The sush is loose!

It’s been a rough life, folks. Two weeks off for Christmas, two weeks off for Chinese New Year and a week off for spring break. Wedged in between were six, 10-hour work days each week, but I can’t complain as I leave my latest travel destination: Japan. 

I had no real interest in visiting Japan prior to making the trip. Everything I’ve heard about Japan has been eat, poop and repeat. Visiting the oval office is all well and good, but I wasn’t going to make a trip of it....though I am buying a Japanese toilet when I have my own home. I know we’re talking taking a grumper, but stay with me here. First, heated seats. Doesn’t tickle your fancy? The remote controlled water jets will do just that; spray your bum, adjust the pressure, maybe some background noise? Ladies, it even has a jet for the front door. It did everything but wipe your ass and tell you good job.

I think that’s enough poo talk. Let’s crack on.

I was never keen on Tokyo (too many damn people), so I flew into Osaka and immediately jumped a train to Kyoto. The old capital of Japan, Kyoto had a lot temples, shrines and paths to check out the cherry blossoms. The latter are only in full blossom for about a week, so the country was filled to the brim with old white folks taking a trillion photos. Surprisingly enough, it was still quiet, serene and quite stunning.

All I wanted to do after the enlightenment I obtained after the Philosopher’s Path was eat a shit ton of sushi. Good news is that there’s a fair few places to eat sushi in Japan. We found a conveyer belt sushi joint with a stereotypically loud Japanese chef. Carnage ensued. The sushi was so fresh and so good that I soon had a fairly large stack of plates in front of me. 

Worth. Every. Penny.

After walking around what felt like all of Kyoto, my blistered feet and I hopped on a train back to Osaka and straight to Universal Studios. The main attraction: Harry Potter Wizarding World. Like a little kid in a candy shop (they actually had a Honeydukes there). I was stunned how well Universal Studios did putting this together. You walk through the village of Hogsmeade with all its shops, butterbeer vendors and the Hogwarts Express. It the backdrop is the Hogwarts castle. This thing was MASSIVE. A tip to anyone who goes: get the express pass. We waited a shade under three hours for two rides. 

After a quick visit to ‘New York’ for the Spider-man ride and waiting a ridiculously long time for the park’s biggest coaster, The Flying Dinosaur, it was back into Osaka central for a little more exploration, food and another night of sleep in a capsule. A capsule? It’s basically a personal, coffin-sized box in a room of a dozen plus other capsules. Those who are claustrophobic...maybe not your cup of tea.

Alas, no more adventures for me until I come back home late June. The next month will be the downhill slope of a ridiculously busy Semester 2 and, by roughly mid May, it’ll be smooth sailing until I’m stateside....I hope.

Look forward a sushi-less Iowa in a couple-ish months, even with it’s ordinary toilets...