A few weeks ago I got a notification from Facebook that it has been 2 years since I went to Japan. Needless to say, I then went down memory lane & immediately wished I was back in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto & Hiroshima exploring that great country. So to cure my nostalgia, I thought I would write a blog outlining the itinerary I planned (yes, I am one of THOSE people who plans trips. I even planned when I could have free time).

Day 1

I travelled from Brisbane to Cairns. Had a 4 hour stop over in Cairns, then travelled to Tokyo. That day dragged on for so long, but it was so worth it. I arrived in Tokyo at approximately 11pm local time, but the city was still buzzing. It was an assault on the senses.

This what most buildings looked like & when you saw a few of them in a row - it was an assault on the senses!

Day 2

After a well deserved rest, I made my way to one of the train stations & purchased my JR Rail Pass. As I was going to be in Japan for 15 days, I was forced to get a 14 day rail pass. This was one of the biggest expenses for this holiday (aside from the accommodation), as it was roughly $500 AUD per pass. But it paid for itself in the long run as getting around Japan via rail is the ONLY way of commuting. This day I had also arranged my ticket & bus fare to Fuji Q Highland (activity booked for Day 3)

That afternoon, I had planned to do a Food Tour through Urban Adventures. The tour was FANTASTIC & of course, there were a few fellow Australians in the tour. Link for the tour I booked is below:

https://www.urbanadventures.com/tokyo-tour-tokyo-after-5

I had booked a food tour with this company before, in Malaysia - so I had high hopes & I was not disappointed. Our group went to a yakitori bar & had the most amazing yakitori (skewered BBQ chicken). We then went to Tsukishima & tasted Monja-yaki, which was also delicious. For dessert, we visited a confectionery shop where we learned about wagashi. I had never had this before & I became hooked. This tour was a little expensive, but it was well worth it & I highly recommend it.

Day 3

When I was booking this holiday, I wanted to make sure I saw a lot of cool attractions. I found out about this Theme Park called Fuji Q Highland a few weeks beforehand & it caught my eye. Fuji Q Highland is based right near Mount Fuji, so I really wanted to go (mainly to see Mount Fuji). They have this Zombie Walk through that was highly recommended & it looked like a lot of fun. So on my 2nd day in Tokyo, I went to this travel agency in Tokyo where I booked a bus ticket, as well as my theme park ticket.

The drive out to the theme park was so beautiful. We drove near the infamous Suicide Forest (Aokigahara) - which was super eery, but beautiful nonetheless. The weather was a tad cool in Tokyo that morning, so I dressed accordingly. However, once I arrived at Fuji Q Highland, I was FREEZING. So my tip, take an extra jumper! The theme park was a little outdated, but it was still super fun. The zombie walk through was so scary! I have never been so scared in my life. It is definitely not for the faint hearted.

Stay tuned for the next installments of my Japan blog.

Until next time,
Cora
x

Cover photo & photos within blog by Cora Corbett on Instagram

Japan Trip 2015: Part One