Day 1: Touchdown in Tokyo: The first 24 hours in Japan (May 12th)

After a 10-hour flight from Vancouver International to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, I finally landed in Japan. The journey was smooth overall, aside from a 30-minute delay. Apparently, our pilot had to avoid a Russian missile testing zone — honestly, that's a pretty solid reason to arrive late. Getting through Japanese customs with a Canadian passport was surprisingly painless. A few quick forms, a fingerprint scan, and I was in. But customs wasn't my biggest concern — cash was. I'd read that Japan is still a cash-oriented society, and I was worried that my Canadian debit card wouldn't work in Japanese ATMs. Even though Seven Bank provides a handy list of compatible cards, there's a footnote that warns even supported cards might not work. Not the kind of thing you want to read when landing in a foreign country with zero yen on hand. Thankfully, my BMO debit card worked perfectly. I withdrew the equivalent of 200 CAD in yen from the first ATM I found. Crisis averted.

From Haneda, I took the Keikyu Line and began my journey to the hotel. I'd done a deep dive on Tokyo's subway system before the trip, so I was ready. First order of business? A local transit card. In Tokyo, that means a Suica card. If you've got an iPhone, you're in luck — you can add a digital Suica to your Apple Wallet and top it up with Apple Pay. Be sure to set it as your “Express Transit” card so it works even when your battery is low. Speaking of batteries: bring a power bank. You'll rely on your phone a lot, especially Google Maps, and your battery will drain quickly. You do not want to get stranded with a dead phone in Tokyo. Quick tip: use Google Maps, not Apple Maps.

This YouTube video was a game changer — it explains how to read Japanese transit instructions properly. Thanks to that, I never once had to ask for directions. In fact, I ended up giving directions to other tourists — maybe they thought I was a local? Here's a painfully obvious but often ignored tip: read the f**king signs. Most tourists panic and ask for help without even looking around. Every sign in the Tokyo subway includes English at the bottom. I once had a tourist ask where to buy Shinkansen tickets... while standing right in front of a huge sign that said “Shinkansen Tickets.” You can't make this stuff up. For my stay, I booked the Sotetsu Fresa Inn in Koto City — a hidden gem I found through a random YouTuber. It's located right beside Toyocho Station, which made commuting incredibly easy. The joy I felt when I emerged from the station and saw the hotel right there, just a minute's walk away — pure travel bliss. I checked in late, sometime around 9 or 10 PM. If you learn one thing about Japan, let it be this: 24-hour convenience stores have amazing food. I walked to the nearest Lawson and grabbed two onigiri rice balls and a bottle of green tea. You don't know how good they are until you try them.

That wrapped up Day 1. Less than 24 hours in, and I was already eating like a local. Honestly, food is one of the biggest reasons to visit Japan — especially Tokyo and Osaka.

Day 2: Azabudai Hills and teamLab Borderless (May 13th)

I woke up early the next day and headed to the Azabudai Hills Market. It's essentially a large shopping complex with a wide variety of food options. The architecture and layout were stunning, giving off a compact urban city vibe.

Located within the same complex was the teamLab Borderless exhibition. To be honest, this art exhibit became popular mainly through Instagram and other social media because it photographs well. But in person, the experience felt underwhelming.

After that, I visited Tokyo Tower and took the elevator up to the observation deck. The view of the city from above was incredible and well worth the visit.

To end the day, I took the subway over to Shibuya and explored the area around the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing. Crossing the intersection was fun, but it didn't quite live up to the hype — a bit anticlimactic in the end.

Day 3: Mount Takao, or Takao-san (May 14th)

Mount Takao is located on the outskirts of Tokyo. To get there, take the Keio Line to Takaosanguchi Station. As soon as you exit the station, you'll find a 7-Eleven and some gift shops. I recommend picking up drinks like water or green tea — you'll definitely need them if you plan to reach the summit. If hiking isn't your thing, don't worry — there's a cable car and a chair lift that take you partway up. While the cable car goes a bit further than the chair lift, I'd recommend the chair lift for the better experience. The cable car is usually packed and feels like riding a train. The chair lift, on the other hand, gives you great views as you're slowly carried up the mountain.

