WALK WITH ME

Walk with Me – Japan Vacation of Many Firsts

December 27, 2025 – January 9, 2026

Two weeks, yes, fourteen full days for my visitors to savor Tokyo in as many ways as possible. But to be honest, the real challenge was how to make a stay that long fulfilling and enjoyable in the most economical way. I came up with a “perfect” itinerary for my visitors, my nephews Junjun and Jom, whom we nicknamed Tom & Jerry. Truth be told, that itinerary was mainly to make a good impression for their tourist visa application.

The minute they landed at Narita, the boys were already in “anything goes” mode—nothing fancy, no fuss about where to go or what to eat. They were simply overjoyed to finally be in Japan.

This visit is special to me and to my nephews. It fulfilled promises I had made to each of them for very different reasons. For Junjun, it was a reward for his commitment to being part of the palliative care for his Lola, my mother. He had no formal training and simply followed the guidance of the professional caregiver we hired, but within a week or two, he had already taken on some of the nurse’s tasks. As for Jom, we made a pact: if he did well in his first year at university and earned a spot on the Dean’s List, a ticket to Japan would be his. These promises were made on separate occasions. Fast forward to December 2025, and there they were—on their very first overseas flight.

I soon realized that Japan and its many attractions are seen quite differently through the eyes of boys than through those of girls.

Food—Japanese cuisine—was definitely a big hit, especially with their impressive appetites! They were also curious to know whether fast food in Japan was any different from what we have back home, so they tried McDonald’s, KFC, and more. Their verdict: definitely different, and they seemed to prefer the Tokyo versions.

But their loudest cheers were reserved for convenience store food. Not a single day passed during those two weeks without a visit to my neighborhood 7-Eleven. Before long, I started teasing them and calling them The Onigiri Boys.

What I personally consider the highlight of their visit was our trip to Hakone, where—on one of the few truly rare occasions in my entire life in Japan—Mt. Fuji revealed itself in all its glory.

It felt like a gift from the heavens, a reward for our patience as we queued for the gondola ride on the Hakone Ropeway, greeted by that magnificent, unforgettable view.

Oh, I almost forgot—there was one more special “first” for the boys!

On January 2, on our way home from meeting one of Jom’s friends in Yokohama, the winter chill had grown noticeably sharper and a light drizzle began to fall. Moments later, that drizzle turned heavier and thicker—then suddenly, solid white. It was snowing!

It was the boys’ very first time to experience snowfall. How magical is that? Truly an unforgettable Japan trip—one for the books!

January 16, 2026