Central Japan Itinerary - Spring 2024

Brian and I made a deal with our niece and nephews about six years ago that we would take them on a foreign trip of their choosing upon their high school graduation. We had a lovely trip to Italy with Mary two years ago. Since then, Mary has been telling her brother Joe that he should pick something more “exotic” and exciting than Italy. Joe has always been a very easy-going kid, so he let us propose a few destinations. The final candidates were Japan and Turkiye. However, with the Japanese yen at a record low, there is no better time to visit Japan than 2024. Secretly, I knew Japan was Brian’s preferred choice. He has been itching to return since he visited eight years ago.

The stone lanterns of Kasuga-taisha Shrine in Nara.

Our trip is loosely based on the itinerary recommended by the popular YouTube channel Abroad in Japan. We always consider Kyoto and Nara a must for a first-time visit to Japan. Since the cheapest flights from New York are all in and out of Tokyo, it makes sense to stick to central Japan with a slight detour to the Hokuriku Region. In addition to big cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, we also got a chance to explore secondary cities like Takayama and rural areas. I can’t say this is the best itinerary for first-time visitors to Japan, but I wouldn’t change it for one bit.

Day 1 - Newark - Toronto - Tokyo

Japan’s over-tourism was fully displayed when we landed at the Narita Airport. From the immigration lines to the ticket pickup for the Keisei Skyliner Express train into the city, the staff appeared overwhelmed. Thanksfully, Japan’s commitment to customer service and consistency is still legendary. From the moment we boarded the train, we could already appreciate what makes Japan so unique: efficient, immaculate, and thoughtful. From Narita, it was a quick forty-minute ride to the Ueno Station. From there, it was just a quick five-minute taxi ride to our hotel in Asakusa.

By coincidence, our arrival coincided with the final day of the famous Sanja Festival in Asakusa. Unfortunately, the festival was wrapping up as we arrived at the Richmond Hotel Premier Asakusa International. Though we missed the festivity, we could at least soak up the convivial atmosphere as the crowd dispersed. Since we were all exhausted by nearly 24 hours of travel, we had dinner at Torikizoku, Japan’s most ubiquitous yakitori chain. The affordable skewers and the ability to order by tablet were just perfect for our first meal in Japan.

Day 2 - Tokyo

Our first full day in Tokyo was quite overwhelming. We eased into it with an Ameircan-style breakfast at Coffee-Kan in Asakusa. This area is the most historical neighborhood of Tokyo and is anchored by the Sensō-ji Temple (浅草寺). This massive Buddhist temple is one of the most popular spots with tourists at all hours. The streets around the shrine are lined with traditional shops, making this one of the best places to try out different snacks. However, the crowd was so overwhelming that we would return another day.

Japanese senbei at Nakamise-dori Street.

Next, we headed to Shibuya (渋谷), one of Tokyo’s many central business districts, to experience Tokyo's frantic urban energy. The neighborhood is best known for Shibuya Crossing, a busy intersection outside the railway station. As many as three thousand people would cross here per green light; it is the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world and an obligatory stop for most first-time visitors. The area is filled with plenty of shopping arcades and department stores. We took this chance to try out the conveyor belt sushi at Mawashi Sushi Katsu in one of the department stores. It was undoubtedly a whole lot cheaper than in back home.

The day's main event was a visit to TeamLab Borderless at Azabudai Hills, Tokyo’s premier shopping destination. TeamLab is a Japanese art collective specializing in digital and experiential arts. According to some matrices, it is the most popular attraction in Tokyo. Naturally, I was skeptical, but I figured it must be famous for good reasons. Surprisingly, the exhibit was very “Japanese” and more meaningful than expected. The ever-changing Light Sculpture was particularly impressive; I could easily spend half an hour staring into the piece.

