If you’ve checked out my About page, you know that I’ve done a fair amount of running.  Even if I’m not the fastest, racing has always been fun for me.  I like setting a goal and accomplishing it.  With friends, even better. When I moved to Japan, I needed my fix.  Though much the same, sometimes it’s tricky to figure out how to enter a marathon in Japan. Then you add in the confusion that not all marathons in Japan are what you imagine.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

When a Marathon isn’t a Marathon

First of all, if you see advertisements at the train station or in town, don’t let them fool you.  Sometimes, a marathon in Japan is NOT a marathon.  Which is kind of a plus for all my friends that say they’d rather die than think about running races in Japan, let alone a marathon.  Come on over to Japan, you can run a “marathon” that’s only a 10K.  Hell, I think I’ve seen them as 5K before. 

Not as much of a stretch, the Yokosuka Seaside Marathon, which was my first road race in Japan tops out at a half marathon distance. It’s an out and back course along the water with quite a lot of participants. Bonus when you can walk to the start of the course, makes the morning not so early!

Don’t worry, if the distance you are looking for is a marathon in Japan, there are plenty of those around as well! Including Tokyo Marathon which is included in the six largest marathons in the world that is the Abbott World Marathon Majors. Another that I’ve enjoyed – especially for the views of Mount Fuji is the Shonan International Marathon.

How do you say marathon in Japanese?

If you’ve been reading for while, you know that I love throwing in some basic Japanese to make it easier to research Japan for a trip, or just because you’re interested! The word for marathon in Japan uses the katakana マラソン (ma-ra-so-n). Foreign word, “foreign” syllabary (I explain that more in my post about Japanese written languages).

But as discussed, this more times than not it seems just equates to “road race”. If you are looking for specific details you’ll want to get in the weeds a bit more to make sure what distance you are actually signing up for!

Marathon in Japan: How do I get in?

One of the juxtapositions in Japan: you see a lot of smokers (I was super happy to see they are starting to implement anti-smoking laws ahead of the Olympics), but nearly all of my coworkers I know that smoke, also run.  What I’m trying to say, is whereas in the US the “big” races are hard to get into, all road races in Japan are hard to get into because even those you might not see as runners – run! One caveat to that is if you can find smaller, more local options.

In order to get into many of the various road races and marathons in Japan, you’ll have to look out for raffles. Especially for the “big” races, because if you are coming from overseas, I’d imagine that’s what you are going for.

One good thing if you are looking for an international running trip? To help promote tourism, Japan races tend to have spots set aside for foreigners – first come, first serve. Or have smaller “international lotteries” as they do for the Tokyo Marathon. (You do sometimes pay for the privilege though).

The act of applying itself isn’t always easy. Sometimes it is tricky to find on the website how to actually pay. The way I’ve found is the easiest to sign up (though there are some others), is to go to JTB Sports. They have an English site now which makes it much easier but some races are only on the Japanese side so make two accounts and watch them both. (Google Chrome translate function is your friend).

For the bigger races, and how I got into the Tokyo Marathon, there are often times all-inclusive trips set up by travel agents that include the entry fee into the race.  This option by all means was very expensive, but I also ended up staying in one of the nicest hotels in Tokyo because of it, and was completely worth it.

What’s the cost of a race or marathon in Japan?

I’ve found overall, that the cost of a marathon in Japan and other distances of road races are extremely reasonable compared to how they are getting some places in the states for the big-name races.  For instance, you can nail an “overseas” 2019 Tokyo Marathon entry for 12,800 円. The New York marathon costs nearly $300 and bumps that up to $358 for overseas applicants.

My local half marathon in Yokosuka is around 4800 円 or about $48 USD depending on the current conversion rates.  Back stateside, I always ran the Shamrock Marathon with my friends. The half marathon entry for the Shamrock starts at $80 at the time of writing this and increase to well over a $100 the closer you get to race day. 

On that note, I haven’t seen that methodology in Japan, of increasing the price depending on how close you are to race day. I’m going out on a limb and thinking it is probably because they sell out so fast.

The 5K Ekiden (駅伝, a type of relay race) I run with some of my Japanese friends around the Tokyo Imperial Palace (side note, that is just a great running route for anyone that loves Japanese castles!) is around $20.

The Bling and Course Support

My friends and I used to joke (and even made shirts for it one year) that we ran marathons solely for the bananas at the end. If there was beer – even better! Running a race is surely about getting out there and meeting a goal, whether it be just finishing or hitting a PR. But let’s be honest, it’s also a plus to have all that course support in the form of hydration, food and spectators.

The “hey I did this thing!” t-shirts or technical shirts, participation medals and finisher items don’t necessarily hurt either.

For the course support, you might be surprised at what you are able to partake. My experience with running races and marathon in Japan, you are more likely to see umeboshi than a gel packet. What’s umeboshi? A pickled, very sour plum which lots of salt to help with you electrolytes. You’d think that would be a bit odd to work on while running – watch out cause sometimes there are pits! – but it works and delicious. You’ll see other “real food” as well like nuts and bananas.

For the marathon in Japan I’ve run, that each had about 30,000 participants, there were technical shirts as part of your race packet and you also received a finisher medal. Fun fact – some of the races in Japan will automatically send you your race packet so there is no reason for you to go to the expo and pick up your bib number and other goodies. To that end, sometimes there isn’t an expo so it just makes it easier for pick up anyways.

Possibly the nicest touch was during the Shonan Marathon in Japan, you could get your race time ON YOUR SHIRT! Being my best personal record (or PR as we like to say) to date, you bet I got that done! For the Tokyo Marathon, we received towels as our finisher items.

Spectator support is also very high in Japan which makes the experience of running a marathon in Japan that much better. I think for the Tokyo Marathon I spent the entire time high fiving people as I ran by.

What about after parties for races in Japan?

Sadly, post-race provided beer like you see at many of the races in America (or at least the ones I like to do) isn’t generally a thing.  However, a lot of times you will see coupons to promote local bars, and beer in Japan is generally pretty cheap cost-wise if you go with the big name companies. If all else fails, there are always convenience stores to grab a quick drink from if you don’t want to be sweaty in a izakaya. 

Instead of a race sponsored after party, after our yearly ekiden (4 person relay around the palace in Tokyo), my running team likes to go out for a nomikai (drink party). Before that though? We hit a 銭湯 or Sentou, which is a public bath house to soak after our hard work. I’ll talk about the differences between an onsen and sentou in another post but the concept is the same. Take a shower to wash off and then dip in a nice warm bath.

For the party part of it, we like to get monjayaki which is Tokyo’s version of the popular okonomiyaki.

What’s your next race?

Have you run a race in Japan?  What was your experience?  If you haven’t, are you thinking about it? Let me know in the comments!

Cooking classes have been taking off recently as a must-do while traveling.  It makes sense.  You go to a foreign country, love the food, and want to take it home with you.  However, let’s be honest. Our foreign food back home is completely adopted by our pallets! What better way to get the real deal than to learn it in-country and recreate it yourself!? BentoYa Cooking took it one step farther with their Japanese cooking class in Tokyo on vegan sweets made with Mikawa mirin (三河みりん).  It included a special presentation that taught the specifics behind a very unique ingredient!

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission from you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

Sumiya Bunjiro Brewery Presentation

The future owner of the Sumiya Bunjiro Brewery Co., Ltd. was present to give us the history and process of making their Sanshu Mikawa Mirin (三州三河みりん).  She also gave us background on the many various uses.

While the company was started in 1910, according to ancient Japanese text, mirin has been around for five hundred years. During the Edo period (same time as all of the castles), it was an expensive beverage.

What is Mirin?

Mirin, a sweet rice wine, is a versatile seasoning that can add sweetness and texture to Japanese dishes. Similar to sake but with slightly lower alcohol content and higher sweetness. That sweet flavor comes from how it’s made, not because there is sugar added to it.

Though originally it was used as a beverage, eventually it began being used as a seasoning in Japanese cooking. It can be cooked down to make a lovely sweetener (think honey but not as thick).  We sampled two types of mirin that the company produces and I must say, I’d drink them!

The real deal: Mikawa Mirin (三河みりん)

Mikawa is located in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture. It has suitable conditions for brewing Mirin and has the largest number of brewers in Japan. Mikawa Mirin (三河みりん) is made from glutinous rice, rice malt, shochu and goes through a single distillation process. The Sumiya Bunjiro Brewery Co., Ltd. makes it with the traditional manufacturing method. This takes nearly two years to complete for the high-quality glutinous rice to be brewed and matured.

Sanshu Mikawa Mirin (三州三河みりん) has about 14% alcohol and is a deep amber color. The generic name for this “top-level” product is Hon-Mirin (本みりん). Hon means “true” or “origin”.

The impostors: Mirin and Mirin-like seasonings

The main difference between hon-mirin (which is what we used for this Japanese cooking class with the Sanshu Mikawa Mirin 三州三河みりん) and mirin, is that straight mirin uses sake instead of shochu in their ingredients. Because of this and other process differences (only a few months of processing), they tend to have a lighter coloring.

There are industrially made mirin on the market that has more additives and is not as “pure” as traditional methods. Industrial made is not as painstakingly made and is quickly brewed in a few months’ time. They still have similar alcohol levels but aren’t as high quality.

To make it even more complicated, during and after the war, liquor laws made it difficult for grocery stores to sell true mirin. Additionally, due to the high cost since rice was scarce. As such, “煮切り” (nikiri) came into existence, which is boiled down to reduce the alcohol content. There is also “塩みりん” or “salt mirin” that adds salt to bring down the alcohol content. These are referred to as “mirin like” products or みりん風調味料 (mirin fuchoumiryou) and are highly chemical seasonings with little (1%) or no alcohol.

