When I planned my trip to Yamanashi in February, I saw an opportunity to combine that with a short vacation with my friend Lanny as we always wanted to travel together and Japan is one of our top must-visit places. She was immediately excited but the timeframe did not match up with her schedule. We also asked Tinh and together we were committed to go to Japan together, but just not in February. In the end, after the culture program in Yamanashi, I flew back to Vietnam. And here I am, for my third time in Japan – not gonna lie I did not think I’d be visiting the same country that many times. Up until now, I always travelled with the background of being a student. Finally, this time, everything was different.
To optimally utilize the JR Rail pass, which would allow us to use any JR trains in the allotted time, including the shinkansen, we calculated and aligned our vacation days beforehand. We meticulously calculated 20 days for staying in Japan, but would only purchase a two-week JR Pass as the remaining days we would stay and explore Tokyo. As a result, we planned it in such a way, that we would all arrive and depart in Tokyo, but I would arrive some days ahead of schedule and we would all catch up in Kyoto.
ARRIVAL AND KANAZAWA 07-09
I took an overnight flight, that took off around 11 PM and was scheduled to land at approximately 6 AM. The flight with VietJet was very uncomfortable and loud, but luckily my noise cancelling headphones did their job quite good enough, which made sleeping and resting somewhat bearable. Arriving at the Narita Airport, first thing to do was to redeem my Rail pass at the ticket counter. The obvious second thing to do, was to get a mayo salmon Onigiri. Lastly, I just conveniently hopped into a Shinkansen to Kanazawa. Here I would meet up with my childhood and soon-to-be doctor “currently-undertaking-an-internship-in-Japan” friend Tamara.
I arrived around noon in Kanazawa, where my friend already awaited me. After an excited 2-minute hopping in circles, we swiftly went to my hostel to unload my luggage. Afterwards, I finally got my first bowl of Ramen and we used the remaining day to stroll around town and catch up. For the next day, we had a reservation at a teahouse at Higashi Chaya district, were we booked a traditional tea ceremony. In our ignorance we did not exactly know, what kind of tea we were served but were than explained that what we drank was Koicha.
Fun Fact: Matcha – Koicha & Usucha
Matcha can be prepared in two ways, Koicha and Usucha. The main difference is the amount of water added to the matcha powder. Usucha is prepared with more water and is what you would imagine under a matcha tea. Koicha on the other hand is prepared with very little water, therefore has high viscosity and a very intense flavor. Only then can you actually appreciate the diverse nature of the matcha tea, which is why only the high quality matcha is used to make koicha. (match-karu)
In the afternoon we walked around Kanazawa castle and enjoyed the weather. One might notice, that there are a lot of souvenir shops with a gold centered theme. If you know Japanese domestic Omiyage culture, then you would suspect, that there is some meaning to it.
Fun Fact: Origin of the name Kanazawa 金沢
The Kanjis for Kanazawa (金沢) mean something like marsh of gold. The story goes, that a peasant was digging for potatoes and had to wash them off in a well called Kinjo Reitaku (city.kanazawa.jp). Unbeknownst to him, what he had to annoyingly wash off was gold particles, until the daughter of a rich man who was told by a prophecy to marry him, told him otherwise. The name also reflects the city’s connection to both wealth (gold) and the geographical features of the area (marsh). Today it “produces 99% of Japan’s high-quality gold leaf.” and is famous for its craftsmanship and lacquerware (wikipedia)
Funny enough in these 2 days in Kanazawa, we almost worked through the list of all the typical Japanese cliches. Besides drinking high quality green tea, eating Ramen and strolling through a castle, we also saw cherry blossoms, sang karaoke, competed in an arcade, went izakaya (by accident) and ate eel on rice.
Well now that that is completed, let the actual travel begin.
KYOTO MEETUP & SPEED RUNNING SIGHTS 09-12
At noon I slowly departed from Kanazawa to go to Kyoto, where I would wait for Lanny and Tinh. Again, after some hopping in circles, we (they) decided to go for their first shopping spree – straight to a Bic Camera to get skin care products.
