#illuminatiPhone
Connectivity varies by provider. E.g. T-Mobile might work better than Verizon.
1 Like
@formersushichef Havenāt been to Ine yet! I remember Amanohashidate in that area is one of the 3 classic scenic views of Japan and it has peaked my interest; just no opportunity yet. Tamagawa would definitely be high up on my list as I really enjoy their sake but that looks pretty tight. I just threw up Google Maps and it looks like a 1-hour one-way train ride for that detour so not actually that close.
@CiaoBob some US phone providers like T-Mobile automatically give international roaming. I think by international roaming my basic understanding is that it just pretty much borrows local provider networks or something so your connectivity should be great. I remember when I used it in 2019 it worked perfectly out of the box and I donāt think I needed pocket wifi either. However, I think I used it for a little last year and the speed was very slow. There might be some details to ponder there if you have an upcoming trip.
I remember the main reason why you shouldnāt just bring your cell phone and use whatever international options your US provider has is because itās significantly more expensive. If cost is not an issue then there are many choices.
Iām going to Japan in December with the family. 4 people total. Looking at eSim vs pocket Wifi options. But the problem is not sure how much data we will need?
Ubigi 10GB for 11 days is $68 total
Ninja Wifi 3GB per day is $75 total
For the extra $7 Iām leaning towards Ninja. Pickup at the airport is supposedly very simple. Even if my kids are going crazy on Pokemon and weāre using Google Maps all day I donāt think weād go over 3GB per day.
1 Like
Thanks - will have to do some research: going in November, a few days in Tokyo, but the focus of the trip is Kyushu and Yakushima.
2 Likes
Unless you are streaming video consistently and constantly it will be very difficult to surpass 3Gig a day.
I would go with the ninja always better to have more than less, 7 dollars is an inānout combo
4 Likes
@CiaoBob I enjoyed Kyushu; havenāt been to Yakushima. Another thing with pocket wifi if youāre going multi-location is that you have to remember to drop off the pocket wifi at some point which I remember being a last minute annoyance to consider.
@js76wisco Agree with hippos that generally 3 GB/day is tough to use if youāre not doing anything too intensive. I think with a group of 4 and multiple people wanting internet, a pocket wifi is good just for that easy convenience factor. Pocket wifi pickup is indeed easy as you just go to a counter with the info and they grab it for you. Like I mentioned with Bob, the dropoff is an annoyance but convenience for the group during the trip probably offsets and then some. If problems crop up, you can always add an eSIM later mid-trip and just pay for what you want for the rest of the trip.
4 Likes
Hi There,
Awesome post!
Curious as to how you are getting reservations to Arai, Hashimoto, Motoyoshi?
Are you getting lucky via Omakase?
Any insights on how to be able to book those would be very much appreciated 
1 Like
Hi @562, thanks! I guess a bit of luck is involved. yes, pretty much everything is booked online. I go to Japan several times a year, in fact Iām in Tokyo now, so it helps as I keep a semi-flexible schedule. Iāve never used a tour or guide. Unfortunately, a concierge will not be of any real help getting the most hard-to-get reservations, no matter how nice the hotel is.
I first went to Arai several years ago. In general, I think access opens up more when one is a returning customer.
There are so many good options for food in Tokyo that I wouldnāt be too fixated on getting into a particular shopā¦With that said, a lot of shops tend to have a specific style or feel, so one strategy might be to book at a new restaurant of someone who is venturing out from a bigger name shop you want to tryā¦and to see if their style is to your taste. There are already several alums of Arai to try, for example.
I believe that Motoyoshi is rather easy to book and very good for foreigners.
5 Likes
I appreciate the answer! Iāve dined at most of the alumns of top sushi-yas that trained under the different styles but am still curious as to what that gap would be to try the ābest.ā Whether it be Hashimoto ā Sugita, or even the reverse Sushisho ā Arai , Umi ā Amamoto.
There is still much to be explored!
