I lived and worked in Tokyo for three months immediately after finishing my undergraduate degree. I’d never been to Asia and I’d barely eaten any Japanese food. But, I applied for a working holiday visa, packed a bag, and bought a one way ticket to Tokyo. A good friend was already there, so it was a soft landing. I did experience some culture shock but it was insanely fun. I was pretty focused on working and didn’t get the chance to travel much beyond the Tokyo area.
This year, to celebrate my niece’s graduation from high school, I offered to take her on a trip anywhere in the world. She chose Japan. So, it was time to return to the land of the rising sun.
After reading the Lonely Planet Japan book and hundreds of travel blogs, I landed on an aggressive itinerary that would give us a good exposure to some highlights of Japan with a side visit to Hong Kong and across to mainland China to visit a friend living in Shenzhen.
Stay tuned for more details and some hazy pictures.