Delicious Food and Restaurant Discovery and Recommendations in Japan 2017

In October 2017, I traveled in Okinawa and mainland Japan  using 7-day Japan Rail JR pass. I realized there is always new food discovery with every trip I took in Japan. I have discovered great Wara Wara Izakaya 笑 笑 居酒屋 restaurant with amazing dishes, delicious soul-food chicken cuisine, almond tofu dessert, and special Japanese fruit tomato, etc. I am sharing my 2017 Japan mainland food discovery and where to taste those delicious food in this blog article. I plan to share my Okinawa food discovery in another article blog post in the future.

Dishes with brown sauce and mayonnaise over omelet are almost always delicious in Japan 

Project Shinkansen 2017 - Island Hop between Okinawa, Kyushu and Western Japan with Japan Rail Pass

In October 2017, I took my "annual" trip in Japan, I visited Okinawa 沖縄 and then started my 7-day Japan Rail Pass journey between Kyushu 九州, Shimane 島根, Tottori 鳥取, Wakayama 和歌山, Mie 三重, Izu 伊豆, and Tokyo areas. The itinerary seemed to be very busy but it was kept at an enjoyable pace due careful planning and nice traditional Onsen hot spring soak to rejuvenate our travel souls. This trip was my 4th trip using Japan Rail Pass, I am dedicating this blog post to share my detailed daily itinerary, travel tips and recommendations.

Osaka Reasonable Affordable Hotel

Recently updated!

I have always liked to stay in Osaka during my trips to the Kansai area (Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe) Staying at a hotel in Osaka will put travelers in the middle of the Kansai area geographically. Being based in Osaka will allow travelers to have the easy access to Kyoto to the east, Kobe to the west, and Nara/Uji to the south. Osaka Hotels are typically less expensive than Tokyo hotels. For travelers with limited amount of vacation time, I believe in hotels in convenient locations or interesting areas. Many different areas in Osaka have different characteristics; certain area is more suitable for foodies and some areas are more suitable for shoppers. I have listed my recommendations for reasonably priced hotels in different areas in Osaka.

Wonderful Osaka

Hakone Setsugetsuka Private Onsen Ryokan Experience - Gora Onsen Tokinoyu Setsugetsuka Hot Spring Spa Hotel Review

In May 2017, my buddy Richard traveled in Japan using the Japan Rail Pass. While visiting Hakone, he stayed at an upscale Onsen 温泉 Ryokan 旅館, Tokinoyu Setsugetsuka 季の湯 雪月花, in Gora Hakone 箱根 強羅 for his once-a-life-time private Hot Spring spa experience. I would like to dedicate this blog post to share his personal experience and photographs of one of the best Private Onsen Bath Ryokan hotel in Hakone near Tokyo.

Experiencing private open-air wooden Onsen bathtub is on the bucket lists of many couples traveling to Japan

Tokyo Love Story - Day trip to Japanese Television Drama Film Locations of Baishinji station and Iyo Ozu Town near Matsuyama in Shikoku

In November 2015, I traveled to Japan using the Japan Rail Pass. When I was visiting Matsuyama 松山 in Shikoku 四国, I decided to follow Japan National Tourism Organization 日本政府観光局 (JNTO) and local tourism office's recommendation for sightseeing ideas of visiting Tokyo Love Story television drama filming locations. While majority of the television drama scenes took place in downtown Tokyo, some of the most important scenes were filmed at Baishinji station 梅津寺 駅 and in Iyo Ozu 伊予 大洲 area in rural Shikoku near Matsuyama. I am dedicating this article for my day trip to film locations of classic Japanese television drama of the 1990's, Tokyo Love Story, 東京 ラブ ストーリー, 東京 愛情 故事, 도쿄 러브 스토리.

Don Quijote - Japanese Discount Super Store for Best Shopping Experience in Tokyo and other parts of Japan

Don Quijote or Don Quixote or Donki ドン・キホーテ is the best one stop shopping during your trip in Japan. This franchise super store is known for their long opening hours, often 24 hours a day, and the wide varieties of products they carry. The products found in the Don Quijote shops range from inexpensive souvenirs, electronics, snacks/groceries, cosmetics, name-brand products, cosplay-themed and even adult themed items. Don Quijote stores are everywhere throughout major cities and nearby major stations in Japan and even in Honolulu, Hawaii USA. Their dominance even reached mainland US after Don Quijote Japan purchased Marukai USA and Tokyo Central supermarket in the US, hence similar products and shopping experiences. I am writing this blog post for my observation and experiences of shopping at Don Quijote stores throughout Japan.

