The experience we have had thus far in Korea actually made both of us better prepared for a trip to another Asian country which was nice. We felt very relaxed entering another place with a totally different language and sets of customs.

As in Korea everything was very fun and cartoony at times which i totally dig and can’t imagine being without at this point. The people, especially in Osaka dress with a style that is all their own and something no westerner could ever pull off which i think is pretty awesome. Now, thats not to say that some of the girls that were wearing little bo’ peep dresses at the restaurant seemed odd and drug induced but overall, I liked the artistic freedom they all seem to take when getting dressed. Oh yeah and the asian dudes with bon jovi hair circa 1988 were completely off the chain but the sheer fact that they probably look in the mirror and say “konnichiwa!!!!” is a-ok.

The food, not what I expected but i really think its just because I was comparing it to Korean food which i love now. It was quite a bit heavier and not spicey at all which was weird since i’m used to sweating my socks off everytime I eat in Gwangju. We did have some good sushi of course though.

Allright so i’ll be brief about this since nobody cares but me but the cars were pretty cool i thought. First of all, in South Korea, everything is a hyundai or Kia so the variety really isn’t there. Japan, however made me feel like i’d never seen cars before. What I mean is all the models that Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Mazda have over there that we never get in the states. Not to mention the nissan skylines that showed up around every corner which to me is kinda like seeing Angelina Jolie covered in metal and carbon fiber.

The temples and shrines as you have already seen in Nicole’s posts were magnificent to say the least and to think that at one point these were places that people lived their lives was really pretty amazing. One of my favorite spots was actually a small rock garden in Kyoto that had a shrine that looked onto it. To me, this was where I would chill if I were Japanese.

It was an excellent trip and as always, Nicole planned it out to perfection. It feels like everytime we go somewhere new that we get more and more excited to keep doing it. I have a feeling we’ll make it back to Japan at some point to check out Tokyo but I think in our 5 days we stood in places that we’ll remember for a lifetime.

Q: How does Japan compare to South Korea for travelers? A: Both are incredible but very different experiences. Korea feels spicier, more chaotic and deeply familiar once you have lived there. Japan feels more polished, quieter and almost cartoonishly perfect in places. Having lived in Korea first made us much more relaxed and prepared for navigating Japan.

Q: What is the food like in Japan compared to Korea? A: Japanese food is heavier and significantly less spicy than Korean food — which was genuinely surprising after months of sweating through every meal in Gwangju. The sushi is outstanding but if you are coming from Korea expecting the same heat level you will be caught off guard.

Q: What are the cars like in Japan compared to other countries? A: Japan has car models that simply do not exist anywhere else in the world. Every corner revealed something extraordinary — Nissan Skylines, unique Honda and Toyota models and a variety that makes the Korean market of Hyundais and Kias feel very limited by comparison. For car enthusiasts Japan is a pilgrimage.

Q: What is Japanese street fashion like in Osaka? A: Completely and wonderfully its own thing. Nobody else in the world could pull off what Osaka locals wear daily and that is meant as the highest compliment. The artistic freedom people take with their appearance is genuinely inspiring and endlessly entertaining.

Q: What are the temples and rock gardens like in Kyoto? A: Unlike anything you have experienced elsewhere. The scale, the detail and the sheer age of the temples is humbling. The rock gardens in particular have a quiet meditative quality that stays with you long after you leave.