc-4b93005bd651

Tokyo Skytree
https://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/

The Edo Museum is unfortunately closed until 2025

The Mitsui Memorial Museum - just north of Nihonbashi Bridge in Tokyo. Has some great exhibitions
but amongst tourists isn't that well know.
Well worth a visit
https://www.mitsui-museum.jp/english/english.html

Keeping up to date on what's going on in Tokyo subscribe to the online Tokyo edition of Time Out
https://www.timeout.com/tokyo

The Tokyo Metropolitan Govt Observatories with great views on clear days
https://www.yokoso.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/tenbou/index.html

Nikko (accessible from Tokyo's Tobu Asakusa Station)

https://www.asakusastation.com/tobu-limited-express-spacia-kegon-for-nikko/
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3800.html

Here's the link to the Japanese Ryokan Association website where you can check out ryokan in
certain locations and book them
https://www.ryokan.or.jp/english/
There are some stunning ryokan but they are usually a lot pricier than the standard basic ones.
The ryokan in Kyoto are about the best and range from basic to luxury.
If you are going to stay in ryokan in Tokyo stay in one in Nezu/Yanaka where they are more
traditional than modern.
Nezu and Yanaka in Tokyo are well worth a visit and a lovely walk around.
https://www.gotokyo.org/en/story/walks-and-tours/yanaka-and-nezu/index.html
Yanaka Ginza is a great place for reasonably priced traditional ware rather than the much more
expensive Ginza

Other attractions in Tokyo

Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku in Tokyo is good for evening meals in much more traditional izakaya
https://www.japan-experience.com/all-about-japan/tokyo/attractions-excursions/omoide-yokocho
Here is a great little video showing you what Omoide Yokocho is like
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/video/2012/feb/01/tokyo-memory-lane-strange-eats

If, like most tourists do in Tokyo, you go to Asakusa walk to the very back of the Sensoji Temple and
there's a great statue of Ichikawa Danjuro IX the Kabuki actor in full Kabuki costume. It’s my
favourite statue in Tokyo.

For general shopping, say for modern clothing with traditional Japanese motifs Ameyoko-cho is my
absolute favourite. Its near the southern entrance to Ueno Park where you would be headed if you
are going to visit the Tokyo National Museum which is at the 'rear' of Ueno Park so you could
combine the two. Be careful with your belongings there though - Japan is very safe but Ameyoko-
cho has a little bit of a reputation for pickpockets
https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1706/
Odaiba and the Team-Lab experience
Head out towards Odaiba for the Team-Lab experience at Planets Tokyo. It’s an absolutely amazing
immersive experience as only Japanese technology can do
https://www.teamlab.art/
It’s just to the north of Shin-Toyosu Station on the Yurikamome
Line https://www.yurikamome.co.jp/en/
Once you've visited there you can get back on the line and go to the Telecom Centre Station and
walk north to visit Miraikan, the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation where there
are ROBOTS! Again, only in the way Japanese technology can do. Amazing!!
https://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/en/

When you leave the museum walk north and you will eventually meet a HUUUGE statue of Gundam
which actually moves. Behind this is a large shopping centre with loads of stuff you can only buy in
Japan.

…and Yokohama

Old Foreign settlement – Yamatecho

https://trip.pref.kanagawa.jp/trip/a-tour-of-the-past-yokohama-yamates-foreign-architecture/42

Sankeien Gardens
https://www.sankeien.or.jp/en/

Kyoto

Sumiya Ageya - tours in Japanese only. Hire a translator/guide or a volunteer translator

http://sumiyaho.sakura.ne.jp/page/english.html

Nijojo Castle
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3918.html

Nijo Jinya fortified Samurai House (around the corner from Nijojo Castle) – tours in Japanese only.
Hire a translator/guide or a volunteer translator
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3926.html

Kanga An Temple (for superb vegetarian food in absolutely beautiful temple surroundings)
https://kangaan.jp/ (Japanese)
https://myconciergejapan.com/restaurants/kangaan/

Hana Kitcho kaiseki cuisine (in the side road to let left of the Minamiza Theatre)
https://www.byfood.com/restaurant/hana-kitcho-1316

