Woke up around 5am again. Might as well get a real breakfast. Before doing so, I set up takuhaibin for my luggage to be shipped out to Fukuoka. I met up my friend in the lobby and we grabbed a morning coffee at the Flow lobby cafe once they opened and discussed breakfast options. Instead of opting for the mediocre hotel breakfast buffet, I scoped out a local spot nearby called Teranishi Coffee for a light breakfast. Upon entering the small cafe, the place was quite cozy with  counter seating and a few small tables adjacent. It had a nice cozy vibe with an all wooden interior and had a traditional kissaten (Japanese coffee shop) vibe. It was just what I needed as I was still recovering from that damn oyster. Sorry, Hiroshima, your oysters are trash! 

Anyway, we both enjoyed some thick toast with various homemade jams and a small salad to pair. After our light and somewhat healthy breakfast, we packed up, checked out, and cabbed it over to Hiroshima station to catch our shinkansen to Fukuoka. We arrived there quite early and grabbed some snacks and beers while we waited for the train. The shinkansen from Hiroshima to Fukuoka was only 1h2min and we arrived at Hakata station on time. It was an easy 5 minute walk to the JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom. We were early for check-in and so we had the hotel hold our bags as we explored the area. I scoped out a local tonkotsu ramen spot nearby along with the local conbinis. Afterwards, we checked out the enormous Amu Plaza and Hakata City inside Hakata station. There were tons and tons of food options ranging from hot foods, souvenir snacks, clothing, an entire mall, and a food court. After wandering, we stopped at a restaurant called Daifuku Udon Hakata. I had some soupless bukakke udon with tendon set. The food itself was okay, but during the meal there was a weird flying bug that eventually landed on my ankle and bit me. 

Definitely annoying as I was just about to enjoy my set meal. Despite this annoyance, we grabbed some stuff from the nearby Lawsons and then finally checked into our rooms. The rooms were definitely quite small and not as luxurious as our prior accommodations at Hilton Hiroshima. There also wasn't much of a view from the room as I soon found out after opening my window to only see a view of the building next door, heh. As far as location, this hotel was on the east side of Hakata station compared to our first Fukuoka trip hotel, The Blossom Hakata Premiere, which was on the west side of Hakata station. I definitely wished I had booked that prior one as this one seemed to definitely have 3 star views and accommodations. Still, trying to make the best of it, the room itself was serviceable and did the job. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that my takuhaibin luggage was waiting for me inside my room. We unpacked, settled in, and then headed off to Canal City Mall for some shopping.

We opted to use the subway system and checked out various shops in Canal City and also checked out some other nearby shops including Card Kingdom and Momotaro. Both were kind of a bust. Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel via taxi and rested up. I think nearly every day, I've had to shower 2-3 times a day because of the humidity and heat. Summer in Japan is definitely nothing to mess with! 

After resting up for a bit, it was off to the street stalls (aka yatai) for some street food. The stalls opened around 6:30pm and consists of four areas: Nagahama, Nakasu, Tenjiin, and Neo-Nakasu. I distinctly remember  Tenjin had great food, but wanted to check out other spots. We decided on Nakasu, which was dotted with various yatai stands along the river. It was pretty scenic as the sun was setting. Our first stall, we grabbed some yakitori, pork belly, and drinks. It was okay, but nothing exceptional. Then we moved onto another stall that served tempura and beef tongue. The tempura was on point! I think they may have overcharged us for the tempura possibly, but I was getting a nice buzz at this point and didn't mind. Plus the tempura was pretty tasty! Afterwards, we wandered the other yatai stall offerings and decided to check out some food trucks that were also setup along the bridge. One of them had yakisoba, so we got one order to split. It was pretty tasty and filled both of us to the brim. 

With our stomachs full to the point of exploding, we walked it off and checked out downtown Nakasu that was dotted with various izakayas, restaurants, and even some sort of concierege service for meeting Japanese girls? Very interesting....haha. I didn't partake in those services, but I was intrigued as to what the service entailed. Anyway, after wandering a bit and also trying to find Neo-Nakasu, we couldn't find any other stalls in that area. Instead, we decided to hop in a cab and check out a place nicknamed the 'Cyber Shrine' as they had neon lanterns that were lit up at night. It was a bit of a drive to get there, but luckliy our cabbie was able to drive us to the spot. Upon arriving, it was completely deserted. We were the only people. It was a bit creepy as the park was quite dark and there just seemed to be a heaviness in the air. At one point, I could hear someone talking, but I shrugged it off as perhaps someone watching tv or something. 

After snapping some photos, we luckily found another taxi driver who was taking a bathroom break. After, I asked if we could catch a ride back to Hakata station. Thankfully, he obliged and we were able to get back to the hotel with ease. I grabbed some meds for my bug bite and sore throat and did a bit of laundry before calling it a night. Tomorrow, it's our first guided tour of the trip to Takachiho Gorge and a few shrines.

Rise and shine. Woke up super early and walked over to the nearby Lawsons adjacent to Hakata station with my friend. We grabbed a few snacks from the conbini and were able to find our guide, Kaku for our Klook tour. The itinerary consisted of two shrines (Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu and Amano Iwato) and Takachiho Gorge.

The bus ride was pretty comfortable and took a few hours to get to our first shrine, Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine located in Kumamoto. We made a stop at a local michi no eki (aka rest stop) for some conbini goods to enjoy along the ride.

Once we arrived, the shrine was just a short walk from the bus parking lot. The shrine itself is unmanned and located inside a forest. After the bus parked, it was a short walk to the shrine, but the trek up the stairs was a bit of a grind in the humid heat. Nevertheless, my friend and I managed to keep up and made it to the top before most of the tour group. The views were quite striking with the stairs being surrounded by rows and rows of trees within the forest. There were a good amount of tourists there, but we were still able to take some nice photos. The top was a bit underwhelming with just a small cave, but I was still able to enjoy the scenery. I definitely got in some shinrin-yoku (aka forest bathing). All about those phytoncide benefits.

