Flying to Narita airport was my first encounter with Japan. I booked a seat near a window in advance because I was expecting a great view, and it would give me a good first glimpse of the country. Upon entering the airspace of Japan, you could see the rice fields stretching the horizon and mountain tops rise through the clouds. Arriving around 8am in Tokyo I was quite worn out after my first long-haul flight of around 9 hours. Starting my trip from my home town at 7am, it was now 2am Dutch time. To avoid a jetlag I figured I just had to survive the day and make it till the evening to get my 'regular' sleeping pattern.

After landing the first thing I craved were some refreshments! I didn't really know what to expect at the airport, but it was a bit underwhelming in regard to shops; it appeared very functional. So I simply moved myself to a 7-eleven to do my first purchase. I went for a teriyaki egg sandwich, instead of the one with whipped cream and strawberries (oh Japan...). Next I got on the bus that took me to Tokyo central, from where I walked to the hotel. While it was an hour and a half walk, it gave me the opportunity to realize that I was now really in Japan. A goal I set myself a long time ago.

The hotel was really great and I was glad that I could enjoy it before continuing my trip in hostels. I took a breather and watched some Japanese television. I seriously miss those shows now that I'm back. Japanese speech has a lot of strong intonations, so it's easy to grasp the emotion that's being conveyed which helps to understand what's been told. Since most of the shows and news items were also commentated by some sort of panel of guests (of which you could see their reaction in an overlay), it gave you some understanding of what was going on without needing to know the language.

To prevent myself from falling asleep on the bed, I went out to get something to eat and take a walk through a nearby park. The first cup of noodles were great and with some hesitation, it was actually quite easy to place an order. After a lap through the park, which had jellyfish residing in the river(!), I went back and was happy that I could finally get some sleep...

Managing to prevent a serious jetlag, I woke up at a reasonable time on my second day. The hotel I stayed in was situated next to a small mall where I could get some breakfast. Not a lesser known fact, but if you didn't know already; nearly everything is made of rice or at least contains some percentage of rice (Japanese people probably included). Bread on the other hand isn't as common (as it is for Dutch people). Supermarkets in foreign countries are always a great outing and while I could've probably wandered there for a while, I focussed and got myself a few onigiris.

Next I went to the bus stop; today's goal was learning how to move about in public transport and at least figure out how the metro and subway worked. With the bus I went to a museum recommended by my colleague. Japan is known for its innovation, but if there was one place where you could actually immerse yourself into this, it was probably here. The museum had several rooms with each their own kind of immersion. You also had to take off your shoes and socks because in some of these rooms you were actually standing in water and the art was projected on - and around - you.

After the museum I moved further up to Tokyo and visited the shrine in Yoyogi park. During my preparations for the trip I read about shrine etiquette and I was very curious to learn more about it. At the shrine, before making a bow at the torii entrance, I followed the ritual; take the ladle from the fountain, wash my left hand, wash my right, take a sip of water from my left hand and return the ladle. All clean, I moved to the altar where I said my prayers to the kami; throw a coin into the offering box, ring the bell, bow twice, clap twice, and bow once more. It was really nice to see that everyone (mostly Japanese) visiting the shrine took some time to pay their respect.

From the park I went to discover Shibuya and a part of Shinjuku; bustling streets great for shopping and city sightseeing. These areas are very trendy, which really showed in how people were dressed. Next to the popular shops you could also find a lot of arcades and slot machine (pachinko) shops. Before going back to the hotel, I visited one more shrine in Shibuya. At the Hatonomori Hachiman shrine I managed to get a goshuincho; a seal book in which you can collect goshuin stamps as a way of showing proof of pilgrimage to a shrine. At nearly every large shrine a priest would be able to provide a goshuin, and during my journey I was able to collect one from every location I visited.

On my way back I ate at a very cosy restaurant which happened to have one small table available. The friendliness and hospitality of the shop owner was great, as I was seated in the middle of other Japanese families eating at their own monjayaki-grill tables. A great way to end a tiring first day of discovering Tokyo.

After my first day discovering Tokyo I checked out of my hotel and prepared to go to the first hostel we were visiting as a group. The hostel was very close to the city centre of Tokyo, which allowed me to leave my bags at the counter and determine the game plan for the day. The introduction to the group was planned at 6pm, which gave me plenty of time to continue discovering Tokyo.