Day 3 - Tokyo

I was excited to introduce Brian and Joe to Japanese breakfast. Misojyu’s delicious miso soup and onigiri hit the spot. Our first stop this morning is the Meiji Shrine. Nestled within Tokyo's most extensive urban forest, the Shinto Shrine is dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Emperor Meiji is commonly regarded as the singularly most important figure in Japanese history. In the wake of Western incisions, he embarked on progressive reforms, including constitutional monarchy and military modernization. The massive shrine complex is a great place not just to learn about his legacy but also the rituals of Shintoism.

The wall of *kazaridaru* at the Meiji Shrine.

After a lovely katsugyu lunch at Gyukatsu Kyoto Harajuku, it was time to explore Tokyo’s craziest neighborhood: Harajuku (原宿). It is the center of Japan’s subculture and some of the wackiest businesses. Harajuku’s Takeshita Street has everything from the otter cafe to cosplay fashion boutiques. I was surprised there were long waitlists at every single animal cafe here. There is no question that Harajuku is catered to young people, not to middle-aged guys like Brian and me.

This being our last evening in Tokyo, I was determined to check out Shinjuku (新宿), the largest business district in the city. Not only does Shinjuku have the world’s busiest railroad station, it is also home to Japan’s famous red light district: Kabukicho (歌舞伎町). Given Japan’s conservative culture, I was surprised that prostitution is even legal here. Luckily, the areas around Kabukicho have been cleaned up recently and are now safe for visitors of all ages.
Shinjuku is now the center of Tokyo’s nightlife.

To celebrate my 39th birthday, we treated ourselves to a feast at Nikuya no Daidokoro Shinjuku. It may not be the best yakiniku spot in the area, but for about 65 USD, we could indulge in 90 minutes of unlimited drinks and A5 Japanese Wagyu. Considering a pound of A5 Wagyu costs $90 at Costco back home, this may be the best deal in Japan. However, the fattiness of the meat certainly got to us toward the end of the meal.

Day 4 - Tokyo - Kanazawa

For our last morning in Tokyo, we had breakfast at the local Danny’s. Before our train in the afternoon, we had just enough time to check out another attraction in the city. For whatever reason, I was inquisitive about the Yasukuni Shrine (靖國神社). A Shinto shrine dedicated to fallen Japanese soldiers, Yasukuni is regarded as Japan’s most controversial spot due to Japan’s colonial expansionism. Among those enshrined here are thousands of convicted war criminals, including fourteen Class A War crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. This is the one place Japanese emperors actively avoided, although it was across the street from the imperial palace.

While the shrine received the most attention, the adjoining museum, Yushukan War Museum (遊就館), is even more controversial as it celebrates Japanese militarism through historical revisionism. Not only were Japanese atrocities not mentioned with a critical lens, but the exhibit painted Japanese imperial forces as a force for peace in Asia. The tone of the museum was so strident that the American government urged the rhetoric to be toned down to promote better bilateral ties.

Out of curiosity, I decided to have lunch on the temple’s premises at a restaurant named Attic Kitchen. In addition to the Japanese Navy curry, diners could order scrambled egg rice bowls based on the receipt from “Mother of Kamikaze Pilots.” Despite all the controversies, many Japanese consider the temple complex a public space to meet up with friends or find tranquility in the middle of Tokyo. After a rather emotionally exhausting morning, we headed across to the road to the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Much of the Edo-era palace was burned to the ground by the American air raid. Now a lovely public park, the palace gound is a good reminder of the trauma of war and imperialism.

The Tsuzumimon Gate at the Kanazawa’s JR Station.

We boarded the Shinkansen bullet train for Kanazawa from Ueno Station in the afternoon. Although this would be my second time riding the Shinkansen, seeing the urban landscape fly past us was still thrilling every time. We arrived under three hours at the beautiful Kanazawa Station and its famous Tsuzumimon Gate. We would stay at the affordable yet stylish Soki Kanazawa for the next three nights. We wrapped up our day early at Fuwari. This high-end izakaya may just be our most fine-dining meal in Japan at that point.

