Japan – My Top 3 Highlights

Over the spring break, I had the opportunity to travel to Japan with my school. I would like to share with you my top three highlights of the trip. We stayed in Tokyo for three nights, Yokohama for one night, Hakone for one night, Fuji Area for one night, and Kyoto for two nights for a total of ten days.

1. Sumo Wrestling (Tokyo)

On our second day in Japan, we attended a sumo wrestling workshop and learned all about the history of the sport. The two wrestlers that were there taught us the rules and techniques of sumo as well. We watched the two duel each other and see who could make the other fall or step out of the ring. The most amusing part was a few volunteers (including myself) were allowed to “fight” the sumo wrestlers in inflatable sumo costumes. We easily beat the sumo wrestlers, obviously. In the end, we enjoyed a traditional Japanese lunch (bento box) and also had what sumo wrestlers eat (chankonabe) with the two wrestlers.

2. The Ramen Museum. (Yokohama)

On our fifth day in Japan, we travelled to Yokohama. My favorite part of the densely populated city was certainly the ramen museum. The upstairs portion of the museum is the “museum” part. It talks about its origins and how it evolved over the centuries. The downstairs portion was where all the restaurants were located. Each restaurant featured the ramen of a specific region. For dinner, we were allowed to go to whichever restaurant we chose. I love eating ramen here in Calgary, but I wanted to taste what authentic ramen tasted like. The taste is very unique and different from the ramen in Calgary. To me, it is more simple – without a ton of toppings and extra sauces or oils. They respect the ingredients and let them shine. The broth of my ramen was, in my opinion, the perfect balance of lightness and richness.

    3. Mount Fuji.

One of the most recognizable features of Japan – Mount Fuji was certainly a view to behold. In order to catch a view of the mountain, we rode a gondola up a nearby mountain. There weren’t many clouds or other obstructions hiding the mountain. From up there, we could see the entire city below. The view was absolutely surreal.