Explore: Japan

Osaka’s Dotonbori district.

Of all the places we've traveled, Japan might be the one that's stuck with me the most — and we've been lucky enough to go twice.

Nijo castle in Osaka.

The first trip took us through Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima. We went with friends who connected us with people they knew locally, so instead of just hitting the postcard spots, we got an actual local's take on Osaka and Kyoto. We still covered all the major sights, but the real highlight was the food — sushi, ramen, udon, and pretty much anything else we could get our hands on.

Tokyo city view with Mt. Fuji in background. Exceptionally clear morning.

Our second trip was more recent, in January of this year, when my little sister and her husband met us in Tokyo. We spent a few days working through the major hubs of the city — TeamLab was honestly the coolest single experience of the whole trip, unlike anything I'd seen before. Lots of walking, lots of eating, lots of just taking it all in. From there we took the train out to Hakuba Valley for four days of what everyone calls "Japow" — and it lived up to the hype. It snowed every single day but the last. Our hotel had both indoor and outdoor onsen, and there were wild monkeys wandering around the whole property — including, memorably, on our deck, where they left more than footprints.

Catching a chair lift at Happo-One ski resort in Hakuba Valley.

Japan is genuinely one of my favorite countries we've ever traveled to. The people, the culture, the history, the whole bushido mindset, the trains, the cleanliness — it's just a different level of thoughtfulness in everything. If it's not on your list yet, it should be. Everyone should go at least once.

Just another unreal meal in Japan! Unagi and Waygu beef.