Ask Us Anything About Japan
Stuck on an itinerary decision, a rail pass question, or something no guide covers? Post it here and the TimeToJapan team will answer. Itinerary reviews are our favorite: paste your plan and we'll tell you what we'd change.
Is anyone else surprised by how good ramen is in Kyoto?
Okay so I know everyone talks about Tokyo ramen and Osaka food in general but can we talk about Kyoto for a second?? I just got back from my 8th trip and I spent 3 days in Kyoto this time specifically hunting ramen and honestly it might be the most underrated ramen city in Japan. Everyone knows about Ichiran and Ippudo (which are fine, whatever) but Kyoto has its own style that nobody talks about. The local thing is this chicken-based broth called tori paitan that's creamy and rich and completely different from the tonkotsu you get in Fukuoka or the shoyu in Tokyo. Menya Inoichi near Kyoto Station does a version that literally made me close my eyes it was so good. And then there's Ramen Muraji in the Gion area which does a walnut miso that sounds weird but trust me. TRUST ME. I've had over 200 bowls of ramen across Japan and that one is in my top 10 easily. Also found this tiny place called Takayasu near Nijo Castle, maybe 8 seats. The owner makes everything from scratch and the noodles have this incredible chew to them. No line because nobody knows about it. Am I alone here or has anyone else had amazing ramen in Kyoto? I feel like it deserves way more recognition
Ryokan with private onsen near Kyoto, recommendations?
My husband and I are planning our honeymoon in Japan (!!!) and we really want to do one night at a ryokan with a private onsen. Ideally somewhere within an hour or so of Kyoto since that's where we'll be spending most of our time. Budget wise we're willing to spend more for this one night since its a special occasion but we're not looking at like ¥100,000+ per person or anything. Maybe ¥30,000-50,000 per person including dinner and breakfast? Does anyone have recommendations? We're mostly looking for: - Private onsen (in-room or reservable) - Good kaiseki dinner included - That classic ryokan feeling, tatami rooms, futons, yukata etc - Not too hard to get to from Kyoto Also if anyone has done this before, is one night enough or should we do two?
Solo female travel in Japan, how safe did you feel?
I've done two solo trips to Japan and both times I felt completely safe, like more than anywhere else I've traveled honestly. I keep telling my friends this but they don't fully believe me lol Anyone else traveled solo there? Especially other women. I'm curious if your experience was similar or if I just got lucky. Also any tips for someone going solo for the first time? I have a few of my own but always looking for more
Cash or card in Japan? Getting conflicting info everywhere
So I keep reading different things about this and I'm confused. Some people say Japan is still mostly cash only and you need to carry a bunch of yen everywhere. Other people say it's changed a lot and you can tap your card most places now? I'm going for 2 weeks in October and I don't really want to be carrying around huge amounts of cash if I can avoid it. But I also don't want to be stuck somewhere unable to pay lol What's the actual situation these days? How much cash should I take out when I land and where can I expect cards to work vs not work?
Conveyor belt sushi in Osaka - worth trying or overhyped?
Hey! This forum is pretty new so not sure if anyone will see this but here goes haha I'm planning my first trip to Japan (2 weeks in October!) and I'll be in Osaka for a couple nights. I've always wanted to try conveyor belt sushi, it just looks so fun. But I've also seen some people online saying its more of a gimmick and you're better off just going to a normal sushi place? So yeah, is it actually worth doing in Osaka or should I skip it? And if it is worth it does anyone know a good place that won't destroy my wallet? I don't need anything fancy, just decent fish and a fun time. Sorry if this is a basic question, still figuring a lot of this out lol