If you are in the market for mirin, watch out to get the real deal! Check your ingredients -if there is added sugar, it’s not real mirin. If there isn’t alcohol, it isn’t real mirin.

How to use Mirin

There are many uses for mirin and it is a great condiment to have in any kitchen. Especially if you like to make japanese food.

1. Gives a gloss and luster to coatings better than that of sugar — think teriyaki sauces!
2. Draws out flavors of a dish
3. Can be used to tenderize meats (again, with your teriyaki)
4. Eliminates odors on smeller food items
5. Adds a mild sweetness
6. Is another way to add umami (miso can be used as a “secret” ingredient for that too.)

The company has a few different authentic mirin and the class used Sanshu Mikawa Mirin (三河みりん) as the sweetener in a few dessert items.

In dishes that call for honey, you can use mirin as sweetener instead, the class suggested.

BentoYa Online Japanese Cooking Classes

Since attending this Japanese cooking class, a lot has happened in the world. Including the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, like many others, BentoYa had to reevaluate its business model. Which included moving to online courses. And while it’s more fun to have the hands-on experience, now more people (i.e. those of you not in Tokyo!) can enjoy these vegan sweets (and their other vegan recipes) from the comfort of your home.

Their Japanese cooking class cost about 3300 yen. If you are looking for some quick and simple recipes, they also have a YouTube channel to check out.

BentoYa Japanese Cooking Class in Tokyo: Vegan Sweets made with Mirin

One nice thing about this Japanese cooking class in Tokyo? No prep work! I really love how there are community kitchens to use.  There are three cooking stations in this room similar to this one as well as the front display where the instructor normally is.

Making Mirin Pudding

This is a vegan class so we didn’t use any animal products.  It was interesting to learn about the different things you can use instead.  And the end product is so tasty.  This style of pudding is quite common as a dessert in Japan.  Simple and not too sweet.

Kanten (寒天) is a natural gelatinous product that comes from algae.  It is a great substitute for gelatin in the pudding.

Kudzuko (葛粉, sometimes Kuzu in English) starch comes from a root plant called Kuzu.  It’s an exceptional thickener.  I was surprised how fast it could take effect!  Sometimes brewed as a tea as it is actually very good for upset stomachs!

The sweetness comes from boiling down the Mirin.  You cook for a few minutes to evaporate the alcohol and turn it into more of a syrup consistency.  We also add it to the top to give it that sheen.  Presentation taught so much!

You cook the ingredients all together for a few minutes to thicken it up and you’re done! Chill it for a bit in the freezer if you want it right away, else in the fridge works too.

Don’t forget to add the bit of sweetness on top!

A quick and easy Japanese lunch

As every class with Bentoya Cooking ends with trying out your creations, we also made some onigiri with soy meat.  Can’t just eat sweets for lunch! Well, you could, but your waistline might not like it.  However, cooking with mirin, there is no added sugar for all the sweetness so it’s actually healthier!

This soy product starts out dried, you cook it in water to reconstitute it and then ring out the excess water before cooking up and adding flavoring.

Hint for making onigiri.  Use saran wrap. Keeps your hands less sticky with the rice.  I’m starting to get better at them if I do say so myself! Another pro tip: don’t put too much filling or rice, a smaller portion is much easier to deal with!

I love how easy a good miso soup is.  Some homemade dashi made with seaweed for umami instead of fish flakes, add some leak and onion to it, drop in some miso and you are good to go!

The finished product! いただきます! Itadakimasu!  Thank you for the food, let’s eat!

Looking for another Japanese cooking class in Tokyo?  Check out my other experience with BentoYa Cooking.

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高知城, Kochi Castle, is the only of the 12 original Japanese castle that remains ALL of it’s original Edo period architecture in the main citadel. Like the other castles, this one was also finished in the 1600s and is located on Shikoku, the fourth-smallest of Japan’s main islands. Kochi is a cute oceanside town with old history abounding. Not only is it cute, but it is also unique. Lord Yamauchi Kazutoyo didn’t just have military in the castle keep, it was also a palace.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission from you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

The best way to approach Kochi Castle

The best way to approach Kochi castle is through the Otemon Gate.  If you drove (don’t drive, it’s Japan! I kid, Shikoku is actually easier by car and a little easier as it’s more country so there seemed to be more parking. Trains are still easy to get around on though! Also, Koichi’s train station is beautiful), you’ll have to walk over to the gate but it’s also the way to go up to the castle so you shouldn’t miss it.

The Otemon gate is important because when the town was burned to the ground by a fire in the early 1700s, it was the only thing to remain (though it itself had some of its own work done in the 1660s). So if you are looking for 400 years of history, it’s in this structure.

Kochi Castle Main Keep – 3 or 6 floors?

After they were burned in the fire, the main castle keep at Kochi Castle along with the rest of the surrounding buildings took TWENTY FIVE years to rebuild. They were finished in 1753 to match the original specifications and managed to (mostly) avoid being torn down during the Meiji Era restoration efforts to remove all of the castles or any other disasters. Why mostly? Because the good majority of the castle buildings were removed.

While the keep or donjon may look like it is 3 stories, the interior is actually 6 floors.

Kochi Castle Unique amongst the 12

Kochi Castle is the only Japanese castle that has the Lord’s reception suite (how the pamphlets, in this case, decided to translate “御殿” or “palace”) still intact. Even amongst the 12 original castles still remaining in Japan.  It’s unique that the lord’s residence was among the military function of the keep.  Hence why it’s all there. This castle is more house than military in some aspects and you can see how the rooms went together.  It’s amazing.  (This one almost beat out Matsuyama as my favorite).

But what’s one palace when you can have THREE? The ni-no-maru (second bailey) which is the flat land before you head across the bridge to honmaru, had a palace as well. As did san-no-maru or third bailey. Those unfortunately were all disassembled during the Meiji restoration, but if you want to see a palace, check out Kawagoe, Kakegawa, Nagoya, or Nijo. There is also an imperial residence in Nikko.

As you can see from this picture, you get a sense of the minimalism Japan is famous for.  There wouldn’t have been much furnishings in these rooms.

I thought it was a little sad to learn when they turned it into a park in the Meiji period that they destroyed all the buildings in the 2nd and 3rd bailey. But the museum inside Kochi Castle has models of what it probably looked like and the main citadel more than makes up for it.

Kochi Castle Important Cultural Property

There are 15 buildings at Kochi Castle that are considered important cultural properties.

• 天守 – tenshu, main keep
• 懐徳館 – Kaitokukan, the name for the honmaru goten or palace
• 納戸蔵 – Storage Room
• 黒鉄門 – Black Iron Gate
• 西多聞 – Nishitamon
• 東多聞 – Higashitamon
• 詰門 – Closed Gate
• 廊下門 – Corridor Gate
• 追手門 – Pursuit Gate
• 天守東南矢狭間塀 – Tenshu Southeast Yasama Wall
• 天守西北矢狭間塀 – Tenshu South west Yasama Wall
• 黒鉄門西北矢狭間塀 – Kurotetsumon Nishikita Yasama Fence
• 黒鉄門東南矢狭間塀 – Kurotetsumon Southeast Yasama Fence
• 追手門西南矢狭間塀 – Otemon Southwest Yasama Fence
• 追手門東北矢狭間塀 – Otemon Tohoku Yasama Fence

Kochi’s whaling history

One recommendation for travel in general, and definitely in Japan, look for themes when you go places.  In Kochi, there were whale tails everywhere.  Random statues and nuances that just make you go, “huh”.

Apparently, Kochi was a whaling town and there was a display in one of the wings of the castle about it.  Though quasi gruesome and not to my liking, it’s a part of history and makes you respect what people went through to get food.  The display, though cartoonish, was very intense.  Not something you see every day.

Stamp Rally

Don’t forget to get your stamp for the 100 finest castles in Japan stamp rally. What’s that? The Japan Castle Foundation (日本城郭協会, Nihon Jōkaku Kyōkai) choose 100 Famous Castles in Japan (日本百名城, Nihon Hyaku Meijō) followed by another 100 after that!

As a goal-oriented person, it’s fun to check the castles off my list. But I would also just do it for the cute stamps! I recommend getting the books ahead of time. Some of the castles gift shops carry them but it’s not a guarantee. Yes, they are in Japanese, that gives it some clout I think!

TeamLab Kochi Castle Illumination

One thing I’m still sad about, especially if you know how much I love teamLab’s two Tokyo exhibits teamLab borderless and teamLab planets, is that teamLab did an exhibit in Kochi Castle! It was just a few months after I was there. Here is my plug for illuminations around Japan, something to keep in mind if you are traveling in winter! While teamLab may not do another Kochi Castle Illumination (they did both in 2018 and 2019!), that’s not to say there won’t be a different one.

Getting to Kochi Castle and the Kochi Information Center

If you are like me, you are going to be blown away by Kochi’s train station, it is BEAUTIFUL – but don’t get too distracted, Kochi Castle is too! There is an amazing tourist information center next to it where you could probably spend a few hours just there (even if you researched a lot for your japan trip, I highly recommend always checking out the information booths!). 

Inside the information center is a reproduction of the set of a popular period drama depicting the life of a samurai hero. You can dress up and walk around the set, taking photos. If you need some inspiration about Japan, there are plenty of shows and documentaries about Japan.