Opening up my phone to verify my location and plan the route, I noticed Maps presented me with a special layout over Tokyo. Apparently there was a Shinto festival going on and the app showed me the route the participants were walking through the city. Since the route covered the entire city, I figured I would get a glimpse of it by just heading there. For today I wanted to - at least - visit the Akihabara district, also known as the electric town. It is one of the largest shopping areas focussed solely on electronics, gaming and related merchs.

It didn't take long before I noticed the Shinto festival. A few blocks away from the hostel a large group of people were gathering and preparing to start the parade. It was very fascinating to see; Shinto culture is still very strongly embedded in the day-to-day life of the Japanese. Moving on I saw another - smaller - group celebrating at a shrine. The celebration was in front of the torii gate, and feeling very welcomed, I took my time to pay my respect to the Kami. As I tried to remember all of the steps involved in the ritual, I fumbled a little bit to get my towel after washing my hands. An older lady walked up and offered me hers; arigato-gozaimasu!

The Shinto shrines in the middle of Tokyo left me impressed. They were unexplainable serene and well preserved, while next to them skyscrapers were flexing Tokyo's perceived scenery by the outside world. I tried to think about if we had something similar back in Holland, but nothing really struck me As I walked on, I entered Akihabara; it didn't get more Tokyo than this. Large malls with tens of floors and neon advertisements drawing your attention on every corner of the street; time to get lost!

It was around 3pm when I had to force myself out of a mall. I wandered for a good 2 to 3 hours and only managed to reach the sixth floor of a single mall. Like a kid in a candy store, these shops had everything you wanted as a Japanofile. I got myself a few really neat, not too big (considering this was only day 2 and I had limited bag space...), items, like a paper theatre of Spirited Away. With a few more hours to spare, I decided to further explore the city and maybe visit a few more shrines in Tokyo. Each shrine was celebrating the festival and there were a lot of little markets and food stalls where you could enjoy everything the festival had to offer.

Around 6pm I returned to the hostel and met with the group and our group leader. Most of them were from England and we totalled to around 16 people. We exchanged introductions and brought our stuff to the rooms we were assigned to. Knowing that we would only be in Tokyo for one more day, I decided to visit Asakusa in the evening. This district is known for its temples and pagodas, especially by night, when they are beautifully lit.

Returning to the hostel I heard that one of our group members visited Mt. Fuji and asked her for travel instructions. Since we did not have our JP railpasses yet, I had to book a different type of transport. Mt. Fuji is around 2 hours by train from Tokyo, which meant that finding something like a subway or local bus wasn't an option. Through some vague website which was half Japanese and half English I tried to navigate through the options of booking a coach bus. Since the cherry blossom festival was also celebrated in Kawaguchiko village (near Mt. Fuji), I had more luck in finding available busses and eventually - after several small panic attacks (did I book the correct bus, was it the correct date, did my payment go through?) - reserved a seat. See you tomorrow Fuji-san.

Time to leave early today, as I had to get to our bus that would leave for Kawaguchiko, a town relatively close to Mt. Fuji! It was also a nice break from the urban scenery that Tokyo offered. Having arrived at Kawaguchiko, and already having seen a glimpse of Fuji, I took the train to Shimoyoshida to go to the famous Chureito pagoda. From here on everything was just breathtaking... The sky was almost clear and you could get a very good view of Mt. Fuji. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Leaving Arakurayama summit at noon I further explored the villages of Shimoyoshida and Kwaguchiko, visiting some shrines and taking in the scenery. Taking into account that it was also a sunday, the villages were very peaceful and it was nice to take a stroll and explore.

Later in the afternoon it was time to head back to Tokyo as we had dinner with the whole group. Our organizer had reserved dinner at a sukiyaki restaurant. It was a great way to end the first few days of our trip in Tokyo, as by tomorrow we would be getting into the shinkansen towards Takayama for a more traditional stay.

We had to leave the hostel early since we wanted to avoid the Japanese rush hours, also known as tsukin jigoku (commuters hell), for work. Even around half past 6 at the Tokyo subway station, we were already confronted with a lot of crowd and the trains that were arriving were pretty full. Our organizer told us to 'scatter', to increase our chances of boarding the wagons. Everyone also had all of their travel bags with them, so we had to - as politely as possible - force our way in. The magic word here would be sumimasen, meaning 'excuse me', to indicate that you knew you were a bit of a nuisance. Most people could appreciate this gesture, but you could tell that they weren't that fond of giving up the already cramped space.

