Planning a Trip to Japan

I'm going to Japan!

That's the plan, later this year in Autumn.  It's something I've been wanting for a very long time, but because of expense it hasn't been possible.  A couple weeks ago everything started to fall into place, and I've started planning this trip with my brother Steven.  Just the two of us are going, and we're getting the places we want to stay lined up.

At the start of this year I didn't even think Japan was a possibility.  I bought a Japanese woodblock desk calender as inspiration, to help me visualize.  It's apart of my New Years resolution to "Believe."  Thanks to my Mom this is happening.  A part of me wants it so bad that I'm still having a hard time believing it's actually going to happen.  I'm afraid something is going to change, or prevent us, and I'm afraid of the disappointment.  The fact that I'm visiting Japan and things are starting to line up hasn't quite clicked in my brain.  And then I won't really believe it until I'm on the plane flying there.  (I've got a long way to go in this whole "believing" thing that I'm working towards.)

Of course Tokyo Disneyland/Disney Sea is on the list!  Yeah, I'm going to Japan, and that's near the top of things I want to do.  Tokyo Disney Sea has 2 Jules Verne rides!  And they look like a lot of fun.  Totally Steam Punk.  So I've been exploring the English website, picking up the differences between Disneyland Anaheim and Tokyo.  Tokyo has Cinderella Castle, no Main Street USA or New Orleans Square,  but they still have Country Bear Playhouse, Swiss family Robinson tree house, and the white rockets in front of Tomorrow Land.  Stitch pops up in the Enchanted Tiki Room show.  (Stitch is a really popular character in Japan.)  There's a lot of different restaurants.  Oh, and the Haunted Mansion is pink and found in Fantasyland.

Tokyo Disney Sea will be so much fun exploring.

And of course I want to visit Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower, visit Shibuya, see shrines and temples, Japanese castles, ride the Pirate ship and the sky bubble thingy in Hakone, etc.  And after Tokyo Steven and I are spending a couple weeks in Kyoto and surrounding areas.  Steven served his mission in the Japan Kobe mission, and spent 6 months in Osaka, so we're definitely going there.  And Nara!  I can't wait to visit Nara Park and walk around all the friendly deer.

I want to experience a little bit of everything, and Japan has so much.  Ocean and Mountains.  Caves.  The dense, bustling city mixed with tradition and culture.  Skyscrapers and shrines.  The Old and the New.  A respect for past and future.

And now I'm wishing I studied all those Japanese books I've collected this last decade and little more intensely.  I honestly could be fluent right now if I had remained diligent, but as it stands I'm still a beginner.  Ah well!  Can't worry about that!  I have many months of studying and planning ahead.

And it's going to be fun riding all those trains :0)