Afterwards, we hopped back on the bus and headed off to our next stop, Amano Iwato Shrine land Amanoyasukawara. The hike to Amamoyasukawara wasn't too bad as it was mostly downhill and paved with very few stairs. The path to the shrine was nice and followed a river alongside it. On the way back, I grabbed some mango ice cream, which was much needed as the humid heat was starting to hit hard. Finally, we moved onto our last stop and the one I was anticipating the most, Takachiho Gorge. It's a picturesque gorge where you can actually rent rowboats to row along the river inside the gorge. However, I was told that you needed to reserve it months in advance as it sells out very quickly. Still, I was able to enjoy views from above and snap some photos.

I managed to grab some local lemonade from the souvenir shop and enjoy some air con. Definitely was a hot summer's day, but enjoyable being immersed in nature amongst the tourists, hah. After, it was a long bus ride back, but we managed to have one last michi no eki stop before returning back to Hakata station. Our tour guide also gifted all the passengers some chestnut cookies. They were okay, but a bit too bland for my tastes. After resting at the hotel for a bit, we checked out the Nagahama yatai area. To my disappointment, there were only a handful of yatai stalls there and it had more of a local vibe. I don't think I saw a single tourist there at all. Still, my friend and I enjoyed some food at the Nagahama shimin kyujo yatai and watched a baseball game stream on their small ipad they had mounted above the yatai stall. We enjoyed some yaki ramen, yakitori, and some gyoza. I had found a yatai stall with Chinese food on the yatai map, but it seemed like they changed their menu to all mentaiko stuff. Gross. No arigato. A bit disappointed, we headed to Tenjin, where I knew we would be able to get some better yatai food.

As we walked around, I immediately recognized the old yatai from our last trip two years ago with their distinct sign and in the same location nestled adjacent to some skyscrapers. We ordered some yaki ramen, mochi gyoza, and chicken. I believe the yatai stall is called Kiyanagi, or at least according to Google Translate. They have a distinct yellow noren sign. Definitely a must every time I'm in Fukuoka. We were sat next to two European ex-pats who were friendly enough to give us some local restaurant recommendations and chatted us about our current trip plans. After stuffing ourselves to the limit, we cabbed it back to rest. I enjoyed a nice long bath to ease my achy legs and to melt away some of the fatigue from the long tour. Another guided tour tomorrow. Might've been dumb of me to book two full day tours back to back, but it is what it is. Let's goooooooo.

Woke up early again for another full day tour. This time our itinerary consisted of Kumamoto Castle, Aso Mountain, and Aso Road Station. There wasn't as much hiking involved today, which I was thankful for. Our guide for the day was Helen. She was pretty knowledgeable and guided the tour in both English, Cantonese, and Japanese. Very impressive. 

At our first stop, we checked out Kumamoto Castle. We opted to buy the museum ticket and castle entrance ticket combo. The musuem itself was quite small despite being two floors. Still, I was able to snap some goofy pics wearing some samurai kit and holding a katana. After the brief musuem tour, we headed over to the castle area. The brief walk up was exhausting in the heat, but we managed to find some respite in the air conditioned gift shop. After a short rest, we headed into the 6 story castle while pausing at each floor with various themes and historical facts. While it was interesting to see various artifacts and reproductions, it was quite crowded with tourists. Also, the elevator that was available only let you pass to the next floor only.

Once we were done touring the castle, we headed to the restaurant/gift shop area downstairs. Apparently, Kumamoto is known for basashi (aka horse meat sashimi), so I had to indulge. I ended up getting a horse meat mice croquette and a dekopon orange cream soda to wash it down. It was quite tasty despite being a bit on the greasy side. The dekopon cream soda was refreshing and quite good. Definitely a must try! Afterwards, we checked out the various souvenir shops and got some Kumamon souvenirs. I even ended up getting some horse meat flavored chips, which were decent.

Afterwards, it was back on the bus towards our next destination, Aso Mountain. Aso Mountain consists of five peaks with various names including Nekodake, Takadake, Nakadake, Eboshidake, and Kishimadake. Thankfully our tour guide said the conditions were good today and we would be able to view one of the craters. The weather and winds often shift so conditions can change quite drastically and sometimes this part of the tour is cancelled in cases where the conditions are bad due to toxic fumes in the air.

We stopped by the ticketing area before heading up to the crater. The air had a faint sulphuric smell and I could already hear some tourists coughing intermittently. Thankfully, my friend and I were unaffected and we were able to get some photos. After the brief trip to Aso Mountain, we headed to a road station to grab some lunch. My friend and I both got a local beef bowl and shared some horse sashimi. It was kinda funny seeing my friend being so hesitant to try it. For me, being an adventurous eater, I enjoyed it without any issues. After our meal, my friend indulged in some Aso Milk ice cream, while i perused all the various weird souvenirs including Kusasenri horse oil cream. WTF. 

After lunch, we made our final stop to Aso Road Station to check out souvenirs. My friend and I were able to snag some local bus IC card with Kumamon on it as a souvenir. It was also kinda cool seeing a statue of Usopp from One Piece there.

The day wasn't as tiring as yesterday, which I was thankful for. After the tour, we rested for a bit and then checked out Amu Plaza for Beams and TNF. We also checked out the rooftop garden and viewing deck. It was nice to take some breaks in between to enjoy the local vibes. The top floor restaurants looked good so we slide into one of the sushi restaurants for an 11 piece omakase. It was just the right amount of food and pretty tasty for mall food. 

Afterwards, we hit our local pharmacy for some stuff and then decided to have a second dinner at Hakata Issou ramen nearby. I had it bookmarked for our prior trip two years ago, but never had the chance to try it. There was a bit of a line, but it moved quite quickly. We both got the classic tonkotsu ramen, which was pretty tasty. The broth was creamy and reminded me of Korean seollongtang. Not as porky as I'd hoped, but pretty good. After the filling second dinner, we both called it a night.