Even with the lift, there's still a solid hike to reach the summit. There are several trails to choose from, including a fully paved one. I took Trail #4, which is unpaved and more traditional, with lots of stairs. By the time I reached the top, I was exhausted — but luckily, Japan's vending machines came to the rescue.

I took the paved trail down, which passed by numerous temples and shrines. I didn't have the energy or patience to explore them in depth, but I did snap a few pictures at least.

That wrapped up Day 3. The hike took a lot out of me, and I was more than ready to return to the hotel, shower, and crash.

Day 4: Shibuya, Don Quijote, Trick Art Museum (May 15th)

This was a more laid-back day. I spent most of it in Shibuya, browsing around Don Quijote, sipping coffee at Starbucks, and enjoying Tokyo's amazing food scene. I also visited the famous Hachiko Statue right beside the Shibuya crossing. Later, I headed to the Tokyo Trick Art Museum. This museum is popular thanks to social media — most of the artwork is designed to look impressive in photos when viewed from the right angle. That said, if you're not into social media, the experience might feel gimmicky. Personally, I think your money might be better spent elsewhere if you're not planning to take a lot of photos.

Day 5: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (May 16th)

Before my trip, I bought tickets to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour — The Making of Harry Potter. It's a self-guided experience and a must-visit for any Harry Potter fan. You get to see replica props from the films, walk through iconic sets, and even enjoy a Butterbeer. The attached gift shops sell everything from wands to Hogwarts robes for each house. As much as I wanted to splurge on a wand and robe, my wallet strongly disagreed. That said, the quality of the wands was impressive — solid build and a nice weight to them. My only critique is that the weight distribution could have been better. A wand that's bottom-heavy (with the center of gravity near the handle) would make spellcasting gestures like the swish and flick feel more natural.

Day 6: The Shinkansen to Osaka, Umeda Sky Building (May 17th)

My time in Tokyo had come to an end. I woke up early and headed for Tokyo Station to catch the Shinkansen to Osaka. Honestly, just riding the Shinkansen is a tourist attraction in itself. I boarded the Tokaido Shinkansen bound for Shin-Osaka Station and picked up an ekiben (station bento) to enjoy during the ride. The Tokaido line can hit speeds of up to 285 km/h, covering nearly 500 km in just over 2 hours. You don't really feel the speed onboard, but I came to *truly* appreciate how fast it was after taking the Willer Express overnight bus back to Tokyo the night before my flight home. Let's just say: trains win. The Shinkansen is definitely on the pricier side, especially for budget travelers, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience that's absolutely worth it. It's fast, quiet, clean, and wildly efficient — Japan's engineering at its best. Once in Osaka, I checked into Hotel Kansai, about a 10-minute walk from Osaka-Umeda Station. The hotel was a bit run-down and dated, but the price per night was lower than most others in the area. If you're traveling on a budget, it's a decent tradeoff. The Osaka transit system is very similar to Tokyo's, so if you've figured out Tokyo's maze of lines and transfers, you'll feel right at home in Osaka. Later that evening, I met up with a friend and we went to a Sushiro branch on E-Street. Unsurprisingly, it was nearly identical to the budget conveyor belt sushi chains I'd visited in Tokyo — still good, still cheap, still satisfying.

I got to visit the Studio Ghibli store in Namba. If you haven't watched My Neighbour Totoro or Spirited Away, I'm honestly not sure what you're doing with your life — but I'll politely assume you've been living under a rock.

When I left the store, a Totoro decided to tag along for the rest of the trip…

Dotonbori is one of the busiest and most tourist-heavy areas in Osaka. Expo 2025 was still underway while I was there, so I snapped a picture of the Expo 2025 monument — though Totoro photobombed that one too.