Anyhow thanks for the response and very much appreciate all your other posts in regard to Japan. Learned a few new spots to try from your posts!
5 Likes
When it comes to Hashimoto vs Sugita, yes they are different experiences. I really do appreciate how Hashimoto is a great all-rounder - the otsumami is great, I quite like the nigiri, the sake selection, ease, value, ability to add on extras (and still come out for very reasonable price), comfortable service, etc. Sugita is a very special experience but way harder to get into.
Regarding Arai, i think that doesnāt resemble Sushi Sho all that much, though Shoās ankimo narazuke and ohagi are mainstays in their menu. Based on my friendās recommendation, I may alternatively suggest Takeru.
I also really like the new Minami-Aoyama location of Kurosaki - in fact, itās been one of my best meals in Japan several times. Nakano is in Kurosakiās old location (Shibuya) is much easier to get in to. Try Kurosaki if possible, though the main counter is indeed preferred.
Thereās always somewhere new to try, and I always like to try somewhere with history as well. Iāll report back.
Happy eating!
6 Likes
Haha speaking of new to try I just went to Sushi Tada in Tsukiji/Shintomicho and was very pleasantly surprised by a place that seems to have gone completely under the radar. Apparently friends with or patronized by Yoshizumi of Sushi Yoshizumi in SF and I can understand why! I enjoyed it a lot and was surprised at some of the things I was given. There are so many amazing places to always try!
3 Likes
Heading to Japan for the first time next weekā¦hereās our current bookings if anyone has any input on things theyād sub out/avoid let me know! ALSO: weāve kept most of our lunches free and a few dinner slots open so open to any fun things people recommend. Also looking for great bakeries/pastries or breakfastsā¦
Tokyo
Day 1 - Land, dinner @ Sowado
Day 2 - Lunch open, Dinner @ Sushi Murase (booked thru hotel)
Day 3 - Lunch Open, Dinner @ Crony
Day 4 - Lunch open, Dinner @ Den
Kyoto
Day 1 - Monk
Day 2 - Tempura Kyoboshi
Day 3 - Free!
Day 4 - Cenci
Naoshima - Just kaiseki dinner @ our Ryokan
Osaka -
Day 1 Dinner - Open! Any recs for Osaka streetfood or okonomayaki?
Day 2 - Lunch @ Sushi Sanshin, Dinner open
Day 3 - Dinner @ Yakitori Ichimatsu
Hakone - Dinner @ Ryokan
Back to Tokyo
Day 1 - Open, maybe Maz for dinner?
Day 2 - SushiSho Masa but also have a rez at Tsubomi if someone could help me decide
Day 3 - Open
2 Likes
Pretty nice itinerary! I see quite a few notoriously difficult places on there too.
Nothing to add on bakeries/pastries since Iāve never actually gotten any while in Japan. Breakfast-wise I only recall for Tokyo that thereās a bonito-focused place in Shibuya called Katsuo Shokudo (Katsuo Shokudo - Google Search) and thereās a horumon specialist in Tsukiji called Kitsuneya (Kitsuneya - Google Search). Disclaimer that Iāve never gone to the former and itās been many years since the latter. I personally actually preferred the meat tofu bowl more than the horumon when I did a side-by-side at the time.
Kyoto I tried to get Japanese breakfast at a more famous place but it had a lot of reservations and cut off the walk-in line so I just walked in to a place on the way to Kiyomizudera and it was great. I had also intended to try to fit in Muku in Arashiyama but had to skip it due to my schedule. For Kyoto, I like to try a tofu restaurant as I think I read ages ago that tofu is a specialty there. I had Sagano in Kyoto and Tousuiro in central Kyoto but ended up cutting them as I had plenty of Kaiseki restaurants on my agenda.
I donāt see any Kaiseki restaurants on your itinerary (ryokan just donāt count for me unless the ryokan is specifically known for food) so would suggest that if you can fit one in. Iād suggest Hassun (Hassun - Google Search) at lunch. Hassun was amazing value and and easily delicious. Kyoto Kaiseki can be considered austere and I enjoyed my dinner at a different place but not sure Iād suggest. I would note that I came out of my Hassun lunch quite full so Iād try not to do anything heavy for dinner.