The castle is an easy 20-minute walk from Kochi Station, or you can take the tram. But be aware you’ll have to transfer.

The easiest way to Kochi Castle by train to get to Kochi Station is to take a limited express train from Okayama Station. It takes about 2.5 hours so make sure you get some onigiri, or a train bento and maybe a beer ;). I will break from my train love a little in Shikoku because it is a bit easier to get around by car in Shikoku but trains are still a good option, they just don’t run as often as larger areas of Japan.

As with all the castles, I have tons more research in my notes, so if you have questions, let me know in the comments below! I’ll try and point you in the right direction.

Other things to do in Kochi

This prefecture is not lacking in things to see and do!  Local to Kochi are a few things I’ll highlight.

日曜市 (literally, “Sunday City”) is a 300-year-old market that happens every, you guessed it, Sunday. Toted as one of Japan’s largest and stretches out over a kilometer from the Otemon Gate with hundreds of stalls to explore. There is also a smaller one on Thursday leading down to the water from Kochi Castle if you were to head to Yamauchi Jinja.

On your way to Yamauchi Jinja, you’ll notice a long building on the side of the road. This is the former Yamauchi Residence Shimoyashiki Nagaya Exhibition Hall (旧山内家下屋敷長屋展示館). A Shimoyashiki is the “suburban” residence of the daimyo or lord. Remember, three palaces were not enough! What remains is the lodging for the guards. Inside there is a display of various ship designs. Great for yours truly naval architecture love.

The original shrine where Yamauchi Jinya stands burned down during the war but afterwards in the 1970s was rebuilt to enshrine the Yamauchi line that ruled at Kochi castle. To be fair though, it’s very common for shinto shrines to be rebuilt every so often, even Izu, Japan’s most important, is rebuilt every 20 or so years so that the traditional building style can be kept alive but also as part ritual.

Another great thing for Kochi? They have a massive yosakoi festival in the summer. One of my things still to see. While you are walking around the city, you may notice a bright red vermillion bridge. A good photo spot it is the setting of a love story between a local monk and a young woman. It also is mentioned in some of the yosakoi songs.

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Welcome to Himeji Castle 姫路城. Nicknamed the White Heron (or white egret, apparently they couldn’t decide on a white bird…) Castle for its coloring. She (are castles like ships? Female? They are now!) is the 6th in my quest to see all 12 of the original Japanese castle. Himeji castle is, in fact, the largest castle in Japan, located in Hyogo Prefecture in Himeji City.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission from you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

A bit of history and designations

Himeji Castle dates back to the early 1300s when it started as a fort atop the hill.  Ripped down and built into a castle around 1346, it was again redone… have you been reading my castle posts in order?  Yup, you guessed it.  Around 1600.  It was later expanded on and has remained the same for 400 years.  Himeji City was burned to the ground during WWII but the castle survived.  She also survived some really massive earthquakes.  Most importantly, she didn’t get ripped down during the Meiji period as so many castles did.

Of the 83 buildings that make up the castle grounds, 74 are designated as Important Cultural Assets. SEVENTY FOUR! That’s insane. The other castles maxed out at 11 or so.  That equates to 11 corridors, 16 turrets, 15 gates, and 32 earthen walls.  Himeji Castle is not just an important cultural property though, it’s also a UNESCO world heritage site which was designated in 1993.  Japan’s first. Translation: Himeji Castle is Japan’s most visited Japanese castle.  With good reason!

And remember, that’s 83 buildings that are still existing at Himeji Castle. There used to be so many more!

The approach to Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle awes you the second you pull into Himeji Station. Generally speaking, when I get off the train somewhere, I’m trying to figure out which exit to leave from.  Not necessary here. Straight view of the castle as soon as we pulled in on the shinkansen.

Once you walk up the street from the station (or there are buses), you’ll come to this bridge and gate. The gate is called Sakuramon, so the bridge is Sakuramon bashi (bashi is the Japanese word for bridge). With the castle looming in the background, it’s a beautiful sight.

The moat? If you are visiting on the weekends, there are boat trips you can take along in. There aren’t very many though so get your tickets early.

Bring your walking shoes for this one (I love my Teva sandals for travel).  The overall castle is nearly a mile at the widest points in each direction.

The Main Keep

Unlike Kochi Castle, Himeji Castle’s main keep is all about the military function.  You have to remember with Japanese Castle keep’s that the tiers don’t always match the floors. So whereas from the outside it looks like five tiers, the inside has a basement and six floors – lots of stairs to climb!  If you were an invading army, there are all sorts of defenses INSIDE as well as the fact that you had to make it all the way to the keep in the first place!  武者隠し (mushakakushi) are little hiding holes throughout that you could be attacked from.

There were also platforms on some of the floor that I originally thought someone must stand on to give a speech or something.  The ceilings were super high, seemed to make sense.  In actuality, they are so that people could throw rocks out the windows at invading armies. Don’t forget the death holes for shooting guns and arrows.  (Actual name is loophole).

When you go inside, you’ll take off your shoes and carry them with you.  They give you plastic bags to use as you’ll leave at a different spot than you came in at.  The stairs that you walk up to enter the castle have, of course, been there forever and there’s a sign to call your attention to the fact that samurai and lords have walked up them barefoot just like you.  Kind of fun.

The first floor is nearly 6000 sq. ft. (?!?!?) with follow on floors slowly getting smaller until the top floor is “only” 1240 sq. ft. That’s twice as big as most people’s apartments in Japan! You’ll get to walk through the whole thing.  Its’ really neat with the lighting they have throughout.  It’s also surprising how tall the ceilings are.  The whole keep is just over 150 feet tall. The fact that they were able to make such a structure with just wood is amazing to me.

The Princesses Bailey

Sadly, the palaces are no longer in existence. Neither the main palace for the Lord or the one he made when his daughter married. If you want to see a palace, head to the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, Nijo Castle, Kawagoe Castle, Kakegawa Castle, or Nagoya Castle (though that one is a reconstruction). There’s also an imperial villa in Nikko. You can still see the long corridors that made up the princess servant’s living quarters though.  These are incorporated into the walls protecting the palace.  The princess also had her own quarters as a “retreat” or some such at the end of the corridors and this still is there.

How Much time do you need for Himeji Castle?

Give yourself at least 2 hours if it’s not busy, but lean towards a half day.  Probably more if it’s busy.  There is so much to see! During Cherry Blossom season they limit the number of tickets to 15,000 so be wary of that too. And because they get so busy, it’s like Disney, where they give you wait times to the ticket counter and the castle keep! If you get there late in the day and there are long waits, keep in mind that your ticket is only valid for the day you purchased it.

Also you can only purchase tickets to Himeji Castle at the ticket counter the day of visit. Tickets for Himeji Castle are 1,000 yen for adults at the time of writing this. You can add on the neighboring Japanese garden for 40 yen more!

One of the times I was at Himeji during the summer. It can be brutally hot, and with such large grounds to walk around in broad sunlight, please make sure that you have ample water supply. Luckily it’s Japan and you can find vending machines all over. But, seriously, drink up, lots of people were getting heatstroke that day!

Part of the reason you should stay in Himeji the whole day, is for the beautiful night views of Himeji Castle. Stop by an izakaya and then see it after dark. The paid portion of the grounds closes around 5 pm but you can see the unpaid version later. At different times of the year they have events there.

Getting your Castle Stamp

Don’t forget your stamp for the 100 finest castles while you are here! The 100 Famous Castles in Japan (日本百名城, Nihon Hyaku Meijyou) were chosen by the Japan Castle Foundation (日本城郭協会, Nihon Jōkaku Kyōkai) and include castles all over the country, including the 12 originals.

The stamps make for a fun souvenir as well as a record of all the castles you have been to. There is a guidebook that you can get to keep them in (and turn them in for a prize if you get them all!).

How to get to Himeji Castle

From any of the big tourist spots (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto) it is an easy shinkansen ride to get to Himeji, I love all trains in Japan! From Shin Osaka Station to Himeji Station take the Hikari Shinkansen in around 35 minutes. Taking the JR Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen from Kyoto to Himeji takes about an hour.

The longest is going to be from Tokyo. If you can take the Nozomi shinkansen, from Tokyo to Himeji is 3 hours. On the JR Rail Pass? It’ll be about 3.5-4 hours. I’d suggest going straight there and then making your way back to other sites in Kyoto and Osaka (if you are doing the “main circuit” as I like to call it). Or keep going from Himeji to some of the other 12 original castles of Japan. I’ll be working on full itinerary options for this soon! Make sure to sign up for the newsletter to keep posted.

The view from the shinkansen platform of the lead into the castle is very unique. You’ll take the north exit and it’s about a 1 km walk to get to Sakuramon bridge to get into the castle complex. Speaking of, there are tons of paths and parks around the castle to track your steps.

Is Himeji Castle Worth it?

Yes! Especially if you are interested in Japanese history and of course, Japanese castles. I will say though Himeji Castle is amazing, she’s not my favorite. Matsuyama Castle in Shikoku still holds that one.  Sometimes the crowds are right but it’s important to stick to your guns if you have a differing opinion.  That’s what makes the world interesting.

All that said, please, if you are only in Japan for a little while, go see Himeji Castle.  You won’t be disappointed. 

What is there to do near Himeji Castle?

One the castle grounds, you can visit the Edo period-style Kokoen gardens. You can get a combined entrance pass for both the castle and the gardens, adding the Japanese Gardens is all of 40 yen more! While not one of the top three gardens like the one in Okayama, they are beautiful nonetheless! In fact, Japanese gardens are very often a nice side quest to Japanese castles.

