Japan, Nov 2023 (3 weeks)

Tokyo & Kyushu (Yakushima, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Hakata, Kitakyushu, Beppu)

It's hard to even start. I've been to many places, many countries... Enjoyed them, cherished them. But I never knew I could fall in love with a country.

The flight was long and tiring, with a transfer in Doha. When we arrived in Tokyo it was almost midnight. We managed to catch one of the last expresses to the city, having first bought a bottle of tea from a vending machine. There was a 15-minute walk to the hostel from the Shinagawa Station. Along the way, we could see people working on a construction site (yes, at midnight!) in a very clean and colorful machines (a lot of the construction machinery I saw was very clean and colorful - the best find was... a golden concrete mixer truck).

One of the older construction worker bowed to us as we passed by... And that was when it got to me where I actually am. From that moment, I knew this journey is going to be exceptional.

Tokyo

It was my first and last stop. First day was wild - hundreds of gacha, arcades, karaoke, Don Quichote, 7/11, Yoyogi park, wandering around Shibuya and Shinjuku. Yup, all of this in one day, soaking up probably less than 1% that this city has to offer. Strolling through a places I know so well from Yakuza and Persona... Ahhhh... Because to Yakuza games, we went to a Kabukicho's batting center. It was really cool and hitting the ball required less force than I have thought. But aiming is definitely tricky.

Next day, we went to the Joypolis, one of the biggest indoor amusement park. A bobsleigh simulator that rotates 360 degrees, transformers, giant "skateboards" (been twice on that one) and musical roller coasters - plenty to do, but we had to hurry... for a concert! Coldrain! Crossfaith! Hyde! Babymetal!!! And Bring me the Horizon! Itwassocool itwassoocool itwasSOCOOL! I bought myself a Babymetal towel as a souvenir ♡

I have been to a couple of music festivals in Europe, so I have a certain image of how such a festival looks like... Imagine my shock when I found out that a metal concert can be clean and cultured, while keeping its energy. Even at such an event, with thousands of people and alcohol present, bathrooms were in a PERFECT condition.

What surprised me the most about Tokyo was... how clean and quiet it was. I normally hate big cities, but Tokyo is really organized. You want to buy some electronics? Go to Akihabara. Shopping time? Asakusa. Need some stylish clothes? Destination: Shibuya. Each zone has something it "specializes" in.

In Akiba, in addition to electronics, there is also a mass of game-figure-anime stuff. So I'm walking down the street and suddenly... I see giant faces I know very well at the mall entrance. Saiyuki!!! One of my favorite manga. It turned out that completely by accident I came across some collaboration between the creator of Saiyuki and Sanrio.

And on our last day, last meal... Kiryu advertising yaki-soba.

Randomly seeing stuff from series I love while just... being there... was so cool.

Yakushima

Flight to Kagoshima and hydrofoil to Yakushima - a small island at the end of Kyushu. So small/remote there was no konbini in a city where we lived (but there was a pachinko parlor, of course...). There was only one road around it and one section of it is closed for a night to conserve landscape - the rest is just pure nature. Waterfalls. Old forests. Mountains. Banyan trees. Sea. Monkeys and deer chilling in the middle of the street. Pictures don't do it justice.

Our host prepared us a handmade bento every morning. We took at and ate in a nature... It was perfect.

The paths in the parks were challenging at times - I don't know if they would be safe during even a light rain, but fortunately, we did not encountered rain during our stay. The lack of railings, smooth roots and scarred steps were certainly very atmospheric and did not ruin the landscape, but walking required some attention.

Regarding that remote torii gate in a cave you can see below... We encountered numerous insects/cockroaches along the way... Audible amount. Yes, you read that right - there were so many of them that you could hear them moving around while they run away from the footsteps. Bit cool, bit ewwww.

At one botanical garden we were treated to fresh pineapple, mango and... aloe vera with soy sauce. I have never heard of such a combination before!

