Japan Solo 2022 - Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka & Hiroshima

Dec. 18, 2022

Going to Japan solo has got to be one of the best decisions I made this year. It’s always been on my bucket list to visit Japan, but it was not possible for the last 2 years because of COVID. So when it finally opened up, I couldn’t help but book my VISA appointment the very next week. I was there for 2 weeks (which I think is just not enough), and the only way I can describe the country is Sugoi (read Awesome).

Plan

I didn’t have any. I only had hotel bookings for 5 days and thought I’ll just go with the flow after that. The only items on my itinerary were places I wanted to eat at. And boy did I spend hours traveling just for food 😂. I visited 4 cities - Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima. And each was more ~beautiful~ than the other in its own way.

Tokyo🗼

I started my journey with Tokyo. My first thought entering the city was, “am I underdressed for the occasion?” because everywhere I looked, I saw people in all blacks, long coats, or formals, and there I was in my red hoodie 😂. The city was full of skyscrapers, more than I had ever seen before. After checking in, the first thing I did was go to a 7-11 to see what the fuss was all about. The food there was simply incredible (especially the desserts). My next stop was the famous Ichiran Ramen 🍜. This was my first time having Tonkatsu Ramen, and it was mind-blowing. The broth was so rich and the flavor was so deep. The noodles had the perfect texture and the Char-siu was incredibly smoky. (I should become a food blogger 😛)

Then I went to Shinjuku square where I saw the 3d-ish screen. The entire square was full of neon signs and giant screens. It was eye candy.

I started the next day at Nishiki Fish Market (thanks to a friend’s recommendation). There I had the Instagram-famous Tamago, Sashimi, and roast eel. The Tamago was sweet (which I wasn’t expecting). It was more like a dessert than an omelet. The sashimi and eel were awesome (almost melt in your mouth). Finally, I had Mochi. It was strawberry flavor with red bean paste. It was so chewy and yummy (and looked like a tongue, like wtf?!?!).

I’ll just go ahead and say it, digital art museums are way better than history museums. I visited one called teamLAB Planets, and it was so incredibly fun. I think the photos will do more justice than my words.

As I said before, I spent a lot of time on food here. The next place I went to was A Happy Pancake, another Instagram-famous spot. I had the best pancakes of my life there. They were incredibly light and literally melted in my mouth.

Then I went to the world’s busiest crossing - Shibuya Crossing. Thousands of people cross this square every few minutes. It’s a claustrophobic person’s nightmare. Afterward, I visited Tokyo Sky Tree (450m tall building), which I felt was a bit overrated. You look outside for a minute and that’s it. Nothing much to do.

Since I went in December, the Christmas decorations lit up the streets, and just walking there gave me such a festive feeling. Tokyo has lots of these red gates too, which add to the aesthetic of the city.

And of course, no trip to Tokyo is complete without visiting Tokyo Tower and the Sensoji Temple. Both are best visited at night since there is almost no crowd.

Kyoto⛩️

I took the bullet train to Kyoto which was fun. This was the most beautiful city I visited for sure. There were too many red and yellow trees. I was just a little late for the cherry blossoms, but the red trees were just as beautiful. Kyoto was very different from Tokyo. It was more of a traditional place. No skyscrapers, but the vibe was awesome.

After checking in, I went straight to a famous sushi place🍣. The sushi was soooo pretty. The taste of it will probably take some getting used to though. One thing I found awesome was the green tea which is served in every restaurant in Japan as soon as you sit down. It’s so different and better than the one available in India. It has a deep and satisfying flavor.

Since I was staying in the Gion area, I was near the Yasaka Pagoda, which became so incredibly beautiful right near sunset time. I spent almost an hour walking the streets of Gion, which was an incredibly relaxing and peaceful experience.

The next day I visited the bamboo forest and Kinkajuji temple. Probably the two most picturesque places in Japan. All hail the remote-controlled tripod.

Osaka🏯

Osaka is the food capital of Japan. The food here was simply incredible. A photo dump seems like a good option to explain this point.

The best day of the entire trip was the visit to Universal Studios. It was really a magical place (pun intended😛). I spent most of my time in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Again, the photos will do this place justice.

It was a Wednesday, but it seemed like it was the best day (ref: Come with me 😂)

And yes, the Bertie Bots Every Flavoured Beans actually means every flavor. From ear wax to box and soil flavor, it’s all real. The Butterbeer tastes like melted eclairs, just 10x better. The castle is mind-blowing. Inside the castle was a 4d-ish roller coaster, which was probably one of the best experiences of my life. Now I know what playing quidditch actually feels like, and traveling by floo powder.

Hiroshima☢️

I couldn’t finish my Japan trip without going to Hiroshima. I only stayed there for 1 night, but that was enough to give me a whole new perspective on what really happened there. I took a total of 1 photo in that city because after visiting the Memorial Museum, I just couldn’t get myself to open the camera. It was just so sad. Below is the picture of the A-Bomb Dome (one of the last standing buildings of that day).

The city itself was very beautiful. A river splits into multiple parts and flows through the city.

Back to Tokyo🗼

Since my return flight was from Narita, I had to return to Tokyo. I found the holy stairs of Kimi No Nawa / Your Name. Couldn’t help myself but try to recreate the famous scene. This place is an emotion (as put by one of my friends).

I spent the rest of my time in Tokyo shopping, eating, and just wandering around the town. I spent the last night wandering around rainy Tokyo for an hour around midnight, and it was magical.

All-in-all

Awesome. The people were so polite, the food was so delicious and the place was beautiful. I would definitely be returning in the future.