... 'Two stations' our organizer yelled, while everyone was scattering to stand in line for an approaching wagon. While I felt an increase of adrenaline rushing through me, it felt comforting knowing that I could just stand in line waiting for my turn to enter the subway. This is completely different in the Netherlands, where everyone will have the decency to wait while everyone leaves the wagon, but then tries to rush in, in an attempt to get a good seat. I was able to board and leave at the designated stop. We did a quick headcount and, probably to no one's surprise, were missing a few people. Since this was just our second day as a group, we tried to identify who was missing. Luckily the subways go often and just as we noticed who was missing, they stepped out of the next wagon and the group was reunited.

Arriving at the train station we received our tickets for the shinkansen to Nagoya, from which we took another train to our destination Takayama. Here we were able to get a glimpse of a more traditional and common Japan, away from the rush we saw in Tokyo. We visited the Hida Folk Village, an open air museum exhibiting traditional houses from the Edo period (1603 - 1867). In a similar vein, we also stayed at a traditional inn where we walked on tatami flooring and slept on futons.

Till dinner we had some time to spare and visited the village, which included traditional sake breweries. This gave me the opportunity to go on my quest to find one of the rare merchandise I wanted to take home. Specifically, I was looking for a koinobori; a flying carp used to commemorate Kodomo no Hi (Children's day), the last day of the golden week. Back in Tokyo I already asked our organizer where I could find these carps. A bit surprised by my request, she pondered and told me that it was probably too late, as the festival is held on the fifth of May; it was now the 13th of May. In Tokyo she mentioned that my best guess would be in Takayama, since this was a more traditional village with fewer tourists. So here I was... As we were nearing closing time, I told the group that I would meet them at dinner and began my - somewhat - hectic search for shops that could sell me a koinobori. Just in time I found a toy store and asked the owner 'sumimasen, koinobori desu ka?', 'ah, hai! Kochira desu' was his response. He directed me to a shelf in the store and there they were! I picked an orange one, as I knew it would look good with our national colours and we also celebrate liberation day in The Netherlands on the fifth of May.

Satisfied with another souvenir I could cross off my wishlist, I head to our restaurant. During dinner our group came to the conclusion that, since we were staying in a more traditional place, we also had to go to an onsen. For the unattended, an onsen is a public bath house that requires you to be completely naked (but of course separated on gender). Psychologically this is a little hurdle you will need to overcome, but from my experience, I can only advise to include this as a mandatory activity for your Japan itinerary. The bath water is (very) hot, but very relaxing, and the etiquette is also very hygienic, requiring you to wash yourself before you enter the onsen. The onsen we visited had everything you required, including different towels and shampoos. An experience you can only look back on and think, 'glad I was able to pursue myself'.

We were only staying at Takayama for one night, so in the morning it was time to pack our stuff and prepare for our trip to Kyoto. We still had some time to explore the surroundings and visit a local marketplace, before we left in the afternoon. I was looking forward to Kyoto as I expected a lot from the shrines and the temples. Another item on my wanted list was a mitsutomoe bracelet, signifying an import symbol in Shintoism. It is created out of three comma-shaped forms, often used to indicate the connectedness between the underworld, the earth and heaven and related to three important figures in Shinto belief, respectively: Tsukiyomi, Susanoo and Amaterasu.

Arriving at Kyoto we did not have a lot of time to drop off our bags at the hostel, as our organizer wanted us to visit Mt. Inari at sunset. I'm not sure if we were all prepared for the amount of steps the stairs to the top had, but I think that the awe of all of the torii gates distracted our minds enough to not think about how far we still had to climb. While it was a bit too cloudy to see the actual sunset, the view of Kyoto's skyline was amazing to look at. Going back down I noticed that most of the shops at the foot of the mountain were closed, which meant that I had to get back tomorrow to get my kitsune mask.

