🍜 Food Bucket List
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Sushi
Toyosu Fish Market (Day 4) or any sushiya
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Sashimi
Fresh cuts of raw fish — Toyosu or Kuromon Market
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Ramen
Everywhere! Try tonkotsu in Osaka, shoyu in Tokyo
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Udon
Thick wheat noodles — great at Nishiki Market Kyoto
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Soba
Buckwheat noodles — try cold zarusoba in summer!
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Tempura
Lightly battered & fried — shrimp, veg, sweet potato
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Tonkatsu
Breaded pork cutlet — best with karashi mustard & tonkatsu sauce
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Karaage
Japanese fried chicken — crispy, juicy, addictive
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Yakitori
Grilled chicken skewers — Omoide Yokocho (Day 1)!
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Yakiniku
BBQ wagyu — farewell dinner Day 13! 🥩
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Japanese Curry
Thicker & sweeter than Indian curry — try CoCo Ichibanya!
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Omurice
Omelette over fried rice — comfort food classic
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Okonomiyaki
Savoury pancake — Osaka style is the classic!
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Takoyaki
Octopus balls — Dotonbori is the home of takoyaki (Day 11+)
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Bento
Try an ekiben (station bento) on the Shinkansen!
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Shabu-shabu
Hot pot — swish thin meat slices in broth
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Sukiyaki
Sweet soy hot pot — dip in raw egg
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Oden
Winter stew — grab from 7-Eleven convenience store!
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Mochi
Chewy rice cake — try fresh-pounded daifuku mochi
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Dango
Sweet rice dumplings on a stick — Nishiki Market Kyoto
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Dorayaki
Doraemon's snack! Red bean pancake sandwich
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Melon Pan
Iconic Japanese sweet bread with a crispy cookie crust — no melon flavour, just melon-shaped · find at any bakery or konbini!
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Taiyaki
Fish-shaped waffle cake filled with red bean, custard or chocolate — fresh off a street stall, crispy and warm
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Tamagoyaki (Rolled Omelette)
Sweet Japanese rolled omelette on a stick — try it fresh at Nishiki Market, Kyoto · simple perfection
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Soft Serve / Soft Cream
Japan's soft serve is genuinely next level — try matcha, black sesame or hojicha flavours · available at shrines, parks and konbini!
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Matcha
Try matcha soft serve in Kyoto or Uji — life-changing
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Sake (or non-alc amazake!)
Amazake is a sweet, non-alcoholic rice drink — try at shrines!
🎒 Before You Go — Packing Checklist
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Travel Insurance
Tick One-Trip Standard Asia — confirm policy number and 24hr claims number saved in your phone
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Coin Pouch
Japan uses a LOT of coins — ¥500, ¥100, ¥50, ¥10 all get used constantly
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Rubbish Bag / Tag
Almost no public bins in Japan — carry a small bag for your rubbish while out!
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Towel
Some onsens don't include towels — pack a small one or buy a tenugui in Japan
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Suica IC Card
Get at Narita Airport on arrival — tap in/out on all trains and convenience stores
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eSIM / Data SIM
Set up before departure — Ubigi, Airalo or IIJmio are popular for Japan
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International Driving Permit (IDP)
$53 · Service NSW in-person · needed for paragliding rental car on Day 8
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Japanese Yen (cash)
Japan is still cash-heavy — withdraw from 7-Eleven or Japan Post ATMs
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Power Adaptor
Japan uses Type A (flat 2-pin) — same as Australia, no adaptor needed!
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Portable Charger / Power Bank
Essential for long days at Disneyland, USJ, Fuji — you will drain your phone fast with maps, photos and Google Translate
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Basic Medications
Antihistamines, pain relief (paracetamol/ibuprofen), blister plasters, Imodium · Japanese pharmacies exist but finding the right thing without reading Japanese is hard
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Sunscreen
May in Japan is warm — lots of walking outdoors at shrines, theme parks and markets · Japanese sunscreen (Biore, Allie) is actually world-class and great to buy there too!
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Tax-Free Shopping (Consumption Tax Refund)
Show passport at checkout in department stores & electronics shops — 10% back on purchases over ¥5,500! Look for the tax-free logo. It's a refund at the register, not a separate counter now.
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Luggage Transport (Takuhaibin)
Ask your hotel to forward luggage to your next hotel via Yamato (Kuroneko) or Sagawa — ¥1,500–2,500/bag · arrives next day · game-changer for Shinkansen travel!
