South Korea and Japan Trip
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| Jeju Olle Trail 6 |
I spent the summer of 2025 in South Korea and Japan (4 weeks in Korea and 2 in Japan) and wanted to share my experiences, what I learned about traveling over there, and any advice. Since there will be a lot of information, it will be broken apart by country and then further into categories.
I won't provide a cost analysis, as I greatly benefited by spending time at my friend's house. Staying at hostels was one way I saved money. I ate out some, but convenience stores and groceries helped save money (I ate so much microwaveable rice). As cheap as public transportation can be, it becomes expensive if you don't plan your day well, as I experienced my first day in Tokyo. I chose to upgrade my flight, as it was a looong flight and my friends gave me the advice that the price difference would be worth it, and it totally was. Like any trip, you have to choose what you want to spend money on and where you can save money. Both countries have free and paid attractions. Temples, national parks, and museums were free that I visited. Some palaces and gardens were not. With everything considered, I believe the amount I spent was fairly reasonable.
Due to the large volume of places I was keeping track of and the length of the trip, I used Wanderlog to help keep track of them and to plan my itinerary. It was helpful to see each place as a pin on the map to help determine proximity. There's a feature that will tell you how long it will take to get to each place on your itinerary from the last spot, but it utilizes Google Maps, an app that doesn't work well in Korea, so I didn't pay much attention to that. Google Maps works just fine in Japan.
My best advice is come prepared to do unexpected things and for plans to change. I had planned certain activities in Seoul, but unforseen circumstances caused a change in plans. I ended up seeing places I didn't originally plan on and ended up spending time in places I didn't care much about before (cafes, I ate so much yogurt, smoothies, etc. in them).
I knew enough basic words in Korean to help me out, in addition to using a translation app and people speaking basic English. In Japan, they either knew enough English in the cities, had no reason to actually talk, or used a translator. After a few days, it was pretty easy to figure out what convenience store cashiers were asking based on the repetitive nature of some questions.
South Korea
Make a Kakao account before you leave on your trip. The account will allow you to access many apps and services while in Korea. Also download Papago translator. This will help in Korea and Japan. Two major resources I used in planning were the Youtube channels K Guardian Angel and Lost Then Found.
Transportation
It's no secret that Korea is full of public transportation. For the most part, there's a bus or train to get you where you want to go. More and more transportation card options are coming out, and there's a wealth of resources on these, so I won't go into them here. The card I ended up with has an app called EZL top-up that allowed be to charge the card from my phone without going to a convenience store, but this isn't an option for all the cards.
Before you arrive, these apps will help you navigate South Korea:
Naver Map and KakaoMap -- the two map apps. It seems people have one they prefer, but I downloaded both just in case. I primarily used Naver, but toward the end of my trip I would check them both. Naver is more English friendly, though I noticed that sometimes the Romanizations for restaurants weren't the same as other places on the internet.
KTX and SRT: These are the train apps. Despite the fact that SRT, the high-speed train service, offers the app in other languages, any time I tried to purchase a ticket, it didn't work and I had to go in person. I had no issues purchasing KTX tickets through the app.
KakaoT: For taxis, and if you set of your Kakao account, you'll have an easier time using taxis. There's a foreigner version, but the options are more limited. Because this app was offered in English and I already had my account, I used it.
Types of transportation
Buses: These are fairly common, especially in the cities, though depending where you're at, they may not be as frequent or may have less options. Depending on the part of the city, you may be on a town bus, which is a smaller bus. These may not be very frequent depending on the city. The bus time tables are often posted in the bus stops, and some of them even have signs letting you know when the next bus is arriving. Not all buses run for the same number of hours, so consider this when planning your daily activities. In the transportation apps, you can adjust the time of day to see what's available when, allowing you to plan ahead. There's also express buses and intercity buses. I used one of these to access Sokcho from Seoul.
Subways: The bigger the city, the more subway lines. The line(s) present may not take you directly where you need to go, so the chances are high that you will still need a bus or you may choose to walk the rest of the way. Some subway lines have express trains, so it'll make fewer stops and travel more quickly as a result, but they may not run as frequently. Line 9 in Seoul is an example of this. If you want to experience being packed into a train line sardines, take it during rush hour. The benefit of the subways is that they provide multiple stops within a city. I highly recommend saving the subway maps onto your phone for Seoul and Busan if you visit those cities.
Trains: I won't go into detail in the different types of trains as this write-up has done a fantastic job. What you need to know is that there are the speed trains and there are the regular trains. Depending on what time of year you visit and the destinations you have in mind, you may need to buy tickets far in advance. For example, taking the high-speed train between Seoul and Busan is going to require planning ahead. In general, buying tickets around peak travel times, like rush hour, will require buying tickets in advance. At the end of July, I was looking to take a train from Pyeongtaek to Yeosu and the tickets were practically sold out for the times I needed, so I decided on different plans. If you're staying on the outskirts of or the surrounding cities of Seoul, understand that many of the morning tickets will be taken by morning commuters, so you'll either need to book far in advance, leave super early, or find another means of transportation.
