Where To Switzerland - Day One
The first international trip post-Covid! I hadn’t actually been international since 2017 and this was Austin’s first time.
We landed in Zurich at 8 a.m., grabbing our luggage, exchanging USD for Swiss Francs and then picking up our rental car. YES, we were driving around Switzerland instead of taking the amazing train system. Personally, as you will see over this series, it was a great choice for us since it allowed us to go at our own pace, stop whenever we pleased, as well as reach some harder to get to locals. Not to mention, I can not pack as light as I would wish, especially when traveling in cooler weather, so it would have been a pain, as much as we moved around, constantly lugging all that luggage onto a train.
We immediately hit the road, heading toward a little lakeside town called Iseltwald, where we would be staying for our first night.
Halfway to the town, I made it a point for us to stop in the beautiful Lucerne. It was perfect timing too, because the jet lag was starting to hit us slightly while being on the road. We parked in the tightest little garage before walking around the historical city center, easily spotting the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrucke), leisurely walking across and finding a lunch of Bratwurst right beside the water of the river Reuss where it meets Lake Lucerne.
No, we didn’t spend very long in Lucerne. Not even enough time to say half a day. It will definitely be a place we plan on returning to in future travels to Switzerland, and I think two days would be the perfect amount to explore more.
Back on the road we went! My eyes were glued to the scenery outside the car windows. It was an overcast day, the leaves changing all over, the roads so well-made - and the hills. We really started feeling an elevation change the closer we got to Lake Brienz.
The first glance of Lake Brienz took our breath away. It was so unbelievably blue.
We finally arrived in the cute town of Iseltwald, quickly finding our hotel, Chalet du Lac that I had discovered on Instagram from a local Swiss photographer. Immediately after checking in, and doing a room tour of course, we knocked the heck out for an hour or so.
After our nap, we sat on the balcony just soaking up the view before heading down to the hotel restaurant for a delicious dinner that included the best deer back-strap (locally sourced too) I have ever had and a gorgeous sunset view.
My reasons for this choice of hotel and small town instead of staying in a bigger, well-known city like Lucerne or Zurich:
1) The view. I mean, just look at the photos. The water, the view of the abandoned Seeburg Castle.
2) Iseltwald is actually the town where a very famous scene from a K-Drama, Crash Landing on You, is filmed and I wanted to see it. Yes, I love to plan my itinerary around film and book locations!
3) It was also on the way to our next location. I thoroughly planned out this route, prioritizing what we felt like we MUST see, do and eat, before the trip ended. Of course, there is still plenty on our list that we couldn’t get to/we didn’t have infinite time, so that only means we have to visit again.
End of day one Swiss wine count: 2
Hotel: Chalet du Lac
Where to (next), Meg?
Where to…Switzerland!
I think it’s high time I finally share our two weeks road-tripping around Switzerland in October of 2022!
Every year, we try to travel somewhere for our anniversary - which is in October. Our method for deciding is based on a jar of destinations that we have written down and pull from at New Years. Only we didn’t actually pull from the jar on January 1, 2022. So let’s rewind a bit, shall we?
January 1, 2020. It’s just after midnight and I bring the jar of destinations over to the couch where Austin was already dozing off to sleep. I reminded him of our new tradition (having started it the year before), and knowing that I couldn’t possibly wait another second, he eagerly sat up and we each pulled a slip of paper from the jar. The rule is that both of us pull and we try to go to both places that year.
We open our little slips of paper and both call out at the same time: PARIS!
Fate, right?
And then covid happened and we had to cancel that plan. We still haven’t rescheduled the destination, having put the pieces of paper back in the jar to pull again another time. We instead went on an unforgettable roadtrip that October, the Southwest Road Trip that I just finished sharing with you all.
What with covid, we chose not the pull at New Years 2021, because we were still uncertain at the time of what travel internationally would be looking like. Fast forward to Thanksgiving 2021 and I’m dying to pull from the jar without waiting a little over a month to do so. I declare a slight change to the rule, only because we hadn’t pulled this past year: that we pull now at Thanksgiving, and then one more time at New Year’s to be more like normal.
We pull. Just one of us. The other will pull on New Years Day.
Switzerland.
Where to (for Day One), Meg?
My Boston Itinerary
If you follow me on Instagram, you may know that I was recently in Boston for the NBA Finals.
Cue “We Are the Champions”…
Seriously, a bucket list item of mine, now checked off the list. It was an incredible, unforgettable experience. This was my fifth trip up to Boston, and a quick one at that.
Without further ado, I wanted to share my favorite things to do and places to eat in Boston for all of your future travel needs!
Eat/Drink
Contessa* (Italian)
The Bell in Hand Tavern
Lobstah on a Roll*
Coquette (French)
Colette (French)
Aquitaine (French)
Frenchie (French)
Yvonne’s (for drinks)
Terra at Eataly* (Italian)
Lookout Rooftop (drinks + view)
Sam Adams Brewery
Tatte Bakery
Bakey
Grana (Italian)
Green Briar Pub
Rosebud (in Cambridge, for drinks)
Paramount
Joe’s on Newbury
The Tip Tap Room
Grotto (Italian)
Tresca (Italian)
Figs (pizza)
Toscano
Sweet Waffles & Boba
Beacon Hill Books & Cafe (for their tea time!)
New England oysters (From the Barking Crab or Neptunes Oysters)
Clam chowder (you can get this practically anywhere)
To Do/To See
Walk the Freedom Trail (you will hit lots of historic landmarks on this route, so I won’t include many of them below)
Acorn Street
Walking in Beacon Hill
Go to a Celtics game
Go to a Red Sox game, or tour Fenway Park
Newbury Street (for shopping)
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Boston Public Library (can also have tea here)
Boston Marathon Finish Line
Duck Boat Tour (iconic and hilarious)
Quincy Market
Faneuil Hall
Boston Public Garden
Boston Common
Visit Seaport/Fan Pier
MFA Boston
Beacon Hill Books & Cafe
Brattle Bookshop
And that concludes my top suggestions for Boston. For now. I am always updating the list!
Depending on who I make an itinerary for, I will tweak the list according to their likes/dislikes, but this is a solid list - if you love Italian and French food, as well as touristy things.
Remember that things are touristy for a reason!
Where to (next), Meg?
The Southwest Road Trip - Day 6 & 7
Day 6 was mainly spent on the road.
We woke in Capitol Reef, next to Cathedral Valley, visited Dark Sky Coffee once more, drove around the park a little bit around noon, and then started making our way towards Moab.
Little did we know that a random winter storm was in store for us. The closer we got to Moab, the darker the sky was becoming. I just knew those clouds I was seeing ahead weren’t rain clouds.