Going back to the city centre we had multiple options for dinner and everyone went their own way. Since I did not know when I could get the opportunity again (because the organized dinners were the best part of the group trip, since our organizer knew the best restaurants), I went to visit a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. Just as the many other foods you need to try in Japan, this has to be on your list, be it only for the experience. At the restaurant you are directed to a seat and in front of you a conveyor belt is displaying perfect cut sushi. If you like what you see, you take the small plate (often containing two pieces) and enjoy. As in many Japanese restaurants, the water and matcha is free, and every table has a tap so you can easily replenish your drink. At the end the plates are counted by an employee and you pay for what you had. I could imagine the appeal for most Japanese people to grab a quick bite here, be it during lunch or for dinner.

Just before going to bed I decided to take a late night walk. I put on my headphones and could only really play one tune now; Alone in Kyoto by Air. I walked by the Kamo river and back through Poncho-cho alley. During my walk I was able to make the most significant photo of my trip. From the riverbank I noticed an apartment with its lights on and the curtains open. I was able to witness how meiko's were entertaining their guests and was able to capture the enjoyment from afar with my phone's camera. It felt very unusual that I could just see what was going on. Japanese are private people, so me being able to see what was going on in that room really surprised me. My playlist started the next song 'I don't want to be shy, can't stand it anymore. I just want to say 'Hi', to the one I love. Cherry blossom girl'...

We only had a few days in Kyoto, but there was so much to see! I didn't want to stress myself if I would miss something, but nevertheless I tried to make an efficient day planning to at least try and visit the things I wanted to see. First things first, let's get back to Mt. Inari for a famous kitsune mask. I almost had to time myself when going through the souvenirs, because it was really difficult to pick something. Not only did they have very nice masks, they also had awesome (small) byōbu. Going back and forth between some shops, I was finally able to pick one and continue towards the next stop; a neko cafe. It was a nice moment to get a coffee (iced of course, because they don't sell hot in case you might spill it and burn a cat...) and enjoy some company time with the residenting cats.

One more activity to end the morning; a walk towards the one and only Nintendo headquarters. I owe them a large part of my childhood, so the least I could do was to pay them a visit and see where it all started. To be fair, you couldn't see a lot and the building was just a regular (large) office. There was no Mario greeting you at the entrance, which basically translates to: 'no fun allowed'. I snapped a picture of the logo as a keepsafe and thanked them from a distance; never change guys.

For the afternoon I had to get to a metro and go to the city centre. Waiting for the train to arrive confirmed that it was really the Nintendo headquarters that was situated here; as the sound to alarm travellers that the train was inbound played the Song of Healing from The Legend of Zelda. The metro would take me to the streets of Gion, a district famous for its geisha appearances and many temples. In and around Maruyama park you can find a lot of shrines and temples and it showed how intertwined both buddhism and shintoism were during the Edo period, before Japan would be ruled by a single emperor. After the installment of the emperor, who was believed to be descendant from Shinto kami, the country established Shintoism as its primary belief system (if you're interested in this topic, you can read more on the events of shinbutsu bunri).

We headed towards the park and decided to just walk around and observe what we saw, visiting shrines and temples along the way. From an economic perspective both Shintoism and Buddhism also employ a different revenue system. The Buddhists asked for an entry fee for their temples to support the maintenance of the buildings, the Shinto shrines were free to enter. However, at shrines you were able to buy a variety of charms and could, of course, receive a desired goshuincho. There were a lot of shrines and I figured this was my one chance to try and find a tomo bracelet. At one of the last shrines we visited I noticed a shop that sold a Buddhist bracelet with a tomo and a bead that included the mitsutomoe. It was the Yasaka shrine, dedicated to one of the three important Shinto kami; Susanoo.

Happy with my find it was time to get back and grab something to eat. A street near our hostel hosted a market with a lot of eccentric food, such as roasted squid tentacles, small octopuses with quail eggs inside and something that looked like a bitterbal and a poffertje combined; takoyaki. It was a pastry ball with pieces of octopus tentacles inside. Most of the stalls that sold them were crowded with people and I could tell why. These things are absolutely amazing and it is the number one food I recommend you have when visiting Japan. While I enjoyed my food - which was glowing hot inside, the chef yelled from behind his stall: 'please, no walking, eat here!'. A reminder on how the streets of Japan are being kept clean and how you're prevented from bumping into someone else on this busy street; Japanese street food etiquette.

