Japan guide

Where Should I Stay in Japan? (The Eternal Tourist Crisis)

Ah, the famous question every traveler asks while staring at 74 open tabs at 2AM:
"Where should I stay in Japan?"

Let’s solve it β€” Japan style.

1. Tokyo: β€œI want it all and I want it now”

If you want neon, ramen at 3AM, robot cafΓ©s, and the constant thrill of "Am I lost? I think I'm lost...", stay in Tokyo. Shinjuku if you like chaos. Shibuya if you like trendy chaos. Ginza if you like your wallet to suffer. Anywhere else if you just want to survive.

2. Kyoto: β€œZen, temples, and a suspicious amount of matcha”

Kyoto is for people who want to feel cultured while secretly taking 2000 photos of a mossy rock. Stay near Gion if you want a chance to spot a geisha. Stay near Arashiyama if you want bamboo selfies. Stay central if you don’t want your legs to fall off walking.

3. Osaka: β€œCome for the food, stay for the food, roll home after”

Osaka is your culinary cheat day, every day. Dotonbori is where your diet goes to die. Stay near Namba if you want to eat 24/7 and shout "takoyaki!" like a local. Don’t stay too close to the karaoke bars unless you enjoy 3AM drunken renditions of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Bonus Rule of Thumb:

  • If you want action: Tokyo

  • If you want culture: Kyoto

  • If you want food & fun: Osaka

  • If you want peace: Hakone or somewhere with suspiciously many trees.

In conclusion:
No matter where you stay, you’ll eventually say:
"I need to come back again."

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