Taxis and Cars: Not all towns have reliable transportation to reach them. The best example of this is Namhae. There's not a good network of trains and buses to reach there. I wasn't able to visit because it was going to take all day to reach near there on public transportation, and because it was toward the end of my trip, it was going to be a hassle to find a car rental place Pyeongtaek, drive down, enjoy my time, and drive back. I'll have to visit another time. So there are places will you will NEED to rent a car (if you like hiking, there are some national parks and their trails that are only accessible or are best accessed by car). I took taxis whenever the bus wouldn't arrive for a while (see town buses), I had a tight time frame where waiting for the bus wasn't feasible, or, in one case, the buses had stopped running because it was so late. There was massive flooding across the country which forced the trains to shut down, so by the time the subway arrived at my destination, the only option was the taxi.
Planes and ferries: I didn't utilize the ferry service at all as I didn't want to spend my time that way. Korea has smaller airports scattered throughout, but the only ones I used were Incheon, Gimpo, Busan, and Jeju. I flew from Busan to Jeju, and then from Jeju to Gimpo. I believe Gimpo is more for domestic flights, so unless you're flying within the country, you likely won't set foot in this airport.
Seoul, being the biggest city, has by far the most subway lines. I noticed that they don't extend to the northwest as much, so if you're trying to reach that part, and probably some of the other outskirts, a bus or train may be a better option. Even with all the transportation options, it can take a while to reach other parts of the city, so plan your trip accordingly so that you're not trying to see all the districts in one day. For example, it can take one hour to reach Gangnam from Jongno. Seoul is, by far, so easy to get around with public transportation, I don't see the need to rent a car and there shouldn't be much need for a taxi.
In Busan, I ended up in part of the city where I had one bus option. In Gamcheon Cultural Village, a town bus is required to get to the entrance. Taking one is an experience in and of itself as the drivers of these smaller busses will treat them almost as a roller coaster ride. If you're in the city center, there's plenty of buses running all the time. Busan has a few subway lines combined with the buses will take you pretty much anywhere you want to go.
Gwangju and Daejeon both have a single subway line in them. If you want to access the east side of Gyeryongsan, the subway line in Daejeon and a bus will get you there.
Jeju is notorious for slower public transportation. Subways and train aren't present on the island, and the buses can take forever to get from one point to the next. Jeju is one place where renting a car makes complete sense. What would have been an hour drive from my hostel to two different sites was a two hour bus ride, an hour to the first spot and then an hour to the second. Of course, you'd have to ensure you have somewhere to park the car. Certain parts of the island/roads have more frequent buses than other areas run through them, so it can be very easy to become stuck and need a taxi if you go farther out. If you choose to rely on public transportation, ask wherever you're staying for advice. The hostel owner in Seogwipeo was so helpful with this! For those seeking to reach Hallasan, worry not. Buses are very common near the trailheads, though depending on which hike you're doing and how early, they may not be available (more on this later).
Sokcho, located on the east coast, is accessible only by bus. The city with the nearest train station is Gangneung. Sokcho runs frequent buses to Seoraksan National Park, it's just a matter of checking to schedule. To reach Odaesan National Park from Gangeun, you'll need to make a few connections to reach the park.
Itinerary Details
I did most of my trip in Korea solo. Because of the amount of time I spent here, I likely visited some places that most people would not see on a first visit to Korea. I landed in Korea about a week into June. Before I launch into what I did, please understand that I had specific constraints in some areas. What worked for me and my order does not mean you should do it the same way. The best example I have of this is that most people will land at Incheon and then explore Seoul first. I was fortunate to have friends living in the country, so they picked me up from the airport (there are trains and buses from Incheon Airport to Seoul city center and buses to other cities). My first city, therefore, was Pyeongtaek, which is south of Seoul by about 1 hour. I had the advantage of learning how to navigate trains and buses on a smaller scale. Pyeongtaek is a sizeable city but still had some small town elements to it like rice paddies. There's a beautiful city park there.
