Rachel Villanueva

😶 Yakiniku or shabu shabu: why not both? 🥩 In the world of Japanese meat dishes, choosing between yakiniku and shabu shabu can be quite contentious. Most people have their personal preferences, but often, it’s too hard to decide. Yakishabu.jp in Ikebukuro has quite a unique concept: you can cook and eat yakiniku and shabu shabu at the same time. Besides that, they provide a plethora of wagyu (Japanese beef) and Japanese pork. 😋 Personally, I was incredibly impressed with the amount of food we got with the ¥5,000 course: not only did it include the yakiniku and shabu shabu meats, but also lots of vegetables, sides, and delicious wagyu sushi! 🍣 Fun fact: “shabu shabu” (しゃぶしゃぶ) is a Japanese onomatopoeia for the swishing motion you do when you cook the meat! 😊 📍 Yakishabu.jp, Ikebukuro, Tokyo 🚃 7 minute walk from Ikebukuro Station . Tokyo yakiniku | Tokyo shabu shabu | Tokyo gourmet | Ikebukuro restaurant | Ikebukuro food #池袋グルメ #池袋焼肉 #東京美食 #池袋しゃぶしゃぶ #PR #焼きしゃぶjp #lifeintokyo #japanlife So, which do you like better: yakiniku or shabu shabu? 🤔 Let me know your thoughts! 📝

😶 Eating a Wagyu Minced Meat Cutlet and gyukatsu at GYUKATSU Kyoto Katsugyu’s new Asakusa Orange Street branch 🥩 Asakusa is a very diverse neighborhood with quite a few shopping districts and a plethora of delicious food. One such place I recommend is Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu’s new shop on Asakusa’s Orange Street! 🍊 From the name, we can assume that Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu is most famous for its gyukatsu (fried beef cutlet you can cook yourself), which everyone should try when they’re in Japan; however, did you know that they also have some great gourmet to-go items as well? 😮 Their wagyu menchikatsu (minced meat cutlet) is the perfect midday snack for a stroll around Asakusa! 🍘 At first, I had my doubts. Does the wagyu REALLY make a difference? 🤔 Actually, I thought it was totally worth it! ⭐️ I’ve never been a huge menchikatsu fan, but the quality of meat here was great. 🎏 Follow for more Tokyo travel ideas! 📍 GYUKATSU @Kyoto Katsugyu, Asakusa Orange Street, Tokyo 🚃 5 minute walk from Asakusa Station #PR #勝牛 #牛カツ京都勝牛 #牛カツ #교토가츠규 #규카츠 #炸牛排 #KyotoKatsugyu #gyukatsu #浅草グルメ #浅草食べ歩き #浅草観光 #japanesefood #asakusa #asakusatokyo #japantravel #japantrip

🌸 Sakura trains in Japan 😶 Nothing yells out Japan vibes quite like watching trains pass by through tunnels of cherry blossoms. This year, I got to go to some great spots! 📍 Locations featured: Kami-Kitazawa Station (Tokyo), Hitome Senbonzakura (Miyagi), Arai Gochome Pedestrian Bridge (Nakano, Tokyo), Shukugawara (Kawasaki, Kanagawa) 🎏 Save this post for your next Japan trip! #japantravel #sakura #japantrain #tokyotravel #japanvibes