If you decide to walk to the castle, you can approach down the main drag, Otemae Street (which has lots of statues – Japan loves statues) or the Himeji Ekimae shopping street (with an arcade). Great way to keep out of the sun on those hot days but also good if it is raining!

Have you tried the rather simplistic but super delicious Japanese food, 玉かけめし (Tamakakemeshi or sometimes as tamakakegohan)? It’s a raw (don’t worry, they are safe!) egg on top of warm rice. Don’t knock it till you try it. Tamagoya across from the Sakuramon bridge has it. There is also a Cremia stand there in the summer, the best soft serve I’ve found in Japan.

While you are in Hyogo Prefecture, don’t forget to head over to Kobe for some Kobe Beef.

If you have been following along for a while, it should come as no surprise to you that I love Japanese castles! If you’ve missed the articles and IG posts until now, you may have seen the running tally of how many I’ve been to on the home page for Kristen Abroad. There are so many Japanese castles to visit, where do you start? While there are many not in this category I’d also recommend, if you have limited time for Japanese castle exploration, you really should start with 12 original Japanese castles remaining.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in January of 2019 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

現存12天守 Quick Japanese Lesson

While it’s time-consuming thanks to my level of Japanese, I love doing research in Japanese. Though I still owe a debt of gratitude to Wanikani and the Minna no Nihongo series, along with so many other Japanese resources ( including my Japanese sensei at conversation classes)!

The 12 original Japanese castles are actually referring to the original Japanese castle keeps which in Japanese are usually referred to as 現存12天守. And because Japanese fascinates me, you get a quick lesson ;).

• 天守 = Tenshu, or castle tower. This term refers to the main castle keep as in Japanese castle design there are normally other towers on the complex as well. It is also sometimes referred to as “天守閣” or tenshukaku.
• 現存 = Genzon or “existing”. While that is true, they ARE existing, the English makes that somewhat confusing as there are other “Existing” Japanese castles that have been more recently re-constructed.

That said, when you see “the existing 12 Japanese castle keeps”, in Japanese they are referring to the Edo-period and older castles.

National Treasures, Important Cultural Properties, and Other titles

Most of the 12 have multiple designated titles of importance. Japan likes lists of 3 and 100. They all are considered as part of the 100 finest castles of Japan but there’s more that make these the Japanese castles to visit.

We’ll start with world clout. Himeji Castle was designated as Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nationwide, five of the 12 are considered National Treasures: Hakone, Himeji, Inuyama, Matsue, and Matsumoto. I like to call Inuyama the most pretentious of the bunch. In the other 11 castles, there is a reference to all 12 castles (usually in pictures lining the overhead of the lookout area of the castle). Inuyama? Just shows the five that are designated as National Treasures.

The other 7 are designated “only” as Important Cultural Properties. However, most all are part of the さくら名所100選 (100 Famous Sakura Places – there’s actually 134 locations, we like lists of 100 but they aren’t always exactly 100).

Which is the oldest of the 12 original Japanese castles

I think the funniest is that at least three of them claim “I’m the oldest” somewhere on their property. Keep a lookout for signs, the first one I was at that I saw “oldest” I was so excited. Then I saw it at another and was like, wait a second…

Inuyama is one of them. Hence back to my pretentious joke.

If you go solely by when they were originally made Bitchu-Matsuyama wins hands down with an 11th-century build. However, that was on a neighboring mountain and they moved it to its current location later. The keep itself, the important part of the “which is older” at Bitchu-Matsuyama is younger than the others.

You also have the matter that regardless of when they were originally built, most had at least some fire or damage from war over the years. If you factor in what and how much was rebuilt and when, it starts to get tricky.  And of course, are we talking about the castle or the keep? Which is where I think the good majority comes from.

And Inuyama Castle has them on the keep initial construction start date (yes, you have to be that specific. The oldest castle that started construction on a Tuesday 😉 – I kid).

A general aside: I can’t imagine the amount of work it is to move so much material without the help of modern machines!

On the note of these castles being so old, this is definitely a situation you will need to take your shoes off in Japan for!

Where have all the castles gone?

There was a massive push to building Japanese castles in the late 1500s and early 1600s. I joke that they sent out carrier pigeons because the timing is creepily similar for the spread of land with no mass communication like today. You may have noticed while researching a trip in Japan that Japan is basically the size of the eastern seaboard of America.

There are estimated thousands of castles across Japan at that point. However, once the Tokugawa took over, there was a “一國一城令” or “one country, one castle order”. Lots of the 300 or so daimyo lords across Japan had to consolidate into one castle and the rest destroyed.

During the Meiji Period, there was a force in the works to get rid of all the castles as part of the Meiji restoration, otherwise, we’d have a lot more original Japanese Castles to visit. 

廢城令, or terminate the castle’s decree. Seen as symbols of the old regime, most were dismantled.  Some left just to degrade into disrepair.  Many other original Japanese castles then succumbed to earthquakes or fires or wars.  What we have left today is a testimony to those that stood up for keeping the heritage.  Mostly local movements.

12 Original Japanese Castles to visit and their keeps

Here are the 12 original Japanese castles in alphabetical order, as to not cause contention. If you’ve followed my travels for a while, you know which I think are the best original Japanese castles. Click through to their individual posts for more information on each!

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle (備中松山城）

Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle (備中松山城) to not confuse it with the other Matsuyama castle in the list of original Japanese castles, this one is in Okayama Prefecture.  It is the only one on top of a true mountain and the highest for that reason. Which makes the name even funnier as it’s a ***** to get to.

There’s no easy way to get to the top, even if you get dropped by a taxi you’ll still have a section of the mountain to hike up but it is beautiful when you do. If you are lucky you’ll be above the clouds!

Hikone Castle (彦根城)

One of the national treasures, Hikone Castle (彦根城) is on the smaller side with only a three-tier donjon, however, I’d put it as my second favorite. Located in Shiga Prefecture. It has this beautiful garden and some unique features – like the fact it was made completely out of another near by castle. Talk about recycling!

It was on the docket to have been dismantled as part of the Meiji Restoration but was saved.

Himeji Castle (姫路城)

Considered the largest of the originals, and really, there shouldn’t be contention.  Himeji Castle (姫路城) consists of some 83 buildings and the main keep is a giant 5 stories. Located in Himeji City in Hyogo Prefecture. She’s also one of the National Treasures.

You’ll need a fair amount of time to explore it all, while I’m probably the weirdo that doesn’t place this as number 1 it is still absolutely breathtaking and in my top 3. Luckily, getting to Himeji is super easy as it has its own shinkansen station

Hirosaki Castle (弘前城)

The farthest north of the original 12 Japanese castles to visit in Aomori Prefecture is Hirosaki Castle. It was originally called Takaoka Castle (there’s another one of those in the continuing list of 100 famous Japanese castles) with an original keep that was 5 stories tall that was burned in a fire.

Another of the Tokugawa’s rules was about the size of the keeps so when it was rebuilt, they were only allowed to rebuild a 3 story one.   Hirosaki Castle (弘前城) is currently relocated to reinforce the walls.  A feat in itself.

With Hirosaki Castle off by itself, you’ll definitely want to hit some of the local attractions as well. I love Aomori and Hirosaki is known for all things apples – fruit, pies, curry, random apple decorations, you name it!

Inuyama Castle (犬山城）

The aforementioned pretentious castle, Inuyama Castle (犬山城).  One of the national treasures and self–claimed oldest. Located in Aichi Prefecture.

Don’t miss the shopping street immediately in front of the castle entrance while you are here for some local food and omiyage (souvenir) shopping.

Kōchi Castle（高知城)

One of the newer of the 12 due to a fire that burnt her down.  Kochi Castle (高知城) was still rebuilt before the “cut off” though.  Kochi is the most southern prefecture in Shikoku. Unique to Kochi is that the palace is still remaining and one of the few instances where it was attached to the castle. In fact, ALL of the honmaru (1st bailey) is intact.

It’s honestly quite hard to rank the twelve against each other but this is one of my favorites. The town of Kochi has an interesting history of whale hunting so if that’s something you are against, be forewarned there is a display in a section of the castle for it.

Marugame Castle (丸亀城）

The smallest of the lot but Marugame Castle (丸亀城) still with character. Prepare for a steep hike up the hill to see the keep.  Many of the original walls are still there and famous for the fan shapes. Located on the island of Shikoku in Kagawa Prefecture.

The view out to the sea from the top is pretty amazing. Just are the stone walls, at 60 meters high they are the tallest in Japan.

Maruoka Castle (丸岡城)

Located in Fukui Prefecture, Maruoka Castle (丸岡城) probably has the stretchiest claim to the 12 as it was nearly flattened in an earthquake during last century.  However, they were able to jigsaw her back together with most of her same parts. She’s located in Fukui Prefecture.

Best part about that sketchy claim? She’s another one that claims to be the oldest Japanese castle. Don’t miss her neighboring Kasumigajo park garden, while new, they are still very nice and you can have a cup of green tea or some beer like I did while you enjoy the view.

Matsue Castle (松江城)

The 2nd largest (Matsumoto might fight her on that one), 3rd tallest, and 5th oldest, Matsue Castle (松江城) is also the farthest west on mainland Japan in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture.

Matsue and neighboring Tottori have so much to see (don’t miss the sand dunes, sand dune museum, and another of the 100 famous castles, Tottori Castle).

