Our last day yesterday so we went to Asakusa, had wonderful food including some incredible wagyu, and did a bit of shopping.

Japan has been a revelation I’ll want to write about separately but suffice to say I’m deeply sad to be leaving this place.

Yesterday we went to Kamakura to see the Great Buddha, also saw a Great Butterfly, and went to the beach.

Spent Wednesday evening in Kabukicho - def worth a visit, especially if you’ve played the Like A Dragon games as it’s the inspiration for Kamurocho. Had drinks in the Golden Gai, met some lovely people, had far too much shochu.

There’s a Pokémon Center in the mall below it too which made me very happy

Had a very busy day on Wednesday. Went up the Tokyo Sky Tree which is just incredible views. You can book it online in advance. Tokyo: real big.

Some wandering around Tokyo yesterday - Nishiki fish market, Ginza and the crossing at Shibuya!

Had started taking for granted how quiet everyone is in Japan until I went in a cafe with a load of Americans

Last afternoon in Kyoto so we did the Philosopher’s Walk, then got the train up to Tokyo. Saw Mt Fuji out the window! Tokyo is really something else

Did the usual touristy bits in Kyoto yesterday - Nishiki Market, Kiomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari.

We’re staying in a ryokan (traditional inn) in Ohara outside Kyoto. It’s got an onsen (natural hot spring) which I love.

A brief stop-over in Kyoto yesterday on the way to our ryōkan! We saw Higashi Honganji temple and had the best ramen of my life

Yesterday we went to Nara and saw the bowing deer. They were very polite. It’s a gorgeous place. One of my favourite days so far.

Last night we went to Round One, a massive arcade (eight floors?) in Osaka. I was bad at the games I understood and worse at the rest. I regret to inform I did not, in fact, win the cuddly Piplup.

A few rare shots of Osaka that aren’t of food. This city has really grown on me.

We went to the castle today and that was lovely.

And now for my favourite part of the trip so far - retro game store Super Potato in Osaka

Yesterday we went to Ōkunoshima, an island off the Hiroshima coast famous for hundreds of very friendly wild rabbits. Definitely Lucy’s highlight of the trip so far. A stunning place.

We made it to Osaka last night - very excited to explore!

Arrived in Tadanoumi, did some exploring, ate okonomiyaki in a tiny restaurant and had a lovely chat with some locals. Definitely the hardest my Japanese has been worked since we got here, but we got there.

Today: rabbit island.

Left Nagoya today and heading towards Hiroshima - my first time on the Shinkansen!

Managed to get miso katsu on our last night in Nagoya and it did not disappoint

Things I ate in Japan, part one of many

We saw him also

I SAW HIM

Happy to report the Guinness in Japan is better than it is in England

We made it to Japan! First night mostly spent recovering from jetlag but we did have some wonderful monjayaki. Off to the F1 the next few days!