1. How to plan the perfect trip to Japan

Brief overview: In October 2024, I went on a magical trip that took in Osaka, Nagoya, some art islands, and Tokyo. This article is the introduction for why and how I planned the trip of my dreams. Follow along step by step and you, too, can have the perfect trip…or at least be briefly distracted by reading mine: a 10 day tour in the autumn in Japan where everything pretty much goes right. Join me! Here’s: HOW TO PLAN THE PERFECT TRIP TO JAPAN! (with photos!)

This is not Japan. It is the front yard of my home. Also it’s a measure of the kind of photos I’ll post of Japan.

Are you ready? Let’s begin:

YOUR STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO PLANNING THE PERFECT JAPAN TRIP BEGINS IN COLLEGE, in the 90s.

1. Find a genuine reason to go.

In your junior year, request an ESL roommate. She might also be called ELA (mine was). It is important she arrive into your life speaking not one word of English, slight and delicate featured, shorter than you, with waist-long glossy black hair and a delighted but yes, demure smile, right out of a picture book of children’s happy stereotypes of beautiful Japan. Make sure she…