Kagoshima

Back to Kagoshima, this time for a few days! Next to the accommodation was an izakaya that looked interesting. We went inside and ordered food, then started chatting (with the help of a translator) with the staff about Poland and food. One friendly worker wrote our names in kanji and gave us stickers of their izakaya, and we gave them krówki as a thank you. Later, we exchanged contact info, and the next day went together to yakiniku, batting cages and café!

She also gifted us tatami coin wallets... it was so sweet. I obsiously use every day now.

Kumamoto

Each prefecture (and many other things, like companies) have their own mascots. Kumamon, mascot of Kumamoto prefecture, happens to be one of the most famous ones.

I was overjoyed when I saw that there is a Kumamon Square where he actually performs. Of course, we went to see him. The entire performance was very lively - Kumamon danced and interacted with the audience, and the person behind him commented on his actions. At one point we were asked where we were from, and after answering "Poland", Kumamon went to the wall and put his paws around a fragment containing white and red colors - essentially making the flag of our country. Highlight od the day, for real.

 But of course, cities are one thing. Arcades and thematic bars are fun, but... ever been near the active volcano? Yeeah, that's what true fun is.

Mt. Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan and one of the largest in the world. The smell of sulfur knocks you out (people with respiratory problems are not allowed there) and there are lights near the volcano to indicate the current level of danger - when they turn red, everyone must evacuate. Fortunately, we were greeted by a yellow, which means our trip was not in vain!

We climbed nearby mountain which was probably the hardest track I've ever made (the path was almost only rocks, big enough that you had to use your hands to climb, and in places a bit unstable. Also, I had a cold and my entire supply of tissues has run out, which didn't help, lmao). But the views were worth it - everything was raw and beautiful.

Hakata

As a city, I think I liked Hakata the least. It was quite touristy, which a strong focus on shopping. And aside from a Christmas Fair (those are very popular in Japan, but the food is usually the worst on them), the notable attractions were 1:1 moving Gundam and Toy Museum. So, it was time for a few day-trips to a nearby towns.

For example, Yoshinogari - a historical park. This park covers a large settlement from the Yayoi Period where dozens of pit dwellings, elevated store houses and over 2000 tombs were unearthed.

Or Dazaifu, a smaller, more traditional town with a beautiful shinto shrine. It was a good day to see a bit of autumn Japan. We also visited Kyushu National Museum.

Kitakyushu

I spend my 29th birthday in Kitakyushu. First, a toilet museum run by a TOTO company. In Japan, build-in bidets called washlets are really common, more than 81% of Japanese households have them installed, and you can find them in many public toilets. Most of them are made by a TOTO (which started as a porcelain producer) - so this museum shows not only the history of toilets in Japan, but is also a demonstration of TOTO's various products and the company's history. Free, fun and informative place.

And then... Yes. Yes, I did it. Maid Cafe. Yep, my weaboo dream came true. And the best thing is - the hype is real. From a second you enter a Cafe, serotonin is poured in your soul and never stops. Cute girls in uniforms will come over and say that you are kawaii, ask questions and make you say "kyun kyun" while serving you a drink. If you pay (and I did, or rather Heti, since this was a birthday present for me), they will also dance and sing on a stage. Absolutely. Fantastic.

As in many themed Japanese bars, you pay for the time spend (hourly). On top of that, you can choose additional food/desserts/drinks (some of the basic drinks are free), or all you can drink option. At the end, you can take an instant photo (they call it チェキ, check-ee) with the maid of your choice, and she will even doodle something cute on it.

Because it was my birthday... I also got a free cake. And I was invited on a stage, where all maids sang me Happy Birthday. Yes, I was as embarrassed as I was happy.

After Maid Cafe, I also gifted myself some Fire Emblem doujinshi. It was so wild that I could just... enter a shop and purchase stuff like that.

Well, it will be hard to beat a birthday like that, the bar is set high so I must do my best for future years!

Beppu

And finally, the Onsen City. Beppu is famous for its hot springs (you can see the steam as you stroll through the city) - it has eight major geothermal hot spots, sometimes referred to as the "eight hells of Beppu". Those spots are rich with minerals, making the water red or blue. In some places you can eat things steamed from these hot springs!

