Pop Japan Travel

We leave the urban sprawl of LA behind and make our way to Tokyo.

After arriving at Narita Airport, we'll board a limousine bus bound for our hotel in Ikebukuro.

If you like, get up early for a trip to Tsukiji Fish Market to watch the daily catch arrive and have a fresh Sushi breakfast. Then it's off to Harajuku, Tokyo's destination for cutting edge fashion, where you'll be able to visit Kiddyland and the famous Takeshita shopping street. For lunch, we'll be visiting the Edelstein Cafe, where the attentive male staff will be there to attend to your every need. And that's just the beginning; in the afternoon, we land in Ikebukuro to check out the fujoshi-centric Otome Road, where yaoi doujinshi, merchandise, and other goodies are all easy to find. You'll also have a chance to visit B:LilyRose, a famous butler cafe where the resident "garçons" are waiting to serve you.

Today, we'll swing by Nakano Broadway, where old-school anime goods and manga from every genre imaginable can be found. Then it's off to the otaku paradise of Akihabara, where you can browse anime stores and goods shops to find bargains on popular merchandise. To cap off the day, we visit Shinjuku and Tokyu Hands, a popular megastore where you can get everything from a fluffy, smiling footwarmer to giant squeaky mallets. Don't worry; your tour guide will be happy to help you haul all the stuff you'll buy back to the hotel (within reason ^-~).

Our day begins with a trip to Asakusa, where you can sample traditional Japanese sweets and check out souvenirs as we visit one of Tokyo's most legendary temples. In the afternoon, you'll have the chance to unwind at the Oedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba or visit Joypolis, a video arcade-styled theme park. In the evening, we'll be meeting with the one and only Makoto Tateno, author of such titles as Hero Heel, Yellow, and many other famous yaoi manga. She'll be tagging along as we head to the Kingyo Cabaret Drag Show, where guys shed their masculinity and strut their most fashionable looks for the adoring public (that's you!).

A free day to explore the other corners of Tokyo, or go experience more of the places you've visited so far.

As we wave goodbye to some of our humble group, some of us will continue our journey west to Kyoto, Japan's capital city until the 1600s. We'll make a quick stop in Takarazuka, a town famous for its stage productions featuring exclusively female performers. While we're there, you'll have the chance to check out the story behind some of Japan's most famous manga at the Osamu Tezuka Memorial Museum.

In the evening, we'll check in at our hotel in Kyoto and explore the Kyoto/Osaka area.

Welcome to Kyoto! We'll start our journey with a visit to the famed Kiyomizu Temple, where you can take in breathtaking views of the city and explore the inner depths of one of Japan's most famous temples. After that, we'll head across the city to visit Kinkakuji, the famed golden pavilion. If you like, you can take part of the afternoon and get a "maiko" makeover, or you can visit Kyoto's International Manga Museum. Whatever you do, you'll be glad that you took the time to visit this fantastic city!

It's time to bid adieu to Japan, return home, and tell all your friends how much fun you had!