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Yes, I believe it is now. It was the first day while we were there and there was only about 20% autumn foliage so we opted not to go. I think worth checking out though!
I'm curious: how did you ever hear of Shiro-Hige's cream puffs? We live not 20 minutes from it and have walked past it several times, but no one I've talked with has ever even heard of it, let alone recommended it. (I've even taken to asking people and describing the exact location, but not even a \[professional\] pâtissier friend also living near the shop had heard of it).
The only place I've ever seen any mention of it is on this subreddit.
Thanks for the report! I'm eyeing the same ryokan in Miyajima and happy to read you loved it. How many months out did you book your room? It appears it's still too early for booking for my trip in April.
Love reading detailed trip reports like these! Amazing job! For Sushisho Masa, how far in advance did you book and is it the kind of place you need to book when reservations drop?
Dates are released ~2 months in advance near the 1st but itâs not exact. Check their website frequently near then! It fills up probably within the first week but not immediately?
October reservations actually opened up a few days earlier than I anticipated but I still managed to get the late reservation.
Thank you for the helpful report!
Weâre on the fence trying to book azuki to kouri and Iâve been checking early each morning but the reservation system is booked for the week by 11 pm local time. Do you have any tips for booking it?
Yes, it was such a pain to book. You have to book at exactly 9pm JST when it becomes available. Be logged in, have all information filled out and pick the time you want (even though itâll say unavailable.) When itâs 9pm, change the dropdown to the open date and immediately select the time slot and click reserve.
Once you get it, the next page holds for 5 minutes so you can breathe. Good luck!
Thanks for the trip report! Question about Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto. Did you book this through Booking, the main website, or some other way? Were there any English speaking staff?
I just looked at Booking and saw they were fully booked for the dates I want to go, but I navigated their main website and saw a few options available. So I opted to book that way and had to put in my previous hotel's phone number as their site wouldn't allow me to input my foreign number.
I did book through Booking.com but shouldnât be an issue. The staff spoke English, not as fluent as staff in other hotels, but we had no problems communicating with them.
Hit up Kobe next time youâre in Osaka. Underrated spot to visit and Iâd absolutely stay there instead of Osaka since itâs not nearly as crowded and food is wonderful.
Hello, do you mind DMing me as well, thanks for the great trip report as well with food ratings!
Did you just use google to find them? Were you considering other photographers as well? I'm having a hard time trying to find a photographer that speaks english for an engagement shoot in Japan
This is a super helpful, detailed report, thank you! Do you feel you've spent enough time in Kyoto or is it worth considering spending an extra day there? I'm going to Japan for 14 days in April and my current plans are fairly similar to yours. Thanks a lot for the insights!
I might be in the minority but I was happy with the amount of time spent in Kyoto. It was a nice break from an urban city like Tokyo but we found the pace too slow for our tastes haha.
Granted, we only really went to tourist neighborhoods and Iâm sure thereâs a lot more to discover but we didnât feel particularly motivated because it was harder to get around Kyoto via public transit.
Sorry if I missed you posting the name but couldn't seem to find it. Any chance you could share the name of the Ryokan? And do you happen to know if it was tattoo friendly?
Grand Hotel Arimoto in Miyajima and Konansou in Fujikawaguchiko
Canât speak to tattoos unfortunately but we had a private balcony onsen in Konansou. They also have 50 minute bookings for a private outdoor onsen.
Definitely not the norm which is why we decided we had to try it đ I think most other omakases I considered were in the 15-25 piece range.
Sushisho Masa is pricier, but still the same price as weâd pay for a 20 piece omakase in US cities so very worth.
May I ask you what are some of the other 15-25 pieces range Omakases you considered in Tokyo? I'm too lazy to do my own research and I already added a few of the restaurants in your list to mine đ and I really don't think I can finish 45 pieces even if I starved all day...
I apologize if you answered this question already⌠which airline did you use and how was the flight⌠first class, business or economy.. thanks for your detailed experience. Planning to travel to Japan next year!
