Japan blog post Index

✦ Living in Japan March/April 2022 to May/June 2024

April 2022 recap - sakura season

May 2022 recap - shopping in Tokyo, Curry Festival

    Osaka road trip - Nara Deer Park, Umeda, Kaiyukan, Round 1, USJ, Tower of the Sun

    1-day visit to USJ

June 2022 recap - Jinmuji temple hike, lychee in HI, Yokohama craft fair

July 2022 recap - Mt Fuji hike, Misawa work trip, teamLab Planets & Sacred Forest, Mitama Matsuri

    Hiking Mt Fuji - my second time!

    Exploring teamLab Planets Tokyo

August 2022 recap - Sunflower field, return to HI, Hakuba onsen hike & ramen, ramen, ramen

    Hakuba Yari onsen hike 

September 2022 recap - Shizuoka, DisneySea and my parents visit!

    Shizuoka weekend road trip

    Tokyo DisneySea Halloween

October 2022 recap - Karasawa Cirque hike, Matsumoto Castle & Brewery and Izu weekend getaway

    My parents 7 day Japan trip - Autumn 2022

    Karasawa Cirque hike in Kamikochi

November 2022 recap - Okinawa trip, wedding in HI, in laws visit

    Okinawa trip - Shuri Castle, Hacksaw Ridge, Bingata, Aquarium, Shisa painting

    2 days at DisneySea Christmas (w/wheelchair) + Mira Costa stay

    Hakone Museum of Art, Open Air Museum, Siteseeing pirate ship, Gotemba Illumination, Izu Panorama Park

December 2022 recap - Iwakuni trip, snowboarding in Naeba and Hakuba, Jigokudani snow monkey park

January 2023 recap - Isoyama Benzaiten, Ashikaga Fantasy Flower Illumination, Hakuba snowboarding

February 2023 recap -  Hokkaido snowboarding, MiuraKaigan sakura matsuri, solo day + aquarium & cafes in Tokyo

March 2023 recap - a gray, rainy sakura season, last snowboarding in Yuzawa x2 & 1 year in Japan

April 2023 recap - Zao fox village road trip, Nagoya weekend trip & Craft Gyoza Fes

    Spring road trip Day 1 - Akebonoyama Park, Koga Kubo Park & Wakayama Bamboo Forest

    Spring road trip Day 2 - Zao Fox Village, Ebisu Circuit Drift Taxi & Kaiseizan Park

    Spring road trip Day 3 - Hitachi Seaside Park

    Nagoya weekend trip Day 1 - Science Museum, Nagoya Castle, Oasis21

    Nagoya weekend trip Day 2 - Nagashima Spa Land & Impressionist Trick Art pop-up

    Nagoya weekend trip Day 3 - Site of Reversible Destiny & Ghibli Park

May 2023 recap - in-laws visit to Nikko & Hakone, sumo, Tohoku JR Rail Pass trip

    Nikko weekend - Strawberry picking, Ashikaga Flower Park, Edo Wonderland, Hitachi Seaside Park
    Hakone weekend - Curry Festival, Hakone Checkpoint, Ropeway, Open Air Museum

    Tohoku 5-day JR Rail Pass trip - Overview & Budget 

    Tohoku 5-day JR Rail Pass trip - Day 1 - Hachinohe & Aomori

    Tohoku 5-day JR Rail Pass trip - Day 2 - Hirosaki, Tsuruta & Morioka

    Tohoku 5-day JR Rail Pass trip - Day 3 - Geibikei, Morioka & Akita

    Tohoku 5-day JR Rail Pass trip - Day 4 - Akita/Oga, Kakunodate & Sendai

    Tohoku 5-day JR Rail Pass trip - Day 5 - Sendai/Matsushima & Yonezawa

June 2023 recap - Iris Garden & lychee picking in HI

July 2023 recap - 3 prefectures in 3 weekends: Chiba, Niigata & Gunma

    Chiba outdoor adventures - Nokogiriyama hike

    Chiba outdoor adventures - Minamiboso bike tour @ Heguri Hub

    Niigata weekend - Tsubame Industrial Materials Museum, Suwada Open Factory, MonET, Kiyotsu Gorge

