My trip report from a 2 week getaway to make my dreams come true earlier this year! I have been asking my family to take me to Japan for 13 years and I saved money for 2 years to go for my 25th birthday. Japan completely blew my mind. It’s been over 2 months since I’ve been back and I look at photos everyday to make sure it wasn’t all a dream. I miss it everyday! If you don’t read further I’ll tell you one tip: ditch your itinerary! I’m a “plan it by the minute” person and it has worked out great for me everywhere but Japan is the only place I’ve ever been to where I truly mean it. I booked 6 things in 2 weeks and felt like it was way too much. I ended up wanting to explore every single day without any guidance. Every corner is an adventure, a new sensation, a temple, a building with insane architect… basically every inch of Japan is going to entice you and having to run to a booking was just a buzz kill at times when you just want to continue frolicking and getting lost in the streets of Japan to find your own special gems. My favorite thing I did in Japan was Universal Studios and the Onsens. My favorite city was Tokyo! Spend lots of time in Tokyo if you come. The only thing I would do differently is travel less. 2 cities for a 2 week trip + 1-2 day trips is ideal! Anything more than that will kill you mentally, physically, emotionally. Don’t do it. Ok here it goes:
MARCH 24 SUN
– NEver I repeat: EVER take air Canada. Worst airline ever! We flew from Miami to Toronto and then to Tokyo and the layover in Toronto was delayed by 7 hours. The delay was worst than the 13 hour flight. We missed an entire half day in Tokyo 🙁 the food was delicious on the plane tho can’t even lie.
MARCH 25 MON
– I arrived to Tokyo @ 11:30pm and immediately got so lost on the train. I was so jet lagged I told the airport security “gracias” after he gave me directions. I never figured out the train system I got lost everyday and sometimes I got lost by like 3 hours it was so bad. Yes I used google maps but On my behalf, I have taken public transportation about 5 times in my life.
– I arrive in shinjuku station and panic when I can’t find the exit 🙂 it took me so long I had to end up calling a taxi. We noticed our driver was exceptionally polished with a perfect suit and when he dropped us off at our airbnb in Shimokitazawa at around 1am this man got out and did a 90 degree bow. My mouth dropped I am from Miami and if someone is that nice here you wonder if they have bad intentions. Like basically people here are dicks. You hear about it but to actually experience the level of respect Japanese people have for complete strangers is the greatest thing I’ve ever witnessed. It has completely changed the way I view my world.
– it was 1:30AM after we settled and we walked around looking for a bar. We had yakitori and $1 beers the size of my head. Here is when we realized we’re stupid for thinking most people in Japan spoke some English. No one in this bar spoke English and we had the most embarassing interaction ever and downloaded google translate immediately.
– we tried ending the night at 7-11 but got overwhelmed and just bought all the one piece manga.
MARCH 26 TUES
– We ran out the bar at 3:30am because we actually had a tour at Toyosu at 4am so we didn’t sleep at all first night 🙂 I was filled with regret of not taking a nap but surprisingly not tired at all from adrenaline of being in Japan. The airbnb tour showed us and explained the tuna auction. It felt surreal, all the YouTube videos you watch of a place to finally be in it. The guide then takes you to Tsukiji Market which was a nightmare of a place. You got to spend 45 minutes here but it was so crowded and seemed pricey, long lines and I think we just got overwhelmed when mid chaos we see a temple and hide there whole time. I did try a daifuku and tamago on a stick which was delicious. Then the tour ends at the guides restaurant with an Omakase. It was insane! we ate the strangest things, some really delicious things. First meal of the trip done right!
– this is where I decided to throw my itinerary in the trash. I had the whole day planned but it was pouring so we decided to go to a mall. The nearest mall was in Ginza and I would’ve never found my dream mall without ditching my old plans. I believe it was Ginza 6 and there was small brands, big designers but all made themed stores and art installations. As a fashion student, it was so inspiring. Ginza was not on my plans but it was beautiful, way more than designer stores the architecture is next level.
– we walked around a few ore shops and went back to the airbnb where we took a nap at 4pm that lasted until the next morning
MARCH 27 WED
– woke up bright and early at 6am so we got ready and headed to Shinjuku Gyoen. There was really no cherry blossoms but it was still so beautiful! The air here felt so pure. We spent around 3 hours here.
– we had breakfast at McDonald’s which was delicious! Much better than the states!
– Our airbnb was in Shimokitazawa strategically so I could have an excuse to thrift everyday and never miss a find. We explored the area and hit up maybe 20 shops or more. We bought so many things, met so many fellow designers and it was just incredible. A store owner even let us do artwork on his walls with the loft markers we bought in Ginza. I also loved stayed here. It was very quiet at night and during the day but still had amazing bars and restaurants open late. It felt like we were home.
