Years ago, I found myself on a short stopover in Tokyo en route to Hong Kong—a quick couple of days to explore. I didn't have a camera or even a journal, so all I kept were just a handful of mental snapshots and a few saved receipts. One of the most vivid: checking into the Prince Hotel and literally having to duck to enter my tiny, charming room—proof that Tokyo has long mastered the art of efficient design. Back then, the exchange rate was about 250 yen to the U.S. dollar, yet everything still felt surprisingly expensive.
Fast-forward to this year: I returned from a ten-day trip to Japan with family just a week before Thanksgiving, with stops in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. This time, the exchange rate hovered around 154 yen to the dollar, and Japan felt wonderfully affordable. Maybe it’s the numbers. Maybe it’s age and perspective. Most likely, a bit of both.
Even so, I didn’t buy much—just food, prescription glasses, a couple of T-shirts, and some souvenirs (mostly edible). The flagship Uniqlo in Ginza was a must-stop; we were especially delighted by the basement levels: two entire floors dedicated to food and groceries, both fun and dangerously tempting.
Our hotel in Osaka was tucked inside a Korean neighborhood, a refreshing change of pace from the intensity of the city center. The meals there were excellent and, to my surprise, nearly half the price of similar Korean food in Atlanta. It felt like a small travel bonus inside a much larger adventure.
As always, we took far too many photos. It’ll take time to sort through them all, but for now, here are a few images that capture some of Japan’s most iconic sights and culture.
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| Gate to Meiji Jingu Shrine |
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| Endless Torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine in Tokyo |
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| a lovely autumn day at Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto |
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| Ladies in kimono and traditional Korean-wedding attire |
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| sashimi |
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.jpg "Have Food Will Travel: Atlanta, Georgia")
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