Tag Archives: japan

Japan & Korea June 2026 Trip

Just got back from two weeks visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Busan, and Seoul with family. This post is to highlight things we enjoyed.

Amazing food

  • Ebisu, Tokyo: ramen with cheese (Tsukumo Ramen Ebisu Honten) with Ice Ouca nearby. Both were great.
  • Kyoto: Gyukatsu at Katsugyu: cook beef on your own hot stone. This walk-in beat our dinner reservations.
  • Kyoto: Journey Tabikori shave ice (Pontocho): can’t go wrong with giant, top-tier shave ice.
  • Ikseon-dong, Seoul: Jaeyondo salt bread came out of the bag still warm. The best bread.
  • Hongdae, Seoul: BBQ chicken: amazing KFC spot where Jensen Huang visited.

Walkable, vibrant areas

  • Cat Street, Harajuku: great to wander, lots of shops.
  • Arashiyama bridge area, Kyoto: walk around with % Arabica coffee.
  • Pontocho alley + Kamo River, Kyoto: great vibes at night.
  • Shinsekai, Osaka: old tower lit up at night.
  • Gwangalli beach, Busan: good to walk at night.
  • Cheongsapo / Haeundae coast, Busan: scenic area with the sky capsule mini-train.
  • Cheonggyecheon stream, Seoul: nice to stroll; check out Hikr Ground nearby.

Some random Japan & Korea tips

  • Anecdotally, transit cards are easier to drain in Korea than Japan. The Japanese convenience store limited us to one Suica/IC card per transaction. At the Korean convenience store, they let us use multiple T-money cards in one purchase.
  • Korean department stores close one day a month, and it’s not obvious. Shinsegae Centum in Busan was closed when we showed up. Check first.
  • At Incheon Airport Terminal 2, the Korean food court on B1 is a great last Korean meal before the flight.

With June being Japan’s rainy season, it’s a less popular time to visit. I’ve enjoyed my trips to Japan & Korea in June and wouldn’t hesitate to go back in the future if given the opportunity to.

Uniqlo X Canon

Uniqlo rocks. I went there to return some stuff and ended up buying a graphic T while browsing. They have T-shirt collaborations with brands (such as MGS) that constantly cycle.

Naruto statue

While I enjoyed Naruto several years ago, I’m too old to be wearing Konoha merch.

EOS DSLR Body T-Shirt

They currently have a Corporate Collaboration theme for T-shirts. This includes brands like Canon, IBM, and Meiji.

EOS DSLR Parts T-Shirt

Not the sharpest shot, but this shows DSLR parts.

I didn’t end up buying either Canon shirt, even though Canon rocks. Maybe they could come out with a T-Shirt that has the DSLR (with a 70-200 please) & lens strap superimposed on it. Sort of like those tie shirts that are kind of cool, but not really.

Monster Hunter T-Shirt

As I mentioned, I picked up a T-shirt. I got this because it looks badass and I’d wear it in public. Plus, the games sell a metric ton in Japan, which is a plus.