16 Day Solo Trip Report | Assorted Thoughts (Messy)

I went on my first solo trip to Japan this month. Over the course of the journey, I visited Osaka, Kobe, Nagoya, Yokohama, and Tokyo. I figured I’d write a trip report of what I experienced from my initial itinerary (linked here) as a way to recollect my thoughts on the whole experience and maybe help others. Keep in mind that I've been to Japan in the past with family and friends, so I didn't really visit that many tourist hotspots.

It took some time to organize my thoughts, but I decided to break it down into sections since it got really long and unorganized when I did it by days.

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Solo Traveling and How I approached it

I tend to overplan trips so I’m never stuck with nothing to do. For this one, I made a detailed itinerary in a Word doc and hyperlinked every location to Google Maps in an order that kept me from doubling back. It worked out well, and I ended up finishing most things ahead of schedule. It also helped I was usually out the door by 6 or 7 AM.

Due to this, I spent a lot of time just choosing to walk to my next destination instead of taking the train just to see what was along the way and looking for events going on during the days I was here and swapping entire day plans to adjust to them.

Traveling solo also made it easy to blend into the crowds. I moved around without any issues and felt completely at ease. Since I didn’t have to account for others, I could pivot my day however I wanted. I even shifted parts of my itinerary to fit collabs and events I saw popping up on social media.

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Being Asian, but a Foreigner

For context, I’m an American of Japanese/Chinese descent. People could usually tell I wasn’t local, but they had a hard time guessing my exact background and judged me more by my mannerisms. Most assumed I was Japanese born overseas or Korean since I spoke both Japanese and English with good pronunciation, until they saw my passport during tax‑free purchases.

Most of them didn't care when they found out. Just surprised I’m mixed if we ever got into that conversation (and not Korean for some reason). I only faced one instance of a bad interaction in Jimbocho when someone started yelling at me for looking at stuff that wasn't for sale. When I started talking in Japanese saying I didn't know (since I didn't even grab the books yet), they quickly apologized. Most of the time they just seem stressed out by the bad habits of other tourists.

I think for most tourists, regardless of ethnicity, it’s best to just follow whatever the locals do when you’re unsure about common etiquette. Speak primarily in English with a splash of Japanese phrases for service staff since their goal is to fulfill their duties. Unless you’re confident and fluent enough to converse casually, just use Google Translate if it becomes difficult to get your points across.

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Flight and Transportation Logistics

So I flew into Kansai International Airport (KIX) via San Francisco International Airport (SFO) with a connection to get to Osaka. My flight to SFO was delayed and I had to sprint across the airport to get to my terminal in time. Thankfully the flight had no problems and we even made it there ten minutes early.

If you’re flying into Japan and plan to go to Osaka sometime in your trip, I recommend going there first via KIX instead of landing at Haneda Airport (HND) and going through Tokyo first. Compared to HND, KIX is a lot less busy, and it took less than an hour for me to get to my first hotel.

The only hiccup I had in KIX was figuring out how to get the right Rapi:t tickets to my hotel in Namba. If you’re ever lost on buying tickets, go straight to the ticketing staff instead of the machines. I ended up at the wrong colored ticket booth and wasted time before realizing I went into the wrong line.

Subways were my main way of getting around and I used the Shinkansen when I moved from Osaka to Nagoya and then to Tokyo. Keep in mind that you can board any later train if you miss yours (unreserved seats only though), and if you have a reserved seat ticket you can change your timeslot to an earlier train with a reserved seat if there are any still available.

On my last day, I took the Tokyo Monorail while lugging two heavy suitcases from my hotel in Hamamatsucho. Most hotels allow you to leave your luggage at the hotel after you check out if you plan to grab them later that afternoon to catch your flight. Just double check with your hotel before doing so. I left my hotel with my luggage four hours before my flight and had no problems getting there in time. The route was pretty easy, just follow the signs and make sure your Suica card is topped with enough yen for the monorail to save yourself trouble.

This was the first time I really explored Haneda Airport and I spent a good amount of time checking out the Observation Deck. When I had about an hour and a half left, I went through the security gate and bought my last souvenirs in the TIAT duty‑free section and just waited for my flight home. My advice for buying stuff is observing what the airline staff buy in bulk to get some ideas on what’s good.

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Overall Impression on the Regions I Visited

Osaka in general was my favorite place I stayed. I was able to have casual conversations with locals who were up for it. I’m glad I chose Namba in the end since it was more central to the places I wanted to visit, and it had great food options if I felt like crawling out of my hotel in the middle of the night for no good reason. Umeda was better as a day trip, but the sprawling urban buildings were a pain to navigate when I was looking through maps and trying to figure out which floor I was supposed to head to for my next stop.

