Japan Honeymoon (April 2026)
Osaka (42H)
We started our adventure flying into Osaka (KIX). Got Takoyaki & onigiri in Dontonbori before getting Yakiton (pork skewers) for dinner.
Found fresh fish at 8AM at the Osaka Fish Market (and unagi)
walked around a cute park (Daisencho park)
before exploring the shimano bike museum
SenNichiMae kitchenware street
Taste tested Vincent's cream puff
went by Osaka castle
Capped off day 2 with okonamiyaki...
...and Bar Juniper
Shimanami Kaido (34H)
Next up was our island hopping biking and eating adventure
An early train ride & train ride & ferry ride brought us down to Onomichi for our island hopping biking adventure
First island: Mukaishima Island
Bridges
Dinosaurs
More bridges
and biking
shrines
beaches
bridges
cherry blossoms
and bridges
we ate everything. day 1 snacks included: orange juice; stopped by Lawson’s for corn dog, coffee, rice ball, pocari sweat; grapefruit daifuku (amy’s favorite); croquette; quarter chicken; lemonade; lemon cake
our first ryokan stay (not pictured is the salt water onsen). Yum, enjoyed our first kaiseki dinner.
day 2 of biking got us over 110 km (68 miles), a bonus salt museum, and 6 islands crossed
Kyoto & Nara (44H)
We hustled back up to city life on the bus+train for a tempura dinner
Started our next day strong with a hotel breakfast. A beautiful walk to the train station, brought us to Fushimi Inari temple. Can you find us amongst the torii gates?
we continued to eat and shop our way through Kyoto
capping off the day with our favorite meal of the trip - an izakaya with a delightful omakase of sashimi, oden, chicken, and fish collar
(not pictured, the public bath at our hotel… so much bathing!). The next day we went down to Nara where the deer were exactly as advertised. We enjoyed a tea house with warabimochi and had some udon lunch before heading off to Hakone! Halfway through the trip!
Hakone (24H)
another train, another conbini snack run
the elusive mount fuji
sleepy hakone
getting comfy in our 2nd ryokan of the trip
celebrating... hm, not sure what we're celebrating
our fancy, deluxe kaiseki dinner
8th bath of the day
seriously. 8th bath.
private onsen (not pictured is the GORGEOUS outdoor onsen)
learning how to relax
pizza & brewery on the way out to the big city!
Tokyo (74H)
Started the big city with warayaki (straw fired grill)
before walking along a ginko tree lined street
to go to a Swallows game
Xavier bought a hat
saw shibuya crossing from above
and below
checked out THE bike shop (Blue Lug)
if we weren't walking... we were probably eating
or drinking fancy cocktails & hoppy beer
yum. omirice!
Went to sky tower to check out the pokemon center
but stumbled upon a taiwanese popup
xavier got his goods
cyndaquil is his favorite
but so is squirtle
for our last night, we found the last few tourist spots, including the 3D cat
and godzilla
rawr
yakiniku!
on our final day, we started with a delicious miso soup shop
sayonara, until next time!