Japan Guide: Things to Do (Japan Bucket List)

Things To Do

There are probably ten thousand things to recommend to do in Japan, and so it largely will depend on your preferences and interests. However, there are a few things I think nobody should miss: cheering at a Japanese baseball game, partaking at a Shinto Shrine, and shopping at a large electronics store. 


Japanese Baseball Games - I recommend Japanese baseball games to anyone going to Japan, because they are rowdy like college football games in America, but in a distinctly organized way. While your team is at bat, the crowd around you will be cheering a handful of cheers, including the word "Katabuse" which means "kick butt." Each team has a different version of the 7th inning stretch that is unique and fun - my favorite was the Hiroshima Carp that wave around somewhat phallic balloons while singing a song, and then everyone simultaneously releases the balloon and they go flying up into the air until the air is exhausted, and then fall onto the field where they are rapidly cleaned up. You'll find some American fast food places like KFC or McDonald's at the stadiums, but nothing is better in my book than yakitori (meat on a stick) and beer served by the passing "Ghostbusters" - the adorable young women running around the stands with kegs on their backs, pouring various brands of beer fresh on the spot. Here's a great article that says so much more eloquently why baseball games in Japan are a must-see: https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/travel/05journeys.html 

Shinto Shrine - If you're traveling anywhere in Japan, you won't be hard pressed to find a Shinto Shrine. Small shrines are tucked into alleyways throughout neighborhoods, although they may have limited hours. Larger shrines are found at just about every major tourist area, like Ueno Park or Miyajima. Buddhist temples are also prevalent throughout Japan, and both shrines and temples are absolutely beautiful and spiritual places to visit. Japanese people don't think of religion the same way we Westerners do - that is, they may worship at a shrine but not consider themselves religious. Religion is more like Christianity or Judaism; Shinto, to them, is just a way of life. Thus, even if you're a Christian or Jew, or any other religious follower, you're still welcome to worship or partake in the Shinto Shrine. Typically, there is a place to wash your hands and face as you approach the shrine. Then you can approach the shrine quietly and respectfully. A good guide to visiting shrines is here: https://www.wikihow.com/Worship-at-a-Shinto-Shrine

Electronics Store - Japan has a rich heritage of history and tradition, but in today's global landscape, the country can't be discussed without noting their amazing technology. Thus, I recommend visitors to Japan make sure to shop at an electronics store. Even if you don't end up buying anything, it can be quite an experience to peruse the various floors (the best electronics stores usually span several stories high and even a few stories below ground) and signage. In Hiroshima, the stores were called Deo Deo, which I loved, because of the phrasing that means "at Deo Deo," which is "Deo Deo de…" The one near our hotel in Akihabara was called Yodobashi. One thing to note, for any shopping experience, is that if you are buying more than one item in a store, sometimes you will be asked if you want to separate the bill or not (i.e. do you want each item to be a separate charge), so be aware that this may be asked.

Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea are also very popular spots for visitors to Japan. The food there actually tries to pull from different regions, so you'll actually be a bit hard pressed to find real Japanese food. However, much like their ice cream and soda, they have lots of flavors of popcorn, which is kind of fun. Disney is very English friendly, they'll even give you headsets or devices for the shows so you can hear or see the translations. For whatever reason, Disney celebrates Easter like crazy in Japan, with parades and theming throughout the park. It's quite wild. And while I think the Japanese culture in general epitomizes customer service, you'll see Disney cast members are cheerily over the top with their double hand waves that you can't miss!

Onsens / Public Hot Spring Baths are a major highlight in Japan. Many hotels will have them for their guests, including the second capsule hotel I stayed at! Generally, onsen are separated by gender and are used completely in the nude. You may get a small towel, but the towel is to be left several feet from the bath. It is customary to shower before entering an onsen. As a tourist, you may get looks or you may experience a people leaving the baths as you enter them. A little planning goes a long way here, it's good to check if your hotel has onsen, or if you're going to go to public one, if there is a coed area to mingle with your party in bathing suits, etc. Tattoos are taboo, so if you have tattoos, you may want to find specific onsens that are tattoo-friendly.

There are also plenty of experiences you'll have naturally or without necessary planning, like visiting convenience stores or riding the trains. There are also lots of experiences that aren't for everyone, or require a visit during a specific time of the year. I've tried to capture all of the potential experiences people may want to consider when thinking about what to do in Japan here. Please feel free to leave others in the comments, I'd love to hear what you think is a must-do in Japan! 

