Japan: Seen Through a Single Lens

Some trips live in your imagination for so long that when they finally happen, you spend the whole time half-convinced you're dreaming. Japan was that trip for us. Ten days. Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka. A country that had been on my list for years, not just as a traveler but as a photographer. There is something about Japan that draws you in visually before you even arrive. The colors, the contrast, the way ancient and modern exist right next to each other without apology. I knew it was going to be a lot to take in. I had no idea how much it would change the way I see.

Before we left I dug my Canon 5D Mark III out of storage. I have always loved what that camera does, the colors, the way the files just feel a certain way. I paired it with my 50mm lens and left everything else behind. One camera, one focal length. Limiting, but I wanted to actually be present. My phone came along too, mostly for quick snapshots and selfies with my husband. If Japan. Below I am sharing my full trip day by day, along with some of my favorite images I captured along the way.

Tokyo Day 1+2

Arrival Day 1

We stayed in Shinjuku and honestly the first thing that stopped me in my tracks was the giant 3D cat billboard. If you know, you know. It is one of those things that sounds odd to get excited about but in person it is just delightful.

Day 2

Our first full day took us to Senso-ji temple in Asakusa. We completely underestimated it. The temple itself is stunning, and yes it was crowded, but there was still something really special about being there. What caught us off guard was everything around it. The shopping street leading up to the temple is packed with vendors and we ended up spending way more time there than planned, trying street food along the way. Highly recommend just wandering and eating whatever looks good.

That evening we went to a concert in Shimokitazawa at a venue called Shelter, which was one of my favorite moments of the whole trip. There is something really cool about watching live music in another country, another language, a completely different energy. Two bands, both high energy and so fun. I even managed to grab a setlist on the way out, which I was pretty thrilled about.

On the way back we stopped for Okonomiyaki, a Japanese savory pancake made from a batter of flour, egg, cabbage, and whatever mix-ins you want, cooked on a griddle right at your table. We got to make it ourselves which made it even better.

Day 3: Tokyo - Harajuku/Shinjuku

Harajuku was packed but so fun. There is something about that neighborhood that just pulls you in, and we ended up spending a lot of time just browsing the shops, which honestly could have been its own full day.

We also stopped at ANAKUMA CAFE, which is exactly as charming as it sounds. A bear paws your coffee through a hole in the wall. No further explanation needed, just go.

The record shops in the area were great, the kind where you actually find things worth buying and end up staying longer than planned.

We also did Samurai Time, a restaurant and show that is completely and wonderfully kitschy. You eat, you watch performers in samurai costume, it is over the top and fun and we loved every second of it. Exactly the kind of thing you stumble into on a trip like this and end up talking about for years.

We ended the night at Omoide Yokocho, known as Memory Lane, a narrow smoky alley in Shinjuku packed with tiny old school restaurants that seat maybe five people at most. Flowers tucked in between the stalls, lanterns glowing, the smell of grilled food in the air. It is the kind of place that feels completely frozen in time and totally alive at the same time.

Day 4: Hakone

Hakone was a full reset. We took an early train with comfy seats and truly needed the downtime. After the noise and energy of Tokyo, the mountain air and quieter pace felt like exactly what we needed. The views were stunning and the whole vibe was just completely different.

We did the full Hakone loop, starting at the Open Air Museum, which was a great way to ease into the day. Sculpture and art set against mountain scenery is a pretty unbeatable combination.

From there we took the gondola over the volcanic area. Watching the steam vents and lunar landscape pass below us was pretty surreal.

We splurged paying $4 for first class on the Lake Ashi pirate ship, which was wonderfully kitschy and absolutely worth it. Very on brand for us.

The plan was to be dropped near the famous Hakone Shrine torii gate that rises out of the lake, but we ended up about an hour away on foot. We basically raced the sunset down the trail, which sounds stressful and kind of was, but the golden hour light along the way was beautiful. We didn't quite make it before dark but arriving at the gate in the last of the fading light had its own kind of magic to it.

Day 5: Kyoto, Day 1

Arriving in Kyoto felt like stepping into a completely different Japan. Quieter, older, more deliberate somehow.

We wandered the shopping area near our hotel, which put us right next to Nishiki Market, one of Kyoto's most famous covered market streets and known locally as Kyoto's Kitchen. Narrow, packed, and full of food stalls and vendors selling everything you can imagine. There are a ton of vintage and antique shops as well which Danny and I love to explore!

That evening we went to teamLab Biovortex, which is one of those experiences that is genuinely hard to describe. Surreal is the best word for it. We were definitely starting to feel the trip in our legs by that point but it was worth every bit of energy. One of the highlights was coloring our own fish and turtle which then get dropped virtually into a massive glowing tank to swim around with everyone else's. Danny's turned out beautifully. Mine was a bit of a disaster until he suggested I just add a top hat to the turtle, and honestly he was completely right, it helped.

Day 6: Kyoto, Day 2

We had big plans to get up early but the jet lag and the accumulated miles on our legs had other ideas. We gave ourselves some grace and headed out when we were ready.

The bamboo forest in Arashiyama was one of those places that stops you in your tracks. Photos do not do it justice. Walking through it feels surreal, like you are inside something alive.

