Japan 2026 — Greg & Megan

Next Steps

🚄

Get a JR Pass A 7-day or 14-day Japan Rail Pass covers the Tokyo → Kyoto Shinkansen and local JR trains.

Flights

Outbound Confirmed

JFK

New York

HND

Tokyo Haneda

Date

Wed, May 20

Arrives

Thu, May 21 1:55 PM

Flight

AA 167

Departs

10:35 AM

Class

Economy (Q)

Seats

31J, 31L

AA: FWKITE JAL: CA5ZIL

Return (2 legs) Confirmed

Leg 1 — Domestic

ITM

Osaka Itami

HND

Tokyo Haneda

Date

Tue, Jun 2

Flight

AA 8461 (JAL)

Departs

3:40 PM

Arrives

5:00 PM

Leg 2 — International

HND

Tokyo Haneda

JFK

New York

Date

Tue, Jun 2

Flight

AA 8496 (JAL)

Departs

7:30 PM

Arrives

7:30 PM same day

Seats

59C, 59A

AA: FWKITE JAL: CA5ZIL

Airline Apps

American Airlines

Main booking & check-in. Mobile boarding pass for JFK→HND. Check in 24hrs before (May 19).

iOS Android

JAL

Japan Airlines

Operates return flights ITM→HND→JFK. Seat selection & boarding for Jun 2.

iOS Android

Accommodation

Tokyo — May 21-27 Confirmed

Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel

Newly Renovated Comfort Queen Room (Non-Smoking) — 6 nights, 2 adults
Address: Shibuya-ku, Sakuragaokacho 26-1, Tokyo
Check-in: Thu, May 21 — 3:00 PM
Check-out: Wed, May 27 — 12:00 PM
Phone: +81 3-3476-3000
Free cancellation until: May 19, 2026
Total: ¥359,993 (~$2,400)

Booking: 6414756066 Map

Kyoto — May 27-29 Confirmed

Hotel Yuraku Kyo-yasaka

Double Room TYPE B (Non-Smoking, 2nd-3rd Floor) — 2 nights, 2 adults
Address: 東山区鷲尾町528, Kyoto (Higashiyama district)
Check-in: Wed, May 27 — 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Check-out: Fri, May 29 — 11:00 AM
Phone: +81 75-525-4000
Free cancellation until: May 23, 2026
Total: ¥101,200 (~$675)

Booking: 5997267384 Map

Kyoto — May 29-30 Confirmed

HOTEL RINGS KYOTO

Standard Double Room — 1 night, 2 adults
Address: 393 Kabutoyacho, Sakaimachi-dori Rokkaku Sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Check-in: Fri, May 29 — 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Check-out: Sat, May 30 — 6:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Phone: +81 75-746-2920
Free cancellation until: May 25, 2026
Total: ¥28,080 (~$187)

Booking: 6249656476 Map

Osaka — May 30 - Jun 2 Confirmed

Centara Grand Hotel Osaka

Deluxe King Room (Standard Floor) — 3 nights, 2 adults
Address: 2-11-50 Nambanaka, Naniwa-ku, Osaka (Namba area)
Check-in: Sat, May 30 — 3:00 PM
Check-out: Tue, Jun 2 — 12:00 PM
Phone: +81 6-6616-9945
Free cancellation until: May 26, 2026
Total: ¥103,643 (~$691)

Booking: 5420458688 Map

Ground Transportation

Tokyo (May 21-27)

Tokyo has the best public transit on earth. The JR Yamanote Line is a loop that hits Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Akihabara, Ueno, and Tokyo Station — this one line covers 80% of your trip. The Tokyo Metro fills in everything else. You will almost never need a taxi or bus in Tokyo.

IC Card (Suica or Pasmo)

What: Rechargeable transit card. Tap on, tap off at every gate. Also works at convenience stores, vending machines, and some restaurants.
Where to buy: Haneda Airport arrival hall — look for the ticket machines right after customs. Select "Suica" and load cash.
iPhone option: Add a Suica card directly in Apple Wallet (Settings → Wallet → Transit Card → Suica). Load from your Apple Pay. No physical card needed.
How much to load: Start with ¥5,000 (~$33). A typical day in Tokyo is ¥800-1,500 in transit. Reload at any station or konbini.
Cost per ride: ¥170-400 depending on distance (~$1-3).
Your itinerary: Cerulean Tower is in Shibuya. You’ll use Yamanote Line to Harajuku (2 min), Shinjuku (5 min), Akihabara (25 min), Ueno (30 min). Metro to Asakusa, Roppongi, Ginza. All IC card.

