From Tokyo's endless discoveries to a night with a Japanese friend hosting us in a small town surrounded by green mountains, I've fallen for Japan twice and I'm already planning my return.
From Tokyo's endless discoveries to a night with a Japanese friend hosting us in a small town surrounded by green mountains, I've fallen for Japan twice and I'm already planning my return.
Japan called me back. After my first visit in 2023, where I impulsively bought a one-way ticket and spent two months exploring Asia and Oceania, I knew I had to return. Of all the places I visited on that trip, Japan was different. It had a pull I couldn't shake. When a friend asked if she could join me on a return trip, and then another friend jumped in on the train, we found ourselves booking flights for cherry blossom season with only a few months to prepare.
We built this trip ourselves, custom and spontaneous, booking accommodations, flights and day tours before departure. Tokyo, Kakegawa, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and then a quick hop to Seoul. Each city offered something distinct, but it was the unexpected detour to Kakegawa that became one of the highlights of our journey.
A Night in Kakegawa
My former Japanese exchange student and I met when I was 12 and she was 13. She had told me on my previous visit to Japan (spent in Osaka at Universal Studios and Dotonbori), that if I ever returned, I should come see her hometown. So we did.
Kakegawa sits in the Shizuoka region, famous for its green tea. As our train passed Mt Fuji, we passed thousands of tea shrubs, the landscape lush and expansive in every direction. My friend and her partner picked us up and immediately took us out for a delicious ramen lunch.
From there, we went to a green tea museum, participating in a traditional tea ceremony. Our next stop was an outdoor train exhibit. As we got closer, my friend asked, "Do you like Thomas the Train?", to which we all said, "Yes...?"
To our surprise and delight, it was an outdoor Thomas the Train exhibit. We were told they don't get many tourists outside Japan, so it was a very quirky, off-the-beaten-path experience!
That evening, we met their two sons (ages four and one) and made temaki rolls together. The night dissolved into laughter, especially when her oldest discovered Google Translate on my phone and started typing anything he thought might make us giggle. He succeeded.
The next morning brought us to a bird sanctuary with owls, penguins, toucans, and even a shoebill.
We ended at Hattasan Soneiji Temple, draped in cherry blossoms, where we picked up good luck charms and dango before saying our thank yous and goodbyes, as we made our way onwards to Kyoto.
The Wonderful Chaos of Traveling Japan
Japan has taught me to navigate cultural differences with grace and humor. Restaurants with mats require shoes off before entering. There are multiple ways to say thank you depending on the context. Respect for elders is prominent, and there are multiple ways to address others based on your closeness to them. In Tokyo, people stand on the left side of the escalator. In Kyoto and Osaka? The right. Small details, but they reveal how distinct each region truly is. The trains stop running at midnight (I learned this the hard way my first trip), and somehow, despite having almost no public trash cans, it remains one of the cleanest countries I have ever visited.
Even with six weeks of travel across two trips, I've barely scratched the surface, despite how packed every day was. Admittedly, I was drawn back to some experiences I'd done on my first trip, and wanted my friends to see. But getting to do these things again with a different lense was so valuable to me.
So many good memories come to mind for this trip, as we tried to navigate each day.
We participated in a guided drink and eating tour in Shibuya I'd done 3 years prior- by the end of the night, we were in tears, laughing so hard with our new friends.
Another moment that makes me laugh is remembering when we thought we were locked out of our Hiroshima hostel after curfew, only to realize the password was written on our key. These moments became the stories we joked about.
Some of my favorite discoveries came from wandering, whether intentionally or by accident. A wrong turn leaving the train station in Harajuku led us to a miniature New York scene, complete with Statue of Liberty art, a fake phone booth, and a Spiderman statue. At Universal Studios, we still laugh about the Jaws ride (the last one across all Universal Studios!), watching our enthusiastic skipper cheerfully monologue before she pulled out a fake shotgun and pretended to recoil from a shot fired, while the whole boat screamed at the approaching shark. While we couldn't understand her monologue, we were so immersed, enjoying the theatrics of the ride and joy of the other riders.
Who Should Go (and Who Should Maybe Wait)
Japan is perfect for travelers who are genuinely curious. If you want to understand customs, traditions, and the countless small details that make a culture unique, this place rewards that patience. It could be intimidating for first-time international travelers due to the initial culture shock and language barrier, but for those open to surprises, Japan has everything. There's a saying: if you can't find it in Japan, it probably doesn't exist. I believe it.
For travelers who need more structure, a guided tour or cruise can eliminate the unknown factors while still delivering the wonder. Transportation outside major cities is not always easy. Kakegawa required a car, and even popular spots like Hakone have limited transit. My advice? Give yourself time. Don't rush through places just to check them off. Tokyo is for the fast-paced. The countryside is for those willing to slow down. There's a perfect blend for everyone!
I am already planning my return. There is still so much I want to see: Okinawa, more of the countryside, and visits to other cities like Kanazawa and Takayama. Japan has a way of pulling you back. And now, with two trips behind me, I know I want to help my clients experience the same magic, whether they want a perfectly planned itinerary or the freedom to wander and discover something unexpected around every corner.
