Japan will always be a special place

Beware long post!

I love Japan. I studied Japanese for three years in high school, continued through college, did Princeton in Ishikawa where I lived in Japan with a host family for two months. My closest friends at Wellesley stem from my 8:30 am Monday-Friday Japanese language class my first year of college.

I have a special place for Japan in my heart and have followed the culture over the years. When I returned to Japan this time around, my Japanese was extremely rusty but luckily Iris, one of my closest friends from Wellesley, has been living in Japan since college.

Visiting friends was the top priority of my Asia backpacking trip and I haven’t seen Iris in person in over 4 years! I’m extremely grateful that she hosted me during my time in Tokyo as it’s one of the most expensive places in the world to visit.

I love observing cultures different from my own and I was happy to learn what it’s like to be an ex-pat in Japan. Iris is not natively Japanese, in the past worked for a traditional Japanese company, and now currently works for a French company. Majority of her friends were ex-pats. It was amazing to be absorbed into their world even for just two weeks. I can only imagine what my life would be like if I lived and worked in Japan!

TL;DR for those interested in knowing the quick version of my trip —

I traveled around Japan for two weeks from September 23 - October 5. I started in Tokyo, traveled west as far as I wanted, and then traveled east to make my way back. About 5-6 days in Tokyo, 1-2 Days in Hiroshima/Miyajima, 1 day in Yamaguchi, 2 days in Okayama, 1 day in Hakone, and last day in Tokyo. I caught a cold towards the end of my Hiroshima trip which caused me to lose a day during my time in Okayama. Two weeks sounds like a lot, but it wasn’t enough considering travel days which takes up a whole day or at least feelings of exhaustion caused me not to do too much in the day.

The weather was much warmer the further west I went, by the time I arrived in Tokyo in early October, it was fall weather and a cold jacket was required. Considering that I planned to travels to Southeast Asia which was basically 80-degree weather, I barely had warm enough clothes for Japan which attributed to my sickness.

Where I went

Tokyo > Hiroshima, Miyajima > Yamaguchi > Okayama > Hakone > Tokyo

If you were looking for a Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto type itinerary, I’ve been to Osaka and Kyoto during my two-month homestay and this time around I wanted to explore different places in Japan. I’ll make sure to include a follow-up on recommendations on what to do in Osaka and Kyoto in a future post.

Places I stayed

• Friend’s studio in Tokyo
• Airbnb with traditional tatami mat and futon, 5 min. walk from the Peace Memorial Park
• Green Rich Hotel in Yamaguchi (Booked via Booking.com)
• Igusa Guest House aka traditional guest house in Okayama (Booked via Airbnb)
• K’s House Hakone Hostel (Booked via Hostelworld)

Things I Did

Tokyo

• Cooking Class
• Shopping - Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Omotesando, Odaiba
• Meiji Shrine
• Shinjuku Garden
• VR Arcade in Shinjuku
• Karaoke in Ebisu
• Nomi-kai at an Izakaya in Ebisu
• Cup Noodle Museum in Yokohama

The above is a loose list of things I did while I was in Tokyo. The majority of my time spent was on shopping, walking around exploring, and eating. The food in Japan cannot be beaten! Otherwise, the fashion and beauty scene in Tokyo is amazing. I’m super impressed by the put-together look of women and girls in Tokyo. Although, there is a ton of effort required by them to maintain their look throughout the day.

Lastly, I spent a time in Ebisu which is where all the international companies are located aka where Iris worked. It was at this train station that I saw the most foreigners/non-Japanese during my time in Japan.

Hiroshima via Shinkansen

• Peace Memorial
• Ate Hiroshima Style Okonomiyaki (Basically okonomiyaki with noodles and I love noodles)
• Saw Hiroshima Castle

I wanted to visit Hiroshima because it’s a city of significant importance. Learning the history and the aftermath of the atomic bomb has been informative to understand how it affects people and the world today. The city is entirely reconstructed and feels like a smaller Tokyo. The canals/river banks are reflective of how they were before 1945.

Miyajima aka Shrine Island via JR Ferry

• Itsukushima Shinto Shrine
• Buddhist Temple

Going to Hiroshima, it’s easy to visit Miyajima which is known for the Itsukushima shrine which has a giant, orange Torii gate which is partially submerged at high tide — one of the most scenic images of Japan. Iris and I had a great time walking around the island, playing with deer, tasting grilled oysters, and eating local snacks.

