Tiny World Tours Japan Through Artists’ Eyes Spring 2025

Early Arrival Notes for getting adjusted, exploring the neighborhood, and ideas for your free time

Version 2025.03.05 (please watch for changes as this page is subject to updates)

Thank you for registering for our upcoming tour! To help you adjust and acclimate to the time difference, and to deepen and diversify your experiences of Japan, we encourage you to consider arriving in Tokyo a day or two early..and/or stay a few days longer. This page is designed to help ease your transition by providing suggestions for activities on your own, as well as other resources to ensure a smooth and enjoyable start to your trip. We also offer services to design customized travel plans, arrange guides or assistance, and book additional hotels. Please let us know if you are interested.

Here, you'll find recommendations for additional activities, free-time exploration during the tour, and helpful resources including informative YouTube videos. These suggestions are meant to inspire your curiosity and enhance your experience of Tokyo's vibrant rich cultural offerings. With the start of the bustling cherry blossom season, Tokyo will be alive with celebrations and energy—an ideal time to immerse yourself in the city.

Please note that most of the activities and restaurants mentioned here are not officially part of our itinerary. We encourage you to explore these independently to complement our tour programming. If you have specific restaurant preferences, cuisine interests, or activities you'd like to book during your free evenings—whether pre-tour, during the tour, or post-tour—please let us know as soon as possible. Advanced reservations are highly recommended during this busy season, but we will do our best to assist with last-minute plans as well, working in concert with the hotel staff and other TWT associates. If your credit card offers a concierge service to help you with your bookings, you may like to consider that as well.

If you have any questions or need help deciding how to make the most of your time, don’t hesitate to reach out.

We can’t wait to welcome you to Japan and look forward to exploring its beauty and culture together!

Warm regards,
Mark and Dana

Additional pre-tour and post-tour Hotel Nights

Because it will be high-season, we recommend booking your additional hotel nights as soon as possible.

For additional hotel nights in Tokyo, we recommend the Onyado Nono Asakusa Bettei in Asakusa. This Japanese-style ryokan blends traditional design with modern comfort, offering an authentic experience in Tokyo’s historic Asakusa district. With tatami-mat rooms, natural hot spring baths, and a prime location near iconic landmarks like Sensoji Temple, the hotel provides an ideal base for cultural immersion. Guests can enjoy its relaxing atmosphere, thoughtful amenities, and convenient access to transportation for exploring the city.

We are happy to assist with reservations. Room rates are approximately $150 per night per person (note: this is the cost per individual). A stay here offers the added benefit of experiencing the Asakusa district, a charming and historic area of Tokyo (albeit slightly touristy) that is not included in our tour itinerary. This unique setting adds a distinct dimension to your trip.

For those prioritizing convenience, you may prefer to stay at the Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Tsukiji, where our group will spend the first three nights of the tour (21, 22, and 23 March 2025). Opened in September 2024, this thoughtfully designed, Japanese-owned hotel is located in the vibrant Ginza district. It is a short walk from Tsukiji and Higashi-Ginza Stations and close to the renowned Tsukiji culinary scene and Ginza's shopping avenues. The hotel offers modern amenities, including a traditional Japanese public bath for relaxation, a fitness center, a 24-hour lounge, and rooms equipped with washer-dryers and microwaves, ensuring both comfort and practicality.

We will spend our final two tour nights (29 and 30 March 2025) at the five-star Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel in Shibuya. If you wish to extend your stay and enjoy additional nights at this hotel, we will be delighted to assist with arranging reservations.

Let us know how we can assist with your hotel and restaurant booking needs! If you haven’t already done so, please send us your flight itinerary so that we can arrange your airport transfers and help you with your planning.

If you’d like us to help arrange an English-speaking local to accompany you on free time sightseeing or shopping or activity, please let us know as soon as possible.

activity suggestions Near The Mitsui Garden Inn Tsukiji hotel

Enjoy a Buddhist-inspired 18-dish breakfast at Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple…Just ~5 minutes on foot from the Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Tsukiji, the Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple offers a remarkable culinary experience: a Buddhist-inspired 18-dish breakfast served at its temple café. This unique meal, crafted to reflect Buddhist principles of balance and mindfulness, features a colorful array of seasonal vegetables, tofu dishes, pickled delicacies, and miso soup, all beautifully presented in small portions. While the hotel's included breakfast is excellent, this temple breakfast provides an opportunity to immerse yourself in Japan’s culinary and spiritual traditions in a memorable way. (Advance resevations highly recommended)

Visit the historic Kabuki-za Theater (renovated by noted architect Kengo Kuma in 2013)

This is a landmark of architecture and theatre a short walk from the hotel, the lobby is free, and has an outstanding shopping area in the basement (B1F) [9:30-18:30 daily], and a nice garden and “experience gallery” with props and costumes on the fifth floor (5F), even if you don’t see a show.