The Monkey Park was a genuine highlight of the whole trip. You hike up to the top and are rewarded with both free roaming Japanese macaques and incredible views over Kyoto. I got to feed some of the monkeys which was equal parts thrilling and a little unbelievable. Having them that close, looking right at you, is just a really special thing.

We took the Sagano Romantic Train back through the river gorge, which was a perfect way to wind down after the hike. Beautiful and relaxing and exactly what we needed.

We finished the day with wagyu steak and it was every bit as good as you would hope. A proper reward for a big day.

Day 7: Kyoto, Day 3

This was honestly one of my favorite days of the whole trip, mostly because it had no real agenda. We rented e-bikes and just explored.

We started at Nanzen-ji, a Zen temple complex that has the most beautiful moss covered stone and quiet garden areas tucked within it. Running through the grounds is a stunning old brick aqueduct that feels completely out of place in the best possible way, like a piece of ancient Rome dropped into a Japanese temple. It was peaceful in a way that was hard to leave. No crowds, no rush, just stillness and green and the sound of water. Exactly the kind of thing you stumble into and end up being the thing you remember most.

From there we found the mouse and rabbit shrine at Okazaki, which was completely charming and a little unexpected. We also made our way to Philosopher's Path, a canal lined walkway that is just lovely to cruise along on a bike at your own pace.

The e-bikes were such a good call for this day. It let us cover ground without destroying our legs and stop whenever something caught our eye, which is really the best way to experience a city like Kyoto.

Day 8: Kyoto to Osaka

We pushed ourselves to get up as early as we could for this one because we wanted to do Fushimi Inari before the crowds took over. The thousands of vermillion torii gates winding up the mountain are just as breathtaking as every photo you have ever seen, maybe more so in person with the morning light filtering through.

The moment that stood out most though had nothing to do with the gates. A cat showed up on the path. And just like that, one of the most iconic locations in all of Japan became entirely secondary. Everyone, us included, completely abandoned the scenery to crowd around this cat. It was hilarious and somehow that little moment felt just as memorable as the gates themselves.

We also spotted one of my favorite things of the entire trip, a warning sign about wild boars on the path. It had the most adorable little drawing on it that just said "Boo! Oink!" I loved it. Iconic in its own completely different way from the gates.

After Fushimi Inari we made our way to Osaka and checked into our hotel right off Dotonbori, which is the heart of Osaka's nightlife. We were honestly too wiped to do much that first evening, so we kept it low key and just soaked in the fact that we were there.

Day 9: Nara and Osaka at Night

We took a day trip out to Nara and it was such a good call, even though it was raining pretty much the whole day. The deer park is exactly as surreal as everyone says but what surprised me most was how small the deer actually are. Dainty and gentle and absolutely everywhere, wandering through ancient temple grounds like they own the place, which honestly they do.

You can buy little biscuit treats to feed them and they have learned to bow for them, which is almost too cute to handle. The strategy though is real. You have to be smart about when you pull the treats out because the second too many deer spot you, you are surrounded. They will absolutely lightly bite your shirt to remind you they are there. Chaotic and completely delightful.

We also visited the giant Buddha, which is one of those things that genuinely stops you in your tracks, and popped into the museum before heading back.

That night we explored the Amerika Mura area in Osaka. We found a small spot and got pizza, and next door was a bar completely themed around vintage video games. We ended up in there playing Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart, which was maybe not what we pictured doing in Japan but was honestly one of the most fun nights of the trip.

But the image that is going to stick with me from that night is stepping outside and seeing two guys sitting under a small cover in the pouring rain playing Nintendo on a setup outside the bar next door. Completely unbothered. It was one of the most unexpectedly perfect things I saw the whole trip.

Day 10: Day 3 Osaka

By this point we were running on fumes and we both knew it. We had a whole list of things planned but took one look at each other and decided the city could wait. Sometimes the best travel days are the ones where you just let go of the plan.

We started with breakfast at a place called Unreal, which lived up to the name. I had the most giant french toast and Danny had a croissant sandwich. It was exactly the kind of meal that makes everything feel okay.

From there we just wandered. Antique shops, neighborhood streets, no agenda. After days of temples and trains and checking things off lists it felt like a relief to just exist somewhere without rushing.

That evening we did teamLab Botanical Garden in Osaka, an outdoor installation woven through a real botanical garden at night. It was stormy looking and super windy, which actually made it feel quieter and more intimate. Fewer people, moody atmosphere, light installations glowing against the dramatic sky. It was a beautiful way to close out the trip before flying home the next day.

Day 11: Heading Home

Our flight wasn't until 4pm so we gave ourselves a slow morning and a late breakfast. We found the fluffiest pancakes I have ever seen in my life. I am not exaggerating. They were almost comically tall and absolutely worth every minute it took to eat them.

After ten days of go go go it felt right to ease out gently. We made our way to Kansai International, which was a surprise we did not see coming. The airport is built on an artificial island in the bay, so you take a bridge out over the water to get there. After everything we had seen and done over the past ten days, somehow even the airport managed to be interesting.