    Canyoning & Rafting in Minakami, Gunma 

August 2023 recap - Camp Baird, Yatsugatake hike & COA Ginza haircut

    Nishi/Higashi-Tengudake round trip hike 

September 2023 recap - Iowa wedding, Akadake hike & my birthday

    Mt Akadake hike (Southern Yatsugatake, Nagano)

October 2023 recap - Mt Naeba hike, Chateraise hotel, Chureito Pagoda & Yokohama Marathon

    Mt Naeba autumn colors hike - Yuzawa

November 2023 recap - Disneyland, Kyushu trip, Yokosuka Seaside Marathon, Seoul trip

    Kyushu 6-day trip: Fukuoka - Nanzoin, Ohori Park, Dazaifu, Tenjin, Ltd Exp Sonic

    Kyushu 6-day trip: Beppu - Jigoku Meguri Hell's Tour & Hotel New Matsumi

    Kyushu 6-day trip: Kumamoto - Aso, One Piece statues, Kumamoto Castle, Okoshiki Coast, Suntory Factory

    Kyushu 6-day trip: Kagoshima - Sengan-en, Ibusuki no Tamatebako, Eevee pokelids, Sakurajima

December 2023 recap - Hokuriku trip & Snowboarding (a white Christmas!)

    Hokuriku trip - Fukui Dinosaur Museum, Echizen Daibutsu, Katsuyama Castle Museum

    Hokuriku trip - Ishikawa 21st Century MoCA, Kenrokuen, Noto Squid King, Wajima Kiriko Art Museum, Shiroyone Senmaida Rice Terraces

    Hokuriku trip - Toyama Glass Art Museum, Ikedaya Yasubei Shoten, Himihama kan-buri lunch

January 2024 recap - New Years, snowboarding x3

February 2024 recap - Karuizawa weekend, Inter Miami game, Hokkaido Snow Festivals & Kansai trip, HAIR CHOP

    Hokkaido Snow Festivals - Sapporo

    Hokkaido Snow Festivals - Asahikawa

    Hokkaido Snow Festivals - Otaru

    Kansai WIDE Area Pass trip - Wakayama Castle & Fusion Museum

    Kansai WIDE Area Pass trip - Amanohashidate & Kobe beef

    Kansai WIDE Area Pass trip - Himeji Castle & Okayama Castle

March 2024 recap - Miura Marathon, Nagasaki work trip, Boso biking, Shiga Kogen, Shimanami Kaido trip

    Nagasaki work trip - Two Stars 4047 & Kujukushima viewpoints

    Minamiboso bike tour & Hakone Open Air Museum

    Shikoku trip - Shimanami Kaido, Naoshima, Kurashiki

April 2024 recap - HP studio tour, sakura runs, in-laws visit, S Korea, teamLab

    Yamanashi weekend - Fuefuki sakura/momo, Kagetsu & FujiQ

    Hiroshima weekend - Castle, Rabbit Island, Itsukushima torii @ high tide

May 2024 recap - Canyons rafting, Miura peninsula run, Minamiboso Bike x Kayak, LEAVING JAPAN

    I ran 45 miles around the Miura Peninsula!

This chapter is now closed :)

✦  Japan trip Winter 2019 posts 

airKitchen review: Handmade udon & Kushiyaki
Tokyo DisneySea and Disneyland (in the same day!)

Pokemon Cafe 

Kimono rental in Asakusa, Ueno Park & Nezu Shrine 

Electric Bike tour in Tokyo at night

Harajuku Zoo Land

Ramen Museum 

Learn to play Go in a Go cafe
Sweet Escape photography in Shinjuku Gyoen

What we ate

Shopping in Shibuya

✦ Japan Trip Spring 2019

Day 1 - Ueno Park, lunch with Ebony, shopping in Shinjuku & Gyukatsu Motomura

Day 2 - Ichiran & Shibuya, Seirinkan, Cup Noodle Museum, Chinatown & shopping with Berri

Day 3 - Ichiran, Nippori Fabric Town, Ikebukuro, Sushi-ro, lost in Shinjuku and wagyu yakiniku