Day 5 - Kanazawa

After a very traditional breakfast at the hotel, we headed over the road to Omicho Market (近江町市場), one of Japan’s premier seafood markets. Their spread of massive crabs was impressive, but I was even more enamored with their sashimi vending machine. Known as the “Little Kyoto,” Kanazawa escaped the Allies’ firebombing; many of its historic neighborhoods remain intact. One such neighborhood is Higashi Chaya District (東山ひがし茶屋街), the city’s traditional entertainment district, where geisha and maiko still entertain visitors. Nowadays, most of the houses here have been converted to sake bars and shopping boutiques. Many shops sell various gold-leaf products, Kanazawa’s most famous exports.

Instead of indulging in the famous golf-leaf ice cream cone, we had an early lunch at nearby Cafe Tamon. This quaint cafe specializes in Japanese souffle pancakes, which have been on my culinary bucket list for a while now. Afterward, we attended a local workshop for a DIY gold foil experience. For ¥1,000, we could decorate lacquerware with our chosen decorative patterns. It may be a little touristy, but it seemed like a highlight for Joe of the entire trip. To round up our Kanazawa gold leaf experience, we visited the Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum. Their exhibit was excellent but very small. It only took us ten minutes to go through the entire museum.

Before returning to the hotel for a well-deserved siesta, we had a few local brews and Italian appetizers at Oriental Brewing. We got our first taste of Japanese-style Italian food and instantly loved it. While Brian and Joe napped, I enjoyed private time at the hotel’s sauna. This was my first time trying out a Japanese public bath, and it certainly took some courage to get used to the public nudity. I now need to convince Brian to give it a try on this trip. After a refreshing dip, we headed to the city center for dinner at Uogi, a popular izakaya specializing in Kanazawan cuisine. Dishes like jibu-ni and oden were particularly delightful.

Day 6 - Kanazawa

After breakfast, we made our way to Kanazawa Castle. Once the stronghold of the powerful Maeda clan, the castle was once one of the grandest before it burned down in a massive fire in 1881. Only a tiny section of the original structures survived. The city has made a slow but steady effort to reconstruct the castle faithfully using traditional techniques. However, my favorite was Gyokuseninmaru Garden, the private garden of the castle lords. Sadly, we had to miss out on the weekly “evening light-up” the next day.

Speaking of gardens, right across from the castle is Kenroku-en (兼六園). One of the “Three Great Gardens of Japan,” Kenroku-en is famous for its beauty and many innovations, such as the two-legged Kotoji-tōrō stone lantern and the oldest fountain in the country. Even for garden novices like ourselves, the grace and beauty of this garden were awe-inspiring. Afterward, we visited Kanazawa Daidai for a plate of Kanazawa-style curry. I had been to GoGo Curry in New York City for years without knowing the chain was from Kanazawa. It was undoubtedly a filling lunch.

A few minutes away was Kanazawa’s 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. This eye-catching museum is a signature work of Prizker Prizer winner SANAA. The floor-to-ceiling curved curtain wall may be stunning but also prone to damage. The museum sustained significant damage following the 2024 Noto earthquake, so only a tiny portion was opened to visitors. To round out the day, we explored the Nagamachi Samurai District (長町武家屋敷跡). The narrow lanes and gushing streams make this one of Japan’s best Edo-era districts. The Nomura-ke Samurai Residence is probably our favorite house museum on this trip.

At this point in the trip, Brian and Joe were ready to take a break from typical Japanese goods. The Wagyu burgers from Shogun Burger were just what we needed to satisfy their craving. After dinner, we took a quiet evening stroll around Higashi Chaya District. To our surprise, the place appeared abandoned at night; it seemed like such a missed opportunity. On the other hand, it might come close to experiencing the Edo-era Kanazawa.

