Japan Travels

Okayama view

The countryside calls! A trip to Okayama | Japan DAY 8 – BLAUGUST 2025

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How would you spend 20 summer days in Japan? Here’s a log of highlights from my latest trip, day by day. Follow along this Blaugust as I recount my adventurous July!

Bright and early on day 8, I boarded my first shinkansen!

Our train bound from Tokyo to Okayama in Japan’s southeastern region would take 3.5 hours, meaning I had plenty of time to soak in the views of the green countryside flashing before my eyes. And WOW did I savor every second of this trip. Riding the shinkansen is just as effortlessly smooth and silent as passengers say it is. Were it not for my eyes being glued to the window, I wouldn’t have been able to tell when we stopped and took off again at the various stations along the way.

Our first destination off the train was a quiet shrine bordering the road that ran alongside a river. My friend and I had made this unintentional habit of starting each day with a shrine visit. Since shrines are everywhere in Japan, it’s easy to pause by on your walk for a moment of zen before catching the busy winds of traffic. The green roof of this shrine in Okayama was particularly eye-catching to me.

Since it was actually closer to afternoon than morning, we went straight for a cafe for a drink and dessert before deciding to stroll across the bridge to Korakuen Garden on the opposite side. Hailed as one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens and established over 300 years ago, the garden was mostly deserted on the summer day of our visit. Therefore, we pretty much had the whole expanse to ourselves, and so we took our time delightfully admiring the careful landscaping.

When we reached the open hilltop of the garden, we were exalted by this arresting view of light rays bursting through the clouds. I remember joking that we’d been visited by the gods that day. Really, we felt lucky to witness such a view. The giant leafy plants reinforced the otherworldly feel of Korakuen.

It was then onwards to Okayama Castle! While neither of us felt strongly about entering the castle (since it had apparently fallen into one of the tragic renovation trends of having an interior that resembled little of the original site), we did walk the river surrounding the castle to capture a 360-degree view. At the tip of the islet, we were treated to a statue of peach boy Momotaro. The mini amphitheater he sat in had fallen into disrepair, which made the statue feel more odd than sad in its otherwise remote placement.

After a creamy carbonara dinner, we decided to return to the castle for its exquisite nighttime view. This is where it pays to be a monochrome structure; the white strips practically glowed in the moonlight!

Okayama City is technically one of the largest in its area, but it manages to offer a significant countryside landscape befitting its “Land of Sunshine” moniker. Certainly in the garden, the sun seemed to have descended just for us! In the second day of our Okayama adventure, we revel in ever more beauteous sights. ‘Til then, thanks for reading.

– Takuto

Cloudy day at Sensoji Temple

Alone in Asakusa | Japan DAY 7 – BLAUGUST 2025

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How would you spend 20 summer days in Japan? Here’s a log of highlights from my latest trip, day by day. Follow along this Blaugust as I recount my adventurous July!

I remember the morning of day seven so fondly for one reason: after following along closely with my friend from Tokyo for about a week, I’d decided it was time I took the initiative to explore the city on my own.

Asakusa is a fantastic place to take on such a challenge.

Sensō-ji Temple was about a 40-min walk from my homestay in Ueno. While I could’ve taken the train, I wanted to experience roaming the streets. I had no strict agenda, so it just made sense to me to take my time as I headed off towards Asakusa. All I could think about was “I’M GOING TO BE WHERE FIRE FORCE COMPANY 7 IS AT, YAY FOR BENIMARU SHINMON!”

I made it to Sensō-ji by 9:30 AM, and the temple grounds were already surprisingly bustling with life. Once again, photos don’t do the sheer scope of the temple’s various crimson complexes justice. This place is HUGE! My favorite part was that despite being a sacred landmark, Asakusa fully embraced the festival vibes and waves of tourists. I’d thought that being another tourist would’ve felt like an annoyance, but everyone around seemed happy that the temple was full of life.

With little sense of direction, I spent about an hour walking every which way. Eventually, I made it to purchase a goshuin (shrine stamp) on my own, an act which I’d been nervous about ever since my friend introduced me to the practice of collecting them. Although I didn’t actually have a goshuincho (shrine stamp book) yet, acquiring the paper goshuin slip (for gluing in once I’d eventually buy a book) made my visit to Sensō-ji feel like a success. To reward myself, I ordered a light matcha cone, but not before snagging a selfie in front of the giant straw sandals hanging on Sensō-ji’s hozomon, or main entrance gate. Then, I was off to hunt down an eki stamp for my other stamp book at the visitor’s center across the street. Successful morning all around for stamp enthusiasts.