Started the morning off by hitting up our nearby coffee shop chain, Seattle's Best for a coffee and sandwich. Despite the heat, it was fair weather today and we decided to check out Ohori Park. The park itself was quite well kept with a decently sized man-made lake in the middle with a strip of land with bridges splitting it in half. The walk itself was nice in the shaded parts, but I think we both ended up getting our forearms sunburned a bit after. Still, the walk was enjoyable and we stumbled across the Ohori Park Japanese Garden and decided to check it out. It was quite small, but nice with a pond in the middle. It definitely makes me want to have my own Japanese garden one day. Afterwards, we decided to check out some shops including Rinkan Fukuokatenjinten, SeekeR, Hoods Fukuoka, and Nanamica Fukuoka. 

Once shopping was done, we opted to give the #1 tonkotsu ramen chain a try, Shin Shin Ramen. I'll definitely have to add Hyotan sushi to my list next time I'm in Fukuoka. There was a bit of a line up, but the table turnover was quick and we were able to secure seats inside after waiting maybe 15 minutes. One of the employees was also kind enough to offer us sun umbrellas as we waited in line. Along with our tonkotsu ramen, I also ordered us some gyoza and horumon stir fry. It was all quite tasty and possibly one of the better tonkotsu ramen that I've had.

With our stomachs full, we headed back to Hakata station, but not before stopping at Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Hakata and also checking out the local grocery store chain, Lopia. I was surprised to find that they had quite an expansive offering of various foods ready to eat. I gave in and bought myself a nigiri set to enjoy later. We both checked into our Okinawa flight for tomorrow and did a bit of laundry before deciding to check out a movie while we're in Japan. I've heard good things about the experience and how it's so much cheaper than the movie going experience in the U.S.

Thankfully I found a theater with a 7pm showing in Canal City at their United Cinemas. We decided to watch 28 Years Later and grabbed two medium drinks and a medium split popcorn (caramel, butter) for about $8.12! Insane deal. I was shook. The movie itself was a bit of a mess and all over the place, but had a funny ending that set it up for a sequel. Would I recommend the movie? Probably not, but I'll probably check out the sequel once it's available as the continuation of the story intrigued me slightly.

Afterwards, we decided to cab it over to a bar called Coyote Ugly, where they had the female bartenders dancing on the bar. They also had a nomihodai (all you can drink) option. However, the vibe in the bar was COMPLETELY DEAD. There was nothing but foreigners in the bar and the bartenders looked absolutely bored and on their phones the entire time. We quickly downed our drinks and left as the vibe was just bad. Instead, we decided to check out one of my favorite yatai stalls from our last trip two years ago, Tenjin no ryutakun. I remember having my mind blown at the tonkotsu ramen I had there two years ago and wanted to relive that experience again. We managed to find the spot with ease and were able to order a few skewers and two bowls of tonkotsu ramen. The bowls of ramen were a bit small, but the broth and noodles were great. Still, in the back of my mind, it wasn't as mind blowing as I had remembered. 

Leaving somewhat disappointed, I guess maybe the ingredients may have changed or something. I think that my favorite bowl of tonkotsu ramen still has got to be Tsujita Annex in Sawtelle. It's super porky and garlicky with strong flavors. Afterwards, we stopped by a conbini for a quick dessert. I ended up grabbing a waffle strawberry ice cream sandwich which was so good! We then headed back to rest and pack up for tomorrow's trip to Okinawa!

Woke up the next morning and hit up a local bakery spot in Hakata station and then grabbed some coffee jelly at Seattle's Best nearby. We checked out around 9:30am and had a cab drop us off at Fukuoka airport. It was ridiculously close and I was a bit shocked at how quick we made it there. We kinda messed up however as the cab driver dropped us off at the international terminal. Thankfully we were able to be directed to the right area after chatting with the information desk. There's a shuttle that takes you to the domestic terminal for free. We waited in line for a bit and took the second bus. Once we arrived, we breezed through security. However, my friend was searched and also had to have his shoes removed because they were high top Jordans, haha. After we both cleared security, we perused the little souvenir shops and conbini for some snacks while we waited to board. I was a bit shocked that for domestic flights, they don't board until maybe 20-30 minutes before departure. However, the boarding procedure was pretty streamlined and each group boarded quickly. 

Once we were on the plane, I noticed that the domestic ANA plane was a bit smaller with just 6 seat rows. The flight itself was good and it was about 1.5 hrs until we arrived in Okinawa. Gotta love early arrival times. We grabbed my checked bag and then headed off to the Toyota Rental Car shuttle around 11A. There were employees holding signs and it was easy to navigate. I was able to give my name and they were able to check it off a list. Once on board the shuttle, I enjoyed staring through the window at Naha. It was tropical for sure with warmer weather and perhaps a smidge less humidity. After the brief ride, I was able to check in using one of the touchscreen kiosks and then finished the process with one of the employees. Thankfully she spoke a bit of English and we were able to grab our Toyota Corolla C2 Touring wagon.

After doing an external inspection, we were given the keys. Thankfully, my friend decided on driving first. Navigating to the hotel wasn't too bad, although we both needed to get used to having the turn signals and wipers on opposite sides. Nevertheless, we made it to the hotel in one piece. We dropped off the bags and my friend dropped off the car into the car elevator parking. We were able to check in directly since we arrived around 3pm. My room was quite spacious and awesome! I had a L-shaped wrap around balcony with two beds, sofa, and a nice bathtub overlooking Naha. I definitely splurged a bit since my bday would fall during our time in Okinawa. I think it was around $230/night for my room. Worth every penny, IMO.

