Journal Entry: Japan Edition

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It felt like a dream.

That’s what me and my boys were discussing after touching back down into the UK after a near 24-hour travel time.

I was constantly on autopilot after day 9 for my 18-day trip to Japan.

Because I’ve had such a good routine of discipline and consistency for the last few months, I knew even before I flew out that I’d struggle to be on top of my stuff.

Then it hit me. I’ve been blessed to be able to travel this much and this frequent, that I should take advantage of it all.

I took it all in while still doing something.

A few written posts even though I was 8 hours ahead.

20k steps daily for over two weeks.

Still writing newsletters and listening to language podcasts.

While I could have done more, I could have done nothing. But I didn’t.

Now I sit back and reflect to tell you the lessons I learned miles away from home and how I hope to apply it to my multi-passionate journey going forward.

A few days ago was the first time I didn't post in seven months.

It’s wild that I’ve managed to keep up with posting daily on threads and mostly on Insta since February.

But 19 days out and 5 cities later, I value the lessons and real-life experiences I went through which can’t be taught or learned behind a desk.

I did so much stuff, met so many people and experienced all kinds of stuff that instead of feeling guilty about it, I took it all in and saw what I could learn from it.

Day 1-4 - Tokyo

You can’t ever rewind time. It’s unfortunate.

The first 5 days I spent in Tokyo, I had to take it all in. It’s been a long time coming that we wanted to go to Japan and seeing it all in person was something else.

The first few days consisted of your usual shopping, hitting a few landmarks and a few activities.

Actually, most of the trip consisted of that, just in different cities.

I found Tokyo to be very fast-paced with a lot to do. Going into shops became overwhelming because of how much stuff there was.

7-Eleven is one of those supermarkets where you want to try everything, and despite the prices being so cheap, you just grab what you can.

This became a morning staple where I’d grab a few onigiri, vitamin drinks and a green smoothie.

Thank god that the Japanese value health because while I did indulge, I made sure that my mornings consisted of fruit and clean snacks to keep up with my health.

You rarely see breakfast spots and cafes because it occurred to me that the Japanese are quick to grab food and go about their day.

Aside from all this, the most memorable parts were zipping through the Tokyo streets and on Rainbow Bridge in a go-kart late at night. A vibe that can’t be matched.

Being a big group of guys means coming across a lot of people. It was difficult to speak to locals as Japanese people are quite closed off but we still had great experiences.

Coming across fellow Bengalis was a highlight as they seemed genuinely pleased to see us. It got me testing my Bengali too, and even though I was taught it at birth, it had me practicing context switching.

Day 4-8 - Kyoto

A bit more of a slower pace which was different.

We came across a lot more tourists here and when you’re doing the same things as them (temples and landmarks), you tend to see how others spend their days too.

Quick and easy convos flow here stemming from “Can you take a picture of us?” to just generally passing by.

I ended up learning and utilising a lot of Japanese words here but I'm not complaining.

Little words hold weight and seeing locals light up makes it worth it.

It's crazy when you come across people who are the same age or younger, and it makes you wonder how different their lives are to get to where they are at that point in time.

Day 8-11 - Osaka

I'm usually a high-intensity guy, but hitting 20k steps for 90% of my travels daily kept me active. A few quick non-equipment workouts might have done the job too.

For some reason, even though Osaka felt smaller than Kyoto, something about this place just hit.

Even though I’m an anime guy, everytime I’d hit a shop up I’d feel like a big kid again.

Consumerism is big here but it’s an outlet for a lot of people.

Even better when I saw a guy from the UK and we both nodded at each other because of that gassed feeling of seeing our childhoods displayed beautifully in shops.

The Japanese do it smart too. The shops are huge complexes so if you’re looking to hit one specific shop, it’s a very unlikely chance as you’ll be pulled into many others that are flashing in your face.

A night I won’t forget is going to Round 1, a legit playground with 24-hour indoor access to many sports and games.

We had a nice friendly football and volleyball session with some Japanese locals, as well as meeting other travelers. A lot of content there.

I was on 5 hours sleep that day and absolutely battered, but they’re memories I’ll cherish looking back.

Day 11-12 - Hakone

This was a needed reset.

Constant crowds, fast-paced movement and overwhelming environments was fun here and there, but one night here showed me just why some people crave a quiet and peaceful lifestyle.

One of the best places I’ve stayed in, I had to dip into our private onsen (a Japanese hot spring) and just take it in.

Even walking around the lake the day after, the fact that Hakone's elevation varies by location meant that the town itself sits at an average of about 700–800 meters above sea level.

Before sunset it looked like something out of a movie.

A lot of reflecting was done that day, especially thinking about how my trip was soon coming to an end.

I used to be hit with post-depression after every trip, so I knew that was imminent. The difference is I knew that I had to get back to my interests and lock back in because I wanted this to become a reality.

Day 13-18 - Tokyo

By now I seemed to grasp the concept of things and what to expect.

Travelling by tube, navigating places or the food situation.

Tokyo had a lot more halal spots, but even locating that or a prayer room proved difficult. We’re so used to having it instantly accessible that a lot of research was required.

It made me more grateful though as more and more spots are upcoming.

The last few days were more of a chill one, where I thought I’d be accustomed to the anime shops or usual area we’d already been to. But truth is, I was still in awe at everything because of the level that things were done at.

The love and effort are evident in everything.

So that dream came and went.

It’s great when you’re buzzing for something, but life reminds you soon enough that it’s never permanent and while something ends, another thing is around the corner.

For me, that’s Saudi Arabia. A different trip which I’ll be back to report on.

Now to embrace this jet lag.

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The bottom line

I’ve been sharing so much media on my activities that I thought, why not my thoughts on a country that’s rising in tourist popularity?

As much as I’m into anime, Japan has become a place where I see so much online of people doing fun stuff that I wanted to see what more there was to it.

I've been to nearly 20 countries but the culture shocked me.

Clean, respectful, punctual and with tremendous pride in doing good work.

The food was made with pure love.

The public spaces were kept clean.

No bins around, but that reduced street mess.

'Arigato gozaimasu' about 50 times in a conversation.

While these were the things I loved, I understand there’s a dark part of the country that I can’t hope to understand.

People seem to immerse themselves a lot more in pop culture, gaming and media but at times, it was evident that it was due to a tough work culture and high expectations.

Yes, every place has problems, but what Japan does well, it does exceptionally well.

Respect and cleanliness are held in high regard for a reason.

We can also learn a lot from observing their healthy habits, like portion control and respectful table manners.

I’ve never really given my observation on my other travels, but being out of the country for so long taught me a lot that other trips haven’t.

Spending time in another culture always teaches me something, and I can't help thinking that we'd all benefit from more of this.

Less certainty that our way is the only way.

More interest in how others see the world.

As I still go through this jet lag, I prepare for Saudi, a different type of travel with a different experience altogether.

Stay peeled for that one.

If you want to here more about this further, feel free to reach out on Instagram @liftlangleon.

Till next time, peace.