December 16th, 2025

(Note from 1/15/26: Sorry this took forever to get out - I got so burnt out from the holidays. But I'm trying to stay refreshed in the new year! )

The year is coming to a close once again, and I find myself doing a lot of reflecting - mainly on my career, but also in my personal life. The question I keep coming back to is: have I been doing enough? And the answer is always no. I can always be doing something to improve my career skills, I can always be doing something to make my health a little bit better, I can always be doing something to boost my creativity, I can always be doing something to imrpove my relationships.

But that's not why you're here - you're here to hear about JAPAN! Our trip was from November 3rd - November 15th. I'm sorry I took so long in getting an update about this out, but I was actually filling in my hobonichi with entries while the memories were fresh so I could use it as a resource to help me write this post.

Tokyo

So, we left on the evening of November 3rd, which meant we wouldn't actually get into Japan until late on November 4th. Our first stop was Tokyo, and we stayed in a beautiful and quiet area called Ochanomizu. Our hotel was amazing - there were nine rooms total, and it was huge with a living space and a gorgeous tub in the bathroom (my mom said it looked like a bucket....).

Our first full day in Tokyo of course found us in Akihabara! We wandered around the stores and streets and found a Yuru Camp pop up shop, as well as a cat cafe full of cuties who loved licking lolipop treats. I was also able to pick up my hobonichi for 2026 - a special edition Weeks collab with Maaya Sakamoto! I also picked up her 30th anniversary album.

The next day, we went to Shibuya and Harajuku. In Shibuya, we went to the Pokemon center and picked up a Squirtle and Sprigatito plush keychain. They didn't have ANY Shinx merch! ;_; We also got to see Shibuya Scramble in action. I was surprised at how small it felt? I know buildings in Japan can't be too tall due to earthquakes, but the actual square itself felt much smaller than I expected. I'm not sure how to describe the feeling I had, and it scared me a little in the fact that I was worried about not being able to find things I thought would be amazing...amazing. Does that make sense? Probably not.

Anyway, after that we went to Harajuku and down the main alleyway of shops. We didn't buy anything but there were some funny shirts. Our feet were killing us by the end of the day (I actually still have bruising under both my big toenails over a month later LMAO).

The next day found us back in Akihabara, because the mission of the day was to visit the FFXIV cafe. It was smaller than I expected but the food was super good (and cute!). We also kept being given coasters - we left with like 11 or 12 LOL. There was also a Gold Saucer raffle but we didn't win ;_;. Later, we walked by the Tokyo Imperial Palace which is in an area that felt like a western city, so the juxtaposition was incredibly fascinating. We ended our night at a small restaurant called Jicca - it's owned by one woman who makes all the food and drinks! They also didn't have an English menu so I put on my big girl "Nihongo Jouzu" pants and ordered for us. We met an older man there who was from Japan but lived in New Zealand for over 30 years, so he was able to speak to us in English and translate for the owner. It was a lot of fun just being a super local place and being accepted.

Our last day in the Tokyo area had us going to Enoshima to see Aoyama Sachiko live! Enoshima is a very pretty beach town, and the concert was super intimate and high above the ground in a building, so we were able to get a great view of the sunset during the show.

Fujikawaguchiko

Our next stop found us in Kawaguchiko for an evening and a morning - one of the five lakes around Mount Fuji. It was so easy getting there - just an hour and a half bus ride from Shinjuku station - but it was raining and gray when we got there, so we couldn't see the mountain. We also tried to hurry to the Wachifield Museum (a brand which, of course, has a cat mascot), but the museum closed an hour and a half earlier than expected! So while our luck was not the best in this town, it was still a beautiful area with a great udon restaurant.

The next morning, our "luck" changed, I suppose - BECAUSE WE GOT ENGAGED! Joel woke me up at 6am and was like "Get up! Let's go see the sunrise!" We opened our window to see Mount Fuji clear as ever right outside, so we went onto the roof of the hotel to view it. Afterwards, we went to Yagizaki park and walked around the paths and wondered at the gorgeous lake and autumn leaves. Joel distracted me by pointing out a crane on the water, and then when I turned back around, he was on his knees with the ring. We both teared up and hugged and kissed and I was the happiest woman in the world! It was so perfect - just us at the park, in the quiet morning, in one of the most beautiful locations in the world. I couldn't have asked for anything different.

Kyoto

Our final stop was Kyoto! I won't lie, it took me a minute to get used to being here - it felt way more touristy than Tokyo did, surprisingly. After the first day, though, I was able to enjoy the city and have fun. Plus - I got to meet my friend, Mimi! ^_^ We were able to visit some palaces together, wear kimono at the park, and go on the Sagano Romantic Train! The vibes and areas in and around Kyoto were so beautiful.

Also the shopping here was intense?? It has what I can only describe as outdoor hallways that seemed endless just full of shops and restaurants. It was unlike anything I've ever seen - I can liken it only to Tamako Market because that's the only frame of reference I have, haha.

All in all, this trip was fantastic and I've been missing it even since we got back. I've been trying to take on habits and lifestyle changes I saw there into my own life, but of course, living in a country that has ass transportation and doesn't promote health is hard. ;_;