After years of talking about it, Noel and I finally made it to Japan! Woohoo!
Expectation, Preparation, and The Outcome:
WeatherWe knew since the planning stage we weren't getting the fall scenery for the week we were in Japan; however, we were expecting the weather to have cooled down a little. I was naively anticipating a temperature of around 20+ degree Celsius.
To our dismay, Japan's intense summer heat was far from over throughout our time there. We were constantly exhausted from the heat. On top of that, we were smelly, sweaty, and sticky all the time. I believe I irked a few locals during the train rides because of my relatively strong body odor. Sorry!
Clothes
Noel and I each bought a jacket for this trip, thinking that we might need it during the nights when we were out. In the end, I only used mine once during our overnight flight from Singapore to Tokyo, and Noel didn't even bother bringing his along for the trip after checking the weather forecast.
Money
Since April, Noel had been exchanging ringgit into yen bit by bit (around RM1000 at a time) on Wise app whenever the rate was favorable. Our conversion rate over the months averaged out around 33.18 yen per ringgit, which was actually lower than the rate at the time we were in Japan. Nevertheless, Noel and I enjoyed the process for the ease of mind of preparing early and the sense of anticipation of accumulating travel funds over the months.
Prior to the trip, I was contemplating on getting a coin pouch or a coin separator to organize all the Japanese coins efficiently while traveling. In the end, Noel printed one at home using his 3D printer, which was put into vigorous use during the trip and made our purchases much easier.
Connection
My phone doesn't support e-sim, so Noel rented a pocket wifi. We picked it up from Narita airport and mailed it back to the company by dropping it in the mail bin at Kansai airport. Pocket wifi was great because many devices could connect to it. However, it was slightly inconvenient when we wanted to be at different places separately. Noel's phone plan includes some complementary monthly data that he can use overseas, so that came in handy.
Companions
This was a double-date trip. Initially, I was rather worried that it might not go well because technically, Noel and I hadn't met Arsyad and Janet for more than five years since our fellowship program was over. So much could have changed since then. We might have developed some habits or point of views which rendered us incapable of getting along. Moreover, I know I can be quite insufferable at times based on my past experiences traveling with friends.
Thankfully, everything turned out great, at least so I believe. Arsyad and Janet showed us a lot of grace, especially on the first day when Noel arrived in Tokyo sick and on the second day when I lost my commuting passes. It even became a collab-reunion trip for Arsyad, Janet, and me at some point when Noel rested in the hotel or when he opted out from the hikes. Thanks to Janet's meticulous planning and navigating, Noel and I were practically the passenger prince and princess most of the time.
Thank you, Janet and Arsyad, for inviting us on this trip and actively present in every stage of the process. I made some great memories, and I hope you did, too!
Goshuin
Since 2014 when I first learned about goshuin, I had been talking about getting a goshuin book and collecting honorable red seals from all the Japanese shrines and temples when I finally had the chance to visit Japan.
In the end, I didn't get one. I didn't even know why. I suppose I romanticized the concept too much. In my head, getting a goshuin is supposed to be an intimate experience after I thoroughly tour through a temple/shrine and understand its history and architecture. In reality, the crowd, the heat, my limited stamina, the language barrier, and many other things got in the way.
Don't get me wrong. The sightseeing part was enjoyable, and the temples/shrines are definitely awe-inspiring. In fact, I still got three goshuin, from Senso-ji, Fushimi-Inari Taisha, and Namba Yasaka Jinja. However, I guess I'm collecting them more at a "leisure pace" now instead of turning the experience into a goal or a sport.
Souvenirs
Prior to the trip, I made a list of all the people, to whom I wanted to give a souvenir. Some of these people think of me whenever they go travel and, over the years, have gotten me many useful stuffs from their trips. Some of them helped Noel and me a lot, and we wouldn't have been able to go to Japan if not for their support in some way.
Below are the pictures of the things I got. To be honest, if I have the chance to visit Japan again, I plan to buy more. These are simply not enough to be given out to everyone on the list. I also want to buy a lot more snacks for myself.
Things that Went Wrong, and Reflection:
FlightThe red-eye flight from Singapore to Tokyo on a budget airline was terrible. We have aged after all. Our die-hard traveler spirits have weakened over the years, replaced by backache and the need for comfort. Noel and I agree that moving forward, we either travel during the day, or we will opt for more comfortable red-eye flights.
SicknessTo be honest, up until now, we have no idea why Noel was so terribly sick during his first two days in Japan. I think a number of factors contributed to it, among which dehydration, and the lack of nutritious food to prepare his body for the heat and all the transits. We actually bought travel insurance that we could utilize for a hospital visit if we wanted to, but Noel chose not to.
