Hello or should I say konnichiwa!? How are you? 💗 HOW am I even writing this post? Life has felt like such a magical daze lately and you can probably tell why! For my birthday my sister surprised me with a trip to Japan!!! Somewhere I’ve wanted to go to for ages, dreams I thought would have to wait and yet it’s happened and I’m just eternally grateful to have gotten to experience this with my sister and I hope to share the time we had there with you too! I know I’ll enjoy looking back on this as well so it had to make it to the blog! 💫🤣 There was good and bad which I’ll tell you about today 🤒. I have posted way more photos over on my Instagram which you can go to by clicking here, there are too many to share on the blog so if you wanna see more then go there!
Also, I have uploaded an audio called “The tea on my trip to Japan” over on The Cosy Corner, so head on over and listen for some behind the scenes gold!
So! I am origonally from the UK and I live in Ireland so I’ve been back and forth over the years but I’ve never been anywhere else, neither has my sister so this trip was mahoosive for us! Our 3rd time on a plane. I felt nervous but mega excited at the same time when I was told via a handmade travel scrapbook we were going and I almost screamed the house down (luckily the roof is still intact, touch wood 😂). My sister had been planning for months and had my family all in knots trying to keep it a secret! All I knew was that I had to save money for something and I had blog posts typed out and ready to go + I had also recorded audios for The Cosy Corner in advance! When I found out, everyone was telling me this would be a once in a lifetime trip and I couldn’t quite believe it myself! ✨️
The nerves built into a crescendo as can be expected but the following days were action station as we set about preparing but for the most part my wonderful sis had already done the legwork of it all like travel insurance and doctors letters. She’d done up an itinerary that I could add to and she was just well…the amazing sis that she is! We’re so close and I still just can’t believe this was possible 🥹🫶🏽. A week before we were to leave we went clothes shopping and got luggage tags and locks for our suitcases (this side of things was my parents gift to me amongst other things to do with the trip – and Conan Gray tickets for next year but don’t get me started! 😭😍). My sister and I also surprised eachother with books to read on the flights too! 📚 (mine was Tart by Becki Jayne Crossley and the one I got for my sis was Bright Young Women by Jessical Knoll).
I got excited packing a little bit each night and charging my old phones as I had places typed out that I wanted to see on the notes apps but I didnt know which phone it would be on 🤣 just looking back at my hopes and dreams made me so emotional 🫣. Luckily I had finished my Christmas shopping (The Cosy Corner peeps know all about it!) and that last week I wrapped and shipped out any gifts for family/friends so I felt all prepped and good to go!
On the morning of the flight we had to leave the house super early to get to Dublin airport on time and we remembered to take note of where the car was parked this time as we couldnt find it when we returned from the London trip earlier this year 🤣 and after going through security and all that jazz we got to hang out in the private lounge (a prezzie from my parents) so we had breakfast there but I was super careful what I ate as I was aware that we wouldnt be taking travel tablets for the first flight (we were saving for the longer flight later on).
My sister had sent me all the info and tickets and the first flight would be to Amsterdam from Dublin and then onto Osaka, Japan! (Whoop whoop 🫨). The flight to Amsterdam was only an hour and a half (and my sis and I shared headphones to listen to a crime podcast) but the Osaka one was the trickster….over 12 bloody hours 😬 (14 on the way back!). Our first ever time on a plane was earlier this year to London (a little over an hour) so this was the real test of our abilities! 🤣 I listened to music and watched movies on the flight entertainment system (I never did finish the Minecraft movie tho). I listened to some CMAT, ELO, Zara Larsson, Oasis but they had no BTS! The Shame of it!
The food on the plane was delicious! Chicken and rice (the chicken tasted of teriyaki!) with pickles and gherkins and a bread roll. Then the bad stuff started to happen, I had a health scare within the last hour of the flight but I lived to tell the tale and in real time, I’m getting seen to about it! 🙌 This experience was scary but it’s made me take notice of certain things personally that it’s important to be in the know about so that everything will be okay in the future. This kinda fastpedaled our arrival in Japan but once the actual holiday got started, there was no stopping my sister and I! Oh, and there was Christmas music at the airport which was so special 🥹🤣.
We got a train to our hotel (We stayed at the Dotonbori Hotel and it was perfect! Especially once my sister figured out the air con! And our beds were so comfy! They sprinkled flower petals on the bed and gave sweets + a card saying happy birthday to me) and after a rest we ventured out into the streets of Japan with rumbly tummies and nauseous vibes from the fast train in search of dinner which turned out to be wagyu beef skewers and Kura sushi! (Don’t worry, I won’t be prattling on about all the food in this post, I’ll save that for the socials, this post is long enough as it is 😂). Kura sushi, like many of the food haunts we ventured to, was on our itinerary and we ended up also having it the night before we returned home as we thought it would be wise to stick to something we knew would stay down on the flight 🤢🤣.
