JAPAN!!

We had an amazing whirlwind stop in Japan on our way back from Thailand! We landed at 7am and didn't leave until 7pm the next day, which gave us a full 2 days to explore. We didn't plan much of our trip because it snuck up on us, but we're glad we didn't because it gave us a chance to relax and recharge after our busy trip to Thailand. Plus, Gavin was on his deathbed with a viral infection, so it was nice to have some downtime.

We managed to squeeze in some amazing sights and experiences in Tokyo! Our first stop was Shinjuku, which is famous for being one of the busiest crosswalks in the world. We couldn't believe how crowded it was - 1,000-2,000 people crossing every two minutes! It was crazy! We found ourselves crossing it several times just to find a spot to eat. We settled on a cozy cafe with a great view of the busy street.

After lunch, we met up with friends Meg and Jace and headed to the Sky Deck Tower for some stunning city views. It was great to have tickets already booked because everything in Japan booked up quickly! We enjoyed the views before heading to a vending machine ramen spot. Let me tell you, real ramen is a game-changer! I could see myself getting hooked on those authentic bowls.

We shopped around and loved how affordable everything was compared to the USA - let alone Hawaii! One thing that struck us about Japan was how stylishly everyone dresses. We felt like we were already standing out in our board shorts and tees and Gavin with his blonde hair. We felt underdressed! We both picked up some comfy clothes at Uniqlo, which made us feel more at ease.

We stumbled upon some amazing shrines and street performances as made our way around the city. Each place was bustling with people - the streets were packed! We couldn't stop talking about it.

At one of the shrines, we had our fortunes read. Gavin's fortune predicted that he would never recover from his illness... which was freaky to read given he actually was sick and wasn't feeling any better. Good thing we don't believe in fortune telling!

We ended the day with a delicious sushi dinner at a place where you order on an iPad and the food comes to you on a conveyor belt from above. You can order as many plates as you want. We looked at some of the other tables and they had 40-50 plates! It was a popular spot for locals, and we loved the experience.

The next day, we slept in and went back to a few more shrines and markets. We even tried some amazing Japanese pancakes and candied strawberries. The only downside was that there were too many people at the market - we were constantly being blocked in and trapped. And there were no trash cans anywhere! So we ended up walking around with our sticky trash in our hands.

We're so glad we got to experience Tokyo and Japan, even if it was just a quick taste. We'd love to come back and explore more of this amazing country - and eat more food!