🔴Dreams Unleashed In The East (Chapter 1) 🎌🗾

The Dream of Japan Realized after 25 years!

There’s a quiet kind of victory in stepping off the carousel of work and routine for a full month; allowing your business hum without you, trusting your people left in charge, and giving yourself permission to vanish into a long-held dream. To travel without the tug of “the office” is its own rare luxury. To stand inside a bucket-list moment with nothing else competing for your attention… that’s the kind of freedom that replenishes the soul in all the right ways.

For 25 years this specific trip has been on my bucket list. For over 3 years, it became a goal I serviced, an unstoppable focus allowing my bride Ailina Nelson  and I to pursue it with detailed research and planning, saving money by saying "no" to many fun invitations and purchases that would have been enjoyable at the time, but also would have delayed or diminished our goal.  And that goal was:  over 3 weeks in Japan - with fully funded and affordable first class travel and accommodations.

We just wrapped up 28 days away, including 25 unforgettable days in Japan. We traveled comfortably in first class, enjoyed good unparalleled meals daily, stayed in places that felt very comfortable & hospitable, and allowed ourselves a few treats along the way. It wasn’t luck; it was three years of thoughtful planning and saving so we could be present in the experience instead of worrying about every receipt. And the part we’re most grateful for: we planned well enough that the trip was fully prepaid. We came home richer in memories, not burdened by debt. This is chapter one of five on my beloved, unforgettable experience in Japan.

Tokyo

Meiji Shrine - a very Zen hike through ancient trees, gardens and shrines.
Pro tip: walk the proper path - directly through the center of each (鳥居) Shinto torii (tall gate structure pictured) for good luck! As you step beneath one, you’re symbolically crossing from the noise of life into the quiet company of the divine.

Takeshita Street - the most crowded street of shopping I've ever experienced.
A river of people - you definitely go with the flow! Exhilarating!

Cafe' Reissue - the most amazing 3-D foam art on a latte you've ever seen!
To discover this Cafe' just keep as lookout on your journey down Takeshita Street and you'll find find Reissue Cafe'. Be sure to bring a favorite photo of your pet or a loved one and get a 3-D Foam Latte likeness of them! Ailina had our beloved Mr. Whiskey-wiggles reissued!

Taiko Lessons! My lovely bride surprised her drummer husband with Taiko Lessons - a true surprise booking! We trained with a Taiko Master at Taiko-Lab Aoyama and were taught a legitimate routine and then performed it ...so much fun! Afterwards we got a private Taiko show from our Taiko Master. What a warm and exhilarating experience!

Jiyucho -We read Japanese poetry and wrote Letters to Our Future Selves. The instructor will mail us our letters November 1, 2026 and we can reflect on who and where we were in 11/2025...and what we've accomplished since.

The Ginza Fashion District - lots of high-end stores, restaurants, shopping malls and massive people watching opportunities. We had the best Ramen I've ever eaten here; you know it's going to be good when there's a 20 minute wait with locals lined up outside the door!

Tower Records! Ailina and I both worked for Tower Records in the 1980's; although at separate times. This was so fun to revisit an icon of our youth, 9 stories of CD's, records, tapes, and merch! 9 Stories!

The Famous Shibuya Scramble Crosswalk - you simply have to experience this organized madness of people and crosswalks! Luckily the subway stations and train stations are good training for this intersection (often featured in movies like Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift)!

Bullet Trains and Subway Trains - we proudly navigated both the "ant farms" as the Japanese subways, train stations and the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) without incident...we always got where we were going, but you must be determined because everyone walks 3x's faster in Japan and they all seem to be focused on their path 😂 watch out!

Shinkansen "Green Car" 🍀 This is the First Class Car on The Bullet Train: quiet car, leg room, luggage space and food & beverage service - so fun and comfortable and time flies as did we from place to place floating on the rails!

Chapter two is about Kyoto - Stay tuned!

In case you missed them...
Chapter 2 Kyoto
Chapter 3 Hiroshima
Chapter 4 Fukuoka (Sumo!)