The next day we went to so many places and even had a lond rest in-between trips! Strolling down Shinsaibashi-Suji shopping street, the bts magic shop, daiso, the Parko Mall ghibli shop, kiddyland and we went to get ichiran ramen (which was on itinerary), before popping to Lawsons on the corner. It was so much fun and I forgot about the whole airplane ordeal, I just had a lot an awesome time with my sister and we were both in such high spirits. In general for the entire trip, I’m so proud of us for finding our way around and to this day we still can’t believe we did it. We did quite a bit each day half through careful planning and half going with the flow and it feels strange to be out of that now I’m home as we were so in it but I guess thats what makes it a holiday, it’s different from what you’re used to! 🌺
We Prepared ourselves that evening as we knew that the next day we had the Ghibli Park booked (that was part of the birthday surprise) and there was hesitation over whether or not we’d make it but everything worked out. We got our IC travel cards on that first full day and set out the next morning laden with snacks from Lawson, 7eleven and Familymart as we’d be missing the hotels breakfast. The hotel offered free water refills so we were well stocked up on the essentials! Navigating train stations was so much fun and I felt like a proper tourist!
Ghibli park was INCREDIBLE. I had a migraine on the way home but it was oh so worth it. We bought an umbrella with us because it was so sunny and we wanted cover and it came in handy for this bright day 🌞. That day we caught two buses buses over 40 mins each and two trains a little over 2 hours each so that was our roundtrip and we did it! We got lost about where to go in the first train station but on the way home in Nagoya it was way easier because the station only does Kintetsu trains and that was what took us back to Osaka. I know I sound like a broken record but I still can’t believe we navigated all that and I didnt feel sick on this slower train, just a migraine.
My sister treated me to so much for my birthday from the ghibli warehouse and I’m so grateful! (I’m currently editing a haul video to share as well so keep an eye on my Instagram, Tiktok & Youtube!). We didnt get to see everything (like Mononoke Village but we heard it wasnt that great) and we saw the majority. I’d for sure go back there tho!! Driving on the cat bus twice was so much fun!!! Just going through nature and thinking: This is Japan! Was so magical ✨️. Back at Dotonbori we tried Takoyaki for the first time and also got gyoza as a kind of makeshift dinner but the Takoyaki was not our jam. We did so many steps this day!!! More than ive ever done since getting my fitbit I think 🤯.
Getting back to our hotel at the end of each trip felt so beautiful 😪. The hotel became our safe space, whenever we were worried or homesick and that kind of felt like a magical feeling in itself. Just getting back, putting on a gamer we watch at home on youtube and making the space our own ✨️. It was tough at times and we would miss family and home but we really tried to have fun and that we did!
Japan is a completely different way of life! Its sooooo busy at night, whereas in ireland its barren whenever I go out with shops closed but they’re open and thriving in Japan. We had learnt basic japanese but everyone would speak English as well as that to us which was very kind of them. Everyone was super friendly and helpful. It didn’t feel like I was in Japan and yet at the same time it did if that makes sense? 🤔 I knew I wasn’t in Ireland but I just couldn’t bring myself to believe just how far away I was from home. It felt surreal being there like we kept reminding eachother we were actually in Japan! It doesnt feel like something that would happen to us and yet it did. It was on my vision board so should we say I manifested it?? 😵 My sister and I really bonded and from the get-go, it was a special time for us.
On the third full day we kept it local but still wanted to kick some things off the itinerary that sounded fun and I wanted to buy gifts. We woke up a little later for breakfast as we’d gotten up so early the day before, then we relaxed until around 1.30pm (we fell asleep! 🤣) and then made tracks for a pancake place (Colony EQI) my sis wanted to go to from the itinerary and MY GOODNESS, it was the most delicious pancake I have ever had 🥲. It was so wobbly!!, We then went to a market to look for gifts before heading on to Don Quijote.
I was compelled to buy a Wicked bath bomb in Lush after watching a demonstration (I’m so easy 🤣), in Amerikamura’s BB Garage (second hand brilliance if you ask me!) I got my dad a gift, then we went to the cinnamoroll cafe, market street and a claw machine arcade. On a whim we booked a room for karaoke for an hour 🎤. We only aimed to go to the market and yet we did so much more. We did Christmas songs in Karaoke and it was so magical and we were just having a laugh. After that we got dinner so that we didnt have to go back out into the hustle and bustle later on as the evening before had just been too much anxiety wise. If you wanna see what we ate then keep an eye on my socials 😉. When we went to pay for dinner they said they don’t accept card, but we’d already spent our cash for the day so I sat and waited while my sister ran down to the bank which was only a minute or so away, luckily the restaurant staff were completely fine about it! 😅 rule of thumb: always have cash on you when you can in Japan! 🤣
Aches were a given with chronic pain so we knew we couldnt make it to Tokyo, it would have been unrealistic, especially after the health scare on the flight but this wont be the last time we go to japan, thats for sure.
