I've been missing from the blog for a long time!

I went on a trip to Japan for 8 days and 6 nights, and I have a lot to tell you about it!

This time, I focused on the city of Fukushima, which is about 300+ kilometers from Narita. It's quite a distance, especially when you have to travel on your own.

The main purpose of this trip was to see the changing leaves in Fukushima. Before I booked my flight, I heard a lot of news about the leaves changing color there.

Some places were already red, but I had already booked my flight, so I had to go and see for myself how red the leaves were at each of the places I had planned to visit.

In this review, I will divide the trip into 6 parts, one for each day of my travel plan from Bangkok to Narita and then to Fukushima.

You can follow my footsteps without getting lost, because I didn't get lost either!

Ready with bags, cameras, bodies, and of course, shoes. This trip was traveled with KEEN Terradora Waterproof.

It's the only pair that has been able to handle this trip well. Actually, I also brought a pair of thin canvas shoes for this trip, but I didn't wear them on the trip to Japan.

Because of the weather conditions and the surface conditions we encountered, we stepped on water, snow, and all kinds of rock surfaces, so I chose the pair that I was most confident in for the trip.

And I can tell you that I was not disappointed. This pair of Trail shoes is the latest innovation from Keen.

As for the luggage, I made a mistake. I had to change trains three times, dragging it all over the place. I ended up taking the biggest bag, 29 inches, and it was so heavy.

It was inconvenient to drag around, but I managed to get it back to Thailand without the wheels breaking, but the handle of the bag was completely broken. 555

Let's go and start our journey to Fukushima.

After landing at Narita Airport, we went through immigration, collected our luggage, and purchased a 5-day JR Pass.

The JR Pass allowed us to travel between Aizu and Narita, both on the way there and back.

We also used the JR Pass extensively during our sightseeing trips.

After getting off the plane, we were hungry. We had been on the plane for over 5 hours, and I had slept the whole way.

Because we flew late at night, arriving in Narita at 8 am (Japan is 2 hours ahead of Thailand).

There are 7-Eleven and FamilyMart stores inside the airport, so we quickly went to find some unique snacks!

I bought a bottle of yogurt and a piece of bread for a snack, which cost 334 yen. If you convert it to Thai baht, multiply it by 0.30, which is 100.20 baht.

Oh, in Japan, some brand-name shops add 8% VAT to the price of the product. This is VAT outside the product itself. While waiting for the first train from Narita to Tokyo Station, I looked for a vending machine. It was cute and I saw a lot of them on the streets and outdoors. I think it's very convenient. Coin-operated vending machines are also very clean. The journey from Narita to Fukushima has begun. Let's follow the trail.

The first train is to use the JR Pass to travel to Tokyo Station.

The first connection is to take the Narita Express (NEX) to Tokyo Station, which takes 56 minutes.

The train chugged along towards Tokyo Station. The scenery outside the window wasn't particularly exciting, perhaps because I was still half asleep. After a tiring flight, my legs were aching.

Upon arriving at Tokyo Station on the Narita Express, I was even more disoriented. Tokyo Station is massive, with multiple levels and numerous train lines crisscrossing underground. If you're traveling alone, getting lost is almost inevitable.

Asking for directions from the locals proved challenging, as their English proficiency was limited. My own language skills weren't strong enough to communicate effectively, leaving me feeling stranded.

From Tokyo to Koriyama: A High-Speed Rail Journey with a Cultural Twist

Transferring at Tokyo Station:

Our journey continued with a transfer to the JR Tohoku Shinkansen high-speed rail line at Tokyo Station. The 1 hour and 20-minute ride to Koriyama offered a glimpse into Japanese culture.

Cleanliness on the Rails:

Upon arrival at the platform, we were greeted by a unique sight. As the train pulled away, staff members stood at the exits, holding open garbage bags for passengers to discard their waste. This meticulous attention to cleanliness impressed us, ensuring a fresh and tidy environment for incoming passengers.

Dining on the Go:

During the train ride, we observed our fellow passengers enjoying their meals. It was nearing lunchtime, and the sight of people comfortably eating on board was a testament to the normalcy of this practice in Japan. This realization explained the presence of garbage bags at the station, as passengers disposed of their waste before disembarking.

A Culinary Adventure in Koriyama:

Arriving in Koriyama, our stomachs began to rumble. We opted for a quick and authentic dining experience at a standing ramen shop within the station. This first meal in Japan was a delicious introduction to the country's culinary delights.

The ramen menu here is a coin-operated system. Choose your desired ramen from the menu, insert coins, and receive a ticket. Hand the ticket to the staff and choose your preferred noodles.

We ordered the ramen pictured, which costs 450 yen (135 baht).

At this standing noodle shop, everyone eats standing up, and there are no spoons. I'm not used to it yet. There really are no spoons here, so everyone just slurps it up. 555 But I couldn't finish it. I tried to make it taste better by adding some seasoning, but it still wasn't good. I added some chili powder, but it still wasn't good enough. I gave up and only ate half a bowl.