We finished the day with the group in an English pub (go figure) where I ordered a Japanese highball, kanpai!~

The last day in Kyoto already. We got up early and planned our route for the day. First we wanted to visit the monkey park, which was near the famous bamboo grove. We took a bus and travelled to the outskirts of the city. Arriving at our destination we got a snack that was recommended by one of our group members; dango. Seriously, the things Japanese can do with rice amazes me everytime. If you're ever in Japan, be sure to try this as well, you will find many stalls selling this sweet delicacy of rice balls, often in very surprising flavours.

After our quick break we were daunted with the task of climbing a steep mountain, after which we would reach the monkey park, or so we were told. Well, looking back on it, the term park probably got lost in translation, as it was simply a mountain peak with a few monkeys enclosed around a fence. Apart from the regular vending machines (on a side note regarding the vending machines, you can find these in the strangest places. The book 'Roadside Lights' is worth looking up if you're interested in jidohanbaiki), there were no other facilities and while you could get pretty close to the monkeys, it was a bit of deception. We stayed for a few minutes and then headed back down. Maybe the most interesting attraction during this climb was the fan installation halfway through the climb. It was pretty hot and the forest was quite dense, so the Japanese figured that you might want to take a breather during the climb with the fan providing you the illusion that you were cooling down.

At the foot we got an actual freshener, a mochi ice cream, and walked to the bamboo grove Arashiyama, famous for its gigantic sprouts of bamboo, which can reach up to 40 meters. It was a very nice stroll and we ended up at the Okochi Sanso Garden. This garden was developed by a famous Japanese actor as part of his home. I'm not that familiar with the practice of zen, but if I could define it, it would have been at one of the outhouses in the garden. Here I could enjoy a moment of reflection, in complete silence, with no other tourists; merely enjoying the garden scenery that showed its gracious display in the hightide of spring.

The morning was long gone as we decided we still wanted to visit one more location; Kyoto castle. The preservation of the entire site was handled with the utmost care, but it came also at the cost of having one entire building in scaffolds. Nevertheless, the size of the buildings and the original rooms of the main building were a sight to behold. Each room had different murals for different purposes; welcoming guests; official ceremonies and 'meeting rooms'. Nothing was left to chance when it came down to conveying a (business) purpose. For example, if the ruler invited promising guests, he would meet them in the room painted with cherry blossoms, which represent a fruitful relationship.

We did a lot of walking and the evening drew near, as we were a bit worn down by today's activity. There was only one thing left to do; get a large bowl of comforting Ramen in Poncho-cho alley. We went downstairs to a small restaurant called Ramen Muraji Pontocho, as some salarymen were accompanying us. Maybe it was also the feeling of being on vacation and exploring Japan, but eating Ramen in such a cosy place practically next to the person who is cooking it, is something I dearly miss.

Our stay in Kyoto came to an end and the next morning we packed our stuff to go to Hiroshima. After settling in at our hostel, we went into the city to learn more about its historic events - the Hiroshima bombing - that took place in 1945.

The realization of walking through this city, which was completely rebuilt, was pretty bizarre. Nothing, except for the monumental buildings, hinted that this place was in ruins just 74 years ago. The story was told in vividness, portraying the gruesomeness of the event. The paintings and drawings in the museum that were made by the villagers of Hiroshima just moments after the impact moved me the most. They did not only show you how the event was being perceived by the artist, but also the emotion that they felt. Even one year later, while I'm writing this story, I find it difficult to put it into words. It has been one of the few (war) museums that made me shiver. An entire city of innocent people, obliterated in the blink of an eye.

We stayed the entire afternoon at the memorial plaza and the museum before we went to look for a place to get dinner. Our group organizer knew a place that served some of the best okonomiyaki; Japanese pancakes. We had a private table covered behind noren. Our organizer explained to us the trick to draw the chef's attention, which was simply yelling 'SUMIMASEN' .... 'HAIII' we got back after which we were able to order. At times of refills, we also got our tries, of which I can imagine the chef got a bit tired, but it got us a good laugh.

After dinner we went for something more lighthearted and went to the arcade. We did some dance-offs with DDR, played the drums in the famous game Taiko no Tatsjujin, shot some hoops in a game of basketball and got behind the wheel for some Mario Kart. We ended the night at a club where we got a few beers before going back to the hostel... Hiroshima showed us that life does go on.