🌸 Japan sakura update: April 9, 2026 😶 In case anyone is feeling bummed out that Tokyo is past peak now, just a relatively short shinkansen and then a local train ride can take you to a different world: one where the cherry blossoms are still in full bloom. ✨ The Hitome Senbonzakura, literally translated, means “a thousand cherry blossom trees at a glance.” And what an accurate name! I feel like my iPhone camera didn’t truly capture the feeling that this row of sakura trees along the Shiroishi River is endless, but that just means you have to go see it yourself. 😎 Actually, someone I met along the way told me that this area actually has around 1,200 trees, not 1,000 as the name suggests. 🤓 Nearby, you can take a detour to the Funaoka Castle Ruins which has a really cute slope car taking you to the summit. 🚃 Or so I’ve heard…it’s under renovation until next year. 😅 There are two walking trails up to the top, one that is a little gentler and takes you along a path lined with other flowers, and another that is a lot steeper which takes you through a nice sakura tunnel. To be honest, I didn’t think the steep path was unreasonably steeper especially on a dry day, but they do have warnings that you should only take that path if you’re aware that it’s steep. This is possible as a day trip from Tokyo, but I would recommend staying at least one night in the area if you haven’t been to Sendai, the nearby city, before. 😊 Also, be prepared to walk a lot. 🚶🏻‍♀️ I clocked over 25,000 steps here! 📍 Hitome Senbonzakura and Funaoka Castle Ruins, Shibata, Miyagi 📅 April 9, 2026 🚅 Take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Sendai Station, transfer to the JR Tohoku Line, and get off at Funaoka Station or Ogawara Station 🌸 Follow for more sakura updates around Japan! #hitomesenbonzakura #sakura #japantravel #miyagitravel #lifeinjapan

🌸 Sakura day trip in Tokyo: Fuchu edition 😶 Fuchu is a wonderful day trip from central Tokyo during cherry blossom season. 😊 All of the locations featured can be reached by train from central Tokyo via the Keio Line which starts (or ends?) at Shinjuku Station. 🚃 📍 Anyoji, 14-minute walk from Fuchu Station This normally understated temple has a beautiful row of sakura trees on the approach to the main building. For people who hate crowds, I’ve only ever really seen this area on Japanese social media, and when I went, there were only two other people there: a mother and her daughter. It may have changed since I last went in 2023, but you’ll just have to go and find out. 🧐 📍 Togoji, 6-minute walk from Tama-reien Station This temple which is near one of the local line stations has become pretty popular for its beautiful weeping cherry blossom trees (shidarezakura). It’s a favorite among local photographers. This isn’t a huge garden full of blossoms, but the aesthetics of the sakura framing the temple are hard to beat. 😍 📍 Sakura-dori, 10-minute walk from Fuchu Station This is one of my favorite sakura-lined streets in Japan, perhaps partially due to some nostalgia I have about being on the JET Program. The cherry blossom trees span several blocks. If you want more peace and quiet, I would consider going on a weekday. If you want a more lively vibe, I would suggest waiting until this weekend (March 28th and 29th) for the festival. 🎏 📅 Should become full bloom this weekend, but depends on the weather. 🌸 Save this post for your next sakura day trip! #tokyodaytrip #tokyo #tokyotravel #japantravel #sakura

🌸 Early-blooming sakura spots with a view of Tokyo Skytree 😶 This year, I’ve been lucky to catch a few great early-blooming sakura spots that not only show off the brilliant pink of the kawazuzakura, a species of cherry blossom, but also have a great view of Tokyo Skytree! What more could you ask for? 🤩 Here are the places listed in the reel. 📍 Next to Tokyo Skytree I know this sounds like a joke, but the Google Maps title is literally “東京スカイツリー前の河津桜” or “Kawazu-Zakura next to Tokyo Skytree”. Here’s where you can get the iconic shot of Skytree framed by the kawazuzakura. There are only a few trees here, so unless you go early, be prepared to queue for the money shot. 💴 You can also go up Skytree which is specially decorated for the season (watch the reel before this!). Videos taken on February 28th, 2026. 📍 Nishigahara Minna no Park To get here, you can take the Toden-Arakawa Sakura Tram from Otsuka Station (JR Yamanote Line) if you want to experience Tokyo’s last tram line! Otherwise, it’s accessible from several other stations. The section of kawazuzakura trees here isn’t as wide as, say, the actual city of Kawazu’s riverside, but I think it is worth the trek and a little less popular than some of the other spots. Videos taken on March 8th, 2026 (yesterday!). 📍 Oyokogawa Promenade This is a pretty long river that also has a stretch of the more common somei-yoshino trees that aren’t in bloom yet. To find the section with the early-blooming trees, you can search “Oyokogawa Promenade Kawazu Sakura” on Google Maps. This area wasn’t very long and was quite crowded in the middle of the day on a weekend, so I wouldn’t go here if you’re trying to get the perfect shots of sakura without people in the background; however, the view of Skytree with the kawazuzakura in the foreground was a nice surprise, and it’s only a 20-minute walk away from the bustling neighborhood of Monzen-nakacho. Videos taken on March 8th, 2026 (yesterday!). 🎏 I visited these places pretty recently, so save this post if you’ll be in Tokyo this week (or even for next year)! #kawazuzakura #japantravel #cherryblossomseason #japansakura #tokyoskytree

