Two Week Vacation In Japan

Katie and I took a two-week vacation to Japan for the Japanese Grand Prix (my favorite track of the year) and to visit other popular tourist attractions. I catalog our adventures in this post.

Day 1: Flight from Houston to Narita-Tokyo

The day of our nonstop flight to Narita started absurdly early. We got to Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) around 4:30 AM because the partial government shutdown had stretched TSA wait times into the 4- to 6-hour range (I wish I was kidding), but we got lucky. We got our bags checked in and got through security by 5:30 AM… right when the Polaris Lounge opened.

Katie and I had pooled Chase points for round-trip United Polaris tickets, so we leaned all the way into the experience from check-in onward. The Houston Polaris Lounge, one of only six in the country, really felt like part of the trip itself. I never thought I would be taking a shower at the airport or actually sleeping on a plane. 😁

After landing at Narita, we took the Narita Express to Tokyo Station, with the Tokyo Station Hotel within walking distance. Between the rain and the travel fatigue, we gave in pretty quickly, ordered room service, and called it a night. Even within a few hours, Japan was already making the US feel strangely clumsy by comparison, thanks to its cleanliness, culture, and attention to detail. 🇯🇵

Day 2: Tokyo to Nagoya

Tokyo framed the trip, but with less than a day there, it was already time to head to Nagoya on the high-speed Tokaido Shinkansen (which literally means “new main line”) in the early afternoon. We woke up early to squeeze sightseeing and shopping before the ride out, but the rainy weather made it a bit more challenging.

The Shinkansen was an amazing experience! Here’s a clip from my window, traveling at 172 mph on the way to Nagoya. Despite the raw velocity, the ride was incredibly smooth and quiet on the way to Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel.

Days 3 – 5: Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka

I’ve loved Formula 1 (F1) racing for years, and the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka has always been my favorite track. It’ll be the first F1 race I see in person… and at the Champions Club no less! Here I am putting in some laps at Suzuka on my racing sim the day before our flight. 😂

Formula 1 events span three days and typically follow this format: day 1 has two free practice sessions (FP1 and FP2), day 2 has a third free practice session (FP3), and then three rounds of qualifying (Q1, Q2, and Q3). Day 3 is the actual Grand Prix race. Fortunately, the weather was perfect for all three days!

I’m normally the guy who says, “It’s way better to watch sports on TV because you get much better views from the comfort of your home”, but this was an experience that one can only appreciate in person. Seeing the F1 cars leave the paddock for the first time… the speed… the sounds… the vibration… the smell of rubber and internal combustion… it was overwhelming for the senses in a great way. Fortunately, the weather was also perfect for all three days! 😍

The Champions lounge was also spectacular, with courteous staff and lavish amenities. We also got to see some of the Porsche Carrera Cup Japan and Ferrari Challenge Japan in between the F1 sessions, ride the Ferris wheel, tour the Honda RACING Gallery, spend an obscene amount of money on F1 merchandise, and converse with other fans from across the world.

Here are some clips from the Suzuka Circuit over the three-day event:

And my favorite video from the weekend was watching all 22 cars line up at the end of the formation lap. The pinnacle of international automotive engineering in one clip. 😎

The absolute worst part of the Japanese Grand Prix was the travel. We knew going in that Nagoya was the recommended place to stay, but there would be a lot of back-and-forth travel to Suzuka.

Each day, we took the Kintetsu Limited Express to Shiroku station, then a bus from the station to the Suzuka Circuit. This amounted to anywhere from 1.5 to 4 hours of commuting each way from Nagoya to Suzuka. That in itself was exhausting. In fact, on the return from Suzuka on race day, the buses were so full we just walked 7.5 kilometers from Suzuka to Shiroku station before waiting another hour for a train. Despite this, the F1 experience was well worth it!

Day 6: Traveling from Nagoya to Kyoto

Day 6 was a rest day as we bid farewell to Nagoya, took the Shinkansen to Kyoto, and checked in at the Hotel Granvia Kyoto. There were plenty of things to do at the hotel itself, but the highlight was access to the Granvia Lounge.

Day 7: Exploring Kyoto

It was a rainy Tuesday, but we still tried to make the most of it by exploring nearby shrines and walking around the Aeon Mall. We also visited the Kyoto Aquarium and the Kyoto Rail Museum in the early afternoon.

Day 8: Private Tour of Kyoto and Nara

This was definitely the “tourist” day in Kyoto as we had a private tour that took us from the Todai-ji Temple in Nara through Nara Park, then the Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine (famous for its red gates), then the Kinkakuji Temple (with the Golden Pavilion), and finally the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. We also walked to adjacent areas as our tour guide knew all the hot spots. Unfortunately, it was yet another rainy day in the area, but we made the most of it!

I’ve always been fascinated by museums and the histories of diverse cultures. Standing amid structures built over a thousand years ago, I was immersed in the history of their construction and purpose. Crazy to think that such magnificent buildings could endure for centuries. 🤯

Day 9: Free Day In Kyoto

The highlight of today in Kyoto was making our own ramen at the Ramen Factory. It was such a fun experience, and the final product was delicious!

Day 10: Miyajima Island and Hiroshima

Another early morning, catching the Shinkansen to Hiroshima. We started with a ferry ride to Miyajima Island and explored the blend of touristy attractions and spiritual history it offered. The cherry blossoms were in peak form here! 🌸 We then visited Hiroshima’s historic World War II related sites. It was interesting to see how the entire area turned such a dark time in history into a call for peace. We got to try the local okonomiyaki for lunch, too. 😀 We concluded in the late afternoon with a walk through a beautiful garden!

Day 11: Traveling Back To Tokyo

We checked out of our hotel and caught the Shinkansen to Tokyo Station, then took a taxi to the Ritz-Carlton, our final hotel before returning to Houston. It was raining hard, so we just walked around the hotel, checked out the amenities, and rested in preparation for a long day at Mt. Fuji the next day.

Day 12: Mount Fuji & Katie’s Birthday

Today we explored Mount Fuji and the surrounding areas. Our tour guide said the mountain is typically seen this well for only 60-90 days a year, so we got really lucky. Apparently, the day before, there was virtually no visibility.

We concluded the day with a reservation at the Ritz-Carlton Towers restaurant for Katie’s birthday. 🎂

Day 13: Tokyo Tea and Skytree

Day 14: Back to Houston 🥲

Well, that’s a wrap for an amazing trip! We took a taxi from the Ritz Carlton to Tokyo Station, then hopped on the Narita Express back to Narita Airport, and got situated for the flight back home to Houston.