It started snowing on us. In the desert. I never for a second thought we would be seeing snow on our trip but here we were, driving down the highway in a gradually increasing snowstorm. We found a BLM spot to camp for the night, wishing we had invested in that portable heater for this of all nights...
Normally at camp spots, Austin would take some items out and put on the roof of the car so that we would have more room to stretch out and sleep in the back of the Jeep. Not tonight. So we slept in the front seats, leaning them back as far as we could and wrapping ourselves in every blanket we had brought along. It was still freezing. We did manage to make some cup noodles for dinner and watched The Big Bang Theory before drifting off to sleep.
The snow stopped at some point during the night, but it was still very cold outside the whole day; 20’s-30’s all day but still sunny and clear skies. It was beautiful to see the desert covered in snow - and my Jeep as well. It was also Louis’ first time in the snow!
We were going to visit Arches National Park first, to see Delicate Arch, but they were currently closed due to the storm and some roadways needing to be plowed. We headed for Canyonlands National Park instead, which is in the same general area, and did some off-roading in the process.
First big stop in Canyonlands - Mesa Arch.
We drove around the park, pulling over to see all the beautiful desert views, but we honestly weren’t trying to do much hiking, it was so cold and we weren’t prepared.
Dead Horse Point is a state park next door to Canyonlands, so we drove there next before heading back to Arches, which luckily opened back up around mid-day. Although I would love to explore more of Arches National Park, Delicate Arch was my number one must-see. We strapped Louis into his K9 Sportsack, wrapped him in a blanket around Austin and set off on the Delicate Arch hike, about a total of 3 miles there-and-back.
It was getting close to sunset by the time we decided to hike back from Delicate Arch, but we luckily made it to the car just in time.
We did everything on our itinerary and decided we would hit the road homeward the next day, as we had a good 20 or so hours ahead of us to drive home.
It was a phenomenal trip, one that we will never forget. We will certainly be back to these beautiful areas to spend more time and see more, but the week we spent on the road out there...was absolutely incredible. Thanks for following along!
P.S. Fast-forward to present day, fairly recently, I actually parted ways with my Jeep. As you can imagine, it was quite a bittersweet event after the memories that we had made in it on this roadtrip. And not only that, but this month to be precise, a picture of mine that I took (on an iPhone 11!) on the morning of waking up in Capitol Reef (see first photo of this post), was published in Travel + Leisure magazine in their “Your Best Shot” section. I still can’t believe it. They had contacted me sometime in March asking about publishing it in their July issue and here we are!
Here’s to the start of more great things.
So…
Where to (next), Meg?
The Southwest Road Trip - Day Five
Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef
After we left the Zion area the day before, we drove towards Bryce Canyon, which was only two and a half hours away. We ended up arriving in the Bryce area right around sunset, so we spent that time searching for free camping. We ended up choosing a rest stop for our camping spot of the night... Apparently overnight parking at a rest stop isn’t allowed, even though it should be, but we certainly weren’t the only ones doing so. It was nice having a camping spot with a bathroom just a few steps away!
We started our day around 9 AM, only having to drive a couple more miles to Bryce Canyon National Park. We hiked the Inspiration Trail, slightly limited considering we had Louis with us, and then decided we wanted to hit the road for Capitol Reef National Park.
It was only 2PM when we reached Capitol Reef from Bryce Canyon, so there was still plenty of daylight left to explore some of the National Park. Before entering the park, we stopped by the cutest mom-and-pop cafe, Dark Sky Coffee. It was so good, we stopped by again the next day!
I think our absolute favorite thing from this day of the trip - and this park especially - was the almost two hours we spent off-roading to our camping spot of the night! Although it was extremely bumpy, cellphone signal was non-existent, and we felt lost at times, we made it to our camping spot beside Cathedral Valley in one piece, having enjoyed the off-roading experience tremendously. And this was by far our favorite camping site of the entire trip. Most nights, we made it to our camp sites late, after the sun went down, having to make camp in the dark, but this night we made it in time to soak up the view and make a fire in the fire pit supplied at our camping spot. There was surprisingly a bathroom we could walk to!
The signal at this camp spot was spotty, to say the least, but the view of the stars was spectacular, being so far away from towns. It was absolutely peaceful - and windy, as we learned throughout the night as the winds whipped around the Jeep. It might have been cold and windy, but it was secluded and absolutely beautiful. The perfect camping spot and the perfect place to end day five.
The Southwest Road Trip - Day 3 and 4
We spent two jam-packed days here in Zion. You can definitely spend way more time in this beautiful national park, but with bringing Louis along with us, we boarded him for the two days so we could hike in the park. By the way, if you have your pup with you when in this area, Doggy Dude Ranch is the perfect boarding/doggy daycare place for your furry friend; Louis thoroughly enjoyed his time spent there since he couldn't come with us.
Day One in Zion (Day Three of Southwest Roadtrip)
Day One in Zion was dedicated to the Narrows hike. We started off the day with this cafe I had seen on Instagram, Feel Love Coffee; we visited again the following day because it was that good. Then we hurried into the National Park to find parking. The time of day we chose made that a very difficult process, so we ended up missing out scheduled shuttle time, but luckily were able to easily hop on the next available shuttle after we finally found parking. Our shuttle driver was so outgoing and informative, chit-chatting the whole drive up to the Narrows drop-off, informing us that the chains section of the Angel's Landing hike was in fact back open again, news we were very excited to hear since we planned on hiking it the next day.
We started hiking at about 12 PM, and even with the sun overhead, the canyon walls still managed to block it from shining directly on you and keeping the water freezing cold. When our feet first touched the water in the hike, I thought for sure that I wouldn't make it very far but surprisingly, my feet grew used to the cold and we managed to hike inwards a total of 3.55 miles! The Narrows Hike is an out-and-back style hike, so we had to choose when we wanted to turn around and hike back to the entrance the same way we came. The hike itself is actually quite long, a total of 16 miles if I remember hearing correctly, which we definitely wouldn't have had enough time for unless we were planning on leaving Louis at his doggy daycare overnight and having a backpacking permit to trek the whole thing.
We wish we could have went further but I think for the time that we had, we did pretty good, especially since we didn't bring hiking sticks and I was wearing Chacos sandals for my footwear; not exactly the best shoes for hiking through freezing water and uneven rocks, but I made it work excellently. Despite being sad about having to turn around to make it in time to pick up Louis from his daycare, we were freezing, ready to shower, and exhausted, in much need of some warmth. It was hands-down the most unique and beautiful hike we have ever done, and we highly recommend it to anyone planning to visit Zion National Park. In total, we managed to hike 7.15 miles round-trip.
