• Having one card that works for all public transit in different cities is such a blessing
• Bento boxes are amazing, because they let you try many different foods in one box
• Japan is not a great place if you’re vegetarian (I’m not, but a friend is) – there are only a few restaurants in each city that will work out
• Service delays for local trains do happen occasionally. In such cases, it can be difficult to leave the train station, because most of the time, the system requires you to tag in and out of your departure and arrival station in order to work.
• Water bottles get more expensive the higher up Fushimi Inari you climb
• Vending machines with beverages on streets are remarkably…considerate when you’re feeling thirsty.
• The Shinkansen takes 2.3 hours to go from Tokyo to Kyoto which are 318.6 miles apart. Compare that with the Acela, which takes 3.5 hrs to get you from Boston to New York which are 214 miles apart
• The phrase for Good Morning is exceptionally fun to say: Ohayo (Oh-hi-oh)
• Cardholders from the US generally fare better with 7-11 ATMs than others where you’ll get an error message
• Don’t eat too much tempura or you’ll end up with stomach problems for weeks after you get back home
• Women sometimes wear kimonos in the summer in Kyoto when they go out
• There are beautiful places in every corner of the universe