WASHINGTON 鈥� If you’re making travel plans for this summer and seeking an adventure as rich in culture as it is in flavor, Japan is one destination that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Food and travel writer , editor of , recently traveled聽back to the country she used to call home. Now, she’s recommending the best places to visit and the best dishes to taste.
When traveling to Japan, Hayes says it鈥檚 best to take as much time as possible to explore the country; she recommends taking anywhere from 10 days to two weeks at a minimum.
鈥淎 week is just shocking to your system,鈥� says Hayes, who adds that the flight from D.C. is around 14 hours. 鈥淭he regional differences 鈥� they鈥檙e just so different and they all deserve some attention.鈥�
Getting to Japan from D.C. is easy, but once you鈥檙e there, getting around may prove more difficult. Unlike many Central American and European countries, English isn鈥檛 commonly spoken. The best way to travel is with some maps, a good attitude and a little help from Google.
鈥淚鈥檓 not going to lie; it is really tough, but I think that鈥檚 what makes it so special. 鈥� Even in a city as cosmopolitan as Tokyo 鈥� they do business with the rest of the world 鈥� there鈥檚 not a lot of English [spoken],” Hayes says.
However, major train stations have a designated employee to help travelers with directions.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 kind of all part of the experience. Everything is an adventure 鈥� just getting from Point A to Point B is part of the experience.鈥�
Regions, cities and towns to visit
Japan鈥檚 capital city, Tokyo, is a hub for domestic and international transportation, and because of that, Hayes says, it鈥檚 a great place for tourists to begin their adventure. In fact, she recommends spending three to four days in the city to get acclimated to the time change and cultural change. It鈥檚 also an opportunity to figure out Japan鈥檚 train system before heading off into some of the country鈥檚 smaller towns.
Kyoto
About an hour south of Japan by rail is Kyoto, a city Hayes refers to as the cultural heart of Japan.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where you go if you want to walk down side alleys lit by lanterns, maybe get a glimpse of an actual geisha. 鈥� It鈥檚 where the Kabuki finds its home; it鈥檚 where Kaiseki cuisine comes from, which is kind of this vegetarian Buddhist monk food.鈥�
The Katsura River runs through the city, and along it, Hayes says it鈥檚 easy to spot women of all ages dressed in traditional yukata, a more casual kimono. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 kind of this mix of the old Japan and new Japan coming together.鈥�
Osaka
Also south of Tokyo, and close to Kyoto, is Osaka, a city Hayes describes as 鈥淭okyo鈥檚 dirtier, grittier little brother.鈥� But聽if you can overlook the grit, your stomach and your taste buds will thank you.
鈥淚t has this vibrant Dotonbori district where you鈥檒l find all of the street vendors serving up takoyaki, serving up okonomiyaki.鈥� Karaoke is also a popular evening pastime in Osaka.
And while street food is the city鈥檚 big attraction, Hayes says there are plenty of fine-dining opportunities in Osaka 鈥� and the restaurants are much more affordable than their counterparts in Tokyo.
On her most recent trip, she聽had the opportunity to eat at a three-star Michelin restaurant. The meal came to about $150 a person, including beverage pairings. 鈥淰ersus if I were to try to sneak into a Michelin-star restaurant in Tokyo, it would just be dollar signs for days,鈥� she says.
Kobe
If you don鈥檛 get your fill of authentic food in Osaka, Hayes recommends heading to nearby Kobe, a city known for its coveted Kobe beef and numerous sake breweries. She聽has traveled to Kobe on two separate occasions, and both times, her dining experiences have been nothing short of amazing, noting that the A5-grade wagyu 鈥渞eally melts in your mouth.鈥�
Hakone
An hour outside of busy Tokyo, tourists and residents alike can find peace in the relaxing mountainous town of Hakone, an area known for its spas.
鈥淪pa towns in Japan come to be because they鈥檙e located on top of, or have access to, natural hot springs,鈥� says Hayes, who adds that bathing is a very ritualistic and important part of Japanese culture.
鈥淎nd when I say bathing, I mean groups of strangers getting naked together in public baths 鈥� not waking up in your private hotel room and taking a bath, but going through this ritual of getting cleaned up and then entering these beautiful hot springs.鈥�
Going to the springs is a unique Japanese experience, but Hayes cautions it鈥檚 not one for the faint of heart.