We spent the rest of the day around the Higashiyama area, since our hotel was nearby and closed the day with a fabulous picture of the three of us at the Tokiwa Shinden. It was so fabulous, that we later decided on closing all of our days with at least a picture of the three of us, which sounds very romantic but turned out quite stressful but in a funny kind of way.
The next day, we met up for lunch with Leon, a friend from my Japanese language class who is currently doing an exchange semester at the Kyoto University. Afterwards our plan led us to Nara to see some deer and Todaiji Temple. Interestingly, compared to the pre-COVID era, the deer no longer seem as widespread and approachable anymore.
Fun Fact: Todai-ji Temple
The Todaiji wooden temple houses one of Japan’s largest bronze Buddha statue, with a size of 15m (japan-guide).
As for the second day, we first went to see the golden pavilion kinkaku-ji, which is conveniently near the Arashiyama area with its famous bamboo forest. On our way home, we unexpectedly encountered the rush hour and experienced the typically crowded Japanese trains. I had hoped to be able to see some more locations, but we had to finish the day early, in preparation for an early morning hike up Fushimi Inari the following day, before proceeding to our next destination, Fukushima.
We began our day at 5 AM and reached the first Torii gate of Fushimi Inari by 5:40 AM. And obviously, I kid you not, people were already present at the area. This time, a bit more prepared than in 2019, we brought along small Onigiri snacks and water – a necessity as we are not as young as we used to be to just power hike a 233 m tall mountain for 3 hours straight up in the morning. By noon, we had checked out of our accommodation and visited the Nishiki Market. There, I unexpectedly met a former colleague who was also in Kyoto. We keep in touch on Instagram, so it wasn’t a complete random encounter, but meeting in Kyoto was certainly unplanned. Finally, in the afternoon, we picked up some bentos and made our way to the far west – Fukushima.
FUKUSHIMA 12-13
Originally, we picked Fukushima because we wanted to see a side of Japan that wasn’t just the famous cities everyone talks about. With our JR Pass in hand, it seemed like a waste not to explore as much as we could. Turns out, this was a great call. Our schedule in Kyoto ended up being packed, so Fukushima (and later Hiroshima) gave us a nice break from all the hustle and buzzle of the big cities.
We left for Fukushima around noon and got there by 5 PM. At the main station we saw an interesting restaurant with a moderately big queue offering hot pot & barbecue. And you know, what they say about establishments with moderately long queues. So, we unloaded our backpacks at our hostel, which was more like an Airbnb for 5 people and went back for dinner. To finish the day, we went for Karaoke, grabbed some snacks at the nearby convenience store and fell asleep early.
The next day, well rested and full of energy, we boosted our already maxed out and restored stamina with some collagen from the convenience store and headed to the local fish market. At first glance, some stalls might not catch the eye of an unseasoned tourist, but a closer look revealed a selection of high-quality fresh fish. We ordered multiple different kind of seafood including various cuts of tuna. I’d say the price tag, although quite high (between 20 and 60 €) was appropriate and despite the deceivingly small size of the bowl, it left us thoroughly full. Our afternoon was spent leisurely walking through Ohori Park, enjoying the greenery and the pond with a path that cuts right through it. We finished our day early and again headed to the nearby convenience store for multiple discounted bentos before preparing for the departure to Hiroshima on the next day.
Fukushima ended up being the perfect place for us to catch our breath, offering a chill, slice-of-life experience away from the FOMO on sightseeing.
HIROSHIMA 14-15
Even though we weren’t set to leave Fukushima for Hiroshima until about 1 AM, we kicked off our day bright and early. Our morning was spent visiting the local Todoji Temple, and experiencing one of the few days I vividly recall being somewhat annoyed by the rain. We got lunch in a small restaurant, grabbed some mandatory bentos and after two-hour Shinkansen ride, we arrived in Hiroshima in the early afternoon.
In Hiroshima, we opted for a hotel a bit away from the heart of the city. After dropping off our bags, our journey led us to Ebisu Dori Shopping Street. It is well known, that Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki is different than Osaka style Okonomiyaki, which we definitely wanted to verify firsthand. We ended up in a very small restaurant no larger than 5×5 meters, with seating for barely 10 guests. The kitchen, taking center stage in this cozy space, left room for guests to sit closely around it on two sides, just like a bar seating. The compact space meant that we were sitting right in front of the cooking action and very close to other guests, which were more than eager to engage in conversations with us. A truly secret spot.