It’s not pictured here, but as I strolled back, I stopped into a BOOKOFF and picked up a used “Studio Ghibli Songs” collection from the early 2000s. I have all of the tracks on disc already, but the packaging features this interesting crochet-esque cloth covering that I just had to have. It now sits prettily on a shelf with my other Ghibli CDs.

By early afternoon, I reunited with my friend to briefly explore more of Kanda before making the trek to Kanda Square Hall for Laufey’s Serenades concert. Yes, that Laufey! Live from Japan to kick off her third album’s tour! After all, “The countdown begins in Tokyo,” right? This was my first time in a standing-only venue, and while we were packed like sardines, shoulder-to-shoulder in the space, I managed to glue my eyes and ears to the Icelandic jazz queen’s soulful vocals and down-to-earth personality. We had a really, really great night with Laufey, and I’m forever thankful to my friend for scoring tickets to this intimate, once-in-a-lifetime concert with our muse.

We rise bright and early the next morning to escape the Tokyo heat for a few days. Join us as we head southwest for a taste of the countryside! ‘Til then, thanks for reading.

– Takuto

Takahata Isao Exhibition advertisement

Takahata Isao and Tokyo Tower! | Japan DAY 6 – BLAUGUST 2025

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How would you spend 20 summer days in Japan? Here’s a log of highlights from my latest trip, day by day. Follow along this Blaugust as I recount my adventurous July!

This is a big day for my picture people, so I’ll try to keep the words to a minimum and let the photos do the talking!

Compared to the Azabu-Juban, which houses the neighborhood where Sailor Moon‘s Usagi Tsukino lives, Azabudai Hills is a more recently developed area of soft luxuries. For instance, the Azabudai Hills Gallery where the Takahata Isao Exhibition was/is held had only opened to the public at the end of November 2023. So, it was a real treat to sit on the upper deck and enjoy matcha ice cream while quietly viewing the cloudy skies of Tokyo.

I would be lying if I said that the Takahata Isao Exhibition – The Man Who Planted Japanese Animation – wasn’t a major highlight of this entire trip. Because it was, and it remains one of the best events/days of my summer in Japan! Of course, photography was not allowed in the exhibit, but when I tell you that this exhibit covered EV-ERY-THING! Since I bought the guidebook, I can give you an abbreviated imaginary tour of the exhibit.

The walkthrough begins with his earliest works in “Starting Out: A Passion for Animated Films.” The main feature is Little Norse Prince Valiant, but concept art, sketches, design sheets, and plot diagrams for other films of this early era were also on display. In the brightly colored “Everyday Pleasures: Developing New Fields of Animated Expression,” we move on to the big TV series trio: Heidi, Marco, and Anne. I was enchanted by the storyboards, layouts, and backgrounds from the legendary production team of Hayao Miyazaki, Yoichi Kotabe, Yoshifumi Kondo, Masahiro Ioka, and Takamura Mukuo. (Japan’s Heidi love in particular made my heart swoon, what cute kiddos from the Alps!)

Moving to “Chapter 3 – Looking at Japanese Culture: A Dialogue between the Past and the Present,” we passed through more materials from Downtown Story (Chie the Brat), Gauche the Cellist, Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday, and Pom Poko. I’d managed to pack in a rewatch of many of these films prior to leaving the U.S., and the payoff was certainly worth it. (Isao Takahata’s Osaka in Jarinko Chie remains MY Osaka until I can actually see the place for myself.) On a more serious note, there was a wall-sized “poster” visual of Fireflies that utilized glowing LEDs behind the embers and falling firestorm weaponry. Against the dim lighting of this section of the exhibit, the chilling visual succeeded in instilling awe and uneasiness whenever the silhouette of the bomber plane circling above flickered into view.

For me, the MAJOR draw of this section–and the exhibit as a whole, really–was the layout design of the ship featured in Grave of the Fireflies, which was done by none other than battleship enthusiast Hideaki Anno. Apparently, the original layout pages were found “accidentally” in the process of planning the exhibit, and so they made their way into it!

The final section, “Lively Sketches: The Challenge to Make New Forms of Animation,” draws the exhibit to a bittersweet close with the art of My Neighbor the Yamadas and The Tale of Princess Kaguya. All of the in-betweens for the famous scene of Princess Kaguya tearing into the night were on full display, reminding me of the sheer emotion that can be packed into even rough sketches. As you leave, joy and sadness intertwine like falling sakura petals swept up by a passing breeze.

