Japan - Tokyo/Kyoto

Tokyo, Japan

Arrived by airplane

Stayed 5 days

Activities:

Digital Art Museum (teamLab Borderless): This was a highlight of Tokyo, and such a cool museum unlike any other. Definitely recommend getting there when they open (easily accessible from anywhere downtown via the trains). I also suggest walking through all the exhibits multiple times as they are interactive and changing. Make sure to buy tickets ahead of time.
Omakase Sushi: Skip all the super popular omakase sushi restaurants (they are really hard to get a reservation and overpriced). Instead ask your hotel concierge for some good local options and they will even call and make the reservation for you. We ate at multiple and each was such a great, cozy experience. It was usually us and 1 or 2 other couples and the chef. Each piece was delicately & artfully put together. He would even accommodate any tastes you liked or didn't.
MariCar: SUPER touristy, but really fun. You basically drive go-karts throughout downtown on the streets. It sounds intimidating, but it is super easy and the guides are great. It is a really unique way to explore Tokyo.
Cherry Blossoms: We went at the end of March, which was peak time for the cherry blossom (sakura) season. We saw them throughout our exploration of Tokyo, but 2 places we really enjoyed them at were Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden & Ueno Park. I highly recommend grabbing some sandwiches or snacks and spending part of your day in one of those parks for a picnic.

Lodging:

Ritz Carlton: We stayed here our first 3 nights and it was amazing. Everything you would expect from a 5 star hotel (and then some). The room was fantastic & top-notch. Definitely grab a drink in the lobby bar and enjoy the beautiful view of all of Tokyo (the lobby is up really high).
Hilton Conrad: Stayed here our last 2 nights and really enjoyed it. It is in a more business/shopping oriented district (not our ideal location) but overall the hotel is really nice. The breakfast here is amazing (free if you are Hilton Gold/Diamond) and you get a beautiful view of the bay and can see all the cargo ships coming/going.

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