Solo Travel in Japan: Djurre's journey through the land of the rising sun

Since I've been wanting to go to Japan for a long time and my list of must-sees and do's had gotten so long over the years, I wasn't really willing to compromise on any of the highlights. That's why I chose to head out to Japan on my own, as my first big solo journey in a long time. The great thing about solo travel is that you go your own way, and you don't have to meet in the middle to make the trip enjoyable for everyone joining. This meant I wouldn't have to annoy my partner by insisting to visit the all-you-can-eat conveyor belt dessert restaurant, or by spending too much time at history museums. Solo travel isn't for everyone, but I urge you to at least try it out once in your life. It was so much fun, even more than I imagined it to be. I met great people along the way and made a lot of new friends I hope to stay in touch with for a long time. If you want to read more about solo travel, check out beginner's guide here!

If you want to make the most out of your visit to Japan, you have to bridge a lot of big distances. Luckily, Japan has an amazing public transport network, and although it can be a little pricey this is definitely the way to go. All the major cities in Japan are connected by high-speed rail called the Shinkansen, so you can blast from Tokyo to Kyoto (a whopping 445 kilometres) in barely 2,5 hours! The best thing is that the Shinkansen in Japan is almost never delayed and extremely punctual, so you know exactly when you'll get to your destination. All you do is sit back, relax and enjoy the views from your window. 

Regarding the solo travel bit, I was a little unsure whether it would be easy to find my way around Japan. It's not exactly known as a party destination like Thailand or Bali, and the Japanese are seen as quite shy. Hostels are a little more private too, making it harder to strike conversations with your roommates and make plans with fellow travellers. And then there's the language barrier, since most Japanese are not that keen on speaking English it could have been difficult to navigate the country. Most of those worries disappeared immediately after I arrived in Tokyo. I managed to find some hostels with a more social vibe going on, and in bars and restaurants the Japanese only need a few beers to open up and start talking (and dancing!). The language barrier can be breached by using Google translate, whose excellent camera mode comes in handy when looking at menu's, street signs and the like. While in all the crowds and massive trainstations it can still be a struggle to find the information you need, helpful locals or travellers are never far. I also got plenty of tips from my colleagues at KILROY, so if you're a little unsure about travelling solo and like to get help to plan your adventure don't be afraid to hit us up. Anyway, let's dive into what this story is really about, my travel route through Japan!  

Tokyo is as insane as you image it to be, and then it still hits you. It's so crazy crowded everywhere, it takes a bit of time to adjust. From the famous Shibuya crossing to the funky shopping streets of Harajuku, the masses of people are hard to avoid. It's just a fact of 37 million (!) people living in one giant metropolis. Even the parks can't provide a real refuge, especially when I visited during Sakura season. Not just the tourists, but also the locals want in on the cherry blossom goodness. They dress up in their best clothes, often traditional suits or dresses and go all out for that desired perfect picture. 

I'm not going to name everything there is to see and do in and around Tokyo, there is simply too much to cover. You can spend years here and never see it all. If it's your first time in Japan I suggest you do as I did, try as many different delicious foods, and spend a lot of time walking around the different neighborhoods to take in the vibes. Oh, and try something quirky you normally wouldn't at home. Here's a blog with some of our suggestions!

The hostel I booked was really close to Golden Gai, once a hidden gem, now a popular destination for many backpackers wanting to go out in Tokyo. My hostel was one of the most social ones I've encountered in Japan, and at least one group of people went out to Golden Gai every night. It's an area making up just a few blocks, littered with mismatched tiny bars and restaurants closely packed onto one another. It's a refreshingly dark corner of Shinjuku compared to the rest of this 'hood which with its neon lights and billboards looks just like any part of central Tokyo. I suggest dipping yourself in the unknown here, don't doubt too much, pick a bar and just go for it and have fun!

While most people go from Tokyo straight to Hakone in search for a relaxing onsen, and a view of Mt. Fuji, I wanted to get away from the crowds for a bit and started searching for an alternative. 

The Fuji Five lakes area is just that. While Hakone is reachable by bullet train, this area named after the five lakes surrounding Mt. Fuji, is not. There is however a slower private train service (not covered by the Japan rail pass but fortunately it's pretty cheap) to take you really close to Mt. Fuji, amazing views from the train included. The great thing about not taking a Shinkansen is that you can make a stop in villages along the way, which I did. Especially Shimoyoshida is worth a visit. Here you can climb up the hill to see the famous five-story pagoda you often see in images taken of Mt. Fuji. It really is a stunning display, especially when I was there during the cherry blossom season. 

There are several onsen towns in the vicinity of Mt. Fuji, but Kawaguchiko is the closest one. While there are plenty of hotels, it's not a crowded place which makes it the perfect relaxing experience after leaving the buzzing city of Tokyo. You can hike up the hills surrounding the village, or walk around the lake which is especially nice during sunset, when the sun bathes Mt. Fuji in a beautiful light. While you could technically do it as a daytrip from Tokyo, I recommend staying at least one night. I booked a room in a traditional Ryokan directly at the lake, which had it's own onsen and sauna. I can't remember the last time I have been this relaxed, and it was fun to wear a traditional yakuta (at my ryokan it was mandatory to wear this from the room to the onsen). This is an experience I wouldn't have wanted to miss in Japan.  

After spending a couple of days near Mt. Fuji, I headed back to Tokyo. Not just because I wanted to have a bit more time in the capital, but also because it was simply the quickest way to travel onwards to Kyoto. 

