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Ryokans & Ramen
  • Phill Moon
  • Bec Moon
May – Jun 2025

Ryokans & Ramen

A 24-day adventure by Phill & Bec Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 13, 2025
    Ryokans & Ramen
    1

    Konnichiwa!

    May 13 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We're back for another Find Penguins bonanza! The morning started at the solemn time of 5:30am, where we quickly jumped out of bed, did the last minute packing, and got a ride with our generous neighbour Kelly to the airport.

    We managed to snag ourselves entry into the Qantas lounge where we enjoyed breakfast and Phill DEFINITELY didn't light his raisin toast on fire...

    The flight was mostly uneventful, other than being delayed half an hour, and the plane being chock full of babies for some reason.

    We eventually landed at Narita airport tired but excited. When disembarking the first fancy Japanese robot appeared so quickly that Phill couldn't even get a photo, so he had to make do with documenting the SECOND robot we saw.

    After an hour long bus trip and 15 minute walk we made it to our accommodation for the night. After much internal debate we decided not to go out for an initial walk as we have an early start tomorrow and we couldn't guarantee that we wouldn't be walking for hours! So we donned our matching courtesy PJs and jumped in bed.

    Steps: 8k    Read more

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    Walking through history

    May 14 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We woke up refreshed and ready for adventure, heading straight to Tokyo Station to catch our Shinkansen. Naturally, we stocked up on snacks before boarding our super-fast train. We enjoyed the luxurious seats and incredible views, right up until we realised we were on the wrong train. Oops. A quick change at the next stop and we were back on track.... literally.

    Four-ish hours later, we arrived in Hiroshima! After a bit of confusion (and a lot of Googling), we successfully loaded our transport cards and caught a bus toward our accommodation. We dropped off our bags and immediately set off to explore.

    Our afternoon was spent wandering through the stunning Peace Memorial Park, the haunting Atomic Bomb Dome, and the powerful Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Nothing like diving headfirst into a day of history and emotional intensity! The park itself is absolutely beautiful, lush, green, and peaceful. The museum was confronting but incredibly informative and deeply moving.

    Later, we ventured out in search of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, because if there's one thing we know about Phill, it's that he must try all the local specialties. Google led us to a cozy little place we assume was run by a mum and her son. The mum complimented Bec’s long fingers, and Phill bonded with the cook over their mutual love of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Dinners vibes: 10/10. Phill’s food rating: 8.5/10.

    Post-noodle coma, we indulged in our favorite hobby: getting lost. Bec spotted some flashing lights, which led us into a maze of alleyways and eventually into an arcade where we managed to lose over an hour of time and our tokens

    We wrapped up the night with dessert and more aimless wandering, eventually stumbling into what was definitely Hiroshima’s red-light district. After a hasty retreat from some maids and cat ladies, we called it a night.

    Steps: 14.5k    Read more

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    Oh Deer!

    May 15 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    This morning began with an early wander to the port, where we boarded a small ferry, loaded up with 7/11 breakfast goodies, for the 45 minute trip to the island of Itsukushima, also known as Miyajima. The island is famous for its friendly deer and the giant orange Great Torii Gate, which stands partially submerged in the ocean.

    The gate was breathtaking, actually, the whole island was. Everything is just so green and vibrant. We started our day by wandering along the shoreline walk and visited our first 16th-century Shinto shrine. The bright red architecture was stunning, and we decided to pull our fortunes. Becs received a glowing prophecy of prosperity and success, while Phill... well, he joined the many others who tied their less-than-stellar fortunes to the wall and pretended we never spent 100 yen on it.

    We tried a local treat: Momiji Manju, a type of wagashi that’s baked into the shape of a Japanese maple leaf. The ones we had were filled with red bean paste. We're still warming up to the idea of beans in desserts, but we both really enjoyed them!

    After eating and admiring the shrine (and getting countless photos of the floating Torii gate), we took the cable car up Mount Misen, which stands at a respectable 535 meters. From the top cable car station, we hiked to the summit, an easy feat, of course, and we definitely weren’t outpaced by sprightly Japanese elders... not at all. (Bec had a BPM of 160, she needs to go to the gym it seems)

    We had planned to hike all the way back down, but we lost track of time soaking in the serenity, so we opted for the cable car return instead.

    Back at sea level, we explored the long shopping arcade and tried another Momiji Manju, this time with an apple filling. 10/10 would eat a whole bucket.

    As our time on the island came to a close, we picked up some snacks from Lawson’s and sat on a bench to enjoy the view. Then the deer came. Hungry and fearless, we watched them steal food from three unsuspecting tourists. Not ours, though. We’re seasoned pros - we have two cats at home who believe all food is communal. One deer even paused to get a scratch from Phill’s shoe before we topped it all off with an ice cream for lunch desert and caught the ferry back to Hiroshima.

    Back in town, we laundered some clothes and relaxed a bit before heading back out for the evening.

    Onward we journeyed to Hiroshima castle. The original was built in 1589, but after that day on August 6th 1945 they rebuilt. Its main keep is five stories tall, and its grounds are surrounded by a moat. Also within the castle's precincts are a shrine, some ruins and a few reconstructed buildings of the Ninomaru (second circle of defense).