🚉 Eki-Stamps Collected
⛩️ Goshuin Collected
🏪 Reliable Go-Tos — You'll Use These A Lot
Everywhere7-Eleven
Convenience store — onigiri, hot food, ATM, printing, everything
EverywhereFamilyMart
Convenience store — great sandwiches, soft serve, and seasonal specials
EverywhereLawson
Convenience store — best sweets and Karaage-kun fried chicken
EverywhereSukiya
Gyudon (beef rice bowl) chain — open 24hrs, fast, cheap, delicious
EverywhereMatsuya
Gyudon and teishoku sets — order at the ticket machine
EverywhereYoshinoya
The original gyudon chain since 1899 — classic and reliable
EverywhereCoCo Ichibanya
Japanese curry chain — choose your spice level (0–10) and toppings
EverywhereIchiran
Solo-booth ramen — customise your bowl, no talking required, incredible tonkotsu
⛩️ Kyoto — Artisan & Traditional
KyotoIppodo Tea
Founded 1717 — finest matcha, gyokuro and sencha teas · Teramachi, central Kyoto
KyotoHonke Owariya
Soba restaurant since 1465 — one of Japan's oldest restaurants · order the hōrai soba
KyotoAritsugu (Nishiki)
Founded 1560 — handcrafted Japanese knives, can be engraved in-store while you wait
KyotoShoyeido
Traditional incense house — centuries of craftsmanship · beautiful packaging for gifts
KyotoNishikawa Kyoto
Traditional fabrics and home goods — Kyoto textiles done right
🏙️ Osaka — Food-Focused
OsakaAjinoya
Famous okonomiyaki restaurant — Osaka-style, hearty and comforting
OsakaJiyuken
Osaka's oldest Western-style restaurant (1890) — try the hayashi rice
🗼 Tokyo — Balanced & Variety
TokyoUogashi Nihon-Ichi
Standing sushi bar — fast, fresh, cheap · Tsukiji area · perfect for a quick high-quality meal
TokyoMaisen
Legendary tonkatsu restaurant in Omotesando — try the wagyu katsu sando
TokyoTsukiji Outer Market
Fresh seafood and artisan food stalls — walk and browse · best in the morning
TokyoKamawanu
Hand-dyed tenugui (Japanese cloths/towels) — beautiful, lightweight souvenirs
TokyoTansuya (Shinjuku)
Vintage Japanese furniture and antiques — great for browsing even if not buying
🛍️ Shopping — Actually Useful Ones
EverywhereDon Quijote (Donki)
Open late — souvenirs, snacks, cosmetics, random useful stuff, tax-free shopping
EverywhereMuji
Minimalist home goods, stationery, and basics — great quality everyday items
EverywhereUniqlo
Japanese fashion basics — Heattech, AIRism, and UT graphic tees are iconic picks
EverywhereLoft
Stationery, gifts, gadgets and lifestyle goods — dangerously fun to browse
EverywhereTokyu Hands
Creative tools, gifts, quirky items — the kind of store you lose an hour in
Anime / MangaAnimate
Japan's biggest anime merchandise chain — figures, manga, merch, CDs
Anime / MangaMandarake
Rare anime and manga collectibles — vintage figures, doujinshi, out-of-print items
Anime / MangaBook Off
Cheap second-hand books, games, manga, CDs and gear — great for bargain hunting
💡 Before You Go — Tips & Tricks
🚄 Shinkansen & Rail
Save moneyBook via Smartex / EX App (expy.jp)
JR's official app — discounted EX fares, seat selection, no physical ticket needed. Register before departure. Works with non-Japanese credit cards via EX-IC setup
Save moneyBook via Eki-net for early bird discounts
eki-net.com — Tokudane early bird fares up to 50% off if booked 13+ days ahead · English interface · tickets linked to your Suica card
ViewsSit right side (D/E seats) Shin-Fuji → Kyoto
Right side heading west = best Mt Fuji views, roughly 10–15 min after departing Shin-Fuji Station. Book D or E seats!
LuggageReserve oversized luggage space when booking
Required since 2020 for bags over 160cm combined dimensions on Nozomi/Hikari/Kodama — free with seat reservation, but must request at booking time
💴 Money & Payments
ATMs7-Eleven ATMs for cash withdrawals
7-Eleven ATMs accept most international cards with low fees · available 24hrs · Japan Post ATMs also reliable · avoid airport exchange desks — rates are poor
Tax freeShow passport at checkout — instant 10% refund
Purchases over ¥5,500 qualify — refunded at the register now (no separate counter). Don Quijote, department stores, electronics shops all do it. Look for the tax-free logo
IC CardLoad Suica at Narita — use it for everything
Tap in/out on all trains, buses, konbini, vending machines, even some taxis · Get it at Narita on arrival · Or use Apple Suica in iPhone Wallet (set up before travelling!)
🎌 General Japan Tips
LuggageUse takuhaibin between cities — it's a game changer
Ask hotel to forward bags to next hotel via Yamato or Sagawa · ¥1,500–2,500/bag, arrives next day · completely transforms Shinkansen travel — no dragging suitcases through stations
NavigationGoogle Maps transit mode — download offline maps
Includes real train times and platform numbers · download offline maps for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka before leaving home in case of patchy data
EtiquetteNo eating while walking (except festival stalls)
Eating on the street is a faux pas in most of Japan — find a bench or eat at the stall · Eating on Shinkansen is totally fine and very much encouraged!
EtiquettePhones on silent on trains — no phone calls
Carriage 7 on Shinkansen is usually the designated quiet car · all carriages: phones on silent, no speakerphone, speak quietly
RubbishAlmost no public bins — carry a small bag
Vending machine areas sometimes have recycle bins · convenience stores have bins at checkout · pack a small bag for wrappers while sightseeing
ConnectivityActivate eSIM before landing at Narita
Turn on eSIM data roaming while still on the plane in airplane mode · you will have data the moment you land · Ubigi, Airalo or IIJmio all work well for Japan
TranslationGoogle Translate camera mode — point & translate
Point your camera at any Japanese sign, menu or label for instant translation · works offline if you download the Japanese language pack before leaving home · absolute game changer for menus!
⛩️ Temples, Shrines & Sightseeing
GoshuinBuy a goshuincho stamp book at your first shrine
Beautiful accordion-fold book for collecting goshuin calligraphy stamps · usually ¥1,500–3,000 at shrine shops · Senso-ji or Meiji Shrine are perfect first stops
TimingGo early — before 8:30am where possible
Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Senso-ji are magical early and genuinely crowded by 10am in May · already built into your itinerary!
CoinsCarry small change for shrine offerings
¥5 coins are considered lucky for shrine offerings (the word for 5 yen — go-en — means fate/connection) · throw in the box, bow twice, clap twice, bow once