AT THE SPEED OF NOOR

Tokyo was one of the very few cities in the world that I've always felt a strong need to visit, most likely due to my fond childhood/adolescent days of being surrounded by the dreamyness, thoughtfulness, and/or weirdness of Japanese comics, music, and TV shows. I was so excited+anxious about the thought of being in Tokyo that I started mapping out all the places I wanted to go to in in the Tokyo first (before all the other places we were supposed to visit in the country), even though it was actually our last city, haha. We were in Tokyo for only a few days, so I knew even before we got to Tokyo that I wouldn't be able to cover all the spots I wanted to visit, but it was enough to pique my interest to come back! Imperial Gardens in Tokyo

Nara is about  an hour's drive from Kyoto . Located in the Kansai region, it is home to many beautiful temples and shrines,  and, like Kyoto, cultural/historical sites. If you're curious to see the more (agri)cultural side of Japan, Nara is a wonderful choice.

Kyoto was once upon a time Japan's capital, before Tokyo. It is a charming historical city well-known for its temples, shrines, and eyegasmic landscapes. My family and I went to Kyoto on the same day we went to Nara . Our tour group spent (only!) the morning here though, which is obviously not enough. The trip was a nice teaser for another trip to Kyoto, I suppose.

Osaka is the first city in Japan I set foot in, which is good, because unlike metropolitan Tokyo ( which I went to a few days after ), Osaka felt suburban and rather laidback. Located in the Kansai province, it's famous for being a place where you can find good food and funny people. It's a lovely start to experiencing Japan.