Yakinikutei Rokkasen Honten
“Yakinikutei Rokkasen,” located just steps from Shinjuku Station on the Toei Oedo Line, serves high-quality meat at a reasonable price. Serving only carefully selected portions of the finest Japanese Kuroge Wagyu beef from all over Japan, their firm commitment to the quality of meat makes them very appealing.
Both the beef and pork were excellent, and the service was spot on. I'd definitely come back if I get the chance.
Omoide Yokocho
Walk just 2 minutes from the West Exit of Shinjuku Station to find yourself at a retro pub alley. With ticket shops and around 80 different establishments offering delicious food and drinks, it's a great place to enjoy the local cuisine and atmosphere.
Westerners especially seem to love this kind of dining vibe.
Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street
Osaka's representative shopping arcade. It is said to be "the longest shopping arcade in Japan" with a total length of about 2.6 km from Tenjinbashi 1-chome to 7-chome. It takes about 40 minutes to walk from one end of the arcade to the other. The arcade began to flourish when it became the main approach to Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, which is located in 2-chome and is dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, the god of learning.
There's a small stall selling potato crepes. Even though the stall is tiny, the line was super long. They're delicious—definitely give them a try!
Kobe Kitano Ijinkan (Former Foreign Residences)
When the port of Kobe opened in 1868, the "Kobe Kitano Ijin-gai (foreign city)" developed as a land of foreign settlement. Located on a hill overlooking the ocean, the town has a unique mix of Western and Japanese style buildings. About 30 Western-style buildings have been preserved in their original state, and 16 are open to the public.
The animal specimens inside Ben's House are really unique.
Kinkaku-ji
During the Muromachi Period, the 3rd Ashikaga shogun, Yoshimitsu, made an abode in this temple called Kitayamadono. It was named as Rokuon-ji after the posthumous name of Yoshimitsu. He had also built Shokoku-ji Temple, and Rokuon-ji, his retirement home, was turned into a branch temple of Shokoku-ji.
Kinkaku-ji is famous both in Japan and abroad. Even from the tour bus in the parking lot, you can see that most of the visitors are from overseas. It's definitely a must-visit spot when you're in Kyoto.
Osaka aqua-Bus Aqua-Liner
A standard sightseeing boat in the aquatic city of Osaka that takes you to Osaka Castle and Nakanoshima! A 40-minute cruise along the Okawa River, which runs through the center of Osaka. The area along the Okawa River is lush with greenery and lined with retro architecture, providing a tasteful view of the city.
Our travel agency scheduled the boat ride right after lunch, which wasn't a great idea. Many people in our group started dozing off less than 10 minutes after getting on the boat.
Universal Studios Japan
Universal Studios Japan, nicknamed “USJ”, is a large-scale theme park with entertainment for everyone, both children and adults alike. The park is separated into different areas, each with a different theme from popular titles across the world.
The nighttime light show projected onto the castle is absolutely stunning. You really have to stay until the very end to get your money's worth.
Sasayama Castle Ooshoin
This flat mountain castle was built in 1609 as part of the "Tenka Fuchin" project, in which various feudal lords in the western part of Japan were mobilized to build the castle under the master builder, Takatora Todo's layout.
Even though you can't see the castle itself, you can still appreciate the impressive architecture from the moat and stone walls.