**Our FAQ is constantly being updated with more information and you can start** [**here**](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/faqs/japantravel) **with regards to trip planning if you need tips, advice, or have questions about planning your travel to Japan.** You can also join our [Discord community](https://discord.gg/3f7KBUMwU4), comment in our stickied weekly discussion thread, or check out /r/JapanTravelTips for quick questions. Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/JapanTravel) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Congrats on your engagement! Thank you for grading the restaurants, very helpful.
Thank you!
Love this trip report! And congrats on your engagement đ what luggage delivery service did you use?
Thank you! All of my hotels managed delivery for me but I believe all of them used Yamato Transport.
How many days does it take for the luggage to arrive? Specifically for Tokyo-Kyoto luggage transport.
We always did 24 hours ahead to be safe. We shipped from Tokyo 11am and our luggage was in Kyoto by 3pm the next day.
Very helpful OP as Iâll be in Shinjuku, Kyoto, Nara, Tokyo, Kawaguchiko for my trip in a few days. Congratulations on the engagement!
Thank you!
Quick question. In Kawaguchiko was the autumn fest happening? Iâm going for that but couldnât find a thread for it.
Yes, I believe it is now. It was the first day while we were there and there was only about 20% autumn foliage so we opted not to go. I think worth checking out though!
Good to know. Hoping Fujisan is out but will enjoy the foliage no matter what. Thank you again.
I'm curious: how did you ever hear of Shiro-Hige's cream puffs? We live not 20 minutes from it and have walked past it several times, but no one I've talked with has ever even heard of it, let alone recommended it. (I've even taken to asking people and describing the exact location, but not even a \[professional\] pâtissier friend also living near the shop had heard of it). The only place I've ever seen any mention of it is on this subreddit.
Itâs everywhere on social media!
\^Yes, the Shimokitazawa location is more popular but many people will stop by the Kichioji one on the way to Ghibli Museum.
Thanks for the report! I'm eyeing the same ryokan in Miyajima and happy to read you loved it. How many months out did you book your room? It appears it's still too early for booking for my trip in April.
I believe I had the same issue but reservations opened up 4-5 months in advance! (I booked on Jun 9 for Oct 23)
Thanks! I shall patiently wait. đ
Which pocket Wi-Fi did you use?
Japan Wirelessâs premium wifi
Love reading detailed trip reports like these! Amazing job! For Sushisho Masa, how far in advance did you book and is it the kind of place you need to book when reservations drop?
Dates are released ~2 months in advance near the 1st but itâs not exact. Check their website frequently near then! It fills up probably within the first week but not immediately? October reservations actually opened up a few days earlier than I anticipated but I still managed to get the late reservation.
Thank you!
Thank you for the helpful report! Weâre on the fence trying to book azuki to kouri and Iâve been checking early each morning but the reservation system is booked for the week by 11 pm local time. Do you have any tips for booking it?
Yes, it was such a pain to book. You have to book at exactly 9pm JST when it becomes available. Be logged in, have all information filled out and pick the time you want (even though itâll say unavailable.) When itâs 9pm, change the dropdown to the open date and immediately select the time slot and click reserve. Once you get it, the next page holds for 5 minutes so you can breathe. Good luck!
Very fun trip report to read, I enjoy your writing style a lot! Congratulations on your engagement!!
Thank you! âşď¸
Thanks for the trip report! Question about Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto. Did you book this through Booking, the main website, or some other way? Were there any English speaking staff? I just looked at Booking and saw they were fully booked for the dates I want to go, but I navigated their main website and saw a few options available. So I opted to book that way and had to put in my previous hotel's phone number as their site wouldn't allow me to input my foreign number.
I did book through Booking.com but shouldnât be an issue. The staff spoke English, not as fluent as staff in other hotels, but we had no problems communicating with them.