Of course, there’s a gift shop awaiting you in the Gallery. Just like the Ghibli Museum, I definitely could’ve bought more, but I’m happy with my pickups: postcards, clear files, and the guidebook which preserves scans of all of the work featured in the exhibit. Japan really is next level when it comes to exhibitions!!

The few hours spent at the exhibit are a core memory of my trip; to think that we’d follow it up with a stroll to Tokyo Tower afterwards is absolutely maddening. There are two kinds of Tokyoites: the Skytree crowd and the Tokyo Tower crowd, and I’m a firm member of the latter–for now, at least. It’s SUCH a remarkable construction up close, and so much bigger when you’re standing right under it! The photos don’t do the scope justice.

We’ll round out this post with an anime pilgrimage spot: the National Art Center, Tokyo, where Taki and Miss Okudera meet up for their date in Your Name. The spot is actually just a cafe in the art center, but you can roam through this section of the building without needing any kind of ticket. Looking back, I wish I’d hit up more anime pilgrimage spots in general . . . but this was a fun way to end our day out in Minato Ward. Maybe one day I will stop here and seat myself for little snack!

Tomorrow we’ll explore more of Tokyo. Until then, thanks for reading.

– Takuto

No.6 sequel novel on shelves in Japan

On my knees indulging in kushikatsu and NezuShi | Japan DAY 5 – BLAUGUST 2025

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How would you spend 20 summer days in Japan? Here’s a log of highlights from my latest trip, day by day. Follow along this Blaugust as I recount my adventurous July!

Apologies for the brief lapse in daily posting; I was traveling for an ATEEZ concert over the weekend!

Coincidentally, the fifth of my Japan trip was also a rest day of sorts. After the high of the #RUNSEOKJIN concert and exploring Ginza, we chilled for most of the day in the Ochanomizu and Ueno areas again.

The header photo shows my bookstore pickup of the day: Atsuko Asano’s long awaited continuation of the No.6 sci-fi BL novel series, No.6: Reunion (released May 28, 2025), which is set two years after the original story! I can’t read a lick of it since it’s in Japanese, but it’s precious to be able to buy her latest novel from a bookstore in Japan after having held NezuShi close to my heart for over 12 years. Plus, toi8’s art is so, so nostalgic~~

Later in the evening, we had our own “reunion” with my friend’s mom at a traditional sit-down style izakaya. At least, I think this place was an izakaya . . . Various lightly fried and skewered dishes were served across several rounds, culminating in a rich dinner experience where my tastebuds were put to the test. Safe to say that I devoured every skewer handed my way!

More interesting stuff happens tomorrow, so look forward to it! Thanks for reading.

– Takuto

SEOKJIN RUNS across this tale of two cities | Japan DAY 4 – BLAUGUST 2025

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How would you spend 20 summer days in Japan? Here’s a log of highlights from my latest trip, day by day. Follow along this Blaugust as I recount my adventurous July!

It’s time for some local travel!

When I say local, of course I still mean Tokyo. On day 4, we explored two vastly different types of “city” in the greater metropolis area: humble Ochanomizu and bustling, wealthy Ginza.

We start Ochanomizu with some cafe drinking and bookstore browsing. In the first photo on the far left, you’ll see the 7-volume omnibus series for Yoshiyuki Sadamoto’s Neon Genesis Evangelion. This was all the proof I needed to know that I had found my calling in Tokyo. The right photo depicts a wall of anime art books with the entire bottom being dedicated to Ghibli and the “classic” manga, I believe.

Quiet and unassuming as it seems, Ochanomizu (particularly the cafe overlooking the Shin-Ochanomizu Station area) actually ended up being my pick for where I’d like to have spent my last day in Japan, and you’ll see us return here a couple times after the first. It felt like home away from home, plus it has the beautiful Kanda Shrine.

Ginza is a different beast, though. On one street, it’s old money luxury with towering designer stores and modern architectural marvels. It’s the perfect city for a gram photo, but I like my urban areas a little more like the second photo here—tad on the grungy side yet somehow even more welcoming and genuine. Luckily, Ginza has both, and the two coincide like Canada’s decadent Old and marvelous New areas of Montreal.