    After watching some Koi and admiring the detail of the buildings we made our way to an Izakaya for dinner. Which is pretty much a tapas bar! Here we enjoyed way too much food and a few beverages.

    We'll see you tomorrow in Osaka!

    Step count: 26k

    PS: Hornets? Terrifying. Why are they the size of birds    Read more

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    O-Snaka time!

    May 16 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Today we said goodbye to Hiroshima. We checked out of our accommodation, took the bus, then waited for our faithful Shinkansen with a coffee (and Bec's first matcha drink!) After a mostly uneventful hour we found ourselves in the beautiful city of Osaka. We grabbed a connecting train to the district of Namba and dropped our suitcases off at the hotel as it was too early for check in.

    At this point it was lunch time so we went on the hunt! There were a few good contenders but we found ourselves at a nice looking seafood restaurant. Phill got himself a set menu with a main of grilled mackerel and Bec got herself one with mixed tempura. Both were great! Afterwards we spent a bit of time wandering around the area before finally checking in.

    After a rest stop it was time for our main activity of the day, a food tour of Nanyo-dori. A shopping street known for a delicious variety of food! This tour lasted 3 hours and had us eating from 5 different places! And while most of the Japanese names went in one ear and out the other, we will do our best to describe them.

    The first stop was another Izakaya, where we had some delicious sushi of various types, including salmon, pickled sardine, and clam. Along with that we also had pork in a delicious teriyaki and ginger sauce.

    The next stop was a tiny standing-only udon noodle shop where 6-10 people gathered around the chef who was dishing out the meals. Our udon was served with a deliciously sweet and chewy fried tofu which was a perfect pairing with the broth. Definitely not a place we would have even noticed as we walked past!

    The third stop was for some Takoyaki, which are savoury fried balls with a similar consistency to pancake with an inside of octopus and garnished with a variety of toppings. We tried two and by far the best was the one with crispy garlic on top!

    The second to last stop was actually at a whisky bar, where Phill got a highball (whisky and soda water - a very popular drink in Japan) and Bec got the first Sake of the trip. Along with this we had a small set of various nibbles to go along with the drinks. It contained a potato salad like food, some pickled thinly sliced vegetables, some lotus root in soy sauce, and okra with some kind of seasoning. All of it was quite nice and paired nicely with our drinks!

    The final stop was exciting as it was for a beef hotpot! It was absolutely delicious, especially the broth. And towards the end the guides plopped rice and an egg in the pot and stirred it into a rice porridge which was an incredible end as the rice soaked up all the remains of the broth.

    After this we said goodbye and to the guides to the people we were doing the tour with, and walked back to the accommodation. Well, we headed in the direction of the accommodation, we did get distracted and detoured through Dotonbori, stopping for icecream and photos

    Step count: 15.6k    Read more

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    From Tentacles to Toppings

    May 17 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    This morning we arose to grey skies and rain! We donned our raincoats, explored the hotel facilities (there’s a 7/11 and an onsen!), and headed out. We didn’t have much of a plan today, just that we wanted to get lost and explore Osaka.

    We made our way to Kuromon Market, where Phill enjoyed some grilled eel and octopus for breakfast.

    There’s not all that much to report on today, we really did just wander and check out a heap of stores without buying anything. We stumbled across a Pokémon store, where Phill walked around in awe.

    We also checked out the American Village, a shopping strip full of junk shops and overpriced 'vintage' clothing.

    After wandering back to the hotel and rotting for a while (as one does), we headed back out to see what we could stumble upon for dinner. What did we find? More arcades that ate our money.

    Dinner ended up being at a pizza restaurant. Pizza in Japan? How odd, you say. But since WWII, Japan has been known for its authentic Neapolitan pizzas, and boy, were these delicious. An easy 10/10, absolutely zero regrets.

    On the way back, we stopped at Family Mart for some ice cream.

    Step count: 20k    Read more

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    A Cup of Joy

    May 18 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Today started with a big Osakan highlight: The Cup Noodle museum. After about an hour of transport, we found ourselves at the promised lands. As soon as we stepped foot inside we were handed tickets to go make our own unique cup of ramen noodles! After a short wait in line we both got an empty ramen cup full of possibilities and were sat at the table and allowed to draw on our cups for 20 or so minutes. Afterwards we chose our flavours and watched as they sealed our delicious meal, ready for a later date. After this, we walked around the rest of their museum and marveled at all of the different flavours they have produced over the years.

    Once we were done we decided it was time to visit another castle! So after another hour of transport we arrived at Osaka castle. The castle itself is a faithful recreation rebuilt in 1931. The grounds walking up to the castle (which remained mostly hidden from sight) were beautiful. After climbing some stairs and walking around some high walls we came up to the base of this incredibly imposing building. The scale definitely took us by surprise!

    After walking around the grounds for a while longer we decided to walk to a shopping street called Sennichimae Doguyasuji. The street was chock full of pots and pans and beautiful knives, all of which we wanted to buy, but we held strong... For now.