Day 7 - Kanazawa - Gokayama - Shirakawa-go

After picking up our rental car near the JR station, it was time to bid goodbye to Kanazawa and begin our little road trip through Gift Prefecture. After nearly a week in big cities, I was ready to escape to the countryside. Brian and I have always enjoyed a self-drive holiday, and we believe it is important for Joe to experience rural Japan. Of course, it is always fun to drive in a foreign country. Our first stop was Gokayama (五箇山), a remote mountain town renowned for its traditional gassho-zukuri houses. Together with Shirakawa-go, Gokayama is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

These traditional thatched-roof houses are sights to behold and speak to Japan’s commitment to cultural preservation. The nearby village of Shirakawa-go (白川村) has the country’s most extensive collection of gassho houses and is a main draw for mass tourism in the Hokuriku region. Shirakawa-go is a lived-in village with a year-round population, unlike similar traditional villages in other parts of the world. While touristy, the traditional ways of life persevered. Don’t expect a Starbucks or Mister Donuts to open here anytime soon.

Culinarily, Shirakawa-go is probably best known for soba noodles. The summer soba at Tanaka-ya was good but not filling enough, so we spent the next hour snacking across the village. That includes roasted rice cake (goheimochi), Hida beef skewers, and faw Hida milk. For whatever reasons, the most popular culinary stop is the Shiwakawa-go House of Purin. Their “watery custard pudding” won the first prize in the Japan Pudding Award contest. The prize-winning pudding sure was delicious but very expensive. To work off the calories, we hiked up to the Shiroyama viewpoint for the classic bird-eye view of the village.

Heeding the advice of other travelers, we chose to stay at a Gassho guesthouse. This allowed us to experience the village after all the day trippers had left. Shirakawa-go was transformed from a tourism mecca back into just another working village. Booking a guesthouse could only be done via phone or the village’s tourism portal. Luckily, we were able to book a night at Gensaku Guest House. This was our first time staying in a traditional accommodation, and it was undoubtedly a very memorable experience.

Day 8 - Shirakawa-go - Hida - Takayama

We slept surprisingly well last night; we woke up early to enjoy our host's fabulous breakfast. We were again surprised by the quality and attention to the meal here. After bidding goodbye to our hosts, we stopped by two house museums: Wada House and Nagase House. I was amazed at how old these houses are; their mere survival is a testament to the strength of the local community. From thatching to the fire-fighting organization, the spirits of Shirakwaga-go command our respects. With that in mind, we were on the road again toward Hidas

Traditional gassho-zukuri houses of Shirakawa-go.

Hida Furukawa (飛騨古川) is a small city at the base of the Japanese Alps. It is famous for canal-lined streets and Edo-era houses. In particular, Shirakabe Dozogai Street is picturesque and filled with incandescent carp. These carp were put here seasonally, and I suspected this was one way the locals could brag about their water quality. Joe was particularly exacted about feeding them. Nicknamed the “Little Takayama,” Hida is a more atmospheric and serene alternative to its more famous neighbor. I can’t help but wonder whether this would be a better home base for exploring the region.

The lunch offerings at Ajidokoro Furukawa include Gifu specialties, such as magnolia miso and grilled whole sweetfish. From there, it was just another half hour to Takayama (高山). Japan’s largest city by area, this medium city is surrounded by high mountains. Its historical isolation allows Takayama to preserve its cultural traditions and spirituality. As soon as we arrived at Sanmachi Historic District, we could see why Takayama had emerged as a popular destination in central Japan in recent years. It is obviously not a well-kept secret anymore.

We stayed at Hotel Wood Takayama for the next two nights. It is right in the historic center, and its vibe resembles Soki Kanazawa's. Amazingly, the hotel offers unlimited, complimentary sake and beer from 5 to 11 p.m. The sake tasting confirmed that it was not for us. For dinner, we splurged by visiting Matsuki-Ushi, one of the city’s steakhouses specializing in Hida beef. Hida beef may not be as famous as Kobe or Omi, but it is definitely among the best.

