Otaku Tour: Anime, Manga, Ninja, Samurai & Food - Autumn

3 Reviews

10 days 9 nights

fromUSD $3598.00

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Single Supplement: USD $630.00

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Ikebukuro is one of the major anime districts of Tokyo, second only to Akihabara in number of anime shops, otaku boutiques, and maid cafes. Ikebukuro is home to Otome Road, which offers stores full of anime, doujinshi (self-published manga), and other merchandise largely geared toward female otakus. Otome Road is also called “Fujyoshi Street”, a term referencing women who enjoy homoerotic romance manga between young men, and while you’ll see plenty of merchandise appealing to this otaku subgroup, but there is something to please any manga/anime fan. Popular stores include the Animate Main Store, Comic Toranoana, Lashinbang (which specializes in character goods), and K-Books Cosplay Pavilion. There is also the Sunshine City shopping complex nearby, known for its Pokemon Center.

Akihabara is, without doubt, the otaku heart of Japan, with countless stores selling merchandise related to anime, manga, and gaming. To some in the anime fan community, Akihabara has become something of an anime pilgrimage site that any true otaku must visit once in their lifetime. Our anime tours visit popular shops such as Animate, Gamers, Radio Kaikan, Lashinbang, Kotobukiya, and Melon Books, which sell a range of collectible merchandise, from character figures and plushies to stationary and everything in-between. But select anime tours include visits to the anime shops hidden in alleys and inside larger stores - rare gems that go missed by tourists and don’t appear on web bloggers’ top 5 lists.

Imagine a world where cute Japanese girls in European- style maid outfits cheerfully greet you in character as their master (or mistress), personally waiting on you and serving you from among a selection of tasty sweets, treats, and drinks. This is the concept of the Japanese maid cafe - an establishment where patrons can enjoy being waited on by a maid for a little while. Guests choose food from a small menu that often includes omurice - a bed of savory rice wrapped in a fluffy omelet. Other dishes are easy comfort foods made with ingredients like hamburger or sweet Japanese curry. They also have cutesy desserts - especially parfaits, and a selection of drinks like coffee, tea, juice, or soft drinks. For an extra fee, customers can usually get a maid to write on their omurice in ketchup (or on desserts with syrup), to make their meal extra “magical”.

Pop Idol groups like AKB48 and Morning Musume are a huge part of Japan’s musical pop culture, and there are even anime (such as Love Live) based on Japan’s pop idol phenomenon. While it is difficult to arrange tickets to see AKB live while in Tokyo, there are “underground idol” groups that play more accessible pop performances throughout the year. Underground idol performances aren’t as professionally manufactured as those of the big name groups, but still maintain their signature cutesy energy and style, so their fans look on underground idols as something like up-and-coming pros, and seeing a performance feels like getting an early look at a music artist before they (hopefully) make it big. So fans of J-Pop Idol groups who want to see a fun and energetic idol performance while visiting Japan can enjoy them at venues in Shinjuku and Akihabara.

The Ghibli Museum is a thorough exhibit showcasing films and art by Studio Ghibli, one of Japan’s largest animation studios. It is renowned as a must see site for all Miyazaki Hayao fans, the creator of celebrated films such as Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, and many more.

Nakano Broadway is a shopping mall in the Nakano ward of Tokyo. Opening in 1966, it developed over time into one of the top shopping spots to buy various otaku merchandise, especially anime, manga and video game-related merchandise. Three full floors of the shopping center are dedicated to these kinds of cultural goods, which include popular figurines, pop idol CDs, and other collectables. Stores of note include the Mandarake otaku goods chain, which operates no less than twenty-seven different shops in Nakano Broadway alone, with each store focusing on a different category of merchandise, such as a separate store for cosplay costumes, toy robots, and doujinshi books.

Kabukicho is an entertainment district in the Shinjuku region of Tokyo. Originally intended to have a kabuki theater, it now has the reputation of being a red-light district, with a high number of host and hostess clubs, night clubs, and love hotels. Guests visiting Kabukicho on their own should be wary - some of the clubs have hidden fees designed to drain you of your money, but with a good guide you can find some delicious eateries with reasonable prices serving everything from bowls of ramen to grilled yakiniku to quality sushi. Within Kabukicho is Shinjuku Golden Gai - a collection of over 200 small bars and eateries crammed into six narrow alleys. As the streets of Golden Gai are private, photography is restricted and requires a special permit. Some of the bars in Golden Gai are incredibly exclusive, requiring someone who is already a patron to gain entrance, and others cater specifically to locals. But our guides can help you find bars that are open and friendly to foreigners.