    At this point we needed a meal and a sit down so we headed back towards our hotel room, but not before first stopping at a restaurant chain which we've seen around the place called Sukiya. It specialises in Gyudon, which is basically meat, rice, and sauce (typically curry.) It was very delicious and just what we needed to recover from all our steps!

    Once done we went back to the room and Phill went down to try the hotel's Onsen, which Bec wasn't allowed in due to her tainted skin (tattoos), but once Phill donned his required robes we was able to enjoy a nice spa!

    The evening ended with a quick walk and planning of tomorrow as we're off to Universal studios!

    Step count: 19.5k    Read more

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    Universal day out

    May 19 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today we caught a train and made our way to Universal Studios Osaka!

    It was quite an early start, we arrived at the park just before 7am. Once we were let in, we headed straight to Harry Potter World, and it was spectacular. There weren’t many people around Hogsmeade yet, so we had the chance to snap some photos and soak in the atmosphere before jumping on our first ride.

    From there, we explored different areas and tested out as many rides as we could; like Jurassic Park and Jaws, before heading into our timed entry for Nintendo World. This area was breathtaking. The sounds, the animatronics… they’ve really unlocked the secret to making you feel completely immersed in the experience.

    Now for the important stuff: the food. We had butterbeer, a turkey leg, sausage on a stick, pizza, Yoshi buns, flavored lassi, a hot dog, and Bec ate six churros.

    After a full day of exploring and having an incredible time, we headed back to our accommodation to drop off our things before venturing out again in search of a massage. Because we’re both old now, and everything hurts.

    We found a quick and cheap place on the Dotonbori strip, changed into the supplied clothes, and were promptly tortured for 60 minutes.

    Feeling more limber with a better range of motion, we set out in search of dinner. The choice: gyozas. These were an absolute 10/10, so good that we even ordered a chocolate version for dessert. Then it was back to the room to watch some shows and enjoy a relatively early night.

    Steps: 21k    Read more

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    We did the name of the trip!

    May 20 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    This morning we said goodbye to Osaka and hello to Kyoto. We arrived around noon, but check-in wasn’t until 4pm. Thankfully, our accommodation allowed us to store our suitcases, which was a lifesaver.

    Unfortunately, we still had our fully loaded backpacks with us, and today was hot. Like, 31°C with Japan’s signature humidity kind of hot. Still, in true us fashion, we decided to do what we love best: take a long walk and explore our new city.

    After weaving through narrow streets, we emerged at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, located within the vast Kyoto Gyoen National Gardens. And when I say vast, I mean it. The palace itself covers 11 hectares, and that’s just a small section of the entire garden.

    Although we couldn’t enter any of the palace buildings, we were able to follow a guided path around them and the surrounding gardens. The architecture was stunning, so different from what we’re used to. The attention to detail, the soft curved edges, and the ornate gold embellishments were beautiful, but honestly, it was the gardens that stole the show. They gave us a whole new appreciation for the concept of a zen garden. At one point, we saw workers on ladders trimming the trees, literally snipping individual leaves to perfect the shape. It was like watching large-scale bonsai artistry.

    After melting in the heat and soaking up the emperor’s former lodgings, we grabbed a quick lunch and made a necessary stop at the Kyoto Pokémon store (priorities). Then it was finally time to check in.

    This stay has been really different to our usual hotels. We were greeted by an elderly couple who were incredibly warm and welcoming. Then, the most lovely woman, dressed in a kimono and traditional geta took over. She excitedly showed us to the elevator, complained about the weather with a smile, and gave us the most enthusiastic tour of our room we’ve ever had. She even swapped out our yukatas, telling us it was because we were “very tall” (we suspect she meant wide, but we’ll take the compliment).

    We’re staying in a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn known for tatami-matted rooms, futon beds, traditional breakfasts, and onsite onsens. This one has apparently been in the same family for 15 generations - so there’s a real sense of history here.

    After settling in and enjoying some of the provided tea, we recharged and headed out for a night walking tour.

    Our guide took us through the Gion district, where we explored shrines, learned about geishas (Kyoto has the best in the country!), and visited the areas where they train and work. We both agreed, Gion is one of our favorite places we’ve ever visited. It’s serene, with traditional architecture, stunning gardens, glowing lanterns, and just an all-around magical atmosphere. We can’t wait to go back during the day.

    The tour wrapped up around 9pm, and with most restaurants closing at 10, we made a quick dash to the main area for dinner.

    And, as the title suggests: we finally had ramen! We sat in our little individual booths and absolutely demolished our bowls of rich, delicious broth. Then it was back to our futons on the floor, which welcomed us with open pillows.

    Step count: 24k    Read more

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    A tor-rific day

    May 21 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Today began with us rolling out of bed to enjoy our traditional breakfast, provided by the Ryokan. We were warmly greeted and led to our own private partitioned room, where an impressive spread of assorted goodies awaited us. Each item was thoughtfully explained, and the tofu burner was lit right in front of us to start cooking.

    The meal was incredible, some dishes were familiar, others completely new, and a few we couldn’t quite identify. Still, we gave everything a go and finished every last bite!