Hiroshima was a quick stop before we would go back to Osaka and we would spend our last day on the nearby island Miyajima. This would later become one of my fondest memories of this trip, as we would climb Mt. Misen. We took a ferry and upon arrival were given a few options on what to do next. We could take the easy route to the top of the mountain and go by ropeway, or take one of three hiking routes varying in difficulty. We split up in groups depending on everyone's preference. For the ascend I decided to take the Daisho-in course; a climb with a lot of stairs but also with some beautiful views along the way. Oh, and quick side note as was mentioned halfway through the route: 'beware of the deadly 'Mamushi' vipers', that'd be all...

The climb was roughly two hours and we had to be careful because it started slightly raining, making the stone stairs very slippery. We arrived at the top with most of the gang already there enjoying the view. I looked over the island and expected an all-out city trip when I booked this tour. Now I'm standing on top of a mountain, after a beautiful climb. I appreciated that we were given the opportunity to enjoy this as part of our trip. After a quick break, it was time to get back to the foot of the mountain.

Our organizer opted for the difficult descend and asked who wanted to join. I wondered how often she had done this journey and how many times she already descended this mountain. I glanced down at my feet, looking at my slippery Vans, and figured I would only be here once. I quickly got up and went in pursuit to catch up with our organizer who was already on her way down. The Omoto course was just as stunning and gave the illusion that you were somewhere deep down in a forest. We encountered no other hikers and from time to time you would be walking alone in between checkpoints. I'm no experienced hiker, and back in The Netherlands we have nothing nearly comparable to mountains, so this was a great first time experience.

Back down we were greeted with wild deers that were enjoying their rest, a few kilometers away from the busy shopping streets. We went to the nearby beach to behold the wonder of the floating torii gate; the Itsukushima shrine. We were lucky to see it, as it would go under construction for at least a year within a month. The rest of the afternoon we wandered around on the island before heading back to the mainland. As appropriate, we went to a fish restaurant in Hiroshima, where I got all kinds of tempura baked fish. After dinner we called it an early night, as everyone was pretty exhausted after today's hike.

Today we were heading to Osaka, a city of which I had zero expectations. I knew a bit about Tokyo and Kyoto before the trip, but when I looked up Osaka to figure out what I wanted to see, nothing really stood out. Before we would discover this city, we still had the morning in Hiroshima to do some more sightseeing. As it was a nice sunday morning, a few of us opted to go to the nearby garden Shukkeien. It was a peaceful way to end our visit to a city that forever left a memory behind in each of us.

Arriving at Osaka we were introduced to an almost anarchic city, compared to the rest we've seen of Japan. A youthful city bustling of tourists and a high density of shopping streets, including the well-known Dotonbori area. I was pretty surprised by how different this city was from Tokyo. The streets weren't (as) clean, people were driving stanced cars, and everyone in general seemed to care less about each other. It made me wonder if Osaka was a place for Japanese people to escape the mannered society that Japan had developed.

For the first time I got the feeling that I had to watch my backpack as we were exploring the neon streets. There were so many things drawing our attention, that we filled up the entire afternoon with just walking around the city centre. For dinner we went to get a famous Osakan dish called kushikatsu. I'm not sure how this got popularized, but I like that the Japanese just made this a thing. It's basically just any food you can think of, but then they deep-fried it. Literally everything on the menu is deep-fried, from vegetables to cheese to seafood. You'll get everything on a stick so you can dip it in a large bowl of soy sauce. Just remember the one rule; no second dipping (as the bowl of soy sauce is shared for an entire evening)!

Today was the last day with the gang. Most of us would continue their travels, either in Japan or elsewhere, or head back home. For me it meant that I still had three days left, including today; enough to still visit Nara and round up my trip. Today's planning was open-ended, as long as we would all be in time for dinner later tonight. We started with a visit to Osaka's castle, a beautiful castle, designed in the style the Japanese were famous for. I got a merchandise which I didn't originally have on my list, but was happy to find. It was a double folding screen depicting the battle of Shizugatake, a decisive battle in the history of Japan during the Sengoku period (1467-1615).