What brought us out in the first place, you might be asking? None other than a K-pop concert. That’s right, even in Japan I’ll find a way to cling myself to my biases—and in this rare case, my ULT, Kim Seokjin of BTS! I had the time of my life catching the theatrical live screening of #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Japan in huge Toho Cinemas Hibiya. It was so, SO bizarre to think that just a couple shinkansen hours down the way, JIN was performing to a sold-out audience in Osaka Dome. (Huh, Tokyo and Osaka, such different worlds . . . what in the Tale of Two Cities is up with this day?? Anyway, take it from me: It was “the best of kinds” kind of day.)

Together with J-ARMYS (who are so cute btw), we lit up the stars with live music and laughter. I was not expecting a Japanese audience to show up to a theater with lightsticks in hand, but they did! So enthusiastic!

We’ll come back to Ochanomizu tomorrow. But for now, it’s goodnight from me (and HELLO sweet dreams of tour-mode JIN)! Thanks for reading.

– Takuto

Ghibli Museum in Mitaka

Being a kid at the Studio Ghibli Museum | Japan DAY 3 – BLAUGUST 2025

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How would you spend 20 summer days in Japan? Here’s a log of highlights from my latest trip, day by day. Follow along this Blaugust as I recount my adventurous July!

As an aniblogger who grew up on Kiki’s Delivery Service and Castle in the Sky, I don’t think I could live with myself if I made it all the way to Tokyo and didn’t visit the Studio Ghibli Museum.

Nestled in the quiet greenery of Inokashira Park, the museum is by far the gem of Mitaka Ward. You’re led down the streets by a few lampposts with modest signage until suddenly a line of trees guide you to the colorful waves of the building’s exterior. Naturally, a huge Totoro mans the faux ticket booth.

With my friend having booked our tickets in advance (only $7 USD per person!), we arrived by 9:30 AM for our 10:00 entry. It was one of the coolest days of the entire trip with the entire sky overcast and misting occasionally. This made the luscious summer flora of the museum grounds pop vibrantly in all of my photos, of which I only have of the exterior. (Photos, understandably, are not permitted inside the museum.)

And the inside, ah, it’s really like waltzing through an old Victorian mansion! Famously, there’s no designated path through the exhibits; instead, guests are encouraged to navigate via their own curiosity and whimsy. There’s a whole history of animation to be unpacked with each room. I was especially pleased with all of the gorgeous background art and image boards that, until this point, I’d only managed to admire in art books. Another highlight (aside from, well, everything) was the special Boy and the Heron Background Art Exhibition, which is apparently the tail-end of a larger Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka exhibition that we were lucky enough to catch before all of the artwork was packed up and returned to the studio.

For some reason, I feared we’d end up mowing through the painstakingly crafted exhibit rooms all too quickly. So, I was happily surprised upon checking the time to realize that only an hour and a half had passed! And we still had to try out the Straw Hat Cafe, stroll the outside rooftop, and score some loot at the MAMMA AIUTO! gift shop.

From the gift shop, I was able to pick up a plush keychain of the Koneko Bus, the titular creature featured in the Mei and the Baby Cat Bus (2002) short that OF COURSE WE WATCHED since it was the special July screening. There are some 10 or 12 Studio Ghibli shorts which loop on a monthly rotation. I like to think we caught the best one. My friend and I now have matching keychains to commemorate this day. 🙂

Oh, and I also picked up an assortment of Ghibli postcards for myself and as souvenirs for family, a soundtrack CD for the Baby Cat Bus short, a couple museum-centric guidebooks, and a long 4 or 5-foot reproduction poster that rolls out to depict Miyazaki’s original watercolor mockup of the museum and its many majestic rooms. In all honestly, I could’ve bought more–perhaps I should’ve. bought. more–but I’m happy with my treasures, most of all the memory of this incredibly imaginative, cute, and lively place where the playful kids could roam about freely and adults could dream again of sweet, bygone days.

Tomorrow, I’ll return to a vastly different yet all too familiar magic shop (*cough cough BTS reference*). Look forward to it!

– Takuto

Shibuya crossing in July

Crossing Shibuya on the “first” day | Japan DAY 2 – BLAUGUST 2025

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How would you spend 20 summer days in Japan? Here’s a log of highlights from my latest trip, day by day. Follow along this Blaugust as I recount my adventurous July!

For the first full day of my summer Japan trip, we wasted no time and headed for one of the city’s greatest attractions: Shibuya and its endless maze of shopping centers.

