As I sit making plans and preparations for my next trip to Japan, I realize there’s still so much from my last visit I haven’t shared.

The journey itself set the tone. Once again, I flew with ANA—All Nippon Airways—and as before, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. From check-in to landing at Haneda, everything was seamless. The staff were kind, attentive, and consistently warm, embodying the grace and precision that Japan’s largest airline is known for.

ANA, a member of the Star Alliance network, has earned a reputation for excellence—routinely ranking among the world’s top carriers for service and safety. And honestly, it shows.

And as a bonus – the plane was painted like R2D2!

The flight was smooth and peaceful, giving me the rare luxury of time to write, rest, and finally watch Wicked—a fittingly magical way to spend New Year’s Eve somewhere over the Pacific.

The taxi system in Japan is a well-oiled machine, so the 40-minute ride to my hotel was smooth, fast, and surprisingly enjoyable.

For this stay, I booked a room at the APA Hotel Roppongi Ekimae, paying in advance so check-in took less than five minutes. Within moments, I was in my room, bags dropped, ready to explore.

The 15-floor, 125-room hotel is perfectly located—just a one-minute walk from Roppongi Station. In fact, you can access the station directly through a Family Mart, making it incredibly convenient to reach almost anywhere in Tokyo.

After dropping off my bags, I met up with a friend, and our first stop was Hidaka-ya—a 24-hour Japanese chain restaurant known for its affordable, Chinese-style ramen and lightning-fast (and always kind) service. It’s cheap, comforting, and honestly one of my favorite spots in the city—something that never fails to make my local friends laugh.

Afterward, we wandered through Roppongi Hills, soaking in the energy the city, still glistening in the light of the New Year. By the time the neon lights began to blur into the early hours, it was nearly midnight.

Back at the hotel, I took a hot shower, made a quick call to my family in Los Angeles to let them know I’d arrived safely, and then finally crawled into bed. 

Which was incredibly comfortable. Good thing too, because the next day was already booked with a trip to Osaka for the Kansai Junior Concert 2025: Boys be AmBitious. 

I love Osaka. It’s beautiful.

It was an all-day adventure. We caught the first Shinkansen (bullet train) of the morning—a sleek marvel of engineering that covered the 310-mile journey in just over two hours. It’s one of the fastest ways to travel, yet somehow still lets you take in some of the most breathtaking scenery on earth—including the majestic silhouette of Mount Fuji drifting past the window.

I also picked up the Starbucks Tumbler Japan Limited Edition, Been There Series, Stainless Steel Bottle for Osaka.

For the return trip, we boarded the last train of the night at 11:45 p.m. All the seats were booked, so my friend and I ended up sitting on the floor—which, in true Japan fashion, was spotless and surprisingly comfortable.

There will be more from my 2025 Adventure in Tokyo soon so…

Stay Tuned!