🌹 Rose garden in Tokyo 😶 Contrary to popular belief, sometimes you don’t really need to leave Tokyo to get fresh air. 🤭 A favorite among locals but still a hidden gem for tourists, this rose garden in western Tokyo features over 400 kinds of roses and 5,200 rose bushes! I was surprised by how big this garden actually is. 🤯 My favorite, in terms of look and smell, was called “Blue Moon.” 🌙 Can you find it in the video? 🤔 Jindai Botanical Gardens is not necessarily train accessible, but it is bus accessible from Chofu Station, Kichijoji Station, or Tsutsujigaoka Station. I thought it was totally worth the visit and extra bus ride, and I was so grateful that @thetastytraveler.kt agreed to come with me, otherwise I might not have made the journey which clocks in at a little under an hour from Shinjuku. 😅 The roses are currently in full bloom, so it would be the perfect activity for this weekend in Tokyo! The rose festival will be going on until June 1st, but they will be closed on the 19th and 26th. 💐 If you can’t make it this weekend, they will be in bloom again in October. 😊 🎏 Save this reel for your next visit to Tokyo! 📍 Jindai Botanical Gardens, Chofu, Tokyo 💴 ¥500 🏷️ #tokyo #chofu #神代植物公園 #神代植物公園バラフェスタ #japan #foryoupage #japantravel #lifeintokyo

🚨 PSA to Rilakkuma fans visiting or living in Japan: a new Rilakkuma Store has opened! 🐻 A new neon-themed Rilakkuma Store has opened in Shinjuku. 😶 It’s part of the new Kiddyland Shinjuku which is huge and spans four floors with the Rilakkuma Store on the fourth floor. It was quite spacious, but maybe it only feels that way because no one knows about it yet. 🤫 The store manager is a Kiiroitori named Neon, appropriate for the theme of the shop. I loved the neon theme and graphics around the store. 💜 That exclusive Shinjuku Rilakkuma keychain wearing a backpack is so cute, too! 😊 If you’re looking for a place that’s less crowded than Kiddyland Harajuku but has comparable offerings, this store (Kiddyland Shinjuku) is not too crowded yet. Entrance was by advance reservation only, but after May 11th, you don’t need to get an entry ticket! It’s conveniently located near the East Exit of Shinjuku Station. 🎏 Save this reel for your next Japan shopping haul! 📍 Rilakkuma Store (4F), Kiddyland Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo 🏷️ #rilakkuma #rilakkumastore #kawaii #japantravel #japanshop #tokyo #shinjuku #kiddylandshinjuku #igjapan

🗼 Tokyo Tower’s carp streamers 😶 If you visit Japan between March and early May, you’ll see many of these fish-themed windsocks around. These are called koinobori, or carp streamers, and they are hung up for Children’s Day, a Japanese national holiday on May 5th. 🎏 ⬅︎ Also in case you’re wondering what this emoji is! One of the best places to view the koinobori is at Tokyo Tower. 🗼 There are 333 carp streamers here to represent Tokyo Tower’s height of 333 meters. Very clever! 🤭 This is the first Golden Week I’ve spent in Japan and in Tokyo since early during the COVID lockdown. Many domestic travelers take advantage of these conveniently placed national holidays. I was a little scared of how crowded everywhere would be, but I’ve actually found that Tokyo has been manageable (well, as manageable as Tokyo crowds can be), possibly because everyone who lives here has left Tokyo or gone abroad for the weekend. 🤔 🏷️ #こどもの日 #tokyotower #koinobori #japanaesthetic #lifeintokyo #igjapan #japantravel #tokyotravel

