Konnichiwa (Hi)! I’m back from Japan and finally ready to share the overdue rundown of the trip. This will likely be my final blog, which is wild to say. It’s my last week here, and with packing and cramming in final activities, it’s time to reflect. So, without further ado: Japan.

Japan: Travel and Arrival
Me, Ariana, Maddie, Stella, and Owen all headed out to Japan on Wednesday after work for a five-day trip. Unfortunately, the four of us girls didn’t book a direct flight and had a five-hour layover in Kuala Lumpur. That layover felt like a fever dream—we did our best to sleep, I alternated between the floor and a massage chair. It wasn’t ideal, but doing it with the gang made it more bearable. Eventually, we boarded our five-hour flight to Osaka. I slept through most of it, but it definitely made me start to dread the 15 hour flight to San Francisco even more.

Due to the layover delay, we arrived later than planned on Thursday. Customs and immigration were insane. If you’re ever traveling to Japan, complete the QR code form ahead of time. The airport was packed, and while I was excited to see the organized Japanese queuing culture, most tourists weren’t following it at all. After two hours of shuffling through the chaos, we made it out—only to face another challenge: getting to our Airbnb.

As someone from New Jersey, I know an outrageous Uber price when I see one, and $200 from the airport to the Airbnb definitely qualified. So, we took public transportation instead. Huge props to Ariana and Stella for navigating us through that journey, because I was basically non-functional from exhaustion and hunger. We had to buy physical train tickets, selecting our destination station from a machine, but eventually we made it.

We met up with Owen for dinner around 5:30 p.m. and let ourselves wander in search of something good. That’s when I spotted a sign that read “chicken and alcohol.” Ariana, a known chicken lover, practically sprinted inside. The menu was true to its name: chicken in every form and lots of alcohol. I had chicken on a skewer and it was delicious. It was a tiny hole-in-the-wall spot, and we were the only ones there for a while. One note for future diners—take off your shoes when sitting in elevated booths. We learned that the hard way.

7-Eleven quickly became our best friend in Japan. At home, you barely notice them, but abroad, they felt oddly comforting. We stopped in almost every one we passed. Stella introduced us to waffle ice cream sandwiches, which were the perfect sweet treat to wrap up the night. And that was just day one!

Japan: Osaka Day One
Our first full day in Osaka started early—no rest for the weary. We walked about 25 minutes to Owen’s neighborhood for breakfast, which came in a set with orange juice, eggs, ham, two slices of French toast, and a side salad (a consistent breakfast theme in Japan). Then came the start of our shopping spree.

We wandered around Osaka for hours, exploring every type of shop imaginable: touristy souvenir spots, high-end stores like Tiffany’s, and uniquely Japanese places like Don Quijote (where I definitely did some damage). We also saw the iconic Glico Running Man sign, which has been lighting up the city for over 80 years.

Dinner was at another cozy side-street restaurant, and it ended up being one of my favorite meals ever. I’m not a big red meat eater, but the wagyu beef we had there was absolutely mind-blowing. I finally understand why people rave about Japanese beef. I was caught between wanting to savor every bite and dreading the moment it would be gone. It was unreal.

Japan: Kyoto
We took the train early in the morning for a day trip to Kyoto. Another round of navigating train ticket machines, but we got there! Breakfast was another beautiful set—tea, an egg, ham, fluffy pancakes, yogurt, and of course, a side salad. Japan really knows how to do breakfast.

Kyoto ended up being my favorite day. It had a quieter, more traditional vibe, and I loved getting to explore temples and experience the cultural side of Japan more deeply. I also had some fantastic matcha—Kyoto is known as the matcha capital of the world, and it lived up to the hype.

Walking through the old streets, popping in and out of shops, and visiting temples made me reflect on language. While most people spoke great English, a lot of the signs and historical descriptions were in Japanese. I used a translation app, but it really made me realize how much language shapes my understanding. It’s one thing to admire a temple, but it’s another to understand how, for example, an emperor once prayed there. That context adds so much meaning.

Japan: Tokyo
After some convincing, the whole group agreed to go to Tokyo, and we traveled in style—on the bullet train! We got first-class seats and it was a surreal experience. The train moved at around 147 mph, and I could still get up and walk around. Seeing Mt. Fuji through the window was breathtaking. It didn’t even look real.

In Tokyo, we met up with Jonah, John, and Aleksa. It was a fun crossover, and we spent most of the day walking, exploring, and shopping. Sadly, my Apple Watch broke right before the trip, so I couldn’t track my step count—but I’ve never walked so much in my life.

Tokyo was definitely interesting, though it wasn’t quite as flashy or futuristic as I’d expected. There were some areas that felt very “Tokyo,” but overall it reminded me a lot of other big cities. That said, walking through Shibuya Crossing—the busiest intersection in the world—was definitely something I’m glad we did. We also started the day at a massive fish market with so many unique options, and everything we tasted was amazing.

I know I barely scratched the surface, and I’d love to come back someday to explore even more.

Japan: Final Day Back to Osaka
On our last day, Stella and Maddie were brave and left the Airbnb at 6:30 a.m. to head back to Kyoto. Ariana, Owen, and I stayed in Osaka and explored a bit more. We strolled through the city and visited some thrift shops.

One of the wildest moments of the trip happened that afternoon. We heard music coming from down the street and followed it to find a girl group performing live on the sidewalk. The crowd was mostly men, and they were fully dancing and singing along. It was one of those moments where we all just stood there in awe—it was amazing and completely unexpected.

The trip back to Singapore was much smoother thanks to the direct flight. Japan was the perfect final adventure before I have head home at the end of this week.

Miscellaneous
A few quick things I have to mention about Japan: First, I wasn’t sure how I felt at first, but heated toilets? Absolutely yes. Total game changer. Japan knows what it’s doing when it comes to bathroom tech. Also, the queuing etiquette was next-level. The way everyone lined up to board trains or buses made my slightly OCD brain very happy.

That said, Japan’s public transportation system was definitely more confusing than Singapore’s—so on that front, Singapore takes the win for best public transportation system. Also, someone needs to add more garbage cans. I get the cultural emphasis on cleanliness, but having to carry around my trash all day was not the vibe.

Even so, I saw so much more than I ever expected and got to explore a country I never really imagined visiting. If I go back, there’s a lot still on the list: eat proper ramen, a head spa, and probably another visit to Don Quijote.

Final Thoughts
That’s all, folks! Arigato for reading and being part of this journey. If I could do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. This experience has taught me so much—about myself, about the world, and about the value of saying yes to new experiences.

I’m so grateful for the people I shared this with and for the memories we made. I’m excited to see my family and friends back home, but I know I’ll be talking about this trip nonstop. It’s become such a core part of who I am now. I’ll never stop feeling lucky to have had the opportunity to see and immerse myself into so many countries and cultures.

Next stop: Back home!

Cheers,
Alexa