Yamaguchi via Shinkansen

• Hot Springs + Foot Baths
• Explored East Asia’s largest limestone cave - Akiyoshido
• Fishing

Iris and I decided to check out Yamaguchi based on a recommendation from her co-worker and also because it’s known for its hot springs aka onsen! Onsens are popular in Japan as they are naturally created hot baths due to the volcanic activity which occurs throughout Japan. You have to get completely naked and wash with soap before getting into the bath. More on Onsen Etiquette.

Yamaguchi has a number of outdoor foot baths where you can simply take off your shoes, sit, and dip your feet into hot water. It was a nice place to socialize as we met a nice man with whom we had a pleasant conversation about living in Japan all his life. The man offered us two umbrellas from his car when it started raining! The umbrellas were super helpful for our next leg of the trip visiting Akiyoshido. I have SO many stories from this leg of the trip. It was funny, scary, and full of amazing memories of which I won’t forget. Thank you Iris for experiencing it with me!

Okayama via Shinkansen

• Korakuen, one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan
• Okayama Castle

After Yamaguchi, Iris went back to Tokyo and I officially started my solo travel! I decided on Okayama because I wanted to visit Naoshima which is a famous art island in Japan. I never did make it because I was sick, but I met two American women in the guest house who did! It was nice to meet Americans who decided to quit their jobs and were traveling around the world like I was.

To make up for my trip, I checked out Korakuen and the Okayama Castle which was right next to each other. I’ve been to Kenrokuen in the past and it was nice to visit a tranquil garden with familiarity and reflect on life which is what I desperately needed after a long and stressful year.

Hakone via Shinkansen

• Mount Fuji

Post-Okayama, I went to Hakone because I wanted to see Mount Fuji before I left Japan and I needed to make my way back to Tokyo. Climbing Mount Fuji to see the sunrise is definitely an item on my bucket list which I’ve reserved for a future trip. Hakone is a nice place to go if you’re planning a Tokyo > Kyoto > Osaka type trip because it allows you to experience the Japanese “country-side.” It felt extremely touristy though. There is this one route which you take given that you buy the Hakone Free Pass (which is definitely worth buying when you arrive at the train station). The route brings you to the attractions of Hakone via a cable car, train, boat, and bus. I only recommend visiting if you’re short on time because Hakone is an easy day trip from Tokyo to experience an onsen.

Things I wish I did

I wish I didn’t get sick and had the chance to see Naoshima. I should have done more day trips from Tokyo to see more cities/towns such as Nikko. Overall, I don’t have too many regrets about how I did this Japan trip. I had an amazing time with one of my closest friends from Wellesley and learned a ton about Japanese food and culture.

General Tips

These general tips apply to a visit Japan even though you don’t follow the same itinerary as I did above.

1) Japan Rail Pass

If you’re planning to travel to more than one city in Japan, I highly recommend getting the Japan Rail Pass. It allows you unlimited travel on the JR Lines, Buses, and Shinkansens. My round trip shinkansen/bullet train to/from Tokyo and Hiroshima was enough to cover the cost of my 7-day pass. Pretty much you order a voucher online (I used https://www.jrpass.com/ and bought it one week before leaving and it arrived 4 days prior to my departure date. I recommend ordering it early just in case!) You can only buy it outside of Japan (there is an option to buy inside Japan, but online felt easier). Once you receive the voucher and arrive in Japan, you bring it to a place where you can exchange the voucher for the JR Pass. You pick a date to start and then the countdown starts. There is an option of 7-days, 14-days. I did 7 days because I spent most of my time in Tokyo. In hindsight, I could have done day trips from Tokyo. All else aside, it’s super easy to use, you just show it at the gate ticket office and walk through. You can make reservations for shinkansens at specific offices which I recommend for long trips. There are unreserved cars, but not always.

2) Learn/Use some Japanese!

I thought that it was hard for people who never been to Japan before to get around without at least knowing some of the language. Things like “Where is XXX?” == “XXX wa doko desu ka?”. “Excuse me” == “Sumimasen”. “Thank you” == “doumo arigatou” This website was useful for remembering how to order food in Japanese.