After settling in a bit, we grabbed the local IC card, Okica and decided to check out the nearby Torikizoku for a few skewers and drinks before we met up my brother at his friend's place. My brother's friend's place was north of Naha in Yomitan and they were having a bbq. After finishing up our skewers, my friend drove us up to Yomitan and we stopped by a local supermarket, Kanehide. We bought a ton of alcohol, which in retrospect was maybe too much, haha. Still, we didn't want to come empty handed and were able to find the place without any issues. We met some of my brother's friends and their significant others. While their kids ran around being kids, we all chatted about various things like the U.S., Okinawan history, and food spots. It was nice being able to converse in English and get the local vibe. My brother ended up crashing as he had been scuba diving all day prior. My friend and I said our goodbyes after a bit and headed back to the hotel. Once we were back, we decided to do a night walk around Kokusai dori to check it out. It was dotted with various izakayas, restaurants, and a lot of souvenir shops. At one point, I got hit on by an escort on the street that was soliciting her various services lol. I couldn't completely understand her so I politely said 'daijobu' and went along my way. Hmm, would've been an interesting night if I let the night take me...

Started off our day at Cafe Strata for some breakfast. Apparently, the room I booked came with free breakfast coupons for every day. However, my friend's basic room did not, so I was able to use some of my breakfast coupons for both of us. The breakfast itself was a 'half buffet' as we needed to pick one entree and then had access to the small salad bar, yogurt bar, noodle bar, and drinks bar. I opted for the curry dish with goya (bitter melon) while my friend got taco rice. The entrees were okay, but nothing too fancy. The 'half buffet' was also mediocre, but we were able to try some Okinawan soba and get a more balanced meal with some salad.

After breakfast, we decided to check out Tower Records Naha. I decided to give driving a go today. It wasn't too bad, but you did have to be more conscioous of your left side. Once we arrived, we realized it was inside of a mall and so we had to look around to find a paid parking lot. Thankfully, we found one nearby. However, we were confused as the parking spots had a parking guard that locks your car in, but the guard wasn't popping up. I asked a local about it and realized that perhaps it pops up after some time and then you pay for the parking after when you're about to leave. So we left the car and headed off to the mall. I managed to grab a few more city pop albums I've been searching for and we wandered around the area and passed by city hall. From there, we headed off to the Ashibinaa Outlet Mall for some shopping. The outlet itself was okay, but the shops were pretty mediocre. 

Still, we were able to enjoy some Okinawan banana shakes and peruse the various stores. From there, we decided to check another nearby mall with a food court to have lunch. It was called iias Okinawa Toyosaki. There was also a few souvenir shops there and I managed to snag my first Orion souvenir Hawaiian shirt. The food hall was expansive and had lots of Japanese offerings ranging from sushi, Okinawan classics, tonkatsu, and tempura don to name a few. While I was drawn to getting sushi, I wanted something a bit heartier and we both opted for the tonkatsu. The food was pretty good and we enjoyed it before heading to the nearby Chura-Sun Beach. The beach itself was okay with various things you could do including water sports and parasol/beach lounger rentals. I managed to take a quick dip while my friend meandered around snapping photos of the coastline.

I got a bit annoyed however as he just stayed in the shade for most of the time and didn't enjoy the beach. Unfortunately, we got into a bit of an argument as it seemed like he just didn't want to be there. Eventually, the feelings passed. Once we were back at the hotel, I was able to search and find a dinner spot for yakiniku for my bday that night. My brother was also coming down from Yomitan to join us. My friend also saw on the news there were some earthquakes in some islands north of Okinawa. However, it looked like it was pretty far away so I wasn't too concerned.

Despite the argument, we were both able to move past it and not let it ruin the rest of the trip. We all were able to enjoy a meal together and I was able to celebrate my bday in Okinawa! The course set we had was plenty of food and my friend and I added some cold noodles to accompany the various cuts of meat. It definitely had that dashi flavor to it rather than the refreshing naengmeyon flavor I enjoy more. Still, it was good and helped to break up the greasiness of the meat. Definitely a memorable meal and experience, but I don't think I'll be back in summer as it's just too humid!  After dinner, we said our goodbyes to my brother who was flying back to Tokyo after dinner. My friend and I headed back to the hotel after dinner. I took a nice long bath with a drink in hand and called it a night.

First island hopping day! I was excited to hop on a ferry to check out the other local islands. First on the list was Tokashiki. I managed to snag a reservation number online and we were able to use it to purchase tickets at the kiosk in Tomari Port. We were able to board an hour before departure and had some time to explore the ship and its multiple floors. It was about an hour and some change to get there. Thankfully, I managed to grab a Japanese version of Dramamine called Aneron from a nearby pharmacy. The ferry ride itself was pretty smooth and it was kinda cool checking out the islands from the deck. 

Once we arrived, I was excited to check out Tokashiku Beach. However, there was only bus service to Aharen Beach. Also all the taxis and rentals cars were all booked out. Sadge. Definitely may have to consider bringing the rental car on the ferry next time if it's not too complicated. Anyway, we hopped back in line and on the bus eventually to Aharen Beach. The views from the windy mountain roads were amazing and you could see the bluish turquois waters near the shore. It almost looked photoshopped.

Once we arrived, we rented out a beach umbrella and two beach loungers. It definitely was worth the money. The water there was awesome and tepid. While there wasn't much in terms of coral or fish, it was still nice to swim a bit and enjoy the views. We managed to walk to the right side of Aharen beach and checked out a nearby cave rock formation and stairs leading to a small observation deck that seemed to be an old military building perhaps. The views from there were amazing!

After soaking in the views, we walked down and took a side trail and saw an abandoned pool/resort looking area. A bit sad that it was run down and not in use. Afterwards, we walked around the local shops around Aharen Beach and grabbed some Blue Seal pineapple coconut ice cream. We also stopped by a local conbini that sold some homemade spam musubi, which were actually quite good! We waited for the bus to arrive and then headed back to Tokashiki Port. Then back on the ferry to Tomari port. The experience itself was awesome, although I did get a bit sunburnt on my upper back where I may have missed putting sunscreen on. Still a very memorable experience.

