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There’s something dangerous about returning to a country you already love.
There’s something dangerous about returning to a country you already love.
The first time you go somewhere, everything feels magical because it’s new. The second time, you see a new side. By the third trip, you wonder whether the magic will still be there.
But Japan has always been kind to me.
The people. The food. The safety. The way everything somehow works despite the sheer chaos of it all. Every trip I’ve taken here has felt completely different from the last. My first trip was all bright lights and sensory overload. Another trip was skiing in Hakuba — and as a Canadian girl, I’ll say it: Japan genuinely has better snow.
Godzilla Head In Shinjuku
Starting in Tokyo
We landed in Tokyo right in the middle of Golden Week, which basically meant the city was operating at maximum capacity.
Tokyo somehow feels futuristic and overwhelming at the exact same time. You can walk out of a perfectly silent train station into streets packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people, giant screens flashing overhead, anime stores blasting music, and vending machines every three metres.
And somehow… it works.
One of my favourite Tokyo moments was seeing the skyline from Shibuya Sky. We booked tickets only a few days beforehand and almost missed out completely because sunset sessions sell out way in advance. If you’re going, mornings are better for seeing Mt Fuji (which we did) — but honestly, the city view alone was worth it.
Shibuya Sky
Learning new skills
One of my favourite memories from the entire trip was actually the chopstick making workshop.
It cost almost nothing compared to other activities we did, but it ended up feeling incredibly personal. The staff were so patient and detail-oriented. You could upgrade the wood and get them engraved, and there was something really calming about slowing down and making something properly with your hands.
That’s something Japan does incredibly well.
Even tiny experiences feel thoughtful.
Me and my Partner making Chopsticks in Tokyo
Where old meets new
As much as I love Tokyo, Kyoto completely stole the show this time. Tokyo feels electric. Kyoto feels peaceful. As soon as we arrived, it felt like everything slowed down a little. At night the streets were so quiet despite there still being people everywhere. Soft lantern lighting, tiny restaurants tucked into alleyways, people speaking quietly as they walked home. I felt like I was in a movie.
We stayed in a traditional ryokan and honestly, if you’re going to Japan for the first time, I think you need to experience that at least once. Tatami floors, traditional breakfasts, yukatas… it completely changes the pace of your trip.
Our absolute favourite experience in Japan ended up being the Hozugawa River Boat Ride. It’s only about 45 minutes from Kyoto Station by train to Kameoka, but it feels like a completely different world. You board these traditional wooden boats and spend around two hours floating through mountain scenery while the guides joke around, steer through rapids, and somehow make the entire thing feel both peaceful and chaotic.
There’s even a floating food boat that pulls up alongside you halfway through! At the end, you arrive in this beautiful traditional riverside area where you can rent boats, eat lunch, or just wander.
Hozugawa River Boat Ride
You’ve just gotta go
The deer in Nara are iconic for a reason. But what nobody tells you is how aggressive they become during mating season.
One second they’re adorable woodland creatures. The next second they’re charging directly at you because they know you have food. They are very food motivated, so were absolutely fine once you shown them you were empty handed. Still worth it though. Nara is such an easy day trip and one of those places that somehow feels both chaotic and peaceful at the same time. The city of Nara is super cute too, we enjoyed Ice matcha ice cream in the park and just wandered.
We followed up this with one of the coolest experiences – I did solo was the Temple Matcha Facial & Head Spa. It was inside this incredibly traditional building where they greet you outside and walk you through the experience from start to finish. You change into traditional clothing, have tea and a foot bath, then your own private facial and head spa treatment.
Afterwards, they teach you how to make matcha properly while serving traditional sweets.
It felt less like a spa appointment and more like a cultural ritual.
Feeding the Deer in Nara Park
A first for me
The biggest surprise of the trip was Okinawa. We added five nights at the end because I didn’t want to need a holiday after the holiday.
And honestly, it was the best decision we made!
Okinawa feels completely different from mainland Japan. It has this strange 80s/90s tropical energy that almost feels like Hawaii mixed with Japan. There’s also a massive US military presence because of Okinawa’s history, especially around Kadena. We did a day trip to American Village and had fighter jets flying overhead while eating ice cream. It was surreal. The beaches were beautiful, the weather was perfect, and the slower pace completely changed the mood of the trip.
The island speed limits are incredibly slow, so getting around takes longer than you expect. But that’s kind of the point.
Okinawa forces you to slow down.
America Village, Okinawa
So… Was A Third Trip To Japan Still Worth It?
Even more than the last. I think what surprised me most is that Japan itself didn’t really change.
I did.
The first trip was about seeing everything. The second trip was about doing more. This trip was about appreciating it. The quiet streets. The tiny rituals. The convenience stores. The river boats. The kindness. The feeling that somehow even the busiest places in the world can still feel respectful and calm. Maybe that’s why I keep coming back.
Not because Japan changes.
But because somehow, every time, I do.
View from our room in Okinawa
