Planning My Japan Trip: A Fun Rollercoaster Ride Before the Adventure

Ever since January last year, I’ve had one goal in mind: go to Japan. I mean, who wouldn’t want to? The food, the culture, the sights—Japan has it all. But being me, I didn’t want it to be just a vacation. I thought, “Why not combine it with something productive?” So, I started hunting for conferences, thinking it would not only make my trip more purposeful but might also make the visa process smoother. (Although, let's be honest, Japan’s visa process is already pretty straightforward.)

Then came my big Alhamdulillah moment! My professor sent me a link to a conference on heritage studies (totally up my alley!) in Takasaki, Japan. It’s not in Tokyo, but it's close enough—and definitely accessible. I submitted my paper, and guess what? I got accepted as a poster presenter! Another Alhamdulillah!

With the conference locked in, I started planning. But here’s the thing: traveling solo wasn’t really my vibe. My husband and I discussed it, and while we wanted to go together, the budget wasn’t on our side. So, I had to go alone... or so I thought! Enter my friend Rachmad, the ultimate travel buddy. He decided to join me on this adventure, and honestly, I couldn’t have been happier.

Rachmad is a travel planning wizard, so I gave him the reins. I mean, why not? Planning is his thing, and I trust him 100%. (Plus, I’m not about to argue with someone who enjoys doing the hard work, haha.) Every day, I’d get Google Maps notifications because Rachmad was busy adding our Japan destinations. It became like a little countdown to the trip!

We planned everything in advance—hotels, bus and metro passes, tickets for attractions like TeamLab, Shibuya Sky, Kamakura Pass, and even a Fuji trip from Klook. All in, we spent 22,000 NTD on bookings. (Yeah, ouch, it’s a bit out of budget, but hey, YOLO, right?)

It was so exciting seeing everything come together. It felt like we had every detail under control, even though not from our budget but our itinerary. Now, all that’s left is packing and preparing for this long-awaited trip. I can’t wait to share the stories once I’m back, but this is the little tale of how it all began.

Japan, here we come! 🎉