After we both rested a bit, we checked out a nearby bookstore and shop. I ended up buying my second Orion Hawaiian shirt. We decided to give Okinawan Soba Den for dinner which was located off of Kokusai Dori. The shop was tiny and a young Nepalese kid was running the shop when we were there. We enjoyed the simple meal of udon, fish cake, and Agu pork belly. The dish itself was okay, but a bit too bland for my tastes. I think my brother is right when he said Okinawan food is probably the worst out of all the Japanese cuisines.

After eating, we perused the various souvenir shops and also stopped by Don Quijote, where I was able to grab an Orion tote bag as a souvenir. Had a few snacks from our local conbini and ended it there.

Today I had planned for us to check out Chatan and the American Village area. I saw posts of it on social media and it looked pretty cool with a Miami kinda vibe with brightly colored buildings. But first, breakfast. I scoped out a local cafe that also does taco rice called Mil Comidas. We were the second group to dine in that morning and we both opted for the taco rice along with some iced coffees. The taco rice itself was decent, but the carrots and purple cabbage kinda threw me off. We also both had one taco a piece, but the flavors were off for me and not as savory as I would've hoped. While it was nice visually, I don't think it worked well with the taco rice. My friend on the other hand enjoyed it a lot. 

After breakfast, we headed off to Chatan. Once we arrived, we parked at a free parking lot adjacent to a local Aeon Mall. We wandered around the stores as they were slowly beginning to open up. From there, we walked toward Chatan and perused the various shops and restaurants there. Most of it was American food like pasta, burgers, and so on. 

After wandering a bit, there was a sudden downpour out of nowhere. I was almost considering buying another umbrella, but thankfully the downpour decreased to just a light drizzle after a bit. Once it settled down, we headed back to the car to head off to Nabee Beach. It looked picturesque with fu lion statues and white sand. It was pretty nice with a rocky tidepool area to the left and a lookout point. The swimming area was a bit small, but the vibe was chill as I saw locals having bbqs nearby.

Afterwards, we decided to check another beach not too far away called Kibougaoka Beach. After parking, we were a bit lost as to where the entrance was to the beach. After following a few signs, we got a bit lost. Thankfully, we wandered into a nearby hotel where one of the employees redirected us back to the parking lot. Feeling a bit suspicious, I looked carefully and then realized that one of the parked cars was partially obstructing the foliage covered stairs leading down to the beach! Thankfully we made it to the beach. It was pretty nice with lots of rocky areas and tidepools. The beach itself wasn't too crowded with perhaps maybe 3-4 groups enjoying the water and tanning. The water itself was pretty clear and tepid. I dipped my feet in and enjoyed the views for a bit.

From there, we were considering getting poke at 808 Poke, but it was unfortunately closed on Tuesdays. Plan B was Taco Blue as I heard good things from a friend of mine. We managed to find some free parking next to another restaurant and just walked over. The restaurant itself was super cozy and had a nice upscale beach resort vibe to it. It basically was just us and one other party. The tacos and pina coladas were on point! I also liked that they had various hot sauces along with Okinawan hot sauce. Definitely my second fav meal in Okinawa! After the meal, we stopped by a cafe next door and enjoyed some views of the bay while sipping on some purple yam frappucinos. My friend hated his and didn't finish it, but I enjoyed mine.

Once we were done there, we decided to go for it and headed off to Sesosko Bridge towards Sesoko Beach located on....Sesoko Island, hah. The beach there looked pretty nice with the turquois water. It was a bit of a drive up, but we made it and the beach was just a short stroll from the parking lot. We rented a parasol/beach loungers to relax and hung out for about an hour before they closed. I took a swim in the water and was surprised to see lots of fish! At one point, I could feel some fish trying to nibble on my legs! It was pretty cool seeing some fish so close up to the shore.

After enjoying the beach for a bit, we headed back to the hotel to rest up. Another load of laundry and then it was dinner time. I managed to make a reservation for an Okinawan course meal at a chain restaurant called Kaito. It was located off Kokusai Dori, so I was a bit skeptical about how good it would be. However, I was pleasantly surprised! I honestly think it was probably the best meal that I had in Okinawa! The course meal had the various Okinawan hits like pork belly, goya champuru, seaweed tempura, sea grapes, and etc. The service was also on point with our server Aya. After that extensive 13 course meal, we were both stuffed and headed back. On the way back, I noticed a small orange tabby cat hanging out by the front door. I wasn't sure if it was feral, so I just let it be and headed off to call it a night.

Another island hopping day! Started off the day by heading to a nearby conbini to get snacks for the long boat ride from Tomari Port to Zamami Island. On the way out of the hotel, I noticed that cat from last night and managed to get a few pets in. It defintely felt like this cat is the local hotel cat. I saw lots of other hotel guests stopping by to pet this little orange tabby, haha.

At Tomari Port, I perused the local goods and grabbed what looked to be a riceball version of inari sushi (tofu skin). It was pretty tasty and locally made. I also got these weird mini wagyu flavored ramen bite chip things. They were kinda weird...

After a long 2hr ish ferry ride, we arrived at the first stop, which was Aka Island. Once passengers disembarked for the first stop, we continued on toward Zamami Island. From Zamami port, we opted to take the bus shuttle to Furuzamami Beach. There was a ticket machine there where you had to buy both roundtrip bus tickets. There was signage explaning it in English and some dumb tourists even managed to get that wrong! Thankfully, my friend and I both got our roundtrip tickets with no issues. We could've also hit up Ama Beach, but I heard it was mainly for checking out coral and fish with a limited swimming area.

So we headed off to Furuzamami Beach. Upon arriving, there was a little wooden shack selling various quick bites, drinks, and juices. They were very overpriced, but I managed to try the pineapple juice, which was very refreshing. We also got a parasol/beach lounger combo to stay shaded. Once I got into the water, it was AMAZINGGGGGGGG! The water temp was cool, but I acclimated easily to it. What also made it awesome was that there was a ton of coral beds near the shore. The only downside was that the shoreline gets deep pretty quickly so you'll definitely need some floaties to properly enjoy the coral without stepping on it.