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| Busan from Igidae Coastal Trail |
My goal was to visit Busan and Jeju while the weather was still cooler and before the summer crowds hit. Busan may not be as big as Seoul, but it's best to lump the places you want to see into areas. I took the SRT to Busan and spent three days there and did a day trip to Gyeongju by taking the train. The train station in Gyeongju is NOT called Gyeongju station, so I highly recommend pinning the train station location so you can find it easier. One thing that stood out to me was that many of the hostels began breakfast at 8. I'm used to eating breakfast earlier, so I didn't rely on their selections much, especially when I needed an early morning start. If you want to visit K-pop stores, Busan is the second best compared to Seoul. There were quite a few stores located in the BIFF Square area. BIFF Square had street stalls set up when I visited, which is where I ate dinner two nights. I saw Busan Tower lit up one night, which was really cool, but the next day it was cloudy and rainy so it wasn't worth paying to go up it. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple was a bit of a trek to get to since it was so far out from the city center, but it was worth the time it took to get there. Buddhist temples are all over the country, but this one sits on ocean cliffs. I fell in love with Busan at first sight. On the one side is the beach, on the other is the mountains. The pace of the city was also nice--not fast-paced, but not laid-back.
I took the subway to the airport in Busan to fly to Jeju. From the airport, I took a bus down to Seogwipeo which was going to be my base for my trip. Most of the things I wanted to do and see were on the southern half of the island, which is why I made this decision. Due to time constraints, I wasn't able to see everything I wanted to, and, unfortunately, the lava tubes were closed, so I was unable to see those. My biggest goal was to hike Hallasan to the summit. To do so, you have to register ahead of time, picking a day, a time frame, and the trail up. There's two options up, and after research, I decided I wanted to hike Gwaneumsa up. It was described as the more scenic route and the more difficult option than Seongpanak. I found both statements to be true. Gwaneumsa was steeper (So. Many. Stairs.) but, even with some of the view at the top half of the hike being obstructed by clouds, it did have more to offer. At the summit, if you have geolocation turned on, you take a photo with the stone and submit it, you can print off a certificate for completing the hike when you get to the bottom. I hiked Seongpanak down, and because it was less steep, it wasn't as hard on the knees. The views were good, it just wasn't as diverse as Gwaneumsa. If you do this hike, bring plenty of water as there is none on the hike and plenty of snacks. There are rest stops and restrooms at designated points, so make sure you use the restroom when you come across it. The buses start running to the Seongpanak route pretty early; however, the connecting bus I need to reach Gwaneumsa didn't start running until after I wanted to start my hike, so I took a taxi the rest of the way. I picked the early morning slot to start the hike as I wanted to ensure I reached the checkpoint with time to spare. If you don't reach it by a certain time, you don't get to finish the hike. I, as well as many others, were taking frequent breaks on the way up. Pacing is so important if you want to finish this hike. When you finish, don't forget to print your certificate before leaving.
Jeju has a trail that encircles the whole island. I selected one section of the trail to see based on what where I was and which looked the most enticing. I settled on trail 6. Pack snacks, as depending on the part of the trail and when you hike, there may nothing open to eat. I had red bean bingsu for lunch at a small cafe on the trail. Bingsu is amazing. Speaking about food: Jeju is famous for citruses. While in Korea, there's Jeju orange juice for sale everywhere, and Jeju sells so many orange products. I tried orange ice cream at a market, which I was apprehensive about as citrus flavors aren't my favorite, but it was made well and was delicious.
From Jeju I went back to Pyeongtaek. From there I did a day trip to Gyeryongsan National Park. Unfortunately, a lot of the trails were closed due to heavy rain the previous day. Fortunately, there was one trail open. The views at the top were spectacular! Hikers in Korea are so friendly! I was offered snacks and many of them asked where I was from. Fun fact: Many Buddhist temples are found in national parks because the monks founded the temples first in pursuit of nature. The parks were formed in the area after the fact. So if you visit the national parks, you don't need to go out of your way to see temples. It was this trip that I learned that, if the seats on a train are sold out, they'll sell you standing room. You can stand in the designated car, but me and some other girls decided to sit in the area between the two cars so we weren't standing for too long. The only downside to this is that area doesn't have air conditioning, but it wasn't hot enough to need it.
Seoul is the place I spent a lot of time visiting thanks to its proximity to Pyeongtaek. My first time visiting was at the end of June. I did the hanbok rental (totally worth it!) and visited all the palaces in the attire. The other two palaces besides Gyeongbokgung don't get as many visitors, making them more peaceful. I walked between all of them. The second day in Seoul I did the city wall hike in the morning, and, in the afternoon, I took a stone seal carving class at Insadong Cultural Street, which is also where I bought yughwa, a traditional Korean dessert. At the end of the class, end up with a customized seal. The class was excellent and the yughwa was delicious! If you like bookstores, Kyobo bookstore is for you. There are a few throughout Seoul, and depending on which one you visit, there will be other items for sale. Some of them have Hot Tracks inside, for buying music. One I visited had other shops inside for novelty items. One night I stayed in a hanok. I highly recommend staying in one. I had fun sleeping on the futon and seeing the courtyard. If you want one that's more reasonably priced and/or want to stay more than one night, this needs to be booked further in advance as they sell out quickly.