🍻 Bar hopping and gourmet walk in Yokohama 😶 If you’re looking for something a little different and don’t mind venturing outside of Tokyo, I’d recommend walking around Yokohama’s Noge District. This area near Sakuragicho Station and across from Minato Mirai has tons of bars and restaurants to try. 😋 Not to mention, it has a very local feel and is wonderful to walk around in the evening. 🌙 #CapCut #japan #yokohama #tokyonights #citynight #lifeintokyo #japanaesthetic #nogedistrict #野毛 #japanvibes #offthebeatenpath

🪻 Japan wisteria update: April 28, 2025 😶 Don’t forget that Japan has many more flowers to see once cherry blossom season ends. 🤭 One of these flowers is wisteria, or fuji (藤) in Japanese. 🪻 Around Tokyo, wisteria are in bloom from around late April to early May. As with all blooming flowers, it depends on the weather, really. ☀️ When I went to Ashikaga Flower Park today (April 28, 2025), they were in full bloom! 🌼 This would be a great day trip for anyone in and around Tokyo who doesn’t have plans for Golden Week yet or happens to be around in the next week or so. 😊 📍 Ashikaga Flower Park, Ashikaga, Tochigi 🚃 Ashikaga Flower Park Station on the JR Ryomo Line 🏷️ #japan #igjapan #wisteria #springinjapan #ashikagaflowerpark #lifeintokyo

🌸 the best sakura spot in japan 😶 Well, I haven’t been to the other two, but there’s a reason why this castle park in Aomori is considered one of the top three best cherry blossom spots in the country. 🥰 If you missed the cherry blossoms in the Tokyo area, Hirosaki Castle Park in Aomori will be in full bloom soon. 😊 📍 Hirosaki Castle Park, Hirosaki, Aomori 🎏 Follow for more sakura updates! 🏷️ #sakura #aomori #japantravel #hirosaki #sakuraseason #sakuraspot #sakura2025

🌸 Enjoying the falling cherry blossom petals in Tokyo 😶 Sakura fubuki (桜吹雪) literally translate to “cherry blossom blizzard,” and it refers to the flurry of petals that fall off the trees creating an effect that looks like a snowstorm made of cherry blossoms. 🌸 📍Nakameguro, Tokyo 📆 Video taken in 2022 🏷️ #sakura #tokyo #japantravel #tokyotravel #sakuraseason #japanaesthetic #sakuraspot #springinjapan

What’s better than walking around and admiring the beauty around us? Walking around and admiring the cherry blossoms. 😌 I went to a few new places today and was pleasantly surprised! Here are some (relatively) less crowded sakura spots around Tokyo that were in bloom today. 🌼 📍 Between Kayabacho and Nihombashi Thanks to @trim0ra for the tip! The sakura canopy here reminded me of Shibuya Sakuragaokacho. It’s a little quieter on the Kayabacho side, and gets a little more lively and crowded near Nihombashi Takashimaya. 📍 Oyoko River, Monzen-nakacho This is actually a pretty long river with sakura at various places, but the easiest is the area closest to Monzen-nakacho Station. Lots of cherry blossom trees at different stages of blossoming. The area closest to the station wasn’t great, but walk a bit further along and you’ll find a stunning view. 📍 Under the bridge near the Kawanami Statue There aren’t a ton of sakura trees, but this is a nice area on the walk from Monzen-nakacho to Kiba. A nice hideaway from the highway above. 📸 @leehlkenneth 📍 Ark Hills, Roppongi-itchome A great area for yozakura (nighttime cherry blossoms). You’ll find a lot of people taking pictures of their fancy cars with the sakura backdrop. Not pictured: Kiba Park and Fukuju Bridge, which aren’t quite full bloom yet but will probably look great next weekend! (Don’t take my word for it; I can’t control the weather! 🌧️) 🏷️ #sakura #tokyo #japantravel #tokyotravel #sakuraseason #sakuraupdate #sakuraspot #sakura2025