鈥淯nderstand that as a foreigner, yes, everybody is going to be looking at you. But if you can get over that, it鈥檚 just really special. The water鈥檚 just said to have all of these different healing properties, dependent on which area that you鈥檙e visiting.鈥�
Want to skip the nudity? There are plenty of other attractions and activities in Hakone, including museums, hiking and boating. Lodging is plentiful; there are hundreds of hotels in the town, ranging from affordable to four-star.
South and north: Kyushu and Hokkaido
The northernmost and southernmost islands of Japan have seen a surge of tourism in recent years. And because they are still new to the tourist circuit, Hayes says, they鈥檙e more affordable than the traditional tourist cities.
Kyushu, in the south, is famous for its Hakata-style ramen and its beaches in Kagoshima. It鈥檚 also home to the cities of Fukuoka and Nagasaki. Up north, the island of Hokkaido is famous for its seafood and its annual ice festival, which is held every January.
A map of the places mentioned:聽
Japanese cuisine: Must-do foods
鈥淚 think the biggest thing you鈥檒l take home with you after a trip from Japan is that it is so much more than sushi,鈥� Hayes says.
While sushi is a staple in the cuisine, there are plenty of other must-try foods. Luckily, Japan鈥檚 restaurants make it easy to accomplish this goal, since most focus on serving just one thing. 鈥淭here鈥檒l be a ramen restaurant; there鈥檒l be a yakitori restaurant; there鈥檒l be a curry katsu restaurant, so it makes it easy to go down the list and check off everything you want to try,鈥� Hayes聽says.
And while it鈥檚 pretty easy to pop into pubs, called izakayas, or to grab a bite in the food markets, making reservations at more established restaurants can prove tricky. Many don鈥檛 have English websites and don鈥檛 take reservations online.
Hayes says your best resource is your hotel: Most are more than happy to help with contacting your restaurants of choice and scheduling your reservations.
Ramen
The best thing you can do is get adventurous with ramen, since it’s prepared and served differently all throughout the country. On her most recent trip, Hayes tried tsukemen ramen, a style where the broth is served separately from the noodles.
鈥淎nd the broth is far more concentrated than a normal ramen. It鈥檚 real salty and kind of thick, and you dip your noodles in the stock and you eat them.鈥�
Hayes also suggests diving into some of the country鈥檚 other famous noodle variations, including soba and udon. Each restaurant in each region takes a different approach to making its noodles, and all of them take pride in the tradition.
Street Food
As far as street food goes, Hayes says okonomiyaki and takoyaki are the most popular dishes.
Need some more details before you commit to the order? Hayes describes okonomiyaki as a fish and cabbage pancake that鈥檚 topped with a brown sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. 鈥淚t sounds strange, but you鈥檒l be thinking about it for days,鈥� she says.
Takoyaki, on the other hand, are bite-sized balls filled with octopus and fried.
鈥淭ry some Japanese curry; it鈥檚 different from Indian curry or any other curry you鈥檝e had,鈥� Hayes suggests. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of sweet and has this brown sauce.鈥�
Sushi
There are a few different ways to eat sushi in Japan 鈥� one being in a more casual environment, the other being in a more upscale and intimate setting. The conveyor belt sushi restaurants are popular in the night life areas of cities, and they鈥檙e an affordable way to experience Japan鈥檚 sushi offerings.
The other extreme, Hayes says, is one many associate with the 2011 film 鈥淛iro Dreams of Sushi.鈥�
鈥淸It鈥檚] where this kind of sushi master, preferably elderly and wise-looking, passes you one piece of nigiri sushi at a time, gently brushes it with a little bit of soy sauce, and it鈥檚 just kind of this entrancing food experience,鈥� Hayes says.
However, only the adventurous eaters need apply to this type of dining: Diners do not get to choose their meals, since the dishes served are determined by the chef.
Must-do activities and adventures
There is no shortage of adventures and experiences to be had in Japan. Here are a few on the top of Hayes鈥� list:
Whiskey
Japan caught the world鈥檚 attention, and took many by surprise, when one of its whiskeys was named the world鈥檚 best. Whiskey connoisseur Jim Murray named the Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 No. 1 in his annual 鈥淲hiskey Bible鈥� ranking.
Ever since, it seems everyone wants a taste of Japanese whiskey.
