From Ginza to Goodbye

 Sep 11, 2025

We were up early to pack and then walked to Starbucks- one of the only places open- for breakfast and coffee. We then went to the park and sat near the pond to achieve some zen before our 24 hours of travel began. Japan we will miss you  

We took a 2 hour train to get to the airport. We then had Shake Shack for lunch. WHAT?! I know, but it was so good. Then we took a 3 hour flight to Taiwan. We had a 3 hour layover there and we spent almost all of it wandering the unique gates and shops. Each gate has a different theme to educate people about history or culture. There was one about ancient Chinese medicine, one about forest animals, and ours was about marine wildlife and coral. It was something I had never seen before. We decided to purchase some Taiwanese snacks that looked new and interesting to us- honey tangerine nougat crackers, chocolate (Evan tried it and said it's incredibly bitter so we're going to try to use it for baking) and oolong tea. We then boarded our 14 hour flight bound for Chicago. We got our own row which was such a game changer. We both slept on and off so once we landed in Chicago were feeling pretty good. We got our bags and by the time we made it to our apartment determined we had been traveling for over 26 hours- yikes! It was completely worth it. This will be a trip that's hard to top. 

Japan, You Were a Hoot

 Sep 10, 2025

Our last morning in Osaka started with what may have been the best mango of Evan's life. He raved about it while he cut it. He raved about it while he ate it. He continued raving about it even after it was gone. Ok, noted. Japan has the best mangos.  

After checking out of our hotel, we headed to the train station where we picked up ekiben, the beautifully prepared bento boxes sold specifically for train travel. Eating an ekiben aboard the shinkansen is the epitome of living like a local and we were determined to do it right. Mine contained salmon roe, sea urchin, and egg, three of my favorite things. Evan's came with something we'd never seen before: a self-heating container. By pulling a small string attached to the bottom of the box, a chemical heating pack activated beneath the meal, warming it right at our seats. It was incredibly clever, although the environmentalist in me couldn't help but wonder how eco-friendly it actually was...

As the countryside rolled by outside our window, we enjoyed our lunches, reclined our seats, and settled in for a nap during our longest shinkansen ride of the trip (about two and a half hours back to Tokyo). This time, however, we weren't returning to Akihabara. Earlier in the trip we'd stayed in Akihabara, famous for anime, manga, arcades and electronics stores. For our final night, we chose Ginza, Tokyo's elegant side. Known for luxury shopping, upscale department stores, art galleries, and beautifully designed streets, Ginza feels polished and sophisticated. Our room wasn't quite ready, so after dropping off our luggage we headed back out on what had become a trip-long mission: Finding a very specific bottle of Japanese whisky. We had searched liquor stores across multiple cities without success, so when we finally spotted it sitting on a shelf in Ginza, we could hardly believe it. It was the last bottle. We'll take it! Feeling triumphant, we wandered into the basement food hall of one of Ginza's department stores. Japanese department store basements, known as depachika, are famous for their incredible food halls. I treated myself to a salted caramel macaron that looked better than it tasted.

Once we officially checked into our hotel, we discovered an unexpected surprise waiting in our room: A massage chair. Given how much walking we'd done over the past two weeks, this may have been one of the most appreciated hotel amenities of the entire trip. 

Refreshed, after a few chair massages, we set out once again in search of Evan's favorite sake, Two Rabbits. Unfortunately, despite checking multiple shops, it remained elusive.

We needed a pick me up after failing to find Evan's sake, so we stopped for ice cream and enjoyed it in a nearby park. Then it was on to our next destination, an owl café.

Japan is known for its themed cafés—everything from cats and hedgehogs to capybaras—and owl cafés are among the more unusual. We met owls of all shapes and sizes, gently held them on our arms, and carefully stroked the tops of their heads all while side eyeing them wondering how safe this actually was. It was certainly not something that was on our radar before coming to Japan but it was our last day so why not?

For dinner we headed to a ramen shop where ordering happens almost entirely through a vending machine outside the restaurant. You choose your meal, pay at the machine, receive a ticket, and hand it to the staff once you're seated. So, we did just that. However, at another ramen restaurant earlier in the trip, toppings like eggs and green onions had been ordered separately. Assuming this restaurant worked the same way, we enthusiastically added all the extras.

What arrived at our table was two fully loaded bowls of ramen PLUS separate servings of every topping we'd just ordered. Oops. It was absolutely delicious. It was also enough food for about four people.

After dinner we squeezed in one last shopping trip, including a wonderful Japanese antique store where we found a few hidden treasures for gifts. Evan also admired several beautiful haori, traditional hip-length jackets originally worn over a kimono. Once practical garments for warmth and protection, today they're often appreciated as wearable art thanks to their intricate woven patterns and craftsmanship.

Unfortunately, the ones he loved weren't exactly in our budget.

Back at the hotel we curled up in bed and started watching Sakamoto Days, a wildly popular manga that had just been adapted into an anime series earlier this year. The story follows Taro Sakamoto, a legendary retired hitman trying to live an ordinary life as a convenience store owner, even though he still possesses superhuman fighting skills. Within the first episode he was catching bullets with chopsticks. We were hooked.