🌸 Tokyo sakura update: Friday, March 28, 2025 😶 What better way to welcome sakura season than having a picnic under the flowers? 🧺 Not to be confused with Koishikawa Korakuen, Koishikawa Botanical Garden has a big, open space that’s perfect for hanami. Because of the relatively warm weather, the trees are approaching full bloom quite quickly, and there are a handful of fluffy trees here. 😊 The large shidarezakura (weeping cherry blossom tree) across from the main open area stood out to me the most. 🌸 📈 This park costs as much as Shinjuku Gyoen but the area is smaller and quieter. I went towards the end of the day, and while there were a lot of people picnicking, it cleared out a little near closing time. There isn’t a huge area to stroll around, but there are a lot of cherry blossom trees and the open space makes it an ideal cherry blossom picnic spot. 📍 Koishikawa Botanical Garden, Bunkyo, Tokyo 💴 ¥500 🎏 Follow for more sakura updates! 🏷️ #sakura #tokyo #japantravel #tokyotravel #sakuraseason #sakuraupdate #sakuraspot #小石川植物園

🌸 Tokyo sakura update: March 26, 2025 😶 Cherry blossom season is finally here! 😊 Although Shinjuku Gyoen is by no means a hidden gem, it is considered one of Tokyo’s best sakura viewing spots for a reason: it houses so many kinds of cherry blossom trees, some of which are in full bloom. 🤩 Most of the famous somei yoshino have yet to reach their peak, but there were a few fluffy ones around the park today. 😎 📈 The park was crowded but manageable, but I imagine it will get even more crowded over the weekend and as we reach full bloom (満開). Note that you need a reservation to enter the park during peak season weekends. 📍 Shinjuku Gyoen, Shinjuku, Tokyo 💴 ¥500 🎏 Follow for more sakura updates! 🏷️ #sakura #tokyo #japantravel #tokyotravel #sakuraseason #sakuraupdate #sakuraspot

🌸 2 plum blossom spots in Kyoto 😶 Although they quickly get overshadowed by sakura season, plum blossoms, called ume (梅) in Japanese, are one of the best signs of early spring in Japan. 🌸 Personally, I love the splashes of pink and white that come from the various types of plum trees. This past weekend, I visited two stunning plum blossom spots in Kyoto: ⛩️ Kitano Tenmangu The main shrine, which is free to enter, already has quite a few plum blossoms and a cute, pink goshuin; however, the real star of the show here is their legendary plum blossom garden which costs ¥1,200 to enter. Be sure to go to the bridge for a sprawling view of the garden and surrounding shrine! There is also an area to enjoy tea in the shade while admiring the flowers. ☺️ 🌺 Jonangu Jonangu is uniquely known for both plum blossoms and camellia (tsubaki), and you can see the fallen flowers contrasted with the weeping plum blossom trees here. I felt that this place was quite crowded, but for good reason and nowhere near cherry blossom crowds at popular locations. 😊 📆 March 22, 2025. The plum blossoms at these locations should be in full bloom for at least one more week. 🎏 Save this post for your trip to Kyoto! #plumblossoms #北野天満宮 #城南宮 #kitanotenmangu #jonangu #japantravel #kyototravel