In Beppu, I visited onsen for the very first time! And, to make things interesting, I accidentally chose a very... local one. There was no staff in this onsen - you paid into a box at the entrance. Once you passed the curtains to the inside, there was no dedicated changing room or showers like in a typical onsen. Everything was one small room - one simply had to undress, putting belongings on a shelf, and wash up while kneeling next to the water before entering it.

Although I was all alone there at the beginning, after a while a Japanese woman joined me. Although my Japanese was non-existent at the time, we managed to talk for a while. She said that choosing this onsen for my first one was... unique, hahaha.

Later, I was twice in another onsen. It is incredibly pleasant, although you should be careful, as you may get dizzy after just a few minutes in such hot water. My face was always all red after I left (white girl problems). 

Things that make Japan extremely nice place (for travel, but not only)

• Toilets are free, easy to find and always clean. No matter if you are in a middle of a busy city or in the mountains
• When you eat, free water/tea is almost always provided
• STAMPS! They are almost everywhere - train stations, museums, tourist attractions and even some shops or restaurants. They make ideal (and free) souvenirs from your expeditions - it's worth taking a small notepad with you
• Thanks to omnipresent konbini and vending machines, replenishing snacks, drinks and any necessities is quick and convenient
• Hospitality and safety is on another level. Chances that anyone will harrass you are really, really low. On my last day, a lady in Donki stopped me and tried to tell me about Buddha - but I only once had to say "I'm not interested" for her to leave me alone (yes, this was... the only "incident" that happened, if you can even call it that)
• Everything besides transport is cheap. It helped that yen was pretty weak, but most of the things were cheaper than in Poland
• Coin laundries are pretty common. No need to search for an accommodation with a washing machine or hoard your dirty clothes - and by choosing one with a dryer, ALL laundry hassle is taken care of within an hour
• FOOD. Oh my goodness. Cheap, fast and tasty with little to no exceptions
• This is the introvert dreamland. People are generally reserved and quiet places are easy to find. Also - this country understands that people want to do things by themselves! If you want to do anything solo, from dining to entertainment - it's perfectly normal and even encouraged

Things to be mindful of

• Always carry a cash. Japan is a cash-oriented country and you might find your card not working in many places, even touristy ones. You will find ATM with the best rates in every konbini
• In buses/trams, if you do not have a specific transportation card, you will need to pay with an exact change. The price of a ride changes with its length. Fortunately, there is always a coin changing machine inside buses/trams
• Unfortunately, results of sexism are visible. Women-only cars in trains exist as a protective measure in rush hours against sexual harassment, mostly groping. Also, in many purikura (photo booths), men can enter only when they are accompanied by women. This is, once again, to ensure a safe place - Purikura’s main demographic is young women (high school/young adulthood) making them an ideal target for pervs. Not fun fact: Japanese women enjoy only 72.5 percent of the legal rights and protections that Japanese men do and in 2022, the gender pay gap for the median wages in Japan was 21.3 percent...
• Trash. Japan takes is VERY seriously and tourists should to. By trash, I mean:
  • There is little to no public trash cans (because of the Aum Shinrikyo's attack)
  • Garbage is divided into different categories: burnable, non-burnable and recyclable
  • Plastic bottles and cans (recyclable) are the easiest to dispose of. You will find such trash cans in many places and at vending machines - they almost always have a waste bin next to them specifically for this type of trash. Burnable are way less common, but not impossible to find. Non-burnable... good luck
  • Be prepared to carry your own trash with you until you get to your accommodation which will have all the bins you need. I recommend getting used to carrying a small plastic bag on you for that purpose. Your trash is your responsibility
  • In your accommodation, rinse your recyclables before throwing them out (which you should be doing already if you are cool person ♡)
  • Fun fact: Japan recycles about 77% of its plastics; compared to just 20% in the USA and around 36% in the UK

TL;DR It was 11/10