Kobe was great, but small enough that I feel one visit per trip is enough to satisfy me. If I’m nearby, I would probably go again for some good food and head towards their local onsens to spend a few hours relaxing.

Nagoya is a place I need to revisit. It was only a half‑day stop in between shinkansens, so I didn’t expect much, but I feel like I barely scratched the surface of what I could do there. The rain forced me to leave early after my shoes and socks got soaked. My mood also depleted when I lost my umbrella while I was touring the gift shop in the castle. I only managed to eat a good meal, visit Nagoya Castle and the Touken Museum, and do some light shopping in Osu Shotengai (where I bought a new umbrella and socks) before deciding I should head out rather than risk getting sick.

Yokohama was as I expected. I managed to find the spot where the Shonan Monorail runs really close to the ground and took some videos of it. This was my first time at the Red Brick Warehouse. It was worth checking out once for their boutiques, though I don’t feel the need to go back unless I can align my schedule with one of their strawberry festival events.

Every time I stay in Tokyo, I usually try to be near Ueno or Akihabara due to my shopping and hobby habits. Next time I’m considering staying around Shinjuku or Shin‑Okubo (maybe test just how Korean I look to them) so I can have easier access to Koenji, Shimokitazawa, Nakano, and the numerous live show areas along the Chuo Line in that area.

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Hotels

I stayed in three hotels during this trip: Hiyori Hotel Osaka Namba Station, Dormy Inn Ueno Okachimachi, and Sotetsu Fresa Inn Hamamatsucho Daimon. That’s probably the order I’d rank them in terms of how good they were too.

Hiyori Hotel offered a free dinner service every night with chawanmushi and takoyaki you could make yourself. The room was spacious and had a full amenities package for a full skincare routine. They even had a leg massager for my feet after walking all day. The staff was incredibly friendly, I remember chatting with one of the guys working there about his travels overseas while waiting for paperwork. he remembered me enough to grab me for a conversation later when I came back to do my luggage transfer and when I was ready to check out too.

There’s a paid breakfast buffet option, but I didn’t go for it. There’s a McDonald’s right next door and a 24‑hour Coco Ichiban nearby among a dozen other options on the street alone. The location is excellent for walking since it’s close to Dotonbori and Den Den Town, which was the main reason I booked it.

Dormy Inns are usually my go‑to in Japan. For the price, they’re worth it if you use all the amenities like the sento, snacks, and food options. Compared to the Akihabara branch, this one was a little weaker on breakfast and amenities, but better on price and location. I had the breakfast option and ate it most mornings. This branch is known for their onigiri options with season variations to snack on for breakfast. I usually pocketed a couple for the day when I was done with breakfast to use as quick snack for the day.

That said, you don’t really need the breakfast option. The hotel sits right in the heart of Ameyoko Market, so you’ve got endless choices for food, shopping, and nightlife. My favorite Sushiro for this trip was also in this general area too.

Sotetsu Fresa Inn Hamamatsucho Daimon was my last stop. I picked it mainly for convenience since it gave me a straight shot to Haneda Airport on the Tokyo Monorail. I knew I’d be hauling two full suitcases home, so I wanted something simple. Not much to say beyond that. It did its job and was surprisingly spacious for a quick overnight stay. I should probably consider more hotels from this chain for my next trip when I don’t need the amenities packages from Dormy Inn.

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Dangers

I’m probably not the best judge since I blended in better than someone visibly foreign, but I did notice a number of touts still around Ueno and Ameyoko Market trying to convince foreigners to visit their shops. They seemed fine for the most part, though some linger near the nightlife area, so it’s best to use common sense and ignore them. If you’re a guy that’s Asian‑passing, you’ll also run into the usual touts trying to pull you into bars and clubs, and if you’re a girl, guys might approach you with offers of easy work or just hit on you.

Kabukicho felt quieter this year and I noticed there were more undercover cops in the area. There was more effort recently by law officials to clean up the area, so I guess that helped. The only incident I saw was when a man suddenly tapped a random woman’s butt as he walked by. Everyone, including the woman, seemed confused since the guy did it so off‑handedly and was being followed by another man filming him.

Be cautious of pickpockets in crowded and touristy areas. They are more common now and tend to look for easy marks. I kept my stuff in my front pockets and carried a crossbody bag with everything important in front of me. For extra security you can wear the crossbody under a jacket. I might be overthinking it, but I do think my backpack was tampered with (nothing got taken) on one occasion while going through Shibuya.