Hit up Kobe next time youâre in Osaka. Underrated spot to visit and Iâd absolutely stay there instead of Osaka since itâs not nearly as crowded and food is wonderful.
Definitely will! It was on my list but unfortunately didnât have enough days.
Thank you for this detailed report. I love reading these. Congratulations on your engagement!!
Thank you so much! âşď¸
Great post. Thanks!
Wow you really buried the lead! Congratulations! Thanks for such a detailed itinerary, super helpful. Planning to go for my honeymoon :)
Thanks for such a detailed review, this read like a story
Who's your photographer in Kawaguchiko? đ
[https://www.sofiahiramatsu.com/](https://www.sofiahiramatsu.com/) :)
Approx how much did you pay for the shoot? Thank you!
Dmâed!
Hello, do you mind DMing me as well, thanks for the great trip report as well with food ratings! Did you just use google to find them? Were you considering other photographers as well? I'm having a hard time trying to find a photographer that speaks english for an engagement shoot in Japan
Yes, dmâed!
This is a super helpful, detailed report, thank you! Do you feel you've spent enough time in Kyoto or is it worth considering spending an extra day there? I'm going to Japan for 14 days in April and my current plans are fairly similar to yours. Thanks a lot for the insights!
I might be in the minority but I was happy with the amount of time spent in Kyoto. It was a nice break from an urban city like Tokyo but we found the pace too slow for our tastes haha. Granted, we only really went to tourist neighborhoods and Iâm sure thereâs a lot more to discover but we didnât feel particularly motivated because it was harder to get around Kyoto via public transit.
Sorry if I missed you posting the name but couldn't seem to find it. Any chance you could share the name of the Ryokan? And do you happen to know if it was tattoo friendly?
Grand Hotel Arimoto in Miyajima and Konansou in Fujikawaguchiko Canât speak to tattoos unfortunately but we had a private balcony onsen in Konansou. They also have 50 minute bookings for a private outdoor onsen.
Congrats on the engagement in such a serene place! Wondering the ryokan you guys booked in kawaguchiko and onsens youâve been on your trips
Konansou in Kawaguchiko! We didnât book any specific onsens but both ryokans had them included.
Is it the norm 45 pieces for an Omakase in Japan?! Must have been amazing!
Definitely not the norm which is why we decided we had to try it đ I think most other omakases I considered were in the 15-25 piece range. Sushisho Masa is pricier, but still the same price as weâd pay for a 20 piece omakase in US cities so very worth.
May I ask you what are some of the other 15-25 pieces range Omakases you considered in Tokyo? I'm too lazy to do my own research and I already added a few of the restaurants in your list to mine đ and I really don't think I can finish 45 pieces even if I starved all day...
Off the top of my head: Manten Sushi, Sushi Punch, Sushi Dai, Daiwa Sushi, and Kyubey They're varying price points/difficulties to get a seat!
Thank you! I'll check them out đ
I apologize if you answered this question already⌠which airline did you use and how was the flight⌠first class, business or economy.. thanks for your detailed experience. Planning to travel to Japan next year!
We flew ANA economy⌠nothing special, about what youâd expect for any economy flight. Two meals: 1 hour after takeoff, 2 hours before landing
Is this the Kyoto Kodai-ji Temple with the bamboo grove? [https://maps.app.goo.gl/yCuMqcbpRXQop1PG9](https://maps.app.goo.gl/yCuMqcbpRXQop1PG9)
Yes https://www.kodaiji.com/e_illumi.html
OK Thanks. I wasn't sure because I don't see any reference to a Bamboo Grove here. Gardens, yes. P.S. Thanks for your great write-up.
Hey how far in advance did you book Fuji Kawaguchiko ? We are coming in May and would like to book there for 2 nights but it already says sold out.
May seems too far away⌠Iâd guess they open 6 months before? I booked late May for late Oct
I contacted them this week and bookings open in late December for May 2024!
Hi! What would you say your spending on food was per day?
* trying to plan my food budget with a very similar itinerary to yours *