    It’s a good thing we filled up, because shortly after we hopped on a train bound for Fushimi Inari Taisha, a stunning mountainside Shinto shrine dating back to 711 A.D known for its iconic path of hundreds of red torii gates. We tackled the full 4.3 km loop, half of which was basically uphill stars, in a humid 30°C. The walk itself was manageable but he humidity? A solid 0/10.

    Early on, we veered off the main path and stumbled into a serene bamboo forest, nearly void of other people, it was magical. Back on the trail, the scenery was stunning. Every few hundred meters, the torii gates opened up to small shrines, which helped break up the sweaty climb with plenty of beautiful sights.

    After knocking out 10k steps before 11 a.m, we headed back into the city. We wandered around the shopping district, sampled some miscellaneous street foods, and even picked up a few pens. Then it was back to our accommodation to freshen up.

    Smelling noticeably better, we ventured out again, this time to Gion for an evening stroll and more snacks. The highlight was our visit to Gion Corner, a classical theater showcasing seven traditional Japanese performing arts: Kyomai (elegant Kyoto-style dance), Chanoyu (tea ceremony), Ikebana (flower arrangement), Koto (stringed instrument), Bugaku (court dance), Kyogen (comic theater), and Noh (classical musical drama).

    We were definitely a bit lost through most of the performances, but the Kyomai dance stood out as our favorite. A maiko (geisha-in-training) performed with such grace, it was fluid, elegant, and absolutely fascinating to watch.

    To wrap up the night, we wandered until we ended up at 7/11. Phill grabbed a bowl of premade ramen which we added hot water to back at our accommodation - and to our surprise, it was really good. Honestly, it held its own against ramen we’ve had back home.

    Step count: 28k    Read more

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    Tea time

    May 22 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Today we rolled out of bed and headed to something we've had booked for quite a while now: A Japanese tea ceremony!

    When we arrived we were immediately sent a block away to get fitted for kimonos. This in itself was an interesting experience, how many layers does one need? Lots! And to be held together with lots of string too it seems.

    Once we donned them we walked back to the tea house (in our wooden clogs) and went upstairs to where our hostess greeted us. The building was lovely and the surrounding grounds were all carefully manicured, as it was a heritage site. Once everyone arrived she got started and explained the origins of the tea ceremony and performed a demonstration. It was very amusing seeing her go between a very bubbly and happy personality to serious and quiet whenever she was showing us the various aspects. We then got to prepare and drink our own ceremonial matcha. Where Bec was tited "Grand Tea Master" for how well she was able to mix her tea! Phill received a participation award. The tea was actually quite tasty and we were given some sweets to have with it.

    Once the ceremony has concluded, we left the tea house and while we technically were allowed to wear our kimonos around Kyoto for the entire day... It was much too warm for that so we immediately switched back to our normal clothes.

    Afterwards we still had plenty of time left in the day so we took a bus to Kinkaku-ji, a buddhist temple known for being completely gold plated on its second floor. It was originally converted to a zen temple in 1397 by a shogun. The original building was standing until 1950 when it was burnt down by a schizophrenic monk... The area was beautiful, like all of the Buddhist temples we've been to so far, and the pavilion was beautiful in its golden glory (all 20kg of gold leaf.)

    Once we were done, Phill spotted a katsu restaurant that we HAD to go to. We even waited in line, albeit briefly, which marks the first time in the trip we've decided to wait for food! The meals were great so it was well worth the wait!

    Afterwards we took the bus back to the accommodation and had a recharge and plan for what we wanted to do for the rest of the afternoon.

    We decided to trek back to a temple we've walked through a few times in the Gion district to fill in our little Goshuin book (which is a small book used to collect stamps in some temples in Japan.)

    Once we had finished walking and exploring some new areas, we grabbed some food from 7/11 and went back to our room to enjoy our Ryokan before checkout tomorrow. After eating we realised now was probably the best time to spend the evening doing some washing. So we did that too.

    Step count: 17k    Read more

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    A day in the clouds

    May 23 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    This morning we said goodbye to Kyoto.

    We jumped on a train, then a bus, and finally the Shinkansen to Tokyo Station, where we caught another train to Akasaka.

    Akasaka is one of the smaller suburbs (or maybe districts?) of Tokyo, and it has a very different feel from everywhere else we’ve been. After dropping our luggage at the accommodation, we headed out to explore our new surroundings.

    While walking, we saw a steep staircase that appeared to lead nowhere, so of course we decided to walk off breakfast and head up. At the top, we discovered the beautiful Hie Shrine. Perched on a hill, it felt like we were floating above the city, more like being in the clouds than in the heart of a bustling metropolis.

    After exploring and collecting our Goshuin stamp, we returned to our accommodation for the night: a pod hotel! Because really, you can’t come to Japan and not try one. This particular hotel even analyses your sleep and sends a report via email a week later, so stay tuned for that.

    The only downside? The facility is split by gender, and there’s no shared lounge. So after charging our phones, we headed back out.

