Japan Tour Reflections
By Todd Shimoda
NAP Contributor
I have traveled a good amount around the world, especially in Japan. Yet, in all those travels, I never went on a tour. I think it is because of a combination of independence and a desire for spontaneity—I actually enjoy figuring out where to go, how to get there, and how to get around.
Sharing a meal at a restaurant in Naha, Okinawa. Left to right: Linda Kono, Donna Yamamoto, Bryce Nevermann, Pat Yoshinaka, Marv Yoshinaka, Bruce Rutledge, Michael Okazaki, and Cheryl Okazaki. Photo courtesy: Bryce Nevermann.
When a few members of my family and I decided to go to Japan together, I looked to my friend Bruce Rutledge whom I knew led Japan tours for The North American Post. He told me the fall 2025 trip was designed for more places off the regular tourist route including a few days in Tokyo, Kyushu, and Okinawa. The price was reasonable with round trip airfare from Seattle, activities and transportation, hotels with breakfast, and some other meals included.
Okinawa Chiraumi Aquarium in Motobu, Okinawa. Photo courtesy: Cheryl Okazaki.
We met most of the other 20 travelers and the guides at an informational meeting a week before leaving. So, when we gathered at the ANA (All Nippon Airways) airport departure area, we knew a little bit about each other which helped break the ice. So far so good, I thought, admittedly still wondering how the two weeks on a tour would go.
Fall Grand Sumo tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, sumo indoor arena in Tokyo, Japan. Photo courtesy: Kim Shimoda.
In Tokyo, we hit the ground running—some of us literally (there were a few runners)—the rest of us walked in the lingering summer humidity. As with most days, there was a planned activity or two but the rest of the day was free. The first day’s activity was an afternoon at the fall Grand Sumo tournament. As a big sumo fan, I was excited to get back into the Ryogoku Kokugikan (sumo indoor arena). Of course, not everyone wanted to see the spectacle of nearly-naked, 400-pound grapplers. Our guides were very helpful for those not attending to find alternative activities such as a day trip to Kamakura. Both activities were fun.
In our first few days, helpful traveling details emerged quickly. First was the 7-Eleven store where you can survive in Japan with money changing machines, ATMs (automated teller machines), hot coffee, cold coffee, cold green tea, rice balls, delicious sandwiches, and pretty much anything else 24 hours a day. Other convenience stores such as Lawson and Family Mart provided similar products and services. Of course, the ubiquitous vending machines were also welcomed especially for keeping hydrated.
Returning to Hakata from a day trip to Nagasaki. Photo courtesy: Kathy Okawa.
Credit cards are accepted everywhere, so carrying only a little cash is adequate. The Suica cards, preloaded by the tour, facilitated traveling on public transportation, and some stores in train stations and airports. The Suica machines in the stations are where you can check balances and add funds to the card. Having an international plan on our cell phones was critical for finding our way around, keeping in touch with the group, and locating the nearest 7-Eleven.
Other planned activities in Tokyo included a kintsugi workshop (highly recommended pottery repair and philosophy), Yokohama’s Chinatown, the Overseas Migration Museum, and the unforgettably fun Cup Noodle Museum.
After that was an exciting Shin- kansen (Japanese high-speed rail system) ride to Kyushu including a quick photo-op of Mt. Fuji. There were nightly food courts and impromptu outdoor karaoke, tours of Dejima Island, the important and somber Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, and the Hakata historical district. There was also a delicious mochi-making experience.
After the flight, Okinawa felt friendly and laid back. The highlights included the famous (unfortunately fire-damaged) Shuri castle ruins, the Zuizen Awamori distillery tour (yes, samples), glass blowing, bingata dyeing technique workshops, Okinawa war memorial site, and the well-done Churami Aquarium.
The non-planned highlights in the three locations in Tokyo included the Ota Memorial Museum with its ukiyo-e (wood block print) collection, a major league baseball game, the Jimbocho bookstore area (named the number one coolest neighborhood in the world), an uber-expensive omakase tempura restaurant, the traditional Yanaka neighborhood, a chartered fishing outing, a golf excursion, shopping in Ginza and other districts, and one of my favorites—a tiny Hakata bar with a pool table.
In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and was sad to see it end. There was a good mix of planned activities and free time. The best part was that I was able to spend quality time with family and friends, make many new friends, and go places I would not have gone if on my own. The shared experiences seem to be very impactful and memorable. Thanks very much to Bruce, the other guides, and everyone who went.
