I had failed my nursing exam for the second time. I could not physically force myself out of bed. Every morning felt heavy. I hated waking up and feeling everyone’s disappointment. I felt ashamed and embarrassed. And the closer we got to our trip to Japan, the worse I felt. Because did I deserve to go?

When I went to Korea, I was already struggling, but I still had that hope. Korea felt like a preview of what my future could become if I worked hard enough. Yet this time, the outcome was different. I failed the nursing exam. I had a low GPA. Everything sucked. I felt disgusting. I packed my things, crying, and I planned everything in anger. Every emotion sat inside me at once. Because how could I go on enjoying life when I knew that when I came back, I would still be miserable? 

I thought about canceling those tickets. Can someone else take mt ticket? What if I stayed home? What if I stayed in bed for the rest of my life? Enough questions because that day arrived. And despite all my thoughts, I got on. 

When we landed, I was exhausted all over again. But just like Korea, I pushed through it. Our first stop was Tokyo, specifically Shibuya. We got lost trying to find the hotel, walking in circles for what felt like forever. But when we finally made it, and once we got in, we showered and got ready to see the famous Shibuya Crossing. When we arrived, it was 9 pm and crowded. When I was 12, I watched this Japanese drama called Mischevois Kiss: Love in Tokyo, and in the intro, they ran around Shibuya crossing looking for one another. Now I was standing there myself. It was unreal. 

We were starving from all the walking and jet lag, and we ended up finding a Burger King. We both got a Mex-Burger, and honestly, it was a 7/10, but the Pepsi in Japan hits different. 

Just like Korea, our schedules were packed. Too many things to do, Breakfast stops, shopping, tourist attractions, cafes, and everything possible. Except this time, we weren’t just staying in Tokyo; we were going to Osaka and Shinkuju. The next day, we went to Harajuku and visited the giant Kiddy Land Flagship store, and we lost our minds there. 

We bought loads of Snoppy merch, Calico Critters, Rilakumma, and everything just ended up in our baskets. The following day, we explored more of Harajuku and, on a whim, decided to eat at the Pompompurin Cafe. And I’m so serious when I say this that potato salad changed my life, it was so good I wish I had the recipe. Another thing I learned was that Japan loves Curious George, and almost all the stores had his merchandise, so I absolutely fell in love and bought as much as I could. 

And don’t get me started on Don Quijote. Every Don Quiote we saw had different items, depending on the location we went to; we always went to see what it had. 

On the third day, we visited Sensō-ji in Asakusa, but on the way there, we accidentally found this small amusement park called Hanayashiki. Best detour ever! We rode spinning rides, rides that flipped upside down. I genuinely had so much fun there. Since it was pay-per-ride, we couldn’t do everything, but we played a lot of games and won a panda and a red panda, which I love. When we eventually made it back to the temple, it was incredibly crowded, and many people were actually praying. Honestly, my sibling and I felt awkward taking up space, so we quietly left, looked around the area, and went to Taito City, Tokyo. And later that day, we went to the top of Tokyo Tower. We were tired of looking at the city lights from above, which made it worth it. 

On the fourth day, we went to Tokyo Disneyland. Just like Lotte World in Korea, it was PACKED. We got on a couple of rides and watched the parade. I had never gone to Disney in America before, but Tokyo Disneyland, being my first experience, felt special. 

After we got home from Tokyo, we packed our bags to catch the bullet train to Osaka the next day. By accident, we bought first-class tickets. The problem was that we were seated in separate carts. I was terrified. No Wi-fi, no signal. I was convinced I was going to get lost. I sat in the seat, clutching my bags while drifting in and out of sleep for those three hours. 

But eventually we made it to Osaka. We stayed at this dinosaur-themed hotel, which honestly sounds cooler than I’m making it out to be. We dropped off our bags, left to see Osaka Castle, visited the mums, and later that night we went out to see the top of Tsūtenkaku. I genuinely do not know how we survived the trip with how much we walked. 

The next few days were mostly spent wandering Osaka, shopping endlessly, and eating amazing food. One funny moment was when we accidentally stumbled upon the famous running man sign while just casually walking around. 

Another highlight was riding the Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel near Dotonbori. Since we went early, there were barely any people, so we got on faster and had the most beautiful view of the city. 

Our last stop was Shinjuku. By then, we were beyond exhausted from carrying our luggage everywhere, but it eventually led to a little arguing; honestly, it was mostly because we were overstimulated and tired. 

We stayed at the Godzilla Hotel and spent our last three days wandering around, buying souvenirs, listening to music at night, and enjoying the street food. 

Somehow, throughout my trip, I became easier on myself and forgot about my troubles. Not completely by Japan gave me moments where I was really happy, and honestly, I needed this trip more than anything. 

If I were to recommend the top 5 things to do in Japan, it would probably be: 

• Seeing the city from the top of Tokyo Tower
• Visiting Tsūtenkaku at night 
• Ride the Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel 
• Go to Hanayashiki
• KiddyLand (In every city)

Even after everything that happened that year, Japan was still lots of fun.