Day Two in Zion (Day Four of Southwest Roadtrip)
My favorite hike of the trip. We started Day Two in Zion a bit earlier than the first day, especially since we knew more of what we were up against with parking and such. But first, coffee again from Feel Love Coffee, which truly chose the perfect spot for a coffee shop. We started hiking around 10:30 AM and this day was a bit colder than the day before, so we were so glad we did the Narrows the day before! Poor Austin was worn out before we even made it a mile into the hike, due to the steep incline and his lack of physical activity. (Lol)
I was certainly getting some Jurassic Park vibes from this hike, which lead me to thinking about the past and imaging this area when dinosaurs were walking through it - if it even looked like this back then!
After 1600 ft of elevation gain and countless chipmunk sightings, we made it to the top! The chains section - absolutely exhilarating, although slightly more traffic than I was expecting since the information of the chains being open once again wasn't very well known, or so I thought... Word of mouth spreads quick, despite it not being mentioned on the park website. Anyways, I truly thought I was going to be terrified of the chains section, especially after I had been noticing an increased fear of heights and edges of cliffs the last couple of days, something that wasn't really an issue for me in the past, but honestly, it really wasn't that bad! (Note that hiking Angel’s Landing is now a part of a lottery system.)
When we reached the top, Austin and I literally spent a good 30 minutes just sitting and enjoying the view, while also having a picnic before making the trek back down, which was much quicker than going up as you could imagine... In total, this hike was 5.15 miles round-trip! Definitely got my steps in (and a good workout) for this day - and the day before!
These two were definitely the most strenuous hikes of the whole trip, with Angel's Landing being my absolute favorite overall. It definitely isn't for those who are afraid of heights and/or edges, unless you can muster up the courage as I thankfully and surprisingly managed to; I couldn't imagine not making it the rest of the way and not to be rewarded with that gorgeous view at the top. Worth it? 100%.
Next up, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef!
The Southwest Road Trip of 2020 - Day Two
Grand Canyon day! We spent the night just outside of the Grand Canyon in the Kaibab National Park, waking up to 28° just before sunrise.
Coffee first naturally, then to the Grand Canyon we quickly went! We started the morning off with an easy “hike” on the Mather Point Rim Trail, soaking in the gorgeous morning views, amazing weather and crisp air. The Grand Canyon is breathtakingly beautiful and I was so happy to take part in Austin’s first time seeing it.
I truly felt as though I appreciated it more this time around. My first time to the Grand Canyon, I was 16? To me, it was just a “hole in the ground!” I can’t believe I felt that way, but boy have I changed! Nowadays, I’m so taken away by the worlds beauty that I can’t believe I could have possibly thought like that, but here we are.
After the Grand Canyon, we started making our way towards Zion National Park, the next stop on our itinerary. We had a slight detour, south of the Grand Canyon, due to road-closures for the season, so we tried to see some Aspen trees with their fall colors. We managed to see a few, but not as many as I was hoping.
This was the only night we actually stayed in a hotel, allowing us to shower for the first time since Sunday night, the night we left home. But first, In-n-Out! This was the only location we were going to be coming close to on our route, which is in the city of St. George, so we absolutely made sure we swung by while near Zion. It had been too long since my last In-n-Out visit and I was very excited to be reunited.
We finished off the night with a much needed shower and getting to sleep in an actual bed instead of the Jeep. It was heavenly. We soaked it up, because we wouldn’t be touching an actual bed for the rest of the trip!
Next up, our two days spent in Zion National Park!
The Southwest Road Trip of 2020 - Day One
I’m finally sharing the diaries of our road trip to the Southwest United States that we did in October of 2020.
If you want to get technical, this is really day two of the road trip since we were literally driving ALL DAY on “day one” from Louisiana...! But it’s officially the first day where we were in our destination. The destinations for the next week are mainly in Utah, with a couple of things in northern Arizona.
We had finally stopped driving at 2 in the morning, oops, because we didn’t want to be far from Monument Valley for our morning sunrise adventure. We pulled over onto some BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land, parked the Jeep, and set up our make-shift bed in the back seat. But first, THE STARS; I have never seen so many in my life - and I finally got to see the Milky Way! I was blown away and honestly wanted to sleep on top of the car even despite it being under 50° out. Hello desert life.
Fast-forward, it’s 6:40 AM (Mountain Standard Time), and Austin is catching a few more zzz’s while I can’t stop staring out into the blackness where we parked on the side of the road, waiting for the sunrise over the famous Monument Valley road spot! Think where Forrest Gump stops running, for quick reference. It might be pitch-black out, but without any lights around, my eyes focus and I can see the outline of the sandstone buttes that are certainly going to be the highlight of my morning, pre-coffee.
And it was. The road running through the valley was long and elevated, making it easy to see on-coming cars and easy for us to run into the road for pictures of the gorgeous view.
After Monument Valley, we started making our way to Page, Arizona, about a two-hour drive away. Two things were on my list there: Lake Powell and Horseshoe Bend. Well, technically three because that was the first Starbucks since Monument Valley... Upon entering the city of Page, I got coffee and we then headed to Lake Powell, followed by Horseshoe Bend, which was by far our favorite. We weren’t doing anything specific at Lake Powell besides sight-seeing, so we were able to move along from there rather quickly. As much as we wished we were renting kayaks to be out on the water!
At Horseshoe Bend, we were able to walk Louis, our French Bulldog, with us along the trail and he absolutely loved the attention and seeing other dogs as well. It was hot from the lack of shade but we came prepared with water. The view was incredible and scary at the same time, being so close to the edge of quite a high drop. This spot was high up on my list and it certainly didn’t disappoint; I could have sat there all day staring at the view, but just not on the VERY edge.
Our original plan was to head to the Grand Canyon area to go ahead and set up camp for the night, but we took a detour down to Flagstaff to see some Aspen trees - that we ended up not even seeing because we were looking in the wrong area! When we finally reached the south rim of the Grand Canyon, it was dark and somewhat harder to find a camping site but we managed to find the perfect spot ducked away in the woods of the National Forest that surrounds the southern part of the park.
It was a jam-packed and beautiful first day. We learned that Arizona doesn’t participate in Daylight Savings Time, but the Navajo, who’s land stretches over Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, do in fact still practice it, regardless of their land in Arizona. It made it slightly confusing when we were switching back and forth between time zones all of sudden as we made our merry way down from Utah to Arizona.
Highlight of the Day: Monument Valley and Horseshoe Bend
Fun Little Life Update
A tad different from my usual posts, but I wanted to share this news here.
