By Sam Beckler

There was nothing but a vast expanse of city as far as the eye could see from the plane window. We were landing in the largest and most populated city in the world: Tokyo, Japan. My dad Bob Beckler and I took a 10-day trip to Japan this August and traveled all over the country. We started in Tokyo and then traveled to Osaka. Out of Osaka, we took day trips to Kyoto and Hiroshima. We then returned to Tokyo for our last day in Japan.

Tokyo from the air.

With 40 million people, Tokyo is by far the largest city in the world. With an area of about 850 square miles, everywhere you look there are more buildings and skyscrapers. However, once we had settled in the Ginza district within Tokyo, the city seemed to shrink. We were finally able to get our bearings and decide where to go and what to do. The first thing that came to mind was food. After searching “sushi” on Google Maps, the app unsurprisingly yielded about 100 results within a mile, so we decided we would be better off just window shopping for food. We settled on a small sushi restaurant within the Tsukiji Fish Market.

Dad with some sushi.

I could write 2000 words on the food in Japan alone. In short, the sushi does not come close to comparing with the California rolls from Kroger. All of the food is far more fresh and much more natural than food in America. Very little is weighed down with extra preservatives and sugar.

From Ginza, we went through the inner and outer markets of the world-famous Tsukiji Fish Market and saw nearly every edible sea creature for sale. They sold things that I had no idea could be eaten, like the pufferfish, with its highly potent neurotoxin. The market also had countless alleys lined with shops selling food, souvenirs, massages, and more. After the fish market, we walked to the heart of Tokyo, where the Imperial Palace lies. The palace remains partially open during the day for people to walk through and is a stunning sight at night. The main palace remains closed most of the time, as it is the active residence of the Japanese Emperor.

After a few days in Tokyo, we took a bullet train to Osaka. The train traveled at around 200 mph and took us 400 miles in about 2.5 hours. Osaka is generally known as the nightlife capital of Japan, with countless bars, restaurants, and malls that are open very late. However, the main attraction of Osaka is the Osaka Castle. Constructed in 1583, the castle has withstood the tests of time, even surviving the bombings of World War II. Today it stands open to the public through guided tours and public access areas. We were not able to take a tour because the line was wrapped around the building several times.

From Osaka, we took a bullet train to Kyoto for one day. Kyoto is generally known as the cultural capital of Japan. Established in 794, Kyoto is one of Japan’s oldest and most culture-rich cities. Along with being very old, Kyoto has remained relatively unscathed from wars over the years. In Kyoto, we visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine, a Shinto shrine that predates the city itself. The shrine is characterized by thousands of gates added over the years. 

The gates of the Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Our last day trip from Osaka was to Hiroshima. We visited the site where the first nuclear bomb was dropped. The remnants of the building that was directly beneath the bomb still stand today, now housing the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The mangle of bricks and melted steel serves as a reminder of the immense power used that day. The city has since built up to become the business capital of Japan, home to many companies’ headquarters.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

Upon returning to Osaka, we were hit by a typhoon that had been developing in the Pacific Ocean over the past few days. My dad and I were confined to our hotel and the 7-11 attached to it and unable to go outside. Luckily, the 7-11 remained open. We made it the whole day eating cup ramen and microwave meals only from the 7-11.

All photos by Sam Beckler.