What is up Members of The Barrio it's Jon
And if you're going to Japan you've probably been told to visit the same places
Over and Over again
The fish market in Tokyo
The Red Shrine in Kyoto
Okay you should still go visit those places
But today i'm going to be revealing 10 Unique Spots you need to visit
On your next trip to Japan
Before we continue
Every single one of these ideas
Was covered on my Japan Playlist
Linked down below in the description
Perfect for a first-timer to Japan
There's over 20 episodes
Number 10, visit the Pug Cafe in Kyoto
I admit this wasn't even my idea
My girlfriend insisted
We check out this cafe
Full of maybe..the world's Ugliest
Or cutest dogs
Depending on your definition
After getting in you can play with up to a dozen pugs
At the same time
They literally jump on you from the moment you walk in
If you pay a little bit extra
You can get one big bowl of treats
And they'll swarm you like a king
Pretty cool I have to admit
And one of those only in Japan kind of moments
Number 9.. head to the Tottori Sand Dunes
Located in the Tottori prefecture
On the west coast of Japan
This is one of Japan's most unique phenomenons
The dunes were created by sediment deposits carried in
From the Sea of Japan
And the landscape looks..
More Laurence of Arabia than Samurai Movie
You can partake in camel riding
Sandboarding
Or just hike around and take cool instagram photos
And pretend you teleported to Morocco
Either way this place is off the beaten track
And worth a 1 to 2 night stop over
Number 8 take a bar crawl in Tokyo's Piss Alley
In Japanese It's called Omoide Yokocho
Or Memory Lane
But affectionately known as piss alley
Because of some guys who had to many beers
And couldn't hold it in
Wander the many bars in this unique
Part of Shinjuku
And mingle with Japanese salarymen
While enjoying delicious
Grilled food
And local specialities like high ball
We did a great bar hopping tour with a company called Magical Trip
If you want something extra interesting
And make sure to have an open mind
Not for me
Number 7
Visit the Village of the Dolls
I admit this place looks like the set of a horror movie
A town with 200 dolls
And just 30 residents
Nagaro, Japan located on Shikoku Island
Is more than that though
A labor of love created by a resident artist
Who has made life size dolls
Of residents, that either moved or passed away
And if you're lucky you can even find her re-arranging the dolls
During your visit
Okay, maybe the place is just a litlte bit creepy
Number 6, take a home cooking class
With a local
There is nothing more authentic and unique
Than meeting a local person
And learning to cook
A Japanese dish
In their apartment
Traveling spoon provides this opportunity in multiple cities in Japan
We did it in Tokyo
Our host Sato was really funny
And we prepared Chicken Teriyaki
Which was suprisingly simple to make
And the best part
You get to eat your creation
And take home the recipe to likely
Poorly re-create a masterpiece
Highly recommended
Number 5, Explore the Iya Valley
This remote part of Japan
Located on the Island of Shikoku
Is Japan's best kept secret
This mountainous area once the hiding spot
Of fugitives
Is an outdoor enthuiast's dream
And most foreign tourists have never even heard of it
I recommend you rent a car
When you go
And be sure to visit some of the famous double vine bridges
Just don't look down if you're afraid of heights
Number 4, take a street food tour in Osaka
Osaka is known as one of the best cities in Japan
For.. food
And if you want to get an insider look at this
Take a food tour with Arigato Japan
We toured Sinsekai a retro area
That felt..like stepping back into a time capsule
We sampled everything from sushi
To Kushikatsu
And you can't visit Osaka
Without trying Takoyaki
That's octopus in a ball for you non-Japanese speakers
And i'll let you decide if it's tasty or not
Number 3
Visit a Japanese Arcade
I can't imagine how many travelers visit Japan
And never set foot inside an arcade
Seriously
This is the land of Nintendo and Sega
What better way to get a taste of local culture
While losing multiple times at those drop hook games
Try the Taiko drum set
And Mario Kart
Seriously, Mario Kart in Japan
Is the best arcade game ever
If I could just win for once
That's the first time he's ever won
Number 2, enroll in Ninja school in Kyoto
You really want to do something unique if you made it this far
Into the video
Why not see how well you'd do..at a becoming a ninja
At the ninja dojo and store you'll put on the full garb
And learn, from a master
Everything from how to breathe
Walk
And sneak around.. like a ninja
And there's also ninja star training
And the grand finale
Shooting blowdarts
It turns out I have pretty amazing aim
I am incredible with blowdarts who knew..
Number 1..
Stay at a Ryokan in an Onsen Town
This is a two part experience
A Ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn
And an Onsen Town is a town that is full
Of Hot Springs
Why not stay in an old fashioned room?
Wear your own Yukata
And stroll around town in very uncomfortable wooden clogs
Relax in natural hot spring baths
we experienced this in Kinosaki
But there's many onsen towns throughout Japan
My favorite part was eating dinner in the Ryokan
We had Tajima Beef
Which I still dream about to this day
If you want more information on this
Be sure to check out.. my Ryokan Vlog it's a good one
Tell me in the comments which of these 10 items
You would most likely do on your next trip to Japan
I'm curious
And remember all of these are linked down below
On my Japan Playlist
If you need more ideas feel free to check it out
Make sure to subscribe if you are new to this channel
I've got Travel Tips and vlogs just like this
Coming out on the regular
This wraps up my coverage
Of Japan
Hope you guys all enjoyed
Thank you so much for watching
Until next time