July 8, 2025 - Long Travel Day to Home

One last trip for random stuff at the Donkey - it seems tradition for everyone to go to the Donkey on their last day for last minute postcards, souvenirs (or bikes, cameras, Kit Kats, liquor, luggage, and anything else you can think of…As I’m sitting on the plane I’m reflecting back on this weird, wacky, and wonderful trip filled with many beautiful and poignant moments always when least expected. I’m exhausted and refreshed at the same time. 

Between Rusty’s retirement, my upcoming 60th, and Yosiell’s 46th, there was alot to celebrate and Japan helped us do so in style. For the hospitality, there is only two things to say: Arigato Goza ee Masu and Syonara Japan.

 
I kept a list of observations, of challenges, cool things, or just differences that I found interesting. This is in no way meant to be judgemental rather observational and from my Western perspective only.

 

Flight home in extended leg room seats...pay the extra for the extended leg room fool!

Final Japanese sunset from 30,000Feet.

A few observations, challenges, and a little advice:

• Businesses and restaurants can be difficult to find. We spent lots of time trying to figure out where things are, and often they were underground or up a flight of stairs. Google Maps and Apple Maps were helpful but not infallible. Still finding stuff turned into an adventure.
• The large train stations are simply mad. Shinjuku station is the busiest station in Japan. Rusty and Yosiell became experts at navigating not only the train schedules but what exits we should be taking out of the stations. This was amazing considering the amount of exits, platforms, train companies, and trains with which they had to contend.
• Everyone was polite, if not always particular warm. (caveat: several times people offered us assistance when we looked confused or lost…that was very un Bay area).
• The trains are quiet, hotels are quiet, most streets are quiet, department stories are quiet, etc. Ueno barkers are loud, the Donkey and several department stores are loud (with videos playing on the shelf with products), Akihabra video game stores are loud, but the people in general ere exceptionally quiet.
• Annoying American tourists aren’t the worst, I saw several people from Europe and China that were way more annoying (even one Eastern European dad giving the store manager a Karen moment at the Pokemon center). Amazingly the Brits had kids ore annoying and entitled than the American kids we saw.
• Everything is small and cramped: Hotel rooms, tables, chairs, drinks, etc. coupled with massive amounts of people it can be claustrophobic at times.
• Unsolicited advice:
• Learn a few phrases in Japanese, it goes a long way with the locals.
• Bring a small towel everywhere because lots of bathrooms don't have hand dryers, and many restaurants don’t offer napkins.
• 7-11 is your everything store, including quick decent meals (alsoATM’s)Pack super light in summer. I never wore the pants I brought nor the light jacket I brought.
• Surprising things:
• Raw horse and whale on the sushi menus.
• Train crew bowing as they left the train car.
• There were homeless people and/or drug addicts/drunks on the streets of the most populous city of the world. Not many but more than zero.
• Smoking in cafes and restaurants. Not a fan. Most places advertised smoke free but many had smoking sections or small smoking rooms.

That’s about all the news that is fit to print gentle readers, Our time in Japan provided us many opportunities to learn about this modern yet ancient culture. Will we definitely return? Yes, sooner rather than later…but for now Sayonara.