The Sensoji Temple located in Asakusa is one of the most popular Buddhist temples to visit. The temple was built and completed in the year 645 and is Tokyo’s oldest temple. The surrounding area offers shopping for souvenirs and food. The Sanja Festival is one of Tokyo’s biggest festivals and is held every May at Asakusa Temple.

The garden connected to the Imperial Palace is one the most beautiful in the cty, and was once the private gardens of the Imperial Family. The only part of the Inner Palace open for public enjoyment, the grounds includes some stone walls and tower foundations of Edo Castle - former home of the Tokugawa Shogun, as well as the Suwano Teahouse, and the Museum of Imperial Collections. Within the garden areas, wide variety of trees and flowers planted there provide visitors with scenes of colorful beauty in any season, including not only seasonal favorites like cherry, plum, or maple trees, but species of flowers from all across Japan.

Harajuku is known as the center for extreme fashion styles and teenage trends in Japan. The area is located between Shinjuku and Shibuya station on the Yamanote Line. The most famous street in front of Harajuku Station is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street). Along that road there are many trendy shops, secondhand clothes store, and fashion boutiques for shopping. While walking along the street you can see fashionistas dressed up. There are also crepe stands and fast food options for people to enjoy while exploring the street. South of Takeshita Street is Omotesando where more of the famous brand name shops are located. Omotesando is twice the length of Takeshita and is popular among urbanites. The Omotesando Hills is a complex where most of those brands are located including the famed Kiddy Land.

Shibuya Crossing is one of Tokyo's most famous and recognizable locations. Tokyo is a true megalopolis: a city that never sleeps, and the Shibuya Crossing is a perfect example of that endless activity that Tokyo has become known for. Shibuya Crossing sits next to Shibuya Station, and is a multi-directional "scramble crossing" often called the world's busiest intersection, suffering almost no loss of foot traffic no matter the time of day. The Crossing is so iconic that it has been featured in movies, such as Lost in Translation and Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. The crossing is nearby another famous landmark - the statue of Hachiko the Dog sits on one of the corners. And the area has some other nearby attractions to enjoy - go shopping at Shibuya Scramble Square, take in the view from Shibuya Sky, or sit on the second floor of the Tsutaya Starbucks and sip coffee while you watch the bustling crowd on the Crossing below.

Mt. Fuji is a widely-known symbol of Japan. At 3,773 meters, Mount Fuji is Japan’s tallest mountain. “Station (gome)” is the unit representing one tenth of the length from the trail entrance to the top.The fifth station Mt. Fuji is the fifth point from the base at the height of 2,305 meter. Being the end of the Fuji Subaru Line toll road and the highest point that general cars can reach. From the observatory you can see below Komitake Shrine, an ancient place for prayer that has been visited by worshippers and disciplinant, and Yamanaka-ko, the largest lake among the five Fuji lakes.

Lake Ashinoko along with Mount Fuji in the background is the proud symbol of Hakone. One of the best views with the lake and Mount Fuji could be seen from one of the many sightseeing boats. There are a few boat cruises available, but the main two are ran by Hakone Sightseeing Boats and Izuhakone Sightseeing Boats. The best time to come is during the cherry blossom season and when the autumn colors are at its peak.

Owakudani is located in Hakone and is an area around a crater where gaseous fumes, hot springs, and hot rivers exist. Just like most of Hakone, on a clear day, it is possible to see Mount Fuji as well. There are hiking trails available for guests, but these trails are difficult for inexperience hikers.

The Fushimi Inari-Taisha Grand Shrine is located in southern Kyoto and is one of the most famous and visited shrines in Kyoto. This shrine is only five minutes away from Kyoto Station by train, and features over a thousand vermillion colored torii gates that brings many tourist to this shrine every year.