– dropped off our shopping bags at the airbnb and headed to akhibara around 6. Akhibara was everything I expected Japan to be. Probably my favorite place in the world. If you’re a noob you could easily spend 22 hours here. We awake from our anime figure trance by 9:30 and realized we hadn’t eaten anything so got pizza from Nahoga which was just ok.
MARCH 28 THURS
– on this day we were supposed to go to Fuji Q highland but we loved Akihabara so much and it was kind of gloomy so I asked my bf if he wanted to skip Fuji Q to go to Aki again today since we only spent 3 hours the day before and he happily agreed.
– we headed to asakusa but it was very crowded so we left in about 5 minutes. We did a quick walkthrough of the shops, got our fortunes and walked to Ueno park.
– we stopped at Dennys since once again, there was lines for most things but at Dennys we decided we would start making lines since at this point we had only eaten at American chains. The food was very different from the American version and actually SO delicious.
– Ueno park was one of my favorite parts of the trip. There was a festival of Sakura with live performances and they gave out free beer and ice cream. No cherry blossoms but we spent hours just walking around and exploring the many shrines in the park. I felt really at peace here. We also stumbled upon a flea market which was a vintage dream and I bought tons of jewelry.
– then we went to Akihabara again!! Around 4pm this time and again stayed until 9pm. We bought a bunch of things this time and took our time to explore every store and spent hours in AmiAmi.
– we made a 45 min line for Gyukatsu Ichi Ni San which was just ok. It was a little too fatty for me and my bf and made me feel kind of sick after.
– went back to the airbnb and had 7-11 ice cream and took a bubble bath.
MARCH 29 FRI
– we checked out of our airbnb and took a bullet train to Kyoto and then went to Nara to stay the night in a Ryokan. The mt Fuji part was sold out but we noticed a lot of the seats were empty so we just sat there and we saw mt Fuji! I started crying it was so beautiful I couldn’t believe it. Like wow I’m really in Japan living in 11 year old me’s tumblr.
– we went to a French bakery for breakfast and it was perfection. I was craving bread really bad!!
– we checked in around 6pm and went to explore Nara park at night until we got kicked out by a Japanese man. The deer were everywhere!! I was filled with giggles.
– on the way to the ryokan we stopped by a supermarket just browsing and bought some fruits and $3 sushi before closing time.
– we had dinner at our ryokan and enjoyed the onsens which were open 24 hours. I spent 3 hours in the onsen omg I sat there thinking about how if we all experienced an onsen there would be world peace. It was my favorite part of the entire trip. I would do anything to have an onsen in Miami. The onsens actually cured my depression like no joke I felt the exact moment I was healed and I haven’t felt those feelings since.
MARCH 30 SAT
– we woke up at 6am for an hour of onsen time before having breakfast at our ryokan and heading out to Nara park. We went to todaiji temple. I walked in and it is so grand, detailed that I walked in and just start sobbing. It was one of those things that feels so much greater than you that it breaks you down. It was crowded yet somehow so serene. We also went to Ksuga temple which was very empty and it felt like we were in a fairy tale. Then we went to isuen garden which was also empty and just so peaceful. This was my favorite day of the trip.
– we ended our stay in Nara by going to a sake brewery for a sake testing and By 2pm we were done with everything and on the way back to the ryokan we noticed the park got so full!! The deer were tired and didn’t want to eat so we recommend going before 1pm.
– we then headed to Osaka but we got so lost on the trains we got there 4 hours after we were supposed to. We tried eating Kobe beef but there was no reservations since we were so late. We walked around dotonbori but it was my worst nightmare. Coming from Nara which was so empty in the morning to Osaka was a big change and I almost passed out from the amount of lights and people it was very overwhelming so we just got ramen from the combini and ate it at our hotel.
– we went for yakitori and beers at around 10pm. We bar hopped a bit and ate some takoyaki which I wasn’t a huge fan of. People in Osaka were a lot more social than Tokyo. We met some locals at the bar and ended the night getting 7-11 highballs and drinking on the sidewalk. We got home at around 6:30am.
MARCH 31 SUN
– woke up at 9am for universal studios!! Got there by 10am and it was a sold out day at universal yet lines weren’t super long and we got to ride everything in the park. We stayed until closing. Sooo much bettter than the one in Orlando and all the food we ate was delicious. I was also super happy to ride the jaws ride again and finally go to Nintendo land. Also minion land was absolutely insane. I will say, I feel like I belong so heavy in Japan. They really embrace your inner child and it’s not seen as strange or like you’re too old to enjoy animations, bright lights, joyful sounds…
APRIL 1 MON
– my bf left and my best friend landed to meet up with me in Osaka. My bf’s flight back home was delayed by 12 hours with air Canada. we strolled around dotonbori again in the day which seemed much more empty than at night.
– we headed to kinosaki onsen and got there around 6pm just in time for the most incredible meal I’ve ever had in my life at our Ryokan.
