Returning from Okinawa, I spend the last of my days in Japan exploring the coastal towns of Yokohama and Enoshima. I explore a couple more things to do around the Tokyo area (live music, hidden bars, and hedgehog cafes) before closing out with my final thoughts on Japan and where the country is headed.
00:00 Intro
00:50 Tokyo things
04:16 Yokohama
05:46 Enoshima
08:10 Final thoughts on Japan
Check out all the different videos below of my extensive travels throughout the vast country of Japan.
Part 1 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c30F5Ou-4ZY&t=21s
Part 2 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC-7l7Z_Vck
Part 3 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py4SHuUT9nE
Part 4 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAvqsJuqjwg
Part 5 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JciKaiq_LNE&t=606s
Part 6 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd7BB4uW9Gw
Part 7 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blvTgAAmBbQ
Part 8 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-__4KsKvkk
Part 9 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7-XycpC–g
Japan Travel Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaR9vtyA7CFp5s3B9Fui4iGxVGbE0iEca
Feel free to check out some of my other videos for travel tips, ideas, and overall impressions of the country I’m in!
#LeoDoesLife #Japan #Travel
Following Okinawa, I returned to Tokyo to just casually explore the city for a few more days. After exploring Roppongi, one of the spots I was recommended to visit was Bauhaus, a Japanese live music venue where a collection of musicians cover Western songs. It’s pretty amazing to hear how music in general can transcend language barriers and really bring the whole place together. Another spot I recommend is Ninja Bar, which was an unexpected surprise hidden in an old subway station. You have to kind of search for it in Asakusa so I won’t spoil it, but the vibe and theme is all there. Japan is kind of known for it’s hedgehog cafes so I gave it a chance when I was visiting Harajuku. The prices are based on time spent with the hedgehogs and you get a complimentary drink with your um, order. Then you get a tub of hedgehogs and some feed to just do..whatever. They’re mostly shy and just want their rest so I mostly just left them alone for the most part. This one was actually really chill and enjoyed getting picked up, so we instantly became soul mates. A separate, driver-less train line from Ginza took me south and across the Rainbow Bridge into an interesting part of Tokyo called Koto City. This is a pretty interesting sub district with a miniature replica of the Statue of Liberty, and home to one of the most beloved anime franchises in Japanese pop culture. The Gundam Factory is basically a hub for fans to experience the world of Gundam up close and personal. Inside, there are some pretty extraordinary showcases of custom Gundam builds, and merchandise related to model building and robotics. The attention to detail is really impressive and even though I’m not up-to-speed on what each faction of robots represents, I was pretty blown away at how much time and effort went into creating these fantasy robots. It’s almost an endless array of art and there are even award shows for their achievements. Definitely recommend stopping by and seeing this firsthand to appreciate all things pop culture and science fiction. Before heading to Enoshima, I stopped at the port city of Yokohama. Surprisingly, it’s the second largest city in Japan by population with some pretty high buildings, street markets and arcades, waterfront districts, vintage warehouse quarters, and of course the Nissan headquarters. I got to see some of my favorite models on full display and even got the opportunity to sit inside the slick GTR Skyline. Yokohama felt smaller than I initially expected it to be but it has some charming waterfront areas, interesting shopping districts, and just from my own perspective, a slower, more relaxed pace of life compared to Tokyo. It’s got a museum for the fan-favorite Cup O Noodles, and a secondary Gundam base just off the portside, complete with a moving robot. I skipped going inside since I just visited one and it’s unfortunate that this one had to close down after so many years of entertaining the fans. I bought my ticket to Enoshima the next day and this was the second time I got to ride on these amazing inverted monorail lines. Definitely something I’ve come to admire a lot in Japan. Enoshima is a small coastal town at the mouth of Sagami Bay and the first thing I noticed is how much they compare themselves to Hawaii. I guess I can somewhat agree since it does have a pretty big surfing culture, food, and this shrine, which sits on a small island just off the coast. You can walk there by a connecting bridge, enjoy the sights and sounds of the ocean, and oftentimes can spot Mount Fuji off in the distance. Walking in transported me back in time, with little shops scattered at the forefront, a few places to get a bite to eat, and some off-the-wall desserts. The shrine is beautiful and peaceful in a lot of ways and definitely takes some time to get up to after a series of stairs. It’s everything I’ve come to expect from the meticulous attention to detail and just the overall series of paths you can take to explore all the different parts of the island shrine. There are really nice places to just have a seat and enjoy both the tranquility and peacefulness of the place. Something I didn’t know I needed from all the time I’ve spent moving from place to place. Meditation is everything. The sunsets here are really gorgeous too but the only thing that kind of spoiled it were these birds! If you’re having a peaceful lunch near the water, they will swoop down without mercy and steal your food. I fell victim to this more than once and now have a legit phobia of these giant hawks. But whatever, still a memorable and peaceful place I can definitely recommend visiting as either a daytrip from Tokyo or a full retreat altogether. So this finally wraps up my entire trip throughout Japan. It’s been a dream destination for me for a long time and I can honestly say it delivers in a lot of ways for the common traveler. The hospitality, kindness of the people, transportation, and local food options are absolutely unparalleled. This is a trip I often think about and can’t help but talk about many months after coming back to my own country. The innovation, natural scenery, cleanliness, and above all, the respect of the people is something I won’t forget. It’s not without it’s faults, but they are so minimal, that I rarely paid any attention to them. I got to experience many different cities and people along the way and hope to come back again to see more of the southern half of the country. Till then, Arigato Gozaimasu Japan and I look forward to the day we all embrace your amazing toilets of the future..