Honeymoon in Seoul, Kyoto, Osaka, & Tokyo

After an almost 15-hour flight, we finally landed in Seoul! I had pre-booked our cab through Booking.com (10/10 recommend), and we headed straight to our hotel, Imperial Palace Boutique in Itaewon. It was the perfect area for American tourists who want excitement right outside their door, tons of expats, nightlife, and locals who speak English. We took a quick walk to get our bearings, then stopped at a restaurant for dinner and drinks in the heart of the action before crashing early to rest up for our first full day.

We found the most incredible bagel spot near our hotel (Local Villa Bagel, so good we went back again), then treated ourselves to decadent coffee at Holly’s Cafe, people-watching from above the street. We made our way to Seoul Tower by hiking the botanical garden trail, stopping to admire sculptures. We bought a lock and fastened it to a tree before heading inside for drinks and arcade games. Then we chairlifted down and wandered into a street market, eventually ending up at Gwangjang Market, where we got in line at Buchon Yukhoe (a Michelin Bib Gourmand spot!). After heading back to the hotel to change, we had spicy hot pot and soju at a casual hansikjib, bar hopped, and ended the night with coin karaoke.

We rented hanboks and explored the stunning Gyeongbokgung Palace, soaking in all the history. After returning our outfits, we did some shopping and conveyor belt sushi at Lotte Department Store. Then we headed back to the hotel to change for a surprise I had planned for Ray, dinner at Ryunique (one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants). It was a gorgeous, private tasting with champagne. Afterward, we danced the night away with bottle service at Times, a hip-hop club I also pre-booked.

Let’s just say... we paid for the night before. We spent the whole day in bed, ordering EggSlut from downstairs and McDonald’s for dinner. No shame, total recovery mode.

We took it slow with another bagel breakfast at Local Villa Bagel, then discovered a highball bar nearby where the bartenders crafted drinks tailored to our palates. We ended the night with an amazing Korean BBQ dinner near the hotel.

We took a cab into Gangnam and started with hangover stew at a local spot, followed by sweet potato coffee. We wandered around and found Bongeunsa Temple, saw the Gangnam Hands Statue, and visited the Starfield Library. Then it was time to head to the airport (pre-booked cab again), fly to Osaka, and take the train to our hotel. After settling in, we spontaneously bought tickets and headed to Universal Studios Japan. Afterward, we traveled to Kobe for dinner at Kobe Beef Steak Sakura, where we had a private kaiseki-style Kobe beef dinner. We wrapped up by browsing the shops in Center Plaza Kobe before heading back.

We hopped on a morning train to Kyoto and dropped off our bags at Hotel Wing International Kyoto - Shijo Karasuma. First stop: Nishiki Market for lunch and snacks, then some lighthearted fun at an arcade. For dinner, we found a local hole-in-the-wall with some of the best fried chicken of the trip.

We cabbed to Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama, where we learned about the monkeys and explored the nature reserve. Then we walked through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and rested at Okochi Sanso Garden. After some local bites and exploring, we stopped at a Jamaican-themed bar (naturally). Once back in the hotel area, we grabbed pizza at a little spot next door where they gave us a bottle of sake to celebrate our honeymoon and we played Jenga while we waited!

We lined up for breakfast at Inoda Coffee - Main Shop, then caught the bullet train (first class!) to Tokyo. Tip: know your car number ahead of time, English help is minimal at the station. Onboard, we toasted with lemon seltzers and watched the scenery fly by. Once we arrived, we explored the area around our hotel, including Mitsumine-jinja Shrine, Sensō-ji, and Tokyo Rakutenchi Asakusa Building, then strolled through Nakamise Shopping Street at night.

We spent the morning in Shibuya, wandering Takeshita Street, visiting a Shiba Inu cafe, and popping into shops. After lunch at a busy noodle spot, we returned to freshen up and grabbed pre-dinner drinks at The Tavern in Asakusa (amazing shochu and gin).

Then it was off to Mantensushi Marunouchi for a top-tier omakase dinner. We ended the night at TOKYO VIDEO GAMERS Cafe & Bar Akiba, a fun arcade bar.

I woke up early to score a Benitsuru Pancake reservation, fluffy soufflé goodness! We filled the morning with 7-Eleven snacks while waiting. Later we tried to visit Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden but it was closed, so we walked the perimeter. That evening, we dined at Ginza Saisho, one of our favorite meals of the whole trip, chef’s energy and the omakase were perfection. Then we took a cab back to the hotel to recover from all that deliciousness.

We kicked off the day with a private sauna at Kudochi Sauna in Minato City, which we pre-booked, Bluetooth, plunge pool, and room service all through the app. Then we explored COREDO Muromachi 1 before heading to our omakase-style pizza reservation at The Pizza Bar on 38th, which had incredible views and such a unique format. For a nightcap, we returned to TOKYO VIDEO GAMERS for more arcade fun and checked out a nearby record store for some Japanese vinyl. We wrapped up early since Halloween nightlife was pretty quiet due to new restrictions.

On our last morning, we grabbed breakfast and wandered into a tiny art studio just opening for the day. We found two pieces we both loved (and luckily could fit in our luggage!). After one last meal, we packed up, hopped in a cab, and headed to the airport, hearts full, bags bursting with memories.