Kawai Kanjiro’s House (a potter who left a very distinctive traditional’ish house to the Japanese
nation)
https://www.japan-experience.com/all-about-japan/kyoto/museums-galleries/kawai-kanjiro-
memorial-museum

weblink to the Minamiza Theatre in Kyoto where Kabuki is also performed.

https://www.kabukiweb.net/theatres/minamiza/

Sanjusangendo Temple
http://www.sanjusangendo.jp/ (Japanese)
https://www.worldhistory.org/Sanjusangendo/
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3900.html

Tetsugaku no Michi (The Philosopher’s Walk) – start with a visit at Ginkakuji Temple which is where
the southbound walk along the Philosopher’s Path starts
Ginkakuji
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3907.html
Philosopher’s Path (visit the smaller temples along the path and then
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3906.html
Murin-an gardens which are very close to the end of the Philosopher’s Path
https://murin-an.jp/en/

Kiyomizu Dera – then walk back to town via Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka visiting the Kiyomizu
Sannenzaka Museum and the Starbuck’s in an old Machiya
https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/
https://livejapan.com/en/in-kansai/in-pref-kyoto/in-gion_kawaramachi_kiyomizu-dera-
temple/article-a2000498/
https://sannenzaka-museum.co.jp/en/

Kinkakuji Temple – the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, a must see

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3908.html

Pontocho District – worth a walk along for the restaurants at any time of the day but an evening
walk as its getting dark is a real pleasure with the possibility of seeing Geiko and Maiko hurrying to
the restaurants to entertain guests
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3921.html

Todaiji (Nara – accessible on a day trip from Kyoto combined with a visit to Uji’s Byodo-In)
https://www.todaiji.or.jp/en/

Byodo-in (Uji – accessible on a day trip from Kyoto combined with a visit to Nara’s Todaiji)
https://www.byodoin.or.jp/en/

My old neighbourhood when I had an extended stay in Kyoto

I lived for three months in Gion, the Geisha District in Kyoto. Well worth a walk around. You might
spot Geiko (as the Geisha are called in Kyoto) or Maiko (trainee Geiko).
There are also some lovely temple grounds there at the southern end of Gion called Kenninji Temple
At the north is Hanamikoji Street which is a great place for traditional shops - its runs between
Yasaka Jinja (Shrine) to Shijo-Ohashi Bridge and further west. Go further north of Hanamikoji for
more lovely places to see, especially along the canal there!

Hikone Castle – about 50 minutes by train from Kyoto. A lovely castle that belonged to Ii Naomasa
who commanded the Red Devils at the Battle of Sekigahara fighting for Tokugawa Ieyasu. It has a
great museum
https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/hikone-travel-guide
https://hikone-castle-museum.jp/en/

Mt Hiei – a great side trip from Kyoto with some lovely temples which can be explored on foot. I
prefer the Sakamoto Cable Car.
https://traditionalkyoto.com/traditional-areas/mt-hiei-directions/
https://www.sakamoto-cable.jp/
At the top station there is a viewing platform from where on a good day you can see a really good
panorama of Lake Biwa. Kosei Line from Kyoto Station to Heizan Sakamoto Station and then walk to
the bottom station of the Sakamoto Cable Car.

Kyoto Shopping arcades southern entrance and Nishiki Market

Shopping arcades good for quirky Japanese goods which are less expensive than elsewhere because
this is where a lot of Japanese shop. Nishiki Market, which cuts across the arcades, is interesting and
mostly food though there are a few stalls that sell things that tourists might be interested in like
Japanese kitchen knives
Elsewhere

Himeji Castle
https://www-city-himeji-lg-jp.j-
server.com/LUCHIMEJIC/ns/tl.cgi/https://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/castle/index.html?SLANG=ja&TLANG
=en&XMODE=0&XCHARSET=utf-8&XJSID=0

Hiroshima
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
https://hpmmuseum.jp/?lang=eng

Hiroshima Castle
https://www.jcastle.info/view/Hiroshima_Castle

Miyajima Island and Itsukushima Shrine

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3401.html
Tram 2 from Hiroshima Station to Myajimaguchi. 5 minute walk to the ferry terminal from where
you can jump on one of the ferries to Miyajima