Went to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Lake Yamanaka near Mt. Fuji in ~10 days. Was a great time overall, although there were so many tourists during cherry blossom season. I would honestly go during a less busy season next time — it was almost impossible to get nice pictures at the regular locations.
I'd recommend downloading DiDi to order taxis — it was awesome, taxi drivers always came within 2–3 min in Tokyo/Kyoto and you just pay with cash at the end. I looked into Uber but didn't see any cars available in Kyoto.
I'd also recommend getting a metro card (e.g., Suica, Pasmo) and adding it to Apple Wallet — super convenient just flashing your phone instead of digging for a physical card.
Tokyo
Stayed in Shinjuku which I'd personally recommend — it's so lively at night and very easy to take a day trip outside of Tokyo or to other neighborhoods and come back for a convenient dinner before heading home. Tokyo is great for the food, museums, shopping, checking out different neighborhood vibes, and city nightlife.
Restaurants & Cafes
Genpin Kisshouji
Fugu, unagi, crab
Momo Paradise Shinjuku
Chain — a bit overpriced in Japan but still delicious
Uogashi Nihon-Ichi
Standing sushi bar
Sightseeing
Animate
Akihabara — anime stuff + snacks for gifts
Imperial Palace
Didn't go, but parents said it was nice
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
Free observation room
Tokyo National Museum
Awesome collection
Ueno Park
So many beautiful cherry blossoms but also so crowded!
On my list for next time
Also worth visiting
Mt. Fuji
Staying in a traditional ryokan is awesome — we really liked Rakuyu. The bus is convenient, although we just took taxis. We called local taxi services and I used Google Translate to talk with them in Japanese. Next time I'd try to climb Mt. Fuji (only possible in summer).
Restaurants & Cafes
Sightseeing
Kyoto
The vibe here is a bit quieter than Tokyo, with many more temples and muted colors — really good for reflection and thinking about the history of the place. Stayed in a ryokan here too, but it wasn't as great as Mt. Fuji — a regular hotel is perfectly fine.
Restaurants & Cafes
Kyoto Gion Ramen Muraji
Lemon chicken ramen
Sightseeing
Byodoin
Similar temple on Oahu — this is the OG one and much bigger
Shopping & Nightlife
kindal kyoto
Secondhand luxury brands
On my list for next time
Also worth visiting