JAPAN!

Hey hey hey! 😀

Sorry I’ve been so MIA but work has been INSANE and I was also in JAPAN for a little bit this past month!

Guys – it was incredible. The most perfect trip ever. I am still so sad to be back home and I’m missing it every single day. I easily could have stayed there for months. We spent time in both Tokyo and Kyoto and it was an absolute dream. ❤

Below are some pics from my Instagram that I thought I would share with you all! 😀

XO

The vending machines in Japan were insane- all of the ones pictured dispensed both hot and cold drinks such as coffee and tea. Every morning we would stop by one and for only $1.50, get the best hot coffee in the cutest little can!

This photo was taken in Shibuya on our first full day in Tokyo. We spent the whole day exploring the neighbourhood which also happened to be where our Air B&B was. I was lucky enough to score this vintage Bape varsity jacket in the very first vintage store we went in and am beyond in love with it. 

In Asakusa we visited this beautiful Buddhist temple called as Senso-ji. It is Tokyo’s oldest temple and it was absolutely stunning. When you approach the temple, you are greeted by a massive red latern in between two gates called Kaminarimon. Also found on the grounds of Senso-ji is Nakamise-doir which is rows of cute little shops that sell beautiful crafts, food and toys. It was the perfect way to spend an afternoon and was a truly wonderful cultural experience.

After spending three days in Tokyo, we traveled to Kyoto on the bullet train (amazing!!) and spent our first night there exploring the city. The next day we went to visit the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest which was beyond breathtaking. Being surrounded by nothing but bamboo was so magical and we were even lucky enough to see a beautiful Geisha in the forest.

After the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, we made our way over to Fushimi Inari-taisha. This shrine has always been a dream of mine to see and I was so excited to climb to the top. The hike up took us approximately 2 hours but luckily it did not feel long at all. As you climb the mountain, you pass through 10,000 of the red gates pictured above as well as many smaller shrines that are located on the sides of the main path. The beauty of this climb is so hard to get across through pictures but trust me when I say the beauty only increases the more you climb.

This picture was taken from the top of the mountain. Standing up here and knowing that we had climbed all the way to the top was truly a surreal experience. I feel so lucky that I was able to do this and it was an absolutely breathtaking view.

It is amazing how even the alleys within Tokyo were all so poetic and beautiful. Maybe it was just because I was so immediately in love with Japan, but I found my love intensifying with every step we took. I thought that even small nooks, like the Shibuya alleyway above, were so perfect.

My boyfriend had been dying to take me to the Akihabara district of Tokyo as he loves it so much and I was not disappointed in the slightest during out day here. This area, also known as Electric Town, was home to every kind of anime imaginable as well as the cutest anime toys, animal cafes, sex shops and the craziest themed shops I had ever seen.

Here we are at a Cat Cafe in Akihabara. Honestly, I do not like cats in the slightest but how could you say no to going to any kind of animal cafe in Japan? It was actually super fun and the cats were quite friendly. Clearly we fully immersed ourselves in the experience 😀

This beautiful park was found in the Roppongi Hills district of Tokyo. This upscale district was very fun to wander around for the afternoon while we checked out the shops and sampled some delicious food. Afterwards we made our way over to the Ginza district which is also home to many luxury stores and restaurants which were so dreamy.

Found my twin in Tokyo! We actually happened to meet this guy several days before this picture was taken as he happened to be wearing the same hat I owned and we had shared a good laugh about it. Funnily enough, the day I decided to wear that hat, we bumped into him again and took this cute little pic.

My boyfriend and I had been really excited to go to the Tsukiji Fish Market because we have seen the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi (go watch it- its magical) and the way they show this market in the documentary is insane. The documentary has several scenes with this market and the chaos of the market combined with all of the fresh fish available for breakfast sold us immediately. We loved it just as much as we thought we would.

Guys the Ghibli Museum was SO COOL. If you’re a fan of Ghibli you NEED to come here. It was like watching all of my childhood Ghibli movies and favourite characters come to live in one giant, magical place. Each room is better than the last and definitely a must do if you find yourself in Japan. We raided the gift shop for the cutest Ghibli merchandise (hello pins!) and even ate at the cafe which was actually really really tasty.

How cute are these vintage Levi jeans I scooped up at a vintage store? They’re so sick and so comfy! It’s hard to tell in this picture, since you cant see the full length, but they’re cropped with a frayed hem and baggy all around. Super Japanese and super perfect. This pictures also showcases my love for Japanese convenience store finds which were out of this world. Where else can you walk into a convenience store and come out with the most amazing sandwiches, burgers and bubble tea? No where else- just Japan. ❤

Another vintage find of mine (seriously the vintage stores here are beyond incredible) that I am obsessed with. I was really hoping to leave Japan with a Supreme piece and when I stumbled upon this little beauty I know she had to be mine. Its super super cozy and warm and I was really happy that it wasn’t a classic box logo piece that everyone is obsessed with. It was also a piece I hadn’t seen on a lot of people which I also really liked and I liked that it looked old school yet modern.

During our last week in Tokyo we stayed in Shinjuku which is home to Golden Gai and Kabukicho which are two areas we spent a lot of time in while we were there. Golden Gai is a fun area that is made up of alleys filled with tiny bars that only seat about 6-8 people. The food and drink culture was amazing and super tasty. It was also really fun to hang out with the locals here. Kabukicho is Tokyo’s red light district and is filled with clubs, sex establishments and all sorts of local characters you meet along the way. While here we also went to the famous Robot Restaurant for a life changing show that we’re still talking about.