Matsumoto Castle (松本城)

One of the five National Treasures. Matsumoto Castle (松本城) is also one of the contenders for the oldest. Oh, you know how Inuyama only shows the 5 national treasures on display and ignore the other 7? Yeah, Matsumoto doesn’t give a !@#$ about the other 11. Winner of most pretentious! 🙂

Matsumoto Castle from the outside looks like 5 stories but on the inside it is actually 6. It also has the feature that it is multiple towers smushed next to each other. Nicknamed the “Crow castle” for its black exterior, its large moat makes for some spectacular photos.

Another town that you’ll want to spend some time walking around the city in. Lots of older buildings and some great beer to check out as well.

Matsuyama Castle (松山城）

I know I said I wouldn’t mention my favorite, but this is it! Matsuyama Castle (松山城) takes the cake of any of them. Even Himeji which is probably the most widely known. Located on Shikoku in Ehime prefecture.

Fun fact: Ehime is the only Prefecture with more than one of the 12 original Japanese castles to visit.

Uwajima Castle (宇和島城)

Uwajima Castle (宇和島城) is definitely a baby castle but worth the visit as it finishes out the 12! Located in Ehime Prefecture as well, but still, a bit of a ride from Matsuyama, especially if it is like when I went and hue amounts of rain had taken out part of the train tracks.

Stamp Rally

Don’t forget to get your guidebook to add these to your stamp rally for the 100 Finest Castles of Japan!  The designation set by the Japan Castle Foundation in 2006 and further in 2017.

12 Original Japanese Castles Map

As you can see by the below map, you aren’t going to be hitting these all in one day! Frankly, I love how much they are spread out because it gives you the opportunity to see so much more of this beautiful country.

Original Japanese Castles Hiking Courses

It is super easy to get exercise in Japan with all the walking around you can do. Having such a great public transportation system (between the buses, trains, and shinkansen) helps that. But also the general “culture” of Japan. Case in point – hiking courses (we’d call them trails but it’s courses in Japan). Most all Japanese castles to visit have courses mapped out for you already. Or you can make your own with your fitness device, I love my Garmin Fenix 6s.

Not that you necessarily need an extra route to hike when some of these castles are massive! But if you are staying in a particular city for a few days, I’d suggest giving it a go, there are always beautiful views and random artifacts hidden around.

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Matsuyama Castle (松山城, Matsuyamajyou) is officially my favorite Japanese Castle. One of the original twelve Edo period castles remaining, first constructed in the 1600s. It is located on Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s four islands in Ehime prefecture.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

What does it mean to be an “original 12” Edo Period Castle?

There are 12 castles in Japan that are considered “original castles”. While there are bits and pieces of many of the estimated thousands of castles in Japan, and lots of reconstruction, the originals “made it out alive” so to speak. When the Meiji Restoration took hold in the 1860s, the castles were ordered to be dismantled. Want to unite a country under one central government? Take out all of the seats of power of the old system. Only the 12 were allowed to remain.

The castle keep while construction started early in the 1600s like most of the other castles, was completed in 1635 (my thoughts on why that was in a bit). It was struck by lightning in the late 1700s burning it to the ground, as wood structures are ought to do. The main keep was then rebuilt and finished in 1854. Just in the knick of time to have it all threatened to be torn down again!

Other Matsuyama Castles

When searching for details (though I hope I give you a good overview here!), make sure to look up the correct Matsuyama Castle. There are several others.

Next to the rather unique Yoshimi Hundred Caves in Saitama Prefecture s the castle remains of a different Matsuyama Castle. It holds the title of a historic site and is actually the location of several differently named castles over the years. What remains is just earthworks but it’s a fun little hike.

Another of the 12 original (現存12天守) is Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle in Okayama Prefecture has “Bitchu” on the front to distinguish it from Matsuyama Castle in Ehime. Bitchu is the city name, it also holds the title of highest of the 12 original castles.

Then two others I haven’t been to yet, Uda Matsuyama Castle in Nara Prefecture is only ruins remaining but part of the continuing 100 castle stamp quest. Another is in Gunma Prefecture.

Why so many castles with the same name? 松山 = Pine Mountain.

Matsuyama Castle: A castle on a hill

The honmaru (literally, “first circle” and corresponds to defense rings, normally translated as bailey) main keep of the castle sits on a 132-meter hill. With the maze of paths to get to the top, I’d have died 50 times over if I tried to get in. Multitudes of gates, giant reinforced walls, all sorts of ways to keep people out.

I wish I had gotten video of me “scaling” the castle as I’m sure it was a sight to see. You can truly feel like you are back in the 1600s with a samurai hiding around any corner while you are walking here. Matsuyama Castle matches Hikone Castle in that it has 登り石垣 or climbing stone walls, a style that is thought to have been learned from the Koreans (if you’ve been to Seoul, you’ve seen something similar).

Once you reach the top, there are amazing panoramas of the surrounding city and a great view of the Seto Inland Sea. But wait until you get to the main castle keep, it’s awe-inspiring. You really get a feel for what a castle is supposed to be in its full glory. Its style is unique to most other castles in which it has a sort of courtyard in the middle. Better to shoot the enemy at if they somehow managed to make it all the way here.

Speaking of, the castle keep was only really used in a siege scenario, the lord would have spent most of their time at the palace below.

Important Cultural Property

Matsuyama Castle obtained Important Cultural Property status in 1935. There are only five of the “original” castles that have “National Treasure” status but many with Important Cultural Property including some rebuilds, like Nagoya Castle and its palace (which unlike Kawagoe’s, has had extensive work done to it). Though honestly, it is interesting to me that Matsuyama is NOT a National Treasure, but I’m biased.

The main tower (tenshu) is what makes it “one of the 12” original castles. but it’s not the only important cultural property. There are 21 buildings in total that are important cultural properties at Matsuyama Castle.

1. 天守, tenshu, main tower
2. 三ノ門南櫓, Sannomon South Tower
3. 二ノ門南櫓, Ninomon South Tower
4. 一ノ門南櫓, Ichinomon South Tower
5. 乾櫓, Inui Tower
6. 野原櫓, Nohara Tower
7. 仕切門, Partition Gate
8. 三ノ門, Sannomon
9. 二ノ門, Ninomon
10. 一ノ門, Ichinomon
11. 紫竹門, Shichiku (Bamboo) mon
12. 隠門, Kakure (Hidden) Gate
13. 隠門続櫓, Kakure (Hidden) Gate Turret
14. 戸無門, Tonashi (Doorless) Gate
15. 仕切門内塀, Partition Gate Inner Wall
16. 三ノ門東塀, Sannomon East Wall
17. 筋鉄門東塀, Tetsumon East Wall
18. 二ノ門東塀, Ninomon East Wall
19. 一ノ門東塀, Ichinomon East Wall
20. 紫竹門東塀, Shichikumon East Wall
21. 紫竹門西塀, Shichikumon West Wall

Matsuyama Castle construction

You may have noticed in the pictures a rather flat area at the top of the hill (yes, it’s a “mountain” but not a very big one). Actually, that 132-meter hill used to be TWO hills at the top, but they filled in the gap between them, talk about a lot of work and why I think it took so long to make, though I haven’t seen anything that actually says that.

One question I had when I saw that little factoid, was where did all the stone come from? Can you imagine the amount of work that took? There was a note on the visitor brochure that women carried pebbles on baskets on their heads from Masaki to Matsuyama. That’s over SIX miles! Most of the larger stone came from an earlier castle’s foundation. Victors prize and a lot easier than moving large distances.

The inside of the castle has some museum aspects to it, like a neat display on the joiner work for all of the wood to make it stronger, but the main sight is to see this castle in its glory.

Ninomaru Historical Garden

Not to be missed is this Japanese Garden in the Ninomaru, or second circle/ bailey. Where once stood a giant palace, now the foundation outlines a garden. The flowers are changing throughout the year to give you another reason to keep coming back as if you will need one after seeing this place.

If you needed another thing to check off your list, there is a “Lover’s Sanctuary” spot here like the one in Ryusendo Caves. There are over 100 around the country to find!

Is there a moat at Matsuyama Castle?

The flat land park that you will pass on your way from the train station known as Horinouchi is surrounded by a moat to this day. It makes for some nice pictures looking at the mountain fortress.

Why is Matsuyama Castle my favorite Japanese castle?

Matsuyama Castles has a certain character to it that I haven’t seen anywhere else. Generally speaking, the keeps are all multi-floor structures (that don’t always match their exterior tiers), but Matsuyama has wings which are fairly uncommon in Japanese keeps. Next to Himeji Castle, it has the most complete representation of probably any in Japan which gives you a better feel for what it was actually like. And yes, Himeji is AMAZING, but Matsuyama just has a certain character about it.

It’s also one of the 100 finest castles of Japan so don’t forget your stamp!

Getting to Matsuyama Castle

If you aren’t keen on hiking the 132-meter hill (though if you are, there are several hiking courses to get your steps in, which I love tracking with my Garmin Fenix 6S), you can take a ropeway to the top. Similar to a ramen shop, you’ll get your tickets from a machine. If you have luggage with you, they have coin lockers for you to use.

Think of the ropeway as a gondola like you take getting to the black eggs at Owakudani in Hakone. Want something a little more “open-aired”? They also have a ski lift version that runs next to the ropeway with single seats.

In the station building, there is a display dedicated to the castle mascot. Japan loves their mascots and you could make a game of finding as many as you can. Matsuyama Castle’s is appropriately a samurai.

You’ll still have a bit of a walk to the castle keep from the ropeway landing. If you take the ropeway up, I suggest you take the hike back down the mountain. It’s worth it to see all the back and forth of the many defenses at this castle’s disposal. It’s also how you can get to Ninomaru Historical Gardens.