Onsen for Shy Travelers: My experience of Sand Bath thermal hot spring Spa in Ibusuki Kyushu

In October 2016, I traveled to Japan using the 14-day Japan Rail Pass. While I was traveling in southern Kyushu 九州, I took the opportunity for a day trip from Kagoshima 鹿児島 to Ibusuki 指宿 for their famous Natural Sand Bath Spa 砂蒸し温泉 on the beach. I am dedicating this special Onsen day trip experience to some travelers who are shy and have concerns about the traditional naked hot spring in Japan.

Beef Bowl Japanese Gyudon - Best and Cheapest Japanese Soul Food

With many franchise restaurants throughout Japan, Gyndon Beef bowl 牛丼 remains one of the best and most affordable comfort food options for budget travelers in Japan. Typical price of a regular size Gyndon Beef Bowl is about $2.50 to $3.50 USD, the value far exceeds any other cuisine in Japan. Many of the restaurants open 24 hour a day in urban areas in Japan and they are everywhere near train/subway stations, this makes it a great option for a quick bite any time of the day. Typical Beef Bowl recipe consists of thinly sliced Beef braised in sweet soy sauce, cooked to perfection with onion over steamed rice. I am dedicating this blog article to the best and my favorite franchise Beef Bowl restaurants in Tokyo Japan, such as Yoshinoya 吉野家, Matsuya 松屋, Sukiya すき屋, Nakau なか卯 and Tokyo Chikara Meshi 東京チカラめし, etc.

Best and cheapest food in Japan: Beef Bowl Japanese Gyudon

Budget: How much does it cost to go to Tokyo Japan?

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How much does it cost for a trip to go to Japan? Is Tokyo or Japan expensive? Maybe not when you compare Tokyo with Singapore, London or New York City. I believe if your Tokyo Japan trip is planned carefully, money can be very well spent. I have dedicated this blog post to the overall planning and budgeting for your first trip to Japan. Compare Tokyo to Manhattan, Paris, or London, the cost of visiting these modern nation cities could easily exceed the amount spent in Tokyo, Japan.

Apple store in Ginza Tokyo

The flight ticket prices in the months of shoulder season have been more stabilized. I have found ticket price around 700 USD (LAX to Tokyo.) Because of the reasonable flight ticket prices and great currency exchange rate (1 USD to 110 Yen), I recommend booking flights and hotels as early as possible.

Affordable Cheap Reasonable Hotels in Tokyo

Updated on June-10th-2018


Where to stay in Tokyo Japan?

Central, Clean, and Convenient and hopefully CHEAP are the fundamentals of good Tokyo Hotels in my opinion.

My secret of being able to travel to Japan very frequently is being budget smart and location efficient with my hotel stay.

With my almost 20 years of travel experience in Japan, I have hand picked a few lists of reasonable and convenient Tokyo hotel accommodation with highest values in this blog post. 

Toyoko Inn, a popular budget hotel franchise in Japan.

- I recommend booking the flight ticket first. Be specific about your travel dates. Then compare Hotel TOTAL PRICE after tax and service charges are added.

Wagyu in Japan 2016 - Japanese Beef Feast beyond Kobe Beef in Kobe

In October 2016, I traveled to Japan from Hokkaido to Kyushu using the 14-day Japan Rail JR pass. With extensive research and a sense of spontaneity, my friends/cousin and I were able to enjoy some of the best Wagyu during our trip. I am dedicating this blog post to the amazing less well-known name brand regional Wagyu experiences I had during my Shinkansen bullet train trip in 2016.

Luxurious Akita Yuri/Ugo Wagyu Yakiniku Japanese beef BBQ plate

Project Shinkansen 2016 - All Over Japan from Hokkaido to Kyushu Japan Rail JR Pass Itinerary

In October 2016, I traveled to Japan using the 14-day Japan Rail Pass. I did extensive trip planning for visiting off-the-beaten-path and less-traveled-by places because it was my third long trip using the Japan Rail JR Pass. In summary, I traveled from Hokkaido 北海道 , Northeast 東北 region near Akita 秋田, Kanazawa 金沢, Kyushu 九州 Kagoshima 鹿児島, and onto Hakata 博多/Fukuoka 福岡 area; then I slowed down in Kansai 関西 area to make day trips from Osaka 大阪.

Hayabusa Shinkansen bullet train. Tokyo to Hokkaido

I was fortunate that my cousin and my high school buddy were able to join different parts of the journey. Having more than one person in the group, we were able to enjoy many more different varieties of cuisine and visit nicer authentic traditional restaurants.

Delicious Japanese Food Discovery 2016

In 2016, I traveled to Japan through Hokkaido to Kyushu using the Japan Rail JR Pass. I am dedicating this blog article to share my food experiences of new seafood discovery, fruits and dessert in 2016. In short summary, I have tasted Gram Cafe's Premium Pancake, Hokkaido expensive melon, and Koshihikari rice in Niigata prefecture plus many more. 

Delicious Japanese style Premium Pancake at Gram Cafe