I see a lot of Western options and another idea might be Lurra in Kyoto. Customers were all foreigners but I enjoyed it and thought it reminiscent of Somni if youāve been to that pre-COVID.
If you like Japanese sake, Iād give Sake Bar Yoramu (Sake Bar Yoramu - Google Search) in Kyoto a shot. I stopped in before close and wish Iād had time to go again. For Tokyo, Iād recommend Eureka Sake Bar (EUREKA! Minato City - Google Search) where Iāve gotten lots of interesting and delicious drinks. The food menu is interesting too but I always end up eating beforehand and lack room to try much while there. A friend told me theyāre known for food/sake pairing and thereās a related restaurant I might try. But theyāre not the only ones in town doing sake and food pairing.
In Tokyo, honestly there are too many places to recommend in terms of food. Iām pretty sure Iāve stuffed my last few Tokyo trips full of food, lunch and dinner reservations all over the place, and still have plenty to explore.
Do you like pizza? Maybe Pizza Marumo (pizza marumo - Google Search) in Ebisu. All the Pizzeria Sei staff I talked to recommended it to me and it was Bun-sanās (previously worked at Savoy and then was at Sei before returning to Japan recently) recommendation when I asked him about a pizza place he liked in Tokyo. Reservations strongly recommended. I tried walking in later at night and they turned away walk-ins. I did see some walk-ins for a late lunch get in but itās not guaranteed. I got a Margh/Marinara half and half and thought the Marinara was really special. Also got a Red Hot Chili and enjoyed that a lot too. Iād say for me it was Marinara > Red Hot Chili > Margherita.
4 Likes
Lol Iām literally taking the same trip as you next week, @mzonelli, just in slightly different order it seems!
Any opinions yāall on Koke, Ogata, or Ogawa in Kyoto? Or Menya Inoichi? What about soba in Kyoto?
And what about PST vs Savoy vs Marumo vs Sereinkan?
Thanks in advance!
1 Like
No idea on Koke and Ogawa. Koke has a lot of favorable reviews online. Ogawa I think I took it off my radar because it wasnāt on the main 3 sites I use for online reservations nowadays. Ogata with a 4.6 Tabelog and a side store at Higashiyama? Thatās like one of the highest rated Kaiseki restaurants in all Japan if I remember right. Pretty much regulars only at this point? If you can fit it in and get in I would go for it. Not much of a soba person sadly.
Iāve been to PST, Savoy, and Marumo. Iād say Iām not really all that discerning on pizza, I just like what I like lol.
PST I always enjoy, mainly the Tamaki style. Itās tougher and tougher to go to though without a reservation and I donāt think you can make it online. I got in barely as a solo walk-in and was supposed to finish within a certain time frame to allow the next group in. Walking in at dinner worked before but probably easier as solo or maybe even duo but could be different given the flood of tourists and their fame.
Savoy I only did walk-in lunch combo which was very affordable (about 1k JPY? so about just around or under $7 USD). I remember thinking their Margh was similar to Pizzeria Sei. Marinara was nice. Iāve already mentioned my thoughts on Marumo. Bonus points on Marumo is you can make and see their reservations online via Tablecheck. Usually easy if done a few days out I think.
1 Like
Thanks for all this. Really appreciate it.
Iāve had no luck with Ogata, Appointment Trader or otherwise. Trying to figure out how to get a rez at Hitomi, or if you have another yakitori place Iām all ears.
I will take a look again at Marumo, and we have a rez at PST. Iām excited to do Italian/pizza but will probably only spend 1 meal on that during our trip. So many other options itās overwhleming, and I wanna eat stuff I donāt typically do in LA!
1 Like
Have a great time! Seems like youāre off to a great start in planning.