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Cheap Food

I’m easy to please and the cheap stuff was enough to satisfy me on most days. Here’s my thoughts on stuff I regularly go to in Japan.

If you’re a coffee addict and need breakfast, head to Tully’s Coffee for a morning set of coffee with toast. Otherwise, check out the local Matsuya, Sukiya, or Yoshinoya for their breakfast sets. Either way you’ll get a full meal for around 500–800 yen, which is hard to beat.

For sushi, I’m a strict Kura ≥ Sushiro > Hama Sushi believer. Quality depends on branches, but most of the time the nigiri I want at good prices are usually available in Kura Sushi (except the Asakusa Branch). That said, Sushiro won me over this time with the Sakura Miko Collab and the fact that all my favorite Tuna and Salmon options were only 150 yen during one of the weeks I was there due to a limited‑time deal. I easily ate my fill to 2000–3000 yen for multiple days here.

For burgers, I went to McDonald’s and ate all three Street Fighter Collab Street Burgers on my first night there. Here is my official ranking of them:
Chun Li (Yurinchi Fried Chicken Burger) > Ken (Triple Cheeseburger) > Ryu (Teriyaki Egg Burger with Garlic Mayo).
The energy drink was okay, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

I tried Mos Burger once and also had wagyu burgers from Shogun Burger. Mos Burger was fine, but I would only go back if they had a collab or special I was interested in. Shogun Burger’s Wagyu Burgers tasted great, but it’s pricey. I don’t think it’s worth more than a one‑time visit.

Family restaurants are great for quick, cheap meals. I didn’t go to many this trip since I was traveling solo, but you can easily get three dishes for under 1,500 yen (~10 USD) at places like Gusto, Saizeriya, and Jonathan’s.

And of course, combinis are the king of convenience. I ended up going to 7‑Eleven for smoothies whenever I needed to consolidate my change into bigger coins. If they have self‑checkout, take advantage of it when the lines are long, there’s usually an English option you can switch to. Also, Family Mart and Lawson carry those stylish white socks that might be worth buying if you like repping your favorite combini. I bought another pair of these during a rainy day when my socks got soaked.

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Restaurant Reservations

If there’s a restaurant you want to visit and they accept reservations, do your research and plan ahead so you can secure a time that works for you. Many of the places I considered used ResReserve, and all it takes is an email to book. Just be sure to cancel in advance or let them know if your plans change.

I had unagi at Komagata Maekawa in Asakusa, a 200‑year‑old spot known for its signature grilled eel set meals with a historic sauce. The food was delicious, though I’m probably not the best judge since I’d have been fine with regular unagi elsewhere at a lower price. I made a reservation and brought a friend along, and they probably appreciated it much more than I did.

Ginza Steak Ebisu was another spot I reserved. It’s inside the EbisuHolic Hotel in Ebisu, and I had unlimited A5 Wagyu for about 75 minutes. It was nice and filling, and I’d happily go again next time.

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Local Spots

Kizu Market has a spot called Uoichi Shokudo that’s known for its fresh sashimi bowls in Osaka. Go early, ideally before 6 AM, to avoid the lines and to make sure your favorite bowls don’t sell out. I went twice, once for their Bluefin Tuna Bowl and once for the Sea Urchin and Salmon Roe Bowl with Egg Yolk. Both were excellent.

In Kobe, I went to Kobe Gyudon Hiroshige for lunch. I went 30 minutes before they opened to secure my seat and was second in line. Pretty good and I would visit it again if I was in the area. At night, I went to Kobe Beef Ramen Yazawa and had their Shio Ramen with Kobe Sushi Set. The ramen is made with a rich stock of Kobe Beef bones and was the star of the show. Didn’t care much for the Kobe nigiri they had on the side, but the ramen was really good.

In Nagoya I stopped by the main branch of Hickory’s Honten for their Hamburg Steak. It was super juicy and definitely worth the detour. I’m glad I managed to fit it in even though the day was so hectic.

In Yokohama Chinatown, I tried Kinryo for their Cantonese‑style rice bowls. I messed up and got there too late, so the only option left was roast duck. It was good, but honestly if you already know what good Chinese food tastes like, I don’t think it’s worth going out of your way for.

For ramen I usually go for the lighter styles, and here’s a few I like. Senrika near Ueno Okachimachi Station is a well‑known Chinese yanyan restaurant with excellent cold noodles and lamb dishes. In Roppongi you can check out Wazura or Afuri. Wazura is a bar izakaya that also serves light shio and shoyu ramen that pairs nicely with their drinks. Afuri is famous for its yuzu‑flavored shio ramen, and if you’re into eggplant their eggplant shio or shoyu ramen is worth trying.

