Day 1 : Shizuoka the Starting Point
When I woke up, there was no confusion about where I was and no soreness either. Day one was off to a strong start—until I heard rain hitting the window. Before figuring out the rain cover for my bag, I decided to try my hotel’s free breakfast.
I was the only foreigner in the room at this small buffet-style setup. I never know if I’m going to like something, so I usually start small. In Japan, it’s considered disrespectful to waste food or not finish what you take, since it reflects on the people who prepared it.
Rolled egg, chicken, salmon, and bread. Everything was good except the bread. It had no flavor what so ever, not even a hint of chocolate or cinnamon.
After breakfast I packed up my bag and put on my rain cover.
You might be wondering—what’s the plan?
I have no clue. That’s kind of the point of this first week.
My friend’s parents own an apartment in Shizuoka, and luckily they had just wrapped up a trip to Japan. Her dad went home early, but her mom stayed an extra two weeks to wait for me and help me get acclimated.
So this next week is all about preparing for the walk and adjusting to life in Japan, in the comfort of a friend’s mom’s home.
Step one: get to Shizuoka Station—that’s where we planned to meet.
Step two: don’t tell her I’ve arrived and find a gift.
I was hoping to find “gift fruit”—those premium, beautifully packaged fruits that are sold as luxury gifts in Japan.
I took the subway, then bought a ticket for the Shinkansen (bullet train). When I got to the non-reserved section, it was completely packed—and I mean packed, like those videos you see online of people being pushed into the train. I couldn’t move at all, and I’m bigger than most people in Japan, so I definitely made it more difficult.
I ended up stuck in the connecting car, which probably fits eight people comfortably, but had around 15–20 crammed inside. The ride was about 45 minutes… not exactly enjoyable. I honestly felt bad for the people who got stuck next to me.
After arriving, I wandered out of the station looking for a grocery store. I found a fruit vendor and bought an orange, but it was pretty ordinary—not exactly the “gift fruit” I had in mind.
I kept searching and eventually came across a small flower shop. The older woman inside helped me put together a spring bouquet from scratch.
That’s when it really hit me—my Japanese vocabulary is pretty small, and my listening comprehension is awful.
But we made it work. She was incredible at what she does—she even handmade a bow and carefully wrapped the bouquet several times.
Now it was time to meet my friend’s mom. Standing in front of a major train station holding flowers as a foreigner definitely attracted some attention.
Before this trip, I had only met her once, so I was still a little nervous. But everything went smoothly. We took the bus back to the apartment so I could finally drop my heavy bag.
She kept telling me the place was small—probably to manage my expectations—but I honestly loved it. There was more than enough space, and the layout was really well thought out.
I even got to stay in a tatami room, sleeping on a futon on the floor, which felt much more traditional.
After settling in, we walked to a local department store—which, in America, would basically be a mall. It had several floors filled with different shops and food. I can’t say this enough… It is very clean and very organized in Japan. Even all the people are well groomed, well dressed, and healthy looking. Definitely very overwhelming because I look like a bum.
We grabbed some gyoza (dumplings) and picked up a few groceries.
Later, we headed downtown for dinner. Since Friday was the first day of spring, it was actually a holiday, which turned it into a three-day weekend for most people. That meant everything was packed. We almost couldn’t find a place that wasn’t full.
Eventually, we found a steak and bar restaurant. It was really nice—you could choose specific cuts of beef or just go with a set menu.
The portions were obviously pretty small, but it was more about the experience. Everything was fantastic. After dinner, we stopped by a convenience store for dessert, then headed home and went straight to bed.