Japan report
I'll never be able to write a proper Japan report, I did too many things, saw too many places. I had a travel journal in which I wrote every day (well, every night), but writing even half of those things here would be too much.
So, just a few highlights:
- I cooked my own okonomiyaki! I found the restaurant randomly, looking up okonomiyaki places online. You chose the ingredients in the menu, the waiter brought them in a bowl and you cooked them on a grill that was incorporated in the table. I had so much fun doing it and it was delicious!
- I went to an Alice in Wonderland themed dessert buffet. A colleague told me about all-you-can-eat dessert buffets in Tokyo and I knew at once I had to try one. The one I chose was at the Hilton and it was UNBELIEVABLE. The set-up was fantastic and the food was AMAZING, I swear I've never eaten so many sweet things in my life. But that was both my lunch and dinner of the day and it was a once in a lifetime experience, so who cares. I even dressed up for the occasion: I was wearing my Alice T-shirt, a black skirt, black and white striped stockings and what I call my "Goth marching band jacket". I was worried it might be a bit too much at first, but then I saw quite a few Japanese girls in full Gothic Lolita outfits and felt very tame compared to them. XD
- I made a little Ukiyo-e wookblock print at the Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum in Osaka.
- I took the Shinkansen multiple times. (The Japan Rail Pass rocks!)
- Bento boxes are a work of art. I had two different ones on two different trips (there are dozens to choose from at every stations, at least the big ones) and they were both beautiful and delicious.
- My hotel in Kyoto had an onsen! Like most onsen in Japan, it had a "no tattoo" policy, but they made an exception if the tattoo could be covered/hidden, so I was able to experience this quintessentially Japanese thing. The hotel also provided a yukata, which I happily wore. As with a lot of things during this trip, I felt like I was in one of the Japanese cartoons I used to watch when I was a kid.
- I went to visit Mount Fuji, but a big cloud was covering the top half. D:
- I experienced a thypoon AND an earthquake on the same day. Talk about living the full Japanese experience. XD
- I visited so many beautiful temples.
- I ate SO MUCH delicious food. Sushi, ramen, okonomiyaki, tonkatsu, soba. I'm getting hungry just thinking of it.
- I bought so much stuff. Mainly food and kawaii stuff, both for me and as presents. I also got myself a kimono-style blouse with a leaf pattern and a happi coat with a flowery pattern.
I could go on and on and on, but I'd better stop here. It was one of the best trips of my life, probably THE best trip of my life. And, to be honest, I thought I would spend much more! Some things were indeed very expensive, but most of the things I was interested in were average-priced, so it wasn't too bad. But then again, I live in one of the most expensive cities in Italy, so I may be a little biased.
Anyway, it was an amazing trip and I already want to go back!
So, just a few highlights:
- I cooked my own okonomiyaki! I found the restaurant randomly, looking up okonomiyaki places online. You chose the ingredients in the menu, the waiter brought them in a bowl and you cooked them on a grill that was incorporated in the table. I had so much fun doing it and it was delicious!
- I went to an Alice in Wonderland themed dessert buffet. A colleague told me about all-you-can-eat dessert buffets in Tokyo and I knew at once I had to try one. The one I chose was at the Hilton and it was UNBELIEVABLE. The set-up was fantastic and the food was AMAZING, I swear I've never eaten so many sweet things in my life. But that was both my lunch and dinner of the day and it was a once in a lifetime experience, so who cares. I even dressed up for the occasion: I was wearing my Alice T-shirt, a black skirt, black and white striped stockings and what I call my "Goth marching band jacket". I was worried it might be a bit too much at first, but then I saw quite a few Japanese girls in full Gothic Lolita outfits and felt very tame compared to them. XD
- I made a little Ukiyo-e wookblock print at the Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum in Osaka.
- I took the Shinkansen multiple times. (The Japan Rail Pass rocks!)
- Bento boxes are a work of art. I had two different ones on two different trips (there are dozens to choose from at every stations, at least the big ones) and they were both beautiful and delicious.
- My hotel in Kyoto had an onsen! Like most onsen in Japan, it had a "no tattoo" policy, but they made an exception if the tattoo could be covered/hidden, so I was able to experience this quintessentially Japanese thing. The hotel also provided a yukata, which I happily wore. As with a lot of things during this trip, I felt like I was in one of the Japanese cartoons I used to watch when I was a kid.
- I went to visit Mount Fuji, but a big cloud was covering the top half. D:
- I experienced a thypoon AND an earthquake on the same day. Talk about living the full Japanese experience. XD
- I visited so many beautiful temples.
- I ate SO MUCH delicious food. Sushi, ramen, okonomiyaki, tonkatsu, soba. I'm getting hungry just thinking of it.
- I bought so much stuff. Mainly food and kawaii stuff, both for me and as presents. I also got myself a kimono-style blouse with a leaf pattern and a happi coat with a flowery pattern.
I could go on and on and on, but I'd better stop here. It was one of the best trips of my life, probably THE best trip of my life. And, to be honest, I thought I would spend much more! Some things were indeed very expensive, but most of the things I was interested in were average-priced, so it wasn't too bad. But then again, I live in one of the most expensive cities in Italy, so I may be a little biased.
Anyway, it was an amazing trip and I already want to go back!