Japan - Journey Notes

Day 29: And Home We Fly We started early to avoid rush hour… or so we thought. The train was still packed, but we survived the ~50 minutes of chaos. Tokyo, you never disappoint! At Haneda Airport, we overcomplicated things by searching for the tax-free counter for an inspection that wasn’t even needed. Thanks for that, Internet. The 15-hour flight? Exhausting, but with our Steam Decks, Japanese food, and some determination, we made it through. Pro Tip: If you’re bringing back a lot of stuff and expect to deal with customs, just keep an Excel sheet from the start. Seriously. It makes "Zoll" (customs) fast, easy, and drama-free. Japan? ✔️ Figures? ✔️ Excle sheet? ✔️ Paying AND DONE! Of course, no return journey would be complete without Deutsche Bahn’s reliable unreliability. Our original train was late by an hour, but we lucked out by hopping on an earlier train (also late). Classic. Next up: compiling our “ STATS!!! ” ...

Our last full day in Japan , and we returned to Akihabara for one final shopping spree. The mission? New suitcases and cramming everything into our luggage. Spoiler: it took a lot of Tetris to pull it off, but we managed! Between food breaks and squeezing in some last-minute purchases, the day flew by. Tomorrow’s 15-hour flight looms ahead, but for now, we’re celebrating the small victory of making it all fit. PS: I obviously took way too many pictures today (all five of them), so you’re only getting this one entry. Priorities!

Starting the Day We kicked things off with another relaxing onsen visit, followed by a massive breakfast. Of course, someone didn’t take a picture of everything they served us—because why would he? Heading Out Afterwards, we packed up and made our way to Tokyo on a limited express train. We caught another glimpse of Fuji and some other cool-looking spots along the way. Where are the pictures, you ask? Well, only Fuji made the cut. Exploring Akihabara We’re in Akihabara for one main reason: loot! We saved the shopping until now to avoid carrying it around earlier. Priorities! 404: Hotel Room Found Yes, we got room 404. And no, I couldn’t resist the joke: “Day not found.” Regrets? Absolutely none. Back to Akihabara But wait, Akihabara wasn’t just about the loot. We also hunted down some amazing food—because why not? The Loot Picture So… we need new suitcases. And yes, there’s still unpacked loot. Why? Because we can't real...

Started the day with the usual: dropping off luggage and hopping on the Shinkansen. The ride to Hakone was smooth, with great views—but sadly, no Fuji. That money for the left-side view went to waste. CLOUDS, HOW COULD YOU?! At least the bentos were top-notch. Can’t beat that combo! First stop in Hakone? Our private hot spring. One hour each was all it took to hit peak relaxation mode—cooling off included. Pure bliss! Later, we had a fascinating 6-course menu filled with dishes I’d never have tried otherwise. Oh, and did you know strawberries here are very expensive? Just got reminded because we ate some. Worth it? At least it was included… or so we think. Guess we’ll see! PS: Someone didn’t take pictures at all, and someone else definitely didn’t take pictures of everything. No names mentioned, of course! Finished the evening with another two rounds in the onsen and some good ol’ nothingness.

Jurassic Park: The Flying Ride was definitely my favorite! Soaring through the skies like dinosaurs—what’s not to love? Harry Potter Tried a ride with a screen that moved with us. High resolution? DEFINITELY (sarcasm) . Immersive? Totally. Had to watch the Conan 4D cinema. Did I understand anything? YES . Did I understand everything? NO . But the goofy plot got me through. More snacks! They were as good as they looked. I’m just choosing not to think about the calorie count... Finally, Super Nintendo World! Calorie-dense food strikes again, but the real highlight was the Mario Kart ride. The interactive glasses worked amazingly well—absolutely worth it! PS: Every single photo got a comment. If some seem randomly ordered, that’s just how memories work, right?