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| Changgyeonggung |
Being a lover of hiking and history, I made it a priority to hike part of the Old Seoul City wall. This is divided into sections, and I chose to northern part as it had more mountain views and was more through nature than some of the other sections. From one of the high points, you can see all the way to Namsan Tower. On accident, I ended up doing part of the section near Namsan. It was so cool to see the original wall. Three of the four main city gates are intact. A map is available to stamp as a souvenir at each of the gates. If you visit all four and present it at one of the visitor centers, you get a pin. I wanted to hike in Bukhansan National Park but ran out of time in the initial visit, and by the end of the trip, it was much too hot to consider hiking.
I went to visit the Hybe Building and made a friend there, and we did a lot of sightseeing together that night and the next day seeing places related to BTS. This was not in my original plans but it ended up being a lot of fun.
From Seoul I took the airport express bus and flew into Osaka. Upon returning from Japan, I took the bus to Sokcho. I really, really wanted to hike Seoraksan National Park. Despite it being the middle of July, I was extremely fortunate to have pleasant weather. I didn't take the cable car up the one mountain. I hiked two trails there, both of which involved so. Many. Stairs. Between stairs on hikes and stairs at the subways, anyone can quickly become an expert stair climber. Both the hikes ended in very rewarding views. Since I hadn't packed a lunch, I chose to eat at one of the park restaurants. From Sokcho I took the bus to Gangneung. I wanted to see the bus stop from a BTS album cover and I wanted to hike in Odaesan National Park. I selected a trail that had multiple waterfalls on it. I didn't make it to the peak because I was running out of time and figured that, with it being overcast and a storm rolling in, there wasn't going to be much to see. The waterfalls made the hike totally worth it. Gangneung, according to a local I met, is famous for corn and coffee. The corn they grow isn't like the corn we have in America, It's starchier and you can pick the kernels off the cob with your fingers, something a lot of Koreans will do for a snack. The BTS bus stop is outside the city, so I took a bus to get to it after I arrived in Gangneung and dropped by bags off. It's not just the bus stop there--there's a bench for each BTS member and the surrounding area has been painted purple.
On my way to Pyeongtaek I had to pass through Seoul, so I took the chance to shop and sightsee. I was on the hunt for K-pop albums and found most of what I was looking for. I had previously visited Myeongdong, a hot spot for K-pop shopping, and, personally, did not like it due to it being very crowded. I bought most of my albums at Ktown, Music Korea, and Hot Tracks. However, if you want K-pop merch as opposed to just albums, Myeongdong is a fantastic place to look. The Han River had flooded due to the amount of rain--and it was still raining--so finding a place to sit and eat was a challenge, but there was a spot under the bridge. Being gluten-free, I couldn't eat ramen, so I settled on tteokbokki which was delicious.
Next on my itinerary was Soundberry Festa, a two day music concert. Two of my favorite Korean bands were going to be performing there, the perfect chance to see them live. Because I booked my ticket very early, I got it for an insanely good price, in my opinion. Not only did I get to see my favorites, I discovered other groups to listen to. A few days after the festival I returned to Seoul to see Yonsei University, the backdrop for many K-dramas; visited some cafes; and attended the Seoul Illustration Fair.
In my attempts to sightsee and avoid heat, I took a trip to Gwangju. As soon as I discovered there was a penguin village there, I knew I had to go! I also visited a memorial park and the national museum. I took the high-speed train there, so the time there was about 2 hours, making it feasible for a day trip.
I took the bus to the airport from Pyeongtaek. I don't recall if it was an intercity or express bus, but it made only a few stops. I could do this because I was already close enough to Incheon and my flight was late in the afternoon.
Itinerary
Here is everything I did, listed by city. As I don't have all the places outside of the markets I ate at saved, I won't list those. Some places are listed by the Korean name because that's what I saved it as. Many places I didn't have the time or means to visit, none of which are listed below. As I went into a lot of K-pop stores in Seoul and Busan and don't have those names saved, they are not listed either, but lots of place names can be found on lists on Reddit.
