Japan 2026 ✈ Part 2: Hakone

6 weeks. Countless train rides. Thousands of kilometers. One unforgettable journey across Japan. It has been hubby's bucket list to slow-travel all around Japan, and we are glad to finally make this a reality. From vibrant cities to quiet countryside, snow-covered mountains to coastal towns, ancient temples to modern skylines — we are grateful for the opportunity to experience and see so many different parts of this country. We were also fortunate to experience the cherry blossom season this time around. Arigato gozaimasu, Japan, for the wonderful experiences and memories, and for showing us again what a unique country you are, with amazing culture and people.

6-Weeks Around Japan

24 Feb - 2 Mar 2026: Tokyo

2-3 Mar 2026: Hakone

3-5 Mar 2026: Nagoya, Nakasendo Trail

5-8 Mar 2026: Kyoto, Uji

8-12 Mar 2026: Osaka

12-17 Mar 2026: Sapporo, Niseko, Hakodate

17-18 Mar 2026: Akita

18-22 Mar 2026: Sendai, Ginzan Onsen

22-25 Mar 2026: Kanazawa, Shirakawago

25- 29 Mar 2026: Hiroshima

29 Mar - 4 Apr 2026: Kokura, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki

4-6 Apr 2026: Beppu

6-7 Apr 2026: Fukuoka

2 Mar 2026 (Mon): Tokyo - Hakone

After 6 nights in Tokyo, it was time to continue our journey to the next destination...Hakone. Checked out of our hotel at 7am to begin our day as we have a lot of traveling and sightseeing to do today. 

2 hour journey from Tokyo to Hakone on 3 different trains. We opted for the normal train (instead of the Romance Car) because of our hotel location (i.e. not close to Shinjuku) and the travel duration was similar. It was rush hour but fortunately we were able to find seats and stored our backpacks on the rack above the seats. 

I was nervous about the 1 minute transit for the 3rd train but gotta trust the Japanese punctuality, we managed to catch every train without any issues. 

Arrived Hakone at 9.15am. We bought the Hakone Free Pass which covered the 3rd train so we were able to get our train fares adjusted for the 3rd train when we got to Hakone station.

It was too early to check in but thankfully we were able to drop off our bags in the hotel and start our sightseeing in Hakone at 10am. 

Our multi-transport day continues with bus → cruise → ropeway which were all included in our Hakone Free Pass. Took the bus from Hakone station to Motohakone just in time to catch the 10.45am Hakone Sightseeing (Pirate) Cruise to Togendai port.

Unfortunately, it was gloomy and cloudy, no chance to see Mt Fuji so the 30 min cruise was a let down.

After getting off the cruise, we took the ropeway from Togendai to Owakudani. The ropeway's gondolas depart every minute and fit around ten people each. Traveling the full length of the ropeway takes around 30 minutes. 

Got off the ropeway at Owakudani Valley to enjoy views of the active sulfur vents. 

We also tried the "kuro-tamago" (black eggs), which are boiled in the hot springs and are said to add seven years to your life... yea right...lol!

 

Also tried the black ice cream which tasted like vanilla.

Spent about 50 min walking around Owakudani and decided to head back downhill. Continuing with our multi-transport day traveling on ropeway → cable car → train back to Hakone Yumoto station.

Made it back to Hakone at 2pm but it was still too early to check in so we stopped by this very homely, hole in the wall local restaurant (智路留) for lunch. 

The restaurant is old school but cozy and were run by few old ladies who are very friendly and cute. The price was also very reasonable but they only took cash.

Strolled around Hakone town before finally checking in to our hotel at 3.30pm. 

Booked our 1-night stay at Yumoto Station Hotel Mirahakone for 13,910yen ($90). The room was very small but it was fine for us since we were only staying for a night. At least we had a private bathroom. Hubby had fun wearing all the different pajamas provided in Japanese hotels.

Next stop...Nagoya.

Japan 2026 ✈ Part 1: Tokyo

6 weeks. Countless train rides. Thousands of kilometers. One unforgettable journey across Japan. It has been hubby's bucket list to slow-travel all around Japan, and we are glad to finally make this a reality. From vibrant cities to quiet countryside, snow-covered mountains to coastal towns, ancient temples to modern skylines — we are grateful for the opportunity to experience and see so many different parts of this country. We were also fortunate to experience the cherry blossom season this time around. Arigato gozaimasu, Japan, for the wonderful experiences and memories, and for showing us again what a unique country you are, with amazing culture and people.