On the 4th day i hadn’t slept all night, my mind was just racing but we still had a nice day ahead. We went to get cheese and custard coins from on the itinerary, Don Quijote again, Americamura again to grab another gift for my dad that I had seen the day before, we actually went to the wrong store first another branch and my sister got a Beatles book for my dad in there so getting lost was a good thing!
We then went to kushikatsu for lunch which was on the itinerary and was delicious (I still dream about it 🤤 I think it was my fav meal from the entire trip), then loads of different gachapon shops and when i was going down the stairs to one I twisted my ankle and stood all my weight down on it and it swelled up real fast 🙃. At least i didn’t fall down the stairs tho! I was so embarrassed for the trip up but these things happen or at least thats what I keep telling myself.
We then got drinks with designs ontop and I got the duolingo bird because they’ve got me through my stay in japan and I’m over 1065 days with my streak! 🤓 and my sister got a labubu design. My drink was caramel milk and my sisters was chocolate, mine was nicer if u must know! 🤣 Then we went above the drink store (that also sold acai bowls!) and fired our own beef cutlets!! And i also tried my first ever proper shrimp (I’ve had crisps flavoured with shrimp b4 but never actual shrimp. I hate prawn so it was a risk but I loved the battered shrimp!! The food cooked so fast and was so neat. By now my ankle was aching so we made our way back to the hotel around 6pm (it was only a five min walk) and I spent the rest of the evening with my leg up with ice. I was tempted to use my lush wicked bath bomb but then I found out that baths aren’t good for sprains so luckily I didn’t.
Unlike the title of this post tries to portray, the trip didnt end horribly, it almost did because of my clumsiness tho. Japan felt like another home. Everyone kept pointing out my Hello Kitty top, Penneys finest and they’ll never know 🤣. My sister went to the smaller dotonbori Don Quijote to get me a bandage and surprised me woth some coolish icecream which id said I wanted again that morning 🥹🫶🏽 I’d fallen in love with it, it tasted of a KFC milky bar krushem 🤣. That reminds me, we went to a water shrine that day too (theres so much I’m leaving out I think but oh well!), it was so nice and at another shrine we prayed. On this day, my sister won sooooo much in the claw machine arcades, shes really good at it and gave a lot of the stuff to me. Over the course of our stay I won a few bits too but I mostly stuck to the gachapon machines as then you are guaranteed to get something!
In this very different country it was even more fun imagining the lifes led by the people we passed in the street. Each time we ate when we were out we tried to be respectful and sit down instead of standing and we got to try so many new flavours. Each day was better than the last and ended up being a blur so thank god we took photos to remember it all. I’ll post a lot over on Instagram so be ready for even more Japan content!
On the fifth day I slept 11 hours!! It felt so good. We got French toast delivered to the hotel for breakfast as we’d missed the hotels included breakfast (uber first time and I had apple cinnamin with vanilla ice-cream and a mixed berry smoothie. My ankle still hurt but not as bad. We had breakfast in bed watching MAFs australia on youtube. It felt cosy and the food was super tasty! Today’s mission was to rest, pack and go to a few local places like the Gigo claw machine arcade so my sister could try get a kirby. We also went to a micro pig cafe which was hectic but super cute! 🐖
Packing was surprisingly easy. I thought it’d be tricky as we’d bought so much but we didnt want to get an extra suitcase. Everything fit and weighed the correct amount. We went out and got potato swirl sticks before heading to the claw machines. I won a statue of a girl reading! (Hellfire to fit in a suitcase 🤣). We popped into a different Don Quijote and got more gifts for family Tax free and had a late lunch (pork bun familymart) and Karagge chicken and rice for dinner with Dango for dessert, ive tried it b4 in Dublin but this was way nicer. My ankle felt completely better by the evening but then my shoulder started hurting and I didnt know why.
The sixth day was where things get a bit tricky as my note taking skills left me, part of me feels like THIS was the day I sprained my ankle. My apologies for the mix up, I was living in the moment so it’s all got a bit jumbled up but come on, something had to go wrong! 🤣. Can I just say now that we didnt forget to pack anything! I’m still in shock about that tbh, I’m not overly organised so it’s a win 🤣. I think this day we had Dearbros omurice delivered to the hotel and it was incredible (chefs kiss 😚).
