Posted by on Apr 21, 2015 in Personal | 0 comments

We’re a few weeks away from our “big trip” of the year. Destination?  Japan.

It’s a mixed bag for me, I had my heart set on visiting my brother this year in Australia, but Japan has always been on my bucket list. As fate would have it, a strong dollar and an agreeable wife who says we can afford this trip basically decided our fate.

It’s been a while since a trip feels completely off-the-cuff. In every destination we’ve visited in the past decade we’ve either known someone there or had some pretty good destinations in mind. When I visit Hong Kong, I’m basically just a lump of flesh to be towed around. And I don’t mind that…my wife and relatives know everything there so I just basically show up anywhere and eat.

When we visit California, it’ll usually be for someplace in particular….taking the little one to San Diego Zoo or Disneyland for instance is about all we need to plan.

Japan, on the other hand, feels like a complete fog of war. I can’t speak the language or read anything. I don’t know what’s worth seeing. I don’t have a judge of how big the city is or how hard is it to get around. I have some inkling that it’s somewhat like Taiwan or Hong Kong in terms of logistics and crowds, but I’m otherwise completely blind as to what I’m to expect to happen when I get there.

I’ve been collecting ideas where to go. For sure we’ll at least visit one of the tall towers, we’ll go see a temple or two, we’ll go check out that giant Gundam figure outside of Odaiba, we’ll visit that Tsukiji Fish market and the Ghibli museum. And more than one person has recommended we go to the Cup Noodle Museum (why, I don’t know, but I’ll trust everyone’s advice). Maybe a beautiful garden?  I gotta get some nice photography action during this trip. I’d love to go watch Sumo, there was a small period back a decade where I was into the sport, but I doubt my child would sit down in one spot watching fat guys push each other around for very long. Shibuya!  I must visit that famous intersection, try not to get the family lost and take some pictures!

I’m collecting names of good eating spots

I just realized that’s a lot of “Top 10 lists” but it’s a start.

(Photo src: Hiro Nakajima)