My dream-come-true holiday in Japan was finally coming to an end. Needless to say I was really upset that my trip was ending, but at least I had one final day before flying off later that night.

I didn’t really have much planned for the day since we had to head back and then leave the hotel by 6. So we just decided to go to Meiji Jingu and add places to go to as time permitted.

Probably one of the most popular shrines in Japan, Meiji Jingu is nestled in the heart of Tokyo. Surrounded by a forest, the shrine offers a bit of an escape from the busy city just outside its borders.

When we visited the shrine, it was a rainy weekday and there were no crowds at all! The shrine was decorated for the new year, which was just a few days away. The whole area is huge and covered in greenery, almost making you forget that you’re in one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world.

Afterwondering around the shrine for a bit, we decided to head over to Harajuku which was really close by.

Despite the rain, the place was absolutely filled to the brim. The main shopping district is known for its trendy fashion and variety of cafes, but is also notoriously expensive (as you would expect). The highlight of Harajuku for me was Daiso, because I live and die by dollar stores.

Next we took a train to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku. The building has two observatories from which you can get a fantastic view of the whole city (and even Mt. Fuji on a clear day!) And the best part is that it’s absolutely free!

It was too cloudy to see Mt. Fuji

They also had stamps with logo of the building. I had been collecting these stamps wherever I saw them (train stations, temples etc.) but I’m not exactly sure why they are placed in various places (just a memento, maybe?)

North Observatory, cheapskate paradise

After getting something to eat, we decided to spend whatever time we had left at Akihabara, which was a mere 15 minutes walk away from our hotel. That’s where we saw a majicarp taiyaki, which we obviously had to buy.

We then browsed around the shops for a while before heading back, packing our bags and leaving for the airport.

Being on a constant high for 3 weeks really impacts your body, and I immediately fell sick after returning home. It took a while for it to sink in that I was finally home, and for the next couple of days I would not shut up about my trip.

This trip will truly be one of my most memorable. I travelled on my own, tried new things, met wonderful people and had a lot of fun. Even though I spent 3 weeks in Kyoto, I still want to go back there. And of course, I want to explore other parts of Japan as well. Hopefully it won’t be too long before I get a chance to go back.