Day 4 - Ichigo no Sato strawberry picking & Ashikaga Flower Park

Day 5 - Amano Freeze Dry Station, Maisen, last minute shopping & back to Narita

Shopping/Purchases

Outfits

✦ Japan trip Autumn 2018 

Day 1 - Tsukiji, FC Tokyo soccer game, Yebisu Garden Place illumination

Day 2 - Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum, Ikebukuro Sunshine City

Day 3 - Shinkansen to Osaka, Minoo Park, Osaka Aquarium

Day 4 - Kimono rental, Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama in Kyoto

Day 5 - Cup Noodle Museum, Chinatown, Ramen Museum in Yokohama

Day 6 - Tokyo DisneySea

Day 7 - Harajuku Takeshita doori, Yesibu Beer Museum

Day 8 - MORI Building Digital Art Museum EPSON teamLab Borderless

Other notes

✦ Japan trip Summer 2018 

Day 1 - Shopping in Shibuya

Day 2 - Shopping in Harajuku and Shibuya

Day 3 - Shopping Shinjuku and Yokohama

Day 4 - Tsukiji, Asakusa and Kappabashi

Day 5 - Kamakura Daibutsu and Enoshima Aquarium

Day 6 - Fuji Safari Park and Numazu Deep Sea Aquarium

Day 7 - Ameyoko, Tokyo station and Harajuku

A quick look at my purchases

Notes (Transportation, Accommodations, etc)

✦ Japan trip Summer 2017 posts  

Part 1: Preparing to hike Mt Fuji
Part 2: Hiking Mt Fuji to see the sunrise!
Part 3: Casual shopping days - 7 different Liz Lisa stores, Kappabashi "Kitchen Town" + more
Part 4: Liz Lisa summer items haul
Part 5: Liz Lisa autumn items haul
Part 6: Other shopping items & coordinates
Part 7: Travel Notes - AirBnb, pocket wifi, food, weather and transporation
Part 8: OOTDs

✦ Japan trip Spring 2017 posts

Part 1: Arrival and Day 1 - Liz Lisa shopping and Ueno Park
Part 2: Day 2 - Liz Lisa x My Melody Shibuya 109 release and Yokohama Ramen Museum
Part 3: Day 3 - Tokaido Shinkansen to Osaka and meeting Mintkismet/Rilakkuma cafe
Part 4: Day 4 - Hiroshima Peace Museum, Hiroshima Castle and Miyajima/Itsukushima Shrine
Part 5: Day 5 - Nagoya Aquarium, Nagoya Castle, Science Museum and Oasis 21
Part 6: Day 6 - Tokaido Shinkansen back to Tokyo and MariCAR Street Go-Kart Tour
Part 7: Day 7 - Kawatsura Strawberry Farm, National Art Center, Rikugien Park Illumination
Part 8: Liz Lisa & Other shopping purchases/coordinates
Part 9: Travel Notes - Airbnb, JR Pass, luggage & Pupuru pocket wifi
Part 10: OOTD breakdown 

✦ Japan trip Winter 2017 posts

Part 1: Arrival and Day 1 - Tokyo errands, Ebony/Liz Lisa & Shiodome Caretta Illumination
Part 2: Day 2 - Yokohama NOAH Inner City Zoo, Knot, Chinatown & Machida 109
Part 3: Day 3 - Nagano Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park & Omiya
Part 4: Day 4 - Tokyo shopping, Imperial Palace & dinner with Yuni
Part 5: Day 5 - Shizuoka Izu Cactus Park (Capybara onsen!) & Mount Omuro
Part 6: Day 6 - Last minute shopping, Ameyoko & Harajuku
Part 7: Liz Lisa & Other shopping purchases/coordinates
Part 8: Travel Notes - Airbnb, Pupuru pocket wifi & weather
Part 9: What's in my bag - Japan trip edition

