I’ve heard people say Japan changed their life and always thought it was a bit dramatic. And then I went to Japan. It changed my life a bit. Not in a dramatic spiritual sense — more like it showed me how a society could be organised that makes everything else feel slightly chaotic in comparison.

Kyoto temple golden pavilion

Tokyo — Sensory Overload in the Best Way

Tokyo is the most efficiently chaotic city I’ve ever been to. 14 million people — but the trains run to the second, everything is spotlessly clean, and people genuinely queue in an orderly fashion. Shibuya crossing, Shinjuku at night, Harajuku on a Sunday — each neighbourhood is its own world.

Shibuya crossing Tokyo
Mount Fuji reflection lake

Kyoto — Slow Down and Actually Feel Something

Take the bullet train to Kyoto. 2.5 hours. Bamboo groves, moss gardens, geisha districts, 2,000-year-old shrines. Get up early and walk through Fushimi Inari before the crowds arrive. It’s one of the most photogenic places on the planet.

The Food (Just Trust Me)

Japan’s convenience store food is genuinely excellent — a bowl of incredible ramen will set you back about £8. The sushi, the yakitori, the izakaya food — all spectacular and often surprisingly affordable.

💡 Get a JR Pass before you leave home — you cannot buy it in Japan at the same price. For 2+ weeks of travel including bullet trains, it pays for itself easily.
Bottom line: Japan is one of those places where everything you’ve heard is true and somehow still an understatement. Plan for at least 2 weeks, get a JR Pass, and eat everything.