    Next stop: Tokyo Tower, a 666m communication tower painted a striking international orange and white. We chose a guided tour, which came with a photo and drink for roughly the same price as entry alone. What we didn’t realize was that it was a theatrical interactive experience, and we were the only ones there. So, we had an amazing VIP tour, hosted by a colorful character who sang and danced in Japanese and enthusiastic, broken English.

    We made it up to the top floor, 250 meters in the air, and the city below looked like something out of Legoland.

    After plenty of photos and history, we walked the 600+ stairs back down. The stairway was like a cage open to the air, giving us incredible views all the way down.

    Then came a happy accident: we stumbled across another pizza place, not just any pizza place, but the one that won the best pizza award in Milan, beating out actual Italian competitors. And wow, now we understand why. We thought the last pizza we had was good? Nope. This one was exceptional.

    After devouring pizza and sipping sangrias, we walked the hour back to our accommodation. Upon arrival, we remembered, no lounge area. Still craving a place to chill and write, we wandered off in search of a late-night café or dessert spot.

    Where did we end up? Wendy’s.

    So, here we are, writing this from a fast-food booth. We’re assuming nothing else eventful will happen tonight... but I guess you’ll find out tomorrow!

    Current step count: 16k    Read more

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    Got that Sumo diet

    May 24 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today we got up, packed our belongings in the respective shared locker areas and walked 10mins down the road to where we are staying next.

    We continued walking for about two hours, through the heart of Tokyo toward our main event of the day: the Grand Sumo Tournament! Since we were set to arrive quite early, we took a detour past the Tokyo Parliamentary buildings (swarming with police) and walked by the massive Tokyo Imperial Palace (which we plan to explore later), before reaching the area we needed to be.

    We had lunch at a little ramen spot, and Phill was finally able to enjoy some dipping ramen!

    We then joined our tour group, where our host gave us an overview of the history and intricacies of sumo. It was fascinating to learn how deeply connected the sport is to Shinto traditions, everything from the ceremonial salt throwing to the elaborate ring-entering rituals has spiritual significance. Sumo has been around for over 1,500 years and was once a performance to entertain the gods!

    Inside the sold-out stadium, it was packed, but we were glad to be part of a group. Our tour guide explained every part of what was happening and translated any interesting commentary being made.

    To our surprise, we both really enjoyed watching the matches. The bouts were fast-paced and captivating, and we were given fact sheets and rankings for the wrestlers, which made it even more engaging.

    By the time the tournament wrapped up for the day, it was 6 PM and raining, so we decided to catch a train most of the way back. When we went to transfer to a connecting subway, we realised the rain had stopped, so we walked the rest of the way.

    We ended the night with some snacks and catching up on our shows.

    Step count: 18k    Read more

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    Let's cost-go

    May 25 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    This morning began with a throwback. For those of you who remember, partway through our Europe trip, Phill’s belt broke due to too much food. Well, history has repeated itself.

    As we were getting dressed this morning, we were both reminded of just how much we’ve been enjoying Japanese cuisine. But we rallied, and once we were ready, we headed off to the first stop of the day: Costco.

    Anyone who knows us knows that the true love of Phill’s life isn’t Bec, Aidan, or even the cats. It’s a Costco hot dog. So, with plans to explore Kawasaki later in the day, we made the very important decision to stop by.

    We walked from the station (because it was going to be a big eating day), and eventually arrived at the holy lands. After wandering around and standing in a very long food line, we finally got the goods: pizza, a hot dog, and a bulgogi bake.

    Phill declared the hot dog better than the ones at home thanks to its lighter bun, 10/10. Judging by the photos, he’s never been happier. The pizza was your standard Costco slice, solid. And the bulgogi bake? Incredible. The pastry was chewy and the meat was rich and decadent.

    Anyway, back on track. We headed into the main shopping district of Kawasaki, window shopped a bunch of stores, and then moved on to the main event of the day.

    Since neither of us wanted to support the Japanese pet cafes, we did the next best thing (thanks for the suggestion, other Bec): we visited a Lovot Café.

    What’s a Lovot? Great question. It’s a robot designed to provide companionship and nurture a sense of love and emotional connection. They’re small, spherical robots that move around, respond to touch and voice, and use sensors to interact with people and their surroundings. They weigh around 4.5kg and are actually heated, so they feel warm.

    While we waited for food, they brought one of the Lovots over to our table for us to hold and interact with. Afterwards, we got to spend time with a group of them. The experience was… interesting? They were adorable and super impressive in how they responded to people and speech.

    After our 2-hour session, we made our way back to Akasaka and went for a decent walk around the neighbourhood before winding down for the night.

    Step count: 21k.    Read more

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    SEA-n it, done it

    May 26 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    So, today actually began at 11pm last night. Bec was lying in bed watching silly little videos on her phone about our upcoming Disneyland trip on Tuesday, when she remarked, “Oh, it looks like we miss out on some good rides by only going to Tokyo Disneyland” because Tokyo also has DisneySea.

    Cue a very last-minute plan: leave the accommodation early, commute across the city, drop off our luggage, and visit DisneySea today.

