Japan– category –

I headed to Arashiyama on the Randen, arrived in a station area filled with international visitors, walked past Togetsukyo Bridge, sampled a matcha sweet, explored the vast bamboo grove, and finished with a very short but memorable ride on the scenic train.

After skipping lunch while sightseeing around Saga-Arashiyama, I made the walk to Meisei Curry and was rewarded with a fragrant chicken biryani that was well worth the detour from the station.

After returning to Kyoto Station and doing some shopping at Isetan and Takashimaya, I headed to Hosen for dinner. I got in on the first seating by lining up at opening time, and the gentle Kyoto-style Chinese flavors made it a very satisfying meal.

After dinner, I dropped by House of KI NO BI, a nearby shop known for its craft gin. Even without a reservation, I was able to stop in and enjoy a drink.

I went back to Train Train for dinner, a restaurant I had visited before. Its understated exterior gives way to a lively dining room, and the good food, pleasant atmosphere, and thoughtful wine service made me want to return again on my next trip to Kyoto.

On this Kyoto trip, I stayed again at The Westin Miyako Kyoto, a hotel I keep returning to for its polished interiors, excellent public bath, and memorable views over KASUIEN.

After visiting Toshodaiji, I went on to Yakushiji, another World Heritage site in Nara. Founded in 680, it has an even longer history, yet much of the temple grounds feels strikingly new because many buildings were reconstructed from the late Showa period onward.

I passed by Nara Centennial Hall near Nara Station, a multipurpose hall designed by Arata Isozaki. Even without going inside, its striking form and powerful presence were impressive from the street.

Built in 1934, the former JR Nara Station building combines modern construction with temple-like and distinctly Japanese design elements, reflecting the architectural mood of early Showa Japan.

Before leaving Nara for Kyoto, I stopped at Toshodai-ji, a temple founded by Ganjin, the Chinese monk who introduced proper Buddhist ordination to Japan, in 759. As part of the UNESCO-listed Cultural Properties of Ancient Nara, it offered a calmer, more spacious atmosphere than the famous temples in Kyoto.

On my second stay at JW Marriott Hotel Nara, I enjoyed the hotel’s Christmas decorations, its calm and well-designed guest room, cocktail hour in the executive lounge, a late drink at the bar, and breakfast the next morning.

For dinner, I walked from the hotel to Japanese Cuisine Kawanami, a place I had visited a few years earlier. The careful Japanese cooking, generous use of fresh homegrown vegetables, and thoughtful sake selection made it a satisfying return.

After returning from the Expo exhausted, I went to Kohaku Brasserie in KITTE Osaka, in the same building as my hotel. Unlike the usual Kohaku, which focuses on small plates, this newer format serves more substantial French à la carte dishes.

A stay at Osaka Station Hotel during my visit to Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. From the moment I stepped in from KITTE Osaka, the hotel felt like a completely different world, with a calm yet playful atmosphere, a spacious and beautifully designed room, and stunning night and morning views. Breakfast was especially memorable, with top-class buffet quality, sushi, pastries, desserts, and an extraordinary amount of perfectly ripe melon.

Without a breakfast plan at the hotel, I started the morning at Kissa Shotiku, a two-story retro coffee shop in Osaka known for its stained glass and pine-patterned ceiling.

Caption by Hyatt Namba Osaka has a better location than I expected, conveniently close to the station. This is about my stay at Caption by Hyatt Namba Osaka when I visited Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Unusually for me, I stayed at a Hyatt Group hotel rather than a Marriott Group one. My impression is that the Caption brand sits in a position similar to Aloft or Moxy within the Marriott Group. The room was stylish, though the bed was a bit narrow. That said, the compact size of the bed did bother me a little. The toilet seemed to be a higher-end TOTO Neorest model and was comfortable to use. However, it was set in the same space as the sink. There was no bathtub—only a shower booth. There were also a few playful touches, such as a closet hanging rod designed to look like a Japanese sword.

I stayed at The Westin Osaka, using a Marriott Bonvoy free night reward. Between the changing cityscape of Umekita, lounge time with my parents, and a satisfying breakfast, it made for a memorable short stay.

With time left before my return bus, I took a walk nearby and came across Motomachi CRED, a huge complex of shops and a hotel. Much of the former department store wing now seemed empty, but the building still carried the flashy grandeur of another era.

At lunchtime, I walked around looking for a place to eat, but everywhere nearby was packed with tourists. I eventually found Goemon in the restaurant floor of Aqua Hiroshima Center-gai and, after a long wait, had okonomiyaki again—because if I was in Hiroshima, I wanted to eat the local specialty.

At the end of my trip, I visited Hiroshima Castle just before the keep’s closure. The rebuilt tower was crowded, and with plans for a future wooden reconstruction, I found myself thinking about the scale of the project.

On the final day of my Hiroshima trip, I took the Hiroshima World Heritage Sea Route from Miyajima straight to Peace Memorial Park, then walked from the Atomic Bomb Dome to the cenotaph and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

Staying overnight on Miyajima let me see a quieter side of Itsukushima Shrine, from the illuminated torii at night to the tidal flats around it the next morning.

During my Hiroshima trip, I stayed at Miyajima Hotel Makoto on Miyajima. The hotel had a spacious Japanese-style room with a sea view, deer gathering in the park out front, and meals served in a large banquet hall.

For lunch after arriving at Hiroshima Station, I headed to Hiroshima Okonomi Monogatari Ekimae Hiroba, a slightly old-fashioned building near the station, and enjoyed a satisfying Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki meal at Sozo cooked right in front of me at the teppan counter.

I began my Kyoto trip with an overnight stay at sequence KYOTO GOJO, a hotel one subway stop from Kyoto Station and just a short walk from Gojo Station. With self check-in, facial recognition access, simple modern rooms, and a large public bath, it made for a smooth and comfortable start.

Getting into Katsura Imperial Villa took persistence long before I arrived in Kyoto. After finally winning a reservation, I visited this remarkable estate and found that its guided tour revealed layer after layer of hospitality, wit, and carefully staged scenery.

After visiting Dazaifu Tenmangu, I stopped by Kanzeon-ji and found a completely different atmosphere: quiet, sparsely populated, and full of history. The highlight was the temple’s impressive treasure house, where the Buddhist statues inside left a strong impression on me.