6-Weeks Around Japan
24 Feb - 2 Mar 2026: Tokyo
2-3 Mar 2026: Hakone
3-5 Mar 2026: Nagoya, Nakasendo Trail
5-8 Mar 2026: Kyoto, Uji
8-12 Mar 2026: Osaka
12-17 Mar 2026: Sapporo, Niseko, Hakodate
17-18 Mar 2026: Akita
18-22 Mar 2026: Sendai, Ginzan Onsen
22-25 Mar 2026: Kanazawa, Shirakawago
25- 29 Mar 2026: Hiroshima
29 Mar - 4 Apr 2026: Kokura, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki
4-6 Apr 2026: Beppu
6-7 Apr 2026: Fukuoka


24 Feb 2026 (Tues): Penang - KL - Tokyo

After spending 2.5 weeks in Malaysia, it was time to begin our journey to Japan. We would be hopping around Japan for 6 weeks so we packed all our stuffs into 2 backpacks, 13kg each. Started our day with an early flight to KL at 5.50am. Thanks mom for dropping us off at the airport at 3.45am. 

Had a 2.5 hour transit in KL before our flight to Narita at 9.30am. Managed to juice the last bit of my Oneworld Sapphire status to visit the Golden Lounge in KLIA, before losing my status on Mar 31.

The flight to Narita was completely full. Hubby still wasn't feeling well so I took his portion of the meals. Booked our flights from Penang - KL - Tokyo NRT on MAS for 25,000 Alaska miles + $31.

After traveling for about 11 hours, we finally landed in Narita at 5.15pm. Even though we had already filled out the Visit Japan Web form, it still took 20 min to get through immigration and another 15 min to get through customs. It was already 6.20pm by the time we got through customs. 

Hubby's friends, Brantyn and Anna, arrived about 1.5 hours before us and were waiting for us at another terminal. Took a bit for us to find each other before getting on the train into the city. Our train ride required a change of train from Keisei Line to Tokyo Rapid line and took about 1hr 45min. 

The train was crowded leaving Narita so we had to stand for about 30 min before getting a seat.

Finally made it to our hotel in Akasaka at 8.55pm. We were all tired at this point so we stopped by Family Mart next to our hotel to grab some food for dinner and call it a night.

Our 'home' for 6 nights in Tokyo was Sotetsu Fresa Inn Akasaka. Booked this stay about 7 months in advance for a total of $469 for 6 nights. This hotel was conveniently located right across Akasaka metro station. The room was small, as expected for Tokyo, but had enough space for our bags.

 The hotel was equipped with everything we needed for a comfortable stay: pajamas, slippers, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hair dryer, electric kettle, fridge, air purifier, fabric air freshener. 

There were also additional items in the lobby we could borrow: umbrella, hair iron, trouser press, steamers, shoe dryers. Coffee, tea, face mask, lotion, bath salts, cleansing oil, etc. were available for free at the lobby. 

There was also laundry machine and microwave in the hotel. This hotel was definitely value for money and served as a perfect base for our time in Tokyo.

Love Japanese efficiency with housekeeping. Bags provided in the room to place used towels and hang them outside the door. Use of magnetic signs to indicate if you want housekeeping or just a change of towels. Fresh towels provided in a reusable bag and hung on the door.

25 Feb 2026 (Wed): Tokyo - National Museum  •  Asakusa

After a good night's rest, it was time to start exploring Tokyo. First things first was to pick up our Tokyo Subway 72-hour ticket at Akasaka station. We bought our tickets in advance on Klook for 1500 yen/pax. We were able to scan the QR code to redeem our physical tickets from the ticket machine pretty easily. The 72-hour starts from the first time you use the pass. The expiry date and time is printed at the back of your ticket.

Hubby and friends visited Tokyo National Museum for the first half of the day while I chilled in the hotel. I then took the train to meet up with them at Asakusa around 2.45pm. It was raining so I borrowed an umbrella from the hotel before venturing out. 

We love Ichiran so of course we had to introduce it to Brantyn and Anna. Hubby was looking forward to Ichiran but he wasn't feeling 100% so he couldn't fully enjoy this meal. 

Our next stop was Senso-ji temple. Even though we've been here before, we decided to visit again with Brantyn and Anna as this was their first time in Japan. 

This was our 3rd time visiting Senso-ji and for some reason it has always rained when we visit this place. Looking on the bright side, it wasn't as crowded because of the rain. 

Wrapped up our sightseeing at 4.30pm and headed back to the hotel. 

