Ctrl + Alt + Sprint

Day 14 We woke up earlier than we would have liked, finished our packing, and polished off some remaining snacks, just enough to keep our stomachs from protesting. One last soak in the hotel’s onsen bath was a fitting farewell before checkout. Together with S and E, we had a low-key convenience store breakfast by the river while waiting for M to join us. Once assembled, we headed to a nearby Brazilian restaurant for lunch, which took a bit longer than planned, the good kind of long, though. Just in time before, I managed to send off my postcards (my traditional way of sending delayed greetings across time zones), and afterward we squeezed in some final shopping. I ended up skipping the tea and spice purchases I’d been vaguely planning. Maybe I’ll track them down in Singapore instead. Getting to the airport proved more complicated than expected. We got to experience the full Japane traveller special: hauling luggage up and down train station stairs. I really should’ve remembered that ...

Day 13 After a string of busy outings, we gave ourselves permission to go slow again. Sleeping in, no alarms, no schedule. Just some aimless wandering, some shopping, and a bit of upward motion, literally. Our first destination was the Umeda Sky Building, one of Osaka’s best-known landmarks. It’s a striking pair of towers connected at the top by an observation deck, and some slightly unsettling elevators that offer views to the outside as they rise. I’m still firmly in favor of elevators that don’t make you aware of how far off the ground you are. From the observatory, the view stretched out in every direction, still bathed in late afternoon daylight. Osaka’s sprawling geometry unfolded below us: railways, rivers, rooftops, and the distant haze of city life humming along. It's a city without a single obvious center, more like a network of small, tangled worlds sharing the same airspace. Afterward, we descended back into the world of retail and bright lights. We made a detour int...

Day 12 We started the day slowly, catching up on rest and finally doing our laundry. After days of traveling, it was getting… critical. As predicted, our wet clothes far exceeded the drying capacity of the hotel machines. The result: our room transformed into a charming laundromat-themed installation piece. Socks on chairs, shirts draped over lampshades, very avant-garde. Later in the day, we met up with S for a little stroll through Osaka’s underground city, a vast, labyrinthine network of shopping arcades, stations, and restaurants beneath Umeda and Namba. Easy to get lost in, hard to leave without buying something. Which is exactly what happened: L and I ended up in a Don Quijote and walked out with a respectable stash of souvenir chocolates, mostly flavoured Kit Kats in varieties that make European chocolate purists quietly weep. For a late lunch, just L and I headed to a place serving Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. That hit the spot. We got seats at the hotplate, where we could wa...

Day 11 We started the day bracing for queues, and we were not disappointed. At the East Gate entrance of the Expo site, the crowd was already massive before the gates even opened. It was 10 a.m., the sun was out and umbrellas sprouted like mushrooms after the rain, except they weren’t here to soak up water, but to provide portable shade. This Expo is meant to attract even more visitors during the hotter summer months, which honestly feels like a bold choice considering how things already looked and felt in mid-May. Fully embracing my inner German tourist, I was kitted out with running shoes, breathable pants, my Sendai half marathon shirt, sunglasses, sun hat, and a trusty Deuter backpack packed with our own food and drinks to avoid overpriced snacks on site. The only thing missing was a flag sticking out of my pack. The queuing situation eased up in the afternoon, mercifully. In the morning, we simply didn't feel like joining the long lines in the sun. But by midday, things had se...

Day 10 After a string of packed days on the road, we finally gave ourselves permission to sleep in. The hotel room felt extra cozy that morning, and we didn’t step outside until around 3 p.m. Our plan for the day was simple: explore a bit of Osaka without rushing. We made our way to Osaka Castle, one of Japan’s most iconic landmarks. The castle itself, reconstructed with historical care, sits surrounded by a sprawling park and massive stone walls, reminders of its former military importance during the 16th century. But rather than heading straight in, we discovered something a bit more grounded and delicious: the Osaka Gourmet Expo. Set up in a large tent near the castle grounds, the expo featured rows of stalls offering food from all over Japan. The scent of grilled and simmering dishes filled the air, instantly sparking our appetites. Inside, seating was arranged with the very familiar sets of beer garden benches and tables, something that felt weirdly German. I half expected someone...

Day 9 Waking up early to pack, we faced a rainy morning that set a calm but somewhat gloomy tone. After checking out at 10 a.m., L and I headed to Tokyo Station, still under a steady drizzle. We stopped for coffee and cake, warming up before meeting S for lunch. She brought along the pesto jar I’d given her the other day because she couldn’t open it at home, and this time, I managed to open it after having closed it way too tightly myself. After lunch, we went on a little quest to find postcards. We first asked at the tourist information desk, then the staff at a nearby bookshop pointed us to the fourth floor, where the postcards were tucked away. Without S, I would have never found them. Why are postcards so hard to find? After all, fax machines are still widely used here, just like in Germany, so postcards shouldn’t have disappeared completely, especially in a city bustling with tourists. Back at the hotel, we grabbed our luggage and made our way to Shinagawa Station for the Shinkan...

Day 8 In the morning, we visited the Meiji Shrine, one of Tokyo’s most important and serene spiritual sites. Dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, the shrine honors the emperor who helped lead Japan into the modern era during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Set in a vast forested area in the heart of bustling Shibuya, the shrine feels like a tranquil retreat. Towering trees surround wide gravel paths leading to the grand torii gates, offering a refreshing escape from the city’s noise and pace. L and I both took part in the traditional custom of writing down our wishes on paper slips and placing them with a small donation at the shrine’s designated area. The shrine grounds are lined with rows of sake barrels, known as kazaridaru , which are traditional offerings from sake brewers across Japan. These barrels symbolize gratitude and prayers for prosperity, reflecting the deep connection between Shinto rituals and Japan’s cultural heritage. In addition to sake barrels, Mei...

Day 7 Exploring Tokyo was a whirlwind of sights, sounds, and a bit of shopping. We started the day with a visit to Tokyo City View in Roppongi Hills, a sleek observation deck offering one of the best panoramic views of the city. From up there, Tokyo sprawls endlessly, with landmarks like Tokyo Tower and even Mount Fuji visible on clear days. It’s a perfect spot to get a real sense of Tokyo’s massive scale and vibrant energy. Too bad that Mount Fuji was more hidden than visible, but I have a feeling that I will return there in a future visit.  Afterwards, we swung by the base of Tokyo Tower itself. Even though it’s smaller than the newer Skytree, Tokyo Tower still has that classic charm and is iconic in its own right, painted bright orange and white to comply with aviation rules. The bottom area bustles with souvenir shops and little eateries, making it a nice place to soak in the atmosphere. For lunch, we stopped at Yoshinoya, a popular Japanese fast-food chain known for its gyudo...