We made the first deposit on the venue for our elopement! It’s getting real - even though it’s not until October 2025. It will be here before we know it.
Our photographer has also been chosen. Other than that, there’s the matter of booking flights (when I can actually see those dates lol) and booking hotels for our honeymoon that will also take place in the same country we plan on eloping in; I only need to solidify the route we will be taking and how many days to spend at each destination. Then, of course my dress, Austin’s tux and the rings.
Can’t wait to share more with you all!
Where to (next), Meg?
Current Top 5 on My Bucket List
We all have a bucket list, right? Maybe it’s not officially called that for everyone, but I’m sure that we all have goals, whether big or small, things we’re determined to do before we…kick the bucket.
I was reading a journal entry from four years ago where I listed my Top 5, so it inspired me to share them here and how they may have changed in four years.
So here’s my current top five that first come to mind:
1. Travel, travel and more travel.
This still ranks highest on both my list from four years ago and my current list. I have definitely been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit in the past 4-5 years; Seattle, Boston more than once, a road trip to the southwest US national parks in Arizona and Utah, New York City, California, Switzerland and the Italian Dolomites, Ireland and London. There certainly has been no shortage of travel and I am truly grateful for each opportunity.
2. Visit every MLB stadium.
If I haven’t mentioned before, I love me some baseball (basketball too), and so far, I’ve been to six stadiums out of 30 (it was four when I wrote the journal entry four years ago).
3. Move out of Louisiana.
I’ve lived here my whole life and my whole life I have wanted to do anything but live here. It’s a ginormous goal of mine to make this happen some day, not just dream about it. No, it still hasn’t happened but it’s also still a major goal that I won’t be giving up on.
4. Have one of my photos be in a magazine.
5. Be paid to do what I love.
I love a lot of things, as you can tell. I love to travel, to eat, to write, to read and to take photos. The goal is to get paid to do at least one of those things I love. Not everyone can say that they truly love what they do and I want to make it a priority of mine to make sure I love my work every second of every day. One step closer to making one of these goals a reality, I just can’t speak on it quite yet!
Everyone’s bucket list/goals are different. I personally take my bucket list seriously; it’s not just a childish, dream list of things I want to do but I’m not really going to. I’m 100% set to make these things happen!
What are the current top, must-do things on your bucket list?
Where To Meg - Spring Travel Bucket List
I’m drooling over all of the spring content on my Instagram feed. Are you? And I know that we are already a month into spring…even if where you are from still feels like winter, or maybe it already feels like summer. But in honor of the season, here are some places I would love to visit during the springtime.
Amsterdam - for the tulips, of course!
Japan - cherry blossom season!!!
Boston - I tend to either visit in the fall, or late winter/early spring so I don’t get the chance to see the city in the full bloom that it is around mid-to-end of April.
Paris - anywhere in France, let’s be real.
Seattle - I have visited during the spring before and it was heavenly. There’s a tulip field of north that I highly recommend visiting.
Washington, D.C. - more cherry blossoms! It’s also been years since I have been here.
London - Same with France, I would choose to venture all over the UK during the spring.
Italy - I just can’t bring myself to travel to Italy during the summer with everyone else in the world, not to mention the HEAT.
Nantucket/Martha’s Vineyard/Cape Cod areas - got to beat those summer crowds
Any where I can watch an MLB game!
These are some current top destinations that quickly come to my mind when thinking about a spring trip. Hopefully they will inspire you!
Where to (next), Meg?
My Japan Itinerary
Now that I’m finished sharing both my summer and winter Japan diaries, and even my foodie bucket list, I want to now list my recommended itinerary for your next Japan visit! Thankfully, I have a lot of awesome people around me that ask for my suggestions on what to do in certain places on their travels, so I figured I would share what I would recommend to them when going to Japan.
I’ll start off with the cities I have visited that are usual stops for most travelers, listing things I have done and adding in things from my bucket list I want to do on future visits (that will be label with an *). Also, note that this is a generic, all-around list of things I feel like are a must do, but I can always curate lists based on the person, how well I know them and their interests.
Tokyo
Tokyo Tower
Zojoji Temple*
Senso-ji + Asakusa Temple
Akihabara
Try to win something in the arcades in Akihabara
Try Gachapon machines
Ueno Park
Ginza (popular shopping district)
Shibuya Crossing
See the Giant Godzilla head in Shinjuku
Shinjuku Gyoen (celebrate Hanami here during cherry blossom season)*
Harajuku
Meiji Shrine
Ikebukuro + Pokemon Megastore
Visit a themed cafe
Visit the fish market
Stay in a capsule hotel*
Eat lots of sushi, ramen or other foods listed in my previous blog post
Visit the Ghibli Museum*
Gotokuji Temple (famous for all their lucky cats)*
Imperial Palace grounds
Nakameguro (another perfect spot for cherry blossom viewing)*
Starbucks Reserve Roastery*
Rowboat @ Chidorigafuchi*
Visit Shiba Park @ night
Visit the More Art Museum
Visit the Samurai museum
Kyoto
Fushimi-inari Taisha
Higashiyama + Gion
Visit the Starbucks in Gion that was a former teahouse*
Pontocho Alley* (great at night)
Shirakawa-dori
Nishiki Market
Philosopher’s Path* (very popular during cherry blossom season)
Kiyomizu-dera
Yasaka pagoda
Kodai-ji Temple*
Arashiyama Bamboo forest
% Arabica Coffee shop in Arashiyama*
Kyoto Imperial Palace*
Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
Attend a tea ceremony*
A great city to bike or take a walking tour, weather permitting*
Day trip to Nara to see the deer
Osaka
Osaka Castle
Dotonbori + Glico Man*
Kuroman Market*
Eat Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki
Katsuo-ji Temple (known for all of its daruma figurines)*
Hike Mt. Fuji (summer activity)
Visit Kawaguchiko
Other
Visit an onsen
Try as many vending machines as possible
Visit 7/Eleven, Family Mart, and/or Lawson
Stay at a ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel)
Watch sumo wrestling
Visit a karaoke bar
Take a bullet train
Drink sake
Visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Miyajima Island
Visit Himeji (to see the castle)
Visit Okinawa
Visit Hakone for the onsens + shrine
Visit a standing sushi bar
Shop @ Don Quijote
Visit Matsumoto Castle
There are sooooooo many places to see and visit in Japan, and I feel like this barely scratches the surface. But it should be a great starting point for your adventures in Japan! I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you utilize my list!
Where to (next), Meg?