Stopped by the supermarket in Akasaka station, Maruetsupetit, to buy some food for dinner and breakfast. This supermarket has microwave, kettle, and a separate area to bag our items.

26 Feb 2026 (Thurs): Tokyo - Imperial Palace  •  Akihabara  •  Shinjuku

Started our day at 9am with a full day of sightseeing planned. The train was so quiet you could hear only footsteps and the train jingle.

Our first stop of the day was the Imperial Palace. 

Spent about 1.5 hours walking all around the Imperial Palace grounds. 

Glad we got there early at 9.15am so it wasn't crowded yet. 

We were lucky to spot some early cherry blossoms here.

Next stop was Akihabara. 

Decided to have lunch at Sushiro. We've never been to Sushiro so this was a good chance for all of us to try out conveyor belt sushi. We were glad we didn't have to wait in line to get in. Got a number from the ticket machine at the entrance showing us our table number.

Ordered everything on the big screen at our table, had our orders delivered to our table via conveyor belt. We also played a few games but didn't win any. 

Brantyn and Anna certainly enjoyed the sushi, as seen from the tower of plates. Paid our bill at the machine at the exit. Love the convenience and efficiency with no staff interaction required.

After a fun and enjoyable lunch, we stopped by Surugaya and Super Potato for hubby to look for his toys. 

We then visited GIGO to play some arcade games. Btw both Brantyn and Anna are also gamers, which is how hubby got to know Brantyn, so Akihabara was a stop catered for the gamers.

I was busy filming content while playing Mario Kart which explains my not-so-good results. 

Left Akihabara at 3.30pm and visited Square Enix cafe in Shinjuku. We've been here before in 2017. This was yet another stop for the gamers, I was just the navigator.

Tried some Final Fantasy themed drinks. 

Our next stop was Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Only the South observatory remains open at night, so we went to the South tower for free night views of Tokyo. We arrived at 5.40pm and there was quite a long line to get to the elevator. We stood in line for about 20 min before finally getting on the elevator to get up the building. 

The last time we visited here was during day time, so we got to see the night views this time around.

After enjoying the night views of Tokyo, we strolled around Shinjuku area. 

I'm not a fan of Shinjuku area coz it's too busy and crowded but it's ok for a quick visit. Didn't help that we were there at 6.45pm, rush hour. 

Found an izakaya at Omoide Yokocho for dinner. Omoide Yokocho is a narrow alley famous for its postwar atmosphere with tiny yakitori stalls, izakayas, Japanese pubs, and grilled food under red lanterns. Thanks to Brantyn, we met a very friendly salaryman at the end of our meal.

27 Feb 2026 (Fri): Tokyo - Asakusa  •  Shibuya  •  Akihabara

Hubby went to Ikebukuro for arcades and video game hunting while Brantyn and Anna visited Kamakura. I decided not to waste the beautiful weather and make good use of my metro pass, so I went back to Asakusa again.

 I was determined to visit Asakusa without rain. 

Went up to the free observation deck on the 8th floor of the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center to take photos of Tokyo Skytree and Senso-ji from above before braving the crowd in Senso-ji.

Senso-ji was a lot more crowded than 2 days ago.

I then walked to Asakusa Rox, which was surprisingly a good place to shop, with 3coins, Muji, and Daiso all within the same building.

Also stopped by the supermarket at Asakusa Rox to grab some light snacks for lunch.

After spending half a day exploring myself, I met up with hubby, Brantyn and Anna at the hotel at 4pm before heading out to Shibuya together. 

Took a quick photo at Shibuya crossing then walked to Shibuya Parco, which conveniently housed all the game stores that hubby and friends wanted to visit: Nintendo, Capcom, Sega.

Had dinner at Shibuya Yakiniku Nikutatsu. It was nice to have a private room to enjoy our meal. Food and service was good too.

After dinner, we rushed back to Akihabara for hubby to buy more video games before they close for the night.

28 Feb 2026 (Sat): Tokyo - Akasaka  •  Ginza  •  Imperial Palace

Day 4 in Tokyo was another free and easy day for me. Hubby went to the Railway Museum by himself while Brantyn and Anna went to a horse race. I was gonna just chill in the hotel but the weather was too beautiful to stay in the hotel, and my metro pass was gonna expire at 2pm today, so I decided to venture out by myself again. 

Left the hotel at 10.45am and noticed that the road in front of our hotel was blocked. Spotted locals dressed up in traditional outfit getting ready for a parade, so I decided to see what's going on. 