Japan Bucket List

• Attend a Japanese Baseball Game
  

  

  Cheddar Hedgehog and Owl Cafe

• Bathe in a Hot Spring (Onsen)
• Worship / Pay Respects at Shinto Shrine
• Shop at a Large Electronics Store
• Ride the rides at Tokyo Disneyland
• Watch a Sumo Tournament
• Sleep in a Capsule Hotel
• Ride the commuter trains during rush hour
• Ride a Bullet Train (Shinkansen)
• Visit Peace Park Museum in Hiroshima
• Feed the deer in Miyajima
• Buy beer from a vending machine
• Try at least three flavors of Japanese Kit Kat
• Pop open a bottle of Ramune
• Eat yakitori (meat on a stick) from a street vendor

Yakitori under Cherry Blossoms

• Picnic under the Cherry Blossoms (spring time)
• Eat a fugu (blowfish that's poisonous if prepared incorrectly)
• Play at an arcade

  

  Looking at the Capsule Toys

• Try using the washlets (the remote-controlled bidets in the toilets)
• Visit a Cat Café or similar (Owl Café, Hedgehog Café, etc)
• Tour a car factory (Mazda, Toyota, Honda, etc)
• Attend a tea ceremony
• Eat at Kirby Café (reservations required, near Tokyo Sky Tree)
• Walk through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
• Buy a capsule toy
  

 

Honorable Mentions

Find the old Nintendo Headquarters - There's not much to do other than take a picture outside of the sign, but for the uber game nerd, this is a fun little adventure to undertake in Kyoto. The current headquarters is also in Kyoto, and there's equally just as much to do (namely, nothing other than taking a picture) there as well.

Robot Restaurant - I was blinded (read, tricked) by the name of this tourist trap. It is neither a restaurant by definition, nor does it have robots. Rather, it is a show that serves some semblance of food, and it features people dressed like robots and some parade-like vehicles on RC car fixtures. The best way to describe it is like an Anime version of Medieval Times. And yes, you absolutely need to get the glowy drink to enjoy the show. 

Take the Skyway to the top of Miyajima - I'm told there are monkeys on the mountain on Miyajima, but two visits have yielded zero monkey sitings. Still, the view from the top is spectacular. I would not, however, recommend climbing up or down (we did the latter), as it is much higher than it seems and I was sore for literally days to the point of canceling plans because I couldn't walk. So yeah, take the Skyway.  

Visit a Kit Kat Chocolatory - These are storefronts in malls that have super fancy Kit Kats. It's worth a stop if you're in the area of one. 

Visit a Pokemon Center - For the gamer / nerd, a visit to one of the many Pokemon Centers is a fun treat. Get your Pokemon socks, chopsticks, and cards here. If you play Pokemon Go, make sure to have open Gift spots and spin the stops here to get fun Gifts to send to your friends. 

More Japan Guide

Getting There / What To Bring 
Training It - The Best Way to Get Around in Japan (Trains) 
Where to Stay
Eating Out
Things To Do 
Key Phrases

The Future, Brought to You By Pokémon Go

It's just a game, critics say. They're right, too, in the sense that it's not worth going to jail for trespassing or risking life and limb playing it while driving. But this is not the Pokémon from before, and that's where they are wrong.

I jumped on the Pokemon Go bandwagon on day 3, after reading a compelling article about how it's application of Augmented Reality is the first application that nailed it. I called it an instant addiction; I had to go to the library anyways and saw that there were stops there, so I went and collected my first items and Pokémon. I went home, because it was far too hot outside, but found myself anxiously awaiting my boyfriend coming home from work so I could get him (the gamer and former Pokémon player) to download it so we could go play it.  In an ironic turn of events, he had been avoiding it for fear of life-ruining addiction, and I was the one who convinced him to play.  We ended up finding a bunch of Pokemon in the mall, and later joined thousands playing on Mill Ave.

The game has not only gone viral itself, but the virality of it has sprung new Twitter accounts and hilarious memes, new business models (i.e. sponsoring lures to attract customers), new crimes (i.e. using lures to attract victims, then robbing them), and new vocabularies (I read Pokeconomy earlier this week).