Before heading out to Mt. Fuji I agreed to meet up with people from the hostel to go to Kanamara Matsuri, more internationally known as ''the penis festival''. I'd heard of this crazy phenomenon before, but I had no idea it was going on during my time in Japan. Some guys in Tokyo were talking about it, and we decided to check it out since it was going on the day after I came back from Mt. Fuji. Another solid reason to head back to the capital, I'd say! Kanamara Matsuri is an annual festival at the Kanayama shrine in Kawasaki, not that far from central Tokyo by train. The gods of this shrine are prayed to for childbirth, marital harmony and protection from STD's. Nowadays the festival has become a tourist attraction and is mainly used to raise money for HIV research, although there were plenty of Japanese there to check out the craze as well. 

It was really busy, but the vibes were good and people were having fun all around, as the concept of having a parade with a giant pink penis is obviously ridiculous. There's themed merch, candy, the whole shbang. I wouldn't go specifically for the event, but I had a great time with the people from the hostel and random folks we met there. 

After staying in Tokyo for two more nights it was finally time to move on and head westward. This meant taking my first shinkansen, to Kyoto. On most bullet trains there are cars you can travel on without a reservation, but I wanted to leave during rush hour and didn't want to risk not having a seat so I made a seat reservation the day before. I was surprised how comfortable the train experience is on the bullet trains. more than twice the amount of leg room of a normal flight, power outlets and mighty fast Wi-Fi, it's all there making the journey literally fly by. 

Whenever I talk to fellow travellers about Japan, they almost always without exception point out that Kyoto is their favourite place. Now having finally been there I have to say it... it did not live up to the expectations. Don't get me wrong, it's historical areas are really, really pretty, and the nature surrounding the city is stunning as well. But during my days here I could never shake the feeling that it was quite dull. The hostels were less social, the restaurants and bars closed really early compared to other Japanese cities, and there was just not as much going on. 

You shouldn't skip on Kyoto though, as some of Japans best shrines and temples are located in this very place. Just don't expect a party! :)  Circling back to those temples, visit Kinkaku-ji (also known as the golden temple) by day, as the sun will make the temple bathe in an uncanny glow. The most popular one is the Fushimi Inari shrine, with thousands of bright orange Torii gates leading up the mountain and through the forest. By day, it's swarming with tourists, but come nighttime it's surprisingly deserted. My tip would be to visit in the evening to really experience the vibe of this amazing shrine. 

While a lot of people skip on Hiroshima during their first time in Japan, I really wanted to visit this city for it's special but very sad history. Hiroshima is pretty much the opposite of Kyoto, as you won't find any century old shrines here. When in world war 2 the first-ever atom bomb exploded in Hiroshima, the city center was pretty much destroyed. In Hiroshima you'll find remnants of the horrible events that went down here, with the A-bomb dome (picture below) being the most obvious one. The Hiroshima peace memorial park and museum, on the other side of the river, is also worth a bit of your time. I literally cried my eyes out walking around this place and reading all the stories of survivors and family that were left behind. With everything that's happening in the world today, this was very confronting and an important learning experience. 

Luckily it's not all sad! Hiroshima has some amazing food to try after a day of exploring, with okonomiyaki being the dish you simply have to try if you visit. It's a Japanese take on a savoury pancake with several added toppings (although they're actually mostly underneath the pancake) like meat, cabbage, seaweed and noodles. It's usually a great combination of flavours. If you fancy something else, I'd try the Hiroshima version of Tsukemen: cold noodles that have been dipped in a thick soup before serving, with several toppings like veggies, meat and/or eggs. You can often select the degree of spiciness you want, since in Hiroshima they add red pepper to the mix. 

From Hiroshima, I took a shinkansen back in the eastern direction to visit both Osaka and Nara. Nara was the first capital back in the days of ancient Japan, and it still shows. The entire old town is Unesco world heritage, and consists of many shrines, old tea houses and such. There's a beautiful park, with many cherry blossom trees, but what Nara is actually known for is the vast amount of deer that have taken over the town. You can literally see them everywhere, wandering outside the train station, and even into shops! The sky was pouring rain when I walked around there, but I can imagine with better weather it would be amazing to picknick in the park with all the deer wandering around. Even in the rain it was still stunning, and I'd definitely recommend visiting the impressive Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji temples.

Osaka is considered foodie heaven, and boy did it not disappoint. Where most tourists head straight for Dotonbori, the central district near the river where a lot of crab, fish and beef restaurants are located, I took a different approach and turned myself to the colourful little side-alleys of Shinsaibashi for some more obscure dishes like omurice (a kind of filled omelette with rice in different variations and usually some sides) and butaman (steamed pork buns). As I already filled up on Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima, I skipped it in Osaka. The Hiroshima version is considered superior, but if for some reason you won't take the train further west than Osaka, you should definitely try it here. It's one of my all-time-favourite Japanese dishes, the combination of flavours is just something else. 

Besides the food, Osaka is great for shopping too. I nearly did all my souvenir shopping around here, and the pop-culture floor of department store Parco (also available in Shibuya, Tokyo) is just something you have to visit. There's a Pokemon Cafe, a Godzilla store and more crazy goodness. You can't not love this. 

Want to know more about visiting Japan, or want to get some help with creating your own perfect journey? We can help you out! Read our extensive blog on Japan here and get in touch with our experienced travel experts with all of your questions. 

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