Japan, April 2023

I'd always been super curious about Japan and had it on my bucket list for ages. So, this year I finally took the plunge and booked my first-ever international trip to Japan - it was time to make that dream a reality! I was accompanied with 2 of my friends - Ankit and Vikram.

Visa

Getting a visa was a real headache. Since VFS Delhi was booked solid, I had to go through VFS Chandigarh instead. But here's the thing - they were still stuck in the past, only accepting Demand Drafts as payment. No cash, no card, just an old-school draft. So, I had to make a mad dash to the bank to get one. It's crazy that in this day and age, some places still don't accept modern payment methods. Anyway, after waiting for over three weeks, my passport finally arrived with the Japanese visa stamp - what a relief!

Flight

We scored direct round-trip flights to Tokyo on Air India. Honestly, our first international flight experience was pretty underwhelming. The entertainment screens were totally dead, and the food was just meh. But, I did manage to catch some Z's after downing a couple of whiskeys. I got a solid three hours of sleep before being jolted awake by the breakfast service. We finally touched down at Tokyo's Narita Airport around 8 am local time.

Currency, Internet and WiFi

I'd ordered a Zero FX debit card through Niyo, but when RBI put the brakes on SBM Bank's LRS remittances, the card became pretty useless. So, I switched to a FX Prepaid Card from BookMyForex instead. When I landed, after dealing with customs and immigration, I hit up an airport ATM to grab some JPY. Turns out, that was a way better deal than exchanging USD for JPY, and I ended up saving some cash. For internet on the go, I picked up an e-sim from Airalo with a 15-day data plan. We also grabbed a portable WiFi at the airport, which we returned on our way out.

Japan Rail Pass

Japan's got an amazing rail network, and to make the most of it, they offer a rail pass that lets you hop on and off most trains, including the Shinkansen. The pass set us back around INR 33,000 per person, which is roughly $400. Whether or not you need one depends on how many times you plan to ride the Shinkansen or other trains that are included. Just a heads up, subways in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka aren't part of the pass. With prices going up lately, it's worth doing the math to see if the pass is really worth it for your trip. You can use a JR Pass calculator to figure it out. You can book a JR pass online through Klook or other websites before you even land in Japan. When you arrive, just head to any train station ticket counter, show them your confirmation and passport, and they'll give you the pass. It's basically just a ticket, so make sure you don't misplace it!

Narita Airport to Kyoto

We hopped on the Narita Express (which, by the way, is covered by the JR Pass) to get to Tokyo, and then caught a Shinkansen to Kyoto. One thing to note about the Shinkansen - even with a JR Pass, you still need to grab a ticket before boarding. You can't just hop on without one. But don't worry, you can use your JR Pass to book your tickets. You can even reserve them online and then pick up the physical ticket at a kiosk or ticket counter. We opted for D/E seats, which are supposed to offer a sweet view of Mount Fuji during the ride. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy day, so we didn't get to see it.

Kyoto

After arriving in Kyoto, we were already quite exhausted, but fortunately, our hostel was only about 500m away from the train station, so we decided to walk. Taxis in Japan can be quite pricey, so it's best to avoid them if possible. However, Japan's public transportation network is excellent, making it easy to get around. A highly recommended app is Japan Travel by Navitime, which provides all the options for traveling from one place to another, including time and cost estimates, and integrates seamlessly with Google Maps for walking directions. We spent about four days in Kyoto, and it was a truly beautiful city. Although we missed the peak Sakura season, we were still able to catch glimpses of cherry blossoms here and there.

We rented bicycles from a nearby shop, and they kindly only charged us for three days due to a forecasted rainy day. Later that evening, we visited Fushimi Inari, and the light drizzle created a lovely atmosphere, making for a really nice view.

The next morning, we headed back to Fushimi Inari, determined to beat the crowds and snap some photos without the wait. The entrance is super photogenic, with its dense torii gates, which is why it's always packed. But if you're willing to hike, the 3-4 km trail that follows is lined with just as many gates, and it's way less crowded. We spent a bit of time soaking it all in, then headed to Kiyomizu-dera, a UNESCO world heritage site that totally lived up to the hype. Next up was Kinkaku-ji, this stunning temple that's literally covered in gold - it was seriously gorgeous. And, of course, I had to try some matcha ice cream while I was there, which had basically become my daily obsession by that point. After taking it all in, we wandered around the nearby streets, sampling all the local goodies - think ramen, octopus balls, and fresh seafood.

Day Trip to Nara

Our third day in Kyoto was all about exploring Nara, a city famous for its adorable free-roaming deers and stunning temples. We hopped on a train from Kyoto and before we knew it, we were in Nara in just 45 minutes. First up, we visited the Horyuji Temple, which is home to some of the oldest wooden buildings in the world - it was pretty mind-blowing. Next, we headed to the Todaiji Temple, where we were awestruck by one of the largest Buddha statues in the world. After soaking up the history and culture, we strolled over to Nara Park, where we picked up some deer treats and spent some time feeding the friendly locals. We were on a mission to get them to bow for us, and after a few minutes of trying, we were thrilled to see a few of them return the favor. To cap off the evening, we indulged in some ridiculously delicious mochi from Nakatanidou - it was love at first bite. We finished off the night with dinner at a nearby spot before heading back to Kyoto.

Osaka

We hopped on this adorable train covered in kitty prints - it was actually really fancy too! The best part? It was included in our JR Pass. Since Kyoto and Osaka are basically neighbors, the ride was only about 30 minutes. When we arrived in Osaka, we grabbed the subway to the station closest to our hostel. After checking in and taking a quick breather, we headed to Dotonbori, which is legendary for its nightlife. We chowed down on some amazing eats - gyoza, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, ramen, and this crazy-delicious dessert called "Melonpan". It's basically a melon-flavored bun sandwich stuffed with matcha or vanilla ice cream. I was obsessed - I ended up having it three times, even though I had to wait in line for 15-30 minutes each time!

