By Akira
Hey y’all, it’s been a minute. I just got back from Japan, and I’ve got plenty of stories and photos to share with you guys. During the second half of my time in Japan, I spent a good chunk of it traveling across the country, sometimes with a plan, other times just chasing a recommendation.
The first place I visited was Yokohama. Funny enough, it wasn’t even on my original list. I was on one of my weekly calls with my family when my dad threw the idea out there. I asked him for recommendations on what to see or do in Yokohama, and he replied, “Honestly, there isn’t much, but you’ll find something cool.”
I asked a few of my Japanese friends too, and the responses were pretty much the same: “Yokohama’s not that interesting… but the Chinese food is good.” Not exactly a glowing review. At that point, my expectations were low, but I decided to go—just for the sake of saying I’d been there. I texted a friend to see if he wanted to join, and a few hours later, we were on our way.
Looking back, I’m glad we went. The day felt unplanned and carefree in the best way possible. We visited Hikawa Maru (a retired Japanese ocean liner built by Yokohama Dock Company), the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, and ate Chinese street food. Even though the city wasn’t as active or vibrant as Tokyo, the Chinese food single-handedly made up for it.
A few weekends later, I went to Kyoto, which ended up being my favorite destination. Unfortunately, my friend had baseball training and couldn’t join until later, so I spent the first day exploring solo. My first stop was Kiyomizu-dera, a Buddhist temple that’s nearly 1,250 years old. The name translates to “Pure Water Temple,” and within it lies the Otowa Waterfall, from which three channels of water fall into a pond. I was told that each stream offers a different benefit—longevity, success at school, or a fortunate love life. However, drinking from all three is considered greedy. Personally, I chose the “success at school” stream because I’m going to need all the luck I can get this upcoming school year.
Also, the temple was built without using a single nail. That honestly blew my mind. I was already out of breath hiking up the hill with a three-day supply of clothes and toiletries on my back, and the builders managed to carry all the materials up there and, on top of that, construct the entire complex without any nails. If you find yourself in Kyoto, I highly recommend visiting Kiyomizu-dera.
Later that day, I met up with some friends who live in the area and had the best Gyukatsu I’ve ever eaten. After dinner, we said our goodbyes, and I headed to Kyoto Station to pick up my friend. The next day, we saw the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle, Nishiki Market, and Kinkakuji. Towards the end of the night, we visited Fushimi Inari (the photo with the orange torii gates).
Why did we go at 11 PM instead of 11 AM? To find ghosts.
My buddy told me that the last time he was there late at night, he heard odd sounds and hushed voices coming from the forest. An hour later, he met an elderly man who showed him a secret spot in the woods—a place the locals tend to gatekeep—with a panoramic view of the entire city. On his way back home, unexplainable things occurred. Naturally, we had the bright idea to recreate the experience.
At the beginning of the path, there was a sign that read, “Beware of wild monkeys and boars,” which I ignored—I was more interested in ghost hunting. After an hour of walking and no ghost encounters, we gave up in defeat and hiked to the hidden spot, and it did not disappoint. We had an uninterrupted view of the entire city of Kyoto.
After admiring the view, things took a turn as we started making our way out of the forest. I heard a deep growl coming from the trees. I froze and asked, “Did you just hear that?” to which my friend replied, “Yeah, I definitely heard something.” Then the bushes began to rustle, and a faint silhouette of a boar appeared.
I don’t think I’ve ever run as fast as I did in that moment.
All in all, I loved Kyoto and everything it had to offer. A word of advice: if you decide to visit Fushimi Inari, don’t ignore the wildlife warning signs like I did.
For my last weekend side quest, I spent a few days traveling to Osaka, Kobe, and Nara with a friend from language school. We dedicated a whole day to Universal Studios, riding every single roller coaster we could find. On the second day, we visited Nara. He took me to a family farm where he’d worked over the summer. I was able to meet the family, and the mother made us rosemary tea with honey to enjoy while we sat in the treehouse they’d built last summer.
Afterward, we went to Nara Park, the place seen all over social media, where hundreds of deer roam freely. We bought some cookies for the deer, and before feeding them, they respectfully bowed their heads. However, some of the deer were… let’s just say, a bit impatient. As soon as they spotted food, they swarmed and head-butted us. Honestly, it was intimidating to see a herd of deer charging toward us and no way to escape. Once we’d recovered from the chaos, we visited a few more temples (by now I’ve lost count) before heading back to our hostel.
On the third day, we visited Kobe and Arima Onsen, a famous hot spring town located on the outskirts of the city. It was the perfect ending to our busy trip. The next morning, we bought souvenirs for friends and family, then rode the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
The last couple of days were spent packing my belongings, saying goodbye to friends, and getting ready to head back to the States. Though my time in Japan has come to an end, I know I’ll always have a home there. I already find myself missing it deeply.
I’m incredibly grateful to the Duke Gap Year Program for making this experience possible. Through this opportunity, I was able to immerse myself in a different culture, broaden my global perspective, and use the Japanese that I’ve learned to connect with locals, gain a deeper appreciation for their way of life, and form lasting friendships.
Leaving was bittersweet, but I’m truly thankful for the once-in-a-lifetime experiences and memories that will stay with me—and that I get to share them with you.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next chapter of my journey.
Until next time,
Akira
