About
These pages serve as a journal of my family’s trip to Japan in summer 2025. Simply enjoy, or its pages may also give you ideas for your own future visit. Pages show dates relative to PDT and so some dates may appear one day off (Japan runs ahead of California).
- Planning travel to Japan
- Useful things to know in Japan
- Tips about things in Japan
- All posts, newest first
Our timeline (with correct dates) is shown below. Click/tap items under each day to reveal more details, including pictures. You can also jump directly to any of the major cities and areas visited:
Travel to Japan (June 10, 2025)
June 10, 2025
Tokyo (June 11–14, 2025)
June 11, 2025
June 12, 2025
- Tour Asakusa with a guide
- Ramen lunch at Okurindo
- Maguro Mart – All-tuna dinner
- Showtime – Bar Centifolia
June 13, 2025
- A Ghibli day
- Hotel Gajoen Tokyo
- Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum - Center Zone
- Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum - East Zone
- Ghibli Museum, Mitaka
- Shinjuku – Explore and Steak dinner
June 14, 2025
- Tsukiji – Wandering around
- Tsukiji – Sushi for breakfast
- Tsukiji – The big tuna!
- Hamarikyu Gardens
- Shibuya – Scramble crossing and PARCO
- Shibuya – Sukiyaki dinner
Kanazawa (June 15–17, 2025)
June 15, 2025
June 16, 2025
- Kanazawa: Oyama Shrine
- Kanazawa: Kanazawa Castle
- Kanazawa: Kenroku-en (Garden)
- Kanazawa: Samurai District
- Kanazawa: Higashi Chaya and Kazuemachi Chaya
- Kanazawa: Yakitori Dinner
June 17, 2025
Kyoto (June 18–22, 2025)
June 18, 2025
- Kyoto: Arrival, lunch, and market
- Kyoto: Higashiyama District
- Kyoto: Camellia Flower Tea House
- Kyoto: Okonomiyaki Dinner
June 19, 2025
June 20, 2025
- Kyoto: Kiyomizu-dera
- Kyoto: Ginkaku-ji - Temple of the Silver Pavilion
- Kyoto: Philosopher’s Walk
- Kyoto: Nijo Castle
- Kyoto: Soba Lunch, Keiseki dinner
June 21, 2025
- Kyoto: Gyoen National Garden and Imperial Palace
- Kyoto: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
- Kyoto: Hoshun-in Bonsai Garden
- Kyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
- Kyoto: Giō-ji
- Kyoto: Dinner at hidden Izakaya
June 22, 2025
- Uji: Matcha and Byōdō-in
- Wazuka: Café and Tea co-op
- Wazuka: Tea Plantations - Country side
- Wazuka: Cha-Soba lunch
- Nara: Deer
- Nara: Tōdai-ji
Hiroshima (June 23–24, 2025)
June 23, 2025
- Hiroshima: Transfer on Shinkansen
- Hiroshima: Peace Memorial Park
- Hiroshima: Itsukushima (Miyajima) Island
June 24, 2025
Osaka (June 24–26, 2025)
June 24, 2025
June 25, 2025
June 26, 2025
Hakone (June 27–28, 2025)
June 27, 2025
June 28, 2025
- Hakone: Open Air Museum
- Hakone: Cable car and Ropeway
- Hakone: Pirate Ship Trip across Ashi Lake
- Hakone: A new room and another keiseki dinner