    DisneySea was beautiful. Even though we arrived 'late' around 9am, the lines to get in were still massive. But we managed to snag some fast passes before they sold out. First stop: one of our favorites from Paris (and Bec and Ray’s fave from the US) The Tower of Terror! The ride was fantastic. Not understanding a single thing added a mysterious tone that really fit the vibe.

    We went on a few rides, but mostly just enjoyed wandering around the park. It’s huge, with food trucks everywhere, and the set design is incredible. It completely immerses you, once you’re in an area, that’s your entire world.

    Bec was slightly disappointed to have only four churros today, but the freshness and flavors made up for it.

    After finishing up at the park, we caught the monorail to our accommodation (in the same area as the parks), relaxed in our room, and enjoyed the views. We ended the night with some included nibbles and drinks on the top floor, followed by shows and winding down, ready to do it all again tomorrow!

    Step count: 20.3k    Read more

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    A churro a day

    May 27 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Day 2 in the Disney special economic zone started with us enjoying an included buffet breakfast that featured a table full of Japanese breakfasts and one full of western ones. Knowing that there was going to be lots of food needed to be tried in the park kept us restrained - mostly.

    Once we were done we took the monorail to wait in our first queue of the day: The entrance to Disneyland. We eventually got through after not too long of a wait and were greeted with the always impressive Disney castle. We had a rough battle plan for the main rides we wanted to hit and set to work.

    There were plenty of rides ridden and snacks snacked. The ride we unexpectedly enjoyed the most was one themed with Beauty and the Beast which had fantastic animatronics and effects as well as great music! Splash mountain was also very good!

    Eventually we were finished with Disneyland part 2 and headed back to our room to recharge for a while and then went to grab some late afternoon snacks before deciding to watch the movie Coco and relaxing the rest of the night.

    Step count: 15.3k    Read more

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    Hey batter batter!

    May 28 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    We said goodbye to Disneyland this morning with another included buffet breakfast and got to take full advantage of a noon checkout by being able to do our washing and lounge a bit as Bec is getting sick so a slow start was welcome before continuing our journey.

    We jumped back onto the train and headed to the ward of Shibuya. Fortunately, though known as having one of the busiest stations in the world, it wasn't too crazy for us. We arrived at our hotel, conveniently nearby the station and were able to check in a little early, win!

    After grabbing a hot drink we relaxed for a while in our new home for the next week or so. Then eventually it was time to head out for our main event for the day: Baseball!

    After a ~40 minute walk we arrived near the stadium, grabbed a quick pint and some merch and then headed in. We found our seats and the game started shortly after. While neither of us have really watched baseball before, we were definitely very impressed by Japan's enthusiasm for the sport! Both team's fans were chanting and singing the entire way through the game with barely a lull.

    We took full advantage of the drinks ladies walking up and down the bleachers, and around half way through the game Phill headed off to try and grab some snacks... He ended up with some LONG POTATO (very long french fries) and... A dozen hard boiled quail eggs... Whoops. They were okay but much too rich to eat that many.

    After singing along to chants we didn't know and a 3 hour game it was over and our team lost! But did we really lose? The win was the experience we had along the way.

    We decided to walk back home, taking us back an alternative way we wandered the side alleys and weaved amongst streets. Japan has been so much fun to walk at night, its so beautiful, quiet and peaceful.

    We got back to the accom and prepared for a early big day tomorrow.

    Step count: 15k    Read more

  • Ryokans & Ramen
    21

    Shy Fujisan

    May 29 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Today started early, as we met up with a tour group and boarded a bus headed toward Mount Fuji!

    After a scenic two and a bit hour drive we arrived at Mount Fuji’s 5th Station to take in the majestic views only to be greeted by thick cloud cover. Mr. Fuji was feeling shy today, so we couldn’t see a thing! We still took a few photos and had a wander around before jumping back on the bus for our included buffet lunch, where, naturally, we ate too much. Because, well, buffets.

    Next stop: the Hakone Ropeway. First, we hopped on the gondola up to Owakudani Station to see the famous Owakudani Plume. This is a bare, almost eerie area on the mountainside with no greenery due to the sulphur, and plumes of steam rising straight from the ground. It smelled very egg-y and sulphur-y (though still not as bad as Rotorua!).

    From there, we took the cable car down to Lake Ashinoko and boarded what was essentially a pirate ship for a lake cruise. And just as we were soaking up the views, surprise! Our shy little friend Fuji decided to make an appearance, poking his head out from behind the clouds.

    Now, we’ve already seen Mount Fuji in all his glory from the Shinkansen on the way to Hiroshima, but I don’t think you can truly understand the scale of it until you experience it in person. This sleepy volcano is genuinely impressive. We both have a new appreciation for why it plays such a big part in Japanese culture and is referenced so often.

    After disembarking the ship, we were dropped off at the train station to make our way back into the city.

    Back at the hotel, we recharged for a bit. Bec tried to soak away her illness in the bath, but we realized we hadn’t hit our step count yet, so we set off for a late night adventure.

    We finally made our way to the famous Shibuya Crossing. And yes, it really is as chaotic and busy as it looks! From there, we wandered through some quirky side streets and stumbled upon a ramen shop, and ended up having the best ramen either of us has ever had.