3) Shopping is AMAZING in Tokyo

If you’re interested in learning more about the fashion in Tokyo, it’s insane. There are tons of department stores in and around Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Hara Juku (Takeshita Street). I just spent a few days walking from Shinjuku (check out the Shinjuku Gyoen/Park) through Hara Juku all the way to Shibuya. I thought it was very walkable to explore this main area of Tokyo and rarely took the train/subway.

4) Traditional Japanese Food is super cheap

You can find a lot of Japanese food such as sushi, soba, udon, ramen, dumplings, okonomiyaki, etc. for 200-800 yen which is less than $2 - $8. The dollar is stronger than the yen right now which makes shopping/buying/visiting Japan that much more appealing. 500 yen == less than $5.

5) Try Western food

I love Japan’s take on western food. It’s easy to find places that serve Italian and French food - things like pasta, pizza, pastries, etc. I really enjoy Japanese pasta. It’s much lighter, less cheesy than the US’ take on Italian food. You can also find McDonald’s in Japan and try items you wouldn’t find in the states.

6) Convenience Stores - Foreign ATMs

When you want to withdraw Japanese yen, I highly recommend keeping an eye out for 7/11s. They are pretty much EVERYWHERE, so you won’t have trouble finding them at all. They are super convenient for withdrawing cash. So insert your card and they will give you the option to use English. Overall, I say cash is highly recommended and is the most preferable form of payment. Major department stores/certain places would allow for credit cards, but cash is simply easier.

7) Vending Machines

These things are everywhere in Japan! You’re not going to be thirsty in Japan. It has a wide range of drink options such as flavored water, tea, coffee, both hot and cold. I recommend trying it out and you’d wish they were everywhere in the states.

8) Sim Cards

I thought it was super useful to get a sim card when I was there because wi-fi wasn’t always available and I had a chance of getting lost. I was traveling by myself too, so I felt like I needed the connection. There are some places that have free wi-fi but I never seemed to get it to work. I should have bought my sim card at the airport (I arrived in Narita), but I ended up waiting until I was in Tokyo and bought it at a BIC Camera store for ~$24 for 1 GB / One Month. I almost used all of it and it’s pretty sufficient for short travel. Make sure you bring an unlocked phone or at least a paper clip to unlock your phone.

Google Maps works pretty well in Japan!

9) Coin Lockers

Coin lockers are one of the most useful things in Japan. When you’ve checked out of your Airbnb or Hotel and you’re traveling to a new destination where you don’t have a place to store your luggage, you can simply use a coin locker which is available in nearly every major train station. This was so helpful because I didn’t have to carry my huge backpacking bag around when I was exploring a city for the day.

10) Gifts/Souvenirs aka Omiyage

Omiyage is huge in Japan. Most Japanese people travel within and around Japan rather than out of the country. Hence when you visit new cities in Japan, you will always notice the huge selection of “gifts” you could buy in train stations. These are cute snacks which are local to the city/town, targets the specific season, e.g. Fall/Autumn, or a specific holiday. Most allow you to try before you buy and you’re more inclined to buy them.

After traveling in Japan for a week, I believe my taste buds were desensitized to regular sweetness of American candy. When I tried Japanese candy it tasted amazing and I brought it back to share with friends. The candy did not taste as good as when I first tried it. So I’m attributing it to the differences in the environment at the time. Make sure to try it before you buy! They are absolutely cute to bring back and share with friends though. Another thing to consider is that they expire quickly, so if you’re doing a long backpacking trip, it may not be worth trying to bring back.

The End

Wrapping up this post as I’ve gone on way too long. Let me know what you think and I hope this is informative for your future trip to Japan! The Japanese government is making huge strides in increasing tourism and spurring economic activity. E.g. when shopping in Japan, you can have taxes reimbursed when you spend over a specific threshold, so make sure to carry your passport around; they are trying to install and provide free wi-fi everywhere (wasn’t the case before and is much more common in other parts of Asia); and they have weakened the yen against the dollar as I mentioned earlier.

I’m sure I’m leaving something out as there is so much to cover - please reach out if you’re going to Japan and want to bounce ideas with someone. I would LOVE to return to Japan during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, so hit me up if you want to travel together. ;)

Photo Credits to Evgeny Lazarenko via Unsplash