Moving forward, we will definitely buy travel insurance again whenever we travel, even if just for the ease of mind. If possible, I would like to cook more often at home when a trip is near, to "reset" our guts before a sudden change in environment.
Error 404I lost both my Suica card (Japan transportation card similar to TnG card) and my 48-hour Tokyo Metro Pass on the second day right after I visited Senso-ji (my first spot in Japan aside from the hotel)! I had used my pass maybe two or three times before I lost it. And my Suica card was brand new with 1500 yen (plus a 500-yen deposit) in it. Feel free to imagine my despair and agony when I found out about it.
Thankfully (?) I got a green Suica card with my name and birth date registered instead of a red Welcome Suica card for visitors. So, I managed to request for a new card at Akihabara JR office and get back the 1500 yen in my card. Overall, I spent more than 100 ringgits unnecessarily because of my carelessness.
I was very grateful because Noel reacted gracefully to my mistake. Janet and Arsyad also patiently brought me to the JR offices to get my card replaced. Finally, a big thank you to the Akihabara JR staff for his excellent service. He was so helpful (and cute). I'm so sorry for being a nuisance and causing everyone trouble!
Itinerary:
Noel and I were in Japan for 8 days and 7 nights. The cities we visited were Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka. During the planning stage, we packed our daily schedule with as many attractions as possible. However, in the end, we only managed to visit two or three spots per day.
We had severely underestimated how long it takes to explore an area. Our eyes were busy the entire time, bombarded with quaint historical buildings, buzzing city landscapes that are unfamiliar to us, and attractive goods in all kinds of shops. Since the places we went were mostly jam-packed with people, people-watching was an inevitable yet integral part of the experience, too. Even though we didn't get to go to many places, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Japan.
12-Sep (Thursday):
At around 4.00 pm, Noel and I took a cab, and then the bus to enter Singapore from Perling, Johor. We met up with Noel's youngest brother for dinner before he sent us to Changi airport. Our 8-hour flight to Tokyo departed on time at 12.40 am.
13-Sep (Friday):
We reached Narita airport at 9.00 am. After a quick breakfast, we took an express train to Ueno station. There, we bought our Suica cards and collected our Tokyo Metro passes. We then took the metro to Mita station, where we met up with Janet and Arsyad. Noel was barely holding up at this point; so, after lunch, we just waited at the hotel lobby until we could check in at 3.00 pm. After checking in and taking a much-needed shower, Noel and I passed out until around 8.00 pm, forgoing all the sightseeing plans we had. We had convenience store food as dinner before going back to sleep again.
14-Sep (Saturday):
I was fully rested and ready for some hardcore sightseeing! Four of us went to Senso-ji in the morning. We started with high spirits, but our enthusiasm soon withered under the scorching sun, and we left in a hurry. After that, Noel was deadly pale and had to go back to the hotel.
Janet, Arsyad, and I went to Tsukiji Outer Market for lunch. Then, we headed to Akihabara Electric Town to soak in the otaku culture. I was thrilled when I found Hololive and Nijisanji merchandises so readily available in many of the shops there. I was slightly frustrated that Noel was not there with me. We had been hyping each other up for months about getting vtuber merch and taking pictures at specific spots in Akihabara. I guess the universe is giving Noel and me the perfect excuse to make another trip to Tokyo again.
In the evening, Janet, Arsyad, and I went to Shinjuku to check out the famous 3D billboard, the Godzilla's head, and the dazzling neon signs at Kabukicho. After that, we went to Shibuya. We hung out at Miyashita Park before meeting up with Pit Yung, our mutual friend from TFM who is currently living in Tokyo. It was a nice catch-up. We ended the night by crossing the Shibuya Scramble Crossing together before waving Pit Yung goodbye.
15-Sep (Sunday):
We walked around Tokyo station briefly before boarding the shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto from Shinagawa station at 1.28 pm.
One of the things I was looking forward to during the trip was eating ekiben (railway bento). I know railway bento is essentially an expensive boxed meal. However, there's just something romantic and luxurious about a variety of food, some soft some crunchy some juicy some fried, carefully arranged in a box, waiting to be unboxed and savored.
I was so immersed in eating my bento that I almost missed the view of Mount Fuji outside my train window. Janet had to remind me to look outside. I caught a glimpse of the mountain, and it was as gorgeous as it looks in postcards or Google images. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to take a picture of it. I guess some sceneries are best preserved in memory.
Noel miraculously healed the moment he set foot in Kyoto. After checking in to our hotel, we decided to take things easy. We had dinner at Saizeriya, one of the chain restaurants in our bucket list, and shopped in Kawaramachi shopping area.
16-Sep (Monday):
Another thing that I was dead set on experiencing during the trip was a photoshoot in Japanese traditional outfits. I am very thankful that Arsyad and Janet got on board with the idea. The photos came out amazing. I will write about this experience in detail in my next post.
