Japan, Perhaps Someday 🇯🇵

A First Trip Bucket List — Maybe 2030

Some trips begin with an airline ticket.

Others begin years earlier, with curiosity.

Japan is one of those places I have always thought I would love to experience someday, but lately “someday” has started to have the faint outline of an actual trip. My kids are interested in going to Tokyo, which naturally sent me down the rabbit hole of wondering what else they should see while they’re in Japan.

And, of course, that led to another thought:

What would I want to see someday?

Perhaps 2030. Perhaps another year entirely.

There is absolutely nothing to book yet. No hotels to choose, flights to compare or restaurant reservations to make.

This is simply a bookmark.

A little pin placed in the map of the future so I can come back occasionally, learn more about these places and gradually understand what I would want a first trip to Japan to feel like.

Right now, I think it might look something like this.

🇯🇵 Japan — 15 Nights

Tokyo — 4 Nights

Start with Tokyo, but resist the temptation to schedule every minute.

Four nights would allow time to experience different neighborhoods, wander, eat, people-watch and absorb the energy of a city that seems capable of being futuristic and deeply traditional at exactly the same time.

Possible day trip: Kamakura + Enoshima

Temples, the Great Buddha, hiking trails and the coast. It sounds like a lovely escape from the enormousness of Tokyo if four days in the city begins to feel like enough.

Hakone — 1 Night

After Tokyo, slow everything down.

Hakone would be about experiencing a traditional ryokan, soaking in an onsen, seeing Lake Ashi and Hakone Shrine, and hopefully catching one of those spectacular views of Mt. Fuji.

Only one night, but an intentionally quiet one.

I love the idea of placing this between Tokyo and Kyoto—a little exhale in the mountains before continuing on.

Kyoto — 5 Nights

This is one place I don’t think I would want to rush.

Five nights leaves enough time to actually experience Kyoto rather than simply move from temple to temple checking things off a list.

Walk. Wander. Find gardens. Get up early. Explore little streets. Eat wonderful food. Sit somewhere beautiful simply because it is beautiful.

And from Kyoto:

Nara — one full day

Temples, history, Nara Park and, of course, the famous wandering deer.

Uji — perhaps half a day

Tea country, matcha, Byōdō-in and time along the river.

Five nights gives those little adventures room to exist without taking Kyoto itself away.

Shimanami Kaido + Onomichi — 2 Nights

This may already be the part I’m most curious about.

The Shimanami Kaido is a roughly 70-kilometer/43-mile cycling route connecting six islands across Japan’s Seto Inland Sea between Onomichi and Imabari.

Bicycles. Islands. Enormous bridges. Little seaside communities. Citrus groves. Cafés.

Water everywhere.

Yes, please.

But I wouldn’t want to race it.

The whole appeal seems to be stopping when something looks interesting, taking pictures, eating something delicious, wandering into a little town and occasionally sitting beside the water doing absolutely nothing.

The bicycle gets you across the islands.

The things you discover along the way are the trip.

Hiroshima + Miyajima — 2 Nights

Stay in Hiroshima both nights rather than moving hotels again.

One day would belong to Hiroshima itself, including the Peace Memorial Park and Museum.

I imagine that deserves time, attention and some quiet afterward.

The second day would be completely different.

Take the ferry to Miyajima and spend essentially the whole day there—Itsukushima Shrine and its famous torii in the water, little streets, deer, mountains, trails and beautiful views.

And don’t hurry back.

Stay into the late afternoon or early evening, when some of the day’s visitors have gone home and the island becomes quieter.

Osaka — 1 Night

And then, after history and temples and mountains and bicycles and islands…

Eat, drink and be merry. 😂

One final night in Osaka.

No heroic sightseeing agenda.

Check into the hotel, head toward Dōtonbori, eat street food, look at all the lights, wander, laugh and enjoy being in Japan for one last night.

Then fly home from Kansai International Airport the following day.

The First Little Pin in the Map

So, for now:

Tokyo — 4 nights

Possible: Kamakura + Enoshima

Hakone — 1 night

Kyoto — 5 nights

Nara + perhaps Uji

Shimanami Kaido / Onomichi — 2 nights

Hiroshima / Miyajima — 2 nights

Osaka — 1 night

15 nights in Japan.

Someday there may be hotel names beside all of these places. Train schedules. Restaurants. Bike rentals. Flight numbers. Notes about which side of the train has the best view of Mt. Fuji.

But not yet.

For now, I just want to learn.

My children may make it to Japan before I do, and perhaps some of what I discover along the way will help them plan their own adventure.

And if I eventually find myself standing in Tokyo with a train ticket to Hakone tucked into my bag, I’ll know this trip actually began years earlier—with curiosity, a blank itinerary and a little imaginary pin placed on Japan.

I don’t need to plan every future adventure today.

Sometimes it’s enough simply to know where I might like to go next.

🐝 A Honey Note

Dreams don’t always need deadlines.

Sometimes they just need somewhere lovely to wait until we’re ready for them.

With a passport full of possibilities,

🍯 Honey 🐝