Still, I was able to use my goggles and saw lots of amazing and colorful fish close up. Hands down the best beach of the entire trip! It's definitely a MUST VISIT if you ever do find yourself in Okinawa. Just be sure to bring a full snorkel kit and floaties to properly enjoy it! After enjoying the beach for a bit, we headed back on the bus to Zamami Port. Some tourists got screwed as they didn't buy a return bus ticket. Reading is key! The boat ride back felt pretty long, but I managed to take a little nap. Once we were back in Naha, we both checked into our flight in the evening. Last night in Okinawa. It was a nice trip besides some small issues. I'd definitely be back, but perhaps spend more time on the smaller islands. Will have to give Miyakojima and Ishigaki islands a visit next time! 

For our last dinner, we both decided to walk down Kokusai Dori again and find a spot that looked interesting. We found a place called Tubarama that had a live music show. The next showing was just a few minutes from now and so we decided to check it out. We were escorted upstairs into some tatami style seating area. The entire dining hall was tatami seating with shoes off, which kinda felt nice and old school. We ordered various fried things and Okinawan classic dishes to share over a few drinks. Once the Okinawan music performance started, it was a vibe! Loved the high energy from the crowd and even some customers went up on stage dancing their ridiculous inebriated dances. My friend and I also saw a few potential 'Okinawan meltdown' situations with people falling asleep from being so trashed.

After we had our fill, we checked out a nearby Orion Official Store for some last minute souvenir shopping. Then we headed off to El Lequio, a fancy little bar next to a local izakaya called Koume. I had originally wanted to go to Koume for dinner, but it was packed! Definite next time will need to check it out earlier in the evening. Despite the change in plans, El Lequio was a vibe too! The interior was dimly lit and super moody and cozy. I liked that the bartenders were pretty fluent in English and explained the concept of the bar in that they fuse Ryukyuan culture with South American culture in their cocktails. I don't remember what I ordered, but it hit the spot! Wish I had more room for more cocktails, but my friend and I were only able to stomach just one after the heavy meal we had earlier. We grabbed some desserts from the conbini afterwards and called it a night. Not the most exciting last night in Okinawa, but memorable nonetheless.

While I was looking for a breakfast spot to eat at this morning, the name of this restaurant struck a chord in me: A Long Vacation. That's always the goal! The name resonated with me so hard as I knew my vacation was coming to a close very soon. Sadge. I don't wanna go back to the U.S.! :*(

I shrugged off the melancholy and decided to make the most of my time left here. My friend and I headed out to A Long Vacation restaurant, located inside the Southwest Grand Hotel. Thankfully, I made a reservation for breakfast the day prior, which I thought was a bit unusual for breakfast. Still, it came in clutch and we were able to get seated promptly. It wasn't too crowded and the mood was nice and quiet.

I opted for a egg, ham, and toast combo with coffee, while my friend got the French toast with coffee. We also shared some souffle pancakes, which hit the spot. It was a good way to start off our last day in Okinawa. After a satisfying meal, we headed back to pack up and check out. We grabbed our rental car from the parking elevator and headed off to two stops: Naminoue Shrine and then Shuri Castle.

First, we checked out Naminoue Shrine, which we attempted to visit earlier in the trip, but weren't able to find parking. Thankfully, I did more research this time and we were able to find a paid parking lot with ease. Just a short walk later, we were at Naminoue Shrine. It was swarming with tourists! There was also a beach nearby with the same name, Naminoue Beach, but the water didn't look as inviting as Furuzamami Beach. We wandered around the shrine and beach area and took some photos. After, we stopped by a kakigori food truck to cool down.

Once we were done, we headed off to our next stop for the day, Shuri Castle. I almost skipped this on the itinerary as it looked a bit underwhelming, but decided to add it back as we had plenty of time before returning the rental car and for our flight around 4pm. We snagged some paid parking with ease and headed up to Shuri Castle. There was a small entrance fee, but it wasn't too bad. Unfortunately, most of Shuri Castle was being renovated, so we could only see the walls and surrounding remains. Still, it was nice seeing Naha from a different perspective. After touring the area, we stopped by the upstairs food court area and grabbed our final meal in Okinawa. I wanted to give Okinawan soba another try as the one we had prior was kinda mid. Thankfully, this one was a bit better with fresh ingredients. Still, not on par with ramen or tsukemen.

Once we were done, we filled up the gas tank self-service at Eneos and dropped off the rental car without any issues. From there, we took the airport shuttle directly to domestic. The flight back to Tokyo was a bit longer than Fukuoka to Naha at 2h30min, but went pretty smoothly. Once we were back in Haneda airport, we cabbed it back to my brother's place to rest up briefly.

For dinner, my brother joined my friend and I after finishing up some work and we walked through the local streets of Ebisu and stopped at a random izakaya. The izakaya was having last call on food and drinks, so we rushed and ordered a bunch of random skewers and small bites to snack on as we tossed back a few drinks before ending the night.

Today was the biggest shopping day of the trip! To start the day off, my friend and I grabbed some snacks and drinks at a local conbini and then walked over the Ebisu station so I could recharge my IC card for the next few days. After charging up my card on the second floor of Ebisu station, we stopped by a nearby coffee shop and grabbed some iced coffee to energize for the day.

With caffeine coursing through our system, we were ready to head off to our first stop, Gotokuji Temple, aka the maneki neko shrine. We decided to cab it over there rather than struggle through multiple trains during rush hour. Comfort is costly, but so worth it. Once we arrived, the temple itself wasn't too crowded and we were able to take photos with ease. There was also predictably a gift shop that sold maneki neko statues ranging in various sizes. Unfortunately, each person was only alloted one statue. I ended up getting the smallest one for 500 yen, while my friend got one of the larger ones. The temple itself was nice, but quite small I'd say and you could finish exploring the whole thing in maybe 10 minutes. Still, worth a stop to enjoy some nice architecture and be away from the city even if just for a moment.