I’ll spare the K-pop sidetracks since this is an anime-focused blog, which meant Shibuya PARCO was the primary place for me to unload some yen. It was surreal to see the perpetually floating Mewtwo statue in the Pokémon Center, an icon emblematic of Japan’s endearment to the global franchise that it’s become. While I don’t recall buying anything at this one, I would eventually become a customer of Ikebukuro’s Pokémon Center. Still, so cool!

I also had NO IDEA that the RADIO EVA outlet was, like, HERE. In Shibuya PARCO. It’s much smaller than the internet makes it seem, no more than a few racks of designer wear, but it was satisfying to finally touch all of these street aesthetic clothing that I’ve ogled at for years. Neon Genesis Evangelion turns 30 on October 4, 2025, and is once again scattered across Tokyo. Mark your calendars for all the excitement leading up to their titanic EVANGELION:30+; celebration!

One non-anime shopping store that I’d set my eyes on before coming to Japan was PUEBCO, a brand dedicated to “home and lifestyle items created from recycled materials and found objects, designed with a utilitarian, industrial and minimalist aesthetic.” I made a small purchase on this day, but peep the tennis bag in the bottom corner of the photo; I’ll be coming back for that baby after a week of dreaming about it nonstop. >.<

We then traipsed through the crowds to Tower Records. Safe to say I could’ve spent an entire day in this nine-story building full of K-pop albums, J-pop singles, anime OSTs, concert DVDs–really, all things music. I secured some city-pop staples like Anri and Tatsuro Yamashita along with other odds and ins: NCT Doyoung’s first solo album Youth, a Blu-ray collection of Ghibli commercials and promo shorts through the years to 2016, and a couple others.

Looking back, this was one of my favorite days, not only because it was a day of firsts but also because I could’ve spent more time looking at EVERYTHING. On my return trip, Shibuya will be a must. By then, I’ll be fully prepared to lose myself in the scramble.

More in store tomorrow! Thanks for reading.

– Takuto

Recounting My Summer Japan Trip! | DAY 1 – BLAUGUST 2025

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Hello!! It’s been too long!

I’m going to jump straight into this out-of-the-blue post.

I went to Japan this summer! My first time, too!!

AAAaah! >~<

And after talking with my longtime blogger friend Crimson (A Nerdy Fujo Cries)–IN PERSON, WHILE IN JAPAN!–I’ve decided to make the leap back into blogging. There’s this thing called “BLAUGUST” (no, not BL August, although we could make that happen too…) which basically encourages writers to get on and blog for each day of August. It sounded like the perfect excuse to rave about my summer travels, and so here we are.

These will be short posts with minimal editing and fine-tuning on my part. My personal goal by participating in Blaugust is to ease back into regular writing after so many years while not overly critiquing myself and my writing. Blogging holds a freedom that allows us to detach from the conventional styles we’re used to and adopt whatever voice or tone we’d like. So, expect unpolished formatting, laissez-faire language, and many, many unfiltered photos!

How would you spend 20 summer days in Japan? Here’s a log of highlights from my latest trip, day by day. Follow along this Blaugust as I recount my adventurous July!

DAY ONE: Arrival at Haneda

For me, this trip involved a series of three flights totaling 24 hours of rotting anxiously in airports. I enjoy solo travel to an extent (as you will quickly find out), but airports are one of those places where I don’t like being alone. Needless to say, the journey to Japan could’ve gone smoother.

What DID help my anticipation grow was the service I received on the LA-Tokyo flight. Amazing staff. Plus, I got to watch Makoto Shinkai’s The Garden of Words as I munched on assorted vegetable dishes. I also checked out the “new” The Lord of the Rings anime film, The War of the Rohirrim, which was fine. I mainly felt compelled to see what Director Kenji Kamiyama was up to.

Annnnd that’s pretty much it, haha. Short blog for what was a long freakin’ day. I arrived in Haneda to midnight haze clinging to the windows of the monorail, so I only caught glimpses of neon lights as they blurred past us. It was at the airport where I met up with an old friend who would also serve as my temporary homestay and guide these next couple weeks. He lives in a quiet area of Ueno, so I also got to lug my suitcase through Ueno Station and Park, breaking the serene silence of the night with each footstep.

Weather in Tokyo was warm and very humid.

Much more excitement to come the in morning, but I was IN Japan! All my planning had paid off, and I had made it!

Three more packed weeks to go! Thanks for reading.

– Takuto