Japan.

Japan at first glance: impeccable. There I was looking like a bum after my flight from Vietnam while everyone around me at the train station wore his or her work attire. Each person on a mission to his or her next destination and no one misses a beat while on this path. The legends are true, the people, and the community as a whole are kind, considerate, helpful and patient people. For instance, the learning curve of the subway system is always a hard one (especially after a plane ride and holding all your luggage) but there was a line of about 20 people behind me patiently waiting as I learn how to insert my ticket into the machine. If I were in any other country – especially America – there were would have been eye-rolls and lots of heavy sighs.

My first stop in Japan was Osaka because I came to Japan to do one thing well, which was to eat delicious street food. As always, first mission is to find something to fill my already very spoiled belly – what’s open 24 hours – Ichiran Ramen. The infamous ramen chain that is all the rage and that always has a long queue. It did not disappoint, for around $8.00 USD, you can fill your belly with arguably the best chain ramen in the world. Over the next three weeks I ate at this place several times because being a solo traveler this place makes it super easy. Well, honestly, Japan is paradise for solo eaters. No judgments when you state you are a party of one. Osaka is best known for Dotonbori street- this place is busy, crowded, young and full of excitement. All you do is eat, drink and shop. What more can you ask for? Stay away on the weekends and holidays if you do like being in super crowded environments (but its pretty much busy all day long).

Kyoto was once the capital of Japan and you can tell it’s age – not because its worn but because of the architecture. The shrines and temples were magnificent- which can be seen all over the internet and social media. Fun fact, shrines practice Taoism and temples practice Buddhism. When you think of Japan, you automatically picture high tech and modern but if you really think about it, this country's infrastructure was built thousands of years ago. So if you look closely, you can see how they strategically engineered their ancient cities into current modern-day empires. An example is the type of transportation being used, which are much smaller in size and almost futuristic like. The vehicles are built to fit their smaller roadways and buildings- its amazing to think that when this place was originally built there were no vehicles being used or massive transportation trucks needed to aid society. I don't know, maybe I just think too much. Ha!

Tokyo was like a dream, you walk the city of Shinjuku and you are in complete disbelief. It’s like a dreamland for adults. I could not stop smiling, looking around made me feel like the happiest I have ever felt in my life. Just giddy because it was so remarkable that I was seeing this great place with my very own eyes. Harajuku was a scary nightmare to get through but I get the appeal. It is known for some of the best independent store shopping in all of Japan - sneaker and clothing shops that are truly unique and a great destination for contemporary streetwear. Tokyo is a huge city, it felt like 10 New York Cities with each district being distinct and full of character. This city was complete 180 from Kyoto and Osaka because it is crowded, single file lines everywhere you go - millions of people all in one place and you feel it when you are there. Thankfully, its organized and a very considerate atmosphere. It's the quietest major city I have ever visited - you step into a street with no cars and you hear nothing - its unbelievable how many people live in this city but you never hear a car horn or people shouting. Of course, its also SUPER CLEAN.

The best view I had in Japan was on the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka - I got a great view of Mount Fuji. It was a super clear day and I nearly saw the base of the mountain to the summit. It was beautiful and I screamed out of pure joy. I wasn't able to capture a photo on my camera but I did get a quick snapshot on my phone. I love mountain-scapes so I will cherish that image forever.

Honestly, I never craved Japanese food in the states, - sushi, yes. However, I was never into ramen or udon but like the saying goes - its because you never had the dish prepared well. Japanese culture focuses on perfection - both in presentation and the taste. Like its culture, some of the food is understated but is delicious because its prepared with care. Some of my favorite foods: kake udon with vegetable tempura, tonkostu ramen, okonomiyaki, 7-11 onigiri, Lawson’s katsu and egg sandwiches, A-5 Kobe beef (from Kobe, Japan), o’toro sushi, beef croquettes, fresh strawberries, melons, soft serve ice cream with honey. Ha, this list is extensive. I was there for 3 full weeks and these were the items I ate more than once. So delicious.

I could go on forever about Japan but I'll just leave you with a few of my favorite photos.