    We made our way back home for tea and much needed sleep.

    Step count: 14k    Read more

  • Ryokans & Ramen
    223

    Here kitty kitty

    May 30 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    This morning, Phill went out to meet a friend for coffee, and Bec stayed home drowning in snot. After a few hours, Bec decided she was going stir-crazy and went on a mission to pick up Phill and save him from socialising any further.

    By the time she arrived, they were wrapping up, so we hopped on a train to the main event of the day: Gōtokuji Temple, an Edo-period temple famous for its huge collection of lucky cat statues! The day was drizzly, which gave the temple a dreamy, atmospheric vibe. It’s set in front of a cemetery and surrounded by a stunning, curated garden.

    After picking up some cat statues of our own and exploring the grounds, we headed off for lunch.

    We had Yakiniku, where we both ordered a spread of raw meats that we got to cook ourselves on a grill in the middle of the table. The spread also came with rice, miso, and kimchi. After grilling all our meats and rating the experience a solid 10/10, we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant and explored the area on foot.

    We grabbed some snacks and ended the night with the Studio Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro, since Bec’s still unwell and we didn’t want to be walking in the cold, rainy night.

    Step count: 12k    Read more

  • Ryokans & Ramen

    Another round of butterbeer

    May 31 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    With wet weather on the cards for today, we decided to try and spend the day indoors. After Phill briefly locked us out of our hotel room, we made way for a "Making of Harry Potter" exhibition.

    Once we got there and had a coffee (and sweet treat, of course) we joined the three thousand other people in touring parts of the film sets used for the actual movies as well as plenty of descriptions and videos of behind the scenes for how they put the magic together (pun intended!)

    This was a seriously long exhibit. They even had a cafe half way through for people to take a break. The tour had hundreds of props spanning all of the movies and overall it was incredible seeing all the details! In the building they even had a whole section with the forbidden forest that had huge tree trunks in it - as well as a copy of the real Hogwarts Express!

    After about 4 hours we were done and decided it was time to sample the local KFC to see the variation. Overall it was pretty good, as you'd expect. To get our steps up we decided to take the shoelace express back.

    After recharging at the accommodation for a while we went out to another ramen bar near our hotel which we had been eyeing off. It was good for Aus standards, but we've been spoilt by the other bowls we've had. Finally , we decided to end the night with another Ghibli movie, this time it was Princess Mononoke.

    Step count: 16k    Read more

  • Ryokans & Ramen
    11

    Claw machine conspiracy

    June 1 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    After a bit of a sleep-in this morning, we headed out for a walk to Shinjuku to check off some things on our list.

    The weather was warm today, so no umbrella was required. We wandered through an old shrine hosting a market, explored the thin winding alleys of Shinjuku Golden Gai, and said hello to Godzilla before stopping for curry lunch and playing one too many claw machines.

    Next, we caught the train to Toshima to visit the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo and explored the huge shopping mall it’s located in.

    By this time, we were starting to crash, so we decided to head back to recharge.

    After a bit of a rest, we wandered out again to see what we’d missed in Shibuya, which turned out to be the rest of our 100 yen coins, lost to even more claw machines. After draining our holiday fund, we found an izakaya to eat at and drown our sorrows.

    Phill ordered a “large beer,” and out came a 1L glass, so that set the tone for the night. We shared a big spread of dishes, from edamame to deep-fried cheese rolls.

    We ended the night with a konbini ice cream and a slow night walk.

    Step count: 22k    Read more

  • Ryokans & Ramen

    Art is subjective

    June 2 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We started today with a bit of light retail therapy. There have been a few stores that we've had our eyes on that we wanted to wait until later in the trip (😭) to grab things from. The main beast of a store we tackled was one called Don Quijote, which is a large (ours was 7 floors) department store which sells just about everything.

    After browsing for a while, we realised we had to leave in order to get to our main event of the day. So we quickly went back to the accom to drop off our loot and then jumped on some trains to get to our destination. After a short walk we ended up at teamLab Planets, a highly regarded immersive art installation. After spending some time in line -- Japan does love a good queue! -- we entered the exhibition.

    The installation itself was split into four sections; Water, Forest, Garden, and Open Air. We started with the water section which contained multiple separate rooms in sequence each with their own unique twist. They were really enjoyable and even had us wading through calf deep water at one stage (with our shoes and socks off!)

    We then visited the Forest section which contained many physical activities. While it was too busy inside for us to want to line up for all of the interactive things, we tactically picked the ones we wanted to do and left the others to everyone else.

    After that was the Garden section which was a much more straightforward art installation which contained hundreds of real orchids hanging from strings attached to the ceiling. While artistically it may have been lost on us, it was very impressive to see and also smelt great! The final section, Open Air, felt more like a small outdoor area where people could chill before leaving. Though we may have missed the nuances of what they were trying to communicate.

    Once we were done we took the train most of the way back, stopping at another store we wanted to check out, then walked the rest of the way home.

