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The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/kaufmann_i_am_too on 2025-05-07 12:19:43+00:00.
So, I was in Japan for 20 days with my wife visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nara and Osaka, here's what I found out:
- Tokyo is a massive city, I felt that 5 days weren't enough to cover 1% of the place. My wife, being a Peanuts/Snoopy fan made me go to Machida to visit the Peanuts museum (it was great!), we visited Yokohama too (we love theme parks and these kind of attraction) so the COSMO park was very fun too, Tokyo Disney was great, way better than their american counterparts, cleaner, more organized, less crowded. The sheer amount of shrines and temples ws also an attraction of its own, discovering hidden Toriis and temples and shrines in not so touristy neighbourhoods was very fun. On top of all that Tokyo is a super clean metropolis, I had the impression I could lick the asphalt in Shibuya and nothing would stick to my tongue.
- I was surprised by how many old (really old people) were working in the services sector. I don't know if it's a cultural thing or a social security issue, but they were everywhere and they are absolute dolls. so nice, helpful and always with a smile.
- Just like "Girl from Ipanema" is an anthem for us Brazilians, the japanese listen to "Mayonaka no door/Stay with me" obsessively, everywhere, all the time, in any ocasion.
- I got seriously worried about the mental health status of Dom Quixote workers, that theme song playing nonstop, the noise, the lights and colours, that shop is a crazy ppl factory! ๐
- I Osaka, in the last days of my trip I had a medical issue and had to go to clinic fo specialized treatment and it was great, I was initially treated by an older nurse, then by a chinese doctor, that spoke flawless english and both were spot on in the diagnostic and treatment.
- Oh the food, I was never a big fan of japanese food and I found out I never liked japanese food made outside japan. I had a feast there, literally everything I tried was great, tasteful and made with lot of care. from "cheap food" like tepanakis and udons to a more elaborate menu, 100% of the food I had there was delicious.
- Public transport is perfect, in all the cities I visited the subway, tram or bus system took me exactly where I wanted to go. It's cheap, and with Google it's super easy to use, I didn't miss a train or hoped on the wrong bus ever.
- A lot of people told me before going that Japan was still a cash based economy. BS. I used my Nomad (charged with dollars) and Revolut (charged with Yens) cards all the time and never had any problems. I used cash only in smaller purchases, like street ice creams stands and to charge my Welcome Suica card, which was quite silly bcs I had to withdraw money and deposit again to chage the card.
- The scale of 7/11 and Lawson operations; man, these businesses run an enormous logistic operation, it's crazy, all the time, everytime the goods in the stores are fresh, paistries are delicious, I was addicted to 7/11 cookies and rice snacks. You can literally do all your meals in these stores and you'll be totally satified.
- Least but not last, the japanese ppl; they're an "attraction" of their own. 99% of the time they didn't speak a word in english, but they were so helpful, so interested in helping me and getting things right that the language barrier was not a problem. I know that some ppl in Japan are fed up with tourists, but I didn't notice any of that, I was treated with the utmost respect and attention 100% of the time.
I'm already planning to go back next year, I loved Japan, so much to see and do that oly one trip is not enough!