What To Eat in Japan
Yes, there needs to be a whole separate post on what to eat in Japan when you visit, because I loved the food SO much. And after two visits, there’s still things I want to try, believe it or not!
When people think about food in Japan, I can bet that their minds mostly go to sushi - sometimes ramen. Well, I’m here to share some of the not-so-commonly known foods that I absolutely loved. I really don’t think there was anything that comes to mind that I didn’t like; I’ll try anything at least once and usually enjoy most that I try.
If you plan on visiting Japan in the future, here's your list of other delicious options other than the most popular:
Taiyaki - If you're a fan of anime, you might have seen this dessert before (as well as many other Japanese foods that I might list below). You might have even seen this little guy make his way over to the States served in a trendy fashion of taiyaki ice cream where the fish is used as an ice cream cone, but this is the more traditional version. In Japan, it's commonly filled with red bean paste or custard, but can also be filled with chocolate, sweet potato or matcha like the one pictured - and my favorite of the fillings. I tried this on my first trip to Japan and loved it so much that I just had to get more on my second trip.
A place to get Taiyaki in Baton Rouge: Sweet Society! They serve is cone style (but in a bowl), as well as tradtionally, but unfortunately do not yet have a matcha filling.
Udon (and tempura) - Another favorite, but then again, a lot of these will be favorites; I wouldn't suggest something I didn't care for, no matter how popular it is. Best eaten with a side of tempura fried veggies of choice (I loveeeee tempura sweet potato and lotus root), udon is something I regretted not trying on my first trip, so I made up for it the second time around... (There’s going to be a lot of that) It's obviously a thicker noodle soup, which you can get plain, with beef (as shown below), or (depending on the place and what is offered) with whatever you would like! I personally prefer mine plain or with beef.
I’ve found quite a few places that have served udon here in the U.S. over the years, but my favorite is Sushi Yama so far. I even randomly stumbled upon a place in London that was actually set up very much like my favorite udon restaurant in Japan. It was quite the pleasant surprise.
Onigiri - I know I said this already, but this is my number one favorite. For real. I crave these all the time. They're rice balls wrapped in seaweed and can be had with various fillings, my favorite being salted salmon or tuna with Japanese mayo. You can find these everywhere honestly in Japan; convenience stores, fish markets, there are even restaurants for them specifically. I prefer to get mine from 7/Eleven just because I'm familiar with the packaging and how the flavor that I like most looks at those locations. Consider using your phone to translate the kanji to figure out the flavor you would like best. I also absolutely love the packaging and how it opens; the seaweed is kept separate from the rice to keep it fresh and crisp, so follow the numbered steps to open correctly.
While I only just this year found a pop-up/food truck type that specializes in onigiri in Baton Rouge, I had yet to find onigiri in the States other than in NYC and Los Angeles. I have even found onigiri at a convenience store in Switzerland of all places!
Tuna Belly or Toro - Seafood in Japan is sooooo fresh, understandably because they're an island and well known for their sushi. It only makes sense that anything seafood related is fresh and delicious - and very cheap without compromising quality. This dish in particular, is minced tuna belly over rice. Heavenly if you love fatty tuna and something simple, but I will take it in any form that I can.
Chirashi Bowl - More deliciously fresh seafood. Think of this like a poke bowl of sorts, but with strictly rice, a fresh assortment of fish cut sashimi style, and hints of soy sauce and wasabi. And just like poke, it's customizable, or as customizable as you can get in Japan.
Yakitori - Ignore the fried tofu at the top of the photo and instead focus your attention on the skewers below. It translates to skewered chicken but I'm sure you can find other meat types served in this style.
Soba - Soba noodles are a signature Japanese dish, known for its thin noodles (similar to spaghetti noodles) and can be served cold with a dipping sauce or served hot. They're the opposite of udon's thick wheat noodles by being made of buckwheat. I only tried them cold, which was strange having to dip my noodles but it was still deliciously different.
Curry - Most people probably don't think of curry as something they would eat in Japan, not to mention find. But believe it or not, Japanese curry is pretty popular and freaking good; I would place it in my top five. It's hard to miss it since there are so many restaurant chains that sell it, so you have plenty of options to choose where you want to get it from, a chain called CoCo Ichibanya being one of the most popular spots, which they apparently have locations in California that I only drove past much to my chagrin.
A place that I have found Japanese curry: Boru Ramen in Baton Rouge. It immediately took me right back to Japan, tasting just like the real stuff. Other than that, I have tried my hand a few times making it home but it’s honestly been years since I last made it…
Don Buri - Don Buri, although not quite one of my favorites, is barbeque eel over a bed of rice, and is actually pretty popular and quite simple.
Dango - Dango is made from rice flour and not quite the same as mochi. It has a slightly sweet taste but mostly taste like rice and is firm in texture. You can also get them with a type of sweet soy sauce on them. They're a simple sweet but make for a nice photo. Not to mention you see these in a lot of anime.
Wagashi - Or Namagashi, is a traditional Japanese confection served with tea. They are super sweet (that's why it makes such a great combination with tea) and have a cute design or shape. I absolutely loved the Year of the Rooster one I found, even if it had bean paste inside.
Ramen - One of the most known things about Japan other than sushi: ramen. It’s an extremely popular dish worldwide. There are plenty of other options for ramen other than Ichiran, so take your pick, whether it's a mom-and-pop shop or a well-known chain like Ichiran; I didn't go the first time to Japan but made sure to make it happen on the second trip.
I have been to the U.S. location of Ichiran, while also visiting countless other ramen shops here in the U.S., but you can never go wrong with a local spot over the chains. My favorite ramen in Baton Rouge: Born (that I mentioned above already). One of the chefs actually went to Japan to train on how to make the ramen noodles properly.
Shabu Shabu - A Japanese type of hot pot served with thinly sliced beef and an array of other meats and vegetables. In this photo, I got a split pot to try out two different style of broths, one creamy and one spicy. Hot pots like shabu shabu are very customizable, so what you see below is just what I chose to order.
I’ve found a great shabu shabu place in Boston called Shabuzen.
Matcha - In every single form. Tea, lattes, ice cream, inside taiyaki, to name a few. It’s essentially their vanilla. If you love matcha, trying every food, dessert and drink made with it is a must. One of my top favorites that I can’t find here? Matcha Oreos.
KitKats - I’m begging you to try every flavor that you can get your hands on. That has been my mission on both of my trips that I will continue to do in the future. I had a Japanese box subscription for the longest solely for the unique flavors of KitKats they featured each month. One particular flavor that I tried in the summer of 2015, that you might recall from the blog, was butter. And it honestly wasn't terrible.
