Travel Thursday: Japan
Dec 19, 2024 01:21PM ● By Lauren Pope
The Popes have been trying to visit Japan for years. Covid scuttled their last planned trip, so, with airline credits in hand, they decided to go big for a once in a lifetime 20th anniversary couple's get away. Lauren's dream was to eat ramen in the snowy mountains, so they spent the bulk of their trip in Hida Takayama, a village in the Japanese Alps. They spent the remainder of the trip in Tokyo.
Exceeding Expectations
Planning a Japanese vacation is a little overwhelming, especially trying to figure out the train lines around the city and the country. When I learned that there happens to be a luxury hotel attached to the central Tokyo Station, I jumped at the opportunity to stay there for our first night in the country.

Not only was it exceptionally convenient (we were able to hop downstairs to pick up our subway Suica card at the English-speaking information desk without any hassle at all) but it was also, in the words of my husband, the nicest hotel we'd ever stayed in. The service was exceptional and the room itself luxurious. We told them that we were celebrating our anniversary, so they even offered to take a celebratory photo of us as we checked out. I highly recommend this hotel for anyone looking to simplify their Tokyo logistics or for those looking for special occasion luxury.

We had dinner the first night at a tiny sushi restaurant called Sushi-Fukuduka. With seating for only 6, this little space packs a big punch. The chef creates and serves everything in front of you, explaining the dishes as he goes. This is the perfect date or double date spot - but be aware that it was also our most expensive meal during the entire trip.

After that, it was off to Takayama via a high-speed train. We bought our tickets through Klook Travel which charges a small service fee. It was worth it though, because it allowed us to have a QR code to easily scan for the high-speed portion of our trip. When we changed to a regional train, we had to go through a ticket machine which was...less user friendly.

Takayama itself is the heart of the Hida agricultural region. We stayed at a Japanese style inn called a Ryokan deep in the mountains about an hour north of the city. If you're looking for a true Japanese experience, I can't recommend this highly enough. The Kakurean Hidaji was beyond our wildest expectations. We stayed in a traditional room with a private onsen, an outdoor hot spring bath. It was snowing when we got there, and the snow stayed on the ground for our entire stay. Sitting in the hot spring looking out into the snow was definitely a bucket list item!

The inn also provided dinner and breakfast each day in the traditional Kaiseki Ryori style. Basically, we had 10 course meals every day, expertly prepared by a team of chefs and served by the most delightful hosts you could imagine. We learned early to pace ourselves, lest we die fat and satisfied right there in our seats.

The highlight of our time in the Hida region was a trip into the mountains aboard the Shinhotaka Ropeway. This double decker gondola took to the top of the Chubu Mountains National Park where we spent the afternoon frolicking in the snow and, yes, eating ramen whilst looking out across the snowy peaks.


We spent one day in Takayama itself, which is where the cover picture was taken. During the Edo period, the town paid its taxes with beef and woodworking, and you can still see that heritage today. There are many expert craftsman shops along the Kyoto-esq old city streets. It was here in Takayama that we had the best meal of our lives at a tiny Washoku Restaurant called Sakana. We had the seasonal omakase course chosen by the chef. In addition to the food, we were served specially made sake to accompany each course...until he wisely cut me off.

Honestly, none of my pictures do the place justice, but the chef was a talented photographer (his pictures or the Hida winter served as a backdrop to the meal) and he graciously took this picture of the two of us with our first course.

After 5 days in the mountains, it was time for us to return to Tokyo. Unfortunately, our beloved Tokyo Station hotel was fully booked, so we shifted gears and stayed at the very conveniently located Blossom Hibiya instead. This hotel offered breathtaking skyline views and a clean, comfortable room. Though not nearly as luxurious as the Tokyo Station Hotel, it was also far more affordable and in the more vibrant Shinbashi area. I also snagged a picture of the Tokyo skyline at sunrise right from my bedroom window.

We spent most of our days in Tokyo shopping, walking, and eating. We found a few great dive bars and a 5-story toy store that really helped us check off the last items on our Christmas shopping list. We stood in line for the famous Kagari ramen (worth it!), drank fancy chocolate cocktails at Momento Mori and had a delightful wagyu t-bone steak dinner. We also explored strolled around the grounds of the Imperial Palace and walked through Hibiya Park where we saw an exact replica of the Liberty Bell donated to Japan following the end of WWII.






Words of Wisdom
We used Booking.com to book all of our accommodations. It was very convenient and offers everything from Ryokans to hotels to Airbnb's. It also allows you to book well in advance before having to pay for the room, perfect for those of us who would rather budget ahead than put things on a credit card. Booking.com also offers discounts and specials that match or exceed whatever you'd get from booking directly with the hotel. Most importantly, the website is simple to navigate as an English speaker, which is not always the case when dealing with .jp addresses.
Tokyo is delightful in December. It's festively decorated, and the temperature is perfectly cool without being frigid. While many Japanese itineraries will have visitors hopping between Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, we found the quieter pace of Takayama to be exactly what we needed between the fast-paced days in Tokyo. If I were to go to Japan again, I would focus on Kyoto - south to Hiroshima. Trying to do the entire main island in one trip is, in my opinion, just too much.
If you have rolling luggage, DEFINITELY utilize the next-day luggage forwarding service. Your hotel will be able to help set this up for you. You can also ship from the airport if you plan on riding the subway to your first hotel, but we used a taxi instead for airport trips.
Knowing a few words of Japanese is helpful, but not necessary. Service industry employees universally spoke enough English for us to communicate back and forth, sometimes with the help of the trusty translation app.
Finally, definitely fill out your visa paperwork before you get into the country. Having the visa QR code in hand made getting through immigration a breeze.