Matinee and evening kabuki (half-day) performances consist of multiple acts and usually last 3-4 hours, so we recommend you experience a short sample, it may be possible to purchase a shorter “one-act” ticket the day before (if available) at a very reasonable cost (e.g. $10-$20 USD per ticket) though the seats are on the 4th floor (up high). These “one act” performances usually last 60 to 90 minutes and you can leave early (or decide not to go and just discard your ticket) without feeling very bad. If this might interest you, please try to give Mark two days advance notice (tickets can be purchased online at noon the day before the performance) - popular performances sell out quickly.

Visit the Art Aquarium Museum (Ticketed Attraction)

The Art Aquarium Museum in the 8th and 9th floor of the Matsuya Department store in Ginza is a permanent exhibition of Japanese goldfish swimming in a variety of colorful tanks. Although online advance ticket purchase is possible, on site ticket purchase works fine on most weekdays.

Walk around the Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace serves as the residence of the Emperor of Japan.

The palace’s moat perimeter is a favorite local jogging route. Although you cannot enter inside the palace grounds, you can view some of the exterior from outside the perimeter. On this same site previously stood Edo Castle, constructed in 1457. It was the residence of the Tokugawa shogunate who ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Some of Edo Castle’s stone walls and gates still remain.

Ginza Shopping

Ginza shopping includes a large array of flagship stores of many world-renowned luxury brands including Mikimoto, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Dior, Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Hermès, Bulgari, Mont Blanc, Prada, Burberry, Chaumet, and Armani. The Japanese fashion chain Uniqlo has a very large outlet here. The Ginza district also includes lifestyle and home goods at Muji, creative and innovative finds at Loft, stationery at the Japanese mecca Itoya, and a wide variety of gadgets and tools at Tokyu Hands. Within walking distance of the Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Tsukiji, the Ginza Six stands out among shopping complexes, offering over 200 high-end shops, diverse dining options, cultural experiences with art installations and a Noh theater, alongside a tranquil rooftop garden, all encapsulated within a modern design that blends tradition and innovation. When you check prices, you may notice the US dollar’s favorable exchange rate with the Japanese Yen.

Visit other nearby Ginza Hotels

You might enjoy visiting other nearby hotels for various reasons. The Hyatt Centric Ginza hotel is on the former site of Asahi Shimbun Newspaper’s first Tokyo office and has a hip bar, restaurant, and lounge. The Peninsula has a reputation for lavish luxury and a renowned high tea experience. The Imperial Hotel, steeped in history and known for its service, has the Old Imperial Bar that pays homage to Frank Lloyd Wright's original design. The Palace Hotel has great views of the Imperial Palace gardens. The Muji Hotel is located at the top of Ginza’s Muji department store, and reflects Muji’s minimalist design and functionality.

On-Your-Own Night Summary (advance dinner reservations encouraged - please ask if you need help)

• 22 (Saturday) March (Tokyo / Tsukiji / Ginza)

• 23 (Sunday) March (Tokyo / Tsukiji / Ginza))

• 27 (Thursday) March (Kyoto)

• 29 (Saturday) March (Tokyo / Shibuya)

Other Ginza Area Restaurant Recommendations

Ginza Restaurants recommended by the Peninsula Hotel Concierge

Five Recommended Restaurants near the Ginza SIX (an upscale shopping mall) recommended by Savor Japan (website for restaurant navigation)

Best Restaurants in Ginza recommended by Timeout Tokyo

Kyoto Area Restaurant Recommendations (from our local guide - who loves good food - Masa Fujiwara)

Kyoto Sushi Restaurants in the 5,000-10,000JPY price range (about $30 to $60 USD)

• Kappa Sushi

☎ +81 50-5488-1706 evening hours: 17:00-23:00
Website (English) + English menu available and Instagram

• Sushisei (Japanese Only Website)

☎ +81 75-252-1537
11:30-15:00/evening hours: 17:00-22:00

Website (Japanese Only) and No Instagram

• Sushi・Ryouri Nakata ☎ +81 75-366-4580 17:00-0:00

• Instagram

Kyoto Sushi Restaurants in the 10,000-20,000JPY price range (about $60 to $120 USD)

• Sushitoku

☎ +81 75-354-1934 11:30-14:30/18:00-23:00
※ Closed on Mon.
Website (English) and Instagram

• Sushi Imai

☎ +81 75-561-1010 12:00-14:00/17:00-22:00 ※ Closed on Wed.

Google Map

Kyoto Sushi Restaurants in the 20,000-30,000JPY or more price range (about $120 to $180 USD)

• Sushi Rakumi

☎ +81 90-4566-3733 17:00-19:00/19:30-21:30

Website (Japanese) and Instagram

Kyoto Edomae (Traditional) Sushi

• Sushishinn

☎ +81 75-223-3355
12:00-19:30
※ Closed on Wed.
Website (Japanese) and Instagram

• Kyoto Sora

☎ +81 75-366-5808
11:30-13:30/17:00-22:00
※ Closed on Mon.
Instagram

Other (Non-Sushi) Kyoto Restaurants in the 5,000-10,000JPY price range (about $30 to $60 USD)

• Kushikura

☎ +81 120-138-488
(grilled chicken in skewers) Sun-Thu/17:00-21:30 Fri & Sat/17:00-22:00 
Website (English) and Instagram