Afterwards, we hopped into a taxi and headed off to check out Roast Beef Ohno in Harajuku. We were second in line and were able to get seated with the first wave. It's pretty much basically what it sounds like...slices of roast beef on a bed of rice with an egg yolk on top of the meat mountain. Aesthetically, it looks amazing and taste wise, it was pretty good! Would I go back again? Perhaps, but I don't think it will dethrone my love for Gyukatsu Motomura. That's still a definite must try.

After a satisfying meal, we headed off to check out our usual shops including:

Tokyo 23, Supreme, Liberty Walk, Beams/Beams Plus, TNF, World of Flight, Descente, New Era Harajuku/Shibuya, Miyashita Park, Nujabes popup shop, Rinkan, Loft, Bape, and Zoff.

About halfway, we decided to check out a viral sandwich shop called Chermside on Takeshita Street. It was a bit tucked away on the second floor, but we were able to navigate with some street signs advertising the steak sandwich I was after. The indoor seating was pretty packed, but after waiting for our food to be made, we were able to snag a seat once a few of the prior customers finished up. Once our order buzzer began to vibrate, we got our drinks and steak sandwich combo with potato wedges. Aesthetically, it looked amazing! After taking my first bite, I was hookeddddddd. The meat was super tender and medium rare with a nice sauce with carmelized onions on the bottom. Definitely one of the top tier meals of the trip! I'll definitely need to come back!

After the sweaty shopping spree, we headed back to cool down and rest up. Once we were sufficiently rehydrated and cooled, we cabbed it over to Akihabara to check out some card shops, dvd stores, and other shops. During this time, the rain began to pick up a bit more and so we took shelter at a nearby conbini and grabbed some new umbrellas. Fortunately, later on the rain did let up and we didn't need to use our new purchases.

For dinner, I reserved an omakase course at Sushidokoro Isseki Sancho in Shimbashi. There were tons of salarymen and women out and about. We also got a sneak peak at the various interesting izakayas and restaurants dotted below the subway station overhead. We grabbed a few drinks at a nearby conbini to kill some time before our reservation. Once it was time, we were able to snag counter seats to the far right side. I think most of the customers during our visit were foreigners. A bit disappointing, but I'm starting to get the feeling that most online reservations on Tabelog may be geared toward foreign patrons.

Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the omakase course with the typical offerings. I did enjoy a few unique pieces I haven't tried before and also enjoyed the minced tuna over rice with a soy sauce egg yolk. The meal predictably ended with two pieces of tamago. Overall, it was a pretty good omakase, but I still longed for my prior omakase that I had last trip. Leaving satisfied still, we made our way back to rest up and relax for the rest of the evening.

Our last full day of the trip. Cue the sad violin. I definitely could feel a deep sense of dread of having to go back home once this trip was done. I have a keychain back at home that I hung up on my rearview mirror in my car at home that says "To Live and Die in Tokyo." I definitely had a stronger urge to want to live and make a living in Japan. Only thing stopping me is trying to figure out what career path to take. English teacher? Recruiting? Perhaps go to language school and try for nursing in Japan? All the thoughts were swirling in my head and overwhelming me.

I shook off the negative thoughts and decided to make the best of the last full day. My friend and I started off the day by targeting Shodai for our early lunch as it looked very interesting. Potato mousse on top of curry udon. My friend's friend apparently raved about it and highly recommended it. As usual, we arrived pretty early before they opened and so decided to wander down the street from Ebisu station and check out the local shops nearby. We stopped by Ebisu Food Hall to grab a coffee and cool down. It was a pretty nice vibe inside with various eateries and they also had some outdoor patio seating in the back.

We eventually wandered into a nearby conbini where I was able to finally find the Asahi lemon chu-hai that has a whole sliced lemon inside the can! The actual name of the drink is Mirai no Lemon Sour, which translate to "Future Lemon Sour." I immediately bought a few and my friend and I enjoyed one while we waited for the restaurant to open up. I also bought myself a banana ice cream bar, which was also amazing! Love banana flavored stuff in Japan. It's definitely an underrated flavor as it often gets overshadowed by strawberry, melon, grape, sakura, and matcha stuff.

We were first in line and got seated promptly with the first group of people. My friend and I ordered the potato mousse curry udon each and also got an order of karaage and mixed tempura as well to share. What I found interesting was that they had a wooden box with six different types of salt you could try out with your meal. Some of the salts were great, while others were a bit too intense. As for the potato mousse udon, it was amazing! The mousse was so light and airy with a nice savory and creamy texture that mixed in well with the soft udon noodles and spice from the curry. Definitely a must try again and again.

After the meal, we hopped over to Daikanyama, which was just a short walk away. From there, we hit up a few shops including Descente, Namamica Mountain, APC, Okura, and Tsutaya Books. We took a break at the Tsutaya Books and grabbed some drinks to cool down a bit before cabbing it over to Ginza for our last shopping stop. In Ginza, since it was the weekend, the main street was blocked off from car traffic and so pedestrians could freely walk up an down the main road. They also had parasols with tables setup if you wanted to stop and enjoy a snack.

We checked out DSM Ginza and the Ginza Six mall and then headed back home to rest up before dinner. For dinner, my friend was craving some tonkatsu, so I booked a spot that seemed popular on Tabelog that was located in the Tokyu Plaza Harajuku mall on 5F. While I didn't realize it was in a mall when I booked it on Tabelog, I felt the dread once we arrived there. I had a sneaking suspicion this meal was gonna suck and may be a tourist trap. Regardless, we had some time to kill before our reservation time and so we checked out a nearby shopped called VA (Various Artists) that was doing a collab with Fragment Design for a shoe. When we arrived, apparently most of the shoes were spoken for and required a winning lottery raffle ticket. They told us to come back tomorrow, which is when the remaining shoes would be open for regular purchase.