After our visit I went to explore some of the neighbourhoods of Osaka and visit several shrines, of which one was Shitennoji, which according to Japan's administration houses the oldest temple of the country. For lunch I got a plate of gyoza's after which I continued my stroll to some of the small (market) streets. It was a simple way to take in everyday Japan without the obligation to visit the tourist attractions suggested by TripAdvisor or Lonely Planet, whom so often try to obtrude your travels.

We visited some shops, walked through an old arcade and ate some ice cream - not along the way of course - just outside the restaurant (not being able to enjoy your food while walking through the streets/public places wasn't a thing I would miss from Japan). Eventually we found ourselves back in the city centre again where we went to the restaurant for a last dinner with the group. Some last stories were being shared and we handed over a gift to our organizer, for her great guidance. From her, everyone also received a little something to remember Japan by and a personal greeting to reflect on. A few last pictures and a drink at the nearby pub, before it was time to get back to the hostel. It was the first day in which it was pouring with rain and I was glad that I bought a jacket that came prepared for the upcoming rainy season. We ran through the empty streets of Osaka, as most people were trying to find shelter. A symbolic way to tell that our group adventure came to an end. Thank you everyone!

Being so close, I just had to visit Nara. A place known for its shrines and temples, but most famously for the deer that roam freely through the parks and the streets. As one of the most densely populated countries in the world, I really admired how accessible nature is and how well-respected it is being treated. Knowing that we did not have this back home, I enjoyed the entire day in Nara Park, visiting the Yoshikien Garden, the temple of Tōdai-ji with Japan's largest buddha statue, and Kasuga-taisha shrine. Along the route, deers would greet you with a bow in the hopes of receiving a small treat for their politeness. At the Tamukeyama Hachimangu Shrine - a shrine dedicated to Hachiman, similar to the shrine where I got my goshuincho - I got an ema to write down a thank-you note for my stay, and hung it up at the shrine.

After a beautiful day (being spared the rain from yesterday), I did an evening walk through Osaka. I still wanted to try a burger at the Asian fast-food chain Mos Burger, of which I thought would be the easiest way of ordering food in Japan. However, it was actually the worst, as the cashier had difficulty understanding what I wanted to order and - I'm guessing - wasn't really looking forward to serving a tourist during her burger-flipping shift. Unfortunately, the food also didn't make it better, so I figured that I'd just have to go all out on my last lunch tomorrow. A variety of sushi passed my mind, as the last night in Japan dawned upon.

Last day! Today I will be heading to Osaka's airport to catch my flight back home. One last day to enjoy what Japan has to offer, before I would be able to visit it again. I figured that starting the day in a good fashion means enjoying a quality coffee. I opened Maps and looked for some coffee shops and found a place a few blocks away called Osaru Coffee. It was a small cafe with a very chill vibe, and they had all sorts of pour over coffees(!) It was like sitting in a cozy living room and it gave me the opportunity to write some cards to my family back home. I'll probably be back long before they'll actually receive the cards, but it's about the gesture, right?

Before leaving, the owner asked where I was from. I said 'The Netherlands', but he couldn't really relate that to a country he knew. I quickly figured I was saying it the wrong way and thought about my Japanese A1 language course; this was practically the first word we learned... 'Ah, sumimasen, Oranda desu!', 'Ohhhh, Oranda!'. I thanked him for his kindness and went on my way. I walked around the neighbourhood and did one last visit to a city shrine. This one was dedicated to overcoming your fears, as you would look directly into a large lion's head upon entering. It was dedicated to Susanoo, the kami which was also represented in the bracelet I got back in Kyoto.

Eventually I wandered into the city centre of Osaka and went looking for a sushi restaurant. They were great for lunch, as you could perfectly manage your appetite. Just take in as many as you want and then pay for what you got. No time constraint, no limited menu, just take what's passing by on the conveyor. I topped it off with a matcha ice cream from a nearby sweets shop before heading back to the hostel to prepare for my departure.

I packed all of my stuff and did a double check to be sure that I got all of my belongings (including, of course, the souvenirs). I still had a small hour to spare, which gave me the opportunity to reflect on my trip. I went outside and got to a nearby park to just sit and enjoy the scenery and see how everyone was going about their day. It was a great moment to recap the trip and mentally check the box that I had finally visited Japan. From climbing Mt. Misen to just watching weird Japanese TV in my hotel; the trip was a great experience. Till we meet again Japan!

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