From my viewpoint, it's great to finally see an intersection between gaming and physical activity, something the Wii and specifically the Wii Fit seemed to promise but failed to deliver in mass; the games didn't have an addictive nature to them that kept users coming back or using it as their primary exercise. FitBit incorporated a social and competitive element to its otherwise essentially glorified pedometer, but that motivation only goes so far. One of the hilarious memes circulating the Twitterverse early on noted, "It took Michele Obama 8 years to get America active, and Nintendo 2 days." Another

showed a surge in FitBit steps and noted that "My FitBit doesn't know what happened 3 days ago." Increasing activity is always a good thing in my book. But as at least one tweeter pointed out, it seems like a partnership with FitBit and Pokémon Go is inevitable. Maybe not a direct partnership, but it does feel like the game needs to better acknowledge active movement versus driving, and active movement in a small area, so a FitBit - like technology would fit better than the GPS tracking currently used. It's unfortunate that walking around the house or on a treadmill doesn't help my eggs hatch in Pokémon Go.  It's really too dang hot in Phoenix in the summer to exercise outside during "normal hours", so Phoenicians specifically are doing more driving and playing, which is probably not good for anyone but gas companies. We may have a great time come winter here, but I'm not sure the phenomenon will still be a predominant use of leisure time by then.

For as much as the media is raving about the social interaction Pokémon Go encourages, I was a little surprised there was no way to add or see friends in the game. We went to a Pokehunt that first Saturday night, and one of my boyfriend's friends had been there, but we didn't run into him physically, and weren't checking facebook because our screens were dedicated to the game, and so we had no idea until later. Maybe it would be too stalkerish or Big Brother - like, but I think the game should tell you when your friends are nearby (on a permission basis). At the very least, I thought the old Pokémon

had a trading function, yet sitting next to my boyfriend and nephew, the game doesn't acknowledge they are there playing with me, and we can't trade.  We did bump into some people who recognized Jaiman at last night's hunt along Tempe Town Lake (looking for water creatures, a rare find here in the desert), but it still felt more like an exception than part of the phenomenon.

What I think the media has gotten right is the amazing impact the game has had on local and small businesses.  Take my own personal experience, for example.  I've been meaning to try this restaurant just down the street for a while - it's a Scandinavian place, so the food was a little intimidating to me - and it happens to be one of those lucky(?) businesses marked as a Pokestop.  So, when Jaiman and I were debating what to do for lunch one lazy Saturday, I suggested we go there and load up on Pokeballs and other goodies from the stop, while finally trying the place out.  The food was wonderful, we got a lot of balls, and that restaurant got our business for the first time (and probably repeat customers in us).  Later, a specific game store announced it was a stop and was luring Pokemon to the stop, inviting players to come and hang out in the A/C.  I would not have been too excited to go to such a store normally, but I ended up buying a used Wii steering wheel for a good price, something that I've half-heartedly wanted for a long time.  So again, they got business they wouldn't have gotten otherwise, and I got a new toy at a good price.  From the news reports, it appears my anecdotes aren't far from the general idea.  Local businesses are booming in unexpected ways.  And that's just for the existing businesses.
There was definitely a step change in the Pokehunting events we went to that first Saturday compared to the following weekend.  The first Saturday of Pokemon Go, people were out in mass, playing the game.  One week later, people were out in mass, but there were also street vendors peddling Pokemon-styled hats, shirts, and water bottles (hey, we're still in the desert).  People had set up tables and were blasting the audio of the Pokemon shows being displayed on their laptops, I guess to attract Pokemon fans to their table to buy their wares.  While most were looking to turn a profit, one lady was handing out free glow bracelets and necklaces to represent our team colors, and another group was handing out free bottles of water.

A quick search online will show that there are people making all sorts of unauthorized merchandise for Pokemon Go.  The most stand-out one to me were the team decal pre-orders for the Pokemon Go Watch - the watch isn't even out yet and this guy is ready to sell you a pre-order for a decal to go on top of it.  It's brilliant, really, because only time will tell if Pokemon Go will be a big thing in a month or two, so he's trying to capture sales now while it is a big thing.
I've even seen evidence of churches getting in on the Pokecraze, inviting trainers in to play in the A/C.  I'm not sure if any Pokemon trainers will find Christ through this effort, but it certainly couldn't hurt.

One thing is for sure: the world has fundamentally changed in some way.  But to me the nagging question is, what's next?  Between server crashes, some Pokemon trainers spending far too much time hunting and evolving for the rest of us to catch up, and just the nature of fads in general, I really don't see the obsession being sustainable.  Pokemon Go proved that Augmented Reality can be done well - so what other applications of AR could be as appealing?  One blog post suggested AR killed virtual reality by the sheer ease of adoption - I'm not sure I'm convinced of that yet, I just think VR is still early in its life cycle and hasn't found the right applications yet.