    After a short break we put on a load of washing and went on a hunt for dinner. There was one last place in the area that we wanted to try, a teppanyaki! The theatrics of teppanyakis vary based on the restaurant here in Japan and while this one wasn't too flamboyant, it was known for another food we were wanting to try: Monjayaki, which is a variant of okonomiyaki (which we had on the first night) a savory pancake dish known for its runny, melted texture. It was overall quite nice and was fun to eat! (Though we think okonomiyaki is better.)

    Once done we headed back to the hotel and spent more time drying our washing before calling it a night.

    Step count: 20k    Read more

  • Ryokans & Ramen

    Oodles of noodles

    June 3 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    Today we checked out of our trusty Shibuya accommodation, caught the train, and dropped our bags off at the new place before heading out for a walk.

    We already had an umbrella, but the rain proved too heavy to share, so we had to acquire another one. We’d decided to walk the 30 minutes to our destination rather than take public transport, and we didn’t want to end up soaked.

    We arrived at our destination, aptly named “Weird Vending Machines Corner.” This place was… weird. And slightly eerie? It featured a heap of vending machines all crammed under a building, surrounded by oddly placed walls, exposed beams and wiring, and a faint waft of urine. We can’t go into too much detail about what we bought because some of you will be receiving a souvenir from this place. 😏

    After our strange little adventure, we wandered back toward the accommodation, but not before stopping in at a cozy underground restaurant full of salarymen, where we enjoyed some comforting udon.

    Next, we checked into our final accommodation of the trip: a very swanky, totally-out-of-our-price-range hotel inside Tokyo Station, accurately named The Tokyo Station Hotel. The coolest part? Our windows make up the face of one of the station’s domes, so we can look out and see all the tiny ant-like people scurrying through their day.

    After admiring how much space we have we set off for a quick explore of the hotel’s bars and restaurants but when we headed to the cafe for a drink, we saw that an English Breakfast tea was $24 AUD each, so we promptly left in search of something more reasonable.

    We ventured into the underground maze of Tokyo Station to find a restaurant Bec recommended, known for its dipping noodles. After a short wait, we slurped up a tasty dinner and made our final stop at our beloved 7-Eleven for some sweet treats before heading back to watch another Studio Ghibli film and eat way too many lollies.

    Step count: (a very wet) 20k    Read more

  • Ryokans & Ramen

    Oodles 2: The Ramageddon

    June 4 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    So today started off relatively slow, with only one thing on our agenda, exploring the Imperial Palace.

    We strolled over and wandered along about a quarter of the expansive outer walls before we googled and realised that you actually need to book a tour to go inside... which we hadn't done. So we cut our losses and decided to hunt for lunch instead.

    While googling, alongside the palace’s moat, we stumbled across a revolutionary discovery, the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum. Not only is it a museum, but it’s also the world’s first ramen-themed amusement park. Obviously, we jumped on the 45-minute train and headed straight there.

    The best part of this obscure find is that it hosts seven ramen shops, all set in a street-scape replica of 1958 Japan, the year the world’s first instant ramen was invented. Each ramen shop offers small bowls so you can try multiple places. We ended up venturing into three of them (we almost went for a fourth, but decided to save ourselves for dinner).

    After enjoying our delicious ramen tasting tour, we explored the main museum area and learned about the history of ramen. Then we jumped on a train and headed back to our accommodation to hibernate and digest.

    After not moving for a few hours, we realised we needed to get up and move to hit our step count for the day. We walked out the front door, looked at each other and went: “??? Where do we go?”

    Where we went was back on a train to Shibuya, to revisit our favourite ramen spot of the trip. Were we hungry? Absolutely not. But we needed to confirm that it was, in fact, our favourite. Spoiler: it is.

    After more ramen (and feeling very full and slightly ill), we played some claw machines and then headed back — our step count achieved and the night getting late.

    Step count: 15.5k

    PS: I don’t think we’ve talked about how much of Japan is underground. The train stations and subways are never-ending. There are shopping malls inside them, and they web out as far as the eye can see. Plus, pretty much every building has basement levels. It’s wild.    Read more

  • Ryokans & Ramen

    Sayonara Nippon

    June 5 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Today began with a big sleep-in and lazing around our room until our wonderful 12 o'clock checkout.

    When we finally had to leave, we left our suitcases with reception and went for a wander. We explored a nearby shopping district and melted in the hot sun before realizing that, even though we ate enough food for eight people yesterday, we were still hungry for lunch. For our final Japanese meal, we decided on yakiniku again, where you grill meat at your booth.

    We savored every bite before heading out again and walking past a café with shaded outdoor seating, so we stopped in for coffee and a tasty bit of cake.

    Eventually, we realized it was time to head back, so we picked up our suitcases and jumped on the hour-long bus ride to Narita Airport.

    Naturally, we decided to eat more food, Michelin starred tempura and Okonomiyaki, which felt like a full-circle moment, as that’s what we had for our first dinner.

    That leads to now, us sitting at our terminal waiting to board.

    So that’s it for us in Japan. Thank you all for following our journey, and we’ll see y’all soon!

    Step count: 13k    Read more

    Trip end
    June 5, 2025
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