The Cherry Blossom Saga Continues...
Japan Part 2!
… and the solo adventure begins! I just loved this trip. Japan felt so unique and every place I visited was rich in history and culture. I will say it’s not a very social country so I found it hard to meet people as a solo traveler but I just embraced the independence and loved seeing it all on my own!
Exploring Japanese History and Heritage
On my first day of solo adventuring, I took a train to Nara, an ancient capital of Japan that is rich in tradition. The city has become famous for its deer park where you can feed and interact with hundreds of wild but tame deer that roam around acres of green space. I know my dad would think it was the most ridiculous thing ever but I loved walking around and seeing the deer up close!
Nara is also famous for its mochi. One of the sweets shops even has a mochi demonstration where you can watch how the mochi dough is pounded and formed into the soft red bean-stuffed pillows. I also visited some of the city’s temples and shrines before catching a train to Kyoto for the night.
I started the next day in Kyoto with an iced matcha, of course, and then went temple/shrine-hopping! I stuck mostly to the Higashiyama Ward which is one of the best-preserved historical districts in the city.
Before leaving the Higashiyama Ward, I also visited the Studio Ghibli store to say hello to Totoro! Then I was off to lunch at the Nishiki market which is over 400 years old and houses every sort of Japanese food one could want. I got some delicious udon noodles and then walked to the Kyoto Imperial Palace where I explored the gorgeous grounds and gardens before touring the palace. It was so interesting to learn about the customs of Japanese high society.
To finish off the day I went to a local onsen which is a public Japanese bath house and hot spring. I was a bit nervous because you have to strip down to your birthday suit before soaking next to strangers and I was the only foreigner there, but I just followed everyone else and absolutely loved it. The warm water felt so good for my tired muscles! After I left the onsen, I caught an overnight bus to… Mt. Fuji!! A place that’s been on my bucket list for a long time. It was such a special experience to step off the bus and just gaze up at the massive mountain in front of me.
Mt. Fuji
The real bucket list item is climbing Mt. Fuji, but it’s unfortunately closed until June or July because of avalanche risk so I guess I’ll just have to come back! I did, however, get to do a bunch of hiking nearby which was awesome because all the views were of the mountain and it never got old. While I was in Fujiyoshida, I also spent a day cycling around the lakes that surround Mt. Fuji which was so magical. I got lucky enough to catch the annual cherry blossom festival where they had blooms of all different shades of pink!
Off to the Big City
My last destination in Japan was Tokyo! It is a hugely intimidating city and my 2 days there were quite a blur. It’s a very expensive place so I decided to try couchsurfing while I was there to save money on accommodation. If you haven’t heard of it, couchsurfing is an online platform that connects travelers with trusted local hosts. I stayed with this very nice guy named Naoya and although I was quite crammed in his tiny city apartment, I got to learn a lot more about Japanese culture and history by staying with him which was awesome!
As far as the actual city, my explorations took me first to Shibuya which is home to the chaotic Shibuya scramble where thousands of people descend on a singular intersection every time the green walk sign lights up, and the Meiji shrine, a famous shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife with the largest wooden torii gate in Japan!
I had to check out the infamous Takeshima Street, lined with wacky clothing and food stalls and the surrounding Jingumae shopping district with every type of store imaginable. To escape the chaos of the city for a bit, I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden which was absolutely gorgeous.
The next day, I was feeling a bit sick and extremely tired so I decided to visit the Japanese National Museum for a slower pace and it was so interesting! They had exhibits on Japanese art, tea ceremonies, samurai warriors, religion and archeology. I spent most of the day there and then had one last meal of sushi before heading to my airport hotel for an early flight the next morning.
Eats of the Week
I admittedly forgot to take photos of most of my meals during this half of my trip, probably because I was too excited to eat them. With Noaya, my host in Tokyo, I tried an interesting assortment of chicken heart, soft bird bones, and gizzard which I surprisingly didn’t hate. Otherwise, my meals were much less adventurous. I had a lot of udon noodles, and even a bowl of ramen that I ordered from a vending machine which are common at noodle restaurants! Some of my favorite snacks were onigiri (I think I had at least one a day), ichigo daifuku which is a type of mochi topped with a strawberry, and melonpan.
Japan on Film
I just got back a roll of film I shot in Japan and it was my fist roll shot on my new fancy film camera. I was a little nervous because I’m still learning to use it but I think they turned out alright!
“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home” — Matsuo Basho