28 September 2026
It’s the middle of the night, or morning, depending on which time zone you think of. Is this day three or 2.5? That will be for philosophers to find out. It’s officially Day 3 for me.
Waking up might be the wrong word. I didn’t sleep well, in a state between awake and asleep, sitting at an odd angle in my premium economy seat in an all too warm environment.
Soon the flight attendants start giving out drinks, and after a while we get the second meal, which is more lunch than breakfast. I get rice noodles with some broth and spring onions. Really tasteless, and the roll is as dry as the last one. At least they have yoghurt.
One movie later (Superman) we get a piece of chocolate and they try selling tax-free stuff. Only an hour to landing.
Not much more to do than wait for touchdown. When getting out I register the first loss of the trip. The clamp for my action cam is gone again, once before in Sweden and now. 40 euros gone. I will not buy another.
Walking out of the plane you can feel that it’s warmer and more humid here. Stop at the first booth to scan my Japan arrival QR code and take fingerprints and a picture. Follow group A. Biometric cameras make sure to show you the right way.
It saved a lot of time to do the immigration and customs paperwork beforehand. Everything is smooth. The immigration officer doesn’t speak and just puts the sticker in my passport.
Then waiting for my luggage. At every belt there’s one guy standing, making sure every piece of luggage is standing right. Service. My orange luggage is easy to spot, and only one step left: customs.
Again, with all the work done online, it’s just a matter of following the signs. One more biometric scan and welcome to Tokyo, Japan.
Now it’s as well planned as it gets. First money at the 7 Bank ATM, 50,000 yen to start. Next, the first two stamps for my book at the tourist information (plus a booklet), then over to the information desk. Next stop, the Welcome Suica card for public transport and other stuff. There goes the first 10,000 yen in cash.
Now to the city. Tim is waiting, he arrived some hours earlier from Amsterdam. The Keikyu Line to Akihabara station, then the JR Chuo-Sobu Line one stop to Ryogoku station. Akihabara of course has stairs and no lift, so luggage up the stairs. It’s wet, warm and humid. That will be fun sweating.
At Ryogoku, out of the station and 50 meters to the hotel. Tim is already waiting in the lobby.
Room 1003 is not the biggest one, which might be standard for Japan. Two good-sized beds, a balcony (it’s called View Hotel), and a small bathroom. But not much space to sit or store stuff.
Chilling, trying not to fall asleep. Then out for dinner. Down the road is a small ramen shop, Gatsun Hataka Ramen. Ramen with fried pork, a spiced egg, and some bamboo sprouts. With a drink, 1,550 yen (~8.80 €). Bamboo sprouts are not my thing. Otherwise tasty, and something I’d never had before. Very filling. Tim bought the full set plus an appetiser and might have ordered too much.
Too early to go to sleep, because we want to drag it out as long as possible. So what better to do than explore the block a little and give me the chance to find a cache. The humidity is not nice, and it started raining a little again.
Through the former Yasuda Garden and then around the block to Yokoamicho Park and back to the hotel, with a stop at a 7-Eleven for some drinks. Two caches found on the way.
Hanging out in the hotel room. A good shower after the flight and the warmth, and the real exploration starts tomorrow.