There’s a spot called DAPs Famous Food Joint that went viral off streamer promos. They’re known for bodega food plates and oversized portions. I hit both branches and tried the Authentic Chopped Cheese Sandwich and the B‑Side Chicken Over Rice.

The Sumida one near Skytree was mellow, with only one seat inside. It’s a good local option for people in central Tokyo to grab on Uber Eats or on the go to eat at the nearby park. Their main store in Kichijoji was packed. I went on a weekend and the place was full of regulars. Had a good time talking with them and eating. The guys there are really friendly.

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Relaxation & Spa Stuff

Aside from enjoying a daily sento session every morning at Dormy Inn, I visited a few places to rest and recharge while traveling.

At Sora Spa Umeda, you can customize your massage by choosing your masseuse and selecting from the available options for your time slot. It’s appointment‑only, but easy to book online if you plan ahead. The price was fair for the quality, though walk‑ins don’t seem possible, they had signs at the door in English saying there were no openings.

In Kobe, I visited Kobe Minato Onsen Lotus, which switches to its evening discount around 6 PM. It’s a beautiful facility with plenty of baths and two types of saunas. My favorite was the outdoor onsen with reclining loungers built into the pool, where you can lie back and watch the night sky. I spent about two hours here just relaxing, taking breaks, and dipping back in before heading to my hotel in Namba. Just remember to stay hydrated if you plan to linger.

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Ear Cleaning / Mimikimi

If you’re curious about ear cleaning, Yumegokochi (夢ごこち) is a traditional mimikimi ear‑cleaning spot worth checking out. They have branches in Umeda, Namba, and Kobe. The staff wear kimonos and set you up on a lap pillow board to recreate the childhood experience of having your ears cleaned at home. They offer different courses, but I’d recommend sticking with the ear‑focused ones since full‑body reflexology isn’t really their specialty. It’s also worth checking staff schedules and choosing someone who’s a regular, since you’ll likely get a more experienced hand.

If you can speak some Japanese, you can chat with them during the session. Without an appointment, your best chance is to walk in right when they open.

If you’re in Tokyo and curious about ear cleaning, there are spots in both Akihabara and Shinjuku. In Akihabara, some places offer lap ear cleaning with maids, but the quality can vary a lot since it’s mostly about chatting with them and they can mess up if they get too distracted. In Shinjuku, there’s a place called Un Rigueur (アンリグール) that does professional ear cleaning and includes a camera monitor service so you can see just how dirty your ear canals really are while they’re cleaning it.

I tried to schedule an appointment with Un Rigueur in Shinjuku for a session, but they were closed during the days I was free. They did say they are expanding and took on more staff, so if you’re interested you can probably try booking with them on LINE.

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Nightlife

I ended up spending a lot of nights going to places to listen to live music and small bars to chat with the owner and regulars. If it’s your first time, I suggest trying out themed places that match your interests, there were several anime and anisong bars I went to in previous years since it was easy to find common topics with the regulars and chat up the owner too.

If you’re into trains, I always recommend checking out Bar Ginza Panorama in Shibuya. They have a full model railway setup with tracks running through the bar table, so you can watch miniature trains glide past while you eat and drink. The owner is really friendly, and thanks to a funny oopsie my friend made on a previous trip, he still remembers us pretty fondly.

If you’re into live music, I’d recommend SOCORE FACTORY in Nishi Ward. Just keep an eye on their socials to see if it’s going to be a busy night due to a popular band having a live show. In Tokyo, I like Good Heavens in Shimokitazawa and Shinjuku LOFT in Kabukicho. Still, it’s probably better to find a performer you enjoy and then figure out where they play. That’s why I also recommend checking out street lives, which brings me to my next topic.

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Kabukicho Street Live

While I was in Tokyo, I ended up spending most of my nights in Kabukicho after learning about Kabukicho Street Live from a random singer I followed that happened to be playing there during my trip. Kabukicho Street Live is basically a nightly showcase where independent performers reserve a time slot with the organizers and put on free shows for anyone passing by. You’ll see everything from visual kei, rock, acoustic singers, rappers, and even indie idols showing up with their fan posse.

There are two main areas for performances. The main stage is set up across three blocks in front of the Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, where most of the bigger acts play. There’s also a smaller corner area located near a kebab shop called Reis Kebab that smaller performers play. I ended up grabbing a kebab don or wrap from there every time I came by. It’s pretty cheap and filling for its cost and open 24 hours.