It’s about a mile from the main train station in Matsuyama to get to the castle or you can take a trolley. My suggestion would be to either go trolley (unless you need some more steps!) – ropeway – main keep – ninomaru gardens and walk back or that in reverse.

For a long time, I avoided going to Denny’s Japan.  I make it a rule when I’m on travel for work to never go to chain restaurants.  The only time I’ll falter is when that particular restaurant isn’t available to me (hello, Mellow Mushroom).  The more and more I saw “limited time” crazy offers at McDonald’s and Burger King (I really should have a whole series on just the limited time offers), the more I considered trying Denny’s out.

I remember fondly (ha!) growing up and walking out of Denny’s while on vacation. Late–night trips with friends for pancakes and coffee as well.  The service was always horrible. So it was with glee that I forced my family to go with me for breakfast while they were visiting.  They didn’t believe me.  Perfect opportunity for early in their trip that, no really, Japan’s customer service is impeccable.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November of 2016 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

What are the differences and similarities of Denny’s in Japan?

Denny’s Japan are what you would consider “family restaurants”. There are many different chains that fall under this category that I will delve into in a future article. They are obviously a different atmosphere than an izakaya (Japanese bar) but most still have happy hour deals which are very reasonable!

One of the differences about Denny’s Japan versus the original in America, is that they have … Japanese food (和食, washoku)! But they also have a bunch of western style dishes (洋食, Youshoku).

The dessert menu is similar but different. Parfait is my favorite at family restaurants, but this is much different than sundaes in America. Lots of them have corn flakes in them – do not knock it till you try it! I have friends that won’t even give it a chance but the crunchy and creamy at the same time is amazing!

The prices are all quite reasonable and you can go in just for a coffee – one of the few places you’ll see refills in Japan – and relax. Some locations have “drink bars” where you can choose all different types of drinks. There is free Wi-Fi as well if you are looking for a Wi-Fi connection.

While many restaurants and stores in Japan don’t take credit cards, Denny’s is one place that does take credit cards.

Fun fact: Denny’s Japan (デニーズ レストラン) is actually owned by Seven and I holdings, yes, the same that own the convenience stores.

Many of the 500+ Denny’s Japan locations are open 24 hours a day, I may or may not have seen people passed out in their booths waiting for the first train…

Like most places in Japan, the employees wear matching uniforms, and because it’s Japan, you can buy cosplay versions of them! Not the same as I’ve seen them wearing, but I thought it was funny.

Denny’s Japan: The Service

First, service in Japan is wonderful.  A twist to American service in many family restaurants (like Denny’s Japan) and izakaya (Japanese bar) is that they have a doorbell (there’s no other way to describe it) at every table that lights up your table number for the staff to see and they come running right away.  If for whatever reason that doesn’t work, there’s always the “sumimasen!” option.

There you go, Dad, service in Denny’s! There is always someone from the wait staff wandering the floor with a carafe of coffee.  You never have to ask for the check because as soon as they bring your food, they put your bill in a small plastic container at the end of your table.  

Want to order more? No problem! They’ll just bring you another receipt.

What’s that next to the creamer and sugar?  Door Bell!! Or as we call it in Japan, “the ping pong button” based on the noise it makes. Instant service.

Dennys Japan Menu

Fear not, Traveller! Dennys Japan has translated menu’s into English but they are full of pictures if they don’t bring you one.  Since much of the food is American inspired, if you know some basic katakana (one of Japan’s syllabaries for foreign words), you’ll do just fine!

While the portion size is smaller in Japan, there is also calorie information if you are concerned about that. Have allergies? Denny’s Japan also has this information available to you.

The breakfast menu at Denny’s Japan is used from 6 am until 11 am, the lunch menu is from 11 am to 3 pm, and the dessert menu and “Grand Menu” are always available. Watch out for special seasonal menus as well.

There are always special menus for either seasonal items (yup, there are “limited items” everywhere) as well as yummy dessert parfait menus.

The menu is giant so you will have no shortage of different foods to try.

Denny’s Japan Food

OK, I’ll be honest, I’ve only gone for breakfast – though I’ve been to many of the other family restaurants for dinners and happy hours.  Japan’s breakfasts are very different from America’s and sometimes you just really want some eggs and bacon.  Much harder to find in your local cafes (though visiting a 喫茶店 Kissaten is a MUST for your experience in Japan).  While there are no “grand slams” available, there are still “American Breakfasts” with just a few changes.  

They just about always come with salad for one. The pancakes tend to be a lot sweeter than American style (which cracks me up because most Japanese sweets aren’t nearly as sweet).  The meals are customization options: pancakes/toast, coffee or lattes.  

Coffee is actually refillable (unless there is a “drink bar”, usually you don’t get free refills in Japan).  

Bacon here is more like Canadian Bacon then the crispy bacon you can get in America but you get used to it.  

They also have a typical Japanese breakfast as an option (fish, miso soup, pickles, and rice normally) if you want to check out the local fair which is also very tasty.

How about you? Would you try Denny’s Japan?

As someone who never a day in her life in America rode a bus, they can be intimidating. Sure, I used the subway or metro in bigger cities, but let’s face it, America’s public transportation sucks. Generally speaking, if you are using buses in Japan, you aren’t going somewhere easy (otherwise you’d be on a train, but we’ll also touch on highway buses!).  If it’s a mile away, I’ll walk, but start getting farther out, you really do need a bus. Throw in a very complicated written language, like Japanese, it’s even scarier. So here are 5 tips for using the bus that I hope helps you on your way!

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

5 tips for using buses in Japan

The key to remember is the more practice you have, the more comfortable you will become with using buses in Japan. While kanji can make it a bit more intimidating than other places, more and more buses in Japan are becoming more foreign-friendly with English (and normally Chinese) being used for the signs.

1) How to save money on buses in Japan

Remember when I talked about Pasmo and Suica pre-pay cards?  As long as you aren’t in the boonies, this is the easiest way to go.  You are receiving a small discount by using them, however, if you are somewhere that doesn’t do cards and you’re near the bus depot, pay for the roundtrip (if you are only going one place), you’ll save a few dollars depending on how far you’re going!  

When we took the 45–minute bus ride to Takayama Inari Shrine it was 900 yen one way.  Or 1500 yen round trip.  Something to check, because if you are going round trip anyway, you may as well save a bit!

In cities, often time there is flat rates or bus passes you can get.  Check at the bus station or tourist information center (my must when traveling in Japan) when you get there. A great way to get around Hirosaki and many other cities are the tourist “loop buses”.

2) How to navigate WHICH buses in Japan to use

This is the hard part.  Sometimes there is a whole army of buses at the depot heading off in different directions.  The best starting point is to look up where you are going.  If they have a website, they usually have an “access” page.  If they require a bus to get to them, you’ll be able to check which stop you are looking for, and hopefully, what bus line. 

As, like trains, there are multiple different options.  As far as knowing which stop it is, they are all actually named, and even farther out, they’ll have the name in English characters.  If you are worried about signaling to stop though (there are usually red buttons to press), it is helpful to know what the Kanji looks like as it will appear first.

Next, it’s just a matter to figure out what “platform” or bus name to look for.  Anywhere I’ve been that requires buses in Japan, I make sure to explain that in detail as I know I get stressed out by it so I want to make it as easy as possible for you! Getting to Ryusendo Caves coming to mind.

Lastly, where to get off the bus.  If there was a bus terminal, they should be able to provide you with a time schedule.  Though on roads, they are surprisingly close to the time expected. Yes, even the buses in Japan are punctual! If you have a phone with data (it would be nice if all transportation had WiFi!), you can also google map it to give you a better idea.

3) Reading bus schedules in Japan

There are apps for bus routes but best I’ve been able to find, they are all in Japanese.  Google-san (as it’s called in Japan) is your friend and is doing a better job with including bus routes as a direction option.

For routes, remember that they can differ between 休日 (kyuujitsu, “holidays”) and 平日 (heijitsu, weekdays). 休日 you will normally see listed as “休日 (土　日　祝日)” which means “Holiday (Saturday – Sunday – National Holiday)”. In this case, 土曜, Saturday, is shortened to 土, as 曜 (day) is understood.

If time tables between week days and week ends are different, you will see one of these characters at the top of the column. They normally change the color of the column as well to make it stand out.

This next graphic is a simplistic schedule. If weekday also included a 14:44 bus, for instance, there would be a “44” in the next column from the “24”. Note that not all areas will have English like this one, so it is helpful to learn the kanji or have screenshots of what you are looking for.

4) Getting on and off buses in Japan

Generally, you’ll get on from the back door of the bus but that’s not always the case. One hint, if both doors open, use the rear one.  Some queue lines are very exact and will give you an idea as well because the door will open right at the front of the line.  It’s Japan, we queue for everything.

If you are using a PASMO or other IC card (if that’s an option where you are), you’ll see a PASMO sensor to tap, just tap on and off the bus.  If you are somewhere that needs a ticket or to pay by cash, there will be a number dispenser.  This will be used to verify where you got on (though no one will actually check it). You will see a white piece of paper out of a machine, just grab one as you are getting onboard.

In this picture above, immediately next to the driver is where you pay.  Left of that is the dispenser for what stop you got on. They are in number order but don’t really refer to anything besides that. And in the overhead is the display board.