– we went to an onsen nearby and then we had a private onsen booked in our ryokan before having dessert brought to our room and going to bed
APRIL 2 TUES
– woke up at 6am to go to another onsen before our ryokan breakfast
– we checked out and walked around kinosaki exploring the temple nearby while had 0 people and then we had onsen egg, yuzu cocktails, sakura ice cream and tajima beef buns which were one of the best things we are all trip. The tajima beef is so tender and naturally sweet
– we walked from our ryokan to the train station which is like a 20 minute walk but it turned into a 6 hour walk because there’s so much good food and shopping in kinosaki and we ate tajima beef anything we saw and had yuzu highballls at every shop and once we were a little drunk we started buying things at every shop we saw.
– we took a train to Kyoto and got there around 8pm and went to eat at Namaste Indian. Actually first time having Indian food and it was incredible highly recommend if you’re in Kyoto.
-we then got ready to go out in Gion and went to kitsune where the dj was playing carribean and Afro beats and we danced until 5am. These Japanese people may be quiet in the streets but they get the f**k down at the club.
APRIL 3 WED
– woke up at 8am but it was really rainy so we stayed in bed until 12 and decided to go to Fushimi-Inari which was a 7 minute walk from our hotel. It was like Tsukiji just a mess of umbrellas so we got a quick snack from the street vendors and headed back to the airbnb. The crowds in Fushimi were super overwhelming we were annoyed once again going from a small town with almost no people to such a crowded place got me irritated. We slept until 6:30 and then headed to Nijo castle for illuminations.
– Nijo castle was so beautiful and magical! The cherry blossoms were staring to bloom and there wasn’t too many people.
– we then went to Gion around 9:30 but everything was closed so we went back to the Fushimi area and went to ichiban which we stumbled upon but ended up having the best yakitori and chu-hi. The owner or employee was so nice and we talked all night through google translate and he told us arashiyama was very crowded so we decided to skip it for the next day. I hate crowds as you could tell lol
APRIL 4 THURS
– got up at 6am to climb fushiminari and made it to the top! A big dream of mine I cried a lot at the top
– we checked out our hotel and rented kimonos at Kyo Sakura
– we went around 12 to Fushimi jikkobune but it was sold out for the day but it was still beautiful
– we headed to Gion and walked around until 4:30 when we had miyako odori tickets.
– we left Gion asap after the show to return the kimonos and had dinner at dragon Burger
– we were still hungry so went back to ichiban to have some yakitori and chuhis and say bye to our favorite person in Kyoto (ichiban employee) who even walked us to the train station
– took the last train back to Tokyo and we got o lost we got to Tokyo at 1am and spent 45 min trying to figure out a way out of Tokyo station
APRIL 5 FRI
– woke up and headed to harajuku takeshita street. We had a lot of plans but ended up spending 7 hours in Takeshita street somehow and only made it halfway down before we had to leave. I really wanted to see the side streets but shopping got the best of us. I got some of the most insane vintage designer pieces here for so cheap.
– we ran to our reservations at 7pm for shibuya sky which was incredible. We spent 2 hours here.
– we had dinner at Uobei Sushi which was amazing. My friend had trouble with the iPad and ordered like 4 bottles of sake for 2 of us so that was fun!
– then we headed to shinjuku and went to Kabukicho tower but it was empty so we ended up at a strip club where we got scammed but had fun. Made it back home by 5am
APRIL 6 SAT l
– got up super hungover to take a Cooking Class i booked for 10am went to mister donut after which was fire and did some beauty shopping in shinjuku
– stopped by a grocery store for more fruits (Japanese strawberries are the best)
– took a quick nap at the hotel and headed out for teamlab borderless at 7pm. I absolutely loved it! Spent 2 hours here.
– then walked around nakameguro and had Okonomiyaki and the best beer I’ve ever had at Teppan Bal Source.
– Then we went back to roppongi and went to ibex hip hop club until 7am which was so fun. We got incredibly plastered on this night I had to nearly beat up my friend to wake her up for Disney in the morning. JAPAN KNOWS HOW TO PARTY! Even better than Miami.
– ended the night with some Wendy’s for breakfast which was vile and disgusting. The only thing I could say america wins.
APRIL 7 SUN
-woke up at 9am to go to disneysea! Breathtaking park and the food was so good. We stayed until closing time and we were exhausted and just went to sleep after without dinner
APRIL 8 MON
-visited Nippori Fabric Town and wish I could’ve spent a whole day here it was my playground so many fabrics in tomato, beautiful prints and great prices
– went to donki and was only supposed to go for 30 min but ended up spending 2 hours there and almost missed my flight
– had creme brûlée sweet potato that was orgasmic at imo pipi and took a taxi back to the airport
– the end 🙂
by peachzncreamz