It wasn't the grand finale to Japan we might have expected when we first landed two weeks earlier. Instead, it was a day filled with simple pleasures: a perfect mango, one lucky bottle of whisky, ice cream in the park, owls perched on our arms, a delicious bowl of ramen, and an evening spent laughing together over an anime we'd stumbled upon.

It was the most perfect, unexpected way to spend our last night in Japan.

Sakai Steel to Stadium Cheers

 Sep 9, 2025

After breakfast at our hotel—a buffet with both Japanese and Western options—we hopped on the train to Sakai, a city that's been famous for producing handcrafted knives for more than 600 years. Originally known for forging samurai swords, Sakai's craftsmen transitioned to kitchen knives after swords were banned during the Meiji era. Today, many of Japan's top chefs still seek out Sakai blades because of their incredible craftsmanship. Needless to say, Evan was in heaven. (And I'm so glad this was worth it because the walk from the train to the knife shop was 20 minutes in direct sunlight at 100 degrees and Evan was not liking that one bit) 

We spent time admiring knives of every shape, size, and material. We learned about carbon steel versus stainless steel (one holds a sharper edge but requires much more maintenance), hand-forged blades versus machine-pressed blades, and beautiful Damascus steel, whose dozens of folded layers create the distinctive rippling patterns on the blade. Even the handles came in a surprising variety of materials, including oak, stone, and buffalo horn. It didn't take long to discover one very important thing: Evan has expensive taste. (but that should be obvious because he chose me 😉) After much deliberation, he chose THE knife, along with a beautifully crafted wooden sheath called a saya to protect it.

From there, we visited the Sakai Knife Museum, where we learned that a traditional Japanese knife is rarely the work of just one person. Each knife passes through the hands of three master craftsmen: the blacksmith, who forges the blade and engraves it with his signature; the sharpener, who creates its razor-sharp edge; and the handle maker, who finishes the piece. It was fascinating to realize just how much expertise goes into creating a single kitchen knife.

After all that shopping, we rewarded ourselves by heading back to our favorite food market for lunch. This time we sampled eel over egg, pork katsu, and fresh king crab. Choosing the crab was half the fun. We picked our own leg, watched it go straight onto the grill, and then waited while the stall owner tried to figure out where exactly they were going to seat us. He sent us to walk around the market a bit, however after returning, they still hadn't solved the problem, so they unfolded a card table in the corner just for us. Armed with gloves and kitchen scissors, we dug into some of the most tender crab either of us had ever tasted.

We decided to treat ourselves by booking massages after lunch. We were on vacation after all. Lost in translation, our full-body massages became foot massages and our serene atmosphere became a big screen TV with surround sound. What was playing you ask? Jurassic World. Nothing says relaxation like listening to people scream as they're being eaten by dinosaurs. To add to the fun, the man giving me my massage was using so much pressure on my feet that my legs were twitching. I had to ask him to ease up several times to which he would nod, wait until I closed my eyes, and then resume his hard as nails squeezing on the balls of my feet. 

Despite the dinosaur soundtrack and the near-death foot massage, I have to admit, my feet felt amazing afterward.

That evening we boarded the train to Hanshin Koshien Stadium, home of the Hanshin Tigers and one of Japan's most iconic baseball venues. Opened in 1924, it's the country's oldest professional baseball stadium and is considered a pilgrimage site for baseball fans. The atmosphere was unlike anything we'd ever experienced. Every single player has their own personalized cheering song, and the crowd knows every word. A conductor and drummer lead the chants while thousands of fans clap, sing, and cheer in perfect unison. Even though we had no idea what we were saying, it was impossible not to get caught up in the energy.

One of the most unique things about the game was the beer girls. They wore mini kegs on their backs and when you waved them over they poured draft beer directly at your seat. At six dollars a beer we couldn't say no. We noticed the guys in front of us drinking bright pink beverages and asked what they were. Despite speaking very little English, he immediately ordered one for us to try. In fact, he kept using his drink vouchers to buy us more beverages throughout the game and even shared some of his jerky with us.

A few innings later, someone behind us leaned forward and asked, "Did I hear you say you're from Chicago?" It turned out he was from Osaka but had just finished his freshman year at Northwestern University in Evanston. He was heading back to Illinois in less than a week to start his sophomore year. We spent much of the game chatting with him and his mother, who didn't speak much English but insisted we try some traditional green tea sweets she'd brought with her. Before the game ended, we exchanged phone numbers and restaurant recommendations, hoping we'd have the chance to meet up once he was back in Chicago.

One of the things that continued to surprise us throughout Japan was just how kind everyone was. Time and time again, complete strangers went out of their way to make us feel welcome, whether that meant buying us a drink, sharing a snack, or simply making conversation. It was something we noticed almost every day, and this night at the ballpark was one of the best examples.

