Wrapping my trip to Japan

Now that I am done blogging about my trip to Japan and Indonesia. It’s time to do a wrap up. This is my first trip of 2023 and the first time I have been to Asia in several years! There was a lot to look forward to. And I think everything worked out great in the end! If you’ve spent the time to read through the trip, Thank You! If you haven’t and want to, you can find the whole trip here. Here we go!

Top 3 Highlights

Highlight #1: The Sapporo Snow Festival

The main reason for my trip to Japan this time is to visit the Sapporo Snow Festival. Being someone that enjoys winter travel (often) more than summer travel, a festival devoted to snow is right up my alley! After years of cancellation due to the pandemic, it’s finally open and I’m happy to attend! I dedicated a full day to explore the festival in its entirety. However, since it’s a multi-day event, I did find myself popping in and out whilst exploring other attractions in the area. The sheer scale and detail of the ice and snow sculptures is crazy and the whole place really is a winter wonderland. Add to it the amazing food in Sapporo and this is easily a memorable few days!

Highlight #2:  Day trip to Nikka Whisky

As much as going to the Snow Festival was a priority. Finding myself at one of Japan’s famous Whisky distilleries was equally high on my list. So taking a day to travel a little ways away from Sapporo to visit the Nikka Yoichi Distillery is my second highlight.  Not only do you get to see the attention to detail that Nikka has towards their whisky production. Or get to sample some pretty excellent expressions. You also get to tour the grounds with snow on the ground. Visiting during winter really adds a little something extra. Add to it that beautiful train ride to get here and it easily is one of my top memories for this trip.

Highlight #3: Some Special Flights To and From Japan!

Getting to and from Japan is my third highlight. Being a bit of an aviation geek, I’ve always been fascinated with unique flights and routes. My way to get across the pacific is one such flight. At the time of this writing it is the longest commercial flight in the world and I got to fly all 19 hours of it! The plane itself is configured so that there isn’t an economy class section on it, so its not your average A350! While the flight started with excitement by the end, I was ready to be on solid ground again! But the memory of this flight will last a lifetime!

While the flight home doesn’t break or set any records, it is one of the more luxurious flights I’ve taken. That’s because my flight home from Japan is in ANA’s new First Class Suite. Ever since seeing these redesigned pods I knew I wanted to give them a try. So with a little careful planning I was able to get myself booked and enjoy a very comfortable and fancy ride home. Adding to the experience is the excellent Japanese cuisine served onboard and a few rare spirits that made it even more memorable!

Favourite Meal

It’s hard to pick just one meal to highlight in a country that is known for its culinary excellence! But push come to shove, the one I will choose are my two visits to Ginza Kagari. The first being a bit of a spur of the moment visit and the second being a repeat because I enjoyed the first so much. I’ve always been a fan of noodles in soup and Japan has so many offerings of this its hard to stand out sometimes. So when I had heard of a place that serves “Chicken Ramen” I knew I needed to try. My research suggests this place is often busy. So I was pleasantly surprised upon scoping it out the first time that the line wasn’t that long.

Maybe the night of my first visit was a bit cold and rainy, or its just that good. But I just remember it really really hitting the spot for me. So much so that I made it my last Japanese dinner before going home. The broth is rich, warm and flavorful.  It is made from a chicken base which is unique and even has an option for wontons (another weakness of mine!). All in all I will probably seek this place out again should I ever find myself in Tokyo again!

If I could change the itinerary…

I would sadly cut Jakarta out. One of the reasons for my visit was to maximize a flight reward and the other was to check another country off my list. However, in retrospect, as interesting as my experiences in Jakarta were. I don’t think its “the place” to visit in Indonesia and I can understand why most tourists prefer Bali over Jakarta. Nonetheless I still enjoyed my time in the capital. Instead I would probably take the few days I allotted and either give myself more time in Hokkaido or even around the Hakone region.

Also, while I don’t regret spending so much time in Tokyo, I do find myself a little “Tokyo’d” out. So having extra days in other parts of Japan would certainly be valuable!

What surprised me?