Getting from Haneda to Cerulean Tower

Best route: Keikyu Line from Haneda → Shinagawa Station (~20 min, ¥300), transfer to JR Yamanote Line → Shibuya Station (~12 min, ¥200). Walk 5 min to hotel.
Alternative: Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho → JR Yamanote to Shibuya. Same price, slightly longer.
Taxi option: ~¥6,000-8,000 ($40-53), 40-60 min depending on traffic. Not worth it unless you’re exhausted.

Pro tip: Download the Navitime or Japan Travel by NAVITIME app — it gives exact train times, platform numbers, and transfer walking directions. Better than Google Maps for Tokyo trains.

Tokyo → Kyoto Shinkansen (May 27)

The Shinkansen (bullet train) is the fastest way between Tokyo and Kyoto. Trains run every 10-15 minutes from Tokyo Station. No need to book weeks ahead — you can buy same-day, but reserved seats are recommended for comfort.

Option A: Buy Individual Ticket (recommended)

Train: Nozomi (fastest, ~2h 15m) or Hikari (~2h 40m)
Cost: ~¥14,000 per person one-way (~$93) for reserved seat
How to buy online: SmartEX App — register, link a credit card, book your specific train and seats. Show QR code at the gate. No paper ticket needed.
How to buy at station: JR Ticket Office (Midori-no-Madoguchi) at Tokyo Station. Say "Kyoto, Nozomi, reserved seat, two people." They handle it.
Your plan: Check out of Cerulean Tower by noon May 27, walk to Shibuya Station, take Yamanote to Tokyo Station (~25 min), board Shinkansen. Arrive Kyoto ~3 PM.

Option B: JR Pass

What: Unlimited JR train travel for 7 or 14 consecutive days. Covers Shinkansen (Hikari only, NOT Nozomi), all JR local lines, some JR buses.
Cost: 7-day ¥50,000/person (~$333), 14-day ¥80,000/person (~$533)
Worth it? Probably not for your trip. The Shinkansen round-trip alone is only ~¥28,000. JR Pass costs ¥50,000 and forces you onto slower Hikari trains. You’d need to use a LOT of JR local trains in Kansai to make up the difference. Individual tickets + IC card is likely cheaper and faster.
How to buy: japanrailpass.net — order online, pick up the physical pass at Haneda or Tokyo Station with your passport.

Ekiben tip: Before boarding, grab an ekiben (train bento box) at Tokyo Station. The Gransta underground mall has 100+ options. It’s a whole experience — eating a curated bento while watching Japan fly by at 300 km/h.

Kyoto (May 27-30)

Kyoto is the opposite of Tokyo — the train system is limited and most temples aren’t near stations. Buses are king here. Kyoto has a massive city bus network that hits every major temple and shrine. You’ll be riding buses 3-5 times a day.

Kyoto Bus Day Pass

What: Unlimited city bus rides for one day. Kyoto buses cost ¥230 per ride — the day pass pays for itself after 3 rides.
Cost: ¥700/day (~$4.70)
Where to buy: Kyoto Station Bus Terminal (ground floor, information counter) or from the bus driver on your first ride. Also available at major hotel front desks.
How it works: First ride — insert the pass into the machine by the driver. It stamps the date. After that, just flash it when you get off.
Your itinerary: Day 1 (Fushimi Inari → Nishiki Market → Kinkaku-ji → Pontocho) = 4+ bus rides. Day 2 (Arashiyama → Kiyomizu-dera → Higashiyama) = 3+ rides. Pass is essential both days.

IC Card (same Suica from Tokyo)

Works on: JR Nara Line (to Fushimi Inari), Hankyu Line, Keihan Line, and city buses if you don’t get the day pass.
Fushimi Inari: Take JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station to Inari Station (2 stops, 5 min, ¥150). The shrine is right at the station exit.
Hotel Yuraku is in Higashiyama — walkable to Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, and Pontocho. You won’t need transit for evening plans in that area.

Pro tip: Kyoto buses get PACKED with tourists, especially routes to Kinkaku-ji and Arashiyama. Leave early (before 9 AM) to beat the crowds. Alternatively, rent bikes — Kyoto is flat and very bikeable.