My timing was perfect as I was there right as the parade was starting. I had no idea what the parade was about and was confused with the geisha and mascot combo but still glad to stumble upon this unexpectedly. Found out later that this Akasaka parade was one of the events to start off the Akasaka Crimson Lights Festival.

After an unexpected 'cultural' start for my morning, I took the metro to Ginza. I love Uniqlo so of course I had to visit the world's largest Uniqlo in Ginza. I wasn't sure why the roads in Ginza were closed for cars but I guess it was to prepare for the Tokyo Marathon that was happening the next day.

I then went to Pokemon Center Tokyo DX (upon big bro's request) and was surprised by the amount of crazy people standing in line...lol! You not only had to stand in line to get on the elevator to get to the store. Once you get in, you still had to get a number ticket to shop. I'm like what in the world is this craziness. I ain't wasting my time here.

Next stop was a revisit to the Imperial Palace again, coz I wanted to see if there was anything going on there for the Tokyo Marathon since that was the finish line for the marathon, but there was nothing there.

It was getting close to my metro pass expiry time so I had to run from Imperial Palace to the metro station and successfully made it back to Akasaka station with only 5 min to spare before my metro pass expired.

One interesting thing about Akasaka station is the Harry Potter themed installations like the Harry Potter Stairs and Time Turner in the areas surrounding the station. I'm not a Harry Potter fan but it was still a cool place to take photos.

Apparently this installation was created as part of the promotion for the stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which has been running at the TBS Akasaka ACT Theater. 

There is also a Harry Potter Cafe in this area.

Just as I was about to call it a day, I stumbled upon this local festival in front of the Tokyo Broadcasting System building. 

Came to find out that this festival and the parade I saw in the morning were all part of the Akasaka Crimson Lights Festival. 

There were Edo-style stalls offering activities like rickshaw rides, kimono dressing, tea ceremony experience, and Japanese performances. 

This event was clearly targeted to locals coz I didn't see any tourists there. Best of all, it was all free! What a day full of surprises! I guess one of the benefits of revisiting a city is having the time and freedom to explore what the city has to offer outside of the usual tourist spots. Sometimes not planning anything could be the best way to experience a place like a local.

Stopped by the supermarket to buy bentos for dinner before heading back to the hotel.

1 Mar 2026 (Sun): Tokyo - Akasaka  •  Ginza  •  Imperial Palace

Our final full day in Tokyo was a free and easy day. Many roads around the city were closed for the 2026 Tokyo Marathon. I thought about going out to see the marathon but was too lazy and decided to stay in our hotel and watched it live on TV while enjoying the snacks we got from the supermarket.

Stopped by the Lawson close to our hotel to try get the Hiroshima baseball tickets but couldn't figure out how to use the machine so we had to 'sumimasen' the staff for help. Didn't manage to get the tickets but ended up having a very nice conversation with the Lawson staff from Kyushu. We were very surprised and impressed with her English.

Went to the Akasaka Crimson Lights Festival in the afternoon to see what activities they had. Started off with a Japanese magic show. Didn't understand anything she said but still stayed on to watch the entire show. Japanese magic show by a lovely Japanese lady.

Next, a traditional sword and fight performance. Glad we didn't end up going to the Samurai Museum to see the sword demonstration coz this 30-min free show was even better! I like that long hair uncle's style. He looks like he could be in movies.

Next, a Japanese Tea Ceremony experience. We were seated with 2 Japanese ladies for this free experience. When uncle started explaining in Japanese, you could see question marks popping out of our heads. Thankfully the 2 Japanese ladies understood English and told uncle he could just speak in English instead of having to explain in both Japanese and English. Appreciate uncle's effort to explain the process in English. This event wasn't really targeted to foreign tourists but they were very hospitable and made us feel very welcomed.

I was too busy filming and not paying attention to instructions and got called out for that. We had originally planned to pay for a matcha experience in Kyoto so we were glad we got to experience all these for free!

Another free experience at the festival was kimono dressing. I didn't plan on doing this initially but the Japanese lady who did the tea experience with us recommended us to try it out and even helped us translate to the staff working at the kimono counter. It was quite an effort putting on the kimono, 2 staff had to work together to help put on my kimono. I felt bad just standing there letting them do all the work. After we got all dressed up, they even helped us do our hair. 

It was amazing we got to experience all these for free coz it would have cost quite a lot if we were to do it elsewhere.

Wrapped up our day with McDonald's for dinner. What a way to wrap up our final full day in Tokyo with this unexpected cultural day! Next stop...Hakone.