Seoul (7 days): KQ Entertainment, Yonsei University (Sinchon Campus), Kyobo Bookstore, Donuimun Museum Village, Yeouido Hangang Park, Hybe Headquarters, BTS 2nd dorm, Former BigHit building, Hakdong Park, Starfield Library, Starfield Coex, Tipping Point, War Memorial of Korea (I didn't have time to go inside the museum, but there's so much to see outside), N Seoul Tower, Namdaemun Market (most of it was closed when I visited, but I got good chicken ginseng soup), Sungnyemun Gate, Myeongdong Undergound Shopping Center, Namsangol Hanok Village, HiKR Ground, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Insadong Culture Street, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Chandeokgung Palace, Changgyeongung Palace, Heunginjimun Gate, Seoul City Wall Trail, Line Friends (for BT21 merch), Soundberry Festa (very close to Gimpo), Over the Rainbow Cafe, Ktown4U, hanbok rental
Busan (3 days): Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Haeundae Traditional Market (I got really good bibimbap here), Haeundae Beach, Dongbaekseom, Igidae Coastal Trail, Oryukdo Skywalk, Seomyeon Mall (a complete accident, but visited the Aladdin's Bookstore there), ZM-Illenial, BIFF Square, Jagalchi Market (can eat here, but had already eaten dinner), Busan Tower, Gamcheon Cultural Village, Lotte Mall
Gyeongju (a history lover's dream; 1 day): Cheonmachong, Cheomseongdae Observatory, Gyochon Traditional Village (ate at a restaurant here that served buckwheat noodles that came with abalone), Gyeongju National Museum, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond
Jeju Island (4 days): 송악산, Cheonjeyeon Waterfall, 주상절리대, Eongtto Falls (there was no water, I would skip if short on time because it has to rain enough), Oedolgae, Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market (try the black pork rolls), Seogwipo Jeonbang Waterfall, Jeju Olle Trail Course 6, Jeju Folk Village (easier folk village to access and an entrance fee; Seongeup Folk Village is bigger and free, but harder to get to), Hallasan National Park, Dongmun Traditional Market, Jungang Underground Shopping Center, Jejumok Gwana Government Office (open at night, was practically empty then)
Gwangju (1 day): 5.18 Memorial Park, Penguin Village, Gwangju National Museum
Sokcho (2 days): Seoraksan National Park (Biryong Falls, Ulsanbawi, Sinheungsa Temple), Yeonggeumjeong Sunrise Pavilion, Yeongrang Lake Trail Road, Deungdae Beach
Gangneung (2 days): BTS Bus Stop (at Juminjin Beach), Seogyojang House, Gangneung Jungang Market (I had gomtang here), Odaesan National Park, river walk
Pyeongtaek (~1.5 weeks): 내리문화공원, Tongbok Traditional Market, 3/8 Market
Trip Notes
An umbrella is a must. I bought one at ArtBox that also functions as a sun umbrella. It was super handy when walking around, making it easy to block out the sun. I saw a recommendation online to have sandals in the summer, so I bought a pair of Tevas, and I am so thankful that I did. I could walk around without fear of soaking my shoes on the super rainy days or not be worried about the rivers rushing down the streets.
Even though I didn't really buy anything from the underground markets, it was fun to explore them and see something significant to the Korean way of life.
One piece of advice I received is that eating at markets could be the most affordable option aside from convenience stores. Not all markets are the same, but they're a good starting place. Being gluten-free was a limiting factor in what I could eat, and some days I simply chose to eat the dish with the soy sauce and have that small gluten intake than eat more packaged food. I ate a lot of bibimbap and kimbap, with buckwheat noodles being amazing as well. Just because tteokbokki are technically rice cakes does not mean they are made from rice. Many are made from wheat, so this was something to check before purchasing.
I discovered at Seoul train station that some of the lockers require a Korean phone number to use. This was a bummer as they more the closest to the trains. On the bright side, T-locker has many locations. You just need their app and you get access to the lockers. It was a short walk to the subway line to get a locker, and with more set up, it was easier (at least when I was renting) to get the size I needed, as all the larger-sized lockers in the train station were full.
It's no secret that Koreans love their side dishes, and aside from kimchi, the same ones may not appear multiple times when eating out since there are so many kinds. Some of them including an entire small fish, quail eggs (I loved these), acorn jelly (I think), fish cakes, black beans soaked in soy sauce, and many more.
I met so many kind people in South Korea. They were so eager to share their culture and country and to learn about me.
Books
Books read: I tried so hard to like The Moonstone. I think I got a fourth of the way through before realizing I wouldn't finish. The narration style and I didn't agree. I listed to I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys. It was a fantastic book that had me on the edge of my seat. The only downside to listening to a book was that hearing it could be difficult on regular trains and on planes.
Books to fit the trip: If you like illustrated books, try reading a manhwa. If you've never read a Korean Classic before, I recommend The Story of Hong Gildong. If you like history, particularly modern history, read This Kind of War: A Study in Unpreparedness by T.R. Fehrenbach. It's an extensive history of the Korean War, complete with analysis of the decisions made during the conflict. The book is hefty, so an ebook may be a better option for going overseas.