Sushi - Last but not certainly not least, the most famous of all. Japan is the land of sushi, so it only makes sense that it's so popular, just know that it's certainly not how you can order it here in the States. Think more simple rolls and raw fish. You're out of luck if you only eat cooked, deep-fried, covered in sauce type rolls, because cooked options are limited, very limited. But if you like raw sushi, I highly recommend toro - tuna belly. Sushi restaurants are everywhere, but try out a conveyor belt sushi restaurant if you visit or visit sushi restaurants at the fish market for the freshest of fish.
Some other things that I tried and recommend:
Melonpan
Crepes
sakura mochi
Beef bowls/Gyudon
Okonomiyaki
Unique flavors of ice cream, i.e. sake, black sesame or sakura
Sake!
Japanese beer
Kobe beef (although I want to try it differently on my next visit)
Don't be afraid to branch out. If you only eat sushi, you're missing out on so many other amazing foods that make up the Japanese cuisine and culture. It's like visiting New Orleans and not trying gumbo or crawfish, only eating jambalaya.
Now this isn't every single food item known to the country of Japan of course, just some of my favorites that I made sure to try on my two visits; there's plenty more that I still haven't tried that's on my list down below:
McDonalds. I know…but apparently its really good in Japan and they have unique items that you can’t get in the U.S.
Takoyaki. Octopus balls! Not what you think. I not surprisingly didn’t get these on my second trip, because I was trying to frolic in Universal Studios but instead just waited in the longest line, cold and wet.
Oden. It’s a popular winter dish that you can easily get from the convenience store.
Sakura ice cream. Honestly, anything sakura flavored is on my list when I manage to visit in the spring.
Kakigori, or shaved ice.
Egg sandwiches from 7/Eleven, Family Mart and Lawson. These weren’t as popular when I visited as they are now and I regret not trying them. There’s also a strawberry one sold around the spring time that I’d also love to try. And yes, you have to try them from the three main convenience stores and judge the victor.
I hope this gives you more of an idea of what to expect food-wise in Japan and that it persuades you to eat more than sushi on your visit. I promise you'll love so much of it and will want to move there just to get the amazing food everyday. Now don't get me started on Japanese Starbucks and 7/Elevens...
Where to next?
The Japan (Winter) Diaries - Day 13 & 14
January 9, 2017
My second to last day in Tokyo. I started off in Harajuku, visiting a cafe I found on Instagram before my trip outside Tokyo to Kyoto and Osaka. The cafe is called Reissue and I highly recommend if your are a fan of coffee, latte’s, or latte art; they can make some creative art with the foam! On my way, I spotted lots of young girls dressed up in a type of kimono called furisode. It just so happened to be Coming of Age Day or “Seijin no Hi” for all adults who turned twenty in the past year. Gorgeous kimonos were everywhere!
On to Reissue, I ordered curry for my late breakfast. Yeah, curry for breakfast. It took a little bit of a wait for the latte’s, but they were so worth it. I chose a Totoro 3D art and the person with me chose Gudetama doing judo, otherwise known as Judotama. Best latte hands down. In appearance and taste.
As much as I wanted to stick around to order more cute latte’s, I decided to move on with my day, heading to Akihabara next, my favorite place. I grabbed kobe beef on a stick from a street vendor and it was oh so juicy and delicious. Then I did a bunch of unnecessary shopping considering my hotel room was already packed with souvenirs.
For dinner, I decided to splurge a little by going to a shabu shabu restaurant. I had the crab and kuroge wagyu beef option. I was stuffed by the end, there was so much delicious food.
January 10, 2017
Another day wandering the Tokyo streets aimlessly, except this was my very last day…trying not to think about that fact constantly. I went on a scavenger hunt for Dragon Ball-themed food due to an event they had just started on this very day where you visit all the JR stations where you collect Dragon Ball stamps. Some places even sold Dragon Ball-themed food like the stuff I found below.
I tried going to a museum that I had wanted to visit on our last Japan trip, but it ended up being closed. Maybe next time.
I spotted the Tokyo Marathon banner along the way and fan-girled just a tad. (My thought at the time: One day! But in all actuality, I can’t even think of doing another marathon any time soon, maybe ever)
I did a little more shopping, went to a couple arcades to check out the claw game prizes, then headed back to the udon restaurant I visited with Mori-san and Dr. Yoshida. I told you I would be back. My favorite meal of the trip that I miss so much, especially those lotus roots.
January 11, 2017
The day I left Japan. I found some wagashi the night before — and ended up eating it all on the plane… I also managed to have my last matcha ice cream cone in the airport, right outside my gate, along with some airport curry that surprisingly wasn’t disappointing.
This post was a little rushed, but I really didn’t feel as if there was enough content to make three more separate posts, therefore I compiled it into one. Just as I was in denial of leaving Japan, I am also in denial of finishing the blog posts about Japan.
Now that I am finished with the Japan (Winter) Diaries, where to next? I have a couple ideas up my sleeve…
The Japan (Winter) Diaries - Day 12
January 8, 2017
I woke up early in Kyoto and caught a train to Osaka; which is only about a thirty minute train ride. I grabbed a delicious, canned green tea latte from a vending machine on the platform while I waited on the train.
Upon arriving in Osaka, it was still rather early and dark outside, so I grabbed coffee at a Starbucks in the station, sitting down to drink it and people watch before setting out for my main objective: Osaka Castle. It rained lightly all day, so I had to purchase a cheap umbrella before heading into the castle park.
The castle was absolutely gorgeous, despite the gloom weather. My one disappointment is that on the inside, it’s completely redone (somewhat understandable?) to accommodate a museum comprising of the castles history; in no way does it resemble it’s original interior. The sadness. So I would definitely recommend skipping the museum since it isn’t free and just isn’t worth it, in my opinion, although the observatory deck has a great view. Just admiring the outside of the castle is enough!
(Fun fact: these Japan recaps have come from my previous blog back in 2017, so I will say I have slightly more interest of the interior of Osaka Castle since I have been recently watching Shogun on Hulu.)
The original Osaka Castle was built in 1583, but unfortunately it was reconstructed in 1931 and refurbished in 1997.
Next on the agenda: the Osaka Pokemon Center. And boy, was it the biggest Pokemon Center yet. Somehow I walked away without buying anything, including these giant stuffed Ditto’s.
Being really into Harry Potter, I couldn’t possibly miss out on visiting Universal Studios while in Osaka. But I do regret going off on my own excursion after having no choice by to wait nearly three hours to enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter via a time-ticket you have to schedule. It’s sort of like a fast-pass, but minus the fast; only a pass letting you know when you can enter the area. It’s that packed at USJ. This was my whole reason for visiting USJ, so on top of it being cold and rainy, I then had to wait nearly three hours before I could enter, with really nothing else I wanted to do there; I wanted to stay out of the rain as much as possible, but seating in a lot of restaurants was already full. Needless to say, I was miserable and would totally go back and do something different if I could.