My night routines near the end of my trip always left me lingering around Kabukicho after learning about this and just watching the street lives. After a few nights I noticed a couple of regulars and characters that always seem to show up in this area watching them too. I saw this one old drunk guy several times where he would sketch the performer on the back of a flyer, hand it to them, then wander off, leaving his empty beer can on the ground.

After they’re done, I spent a good time talking to some of them and learning about live houses I can visit to see more shows and how to navigate it to see them. Some of them even know a good command of English and lived abroad during their childhood, so don’t be afraid to try communicating with them after their sets.

The biggest performance I saw during my trip was by the idol group FRUITS ZIPPER. They took over the entire central plaza in front of Tokyu Kabukicho Tower. The front section was paid admission only and packed with fans, but there was also a public viewing area in the back where anyone could stop to watch the show. I ended up next to a large group of zealous fans chanting along with their light sticks. I was tempted to join them for fun.

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Hiking

Nunobiki Herb Garden was beautiful. I went early to save time in Kobe, which meant hiking up since the ropeway wasn’t open yet. I took the wrong path and ended up on the village road path, then had to double back from a rough trail. The climb to the top takes you past the four waterfalls, which was really nice. There’s a small discount if you use the hikers path to enter the Herb Garden. I spent a good while taking pictures before riding the ropeway back down. If you want an easier time, take the ropeway up and hike down to see the waterfalls.

Mt. Takao was nice and I managed to catch some color on the day I went. The rain that week left the trails a bit muddy, so it’s worth being careful if you take one of the more rugged paths like Trail 6. I ended up enjoying Hatonosu Gorge more since it had far less foot traffic and felt more tranquil overall. Both days, I spent a good amount of time in Koenji and Shimokitazawa on my way back.

Minoh Falls was nice, though I went too early to catch the fall colors. I didn’t make it to Katsuoji Temple this time since it didn’t fit with my reservation schedule. Maybe next time.

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Shopping and Thrift Stores

Shopping arcades were great, and I found a lot of stuff in places like Motomachi (Kobe), Tenjinbashi‑suji (Osaka), and Yanaka Ginza (Tokyo). These are the kind of places where you’ll come across local mom‑and‑pop shops too. I picked up a couple of tenuguis, wooden trinkets, and other cloths in these spots during my trip.

HardOff Eco Town in Hachioji is a great spot if you want to see all the Off Stores gathered in one place. This will also force you to head west of Tokyo and to nearby thrift locations like 2nd Street and Yokota Thrift Store. Every trip I make, I grab one sturdy hardcover book for cheap at BookOff to store small tickets, flyers, and paper slips I want to keep safe during the trip. There are still good deals to be had in other OFF stores away from heavy foot traffic too, so if you see one during your trip consider doing some window shopping.

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Anime and Collabs

It’s hard to give advice on where to get the best deals since that depends on what you’re looking for exactly. For anyone interested in buying merch, start with the official storefronts like Animate and be aware of what the grading system is like for figurines and other merchandise you’re looking for. Looking up the merch online for prices is also a solid way to judge if it’s worth it too.

Akihabara and Ikebukuro are the best universal spots for anime merch, and they’re home to a lot of official storefronts that host limited‑time collabs you might be interested in. Keep an eye on social media or just check the posters around the area to see what’s currently running. Right now, there’s a Railgun collab in one of the shops that’s running until the end of this month. Some places also hold raffles with a lottery drum, you spin the drum and a ball with a random color decides what prize you get from the list. I managed to get the grand prize for Summer Pockets in one of the storefronts in Akihabara and picked up a couple of badges, photo prints, shikishis, and acrylic stands. At another raffle for Ace Combat, I only won a small photo poster.

Nakano Broadway is still a great spot for hunting down collector items, but it’s no longer the hidden gem it once was. A lot of the really good finds seem to have been cleaned out. My favorite shop there used to carry a good variety of genga and production sketches from anime, but the shop has since been cleaned out and I wasn’t able to find as much as last year. (I think it moved locations too.)

Other places that some people might not think of are Shibuya Mobi and Shinjuku Marui Annex. On the upper floors they have rotation for popup stores and cafes that run for a limited time with exclusive merch. If you’re in the area, take a look around at what the current offerings are. I know Shinjuku Marui Annex has a place called Fantasy Village, which is a dedicated Hoyoverse storefront if you’re into that. Yostar also recently built an official shop in Akihabara Station too.

If the stuff you’re after is still pretty new or in circulation at the big shops, you can usually find it cheaper in anime stores outside Tokyo. I found some good deals in Dendentown (Osaka), Center Plaza West (Kobe), and Osu Shotengai (Nagoya).

I hope this was helpful. Sorry if it’s a bit messy, and feel free to ask any questions.