✦ Japan trip Spring 2016 posts

Part 1: Packing (Liz Lisa outfits) for Hokkaido to Osaka in May
Part 2: Arrival to CTS & Day 1 - Curb Market, Shiroi Koibito Park and shopping in Sapporo
Part 3: Day 2 - Nijo Market, Sapporo Beer Museum & Tanukikoji in Sapporo
Part 4: Day 3 - Exploring Otaru & experiencing the Hakodate Liner
Part 5: Day 4 - Morning Market, Red Brick Warehouses & Mt Hakodate in Hakodate
Part 6: Day 5 - Hokkaido Shinkansen & shopping in Tokyo and Funabashi
Part 7: Day 6 - Tokyo DisneySea
Part 8: Day 7 - Last minute shopping in Omiya and Tokyo & Tokaido Shinkansen to Osaka
Part 9: Day 8 - Kinkakuji in Kyoto & shopping in Osaka
Part 10: Day 9 - Utsubo Park Rose Festival, Namba/Shinsaibashi & departure from KIX in Osaka
Part 11: Liz Lisa shopping, purchases & coordinates
Part 12: Other shopping, purchase & coordinates
Part 13: Travel notes - Hotels, Luggage forwarding & Pocket wifi
Bonus: OOTD - Japan trip Spring 2016: Hokkaido to Osaka

✦ Japan trip Autumn 2015 posts

Part 1 - Day 1, November 26: Tokyo DisneySea
   Part 1a - Planning for Tokyo DisneySea
Part 2 - Day 2, November 27: Hair Salon NALU, Shibuya & Harajuku
Part 3 - Day 3, November 28: Ghibli Museum, Shirohige Cream Puff Shop, Ikebukuro, Rikugien Garden & Nagomi no Yu
Part 4 - Day 4, November 29: Arashiyama, Fushimi Inari & Fire ramen in Kyoto
Part 5 - Day 5, November 30: Minoo Park, Kaiyukan, Tennoji, Namba & Umeda in Osaka
Part 6 - Day 6, December 1: Shibuya, Yokohama (Chinatown) & Seirinkan
Part 7 - Day 7, December 2: Ueno Zoo, Alice Café & Yebisu Garden Place
Part 8 - Liz Lisa & Other shopping purchases
Part 9 - Budgeting for a week in Japan
Part 10 - Travel notes: Planning, Tips, Accommodations & Pocket wifi

✦ Japan trip Summer 2015 posts

Part 1 - Osaka & Kobe: Day 1 - 2
Part 2 - Kyoto & Namba: Day 3
Part 3 - Tokyo-based: Day 4 - 6
Part 4 - Sendai: Day 7
Part 5 - Tokyo-based: Day 8 -9
Part 6 - Osaka: Day 10 - 11
Part 7 - Airbnb & accommodations
Part 8 - Liz Lisa purchases
Part 9 - Other shopping
Part 10 - Travel notes


✦ Japan trip Spring 2015 posts

Part 1 - Pre-trip planning
   Part 2a - March 21, Day 1: Liz Lisa Shibuya 109 Yui Kanno event
   Part 2b - March 21, Day 1: Hawkeye Owl Cafe
Part 3 - March 22, Day 2: Kawatsura Strawberry Farm, Chiba, Shinjuku
Part 4 - March 23, Day 3: Tsukiji Fish Market, Yokohama, Machida
Part 5 - March 24, Day 4: Omiya, Ikebukuro, Takadanobaba, Asakusa & luggage forwarding
Part 6 - March 25, Day 5: Shibuya, Shinkansen & Osaka
Part 7 - March 26, Day 6: Tennoji MIO, Nara Deer Park
Part 8 - March 27, Day 7: Kobe (steak), Namba/Shinsaibashi & Keiko
Part 9 - March 28, Day 8: Kyoto, Berri & home
Part 10 - Hotels and Pupuru pocket wifi review
Part 11 - Liz Lisa shopping items/coordinates
Part 12 - Liz Lisa x My Melody 6th collab OPs and hand towel 

✦ Japan trip Summer 2014 posts

Part 1: Getting around/Hotels
Part 2: Liz Lisa shopping/items
   Part 2a: Liz Lisa coordinates post
   Part 2b: Liz Lisa coordinates post cont.
Part 3: Other shopping
Part 4: Sightseeing & Food 

April 2022 recap - sakura season