The next day, we headed to the Osaka Aquarium and took a quick spin on a bayside cruise ride. The aquarium was seriously massive - apparently, it was the biggest one around when it was first built. I was totally blown away by the incredible sea creatures and fish on display, including a gigantic whale shark. We were pretty bummed that we couldn't score tickets to Universal Studios Osaka, though - turns out you've got to book those weeks in advance, and we didn't plan ahead.

Lake Kawaguchiko

One of the trip's major highlights was definitely our journey to Lake Kawaguchiko. We hopped on a shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo, then transferred to another train to Otsuki, and finally from Otsuki to Lake Kawaguchiko. As we approached the lake, the evening sun cast a stunning glow, and Mount Fuji rose up in all its glory - the view literally took our breath away. After arriving at the station, we waited in line for a taxi, which took about 30 minutes for our turn. The 1.5 km ride to our Airbnb cost a pretty penny - around $20 - but the fancy cab with automatic doors was kind of worth it. Once we settled into our cozy Airbnb, we headed to the nearest Seven-Eleven to grab some grub. We ended up buying way more than we needed, including some squid ink flavored chips that weren't half bad. The next morning, I started the day with sushi for breakfast (because, Japan!), and then we headed to the city center to rent some bikes and explore.

So we rented some bikes and decided to do a lap around Kawaguchiko lake. It's pretty massive, but luckily our bikes had electric assistance, which saved us a ton of energy. Cruising around the lake with the wind in our hair was pretty wild, and the views of Mount Fuji were simply stunning. Although, we did have to deal with some clouds during the day, which blocked our view of the mountain. Apparently, it's only clear about 20% of the time, but we were determined to see it in all its glory. Since we were staying in the area, we waited until evening when the clouds cleared, and it was totally worth it.

The next day, we headed to Chureito Pagoda, which is famous for its views of Mount Fuji. When we got there, the mountain was still hiding behind some clouds, so we decided to go for a hike to get a better view. Let me tell you, it was a workout, but the views from the top were insane. We had the place to ourselves for a bit, then a few more people showed up. We hung out, took in the views, and then headed back down. And guess what? The clouds had cleared, and Mount Fuji was on full display. We quickly snapped some pics and checked another item off our bucket list.

With half the day still up for grabs, we figured, why not keep exploring? Next stop was Honcho Street, which promised an epic view of Mount Fuji rising up over the city streets. But, of course, the clouds had other plans and rolled back in. So we hung out for a bit, waiting for the evening when the skies finally cleared, and let me tell you, the view was absolutely breathtaking.

Tokyo

Our final destination in Japan was Tokyo, and we took the Fuji Limited Express train to get there. As one of the world's largest cities, Tokyo is surprisingly easy to navigate thanks to its comprehensive subway and JR train network. We hopped on the JR train and got off at Shinjuku, where we'd booked a capsule hotel for the night. I'd always been curious about these tiny hotels, and since they're a Japanese specialty, we figured we'd give it a try. Let me tell you, it was definitely an experience! After freshening up, we headed to Akihabara, a district famous for its electronics, anime, and maid cafes. We'd heard a lot about these quirky cafes, so we tracked one down and gave it a shot. Essentially, maid cafes are just regular cafes where the waitresses dress up as maids and serve you drinks and snacks, but they also hang out and chat with you, which was pretty surreal. We spent some time exploring the local food scene, checking out some electronics stores, and were surprised to find that Apple products were actually pretty affordable - plus, if you've got your passport with an entry stamp, you can score a 10% tax refund.

We kicked off the day by checking out of our capsule hotel and into our hostel in Shinjuku. From there, we made our way to Asakusa, which is basically famous for one thing: the incredible Sensoji Temple. The place is massive, and we ended up scoring some sweet souvenirs while we were there. Next up, we headed to the Tokyo Tower, and as the evening rolled around, we found ourselves in Shibuya, home of the world-famous Shibuya Crossing - the largest pedestrian crossing on the planet. We snagged a spot in an elevated building and took in the view, which was totally mind-blowing.

The next day was all about exploring Shinjuku and Ginza - we just wandered around, did some shopping, and took it easy. Later that evening, we stumbled upon Golden Gai in Shinjuku, which was basically a tiny alley with a bunch of super small pubs - we're talking 250 of them, each one only big enough for 4-6 people at a time. We had a blast doing some pub-hopping and checking out the different vibes. After that, we headed to Omoide Yokocho, a famous food alley, but to be honest, some of the stuff they were serving was a bit too out there for us, and it was crazy crowded, so we ended up skipping dinner there. Instead, we popped into a nearby cafe and tried some delicious sashimi and other goodies.

For our last day in Japan, we kicked things off with a morning visit to Nezu Shrine, which totally delivered with its super vibrant gardens - it was basically a photographer's dream come true. After that, we spent the day wandering around Akihabara, geeking out in all the anime shops and scoring some amazing grub. To cap off the night, we headed to TeamLabs Planet, this incredible light show museum that's basically a Tokyo must-see. The infinity mirror exhibit with all the lights was seriously mind-blowing.

The next morning, we hopped on the Narita Express and headed to the airport. We dropped off our rented WiFi hotspot, made it through immigration and security, and then I treated myself to a final bowl of delicious Udon Noodle Soup and a cold beer. As I sat there, I gazed out at the plane that was supposed to take us home, feeling pretty down that our amazing 14-day adventure was already coming to an end. But I'm already making plans to return to Japan - it won't be long before I'm back!