Every day it felt fun being a tourist! This was our first proper holiday ever to somewhere we’ve never been before. People were surprised when we spoke Japanese and appeared to be grateful we knew a little bit. It just all felt so surreal and I tried to soak it. It felt like I was actually living and not just existing (not that you need to travel to do that) it just really helped my depression and I feel way more confident. It’s given me a good boost. And back at home? I am grateful for the roof over my head, the comfort and the love but this made me appreciate it even more!
On Monday, we went to see the Namba Shrine and then I surprised my sister and took her to katsudon chiyomatsu as she wanted to go there. We got strawberry tanghulu afterwards and it was so refreshing. Of course we had to make one last trip to Don quijote to get some false nails and ghibli towels I contemplated over a previous day and I was so happy with them. We had a nice walk and it was very warm for Autumn. Then we went to the katsuo-ji Temple as my sister really wanted to (I wanted it to be like a thank you for a lovely trip). On the bus back we were packed like sardines but if thats the only negative I can think of then it can’t be bad.
That last night we decided on a whim to go to Shinsekai and that was where, like I mentioned at the very beginning in amongst gachapon and claw machines, we got Kura sushi again! This just popped into my head: for the entire trip it was a real effort to make sure I said arigato and not afogato ☕️🤣.
On the morning of our flight home we enjoyed one last hotel breakfast a bit scared for the flight home after what happened on the way there but knowing my family, pets & friends were on the other side of that journey made it all worth it. We got a taxi to the airport and the journey home was alright with a few notable events including the fact that my carry on bag broke, we upgraded seats on the short flight (sisters treat!), KLM was down so we had to wait and Ireland was and still is COLD 🥶.
It felt so good getting in my sisters car on our homeland!! It feels so good to be home and nice that you can want that and someplace else at the same time. Japan was incredible. We would never have guessed what with the bad health episode on the plane that everything would make up for it. It was breathtaking. I feel so much more confident and stronger, almost as though I can do anything at home now (Within reason) if I did so much far away.
My sister was great company and now we’ve got the travel bug and want to go more places 🤣. I will hold these memories close in my heart forever. Stuff like this doesnt happen to people like us and yet here we are in this predicament! There were places we didn’t get to go to for obvious reasons but next time and there will be a next time, we’ll go there! I have no doubts 🙌.
We’re gonna miss it, it felt so comfortable. Everyone just minded their own business and was kind. Not that people aren’t kind in ireland, it just felt so different. But I love living in Ireland, its home to me and I’m glad I’m back. We got so much done every day!! So unlike me 🤣. When our trip came to an end we didnt want it to. But its not the end, its only the beginning. I give the hotel we stayed at 5 stars and would stay there again a million times over (the only problem was a smell from the drains but hay ho 😇😂).
It really has been life changing. I’ve shown myself that if I dont know something then I can learn how to do it! 🫡 I live in the countryside so it was very different for me but we just fell into it and seemed to thrive. Now tho, I can’t stop saying thank you in japanese instinctively 🤣 and the morning after we got home I woke up in fear after a late night of sleep thinking I had to wake up and take a train, as you can imagine it was lovely when I realised I was already at home!! 😅 Settling back in has been tricky with the time difference (9 hours) but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
I can’t be sad its over because im just glad it happened at all 💫. I’m gonna scrapbook it, you should see all the papers I’ve collected (I knew hoarding would come in handy! 🤣). The craft will hopefully capture the moments but for now, they are firmly embedded on my mind. It really was the trip of a lifetime and wherever we go next will have to play a good ball game in order to beat it! 🏀
So to answer the question of how the holiday ended? Well I guess it’s pretty clear to see that I have been forever changed. I’m currently trying to not make the fact that I’ve been to Japan a personality trait 🫠🤣. I’d love to know where you’ve been in life! Where is the furthest place you’ve traveled to from where you live? 🌎 Maybe you’ve been to Japan too? Or maybe its on the other side of the globe. Be sure to comment your answer down below and I’m sorry for the super long blog post (but maybe you liked that? I don’t know, I didn’t wanna split it in half, I just wanted it up and out! 😂). If you want more then head on over for a listen to The Cosy Corner where I don’t stop chatting and theres something for everyone! 🫢🤣 Also be sure to check out my Instagram, Tiktok or YouTube for even more content including videos and photos not shared here uploaded daily 📸.
I’ve gotta go now but I’m so happy that this moment in time has been documented here on the blog. I’ve gotta get scrapbooking to properly cement the memory now! Gonna get my crafty pants on 🎨😂. I hope that this post took you along on the journey and I look forward to hearing about your ventures too 😊. Take care, stay safe & buh-bye! Have a wonderful day/night 😉💕
Elsie LMC 
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