(I'm a bit picky eater, and I don't really like foreign food that isn't spicy. Hehe)

Now it's time to take the last train to our final destination, Aizu Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture.

The third train is the Ban-Etsusai Line, which is brown. It takes 1 hour and 14 minutes to reach Aizu Wakamatsu.

This train is so slow that we call it the "sweet and cold train." It's also very crowded.

There were no seats, so I had to stand almost all the way.

The elderly couple beckoned us to sit with them, perhaps noticing our fatigue or perhaps mistaking us for their peers.

We arrived at Aizu-Wakamatsu Station at 3 pm.

The total travel time from Narita to Aizu-Wakamatsu was approximately 3.5 hours.

I managed to drag my 29-inch suitcase around. Japan has wide sidewalks, which I really appreciate.

They also have underpasses, which are very convenient.

I booked my first four nights at the Washington Hotel, which is only about 350 meters from the train station.

It's next to a 7-Eleven and near a FamilyMart, so it was easy to find instant noodles for dinner. 555

That light brown building is the Washington Hotel, where we stayed for 4 nights at 12,683 yen per night, including breakfast. The sky on the first day we arrived was incredibly clear and beautiful. However, that only lasted for a short while, as Typhoon No. 22 hit on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th days.

We were hit by the tail end of the storm, and it rained all day. The sky was full of dark clouds. 555

We quickly checked in and put our luggage away before heading out to explore. We still had a little time left.

We decided to visit a nearby attraction, which required taking a sightseeing bus. We walked to the Aizu-Wakamatsu Station,

where the green and red sightseeing buses stop.

We could have bought a One Day Pass, as the station is right next to the hotel.

However, considering the late hour, we opted to visit only Himeji Castle and pay on the bus.

The green sightseeing bus, at platform 6, was adorned with cute cartoon characters, a unique feature of Japan where characters are used to promote various locations. It looked adorable! Let's hop on this one.

The slot in front is where you insert coins to get off the bus.

While riding the sightseeing bus, we took out some snacks to eat. After a while, the female bus driver turned around and spoke in Japanese.

Combined with hand gestures, we understood that eating any food on the bus was prohibited. We quickly put it away in our bags, haha.

These are the Japanese coins we prepared to pay for the bus fare. 210 yen, get off at the Crane Castle station. Ah, we're here. Let's get off.

Walking towards Crane Castle, the scenery on both sides of the road...

...has begun to amaze us with the changing colors of the leaves.

Red and yellow hues surround us, making us quicken our pace. Time is of the essence, as we must race against the fading evening light.

However, on the way there, we couldn't resist stopping to take photos and check in at the beautiful roadside attractions. It was our first day here, and we were so excited! 555

The distance from the bus stop to the Crane Castle is approximately 600 meters.

The foliage along the way was at its peak when we visited on October 27, 2017.

There it is, the Crane Castle, visible in the distance.

Tsuruga Castle (鶴ヶ城)

Tsuruga Castle (鶴ヶ城) served as the military administrative center of the Aizu-wakamatsu region in Fukushima Prefecture.

Located in the Tohoku region, it stands in the western part of present-day Fukushima Prefecture.

We only managed to walk around the castle, and since it was already dark when we arrived, this is the only picture we got. Haha!

We'll be back for another visit another day. For now, we'll have to make do with seeing it in the dark. If you want to go inside the castle, there's an entrance fee.

While we were waiting for the bus, a cool breeze hit us. The bus wasn't coming anytime soon. What to do? We took out our GPS and saw that we were only 2 kilometers away from the hotel.

So we decided to take a shortcut and walk along the path.

But as we walked, the delicious smell of grilled chicken wafted into our noses. We were hungry again!

We immediately went to find the source of the smell. This was our first dinner in Fukushima.

Asian Blue: A Filipino Culinary Gem in Aizuwakamatsu

Asian Blue, a Filipino restaurant nestled in Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima, Japan, offers a unique and authentic dining experience. While the unfamiliar menu might initially seem daunting, the friendly Filipino owner is always happy to guide hungry patrons with personalized recommendations and special offers.

The restaurant's interior is warm and inviting, with a cozy Japanese-style decor. The seating is comfortable and casual, ensuring a relaxed dining experience.

We chose this restaurant because the prices on the menu were very reasonable. In fact, they were surprisingly affordable.

We were also drawn to the restaurant's reputation for serving delicious food. After a disappointing ramen experience earlier in the day, we were eager to find a restaurant that met our expectations. Thankfully, this restaurant did not disappoint.

The menu we chose was grilled barbecue, followed by fried chicken and gyoza. The fried chicken was so delicious that we had to order more.

We ate it with Japanese-style rice, which was also delicious.

This looks like a double portion, but it's worth the hunger. We won't starve anymore, I told myself. When you visit here, you have to try the local food. This concludes the first day of our trip, from the beginning to the end of the day. We can say that we are tough, haha. We took a plane and then walked around to explore the place. Anyway, we still have days 2-6 to take our friends to visit various places in Fukushima Prefecture. I can tell you that it will be amazing.

Thank you for watching.