Japan, Spring 2023
The following images are a selection of the 7000+ images captured during a two week trip to Japan. We spent time in Tokyo, Kyoto, Naoshima, Hakone, and Hirosaki. We moved between these locations on Shinkansen Bullet Trains, subways, busses, ferries, and the occasional taxi. Images in the gallery were captured with either my iPhone 13 mini or Sony A7 with either a Sony 35mm f/1.8 or Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 and edited in Adobe Lightroom
Enjoy the gallery.
Day 0 - April 21st
We departed San Francisco early morning Friday the 21st of April bound for Honolulu. After a brief layover, we boarded our flight to Tokyo Haneda, arriving during sunset the following day, April 22nd. After a long queue in immigration and then at the Japan Rail office, we boarded the metro, arriving at our hostel around 9pm local time.
Photos Taken: 63
Steps Walked: 4,994
Day 1 - April 23rd
After waking up very early from jetlag, we walked around our hostel area in the Nihonbashi neighborhood of Tokyo, then took the subway to Tokyo Station to catch our Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train to Kyoto. We were shocked by how smooth this train was as we hit speeds of 160+ mph and the frequency of service. Trains were departing every 10 minutes for this 2h15m, 500km trip.
Photos Taken: 378
Steps Walked: 15,065
After arriving in Kyoto, we checked into our Hotel, then got lunch in the sprawling Kyoto Train Station. We did a very cool Tofu Tasting menu. There are iPhone pics of all the food we ate at the end of this gallery. The coffee served as part of the desert was one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had. After lunch, we explored the Higashi Hongan-ji Temple, then perused a massive mall before retiring for the night.
Day 2 - April 24th
Today the goal was to explore as many of the temples around Kyoto as we could. Talia and I woke up early and caught a metro to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, home to 1000+ red Torii gates. This shrine weaved its way up a mountain. We climbed most of the way up to the top, before turning back so we could meet up with Talia’s friend Yo.
Photos Taken: 1,304
Steps Walked: 29,582
After meeting up with Yo, we drove to the Arashiyama area which houses the Tenryu-ji temple, the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and the Iwatayama Monkey Park. After hiking up the mountain to see the monkey sanctuary, we drove to Kiyomizyu Temple, then got Yakiniku (grilled meats) for dinner with Yo.
Day 3 - April 25th
We hit up a very cute family owned café for breakfast, before meeting up with Yo to drive to Kinkakuji, the Golden Temple. For lunch we got Okonomiyaki which is Japanese Pizza. In the afternoon we enjoyed a Tea Ceremony before saying goodbye to Yo and heading to the train station enroute to our Ryokan just outside of Kyoto.
Photos Taken: 533
Steps Walked:13,570
Day 4 - April 26th
We had a lovely breakfast at the Ryokan, took one least hot spring bath, then boarded a charter bus from the Ryokan to the train station. We then took a train to Kyoto Station, transferred to a Shinkansen and sped toward Okayama Station. After getting to Okayama, we took a bus to a Ferry which brought us to Naoshima Island late in the afternoon. We did one short loop of the eastern half of Naoshima island before getting dinner at a small restuaruant and making friends with a fun British couple.
Photos Taken: 526
Steps Walked: 5,620
Day 5 - April 27th
I got up early to walk around the Port of Naoshima during sunrise. After this, met up with Talia to walk to latte place on the other side of the island, before splitting up for the day. I began a huge walking tour of Naoshima’s art exhibitions and 3 different art museums. A fantastic day filled with lots of Tadao Ando architecture and sculptures. We caught the 3pm Ferry, the bus back to Okayama, then Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
Photos Taken: 499
Steps Walked: 38,047
Day 6 - April 28th
Now back in Tokyo, we got breakfast then headed to the Senso-ji Temple. Just before lunch, we met a work associate of Talia for drinks, then headed off to Yoyogi park with the Meiji Shrine, roamed around Harajuku to do some shopping, then stopped by a cafe that makes 3D Lattes.
Photos Taken: 271
Steps Walked: 21,022
Day 7 - April 29th
We headed to the Shibuya Crossing and got lunch at L’Occitane Cafe which overlooks the intersection. We attemped to join a walking tour around Tokyo Tower, which we bailed on and went straight to Tokyo Tower. I went to visit a few camera shops, then we swapped our items over to our Capsule Hotel.
Photos Taken: 285
Steps Walked: 19,249
Day 8 - April 30th
In the morning, we made our way to Tokyo Station to catch the Saphir Odoriko luxury train. This train winds its way out of the city and down the Izu peninsula to Ito. We roamed around the beach town of Ito before catching a train up to Hakone. Hakone was mountainous, quiet and foggy. For dinner we got really good Sushi and then took the slow mountain train back down to our hotel.
Photos Taken: 272
Steps Walked: 14,321
Day 9 - May 1st
We took the spooky mountain train down to Odaware, then boarded a Shinkansen back to Tokyo. In Tokyo Station, we swapped over to the Hayabusa Shinkansen (the fastest bullet train in Japan) and sped up the island to Aomori. En-route to Aomori, I live streamed the Falcon Heavy launch carrying Arcturus, our first satellite at Astranis. After getting to Aomori, we took another train to Hirosaki where we raomed around the park and then the cultural center.
Photos Taken: 430
Steps Walked: 14,372
Day 10 - May 2nd
We began the day walking to the Hirosaki Apple Park which has great view of Mt. Iwaki. After eating some delishous apple pasteries, we headed back to Hirosaki Park to tour Hirosaki Castle and two gardens. I finished the day visiting the Hirosaki Contemporary Art Museum.
Photos Taken: 1,366
Steps Walked: 25,939
Day 11 - May 3rd
We take the Hayabusa Shinkansen back to Tokyo, then hit up Tokyo National Museum. In the evening we get dinner at a Butler Cafe before meeting up with Amit for the first time to go bar hopping at Golden Gai
Photos Taken: 493
Steps Walked: 15,840
Day 12 - May 4th
I got a wonderful drip coffee at Koffee Mameya, then went watch shopping in Nakano. I almost buy a Grand Seiko, but chickened out. After lunch, I met back up with Talia for matcha icecream, then a Gyoza dinner with Amit, then to a couple bars/clubs near Shinjuku.
Photos Taken: 365
Steps Walked: 27,683
Day 13 - May 5th
After going out last night, we had a late start. We weaved our way to the Imperial Palace, before getting lunch and then coffee nearby. We wound our way to the Pokemon Store, saw some random steel drum street music, then ended our Japan experience at the Museum of Obsolete Tech.
Photos Taken: 344
Steps Walked: 29,829
Phone Eats First
iPhone snaps of all the food I ate while in Japan