The Fushimi Sake District (伏見) is a charming, traditional sake brewing district along the willow-lined Horikawa River in southern Kyoto. Revered for the clean, soft water that flows in abundance from the river's underground springs, the district is home to nearly 40 sake breweries. Alongside Kobe's Nada District, Fushimi has been the leading sake brewing districts in the country. Among the local breweries is industry giant Gekkeikan which was founded here in 1637. Fushimi grew during the Azuchi- Momoyama Period at the base of Fushimi Castle, the retirement palace of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In the waning years of the Edo Period, Fushimi became a venue for the preparations and battleground leading to the Meiji Restoration. Sakamoto Ryoma, an important figure of the restoration, frequented the local Teradaya Inn where he barely survived an attack on his life on one occasion. At Fushimi's prime as a shipping port, flat-bottom, wooden boats plied the rivers, moving goods to and from the castle town. Wooden boats can still be seen on the river as sightseeing cruises.

The Gekkeikan Brewery is one of the leading sake breweries and one of the oldest family owned in Japan. The Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum is located in southern Kyoto in the famous Fushimi Sake District, which is home to around 40 sake breweries. The museum features the methods, traditional tools used, and history of sake brewing.

The Kiyomizu-Dera Temple is located only 15 minutes away by bus from Kyoto Station to the eastern side of Kyoto. This temple is one of the most popular temples in Kyoto and is listed as one of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The temple features a large wooden terrace that offers a fantastic view of the cherry blossoms in the spring and autumn colors during the fall season with the city of Kyoto in the background.

Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka are two shopping streets near Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. The traditional ambience of these streets contain with shops and restaurants housed in old wooden buildings take visitors back to the Edo period. Most of the shops sell traditional treats, souvenirs, kimono rentals, and other items associated with old Kyoto, though there are a few modern shops found there as well, but even they are traditionally housed so as to never lose the illusion of having stepped back in time. The streets are narrow and the buildings are closely packed together, creating a more intimate atmosphere, and it is advised that visitors be careful of the odd rickshaw passing by, though the streets are forbidden to cars. Due to the streets' old- fashioned appeal, it's common to meet Japanese visitors dressed in yukata, or foreign visitors who rented a kimono for a day.

Located only 20 minutes away by bus from Kyoto Station, is the Gion Geisha District. The Gion Geisha District is one of the most famous and popular destinations for tourist visiting Kyoto. This area is filled with restaurants, teahouses, shops, and other attractions to entertain guests. The machiya merchant houses along with river and the occasional geisha walking around, brings visitors from everywhere to experience everything that this area has to offer.

Nishiki Market is the longest traditional food market in Kyoto. It specializes in locally grown and prepared foods of superior quality. Displayed so as to tempt the senses and make passing mouths water, such savory delights as chicken skewers, dried fish, pickled vegetables, tofu, tea, and many others are found in stall after stall. Additionally, specialty kitchen utensils from high-quality makers, including hand-crafted kitchen knives and engraved chopsticks, make Nishiki Market worthy to be called "Kyoto's Pantry".

In the northern part of central Kyoto is Nijo Castle, where it was once the former Kyoto residence of the shogun. This area is also listed as one of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This area was once home to the shogun when he would visit Kyoto. This place serves as the best examples of castle palace architecture from Japan’s feudal era because most of the buildings here survived since they were originally built.

The famous Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) Temple is located in northern Kyoto and is most known for the building covered in gold leaf. This famous building is the number one most popular destination for tourist visiting Kyoto. The Golden Pavilion sits overlooking a large pond and various small attractions and shops are available for visitors.

Arashiyama is located on the western outskirts of Kyoto and is a well-known destination for both the cherry blossoms and fall colors seasons. North of the famous Togetsukyo Bridge is Sagano, and together they make this place a nice little getaway from temples and shrines to enjoy nature. Popular destinations include the Togetsukyo Bridge and the Bamboo Forest of Arashiyama.

One of the most popular and well-known spots for visitors is the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. A nice walking path takes visitors through the groves of bamboos. The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is also one of the most famous and photographed places in all of Kyoto and brings many visitors every year during the autumn color season.

