My Solo Trip to Japan: Finally Seeing the Country My Father Loved

My father was a Korean War veteran. Born in 1931, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served on two different destroyers during the conflict. He had many stories to tell. As a Black man in the military in the 1950s, some were good, some were not.

Were it not for some of the less than stellar stories, he said he would’ve made a career of the military. But it did afford him the opportunity to travel to lands far from where he grew up in New York. One such place was Japan.

He often mentioned how much he enjoyed being there. Including his adventure in a rickshaw and seeing snowcapped Mt. Fuji.

I lost my dad in 2017, but if I remember his stories correctly, he served on one ship that went to Japan. Then, he heard another was going back, so he switched ships. But his new ship didn’t make it back during his tour. Unfortunate, but I’m glad he had the experience at least once.

Because of my father’s stories, I had to see Japan for myself.

Those who know me well know my love of stationery—notebooks, journals, fountain pens, stickers, I could go on and on (and in another post, I will). In my humble opinion, the best stationery comes from Japan. The craftsmanship, innovation—the paper. Swoon.

Between my love of all things analog and the picture painted of an enchanted land by my father, in 2024 I decided the wait was over. So I headed to Japan. Alone.

I researched for months. Talked to people who had been there. YouTube became my best and worst friend. There really is such a thing as too much information. I’d never before done a trip like this by myself and at some point, I had to stop taking in suggestions, ideas, do’s and don’ts. And that’s a tip for those planning solo travel, in particular. At some point you have to declare yourself ready. Otherwise, you will second-guess and micromanage every detail.

There’s no way I can capture my entire trip to Japan in one blog post. (The book I’m writing will have to do that.) But I will try to give you flavor for my adventure with some pointers along the way in case Japan is on your bucket list.

Once I finally booked my hotel and flights, I started figuring out the other logistics. Before leaving, I got Global Entry. It comes with TSA Precheck and I sailed through customs. Also, there is a traveler’s QR code that expedites the airport process when you arrive in Japan. My airline offered information on this. Without your QR code, you get a piece of paper and a pencil to fill out your personal information.

I had also preloaded something called a Suica card. It can be used on public transportation, vending machines, and convenience stores. I downloaded the app on my phone and reloaded yen as needed.

I grounded my trip in visiting stationery stores that you can only find in Japan. It helped me decide where to stay, and I created my itinerary around sightseeing from there.

One day, I made my way to Narita Airport because they have one of four Traveler’s Factory stores in the world. All four are in Japan. I went to every single one and yes, I had to buy a suitcase to bring back all of my Japan-exclusive stationery.

It never would’ve crossed my mind to visit an airport if I weren’t boarding a plane or picking someone up. But I have no regrets.

The flagship Traveler’s Factory stationery store is in Nakameguro. It’s a very unassuming building in the midst of some lovely multi-unit homes. Living that close would be dangerous for my wallet. Nearby is a multi-story Starbucks Reserve with floating copper sakura in the middle of the store. Positively delightful.

Speaking of flagship stores, the world’s largest stationery store is in Japan. Specifically, the Itoya in Ginza. All twelve floors of it. Ginza is a luxury shopping area–Chanel, Lous Vuitton, Gucci–it has it all. Including the aforementioned twelve-floor Mecca that has an entire floor dedicated to fountain pens. This was the site of one of my most beloved purchases, the Platinum Classic Maki-e Fountain Pen in Cherry Blossom. I’ll treasure it forever.

But it wasn’t all stationery, all the time. I went to Fushimi Inari, home to roughly 10,000 orange-red torii gates. While I did not do the 2-hour up and back mountain trail hike, I met lovely people along the path I followed and stood in utter awe of the gates’ scale and sheer number.

Sometimes it still seems like a dream. There I was, in Japan, visiting the actual places I had only heard about and seen pictures of. Eating fresh sushi my first night and navigating the Tokyo rail system.

I joined the sea of people at Shibuya Crossing, where thousands can flood the intersection during a single light change. It sounds daunting but it was a lot of fun. To have traffic stop in all directions so thousands of people can cross at once—it’s something even Midtown Manhattan can’t compete with.

Right next to that experience is the famed statue of Hachiko. As a dog-lover, this is one of the most endearing stories I’ve ever heard. Hachiko waited at the train station to accompany his owner home from work. Sadly, his owner passed away but for almost 10 years after his death, Hachiko still went to the train station almost every day to wait for him. Dogs are the best.

The bullet train—which yes, really is that cool—transported me south to Nara and Kyoto. I went through the oldest wooden building in the world. Stood before the biggest Buddha I have ever seen. I was mesmerized by the gold shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. I saw real-life ornate pagodas, wandered the Imperial Palace grounds, and took a picture of a 600-year-old tree that showed no signs of aging.

Kyoto is one place I wish I could’ve spent more time. The beauty and serenity are in complete contrast to Tokyo. I describe it as what I dreamed Japan would be like. And it’s home to the Bamboo Forest, a place I have been obsessed with visiting for longer than I can remember. And it did not disappoint.

Japan’s history stretches back thousands of years. The enormity of the history I took in is still unbelievable to me. The places I saw and the things I learned will stay with me forever.

My solo trip to Japan was one of the most empowering things I’ve ever done. It has also given me the confidence that I can now go anywhere—with or without a travel companion. I don’t know of many people who would’ve been willing to indulge my Japanese stationery adventure. And it was amazing not having to care about that.

I’m proud of myself for having the courage to make the decision, do the research, and then board the plane. Thanks Daddy.

There is so much more I could share. Let me know if you have questions or have been to Japan. Where is your next adventure taking you?