Day 9 - Takayama

The morning started with a drizzle. Thanksfully, the daily Miyagawa Morning Markets still drew plenty of visitors. We let Joe have some “free time” to explore the town independently. Meanwhile, I took this opportunity to check out many artisan shops. For whatever reason, Takayama seems to market its crafts and specialties incredibly well. From woodworking to eerie-looking amulet dolls called sarubobo, Takayama is one of my favorite shopping destinations in Japan. The city’s vast collection of omiyage has me salivating even now. Our culinary journey continued at Menya Shirakawa Bette. Oddly enough, this was our first time hitting a ramen shop on this trip.

Takayama’s unique charm certainly shines through the miserable weather. No visit to Takayama would be complete without a visit to Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine, just north of the historic center. This shrine is famously associated with the bi-annual Takayama Festival, one of Japan’s most celebrated local festivals. The spring and autumn festival involves a series of ornate floats that roam the city at night with numerous lanterns. To learn more about the festival, the nearby Takayama Festival Floats Exhibition Hall houses an impressive collection of these floats and an overview of the rituals.

After a busy day of sightseeing and shopping, we stopped at Cafe Soeur for some afternoon coffee and cakes. The cafe’s large window had a fantastic view of the Miyagawa River and the mountain range. Afterward, Joe and I visited the Takayama Showa Retro Museum. As a Taiwanese American, I hold the Showa-era dear to my heart. While wandering through this small museum, I can’t help but think of many grandparents who grew up in Showa-era Taiwan. Funny enough, Joe was way too young to appreciate the nostalgia of the 1960s. We wrapped up our day at Aji-no-Yohei for another Hida beef dinner.

Day 10 - Takayama - Inuyama

We woke up this morning to torrential downpours. Before leaving Takayama, I stopped by the city’s lone Starbucks to get coffee and pick up Takayama’s special edition wooden mug. I was disappointed to learn they were sold out for the week. Our first stop was the Matsuri no Mori Museum, which hosts a dozen full-size replicas of festival floats and a few animatronics. These floats may be only replicas, but the live demonstrations of the mechanical figurines made this a far more entertaining exhibit than the official museum in the city center.

We were engulfed by a major rainstorm for the remainder of the day. The storm was so intense that we later heard that JR canceled the regional train in and out of Takayama. Except for a quick lunch stop at the highway service station, we made a beeline toward Inuyama. Hotel Indigo Inuyama Urakuen Garden was undoubtedly the most upscale of all the hotels we stayed in on this trip. The property is also imbued with hints of local crafts and traditions. We were delighted to stay at such a lovely place on a dreary day like this one.

Due to the downpour, we limited the rest of the day to a stroll through Urakuen Garden (有楽苑) across from the hotel. This lovely garden was purpose-built around Jo-an, one of Japan’s most famous historic teahouses. We partook in a tea ceremony and met a lovely local couple with deep connections to the hotel and the garden. After a refreshing session at the hotel onsen, we headed to the city for an Italian dinner at Base Italia Bocco. Joe truly enjoyed Japan’s take on Italian food.

Day 11 - Inuyama - Hikone - Kyoto

After yesterday’s rainstorm, we woke up to a glorious blue sky. With the Western-style breakfast buffet, I could tell Brian and Joe enjoyed the creature comfort of this hotel. Meanwhile, I had a busy day of sightseeing planned. Inuyama (犬山) is famous for Inuyama Castle, one of Japan's last privately owned castles. It is just one of five castles designated as Japan’s National Treasure. This castle may not look intimidating, but the wrap-around balcony offers panoramic views of Inuyama and the nearby cities of Gifu and Nagoya. Besides the castle, Inuyama is known for its Edo-era castle town (Jokamachi), which has plenty of shops for traditional crafts and snacks. However, my highlight was the Sankoinari Shrine, where worshippers could literally “launder” their money for good fortune.