On the plus side, I did end up with a deliciously cute Hello Kitty pork bun and eventually after getting into the Harry Potter part, I got myself some soothingly hot Butterbeer. And all was well.
As soon as I left Universal, I decided to head back to Tokyo early; it was only about five, but I was drained from all the cold and the rain.
Highlight of the Day
Osaka Castle & Hogwarts Castle
Favorite Food of the Day
Hello Kitty pork bun
Favorite Snack of the Day
n/a
Favorite Drink of the Day
Butterbeer
Only two days left of my Japan series (I’m sure you’re thinking: about time!), which I will compile into one post, so where to next?
The Japan (Winter) Diaries - Day 11
January 7, 2017
It was nice not having to wake up super early to catch a train to Kyoto, thanks to waking up there! I did wake up pretty early though to visit Arashiyama Bamboo forest before the crowds started getting too crazy. This is what exploring Kyoto in one day looked like!
The amount of people already there was a little surprising, but it was really only a handful of people with the same idea as me. It's a lot smaller than the pictures naturally, but it was still just as breathtakingly beautiful. A perfect, peaceful start to my morning.
Next up, Kinkaku-ji temple, the famous Golden Pavilion, as it is otherwise known. I had to take a bus to get here, instead of a subway like I had been taking so far. One spectacular view after another to start off the morning on the right foot. It cost to get in and I didn't stick around long since the crowds were arriving; just long enough to soak in the spectacular beauty of the temple, before heading out to find green tea ice cream with gold leaf sprinkled on top. Yum!
The famous Nishiki Market was next on my list. To Downtown Kyoto I went. It was a nice change of pace from the nature of Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji, although this market was just as packed, but at least there was food now! I saw lots of fresh produce and seafood, and certainly some unusual foods as well.
After Nishiki Market, I stopped for lunch of soba and tempura right outside. Then crossed the street to visit the Kyoto Pokemon Center. Of course, I would manage to find another Pokemon store.
Next up, Gion. And literally as I was crossing the street into Gion, I spotted actual geisha! I was lucky enough to see a few more geisha wandering around as I went along, visiting their patrons. It wasn't hard to tell where a geisha was either, thanks to the mass of photographers waiting outside, cameras in hand. Apparently, you can get fined for this! While I did snap a couple pictures in excitement, I let them be and carry on with their errands.
After exploring a little bit more of Gion, I headed for Kiyomizu-dera, one of Kyoto's most popular Buddhist temples. And as if I hadn't had enough ice cream in one day, on my descent from the temple, I found sake-flavored ice cream. Talk about delicious.
Somehow I managed to walk all the way back to my hotel (Kyoto Tower) from Kiyomizu-dera, where I rested our feet a bit before heading out to find dinner of a beef bowl and udon.
Highlight of the Day
seeing a geisha
Favorite Food of the Day
beef bowl
Favorite Snack of the Day
sake ice cream
Favorite Drink of the Day
N/A
The Japan (Winter) Diaries - Day 10
January 6, 2017
A short day trip to Nara. Literally when I say "a short trip", I'm not kidding. I had one objective in Nara, and that was to see the deer, so I certainly didn't waste any time getting there - and really didn’t do much else...
First things first, I woke up (in Tokyo) later than I had intended; I had specifically reserved seats the day before on the Shinkansen bound for Kyoto, but I over-slept and missed the train. Luckily there wasn't one too much longer afterwards and reserving seats doesn't cost anything, so it was an easy fix and I didn't lose money.
I got some even better views of Mt. Fuji from the shinkansen on this train journey.
Once again, just like with Matsumoto, I couldn't take the shinkansen directly to Nara so I had to get off at Kyoto and catch a local train for Nara, Japan's first permanent capital. And once again, I walked all the way from the station to my point of interest. I saw this beautiful, dark pagoda before entering the Deer Park. Seriously the coolest park ever. The deer are still “wild”, but certainly pretty friendly, especially if you buy the crackers sold throughout the park to feed them with. But they can still bite, kick, and butt you if they're hangry enough.
I spent an hour or so total here in the deer park, also stopping by the nearby Todai-ji temple to see the famous Great Buddha. Daibutsu-den Hall, the temple in which Great Buddha is housed, is actually the largest wooden structure in the world.
My game plan was to spend the next two nights in Kyoto, since having come this far from Tokyo. So upon finishing my visit to the deer in Nara, I got back on the train for Kyoto and headed straight for Fushimi Inari-Taisha. Ever since watching and reading Memoirs of a Geisha, I had been dying to go here. It was a bit crowded of course, that's for sure, but still so peaceful and serene. Let's just say vermilion might be my new favorite color.
After exploring the impressive shrine grounds, I headed to my hotel, Kyoto Tower Hotel, directly across from Kyoto Station. I rested for a bit after all my explorations, then headed out for dinner and a snack. I had some yummy salmon and tuna nigiri, and even found the maple milk tea released in convenience stores during the fall. Yum! I’m a sucker for seasonal food and beverages.
Highlight of the Day
Nara deer park
Fushimi Inari-taisha
Favorite Food of the Day
salmon + tuna nigiri
Favorite Snack of the Day
N/A
Favorite Drink of the Day
maple-flavored Royal Milk Tea
Obviously, I intend to revisit Tokyo the next time I am in Japan, but Kyoto and Nara will certainly be revisited as well! I fell in love with both cities. Only next time, I won’t be walking around Fushimi-inari with my suitcase…
So, where to next, Meg?
The Japan (Winter) Diaries - Day Nine
January 5, 2017
Another chill day in Tokyo.
First, I started with a visit to the Kabuki Theatre in Ginza, since I had really wanted to see a kabuki play the last time I was in Tokyo, but they were unfortunately closed at the time. What is kabuki? It’s a classical form of Japanese theatre dating back to the 1600’s, incorporating traditional dance and a famous style of stage-makeup called kumadori that’s worn by some of the performers. Somehow, I managed booking my tickets to the four-hour session without realizing the length and I only made it barely half-way because I just couldn’t keep my eyes open! If only I would have caught a shorter performance…
I did manage to find some wagashi in the shopping area below the theatre. Wagashi is a traditional Japanese handmade sweet, mostly made from various plants, and typically served with tea. I fell in love with some of the flavors, drawn in by all the super cute , intricate designs they make the confection into -- like the year of the rooster one! This one I tried had a red bean paste filling and was actually quite delicious despite my opposition to red bean. I loved it so much that I went to buy another after leaving the play.