The area also has yet another Don Quijote (yes, they're everywhere), along with plenty of other tourist traps and attractions.

And of course — you can't miss the infamous Glico Sign. To be honest, I'm not really sure why this is a “must-see,” but hey, when in Dotonbori…

Day 7: The Pokémon Center (May 18th)

Attached to the Pokemon center was also a Pokemon Cafe. To be honest, the food is pretty pricey and I didn't feel like it was worth the cost.

Day 8: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and Tempozan Ferris Wheel (May 19th)

Okay, so I've always kind of assumed that aquariums are just for school field trips and parents with toddlers. Like, when I visit a new city, my first thought is rarely, “Ooh, I wonder what the aquarium is like here.” But hear me out — the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan? It absolutely blew me away.

It's massive, beautifully designed, and packed with everything from whale sharks and stingrays to glowing jellyfish and schools of neon-colored fish.

And of course — my all-time favorites: the sea otters and sea lions.

Now, I don't know about you, but the last time I visited the Vancouver Aquarium, it was a bunch of half-empty tanks and long-winded descriptions explaining why I should care about some obscure algae. Like, if you need a whole essay to convince me that something's worth looking at, maybe it's not that exciting to begin with. I didn't come here for a reading assignment — I came to see cool sea creatures.

The Tempozan Ferris Wheel is located a short walk from the aquarium. They offer a select number of fully transparent ferris wheel cabins. However the transparent floor is very tick has been scratched over the years, so it should really be called translucent instead. When the ferris wheel had rotated about 90 degrees from when I boarded, I started having a slight fear of heights panic attack. Don't worry I was fine.

Day 9: Universal Studios Japan (May 20th)

Visiting theme parks and amusement parks while traveling definitely has its pros and cons. On the upside, they're a lot of fun — with rides, food, and all sorts of entertainment packed into one place. But on the flip side, when you're visiting another country, the whole point is usually to explore that country's culture, people, and way of life. Theme parks, by design, pull you away from that. They're often built around well-known fictional worlds and don't really offer much in terms of authentic local experience. Certainly if the theme park was only located in one place only, then the visit is well justified. But I've already been to the Universal Studios in Orlando, so what was so special about Universal Studios Japan?

Well, it was Super Nintendo World.

Day 10: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Tenryu-ji Temple, and the Japanese Traditional "Tatami" Starbucks

The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is a must visit for anyone who plans to be in Kyoto for a while. This is where you find the unique Japanese scenery and also where I took the best photos.

Day 11: Gion, Japanese Stationery

While in Kyoto, I made a stop at the traditional Japanese house-style Starbucks — you know, the one that shows up in every travel reel. It was definitely atmospheric, but let's set expectations: only one room actually had the tatami floor seating, and the rest looked like your standard café. I was also secretly hoping to spot a Geisha or two wandering the streets, but no luck there. On the bright side, I did discover just how amazing Japanese stationery is. I couldn't leave without grabbing the overengineered (and brilliant) Kuru Toga mechanical pencil from the TAG stationery store — it's designed to rotate the lead as you write so it always stays sharp. I even picked up one of those nifty stapleless staplers, because why not? On the less fun side, getting around Kyoto was kind of a pain. The city relies heavily on buses, but they're often packed to the brim, which made navigating the city more exhausting than I'd hoped.

Day 12: Rest, relax and the Willer Express

I spent some time in Namba during the day, picking up souvenirs for friends and doing some last-minute shopping. Later that evening, I boarded the Willer Express overnight bus back to Tokyo — mostly as a budget-saving move, since the Shinkansen can be pretty pricey. In hindsight, I kind of regretted it. The seats didn't recline nearly enough to get any real sleep, and the ride was surprisingly uncomfortable for an overnight journey. There wasn't even a bathroom onboard, which meant relying on a series of rest stops scattered throughout the night. Let's just say, next time, I'll be shelling out for the Shinkansen.

Day 13: Bored in Tokyo, Internet Cafe