After a quick soba lunch at Nowa Handmade Soaba, we bid farewell to Inuyama. On the way to Kyoto, we had just two hours to visit Hikone (彦根), home to the other National Treasure castle. Like Inuyama, the Hikone Castle may be small but has plenty of architectural flares. Hikone’s impressive moat and spiraling ramparts gave us a glimpse of Japan’s ingenuity in military architecture. Despite the fame of these two castles, we were practically the only foreign visitors during our visit. This was a welcomed respite from Japan’s overtourism and reminded us of the benefits of getting off the beaten track.

Hikone Castle is one of the five national treasure castles.

Unbeknownst to most foreign visitors, Kyoto is a giant metropolis with 1.5 million residents, and the traffic could be horrendous. The areas around Kyoto Station are as modern and bustling as Tokyo or Shanghai. For an ultimate Kyoto experience, we stayed at a machiya, a traditional wooden townhouse. Marikoji Machiya was a little slice of heaven in central Kyoto. We rounded out this action-packed day at Nakashimaya, an excellent obanzai izakaya nearby.

Day 12 - Kyoto

I woke up early this morning for a photo safari through Kyoto’s historic Higashiyama District. I practically had this tourist mecca to myself in the early hours. After I met Brian and Joe for breakfast at Gion Coffee Nanafuku, we made our way up the hill to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto’s most famous landmark. By then, the entire district was jam-packed with shoulder-to-shoulder tourists. The temple may have special religious significance, but I suspect most of us came here for the expansive views of Kyoto’s skyline.

Though undoubtedly touristy, the Higashiyama District has plenty of shops and eateries to delight visitors. We spent half a day browsing for pottery and a dazzling array of souvenirs. After a bowl of ramen at Japanese Noodle Issun Boushi and snacking along the way, we ended up at an artisanal knife store called Shitou. More than any other Japanese souvenir here, a quality knife is a thoughtful souvenir and a lifelong investment. The personalized engraving on the blades was the cherry on top.

With about two thousand shrines and temples, Kyoto is an ideal place to discover Japan’s inner peace. By chance, we came upon Kenninji Temple, the city’s oldest Zen Buddhist temple. The enormous complex is home to a few paintings classified as Japan’s “national treasure.” The colossal ceiling mural of twin dragons is particularly awe-inspiring. The peace and tranquility at Kenninji is an oasis of calm from Kyoto’s ongoing struggle with overtourism. It seems like Kyoto’s overtourism is limited to just a few neighborhoods.

Twin dragon ceiling mural at Kenninji Temple.

After a short rest at our machiya, we walked a few blocks north to Kyoto’s modern business district. The contemporary appearance of central Kyoto seemed contradictory to the city’s reputation as the capital of ancient Japan. But looking closely, we could find feudal-era shrines and temples sprinkled among the shopping arcades and large department stores. For international visitors, the main draw here is Nishiki Market. Regarded as the “Kitchen of Kyoto,” this large market and shopping arcade is the foodie paradise. But for whatever reasons, we ended up for high-scale yakitori at Mahoroba.

Day 13 - Kyoto

Our luck with decent weather ran out this morning. To brighten everybody’s mood, we headed to the northwestern district of Arashiyama (嵐山). Many regard this to be the most scenic corner of Kyoto. Scenery aside, we were there for Arashiyama Monkey Park, Kyoto’s most unorthodox attraction. The park’s 120 Japanese Macaque roam freely and are carefully tended by a team of staff and volunteers. Joe was excited as this was his first close encounter with wild monkeys. Brian and I, conversely, can’t believe we hiked up halfway up a mountain for some monkeys. That said, the view of Kyoto was stunning.

After an overpriced lunch at Soba Shiki, we dropped by the newly inaugurated Fukuda Art Museum. This little museum is one of the most lauded pieces of architecture, but the exhibit was seriously lackluster. A bigger draw in Arashiyama is Tenryu-ji Temple, the temple of the sky dragon. It is the largest of Kyoto’s Zen temples and Brian’s favorite spot from his previous trip. However, for most visitors, the star attraction is Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. It may be conceived as a place for purification, but it is guaranteed to be mobbed by crowds of tourists much of the day. This is probably the best place to spot “influencers in the wild” in Kyoto.