鈥淚t鈥檚 getting harder and harder to get your hands on Japanese whiskey, even the most common varieties, like the Yamazaki 12-year, the Yamazaki 18,鈥� Hayes says. 鈥淭he problem is, I don鈥檛 think they predicted this would happen.鈥�
But whiskey enthusiasts can taste plenty in Japan 鈥� especially at the Yamazaki distillery, a 20-minute train ride from Kyoto. The distillery offers guided tours in English, which can be booked ahead of time.
Witnessing the process of how Japanese whiskey is made is the highlight, Hayes says.
鈥淎 lot of whiskey gets its variation from aging in barrels, but even before that happens with Yamazaki, there鈥檚 already significant variation because their pot stills are all different shapes, and so that significantly changes the flavor of the whiskey.鈥� Therefore, one bottle of Yamazaki 18-year may taste different from another.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e real mad scientists over there, when it comes to blending 鈥� there鈥檚 a lot less emphasis on a consistent product. It鈥檚 more artisan, even though it鈥檚 a big distillery.鈥�
At the end of the tour, visitors are left to their own devices in the tasting room, which has a giant book-like menu聽of whiskeys from around the world. Many set up flights to compare whiskeys from different years, others聽compare whiskeys from different countries.
And while tasting pours are aplenty at the distillery, Hayes says bottles of the sought-after varieties are hard to come by.
鈥淵ou just can鈥檛 find it. All of the liquor stores and department stores I visited were also running out. 鈥� I am very excited to watch over the next 10 years [to see] what they do to fix this 鈥� if they鈥檙e going to have build-outs, what they鈥檙e going to do to scale their product.鈥�
Want to get a taste of Japanese whiskey closer to home? Hayes says several restaurants in D.C. have great Japanese whiskey programs, including Daikaya Izakaya, Zentan and the father-daughter restaurant Izakaya Seki.
Sumo
Hayes highly recommends attending a sumo wrestling tournament, called a sumo basho.
鈥淪umo combines so much of Japanese culture into just one sporting event. There鈥檚 this ritual and these traditions, and these dances, and it鈥檚 just really kind of a trip back in time. Just the energy of the crowd is so intense, you feel like you鈥檙e really part of something.鈥�
Tickets to sumo tournaments can be bought online ahead of time and picked up at the event, making it easy for foreign tourists. Generally, the event lasts from 8:30 a.m. to about 7 p.m., but Hayes says you don鈥檛 need to be there until 3:30 p.m., since the top-level wrestlers don鈥檛 start their matches until 4.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 when they can kind of slap their bellies together and get started,鈥� Hayes says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much showmanship and gaming. The closest thing it reminds me of is a pitcher-and-batter battle before the first pitch is thrown. There鈥檚 so much excitement that builds.鈥�
Animal Cafes
D.C. may be readying for its first cat caf茅, but animal caf茅s have long been popular in Japan.
Hayes explains that the cafes came into existence in Tokyo for two primary reasons: For starters, many of the city鈥檚 small apartments have a no-pet policy. Second, the animal cafes aimed to cure loneliness and depression.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing that sometimes the biggest cities can also be the most isolating,鈥� Hayes says. 鈥淭hey thought if there was somewhere to go and pay for a cup of coffee and spend an hour with a cat, it would help and bring you good feelings.鈥�
Japan, however, has moved beyond cats and has opened caf茅s with more exotic animals, such as reptiles, birds and goats. 鈥淚鈥檝e even heard that there鈥檚 a penguin caf茅.鈥�
Hayes didn鈥檛 get a chance to check out the black-and-white aquatic birds, but she did visit an owl caf茅 and a rabbit caf茅, which offered very different experiences. The owl caf茅, she says, worked like most cat caf茅 concepts: Visitors buy a beverage and spend an hour of time with the animals, petting them and taking photos with them.
The rabbit caf茅, however, was a more exclusive聽experience. For about $70 a person, visitors can select their own personal rabbit and then take them to a themed room, filled with pet toys.
D.C.鈥檚 cat caf茅 Crumbs and Whiskers has yet to open, but it鈥檚 raised more than $35,000 on Kickstarter. The business鈥檚 founder plans to partner with the Washington Humane Society to feature cats available for adoption in the caf茅. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 a cool way that America鈥檚 advancing the concept,鈥� Hayes says.