Japan
Transportation
I flew into Osaka with a travel buddy and, upon landing, we got on a train to Kyoto. We purchased our transportation passes at the station, the IC card, which works the same as the Suica card. Note that cash is required for purchase. If I were to change the trip, I wouldn't have left for Kyoto that same evening. We got there after dark and that also meant circling back to visit Osaka at a later date. The flight was in the afternoon, so we had spent the morning at HiKR Ground in Korea. Osaka had been cheaper to fly into than Tokyo which is why we chose that airport. Kyoto is very close by train to Osaka, so if you wanted to, you get stay in one place and see both cities at the same time, but you'd need to factor in that extra time. Google maps is fantastic for public transportation in Japan. I learned that the app has an overlay feature so you can see the train lines, something I hadn't had to enable on Naver or Kakaomaps.
From Kyoto we took a night bus to Tokyo. This method saved us on a night's lodging, but I didn't sleep well and chose to cancel my future night bus reservations and take the Shinkansen separately. Not all night buses are the same; if you pay more--surprise, surprise--the accommodations are nicer, but the bus we took was nice for the price. The bus made multiple stops, so there were lights and intercom announcements throughout the night. Once in Tokyo, I survived the morning rush on the subway and dropped my bag off at the hostel and set off to explore the city. My first day was honestly getting used to the subway and train system there. With all the different lines, gates, and arrows, I found it confusing, especially Shinjuku. The construction didn't help. It's important to note that the bus systems don't work the exact same way city to city. Some are tap on-tap off, and others are only tap off.
Hiroshima has tram lines instead of subway lines. I recommend taking it at least once for the experience. To access Miyajima, take either the tram or the train to the ferry. Two ferry options exist. It's also important to note that there is no bus service all around the entire island, so you'd either need a car, which would have to be brought over on the ferry, or have to take a taxi.
Shinkansen is the fastest way to travel between major cities, though it's pricier. When time is money, I decided paying the amount was worth it, and I still got to see the country roll by. Seating options include reserve and non-reserved. I didn't want to mess around with potentially not being able to sit, especially with luggage, for a couple hours, so I booked reserved seats. Japan does have luggage forwarding services, but I didn't try them. Additionally, the speed of the train allowed me to see a lot within the 2 weeks I was in the country, so I was fine paying for since I was able to experience more.
I flew back to South Korea from Fukuoka, that way I didn't have to backtrack to another city. It also meant getting to briefly see another part of Japan.
Itinerary Details
With two weeks in the country and a long list of places to see, time was of the essence. Some items had been cut simply because they were out of the way. The trip started with a couple of days in Kyoto, visiting shrines, temples, and gardens and wearing yukata. I didn't rent the yukata in the old section of the city, so walking through the market outside the temple and outside the city streets, some people were surprised but pleased to see the outfits. In the evening, I visited the Ninenzaka. All the businesses were closed, but it was pretty with the sun setting and significantly less crowded. In my attempts to visit a ramen shop one night and getting on the wrong bus, I ended up walking back to my hostel, which allowed me to see part of the city that I wouldn't have otherwise.
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| Nijo Castle |
I allotted three days for Tokyo. One day was spent going to hike one of the mountains, Mount Takao, outside the city. Japanese hiking culture dictates visiting an onsen afterwards, but I did not partake. Two ladies coming off the trail were chanting "onsen, onsen!" which was entertaining. On a clear day, it's possible to see Mt. Fuji in the distance, but the sky was partially cloudy. The views were still beautiful, and the hike was a nice escape from the hustle and bustle and heat of the city. I tried sweet potato gelato at Senso-ji because I was curious about it, but it wasn't to my taste. It was more starchy than creamy. My biggest goal while in Tokyo was to locate Pingu merch and to visit the Penguin Douzou store, a small, locally-owned business. It's open limited days and hours, so checking the Facebook ahead of time to confirm that the store will be open is important. It was when I visited, and I was ecstatic! The shop had a pretty good selection of penguin-themed goods, and the owner was friendly. If you want to see Japan throughout the ages, visit Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, an outdoor museum where you can visit houses and some other buildings from various periods in time. Seeing how the styles changed was fascinating. Wear shoes that are easy to take on and off as shoes can't be worn in many of the buildings. It is farther out from the city center, so dedicate half a day for this.
From Tokyo I made a pit-stop in Hakone. I didn't really have a plan for my day besides visiting Okayama Castle and hiking around Hakone. Big mistake. I was left scrambling with choosing which bus I wanted to get on at the train station, as there are two options and each will take you to different sides of the lake. I ended up doing a short walk along the lake through a park on the old road and had buckwheat soba for lunch. Mt. Fuji is sometimes visible from there but it wasn't while I was there. (I did not get to see the famous mountain on my trip, as it was insistent in hiding.) From there, I set off to walk more of the old road but ended up walking around the lake to where I saw many Torii gates. I had snapped a picture of the bus routes and grabbed one back to the train station. Along the way, it passed up a mountain that had steam curling from the vents, evidence of volcanic activity, and from the top the views were spectacular. Even though I didn't spend time up there, I was thankful for what I did get to see.
