You know the funny thing about this article?
As you know, I’ve been collaborating with Hotels.com recently, about trip planning and that planning a trip is actually half the fun.
I tend to be very impulsive and disorganized so normally I leave the planning to my travel partners and just go along with their suggestions. But writing these Hotels.com blog posts (HERE and HERE), I more seriously started to consider traveling to Japan by myself and consequently, started thinking of what *I* myself really want to do there.
If you’ve been a reader, you’d know that I looove Japan and have been there many times. I even lived there for a year when I was in college. So I’ve been to all the usual touristy places and even experienced regular daily life, commuting to school, having homecooked meals with my host family yadda yadda.
So this time, if I do travel on my own, Imma dedicate my trip to exploring the more unusual and obscure sides to the country. Maybe obscure isn’t the word, but maybe “less touristy” is. Not the usual Tokyo Tower or Harajuku’s Takeshita Dori, but attractions more off the beaten track.
Like this Ninja Restaurant!!!
- Ninja Asakasa
Photo Source: Weird Japan
OMG this place looks awesome. Just look at this waiter hahahahaha how can you not!?
When I was studying in Kyoto I went to this prison themed restaurant but this ninja restaurant looks ten times better!
Photo source: Atlas Obscura
Food also comes in a bento box with dry ice for that mysterious factor HAHAHAH.
HAHAHAHAHA.
2. Wisteria Tunnel
Photo source: Atlas Obscura
Located in the Kawachi Fuji Gardens in Kitakyushu, this passageway of wisteria blooms during Fuji Matsuri – early May or late April. Means if I gotta get my butt over then la! Or else it’s apparently just a ‘mass of twisted branches’ hahahaha don’t want la.
But this place is sooo beautiful, I’m not even normally a fan of scenic locations and I’m dying to come here.
3. Brasserie Kyushoku Toban
Photo source: Atlas Obscura
Guys. Lest you think looking at this pic this is some sort of child labor institution, it’s not hahaha. It’s a cafe that supposedly gives you Japanese elementary school lunch experience.
Photo source: Atlas Obscura
You apparently sit in an interior that looks like a classroom, and true to Japanese fashion, a hot cart travels up and down the aisles serving noodles or rice, fish or pork, soup, flavored milk, and a healthy fruit dessert. It also apparently serves whale meat O_O for that nostalgic factor cos they used to serve it back in the day.
4. Nakagin Capsule Tower
Photo source: Atlas Obscura
Photo source: Atlas Obscura
I’m not sure if this is actually open to public but I read about this capsule tower recently. It was built in the mid 20th century and consists of two separate towers which serve as support to 140 prefabricated capsules. Each capsule is one self-contained tiny apartment. Each apartment is furnished with the latest gadgets (at the time anyway) and was targeted for bachelor salarymen. But the project flopped cos everyone just thought it was too depressing to live in tiny capsules (guess they never saw Kowloon).
There’s talk of demolition for this place since it’s located in prime area Ginza. So if I go, must be ASAP before it comes down!
What about you guys? Do you have any tips as to where I should head to if I make this solo Japan trip?
I was gonna focus on attractions in the Tokyo/Kansai area only to maximize my travel budget. Which would mean potentially striking off Wisteria. T3T
But! Hotels.com wants to save us. ^^ Hahaha. The Hotels.com Rewards program is a loyalty program that gives members instant savings on their hotel bookings, plus free nights later on – one free night for every 10 nights stayed.
Source: Hotels.com website
Source: Hotels.com website
There are also Secret Prices to be unlocked if you’re a Hotels.com member, as well as mobile app exclusive prices. For more info, check out the Hotels.com website.
Source: Hotels.com website
And what’s better than getting a discount when you head over to their website? Use this special code 8OFFHTFOTMY to enjoy 8% off your next trip with Hotels.com.
For more info, check out the Hotels.com website.
This post was written in collaboration with Hotels.com.