❄️ How to spend one day in Japan’s snow country 😶 Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Iiyama, a city in Nagano Prefecture. A little under two hours away from Tokyo by bullet train, Iiyama is the perfect place to enjoy Japan’s snow country. ⛄️ In addition to skiing and snowboarding, there are many things to do during the winter here. 🎿 1) eating in an igloo at Kamakura no Sato 🍲 2) trekking to the frozen Lake Hokuryu 🐉 3) taking in the beautiful view at Maguse Onsen (a little outside Iiyama) ♨️ Everything was fun, but my personal favorite was relaxing in the outdoor bath at Maguse Onsen! 🧖🏻‍♀️ Which of these activities do you think you would enjoy? 😊 While it’s recommended to stay overnight to enjoy more of the surrounding area, it’s possible to do a day trip from Tokyo if you’re pressed on time. ⏰ 📍 Iiyama, Nagano 🚅 Iiyama Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen 🎏 Save this video for your next Japan trip! #japantravel #japansnow #snowcountry #nagano #iiyama #snowactivities #japanitinerary #tokyodaytrip #japaninspiration

Generally, most onsen (hot springs) in Japan don’t allow people with tattoos to enter, probably due to a fear of association with the yakuza. While this isn’t a huge problem for me (I don’t have tattoos), it makes it a little difficult for visitors who want the onsen experience in Japan. Sometimes you can get away with putting a large tattoo cover over whatever tattoo you have, but this becomes troublesome if you have more, and I have also seen onsen that don’t even allow this…well, anyway, on our trip to Hyogo, we found one! 🏆 Kinosaki Onsen is a hot spring resort located in the northern part of Hyogo Prefecture. There are quite a few ryokan around, but also seven public bath houses for day trippers. I think it would be a good side trip from Osaka, and my next task is an overnight stay here! 😴 Legend says that you should go to Onsenji, the town’s main temple, to pray before you visit any of the baths. 🙏 It’s on a mountain slope with a ropeway to go up, but sometimes the ropeway closes for one reason or another, so you would have to hike a little bit. Well, it’s good exercise, but I guess you also don’t need to follow tradition if you don’t want to. 😅 If you’re not reeeeaaaaaally into the whole onsen experience, you can just dip your toes (literally) in the various ashiyu (footbaths) around town! ☺️ Besides that, Kinosaki is a lovely onsen town to walk around. They have plenty of those weeping cherry blossom trees (shidarezakura), so it’s probably beautiful during the spring! 🌸 Here, you can also try Tajima wagyu, the type of beef which Kobe beef comes from (this is the same prefecture, after all). 🥩 Swipe to the last picture. 👀 🎏 Follow for more Japan travel ideas! 📍 Kinosaki Onsen, Toyooka, Hyogo 🚃 2.5 hours from Osaka on the JR limited express train . Japan travel | Japan itinerary | Hyogo activities | Japan photo spots | Hyogo sightseeing | Japan onsen | Kansai travel #japantravel #lifeinjapan #japanlife #osaka #kansaitravel #onsen

Pokémon × Kogei Exhibition: Pokémon featured in traditional Japanese crafts 😶 👘 From pottery to woodwork to kimono and beyond, the Pokémon × Kogei exhibition at the Azabudai Hills Gallery skillfully weaves traditional and contemporary Japanese culture together. Although I most recommend it for Pokémon fans specifically, due to the artistry of the works here, I think even non-Pokémon fans would really enjoy it! 😊 To be honest, sometimes, these exhibitions are kind of a ripoff, but this one was not: there were a few large rooms full of amazing artwork and handicrafts featuring plenty of different Pokémon, and it actually takes quite a while to get through. There’s a reason why you have to buy a ticket to enter, I guess. 🤣 This exhibition was previously featured in Shiga, Kanazawa, and even Los Angeles, and it has finally reached Tokyo! 🗼 I couldn’t feature all of my favorite works in this short video, but that’s all the more reason to check it out before the exhibition ends in February. 😉 🎏 Follow for more Japan trip ideas! 📍 @azabudaihillsgallery, Minato-ku, Tokyo until February 2nd, 2025 🚃 Kamiyacho Station on the Hibiya Line 🎫 ¥1,600 general admission if you buy online in advance #tokyo #pokemon #ポケモン工芸展 #pokemonxkogei #ポケモン #pokemonevents #lifeinjapan . Japan travel | Japan itinerary | Tokyo activities | Tokyo exhibitions | Pokémon events Tokyo | Pokémon tourism | Pokémon art