• Kakyu ⚠An interpretor will be required. (japanese creative cuisine) 17:30-23:00

  ☎ +81 75-231-9671
  ※Closed on 1st&3rd Sun. 
  Website (Japanese) and Instagram

• TADKA (south india)

17:30-22:00
※Closed on Sun & Mon. ☎+81 75-746-2337
Website (Japanese) and instagram

• MUGHAL (indian)

17:00-22:00
☎+81 75-241-3777
Website (English) and instagram

• Manzara gion (japanese/obanzai)

17:00-0:00 ※Closed on Mon
☎+81 75-532-3619
Website (Japanese)

• La Mer giki (french)

18:00-21:30 ※Closed on Tue.
☎+81 75-371-4343
Website (Japanese)

Other (Non-Sushi) Kyoto Restaurants in the 10,000-20,000 JPY Price Range (about $60 to $120 USD)

• Another C (Modern Japanese/creative cuisine)

18:00-23:00.
☎+81 75-746-2438
Website (English) and Instagram

• Obase (Italian)

8:00-22:00 ※Closed on Wed & Thu.
☎+81 75-211-6918
Website (Bilingual) and Instagram

• ORTO (Italian & French) 18:30-22:00

18:30-22:00 ※Closed on Mon & Tue
☎+81 75-212-1166
Website (Bilingual) and Instagram

• Yonemura (creative cuisine) 18:00-21:00

18:00-21:00 ※Closed on Tue & Wed
☎+81 75-533-6699
Website (Japanese)

• IL GHIOTTONE (Italian)

18:00-20:00 ※Closed on Tue & Wed.
☎+81 75-532-2550
Website (Multilingual) and instagram

• Yata gion (Japanese creative cuisine)

17:00-22:00
☎+81 75-525-5511
Website (Japanese) and instagram

• Mikuni gion (teppanyaki/japanese steakhouse)

Open 24 hours
☎+81 75-561-3928
Website (Japanese)

Other (Non-Sushi) Kyoto Restaurants in the 20,000 JPY or more price range ($120 USD or more)

• Wakuden Muromachi (Japanese)

17:30-21:00 ※Closed on Tue.
※Closed on Tue.
☎+81 75-223-3200
Website (English) and instagram

• Kikunoi (Japanese)

17:00-20:00
☎+81 75-561-0015
Website (English) and instagram

• Roan-Kikunoi (Japanese)

17:00-19:30 ※Closed on Wed.
☎+81 75-361-5580
Website (English)

• Rakumi gion (Japanese a la carte)

17:30-23:00 ※Close on Sun.2nd&4th Mon
☎+81 75-531-3733
Website (Japanese)

Shibuya Area Restaurants Recommended by the Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel concierge

Shabuzen Shibuya (Shabushabu and Sukiyaki with premium Kobe and/or Omi Beef): website

Hanno Daidokoro (Yakiniku BBQ,Izakaya Japanese Style Pub,Horumon - Offal): website

Yakitori Tsukada Shibuya (Chicken skewer pub): website

Teppanyaki 10 at Shibuya Scramble Square (iron grill) website

Ichiran Shibuya (Ramen) website

TOPICS

What is a SUICA card?

A SUICA card is a smart prepaid card used for “touchless” public transportation and cashless payments in Japan, offering convenience and wide acceptance across various transportation networks and retail outlets. Tourists benefit from the ease of navigating Japan's transport systems without needing to purchase individual tickets, and the card can be used for small purchases (e.g. at vending machines, convenience stores, etc.). An electronic version of SUICA can be added to Apple Wallet on iPhones, enabling users to manage and recharge their card digitally and use their iPhone for transportation and small purchases.

Fun fact: SUICA stands for "Super Urban Intelligent Card." - Suica is also a Japanese word that can mean either “watermelon” or “picked squid” (usually the context helps to clarify which word you mean)

Using Google Maps in Tokyo

Google Maps is highly efficient for navigating in Tokyo (and across Japan) due to its comprehensive and up-to-date information on public transportation routes, including train and bus schedules, making it easy to plan travel itineraries. Its detailed maps and walking directions are helpful for navigating Japan's complex city layouts and finding points of interest, restaurants, and accommodations, often including opening and closing times. Additionally, Google Maps offers real-time traffic updates and alternative route suggestions.

Visit a Japanese Convenience Store or “Konbini”

Convenience stores, or "konbini" in Japan, are an integral part of daily life in the country, offering an astonishing variety of services and goods that go far beyond what is typically expected from such establishments elsewhere. Open 24/7 and located at nearly every corner in urban and rural areas alike, these stores provide a convenient and efficient shopping experience, catering to the needs of people at all hours with their wide range of products, from ready-to-eat meals and snacks to household essentials and beyond. Try paying with a SUICA card here!

If you have any questions, please let us know!!

THANK YOU!

Mark Holzbach mark@tinyworldtours.com +1 512.689.6777

Dana Friis-Hansen dana@tinyworldtours.com +1 512.653.8188