The golden pavilion of Kinkaku-ji Temple.

At that point in the afternoon, the downpour became more intense. We took a taxi to Kinkaku-ji Temple, world-renowned for its golden pavilion. This was one of the few places I could remember from my first trip to Japan nearly thirty years ago. Originally a noble villa, the pavilion was burned to the ground by a mad monk in 1950 in a suicide attempt. The rebuilt pavilion looks surreal. Considering the number of tourists here, I can’t help wondering why Kanazawa doesn’t replicate the strategy by gilding one of its city landmarks.

With a fabulous dinner at Sumibi Zazuya, we called an early night. We hoped the weather would improve on our last full day in Japan.

Day 14 - Kyoto - Nara - Kyoto

For our last full day, we made a pilgrimage to Nara, Japan’s ancient capital. Nara was one of the places where Brian and I had visited previously, but we were still excited for a return visit. From our machiya, it was about an hour’s ride to central Nara. This city is renowned for its plethora of religious monuments, and it was not long before we came upon one of the city’s most prominent landmarks: Yakushi-ji Temple. However, the popular attraction here is probably Nara’s famous sika deers. These wild deers roam the city’s park freely and would bow when given a special deer biscuit.

Todai-ji Temple is the largest wooden structure in the world.

With so many temples and shrines to pick from, we made a beeline to the city’s largest temple, Todai-ji Temple. The scale of this wooden temple is uncomfortably enormous, and it houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha. Inside the temple are numerous artistic treasures, but what got the most attention was a hole carved inside one of the support columns. According to legend, it is the same size as Buddha’s nostrils;' those who pass through it will be enlightened in their next life. Before the trip, my parents texted me a picture of me crawling through that hole when I was ten. I am glad I have already obtained the enlightenment 29 years ago.

For lunch, we backtracked to central Nara. For whatever reason, we ended up at Cafe Tanne, which turned out to be one of our least favorite meals in Japan. Because of our limited time, we headed to Kasuga-taisha Shrine, arguably Nara's second most famous shrine. The shrine is renowned for its stone and bronze lanterns. The shrine is dedicated to the deity that protects the city. The shrine was also the tutelary shrine of the Fujiwara clan, the most powerful family when Nara was the nation’s capital. With hundreds of other shrines yet to be visited, we just had to return on the next trip.

Back in Kyoto, I revisited the Higashiyama District for sunset photography. Sadly, the clear sky gave way to dark clouds once again. For our final dinner, we booked a kaiseki meal at Kurita. The tiny restaurant has a modern take on the traditional kaiseki experience. The amount of effort put into the meal was staggering. As in any other fine dining experience, the rituals and presentation were everything. The amount of effort put into the meal was astonishing; it was definitely a meal to remember.

Day 15 - Kyoto - Tokyo - Toronto - Newark

We can’t believe our trip to Japan was near its end! After checking out of our lovely machiya, we had just an hour or two to kill near the Kyoto Station. We stopped by the observation tower at Kyoto Tower for the panoramic view. Visitors could supposedly see Osaka from here on a clear day. Unfortunately, the weather was suboptimal, and we could hardly see Arashiyama! For our last meal in Japan, we returned to Gyukatsu Kyoto for their quick and reliable beef cutlets. We will surely miss eating out in Japan.

Given its remarkable reliability, we took the Shinkansen to Tokyo’s Shinagawa Station just in time to catch our flight out of Haneda Airport. Even though we just had lunch, I could not resist picking up my first Japanese Ekiben for the ride. I suddenly realized that I had yet to experience so much of Japan. While many passengers napped on the bullet train, I did not miss out on any scenery. I just hope it won’t take another thirty years before returning to this amazing country.

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