A bit disappointed, I decided to check out CDG CDG CDG nearby located on 2F inside a mall and bought myself a nice short sleeve button up. Afterwards, we headed to the other mall and to the tonkatsu restaurant. Our server was funny and tried to upsell us on choosing some expensive pork for our entree choice. Nevertheless, I chose a pork that I thought would be interesting to try. My friend ended up getting some Tokyo X pork or something. Once our entrees arrived, I was pretty disappointed. The breading wasn't that good and the pork itself seemed to have been overcookd a bit. I also tried a piece of my friend's tonkatsu and that was as dry as the Sahara. Terrible. 

We were about to leave after scarfing down the barely passable tonkatsu, but got stopped by our server who said that ice cream and tea were also part of our set meal. So we reluctantly sat back down and waited for those to be served. Once we finished up those, we paid and left with heads down as this place definitely was a tourist trap. Garbage quality. I'd highly recommend Butagumi Shokudo in B2F located inside the Metro Hat shopping mall in Roppongi instead.

After the meal, we headed off to Don Quijote Nakameguro to finish up some last minute souvenir shopping for snacks, hygiene products, and other souvenirs to bring back for friends and family. The Don Quijote itself wasn't too big at just two stories, but packed in a lot of the essential stuff. I think I may need to check out the Don Quijote Korakuen near Tokyo Dome next time. I remember that one having quite a lot of good stuff. We cabbed it back with all our goodies and relaxed for the evening. Later on, we decided to check out a nearby Family Mart that has a bar inside of it. It looked pretty cool on social media and I wanted to have a chance to try their Famichiki highball with a Famichiki in the other hand. 

By the time we arrived around 12am, I could see two servers chatting with two inebriated salarymen. Unfortunately, they said it was closed and denied us. Sadge. We ended up heading back as the disappointment, humidity, and heat were getting to us both. My brother was in Kamakura for a friend's bbq party and ended up staying the night there as most of his friends got too drunk to drive back to Tokyo. Overall, a bit of a lackluster last evening, but I think the weather sapped my friend and I of a lot of our energy. I definitely felt a lot more active during our last trip in autumn. Still, I think the trip overall was a good learning experience I'll remember and there's always room for improvement on the next Japan trip!

Got ready for our last half day of the trip and my brother had a wine fridge delivery that he was waiting on. So, my friend and I hung out in the morning for a bit to wait for the delivery. It didn't arrive after we waited a few hours and so I texted my brother that we'd head out for lunch and try to come back to catch it later on.

We were debating between considering Gyukatsu Motomura or this curry shop that I'd bookmarked for a while called Joto Curry. It was walking distance and so we both decided to check out the curry shop to try something different. On the way there, I stopped by a pharmacy to persue some things and also stopped by a conbini to grab some pizza mon and some bottles of water. A line began to form for the curry spot, so we hopped in line and were able to get seated with the first wave of customers. 

The shop itself was pretty small as per Japanese standards, but it was cool having counter seats so you could see the chefs prepping your entree in front of you. The place has a vending machine where you purchase tickets for your meal and any add ons. While they were known for katsu curry, I decided to go for the sukiyaki beef and added on an egg. My friend opted for the curry udon set with Japanese pickles.

I think most customers got the katsu curry, but I'm glad I got the sukiyaki beef curry. The beef was tender with a bit of chew and very flavorful. The curry itself was very robust and had a small hit of spice that I enjoyed. I also liked the various pickled veggies you can self serve at the counter. The meal was pretty good and enjoyable. Definitley a good choice!

Afterwards, we decided to do some last minute shopping at Harajuku and cabbed it over there. From there, we went back to the VA shop and I was luckily able to get my hands on a pair of the Jack Purcell x Frgmt Converse shoes in my size! My friend wasn't so fortunate as they had sold out of the larger sizes. He ended up buying some other small things from the shop as consolation. From there, we checked out the Human Made shop, but there was a big line inside. Deterred, we left and moved onto check out Flat Head and a few other shops nearby.

Craving that meat sandwich again, my friend and I headed back to Takeshita Street and battled the crowded streets to get to Chermside again. Once we arrived, we wanted to order three sets of the meat sandwich, but the worker quoted us 50 minute wait time. WTF. I guess it was the weekend peak lunch time and so we decided to just skip it. I'll be back for you next time, meat sando! As a consolation, we dipped into a drink shop that had banana milkshakes and we both got one to cool down for a bit.

From there, we headed back to Ebisu to finalize packing. My brother had come back from his trip to Kamakura and so we just hung out while he slept. After a while, my brother woke up and had to rush to his haircut appointment and so my friend and I both decided to head to the airport early as well. We said our thanks and goodbyes and then grabbed a big Uber to head to Haneda airport. As I stared out the window, I tried to imagine myself living here. Sure there would be lots of tough days trying to acclimate to the culture and lifestyle here, but I'm sure I'd experience a lot of new and cool things here. After fantasizing of a life not realized, I shook it off and we arrived at Haneda airport.

After dropping off some checked bags, we wandered the rows of restaurants upstairs and also briefly checked out a mini Don Quijote, souvenir shops, and an outdoor viewing deck where you could see the planes and runways. Pretty nice!

We then took another lap around and finally settled on a restaurant in the far right corner called Suginoko that served various things ranging from udon, yakitori, and sushi. Craving some sushi and noodles, this was perfect. I ended up getting a sashimi plate and udon, while my friend got an udon set. A satisfying last meal, despite the bitterness deep inside my mind of going back home.

Afterwards, we breezed through security and then headed off to our gate. On the way, we stopped by omiyage shops and stocked up on snacks to bring back home. I also did a last minute 7-11 run and grabbed both of us some waters, Strong Zero, otokoume sour, onigiri, and energy jelly. We managed to get to our gate with maybe 20 minutes to spare before boarding time. I definitely may need to reconsider next time and consider arriving at the airport 4 hours earlier so we don't feel as rushed!

Still, we were able to get it all done and leave with stomachs satisfied and souls nourished. I'll definitely be back again, Nihon! Arigato gozaimasu. Mata ne!