For a number of years, I’ve wanted to see cherry blossoms in Japan. I took the first opportunity I could in spring 2019. Since I visited Japan the year before, I went to several more cities in my two week trip. I visited Fukuoka, Yakushima, Kagoshima, Kyoto, Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Kamakura, Saitama, Yamagata, and Hokkaido.
The second half of my trip was traveling solo. It was an eye-opening experience learning to be comfortable with going at my own pace and appreciating the time alone. My favorite parts of the trip were driving around and exploring Yakushima, the island that inspired the environments of Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke, eating a variety of amazing foods, and seeing the beautiful cherry blossoms.