China and Japan are often called The Big Two of Asia. Japan is another ultimate destination for first-time travelers, interested in learning about the diversity of Asian cultures.
Visiting Tokyo, of course, is a must for first-time travelers. Only in Tokyo, you’ll be able to see the unique phenomena of Japanese culture, nowhere to be found in the rest of the country:
Tokyo is famous for the kawaii culture. Here, all the admirers of the Japanese kawaii culture will find their heaven. From shops and bars to stylized cafes, like Kawaii monster café, Tokyo is the center for kawaii culture:
Another Tokyo-specific part of Japanese culture is Lolita doll fashion. In Tokyo, you’ll be able to find shops, where you can buy Lolita style outfits. Then, you can go to stylized cafes for a photo-shoot. For sure, you won’t be able to find an experience like this anywhere in the world:
If you want to immerse yourself more in Japanese culture, it’s time to leave Japan and head for Kyoto. Once the capital of Japan, Kyoto is one of the oldest cities with a lot of sights to see. Located along the side of Osaka Prefecture, Kyoto is surrounded by beautiful nature.
What about the prices?
Japan is one of the priciest destinations in Asia. Hotels in Tokyo offer deals starting from $200/ a week for two visitors. You can save money by staying in a hotel outside of the city center (public transport communications are very good in Japan) or go for an experience at Japanese famous capsule hotels.
Japanese culture is so diverse that we recommend preparing for your visit. Besides reading different cultural blogs, we also recommend following Japanese YouTubers, like RinRinDoll and Yuka Kinoshita, to find hidden gems around Tokyo and Japan.