On the way back to the hotel, we made a quick stop in Shinsaibashi for what can only be described as a glamorous international dinner. McDonald's. 😆

We gave the claw machines another shot (still no luck), made one final attempt to find Evan his elusive late-night gyoza, and eventually admitted defeat.

After a full day of knife shopping, dino massages, baseball cheering, and making new friends, we headed back to the hotel and called it a night.

All of the Lights All of the Lights

 Sep 8, 2025

After another early morning, we set out in search of a bakery breakfast. Unfortunately, we were a little too early. The ovens weren't fired up yet, so we opted for some baked goods from the day before. They were still tasty, but it wasn't quite the bakery experience we'd envisioned when we set out.

Next stop: Starbucks. They were everywhere and usually the only shops we could find open at such an early hour.

I ordered a London Fog Latte, and I still think about it. Why do they taste better on vacation?

With caffeine in hand, we made our way to Kyoto Station and boarded the shinkansen. Just fifteen minutes later, we arrived in Osaka, which is about 35 miles from Kyoto. I don't think I'll ever get over how efficient Japan's trains are. We spent more time figuring out how to get to the platform in the station than we did riding the train.

We walked from the shinkansen to our hotel. They offered us immediate check-in if we became members, and since membership was free, that was the easiest decision we'd made all day.

After dropping our bags in our room- IT WAS HUGE!- our first stop was Kuromon Ichiba Market, often called "Osaka's Kitchen." Stretching for nearly 2,000 feet and home to more than 150 vendors, it's famous for incredibly fresh seafood, produce, and some of the best street food in the city. We quickly learned why. This was hands-down one of my favorite markets in Japan.

We wandered from stall to stall sampling everything that caught our eye. We tried takoyaki- crispy balls of octopus served piping hot that were absolutely delicious, and patiently waited for over 45 minutes for okonomiyaki, Osaka's famous savory pancake layered with cabbage, batter, and toppings. We also grabbed a skewer of candied fruit before wandering through the market's grocery store, where the everyday produce looked AMAZING.

One unexpected purchase? A suitcase. Since Evan was determined to leave Japan with a knife (or two or three), we figured there was a decent chance we'd be checking a bag on the flight home. Best to be prepared.

Back at the hotel, we packed up our larger luggage because we had decided to try one of Japan's most beloved conveniences: takkyubin, the country's luggage forwarding service. Rather than bringing our suitcases from Osaka to Tokyo, we'd simply send them ahead and travel light for the next few days. Everyone we'd talked to raved about it. Stay tuned.

That evening we headed to a neighborhood sushi restaurant called Wasabi and grabbed seats at the counter so we could watch the chefs work. In Japan, sushi chefs often season each piece exactly as they intend it to be eaten, including the wasabi tucked neatly between the fish and the rice. However, I had specifically asked for no wasabi.

After two surprisingly fiery bites, the sweet Korean man sitting next to me noticed I was struggling. He quietly ordered me a hot tea, (how sweet!). The sushi chef got the message and every piece he prepared for me after that was wasabi-free. Thank goodness!

From there we wandered into Dotonbori, Osaka's neon studded entertainment district. Imagine if Las Vegas and Times Square had a Japanese cousin. Giant moving crabs climbed restaurant walls. A massive blowfish hung above an entryway. Bright signs competed for our attention in every direction. And there were people EVERYWHERE. This was also the first city in Japan that wasn't pristinely clean. There was garbage up and down the street which was almost more shocking than the neon lights.

We strayed from the beaten path and made our way to a hidden speakeasy tucked inside an otherwise ordinary building. To enter, we had to duck through a super tiny door before carefully shuffling along a narrow ledge that hugged the windows until we reached the bar. It felt like we had discovered a secret clubhouse.

The cocktails were every bit as creative as the entrance. Smoke drifted across the bar, chocolate syrup decorated the glasses, and one drink even featured tequila from 1942. It was one of those places where ordering was almost as entertaining as drinking.

Later, we wandered down Midosuji Avenue, Osaka's elegant shopping boulevard. Wide sidewalks, designer storefronts, and glowing lights made it feel a bit like Chicago's Magnificent Mile, if the Mag Mile had far more vending machines and significantly better public transportation. 😆

By this point we'd passed dozens of arcades throughout Japan, so we finally gave in and played the claw game. Spoiler alert: We lost.

Determined to end the night on a sweeter note, we tracked down my favorite Japanese snack: the famous 10-yen coin cake. MMMM. Just as delicious as the first time. Meanwhile, Evan had spotted a deal for 30 gyoza for 1,000 yen. Instead of buying them, he decided we'd keep looking. Rookie mistake.

As we wandered through Osaka's nightlife, a bartender standing outside one of the bars invited us in. Since Osaka seemed determined to convince us to stay out late, we accepted. This was the Asian Las Vegas after all. We found ourselves sharing a barrel table with two young Americans stationed in South Korea who were spending their leave exploring Japan. Between drinks, table games, and swapping travel stories, it ended up being our first late night in Japan. Only took us 3 cities and 10 days. 😆