After leaving kabuki early, the main plan for the day was to attend the first practice of the New Year at the Kodokan, the first school of judo that I had practiced at on my last visit to Japan. So I headed off to the Kodokan and Tokyo Dome area; they are literally right next door to each other, if you recall from my summer series. There was a kaiten-sushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant in the area I had visited a couple times on my last trip that I wanted to stop by again for dinner, since I was so close again. It's one of my favorite experiences from Japan, and the sushi is so cheap and still delicious!
Highlight of the Day
visiting Smart Sushi again
Favorite Food of the Day
tuna @ Smart Sushi
Favorite Snack of the Day
wagashi
Favorite Drink of the Day
N/A
Where to next, Meg?
The Japan (Winter) Diaries - Day Eight
January 4, 2017
After visiting Matsumoto the day before, I had to make a game plan for when I would visit the other cities on my list, so the next two days were spent back in Tokyo to accommodate my plan.
I started the day in Harajuku with my mind set on going to an owl cafe. Unfortunately, you need to make a reservation a day or so ahead of time because it’s that popular, so I couldn’t do that. Instead, I chilled outside of a cute little spot nearby called CookieTime, that specializes in cookies, shakes, and flat whites. I bought a flat white and five mini chocolate chip cookies. This spot was actually featured on a video by one of my favorite YouTube J-vloggers.
Without much else on my list for the day, I swung by the famous Cafe Kitsune since I was in the area again. This time it was thankfully open! I got a delicious matcha latte.
After finishing my drinks, I decided to go to my first onsen (an indoor hot springs)! I chose the Oedo Onsen Monogatari that I had read about in some Tokyo and Japan books I had purchased before the trip, as well as watching some of my J-vloggers visit. It’s one of the most popular ones in Tokyo most likely due to the amusement park vibes on the inside. You are able to rent yukata to wear throughout the onsen until you get into the actual hot springs baths. The baths at this particular spot are gender-divided. There was an indoor and outdoor section to the bathing area as well. It was quite a thrilling experience, one I will never forget, getting out of my comfort zone of being naked around a whole bunch of other women. I ended my visit here with a relaxing 50-minute massage; my first ever massage!
(I recently learned that it is now closed, but there are countless options for onsens all over Japan.)
For dinner, delicious katsu-don (fried cutlet over rice).
Highlight of the Day
Oedo Onsen
Favorite Food of the Day
katsu-don
Favorite Snack of the Day
the green tea ice cream I got inside the onsen
Favorite Drink of the Day
matcha latte from Cafe Kitsune
Where to next, Meg?
The Japan (Winter) Diaries - Day Seven
January 3, 2017
Before leaving for Japan, I had purchased the JR Pass, otherwise known as the Japan Rail Pass, which allows you to take the shinkansen (bullet train) while in Japan and is only offered for foreigners. I purchased the seven-day pass that really came in handy the last half of the trip, enabling me to visit some cities I hadn’t previously been to, and it even saved some money on the subway in Tokyo since you can use it for all JR lines.
The bullet train is actually one of the fastest trains in the world, with speeds up to 320 mph. Half the train seemed to be made up of cars with reserved seats and the other half had nonreserved seats, which definitely came in handy when I was running late a few times! Oops.
So my first city to visit via shinkansen using my JR Pass: Matsumoto! I love the castles in Japan, only seeing one castle on my last trip, so I specifically planned on seeing more. That was the whole reason for visiting Matsumoto, for the gorgeous Matsumoto castle.
You actually can’t take the shinkansen directly to Matsumoto; it takes you to Nagano and from there you transfer onto a local train for Matsumoto. The journey via bullet train was so incredibly smooth and fast, in which I couldn’t peal my eyes away from the view outside the window. I was even able to get a beautiful view of Fuji-san when leaving Tokyo, thanks to such clear weather again.
Closer to Matsumoto, we started going through the mountains, offering wonderful views of snow from the train!! Unfortunately upon arrival in Matsumoto itself, there was hardly any snow to be found except some small icy patches here and there, and some left over on the rooftops.
Once getting off the train in Matsumoto, it was a quick walk to the castle from the station. Matsumoto is the second largest city in Nagano prefecture and surrounded by mountains on all sides.
I strolled down Nawate-dori, not too far from the castle, spotting more people visiting shrines and picking up some taiyaki to munch on while inching closer to the castle grounds. I actually didn’t know at the time that I was on this famous street, I had just stumbled upon it; it’s a popular place and hard to miss, thanks to the large statue of a frog.
Finally at the Matsumoto grounds! The moment I spied the castle, I became giddy with excitement.
Matsumoto castle is nicknamed Crow Castle for its striking dark color. It’s also Japan’s oldest wooden castle and one of the few originals, something I value in extreme; it’s terribly sad to learn some structures around Japan are no longer original due to the war and other tragedies. Matsumoto castle is also one of the few castles built on plains rather than a hill or mountain.
You have to take off your shoes to enter the castle, carrying them with you in a plastic bag which you return upon leaving. My feet were only in thin stockings and they were like ice cubes by the end of the tour, it was so cold inside, obviously because there isn’t heat installed! The stairs leading up and down to connecting floors were essentially ladders, they were so steep.
After the interior tour, I went around to the other side of the grounds to see the famous picturesque red bridge that connects to the castle. You can’t walk on it, so I took lots of pictures instead!
Leaving the castle behind, I tried to visit a former samuari home afterwards, but it was closed for the New Year still. I then stopped by this surprisingly empty shrine on my walk back towards the castle and station.
I stopped the grab curry for lunch and of course, I couldn’t resist also stopping by a 7-Eleven on the way to the station, where I ended up FINALLY finding the Starbucks matcha latte that I love so much. Took me long enough; it was everywhere during the summer.
I also passed by the cutest little book store that I regret not going into.
Back in Tokyo, I knew I had to finally get Ichiran ramen for dinner, a ramen restaurant recommended to me by one of my former bosses, who went to Japan a month before my first visit to Japan. There was a bit of a wait, but it was one hundred percent worth it. They have one thing on the menu and that’s ramen; you can add what ever you like to it, which will obviously increase the price. I kept it simple though, just ordering the offered dish and only adding on an additional boiled egg. My favorite.
Highlight of the Day
first shinkansen ride
Matsumoto Castle
Favorite Food of the Day
Ichiran ramen
Favorite Snack of the Day
N/A
Favorite Drink of the Day
Starbucks Matcha Latte
Where to next, Meg?