When I travel, I’m far from a planner — on most trips, I do very little research in advance. Sometimes, I don’t even know where I’m sleeping the following evening when I wake up in the morning.
Shortly after arriving in Japan, however, we quickly realized we should’ve done more planning before boarding our flights.
Japanese cities like Tokyo felt overwhelming in a way I’ve never experienced elsewhere. The sheer number of people, restaurants, skyscrapers, and things to do was mind-boggling.
We were struck with choice overload around every corner. As a result, we missed out on several experiences due to poor planning.
I would’ve loved visiting Kinkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — but I didn’t learn about it until my last evening in the city.
Likewise, watching a Sumo tournament in Osaka would have been fascinating, but our short stay didn’t offer enough time to attend.
If we return to Japan, I’d like to to come equipped with a list of a few must-visit stops and experiences we’d like to check off.
AloJapan.com