Copycat games are an inevitability, if they haven't already started, (I'm already seeing requests going out into the social media world for a Harry Potter version, because, you know, Pokémon isn't nerdy enough for some people in my friends list) but I am confident that straight copycat or even slightly improved ideas won't catch like Pokémon Go. The difference is that Pokémon Go is a disruptor.  But capturing what makes it such a viral disruptor is what is critical for the enterprising thinker looking to capitalize on this technology.

One article I read attributes the virality of Pokemon Go to what the author called FOMO, fear of missing out.  I would agree if, after my first jaunt around the library, I was satisfied that now I know what it is and I can move on with my life.  But that's not what happened.  I was addicted, and couldn't wait for my boyfriend to come home so I could make him download it and start playing with me.  So it may be a FOMO that causes some to start, but the world would be bored with it by now if that was all there was to it.  There's definitely something to the personal victory and elation one feels when catching a rare breed of Pokemon; something akin to bragging rights.  There's also a level of complexity to the game - you can visit stops to get things, including eggs that you have to walk in order to hatch, you can hunt lots of little Pokemon to evolve your bigger ones, and the battling at the gyms is a whole different level. 

I think there's also an appeal that Pokemon Go is good for you - in the sense that it gets you moving about, and exploring your town.  I was a little disturbed that Pokehunting now seems to be a predominant Saturday night activity for Jaiman and I, and was basically too embarrassed to even post about it on facebook.  But the truth is, it's better than sitting on the couch watching TV or playing a game at home, because of the activity level (albeit limited), and it's better than going to a movie because of the (also somewhat limited) social interactions.  It's something we can do together, outdoors, involving physical activity and meeting up with other people.  I think those attributes should trump the nerd factor. 

Here's the question I would pose to trainers: If you weren't looking for Pokemon, what would you want to be looking for?  The answers would most certainly be different for many people.  For some, the answer is finding a girlfriend.  For some, the answer is simply looking for a good conversation.  Some may need help with a project or want to find a partner to work on a startup with.  Some people are new in town and want to know what the cool things to do are.  So I am imagining an sharing economy app that could help link like interests and match people up based on proximity.  Put another way, it could be a AR-based dating app, professional networking app, startup incubating app, educational app, and life list assisting app, all in one.  This essentially would assist or automatically create the serendipity that so often aids us in pursuing our goals normally. 

For example, I am not single so I am not seeking a mate.  But I am interested in learning more about 3D printing applications and the future of the technology, as well as self-driving cars, sustainable energy, personal robotic assistants, and health and diet.  I want to have a great conversation with a smart person, and am especially interested in those topics, but open to others.  I also have on my Life List, among other things, the desires to try pole vaulting, ride a penny-farthing bicycle, and be an extra in a movie.  I am a supply chain expert (with specialization in kanban and SAP implementation), enjoy designing / painting large graphical murals, own a 3D printer, have over 100,000 miles on my electric car, am really good at Microsoft Excel, I know a lot of good hikes and breweries in the area, and am okay at swing dancing.  I walk into a bar and turn my app on, indicating to the AR world that I am open to conversation.  Ideally, the app connects me with someone who knows a lot about 3D printing but doesn't have access to one, or a person who is a track coach and can help me with pole vaulting, and wants to learn about Microsoft Excel.  Maybe there isn't someone who is mutually beneficial to me, but the app may direct someone wanting to know about electric cars my way, or may direct me to the person in the bar who owns a penny-farthing bicycle. 

Maybe some of the services we provide, we would put a price tag on, like fiverr.com's model.  We could also say how much we're willing to pay for something, i.e. I will pay someone $100 to get my 3D printer working.  Having great conversation or seeking a mate are certainly things we would not put a price tag on.  In this way, it's like airbnb or uber, but for more abstract things.

One of the challenges I see is, where airbnb and uber are "sharing" things that are tangible, a living space or a car, and can be rated as such, the quality of work or even the quality of a conversation cannot be judged as objectively.  I think we'd want to have some sort of IQ test for intelligent conversations, samples of work for artists or service providers, and other qualifications.  The other challenge I would worry about is that the app would attract creepers and awkward socialists, much like I saw predominantly at Events and Adventures when I was single and looking for a man.  The kinds of people I would want to socialize would think, "I don't need an app to help me socialize," and wouldn't join, so I would need a way to incentivize them to get good results.  The question, then, is, does enabling goals provide enough incentive for the target people to join? 

This is just one idea of how Pokemon Go could lead the way for innovative new ideas.  I could also imagine brick-and-mortar shopping models getting in on the ideas, as well as health & nutritional applications (eat this, not that).  One thing is for sure, the world has had a paradigm shift in the way we use our phones to interact with the environment around us.