Torisho Sai — 10/10 meal. Incredible grandmaster-level yakitori. Don’t miss it.
Tempura Matsu — Family-run generational kaiseki restaurant. Beautiful seasonal tasting menu. If you can get in, go.
Farmoon — Modern kaiseki in a beautiful room. Some of the coolest ambiance of any restaurant I’ve visited.
Robert Yellin Yakimono Gallery — Drink sake with him and look at ceramics. One of the better hours of the trip. Appointment recommended.
Six Senses — Super super cool hotel. We didn’t stay, but did a Japanese whiskey tasting. Worth going for a drink.
Hotel: Stayed at Ace Kyoto. It was great.
Tonkatsu Koushirou — One of the best meals of my life. Full pork omakase, everything fried in pork lard. They’ll tell you which pig and which cut for every dish. Don’t miss it.
Naniwa Menjiro Miyabi - One of the best bowls of ramen I’ve ever had.
Wayousake Matsuken — Husband-and-wife tasting menu. Creative Japanese small plates, natural wine (including Japanese wine) and sake.
Yakiniku Yacchan — Small husband-and-wife grilled beef spot. Low-key and excellent.
Hotel: Canopy Osaka Umeda — great views, great rooms, central location.
I had less time here, so just a few recs:
QWAN — European-influenced but still Japanese. Local crowd, menu in Japanese.
A10 — Jazz record bar in Ebisu. Whiskey and vinyl. Hidden behind locker doors.
Ogawa Coffee Laboratory — Shimo-Kitazawa. Excellent coffee and ice cream.
Shimo-Kitazawa — Funky neighborhood with the best vintage clothing shopping I’ve seen anywhere. Good general shopping too.