Fun Fact: Hiroshima vs Osaka – style Okonomiyaki
The term “okonomiyaki” merges “okonomi” (お好み), meaning “whatever you like,” with “yaki” (焼き), translating to “grilled”—essentially, a blend of chosen ingredients. While the specific ingredients can differ by region, the key distinction between Hiroshima and Osaka style lies in the preparation: Osaka’s version mixes all ingredients together, whereas Hiroshima’s approach layers each ingredient, creating a stacked ensemble (japan-travel).
The following day began with an energetic start at the arcade, followed by lunch at Ichiran. This famous Japanese restaurant chain offers a unique dining experience with individual booths, enabling guests to enjoy their Ramen in solitude, free from any social interaction. This choice did not reflect on our group’s current dynamics but it was rather just something we wanted to try out. Despite the lingering rain, our afternoon took us to Hiroshima Castle, and as the sun set, we strolled through the Nakajima district. Once a thriving area, it found itself almost directly beneath the atomic bomb’s detonation on August 6, 1945, which exploded about 600 meters above the ground. Remarkably, the ruins of a dome, situated merely 150 meters from the blast’s epicenter, still stand today as a solemn peace memorial. The surrounding area has been transformed into a park adorned with various statues, paying homage to the lives lost. Before calling it a day, we made a quick stop at the nearby convenience store and decided to end the evening together with a card game. This proved to be a very comforting ritual, which we then continued on for the rest of our journey.
Osaka 16-19
Before our departure to Osaka, we naturally organized some bentos for our train ride. For me the choice was clear as that particular day and I selected a Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki Bento. Our accommodation in Osaka was located in the Shinsekai area, so we spent the remaining day in discovering all the small local food shops and tourist traps. There was a small street stand which at first sight didn’t look like much. However, the oner and other guests heartfully invited us to stay and grab some fried skewers and a drink (at 2PM). We are natural yes sayers and in hindsight did not regret this decision. Everyone was easy going and the language barrier was broken with gestures, small phrases here and there and of course the mutual appreciation of alcohol.
The following day took on a more cultural tone as we visited the Cup Noodle Museum and the famous Osaka Aquarium. Later in the afternoon, we made our way to Dotonbori, finding it as bustling and crowded as one might expect on a Monday evening. Here we managed to get some street food as well as the contrasting Osaka style Okonomiyaki.
Fun Fact cup noodles
In the aftermath of World War II, amidst Japan’s severe food shortages, Momofuku Ando was inspired to invent a food that was easy to prepare and nutritious. Observing his wife deep-fry chicken, Ando realized that frying could dehydrate the noodles, allowing them to be quickly rehydrated with hot water. This insight led to the creation of the world’s first instant noodles. Later, inspired by Americans eating ramen from cups, Ando innovated further by developing Cup Noodles in 1971, packaging the instant noodles in a cup for added convenience.
For our third day in Osaka, we slowly increased daily ambitions again. After a very affordable but satisfying Teishoku, we managed to get to the Osaka castle just to “discover”, that it is only open until 4 PM. We decided to not rush things and explored the surrounding area instead. For our culinary highlight in Osaka, next to the Okonomiyaki, we chose Omakase. And as luck wanted, there was also one restaurant offering Omakase conveniently located next to the Umeda Sky Building which we were eager to visit anyway. The Omakase experience was good and the chief very hospitable. However, I wouldn’t be able to recall any of the 10 selections of sushi, much less picking a favorite one, is beyond my nonexistent foodie brain. The Umeda Sky Building, with its open-air rooftop, was a highlight. It’s spacious, allowing for plenty of movement, and features what appears to be a romantic spot where couples can leave a lock with their initials. We spent considerable time at the rooftop, reflecting on our journey thus far, our privilege on being able to do as we want and were looking for many more journeys to come.
