Japan has been a dream country for me! So we went. It was the 43rd country that I visited. The whole experience was life-changing and here are some pieces of 16 days in Japan.

1. To-do list – dress up as samurai and maiko (apprentice geisha) and walk around Kyoto. Done!

2. This is Pachinko – Japanese gambling parlor. Though gambling for cash is illegal in Japan, you can earn tokens and change it to cash right outside every Pachinko.

3. Cotton as a ‘flower’?! Brilliant!

4. Some subway stations in Tokyo have these safety gates that open when the train arrives.

5. Eight-way crossing in Shibuya is a must see in Tokyo! Once the traffic lights turn green, people move like ants in all directions.

6. Japanese convenience store food is ammmazing!!!! Especially their desserts (esp. eclairs) are to die for!!

7. Shop assistants are very stylish and they always wear outfits sold in the store.

8. 25$ for 22 strawberries!

9. Tokyo subway map like a spider web.

10. Bride and groom in traditional Japanese wedding outfits

11. Historically, ninjas used to serve samurais and emperors to spy on the enemies and attack when needed. Today there are no more ninjas in Japan – except for this one. 😛

12. This is Asakusa temple. Definitely visit this place for some traditional Japanese food and souvenir shopping and praying.

13. Most Japanese sweets are made with beans or rice. This is traditional Japanese pancake with beans inside.

14. I had a cultural shock visiting one of the maid cafes – singing songs to our food, showing hearts to each other and having to clap every time someone would finish their food.

15. I’m not sure whether this toy is for kids or adults, but after seeing a 7-story sex shop building, this was nothing surprising.

16. We went to a Kabuki – classical Japanese play that lasted for 4.5 hours!!! It was very slow, in fact everyone was asleep after the first 30 minutes. I loved it!

17. This place was full of different toy grabber machines. The Japanese love these.

18. Beautiful Tokyo by night

19. I have no clue what Hello Kitty is and where it comes from, but I think it’s the cutest thing in the world (esp. with moustache).

20. An essential part of Japanese cuisine – dried fish

21. A must-visit in Tokyo – Robot Restaurant. The show will blow you away!

22. Japanese green tea aka matcha is very popular in Japan. I loved green tea in ice cream and chocolate and that’s it. I guess you have to get used to the flavor to love it in hot tea and cappuccino.

23. Japanese teenagers love going to stores like this to buy printed photos of their favorite celebrities.

24. You see that line there? Guess what that is for! Pop corn! Garrett’s pop corn, the shop that is always empty in NYC!

25. There are vending machines for almost everything in Japan – drinks, food, cameras, books… And they are everywhere!

26. A smart restaurant, where you place your order through this machine, pay for it and go pick it up inside.

27. Tsukiji fish market – the largest fish market in the world. Fishermen bring fresh-caught produce to this place early in the morning, where restaurant owners come in to pick up fish for the day. There are also tuna auctions, where they auction huge tunas.

28. Tokyo tower that looks like Eiffel. Roppongi hills neighborhood – midtown Tokyo.

29. Eyelashes are huuuge in Japan, every other girl wears fake eyelashes.

30. And of course, Japanese toilet!

31. To become a chef in a Japanese restaurant, you have to have at least 10 years of cooking experience. I guess that’s why food everywhere is ammmmazing!!!

32. Japanese traditional shoes. Wow!

33. Alternative transportation. I wish New York had these instead of poor horses.

34. Golden food? Yes please! Japanese use real gold leafs for food decoration.

35. Ninja restaurant – a must go!

36. We met the first and only African and Middle Eastern sumo wrestler in Japan – Abdulrahman. He has an amazing story – I will share in my future posts.

37. This is Dennys in Tokyo. There was waiter service, the food was heavenly and the experience was very different from the US. Great place for breakfast.

38. Harajuku girls – young people love to dress up and hang out around Harajuku area. Go there on Sunday mornings and enjoy the costumes!

39. The Japanese have distinctive tea culture and in past every house used to have a separate tea house. Here is a public tea house in a Japanese garden.

40. Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) in Kyoto. Breathtaking!

ARIGATOU FOR READING!!

What is your dream country to visit?

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