There will be a screen at the top of the buses in Japan, the price will change as you continue on the way.  Watch what it is for your number and you will drop your number and the exact amount of money in the machine when you step off the bus at your destination.  The machine in which you put your money also has the ability to change bills as necessary generally.  However, it’s a good idea to carry lots of change if you are somewhere that requires riding buses in Japan.

5) Getting back – not missing your bus

Assuming you are returning from where you departed the bus, it’s a good idea to double check the time table.  Even if you got one from the bus terminal.  I generally like to get back 5-10 minutes before the bus is expected in areas where they don’t run often.  They are punctual, but you never know if you might be the one running late!  If you’re getting on at a different location, definitely give yourself some time to locate the bus stop to save yourself some stress.

In this example, there are three bus routes that stop at this stand.  The hours are listed down the left-hand column and the minutes (in the corresponding hour) are listed in the columns per bus.

How to use Highway Buses in Japan

(At updating this article, the highway buses in Japan are currently suspended due to COVID-19 but hopefully, we can use them again soon!)

Highway buses (高速バス, kousoku bus) are often cheaper than taking the train (especially if you’d be taking the shinkansen) to your destination. They are good for medium and long distances. Many longer routes will run overnight, getting you to your destination first thing in the morning. Which works really well for getting to ski resorts, which is the instance I’ve used highway buses in Japan the most. They are also a good option if you tend to get train sick.

For long distance travel for the budget minded traveler in Japan, the overnight options can be great for you as you don’t have to worry about finding lodging – you just sleep on the bus.

You can use Kousoku Bus Net to search for highway bus routes in Japan. You can also save some money by getting one of the highway bus passes.

One of the nice things about highway buses in Japan is that there is room underneath for your luggage, but usually, you are limited to a few items. If there aren’t restrooms onboard, the bus driver will make stops along the way at the highway stations (more on those later).

To purchase your tickets, head to the bus station (normally co-located with train stations, but can have separate hubs like in Iwakuni). You can also purchase them from kiosks in convenience stores.

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Personally, I still don’t like buses.  I much prefer trains and walking (got to rank up my steps with my Garmin Fenix 6S after all!).  However, it’s a necessary evil sometimes. Hopefully, this helps put your mind at ease a bit while traveling around Japan.  There’s also this thing called highway buses in Japan, which I would liken to greyhound buses in the states, that will be a different topic.

What’s your experience with buses around the world?

New Years Eve in Japan is a bit different than what you may be used to elsewhere in the world. A more subdued holiday, most people head to their family homes, much more similar to Christmas in the West.  You can still find count downs similar to western-style celebrations, but my friends and I like to go the more traditional route.

This year of COVID isolation has made everything a little wonky, and yes, I’m updating this post in the new year! Better late than never but one good thing that came of 2020 is that I’ve been able to update a lot of older blog posts. This year for New years eve in Japan there was much more watching of Kohaku then heading out but here’s to dreaming of the years to come.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

What is New Years eve in Japan called?

In Japanese, New Years eve is called “大晦日” (Ōmisoka). “晦日” (Misoka) refers to the last day of the month and since it’s a big deal swapping years it gets a “大” (long o sound, “big”) on the front. You will also see events for New years eve in Japan simply referred to as “New Year’s Eve” though. Another word for it is “年越し” or “toshikoshi”, which leads to our next point.

New Years day in Japanese, in case you are curious, is called “元日” or ganjitsu. The “New Year” is called お正月 (o-shougatsu, the “o” is an honorific), especially referring to the first three days. While some of this post bleeds over into the first day (as New Years eve is ought to do), I’ll concentrate on the particulars of お正月 some other time.

Eat Toshikoshi Soba (年越し蕎麦)

You start the evening with dinner or a snack of Toshikoshi soba which brings good luck for the following year.  Toshikoshi soba (年越し蕎麦） translates as “year-crossing soba”. Soba noodles are supposed to signify a long life because they are long and thin. The tradition is thought to have started several hundred years ago. There is lots of superstition surrounding this meal though.

• Don’t bite them or you’ll cut life short!  Though NOT chewing them I think would also lead to a short life as I don’t know how not to choke on them otherwise. I’ve also seen where because they are so easy to break (soba especially made traditionally with only buckwheat is very fragile), you are “breaking free” of the past.
• It is also said to bring stamina due to the fact that buckwheat is a very hearty plant.
• You are supposed to have it early in the evening as after midnight signifies bad luck, since you were supposed to “cut off” the evils of the prior year before then. 

Whatever you decide to believe, adding toshikoshi soba to your New Years eve in Japan celebration is a delicious meal and you’ll find soba restaurants all over. But why just Japan? It’s truly a simple meal to make.

Prepare a quick dashi broth from kombu seaweed and dried shitake mushrooms or bonito flakes (katsuobushi), add some mirin and soy sauce and you have the base. Soba noodles can be found in Asian or specialty food stores and take the same amount of time as most long noodles (and no need to do anything special like with ramen noodles). Top with some scallions and maybe a little American wasabi (horseradish – only partially joking as that’s normally what the “wasabi” is in America), and voila!

Oh, and a little bit of shichimi togarashi seasoning (more on that another time) is a tasty accompaniment.

Watch Kouhaku Uta Gassen (紅白歌合戦)

Feel like staying in? What’s New Year’s Eve without a ridiculous television show? Similar to Western count down shows, except heavy on the singing aspect is 紅白歌合戦 (Kouhaku Uta Gassen) or “Red and White Singing Contest”. The Japan Broadcasting Network (otherwise known as NHK) has been running the program since 1951 originally as a radio show and then was moved to TV.

There is a red and white team that compete throughout the evening. Starting around 7 or 8, it runs to exactly 11:45 – room to get to hurry to your next event, Hatsumode.

Head to the Shrine for Hatsumode (初詣)

Next, just before midnight, head to a shrine for Hatsumode (初詣) or the first shrine visit of the year. (Some will go to a Temple instead, see the next topic!) Probably the most popular shrine in Tokyo for Hatsumode is the Meiji shrine (明治神宮). Dedicated to Emporer Meiji (the 15-year old that ruled after the fall of the shogunate) and his wife, it should be on your list of shrines to see anyway. Located next to Harajuku Station, it’s easy to get to but normally (see aforementioned COVID comment) super crowded and you could be waiting for hours with thousands of your new close friends. 

My friends and I like a smaller shrine on the other side of Cat Street called 穏田神社 (Onden Shrine). While the exact date of their existence is unknown, there is reference to the local god of Onden from the Edo period making them around 400 years old. Most of the buildings were lost in the war so they have been rebuilt since but it is a nice little shrine. Why this one though? My friend works practically next door and visits it often!

If you arrive before midnight, there will be a line to wait to pray as the goal is to pray for a good year as soon as possible but not too early!

What is the large hoop of grass at Shinto Shines?

You may have noticed in those pictures what appears like a circle made of straw. This is called a 茅の輪 (chinowa) and you will see them around New Years’ and in the month of June at Shinto shrines. If you do you can take place in the purification ritual called 茅の輪くぐり (chinowa kuguri). You will walk around it in a figure-eight pattern.

1. Bow in front, step with your left foot over the ring and head to the left.
2. Once around to the front again, bow again and step with your right foot over and head to the right.
3. One more time! Bow at the front, step with your left foot and head to the left.
4. Back at the front, bow, step with your left and head forward to the shrine to pray.

After praying at Onden Shrine, you are offered a taste of sake in a small plate looking vessel called sakazuki. Sakazuki is a wide-mouthed, flat sake cup. Different from how you will normally see sake served, this style is used in Shinto rituals and ceremonies. Lift the cup with both hands, one on the bottom and one on the side. For a small offering, you can keep the sakazuki as a souvenir. Each year they have the new zodiac animal.

The next thing you will see is the お守り (omamori) for sale. These are amulets or charms for various things and it is common to start the new year off with one. Another reason I love this small shrine is that they make a huge batch of amazaki (甘酒, sweet sake) for all patrons, not to be missed. It’s delicious and served warm it is perfect on cold nights.

Hear the bells of Joya no kane (除夜の鐘)

If you are instead at a Buddhist temple at midnight (Hatsumode can take place at either a shrine or a temple), you can hear them toll the new year in. Get ready to count because the bell will ring 108 times.  108 is ominous in Buddhist and is supposed to signify the 108 human desires. 

Luckily, many shrines and temples are near each other so even if you are at a shrine, you can hear the bells. And just to make it more confusing, I’ve seen some shrines with bells as well. 

See the first sunrise or Hatsuhinode (初日の出)

It’s a big thing to see the sunrise and again, wish for good luck in the coming year. This is called Hatsuhinode which can be quite literally translated the “the beginning day rising”.  Many people will gather on the beaches or tops of the mountains to start their new year off. There are recommended spots put out every year along with forecasts for the morning so you can ensure to actually see the sun.

In the capital, Mount Takao is a favorite as well as Tokyo Tower, which opens the observation deck at 6 am for New Years Day. Tokyo Sky Tree (which honestly I like better than Tokyo Tower as far as observation decks go) holds a lottery (again, normally. This year hasn’t been normal) every year to get a spot to see from there. Another good spot is the observation deck at Haneda Airport with its unobstructed view across Tokyo Bay to Chiba prefecture. They also (normally) open earlier than usual for the event.

Yes, there are still some western-style Celebrations

If you want a good old fashioned ball drop, there are plenty of pubs that will have a more “western” celebration with paper fireworks and silly “happy new years!” hats. If clubs are more your scene, head over to Shibuya or Roppongi, the latter being much more international. Another pick and one of the largest clubs I’ve ever seen (though I’m more of a pub girl than a club girl) is on the eastern side of the city at ageHa.

