Introduction
Oftentimes when we go to foreign countries on holiday, we tend to look for the easiest modes of transportation or look for the path of least resistance. We may try to take the subway or call an uber, but I’m here to tell you to walk as much as you can when you are there. However, to enjoy Japan on holiday is to explore and to get lost. Lost in Japan on holiday is where the best memories are made because your fight or flight kicks in and then you realize how convenient everything is. The best parts of Japan is discovered while just strolling through the city. For instance, you will miss half of your experiences if you don’t look up. Furthermore, since Japan is country with limited area, Japan builds vertically versus horizontally. Please don’t mind the chest hair.
Family mart/7/eleven
Take for instance the convenience stores such as Family Mart and 7/Eleven. While in Tokyo, if you get up early in the morning and walk to your earliest convenience store, then you’ll be able to get hot food on a shish kabob that tastes just as good as a restaurant. Japan’s convenience stores rival Walmarts and restaurants in the U.S. They always have the fresh sushi that is cheap and affordable which can be bought at any time of the day.
Festivals and Matsuri
Another reason why you should opt for walking is that depending on the street you may very well run into some sort of festival or matsuri that may be limited to just that street. For example, when I was walking around Taito I accidentally ran into a fireworks festival around the Sumida river. It’s a really warm feeling when you can can gather in a crowd with random strangers in Japan and enjoy the fireworks without fear of getting robbed or any other malice that you would normally incur in the west.
Crowds
As Tokyo is one of the most densely populated cities on Earth, if not the most, subways and train stations tend to get crowded for the better part of the day. It is common to stand while on a train for hours until you reach your destination which can make your Japan vacation feel like a hurry-up-and-wait-cation. Sometimes you may find yourself on the train station having to voluntarily give up your seat for an elderly person. Even when you frequent popular restaurants you may have to wait or be turned away altogether. Moreover, popular tourist sites will ruin any picturesque photo you had in mind. The photos below is me in Osaka and I couldn’t get the picture of GLICO like I wanted to because people were around. Damn it was hot this day!
Attractions
Speaking of attractions, If you do decide to frequent attractions during the day expect a train ride and definitely expect long lines and crowds. However, to remedy this if you can change your sleep schedule a bit then you can get some good photos. Before you go, make sure to look up 24 hours attractions and try to go to those attractions after hours. If you do, then escape crowds and enjoy the attraction in solitude. If I could recommend one attraction to try this with it would be the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. Another would be the Arashiyama Bamboo forest.