On our final day we took it slow and easy and explored the anime area at Nipponbashi Denden town. In the evening, we had a date with a very friendly Japanese office worker who I came to know through the language learning app tandem. Despite our modest grasp of English and Japanese, we found common ground during a heartfelt Izakaya session in Shinsekai. He explained, that he is actually from Yokohama but was transferred to Osaka, and although he lives alone, he makes efforts to regularly visit his children. Despite the circumstances, and the presumably harsh Japanese work culture, he seemed very open minded and welcoming, which made for an enriching cultural exchange.
And this concludes our Osaka arc – next station Shibuya station 😊
TOKYO 20-26
We reached Tokyo in the late afternoon and settled into our temporary accomodiation—staying just one night due to a planning oversight. In Tokyo we switched things up a little bit, as we had different focus of interests and agreed to a more “do whatever you like” kind of planning approach. So, the first evening we went out to Korea town in Shinjuku and enjoyed very very spicy food next to a lot of Soju. On our way home we spontaneously decided to swing some bats in an indoor baseball batting cage – a quite unique experience, because of baseball’s immense popularity in Japan.
The following day was spent locating our actual accommodation, which, to our surprise, was much smaller than anticipated. After some consideration, we agreed to move to a different place that offered more room, especially important as we needed space to organize and pack our soon to be bought souvenirs. In the evening, we met up with Tarou and Sui, friends I had made during my time in Yamanashi. Back then, they were students, but they’ve since become part of the Japanese workforce. Together, we went Izakaya hopping in Nakano, reminiscing about everything we had encountered, from cultural insights and sightseeing highlights to the variety of food we’d enjoyed. Parting ways with a heartfelt “Sayonara” was difficult, but we eventually managed.
With hopes of slightly enhancing my Japanese skills, I arranged to meet Tram separately, a Vietnamese expat working in Japan, whom I connected with via Tandem. Later that evening, I joined Lanny and Tinh in Akihabara, and we dived into the heart of the anime district. Lanny and Tinh were also eager to win a plushie at one of those wobbly looking crane machines and … they actually did it! Encouraged by our fruitful and efficient day, we planned the next one in a similar spirit. I attended a meet-up event the following day, aiming to interact with as many locals as possible. In the evening, we rendezvoused at the Metropolitan Government Building with Huyen another friend from Germany who was also visiting Tokyo. We were all kind of hyped to see each other in such a distant land and ended up in the same Korean restaurant as before, with the difference, that this time we were 4 people and definitely did drink more Soju than the first day. Still half drunk, on our way home we spontaneously decided to round off the night with another visit to the arcade.
With our second-to-last day in Japan upon us, it was time to tackle the task of souvenir shopping—focusing on candies, chocolates, and skincare products. Our original strategy was to arrive in Japan with empty suitcases, buy one there, and fill it with products to take home. Though I have been diligently buying local Omiyages at each city stop, today we would commence operation get as many stuff as possible from Don Quixote. While in Tokyo, we seized the opportunity to explore the TeamLab museum, though only TeamLab Planets was open during our visit. Despite the hype set by social media, our own experience felt less impactful, likely due to the overstimulation from our previous adventures. However, it remained a noteworthy and essential part of our itinerary, and we were certainly not devoid of fascination.
On our final day, Lanny and Tinh headed off for some last-minute shopping at Uniqlo, while I caught up with Max, a German friend from my Japanese language classes. We shared a lunch at Keio University, where he was attending as an exchange student, and where I also had previously studied as one. Close to the Mita campus lies a (now not so) secret spot offering a unique view of Tokyo Tower. Despite finding a queue of around 15 people, likely tipped off by social media, we still made the most of our reunion, quickly snapped our photo, and then said our goodbyes. I caught up with Lanny and Tinh and we together we went to the Tokyo Pokemon Center, made a final stop in Akihabara and enjoyed a last quite stroll around the Ueno are.
And that’s about it. Clearly worn out from… well, everything, we woke up the next day with a sense of closure and made our way to the airport together. Although we have been through a lot with the occasional sleep deprivation over consecutive days, we had such an amazing time with loads of shared memories, inside jokes and bonding. I’m incredibly grateful for such patient and enthusiastic travel buddies. While the two of them would go back to Dresden, my adventure was still about to start in Vietnam.