Even though Japan loves their fireworks, it’s not really a thing for new years eve in Japan. However, if you are in Tokyo and are just dying to see some, head over to Tokyo Disney (the Miracosta is fantastic by the way) or Sea Paradise in Yokohama. The Minato Mirai area (same as where you can check out the CupNoodle museum and tons of Pikachus in the summer) also puts on a display.

Transportation the Night of New Years eve in Japan

New Years Eve in Japan is the one night a year that trains tend to run a bit longer. If you are in a bigger city like Tokyo, they can go all night – a huge novelty when you are constantly worrying about last-train at nomikais (Japanese drinking parties)! If you are a bit farther out of the city, you still need to be mindful of the time. Check out the train line’s website for their New Years eve in Japan hours. 

What are your New Years’ Eve traditions?

Let me know in the comments. Like this post? Share it on social.

You might be surprised to learn that Japanese curry is one of the most popular dishes in Japan, on par with considering it a “national dish”.  Originally introduced by the British during the Meiji period, it is still considered to be 洋食 (yoshoku, western food) but definitely it’s own creation now. Thicker than Indian or Thai curry, it is made with a roux and often seen as a beef stew.  There are so many different variations though. Regional local specialties at mom and pop shops.  “House” curry you’ll find in retort packets at the grocery stores. Navy curry on the JMSDF ships and then there is CoCoICHIBANYA.  A quick and delicious chain restaurant.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]

Curry House CoCoICHIBANYAor “CoCoICHI” History

The Curry House at the beginning of the name is normally dropped off in conversation to leave you CoCo壱番屋 (CoCo ICHIBANYA, romanized with all capitalized letters at the end) or mostly abbreviated as CoCo壱 (CoCoICHI) was first established in 1978 in Nagoya. Specializing in Japanese-style curry, it is now a chain restaurant that has expanded greatly over the years.

First went overseas to Hawaii in 1994 and now it can also be found in 12 overseas countries. 185 of 1482 (as of April 2020) CoCoICHIBANYA locations are overseas!

Sadly, the ones in my home country of America are all in California and Hawaii but I’m still holding out that the east coast will eventually get one!

If that seems like a lot of stores, it is! In January of 2013, CoCoICHIBANYA received the title of “the largest chain of curry restaurants in the world”.

What makes Japanese Curry, Japanese?

It’s actually very hard to peg down as it has so many different variations.  And it’s quite common for families to have their own curry recipe. You’ll also see some hotel restaurants with “hotel” curry.  It just means it’s their recipe. 

Roux is definitely the binding factor (see what I did there?). As such, Japanese curry is thicker than most other Asian curry varieties.

I liken it to a savory gravy served over rice, in the case of curry rice (カレーライス, that’s a “rey” sound, not a “ri” in ka-rey rai-su, katakana can be strange).  But you will also see it over noodles, like with curry udon, and in bread (Japanese bakeries have the craziest, delicious varieties of bread products!) as well. 

In general, it’s much sweeter and less spicy than other curries you may be familiar with. While most mom-and-pop curry restaurants might have a “normal” and one or two levels of “spicy” curry, CoCo Ichibanya takes the spice game to a whole other level.

How to order at CoCo Ichibanya

The best part about CoCoICHIBANYA (or CoCo’s as most American’s call it), is how customizable it is.  Sure, they have a massive menu full of all different combinations already laid out for you, it’s just as easy to order it specifically.  There’s usually an English menu to help out. If not, the pictures are always a good backup.

First, select your curry sauce

The important thing that makes it curry is the curry sauce, so you pick that first! The meat options have small chunks of the meat in them but really it is to inundate the flavors.

If you don’t make a different specification, the pork curry sauce is the 普通 (futsuu, normal – not to be confused with the same word being used for local trains) and what will be served.

• Pork Curry
• Sweet Pork Curry (this is also used in the Children’s option)
• Beef Curry
• Vegetarian Curry
• Hashed Beef

Second, Choose how much rice you want

The “base” option will give you 300 grams of rice, that’s a lot for me personally. You can dip down to 200 grams which will also give you a small cost savings (and there is an option for a bit smaller we’ll get to in a minute). But you can also get massive portions of rice. Just go in 100-gram increments, and while the menu shows something like 900 grams (yikes) as maxing out, you could get more if you wanted.

Third, Choose your spice level

Whereas most food in Japan is relatively mild, CoCo Ichibanya definitely knows how to kick it up a notch.  Above “normal” which CoCo Ichibanya considers “medium” spice level, there are ten levels of spice you can go through.

Don’t think for a second that is a linear scale though!

• Level 1 Spicy = Baseline that the following levels are based off.
• Level 2 Spicy = Twice as spicy as level 1
• Level 3 Spicy = Four times as spicy as level 1
• Level 4 Spicy = Six times as spicy as level 1
• Level 5 Spicy = 12 times as spicy as level 1
• Level 6 Spicy = 13 times as spicy as level 1
• Level 7 Spicy = 14 times as spicy as level 1
• Level 8 Spicy = 16 times as spicy as level 1
• Level 9 Spicy = 18 times as spicy as level 1
• Level 10 Spicy = 24 times as spicy as level 1

And per their menu, they won’t let you go above 5 without proving you don’t die with level 5 first! I have seen a few exceptions to that rule but they do actually get spicy fast.

While I now default to a level 6 or 7, it took me many meals to rise to that level. So if you like spicy food as I do, this is definitely a place for you.

However, if spice is NOT your thing, you can also add sweetness levels to your curry, from 1 to 5. The sweet sauce has honey in it though, so they warn against giving it to babies under 1. You can thank them for adding the sweetness levels in 2015.

Fourth: Toppings!

There are plenty of combinations in the menu already picked out for you, and you can choose one of those and go for it. Or you can create your own from the 40 or so toppings. OR you can use something on the menu and still add something else to it. Skies the limit on options here at CoCoICHIBANYA. While not all-inclusive, here’s some of the toppings that I pulled from the menu:

• Eggplant
• Spinach
• Cheese
• Scrambled Eggs
• Cream Croquette with Crab
• Natto
• Mushrooms
• Garlic
• Pork Cutlet
• Sausage
• Lightly Crisped Chicken
• Stewed Chicken
• Thinly Slicked Pork
• Hamburger
• Chicken Cutlet
• Fried Fish
• Squid
• Shrimp Cutlet
• Mixed Seafood
• Mixed Vegetable

Watching Calories or Special Dietary Restrictions with CoCoICHIBANYA

For calorie watching, you can go with the “スモールサイズカレー” (Small size curry) or “Mini Curry” as it’s translated into English. Instead of the normal 300 g of rice, it comes with 150 grams of rice and the portions of the other ingredients are also smaller. For instance, I love getting the croquette added to my curry. They normally would be to give you TWO. That’s a lot. With the mini option, you get one! And if you want to add extra toppings, you can still do that.

If you just want slightly less rice, but still the same size toppings, go with the 200 grams I mentioned before.

There is also a low carb version which uses 180 grams of cauliflower (カリフラワー) instead of rice! Before you ask, yes, when they give the grams, they mean it! They’ve got weighing machines in the kitchen.

For vegetarians, there is the vegetarian curry option and there is usually a menu just for vegetarians. Still craving a cutlet? They have a soy meat version, look for “大豆ミート”.

If you have allergies to certain food items, CoCoICHIBANYA has a convenient allergy information sheet in English and Japanese to help.

Limited Edition Menus

My suggestion?  Go with the seasonal, regional or store specific menus for a real treat.  Some examples of the seasonal menu are vegetable or chicken soup curry or Pumpkin and winter vegetable curry. The summer “spicy” (as in spice flavor, not spice hot) chicken and vegetable is AMAZING. 

And if you go with a regional/store, you’ll always have something new if you need a quick bite.  Like in Kansai where they had a special 牛すじ煮込みカレー (Gyu-suji nikomi, stewed beef tendon curry).

For local options, in my area, we have よこすか海軍カレー (Yokosuka Kaigun or Navy Curry). The two “downtown” Yokosuka stores, plus the Oppama store and a little farther away to Kanazawa Hakkei (easily accessible on the Keikyu Line), have something called マスクドCOCO壱監修ホットエナジーカレー, which translates roughly to “the masked CoCoICHI supervised this hot energy curry”. More on the masked guy in a bit.

If I have my story straight, it was part in thanks to the Yokosuka stores (the two downtown and one in Oppama are owned by the same person) pressing for some “local specialties” as to why these became a thing. More on how Yokosuka and Curry go together another time.

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

Making CoCo Ichibanya at home

If you are in Japan, you can find CoCo Ichibanya retort packets online which make for great snacks when you just need a quick meal. Especially when you can get pre-made rice at the convenience store. I know, I know, the sacrilege. I do have a super awesome rice cooker too.

If you want some of the local flavor options, you can order the Yokosuka CoCo Ichibanya retort packets online, or at the shops themselves.

Masked CoCoICHI (マスクドCOCO壱)

I’ve been lucky to see the masked CoCoICHI several times. He’s the official mascot of CoCoICHI and wears a Mexican wrestling mask. Similar to the luchador masks defining a wrestler’s identity and keeping a persona, this works the same for the masked CoCo ICHI.

And persona does he have. The mask is bright gold with “CoCo Ichibanya” all over it, so he’s hard to miss if you happen to run into him. He’s got a great social media account with all his silly antics, and he’s also been blogging about Masked CoCo Ichi since August of 2011 (!!).

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