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| Tokyo from Mt. Takao |
Retrieving by luggage from the lockers, I set off for Osaka. One hike I wanted to do I ended up turning around near the beginning (Mt. Bonden). There were downed trees and lots of gnats. Unfortunately, I ended up wasting time, but at least I can say I tried. I did get to sit and eat my packed lunch looking at the mountains and then found Hoshida Park to visit. It has a suspension bridge, and even though it was supposedly the hottest part of the day (heat index over 100 degrees Fahrenheit) it wasn't a miserable hike. It felt kind of pleasant, and it was a fun escape from the city center. Plenty of day trips exist from the city, so I took one to Wakayama and Kada. Kada wasn't in my plans but it was an unexpected surprise. Since I arrived late in the afternoon, there wasn't time to do much, but what I did see was charming and beautiful (those mountain and island views!!). I visited Osaka Castle at about 9 am and wish I had gone earlier because of the heat. Since I wasn't planning on going inside, I easily could've gone earlier.
Another unexpected was going to the top of Umeda Sky building. I had planned to just stop and see the building because it fascinated me architecturally and then figured, I'm already there, might as well. It was the only building I paid to go up on the trip. It had some decent views of the city, but what I found most intriguing was the story behind the design and the history they had of towers throughout history. The gorge I wanted to see had a partial trail closure, requiring a car to get between the two points that were open. However, I figured I would be left with regret if I didn't see what I could, and the trail didn't disappoint. The trail was gorgeous and was totally worth catching the early express bus. I made it off the trail in time to catch the next bus without having to wait another 2 hours. The drive back to Osaka was beautiful.
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| Subway mural |
Hiroshima was the next stop. I arrived in the afternoon and lounged in the hotel room, waiting for it to cool off a little. I walked to the Peace Dome. It was a solemn experience. There was a short hike from a shrine called Peace Pagoda that I did in the evening that offered sweeping views of the city and the bay. Miyajima was worth the ferry ride over. Because I did my hike first and then explored the town, I stopped by the Torii gate at low tide and was able to walk right up to it. There were remnants of Word War II on the far side of the island, but I wasn't able to go see those due to transportation and time. Hiroshima Castle was particularly interesting because modern and older history meet here. Hiroshima was my favorite city in Japan. I think having easier access to nature made it more appealing, and it also wasn't chaotic as some of the other cities.
As staying in a ryokan was outside of my ability for this trip, I opted for staying in a traditional-styled room in a hostel. I stayed at J-Hoppers Hiroshima Guesthous. The room had the tatami floors and futons. My adventurous cuisine for this section of the trip was sushi with fish eggs. I love sushi but was apprehensive about the fish eggs, so when I saw a piece with salmon eggs mixed with other kinds on a platter in the grocery store, I decided to give it a go. They weren't for me.
Festival week was taking place in Fukuoka, so there were floats set up everywhere. At the mall, I got gluten-free churros and geeked out over the triangle and circle windows on the building. There was a water show and sound show near the float placed in the courtyard. I saw what I could of Fukuoka Castle, as part of it was closed, a garden, and a park. The morning of my flight I spent walking around the city talking to my friend on the phone.
Itinerary
Kyoto (2 days): Fushimi Inari Taisha, Shosei-en Garden, Higashi Hongan-ji Temple, Kyoto Samurai Ninja Museum, To-ji Temple, Aeon Mall Kyoto, Kinkaku-ji, Nijo Castle (pay the extra money to see the castle's inside as opposed to just the grounds), Ninenzaka, yukata rental
Tokyo (3 days): Penguin Douzou store, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Tokyo Station/underground mall (in an attempt to find Pingu goods, ended up buying lunch from one of the vendors), Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, Senso-ji, Kimono Reborn Tokyo, Mount Takao
Hakone/Odawara (1 day): Odawara Castle, Onshi-Hakone Park
Osaka (2 days): Osaka Castle Park, Minoh Park, Umeda Sky Building, Wakayama Castle, Kada (town), attempted hike to Mt. Bonden, Hoshida Park
Hiroshima (2.5 days): Miyajima (Mount Misen), Sandankyo, Peace Pagoda, Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima Castle, Peace Memorial Park
Fukuoka (1.5 days): Fukuoka Castle Ruins, Ohori Park, Korokan Ruins Museum, Canal City Hakata, Kushida Shrine, Ohori Park, Ohori Park Japanese Garden
Trip Notes
I noticed that Buddhist temples in Korea and Japan are constructed and decorated quite differently. It was interesting to see how two cultures have each taken the same religion and applied their characteristics to it. Again, temples are everywhere, though not all are built the same or are on the same scale. Japan also has Shinto shrines, and the red gates are easy to spot.
