Needles & Grooves

Kyoto is close to Osaka and is worth seeing. I liked Hiroshima a lot. I tend to put my records in a tote bag and bring it on as carry on luggage. No issues so far.

Kyoto is awesome. Go to this place if you like whiskey jazz and records Bar Chez Quasimodo （バー シェ・カジモド）

@Thackeraye @MikeH Kyoto is on the itinerary! I have a DJ record bag that I carry-on for records on domestic trips. But I have a feeling I'll need a different solution for this trip

I brought back 13 records in a tote from Tokyo to Glasgow in carry on. You can do it!

I'm partial to Nagoya 'cause I lived there, but it's been so long I can't think of a specific "attraction." My reco is to always see a show wherever you go, so if you need help navigating calendars/venues/ticketing I gotchu! (They even have ATM-style ticket vending machines throughout the cities.)

The big science museum in Nagoya is brilliant. We did Sapporo in the off-season and it was great - a bit like Nagoya.

Yep still here! Be sure to visit either Teamlabs exhibition in Osaka or Tokyo. Osaka is at night in a Botanical Garden and Tokyo is a sensorial experience museum.

Anything specific you would like to do?

Japan is amazing. My wife and I have been twice and still want to go back. There are some great record stores like DiskUnion, Tower, and HMV

@EvanBenner i think our rough plan is to fly in to Tokyo and head west, so I will definitely make sure to spend time in Nagoya!

@Thackeraye Sapporo is on my want list, but I don’t think we’ll be making it up north on this trip unfortunately. Also I don’t have much faith in myself keeping my record purchases to just one carry-on bag

@ThePakoBuelna we love food, so food & records are things I’ll be looking for in each city. But I want to see the temples and explore outside the cities too.

@Bohnjaggs that’s awesome! This will be my first time. Excited to see the record stores, I’ve heard great things!

Shimokitazawa is a wonderful part of Tokyo that has a lot of vintage stores, restaurants and record stores. We stayed in an AirBnb apartment for a week the last time we went.

Also if you're a Disney fan, Tokyo Disney and DisneySea are two of the best Disney parks in the world, and not too expensive either

My wife and I also watch Tokyo walking videos on YouTube quite regularly. Two of our favorite channels are Tokyo Explorer - https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCHWmg1FyYtFRiClvHkB-NVA and Daniel and Yuka https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCmTVQiIh2ZqjLkoYY8PmjaA

Since food is your jam, it's important to note that each city has its own pride and joy delicacies (meibutsu) that are always worth seeking out. Make sure you get miso katsu in Nagoya!

Honestly, drinks and dining are what I remember most from my time there. Spending hours in an izakaya drinking 100 yen "sours" and eating chargrilled goodies. Booking BYOB karaoke boxes in the afternoon off-hours when rates are discounted. Crushing a cheap bowl of gyuudon at easy chain restaurants (Sukiya/Yoshinoya/Matsuya) is also great for saving time and money.

Osaka has a lot of food to try out. Tokyo also is a food paradise, just about any type of stuff you would like to try, it's there in Tokyo. For cheap and delicious sushi, Kura Sushi with several restaurants in Japan is a can't miss. Conveyor type sushi, but there are tablets where you can order stuff.

Osaka has its own style of Okonomiyaki, be sure to check out Okonomiyaki Chitose in Shin Imamiya(open Thursday-Sunday).
In Miyajima, the temple is beautiful and s must, try the Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki in Kurawanka almost at the start of the islands main street.

Any place where you see a bunch of Salary men is indicative of cheap and delicious food.

For record stores, Shibuya is a can't miss, be sure to go through the alleyways to find hidden shops

Feel free to send me a message if you need more tips, if you are traveling Miyajima and Nara are must stops.