One month until Japan!
Next month sees my first solo trip to Japan. I'll be exploring Tokyo, enjoying the local food, and enjoying some uniquely Japanese experiences.
In just 30 days, I'll be kicking off my next trip to Japan: a solo stay in Tokyo. And I'm so excited, for a couple of reasons.
For one thing, my outbound journey is going to be fantastic, as I've cashed in a shed-load of points to get a seat in the First Class cabin with Japan Airlines (JAL). I've traveled with them several times over the last few years, and the experience has always been superb.
I've been blown away by the service when flying JAL Business Class long-haul and First Class domestic, so I can only imagine what First Class from London to Tokyo has in store. In fact, I don't have to imagine it. My partner flew First Class with them back from Tokyo a few years back and talks about it with misty eyes to this day. So you can expect a full report from me once I've stepped off the almost-15 hours flight.
The JAL difference, in my opinion, is attention to detail. I've never had such attentive, warm and friendly service on a flight and they really make it seem like nothing is too much trouble. The catering is stellar and the seats make sleep a realistic proposition.
Another reason I'm so excited is that it's going to be my first solo visit to Japan. I'm no stranger to solo travel, but so far this has been limited to Europe. I'm not in the least bit nervous, as I know Tokyo really, really well. And I'm looking forward to following my own agenda - or binning it completely on a whim and going off-script if the mood takes me.
I've gathered a list of places and experiences - some first time, some return visits - that I think will make for a fun time. You can bet I'll be eating my body weight in delicious Japanese snacks, soaking in onsens like a snow monkey, and taking enough photos to fill this blog for the foreseeable future. I'll be catching up with local friends and spending far too much time bar-hopping in Shinjuku Ni-Chome. And, weather permitting, I'll be doing most of this on foot - which is always the best way to explore a city.
So if learning more about how to navigate Japan sounds interesting, come back for the next few weeks of posts, where I'll be sharing my top tips, travel memories and lessons learnt.