To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure why this is surprising to me. Especially since I’ve been to Japan before! But what surprised me is that everything “just works”. Time and time again, I would find myself getting to train platforms, bus stops and even airports early. Only to find myself waiting for the scheduled departure time since things are rarely late and almost always run on time. Maybe I’ve been jaded by travel horror stories in North America and other parts of the world. But I seemed to have this habit of ensuring I have ample time in case something “goes wrong” but it never did.

In fact, on my way back from Hakone, I needed to go straight to the airport to catch my flight up to Sapporo. However, I didn’t account for a JRPass pickup queue and time to retrieve my bag from a locker. This left me with less than an hour before check-in for my flight. In North America, arriving an hour prior to your flight typically spells trouble. Not in Japan. They checked me in, and got me through security in minutes. I had about a half hour to spare before the first boarding call was made. Things just work well there!

One memorable story from this trip

While in Hakone and taking photos of the view from the top of the mountain. I find myself quite sensitive to hearing English phrases now and then from other travellers. Well one of them asks me to help take a photo and I oblige. Realizing we both speak English we strike up a conversation and then include another English speaking traveller. We decide to get some drinks at the bar and continue the conversation. After swapping a travel story or two I find out that one of my new friends lives about half an hour from my home in Canada! Usually you meet a fellow Canadian, or a fellow “west coaster”. But to actually find someone from your own home town really emphasizes what a small world we live in! We end up exchanging contact info and intend to keep in touch when we’re both back on Canadian Soil.

Did I pack appropriately?

Yes! I think I did this time. Especially with the changing climates, from the heat of Jakarta to the cold of Hokkaido. There were a few instances (like stepping off the train in Sapporo for the first time.) that I might have questioned my packing choices. But ultimately throwing on all the winter gear I packed resolved those apprehensions.

The one thing I did struggle with is the actual luggage. My plan was to use my trusty Osprey Farpoint as my primary luggage. The thinking being that I’m moving around a lot and having a backpack vs a rigid suitcase would be beneficial. But similar to what surprised me about Japan, accessibility is really good. So while I was lugging around everything on my shoulders, I very well could have been pushing or pulling it on wheels the whole time. It probably would have saved me a little strain in the long run.

Regrets?

My biggest regret is not dedicating enough time in Otaru. Prior to my visit, I really wanted to spend some time in Otaru especially if their winter light festival was running. However, as I wrote about, the scheduling didn’t work out. Ultimately, if I could have stayed to experience that festival and explore this town more I would have. I only got to spend an afternoon here and what little I did see, I LOVED. So for me a winter return to this beautiful town is certainly in the cards.

Advice for people considering similar trips/destinations?

Hokkaido in the winter is MAGICAL. While winter travel isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I would highly recommend it if you can stomach the cold. Whether it’s the gorgeous white landscapes, the “wintery” feel of some of the “snowiest” cities in the world or the cuisine that comes from this unique climate. Hokkaido is fast becoming my favourite place in Japan (and I’ve only been once!). So my advice is, pack some long johns, throw on a winter coat and GO! It is a beautiful part of the world that is often overshadowed by other major places in Japan. So you can even consider it a bit of a hidden gem?

Final thoughts?

This trip has been a long time in the making. I originally had a lot of this itinerary setup for 2021, then re-booking for 2022. However, Japan didn’t re-open to tourism until the end of 2022. So in 2023 I’m finally able to take this trip. And what a trip it’s been. To check so many things off my list has almost been therapeutic! To discover new things I never intended for is exciting.

Japan is popular destination and loved by so many people and I’m no different. The last time I visited, we went south and I loved it. This time I went north and loved it even more! The culture is unique, the natural beauty immense and the people are warm and kind. The food is to die for and can be had at the fanciest places or the most “convenient” places. I am happy to have visited and cannot wait to come back!

As I write this wrap up, I’m reminded of the time near the end of my trip. When I am lounging at my hotel bar and simply feeling grateful. Realizing I am fortunate to be able to do this as much as I do. I am thankful that even falling sick, I was able to recover and continue this trip. It makes me appreciate my health and ability to explore even more. And I am well aware that this blessing of travel is just that, a blessing! So it is with these thoughts of gratitude and contentment that I will close the chapter on this trip. And with excitement and a rewed sense of adventure I look forward to the next one!