Being July, some of the cities were incredibly hot. In Kyoto, the Golden Temple is usually packed. However, I was there in the afternoon and, while there were groups present, the notorious crowds were absent, likely avoiding the heat. If you visit Japan in the summer, be prepared to fight heat and to be sweaty. I had my sun umbrella and a mini electronic fan, and I made sure to drink liquid IV packets. Air conditioning is a god-send during those months. Leaving the cities can also help fight the heat. Osaka was boiling, yet traveling to the outskirts and being outside was manageable. Hiking outside of Tokyo felt pleasant. Likely the smaller cities and towns were more pleasant to be in as well.
Books
Books read: I didn't read anything during my time in Japan.
Books that would fit the trip: I recommend trying manga, if you haven't. Even if you don't read a whole book, I recommend sampling part of one. If you like history, I recommend Shusaku Endo as an author. As a heads up, his books are very deep and reflective and are not light reading. I've read Silence but would like to read his other words, too.
Navigating Gluten-free Options
I have a severe gluten-sensitivity, making dining a challenge sometimes which could make dining a challenge sometimes overseas.
South Korea was more difficult to navigate gluten-free foods than Japan. Interestingly, packaged foods had listed if the product contains wheat. If you're gluten-free, these are the words and phrases I used to help out, in addition to using the image feature on Papago and researching ahead of time what dishes are made with, such as what kind of noodles are used in certain dishes. Seoul seems to have quite a few options, but I wasn't in the vicinity of the restaurants. The one designated gluten-free place I ate at was really more of a dessert shop, but I was hungry. It's called Hidden Gem, and the cookies and the drink I got were delicious! Indian food was a go-to when I needed something easy.
간장 들어 갔어요? 간장 알레르기가 있어요. - This asks if a dish contains soy sauce and explains that you have an allergy. Soy sauce is huge, so simply asking about gluten won't cut it.
There also is not fully the understanding of what gluten is. As I react mainly to wheat, I wasn't concerned with other gluten-containing grains. When checking for wheat in packaging, or asking a server about it, these words will help convey the idea better.
밀 - wheat, commonly saw listed on packaged foods. I wouldn't use the word when speaking with a waiter.
밀가루, 소맥분, 밀분 - 3 words that mean wheat flour. Best to use these in conversation. When I was at the Seoul Illustration Fair, I decided to go eat at California Pizza Kitchen which I know has gluten-free pizza crusts. I asked about the crusts and the hostess asked me about allergies, and I think using 밀가루 helped her to understand what my issue was. These will also show up in the ingredients list as opposed to "wheat".
Japan has several convenience store options; it's worth visiting all of them as they have different options and not just the famous 7-Eleven. I ended up liking the selection at Lawson's more. Lawson's had crustless cheesake that was delicious--creamy and the perfect sweetness.
The cities had quite a few designated gluten-free restaurants or ones that openly offered options. I ended up eating more convenience store food (so much onigiri) as the restaurants weren't always where I needed them, and when I was in Osaka I had access to a kitchen. A wonderful Redditor put together a spreadsheet of places that I utilized, and as I researched I created a copy to edit as some places were no longer open. I used Papago to translate food packaging as I do not know how to know or read words pertaining to wheat/gluten. Being gluten-free did mean missing out on some iconic Japanese foods, but I still got to try many tasty foods. If you seek out the gluten-free options on Miyajima, my advice is to go early. I went mid-afternoon after my hike, and they were sold out. Most of the restaurants were also closed. The restaurants that I tried that I enjoyed were Pizzakaya, which also had an Indian restaurant nearby which was yummy; Koguma; Comeconoco Gluten-free Laboratory and Cafe; and Gluten Free T's Kitchen.
I did eat the hotel breakfast at two of my stops; I just avoided anything with noodles or that obviously would have gluten. I ended up trying pumpkin salad this way, and I loved it so much I made it at home. It was a nice change from convenience stores and finding restaurants.
Lodging
These places to stay are ones I can recommend with which I had positive experiences that I would highly recommend to others. Some places I stayed I wouldn't mind recommending, but the hotel was probably similar to others in the area.
- Inside Busan Hostel - The owners were so friendly and helpful, and the facilities were nice and well-kept.
- Hotel Gangneung - I treated got a deluxe room, so I can't speak to the standard rooms, but I loved this room. I was tempted to stay in the room and stare out the windows. The location was also good as it was near a bus stop, and I didn't have a desire to be near the beach. There was also a good kimbap store nearby.
- Slow Citi Guest House - This was my hostel in Seogwipo, Jeju.
- Gongsumga Hanok Guesthouse
- Wise Owl Hostels Kyoto
- J-Hoppers Hiroshima Guesthouse
- Urbanstay Sokcho Deungdae - This was near where I wanted to be. If you want to be closer to the main beaches and heart of the city, this location would not be ideal.
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