Kyoto → Osaka (May 30)

JR Special Rapid or Hankyu Line

Time: ~15 minutes. Kyoto and Osaka are absurdly close.
Cost: ¥570 per person (~$3.80) — IC card
Best route for you: Hotel Rings is in central Kyoto (Nakagyo). Walk to Karasuma Station, take Hankyu Line direct to Osaka-Umeda, transfer to Midosuji Metro Line to Namba (4 stops). Total: ~30 min door to door. Centara Grand is right by Namba Station.
Alternative: JR Special Rapid from Kyoto Station to Osaka Station. Same time, slightly more walking on the Osaka end to get to Namba.

Osaka (May 30 - Jun 2)

Osaka is easy. The Osaka Metro covers everything and your Centara Grand hotel is right next to Namba Station — the biggest hub in south Osaka. Most of the places you’re hitting (Dotonbori, Shinsekai, Shinsaibashi, Amerikamura) are walkable from the hotel. You’ll use the metro less here than anywhere else.

IC Card (same Suica from Tokyo)

Works on: All Osaka Metro lines, JR lines, and buses. Same card, same tap on/off.
Key line: Midosuji Line (red line) — hits Umeda, Shinsaibashi, Namba, Tennoji. This one line covers 90% of your Osaka travel.
Cost per ride: ¥190-280 (~$1.25-1.85)
Your itinerary: Dotonbori and Namba are walking distance from the hotel. Shinsekai/Tsutenkaku is 2 metro stops south (Midosuji to Dobutsuen-mae). Osaka Castle is Tanimachi Line to Tanimachi-Yonchome or Morinomiya. Sumiyoshi Taisha is Nankai Line from Namba.
How much to load: You probably still have money on your card from Tokyo. If not, reload ¥2,000-3,000 — you won’t need much since so much is walkable.

Getting to Itami Airport (Jun 2)

Best option: Airport Limousine Bus from Namba OCAT (Osaka City Air Terminal) — it’s a 5 min walk from your hotel. Direct to Itami, ~30 min, ¥660.
Where to buy: OCAT ticket counter or pay with IC card on the bus.
Timing: Flight is 3:40 PM. Domestic flight so aim for airport by 2 PM. Leave hotel by 1:15 PM latest.
Alternative: Osaka Metro to Senri-Chuo, transfer to Osaka Monorail to Itami. More transfers but same price.

Pro tip: Osaka is the most walkable city of the three for your itinerary. Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, Amerikamura, and Namba are all within a 10-15 min walk of each other and your hotel. Save the metro for Osaka Castle, Shinsekai, and the airport.

Day-by-Day Planner

Pre-Trip Checklist

Finding Restaurants

Restaurant Apps & Resources

食べ

Tabelog (食べログ)

Japan's #1 restaurant review site. 3.5+ is good, 3.7+ is excellent. Ratings are harsh — a 3.5 here is a 4.5 on Google.

iOS Android

Google Maps

English reviews, "Popular times" to avoid lines, photos. Good for spontaneous nearby finds. Ratings are inflated vs Tabelog.

iOS Android

Retty

Japanese review site, more casual than Tabelog. Where locals actually eat — less tourist-heavy.

iOS Android

ぐる

Gurunavi

Restaurant search + reservations. Has English version. Some spots only take bookings through here.

iOS Android

Hot Pepper Gourmet

Coupons + reservations. Great for deals on izakayas and mid-range spots.

iOS Android

Web Resources

📷 Instagram location tags — search #渋谷グルメ #京都ランチ etc. for each area 🍴 Tokyo Cheapo & Osaka Cheapo — curated "best of" lists by neighborhood 🍜 Ramen Beast — best ramen shops reviewed by Brian MacDuckston 🍣 Omakase.in — book high-end sushi counters & kaiseki spots

Pro tip: Use Tabelog as your primary, cross-reference with Google Maps for convenience, and check Instagram location tags for the neighborhood you're in that day. The best spots are often tiny 8-seat counters with a line outside — Tabelog surfaces those.

