Let’s go to Japan — in real life! 

Last month, my husband and I went to Japan! It was our first time visiting the country, and it was such an amazing trip! Chris and I spent 6 days in Tokyo, and then we took a cruise with family members around Japan, with stops in Kagoshima, Akita and Aomori in Japan, as well as Busan, South Korea. I loved every minute of it!

The months leading up to our trip really did feel like Let’s Go To Japan, a darling board game about planning your visit to Tokyo and Kyoto. We didn’t make it to Kyoto, but we definitely will be back again! 

A few things I learned about Japan during my trip:

• It’s hot in June and very, very humid. (This desert lady was struggling!)
• A digital Suica card does not work on Android phones. I had to purchase a physical card and load it up at kiosks inside the stations. The card is also very handy for buying drinks from vending machines.
• If you want to make reservations at popular places, reservations open on the 10th the previous month you’ll be going. Our trip was in June, so I made sure to log into places on May 10 to make reservations. Reddit is a good source of information to  secure in-demand reservations. I wanted Studio Ghibli Museum tickets. We tried on three computers, and we still couldn’t get tickets. 
• Tokyo is ginormous, but it’s very easy to navigate using their train system. We only knew a few key Japanese phrases, but didn’t encounter any difficulties in communicating. 

Trip highlights

The moment you set foot in Tokyo, the image of Mt. Fuji is everywhere! But nothing compares to seeing it in person. We lucked out and it was a clear day during our day tour, which included a visit to Hakone, a boat ride on Lake Ashi and taking the bullet train back to Tokyo. 

Chris and I got to see a baseball game at the Tokyo Dome. The Yomiuri Giants were playing the Orix Buffaloes. Baseball is serious business in Japan, and the energy at the game was nonstop! There were sections for each team that included musicians and hard-core fans who all had some kind of choreographed cheer. 

We also got tickets to the Kirby Cafe. I got these tickets by staying up at 2 a.m. on May 10 since they released reservations at 6 p.m. May 10 Tokyo time, and frantically hoping for a time slot that fit our schedule. And we succeeded! This place was just so adorable!

The food isn’t anything fancy, but the experience was just delightful. Since it required reservations, the place was not too crowded, unusual for most of the places in Japan we visited. They also had a Kirby Cafe, where you can buy lots of Kirby souvenirs. I bought a Kirby Cafe kitchen towel, among other things.

And what’s a trip to Tokyo without shopping! I brought a carry-on backpack with my clothes, which I then stuffed into a giant suitcase, which was essentially empty for all the souvenirs, Japanese beauty products and board games I wanted to buy there. 

We visited Yellow Submarine in Akihabara. It was so cool seeing all the games that aren’t readily available in America, as well as Japanese versions of popular board games. 

I was on the lookout for Nokosu Dice and Come Sail Away, but alas, they were both sold out. We did, however, buy a bunch of games! Our lovely vacation haul!

Lastly, what’s a trip to Tokyo without visiting Don Quijote. This massive store has endless flavors of kitkats, beauty products, Sanrio and Nintendo merchandise, all the snacks you can imagine and so much more. A lot of tourists visit this store, and I can see why. It’s a one-stop shop for a lot of things you’d want to bring back home. I bought so many face masks, skincare products and makeup here. 

I also visited not one, but two Sanrio stores. There’s a cool stamp machine where you can create your own Sanrio stamp. I bought two: one of Hello Kitty and one of Keroppi, both with my name on it. I also bought a cool black Hello Kitty purse that I used for the rest of my trip.

The second week of my trip was aboard the Diamond Princess, which was an 8-day cruise that included four ports of call. Chris and I played a lot of trivia during our sea days, and it was nice hanging out and traveling with family.

Our first port was Kagoshima, known for their sweet potatoes and green tea. We visited the Chiran Peace Museum and Sengan-en, a Japanese garden attached to a former Shimazu clan residence.

Our one visit outside of Japan was to Busan, South Korea. It was my first time visiting Korea but Chris’ second time. The day’s highlights included Haedong Yonggungsa, a large temple built overlooking the ocean, and Gamcheon Culture Village, dubbed the “Machu Picchu of Korea,” a densely populated community built on a very steep hillside that’s accessible by narrow roadways. I could’ve walked around there for the whole day! 

In Akita, we got to see Akita dogs, visit a geisha house and enjoy a tea ceremony, and learn about the Kanto Festival, where people would balance a bamboo pole that held a large number of paper lanterns, at the Neburi-nagashi Museum.

Lastly, in Aomori, we rode the Hakkoda Ropeway up the mountain, and visited both the Nebuta Museum and the Jomon World Heritage Site. The Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse exhibits the four Nebuta floats from the previous year’s festival. The artistry in these  exhibits was a sight to see, and to have a dedicated space for them year-round showcased how high these artists were held and how important the festival was for the prefecture. 

The Jomon people were hunter gatherers during 14000 to 300 BC, and remnants of their coastal village, as well as tons of pottery, were excavated in Aomori. The Sannai-Maruyama Site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021. 

Chris and I were on vacation for two weeks and a day. We flew to Tokyo out of LAX, and then caught the cruise out of Yokohama, which is still in the greater Tokyo area. I can’t wait to go back and explore even more of Japan — and buy more games! I’ve already played Let’s Make a Bus Route twice, and each time I’ve introduced it to new players, they enjoyed it.

If you do make it to Japan, wear comfy shoes (you’ll be doing so much walking!) and bring a coin purse. There’s endless machines for refreshing drinks and capsule machines, which pop out little toys and charms. I may or may not have come back with lots of Hello Kitty and Kirby figurines. Have you all been to Japan? And for those who have, what’s your favorite thing about visiting?