April 2016

I went to Japan this Spring, I arrived in early April.
I've been to Japan before two years previous, in January. This time was completely different.
Japan was in full bloom, the sakura petals were beginning to fall and line the edges of the streets with beautiful pink and white trails.

I met my cousin from California at the airport, I had to wait for 10 hours. Thank goodness Japan airports are clean and convenient!
While checking out the arrivals board I was pulled aside by a Japanese film crew. They told me they were interviewing foreigners visiting Japan. They asked me why I'd decided to travel to Japan, what I was hoping to do and anything I knew about their country.
It was interesting and kind of embarrassing. I was supporting my large travel bag on my back, I live in Northern Ireland, I'm not used to the heat, especially not in Spring; 'The rainy season' basically, I was beginning to sweat profusely.
I made a comment about this, couldn't help it, thats my kind of humour- humiliate myself....They laughed and the english speaker said I was very charming. They gave me suggestions of places to visit. Weird but worthwhile experience.

On our first night in Japan Tokyo, we stayed in an AirBnB. I'd set up an account a few weeks before my travels, and I'm glad I did.  It took us a while to find our place after we go to the directed station. We wondered around the area looking at the pictures we had of the outside, hoping to win the game of 'eye spy'. Eventually we did after a very helpful policeman.
The next morning we fully realised where we were in the city when we looked up and saw the gigantic 'Sky Tree'.

Now I would definitely suggest AirBnB to anyone. It's exciting, authentic, good value for money and comfortable. You have to go through a process until you can actually sign up, to make it safer for both hosts and guests. You wanna make sure your guest/host ain't crazy right? 

The first few nights in Japan were everything I wanted them to be for my cousin. My cousin had never left America before and I wanted to make sure our trip was unforgettable for all the right reasons.

Our first night was spent in a traditional Japanese Apartment. It has everything a manga lover could ever want. But also helped me really experience what life in Japan might be like. 

Ueno Park

I'd already visited Ueno Park in early Jnauary back in 2014, but what I always really wanted was to experience the season of the Sakura, and it's festivals. 

Ueno Park is the most popular place in Tokyo for the flower viewing festivcal festivities. It was beautiful. 

I also saw a shrine Maiden! But I didn't get a picture, I figured it'd be rude to ask.... >.>

Akihabara 

It's where every manga and anime lover dreams of going. As we should. It's incredible!

Tall buildings surrounding you, young high school girls every ten steps in maid , sexy ninja and cosplay costumes, handing out fliers. Delicious sweet crepes sold at every corner and an insane amount of arcade centres with crane games that are winnable!

But still, are not easy.

I could talk about Japan for much loner, however when I tried to plan it out I realised it'd be way too long and also I can no longer add more pictures :(

But i'll give you highlights for the rest of the trip and post pictures when I remember the best moments. 

- Rented Kimonos in Kyoto- you can't put them on alone, you NEED help. I felt beautiful, especially when all the Japanese came up to take pictures with us. 

- Tempura Prawns and Miso Soup.  I had the best lunch/ meal i've ever had in this small restaurants in an alleyway in Kyoto.

- Karaoke! We went a few times, it was fun, easy and the environment was great! Some better then others but it's Japan, the standards are pretty high to begin with! 

- Cat Cafe in Shibuya. So much fun to actually say i've been to one, however most cats you weren't actually allowed to even touch. Still nice to be in a room with animals. 

- Maid Cafe in Shibuya. Crazy cute! She had us making heart with our hand and chanting cute phrases. I even got adorable bunny ears and was called princess for an hour! 

- Evangelion Train from Hiroshima. I was incredibly sick on the day we planned to get the train, and it left at 7am, but my cousin wanted it so much so I became a zombie and made it to the train. It took a lot of candy to bring me back. But it was worth the struggle. It was SO FUCKING COOL!

- Universal Studios. Attack on Titan Exhibit. Enough said. 

- Irish Pub. We met 3 Mitchell and Star chiefs. One English, French and Mexican- madness. 

- Mount Fuji Flower Festival. The flowers were only 30% in bloom, it took 4 hours on 5 trains to get there, when we arrived it began to pour like Irish skies, and cost us around £45 each. Still we ate some authentic festival food and saw crafts stalls. We also discovered what a rain storm in Japan was like. Fuji was hiding behind thick rolling clouds so we didn't even get to see her. Then. 

- Pokemon Centers; Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. I'd forgotten how much I loved Pokemon until we hit our first centre and I remembered how cool I was. 

- Sailor Moon Sky Exhibit. This exhibit was how I got my Tokyo view pictures for peeps back home. Instead of spending £40 to go up the Sky tree, we spent £15 to get into the new Sailor moon exhibit. It was 52 floors up and had everything related to Sailor moon. Sailor moon exhibit was- fucking amazing and nostalgic! The view made me spoon. I was horrible hung over from our heavy night drinking the night before. Looking down from that height made my head fuzz and my stomach to flip flop. Thanks for nothing alcohol.  

So yeah, thats the breakdown of my trip to Japan. 

Japan is a wonderful county that I think everyone could benefit from visiting and learning about the culture. 

Japan! 

2018?