After the photoshoot, we changed out of the traditional outfits and went to have lunch at Issen Yoshoku, as recommended by a staff in the kimono rental shop. Apparently, it is a very famous shop specialized in serving a variation of the traditional okonomiyaki. Instead of the food, the thing that stood out to us was the music played in the store. It was literally a song singing the name of the restaurant on repeat, and it was catchy!
After lunch, we started our sightseeing journey in Kyoto old town area. We explored the well-known Yasaka Jinja, the historical yet lively Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, the colorful Yasaka Koshindo, and finally going uphill to Kiyomizu-dera. While I was sweating like a pig, many international and Japanese tourists were exploring all the areas mentioned above in kimono or yukata. I had utmost respect for their dedication.
Before we ended the night, we had Japanese curry at Coco Ichibanya, another chain restaurant we wanted to try.
17-Sep (Tuesday):
We were excited for our day trip to Nara! I was humming Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan opening theme the entire time.
After getting our kintetsu rail pass at Kyoto station, we set off for Nara. We were, of course, warmly welcomed by all the deers the moment we stepped out of Nara station. We visited Todai-ji before we had lunch at Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu. Noel had the fried wagyu cutlet set while I had the normal fried beef cutlet set. I tried both cutlets, and I can responsibly say that the wagyu cutlet tasted way more tender and juicier than the normal one.
After lunch, we decided to go to Kasuga Taisha to check out the lanterns. The walk from Nara bus station, where the restaurant was located, to the shrine was dreadful, mainly because we didn't expect it to be so long. Noel stopped halfway. By the time Arsyad, Janet, and I reached the shrine, we were drenched in sweat and lost all interest in exploring the building in detail. We snapped a few photos and left.
We had our dinner at Matsuya. Given the very affordable price, the portion of the food was huge.
18-Sep (Wednesday):
For our last day in Kyoto, we were torn between going to Arashiyama or going to Fushimi-Inari Taisha. In the end, we went with the second option.
The thousands of vermillion torii gates were mesmerizing. We were fortunate to witness workers repairing and painting a few torii gates along the way. The craftmanship involved in the process was respectable. Even though we were mentally prepared for a hike, we were still gasping for air while trying to reach the top of the mountain. We had to take plenty of breaks in between. During the last leg of uphill hike, my legs felt so heavy.
After descending the hill, we had lunch at Salmon Noodle, which was arguably the best meal we had in Japan this time. The ramen broth was extremely flavorful, and the shop was run by young, energetic, and good-looking staff. After lunch, we went to Nishiki Market for snacks and dessert. We concluded our stay in Kyoto with more shopping.
For dinner, we had MOS Burger. September is the moon-viewing season, and many Japanese restaurants will have limited-time tsukimi menu. So, I had their limited time menchi katsu focaccia, and it was lovely.
19-Sep (Thursday):
We woke up bright and early to catch a train from Kyoto to Osaka. We departed quite early, hoping to avoid the morning rush hour. Alas, we failed, and we were on the train with our huge suitcases while Japanese salarymen and women went to work. I'm really sorry for the inconveniences caused. We will do better next time by either leaving after 9.00 am or paying more for reserved seats on an express train.
Since we reached Osaka before 9.00 am, many of the shops were not open yet. We took our time to enjoy breakfast in a cafe. After our visit to Namba Yasaka Jinja, we spent the entire day looking at trinkets and shopping at Minami, which included Shinsaibari-Suji shopping street, Daimaru Shinsaibashi, and Dotonbori.
Osaka is definitely a more laidback city than Tokyo and Kyoto. People are less uptight and dressed more casually here. However, I personally found the Minami area incredibly overwhelming, especially with all the large and eye-catching signboards. Granted, Minami is renowned being a shopping and entertainment district. Therefore, if anyone goes there with the intention of finding serenity, they are in the wrong place. If I have the chance to visit Osaka again, I will definitely check out the Kita area and the Osaka Castle.
20-Sep (Friday):
We spent our morning relaxing and packing in our hotel room. At 11.00 am, we checked out and went for brunch. Then, we went to Shin-Osaka station, where we would board the Hello Kitty express train to Kansai airport. The station was extremely busy. To our frustration, we had to go back and forth among a few offices before we finally managed to get our tickets. Then, we bid goodbye to Arsyad and Janet.
To savor the very last bit of Japan, Noel and I bought some unagi and maguro tuna sushi to be eaten on flight. The return flight was comfortable because the airline staff kindly gave us front row seats with extra legroom. Thank you, sir!
Since we reached Changi airport at night, we opted for a very expensive but stress-free cab ride to Woodlands Checkpoint. From there, we made our way back home. At midnight, we reached home, and the magical holiday officially came to an end.