It will likely be warm. Google Maps is your friend when it comes to the metro planning, especially on the quickest metro exit to minimize walking around the stations, some of which can be quite big. If you need a sun umbrella, you can easily pick them up at any corner Family Mart / 711 / Lawsons, which are everywhere. As a practical hint, it can be hard to find the Suica/PASMO metro cards at the stations themselves due to the IC shortage, but you can reserve one online or simply pick one up for tourists - a Welcome Suica (good for 28 days) - at the Haneda airport. While the coin system is easy, a Suica card to tap at train stations or even the above mentioned convenience stores makes paying very easy. Youāll also want to complete the Visit Japan Web online to get the QR code (you just need one QR code now, no longer two), to make arrival through customs easy.
Iām a fan of keeping the lunches open as well. As youāre exploring the areas, you donāt want to overbook with reservations at every meal, because it may take some time getting around to different neighborhoods.
With that said, you have many options for lunch - other popular cuisines that donāt usualy require reservations include
- soba
- ramen
- udon
- curry
- unagi
- Chinese food
- tonkatsu
- yoshoku (Western food, such as demi-glace stews or omurice)
maybe shabu shabu, sukiyaki, yakiniku, or steak restaurants would more likely require reservations.
you may also want to consider checking out
- wagashi
- coffee
- bars
Since itās your first time to Japan, I wouldnāt necessarily recommend trekking across town for specific restaurants for lunch. Rather, I would choose a neighborhood or event to see, or activity you want to do, and figure out a couple of options nearby to walk in to.
I went to Ogata last April (the honten in Shimogyo, not the Higashiyama branch). Great ingredients, simple in composition, lots of subtle symbolism, but perhaps a bit austere in taste for some. Like the title of the chefās book, itās āfinding beauty in rustic cuisine.ā There are some dishes whose presentation is double-entendre, some reference folklore, etc. The artwork behind the bar changes seasonally, too, and the plates are very precious. I believe his favored seasons are for hanasansho (briefly during spring - we had it in April, allegedly for 2 weeks or so but Iāve seen it last for longer), matsutake (early fall), and taizagani (December-ish).
Note that the Higashiyama branch is run by one of his alums and is usually about 25-30% less expensive. But occasionally, chef Ogata goes there, and the price go up to match that of the honten (June 17, 23, July 1, 22)
(Shokudo) Ogawa is very hard to book, and Iāve never been. The food looks great, though.
In Kyoto, you may want to give yahata/yawata maki a try, unagi wrapped over gobo rolls. Itās a specialty from nearby, and it takes considerable time to make - something Iāve never seen executed well in America. Shokudo Ogawa has a nice looking rendition. We had it at multiple kaiseki places, but if reservations fail, you can always grab it at the Nishiki market.
And oh, if anybody loves great grower champange - Orexis in Tokyo or Recontre in Kyoto. But I always drink as much sake as I can in Japan after starting with the requisite nama beer.
3 Likes
I havenāt done much Yakitori yet in Japan. Just in Tokyo and only at two places. I enjoyed Yakitori Shinohara but itās dinner only and sometimes closer to a Yakitori Kaiseki. I have no idea how it compares to the hard to book places as Iāve never been to those. Yakitori Shinohara is always an easy reservation.
Adding on to @pomodoro comments on Suicaā¦ Do you have an iPhone? You can add a SUICA card to your iPhone wallet and charge it there. You would then hold your phone over the tapping stations at the train stations and 7-11s etc.
Just make sure to do it all in one go and donāt let your phone sleep or anything during the process. Iām pretty sure I screwed up the first time and have $30 some USD in a digital Suica account that will never get used anywhere because I canāt access it anymore and donāt want to make a fuss by contacting the Suica company itself or charging it back via my credit card. Regardless, itās great and I just added another 5k JPY to it while the exchange rates are amazing from SoCal. I donāt know if you can do it with an Android.
1 Like
Yakitoriguy on insta has a shop rec story tab that has a list. Also if you message him, heāll likely respond.
3 Likes