The Kimono Forest of Arashiyama is a dense bamboo- like "forest" of about 600 pillars next to Randen Tram Station on Kyoto's Keifuku Arashiyama line. It was designed by Japanese artist and interior designer Yasumichi Morita. The pillars are cleverly arranged in a fashion similar to Arashiyama's famous bamboo grove, and bisected by a walking path where visitors can enjoy the brightly colored poles. The path leads down to a small pond called Ryu no Atago (the "Dragon Pond"), where visitors make wishes for their future. The pillars themselves are clear Plexiglas with kimono fabric displayed inside. The kimono inside reflect Kyoto's history of fashionable textiles, as they include 32 kimono patterns in the traditional "Kyo-yuzuen" style. The evening is one of the best times to visit, as the pillars are illuminated with internal LED lights.

The Togetsukyo Bridge is located in the Arashiyama district in Kyoto and is the most iconic landmark of Arashiyama. It is a very popular spot to view the cherry blossoms during the spring and to view the autumn colors during the fall season. The bridge connects Arashiyama to Sagano and many shops, restaurants, and attractions are found nearby as well.

Samurai and Ninja are two of the most well known elements of Japanese traditional culture. Samurai were a class of warrior nobles who fought across Japan and abroad for hundreds of years, whose ranks include historic names like: Miyamoto Musashi, Saigo Takamori, and Gozen Tomoe. Ninja (or shinobi) were a group of spies, saboteurs, and assassins, rumored to be able to become invisible or walk on water. The Samurai and Ninja Museum with Experience in Kyoto allows guests to study the history of these fearsome fighters in an immersive way - viewing samurai armor and swords up close, and learning about ninja tools and techniques. Become a samurai or ninja for a day by putting on a replica samurai helmet and holding a katana, or learning to throw shuriken, or “ninja stars”.

Located north of Nara Park is one of Japan’s most historic and famous temple called the Todai-Ji Temple. This temple is listed as one of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The temple’s main hall named Daibutsuden, is the largest wooden building in the world. It is home to one of Japan’s largest bronze statues of Buddha siting at fifteen meters tall.

Located in central Nara is Nara Park, it is one of the most famous and popular parks in Japan. The park is famous and popular because it is home to over one thousand deer. The deer roam freely throughout the park and visitors are able to get up close and feed the deer as well. This park is conveniently located near most of Nara’s main tourist destinations, which include Todai-Ji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Kofuku-Ji Temple, and the Nara National Museum.

Umeda (also called “Kita”) is the district surrounding JR Osaka Station, which makes the area an easy hub for shopping and dining. Umeda is one of Osaka’s largest business and commercial districts, so it’s no surprise that there are some good anime shops to browse. Major shops in the area include Tower Records Umeda, big name anime merchandise mainstays Animate and Mandarake, Melon Books (for manga lovers), and a Jump Shop, for fans of popular Shonen Jump Anime. There is also a Kiddy Land - a shop that offers a wide array of character goods including characters like Snoopy, Mickey Mouse, and Care Bears. Near the Kiddy Land is a Donguri Republic, which focuses on character merchandise from Studio Ghibli films.

Nipponbashi is a top spot for anime lovers in Osaka, with DenDen Town and Ota Road being hailed as the “Akihabara of West Japan”. Ota Road runs parallel to Den Den Town, and includes such anime / otaku stores as Kotobukiya, Mandarake, Gee! Store, Animate, Super Potato, Yellow Submarine, and Surugaya. These sell a broad variety of character goods including plastic figures, plushies, manga, doujinshi (self-published comics), games, hobby items, and a lot of other otaku merchandise. Lovers of Japanese anime and pop culture can easily spend hours browsing the stores on Ota Road, especially when looking for specific character items! Visitors who keep their eyes open can find niche stores appealing to specific hobbies or hidden otaku stores that don’t make the internet lists.

One cannot truly say "I've been to Osaka" if they haven't tried the street food. It's street cuisine one of the things Osaka is most famous for, and has even become a Japanese proverb: "People from Kyoto bankrupt themselves with fashion; people from Osaka bankrupt themselves with food." And the Dotonbori district sits at the center of Osaka's street food scene. During a street food tour, participants should expect those delicious dishes from simple food stalls and eateries that Osaka is known for - not Michelin-star haute cuisine. Two street foods are definitely well known in Osaka - Takoyaki (grilled octopus in little breaded balls), and Kushikatsu (assorted breaded and deep fried meats and vegetables on skewers), are local specialties, and were first sold in Osaka before going on to become popular Japanese festival foods. We include both of these during the tour, although participants are welcome to try others at their own cost. One dessert is also included on the tour, to be decided on the day.