Quick Reference

Yen → USD Conversion

Rate: ~$1 = ¥150. Quick math: drop last two zeros, multiply by 0.67

Yen	USD	What it buys
¥100	~$0.67	Vending machine drink, konbini onigiri
¥500	~$3.30	Decent konbini lunch, coffee
¥1,000	~$6.70	Bowl of ramen, train ride across Tokyo
¥1,500	~$10	Solid lunch set (teishoku)
¥2,000	~$13	Nice lunch, couple beers
¥3,000	~$20	Mid-range dinner per person
¥5,000	~$33	Good dinner with drinks
¥10,000	~$67	Splurge dinner, Shinkansen ticket
¥15,000	~$100	High-end dinner, nice hotel night
¥50,000	~$333	JR Pass, big shopping haul

Restaurant Phrases

When	Japanese	Say
They greet you	いらっしゃいませ	irasshaimase They say this to you — just smile and nod
How many?	二人です	futari desu "Two people"
Before eating	いただきます	itadakimasu Like "bon appetit" but grateful. Everyone does this.
Call server	すみません	sumimasen "Excuse me" — not rude, it's expected
Ordering	これください	kore kudasai "This one please" — point at menu
More water	お水ください	omizu kudasai "Water please"
The check	お会計お願いします	okaikei onegaishimasu "Check please"
After eating	ごちそうさまでした	gochisousama deshita "That was a feast" — say when leaving. Staff love it.
Thank you	ありがとうございます	arigatou gozaimasu Full polite thank you
Delicious!	おいしい！	oishii! Chefs love hearing this

Beer Phrases

When	Japanese	Say
Order a beer	ビールください	biiru kudasai "Beer please" — gets you a draft (usually Asahi or Kirin)
Two beers	ビール二つください	biiru futatsu kudasai "Two beers please"
Draft beer	生ビール	nama biiru Draft/tap beer — the good stuff
Large beer	大ジョッキ	dai jokki Large mug — go big
One more	もう一杯ください	mou ippai kudasai "One more please" — you'll use this a lot
Cheers!	乾杯！	kanpai! THE toast — always wait for everyone, clink glasses, say kanpai
All-you-can-drink	飲み放題	nomihoudai Many izakayas offer this — usually 90-120 min, ~¥1,500-2,000 per person. Incredible deal.
What's on tap?	生は何がありますか？	nama wa nani ga arimasu ka? "What draft beers do you have?"

Beer Guide

🍺 Big 4: Asahi Super Dry, Kirin Ichiban, Sapporo Premium, Suntory Premium Malt's. All solid, all everywhere.

🍺 Craft scene: Japan has a growing craft beer scene. Look for "クラフトビール" (kurafuto biiru) on menus. Shibuya, Shimokitazawa, and Amerikamura in Osaka have good craft bars.

🍺 Konbini beers: 7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart all sell cold beer cheap. Tall can Asahi for ~¥250 ($1.67). Legal to drink outside in Japan.

🍺 Nomihoudai: All-you-can-drink for ~¥1,500-2,000 ($10-13) at most izakayas. 90-120 min. Best deal in the country.

🍺 First round rule: At izakayas, everyone orders beer first. "Toriaezu biiru!" (とりあえずビール) means "Beer for now!" — it's the classic opening move.

Etiquette Cheat Sheet

✔ No tipping. Ever. It's considered rude.

✔ Slurping noodles is good — it means you're enjoying it.

✔ Wet towel (oshibori) at every restaurant — for hands only, not your face.

✔ Many places are cash only — especially small spots. Keep yen on you.

✔ Drinking outside is legal — konbini beer + park bench is a vibe.

❌ Don't pass food chopstick-to-chopstick — mimics a funeral ritual.

❌ Don't stick chopsticks upright in rice — same reason.

❌ Don't eat while walking — considered rude (markets are the exception).

❌ Don't talk on the phone on trains — text instead.

Planning Docs

📊 Japan Trip 2026 — Google Sheets 📄 Japan Trip 2026 Itinerary — Google Docs

Trip Cost So Far

Item	Yen	USD
Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel — Tokyo (6 nights)	¥359,993	$2,400
Hotel Yuraku Kyo-yasaka — Kyoto (2 nights)	¥101,200	$675
HOTEL RINGS KYOTO — Kyoto (1 night)	¥28,080	$187
Centara Grand Hotel — Osaka (3 nights)	¥103,643	$691

Accommodation Total	¥592,916	$3,953

Not yet included: Flights (booked through Megan’s AA account), Shinkansen tickets (~¥28,000 for 2), JR Pass (if purchasing), activities (teamLab, kimono rental, Giants tickets), food & drinks, shopping, transport (IC card loads). Update this section as costs are confirmed.