For every new place I have visited, I set an intention for something to improve on. I’ve loved this practice, as traveling presents endless growth opportunities. However, I think while it’s important to continue striving to become a better version of yourself, it’s also as important to recognize how far you’ve come and to be proud of, love, and accept yourself exactly as you are, right now, as enough. Sometimes I struggle with showing myself the compassion, love, and appreciation for who I am as much as I need it. My intention for Japan is to simply be as I am and to give myself love for who I am every single moment. There will be no need to focus on any specific intention on something I want to think about more or put into practice, I want to simply be myself while loving and accepting who I am in each present moment.
Around 9:00AM my red eye flight from Bangkok touched down in Osaka. Similar to landing in Bangkok yesterday, I felt a little cool and cultured for already knowing and communicating some basic Japanese greetings to the airport and immigration workers. It was really nice to be back in Japan. Coming from Nepal, where I had many hole-in-the-ground bathroom experiences, to Japan, where every toilet seat is equipped with heated seats and bidets with more settings than an iPhone, I instantly appreciated the drastic shift towards modernization, comfort, and luxury.
Quickly I made my way through the very clean and efficient immigration, baggage claim, and customs of Osaka’s airport. My experience in Japan back in January also was useful for navigating public transportation. I hopped on a train bound for my hostel in the city.
I returned to the hostel, where I did work until I was able to check into the dorm room. I cleaned myself up with a much needed shower then headed out in search of feasting my favorite food: ramen. I walked about 20 minutes in the rain to Honolu, where I enjoyed a tasty tonkotsu ramen meal.
The first time I landed at this specific airport in Bangkok was on January 19th, with my friend Joseph. Memories of that arrival and time spent in Bangkok and the emotions that came with it enveloped me. For the first month of traveling, I had my friends Joseph and Morgan with me. Mid-February, I split off and began my solo traveling journey. For the first time since solo traveling, feelings of loneliness and missing my friends and family got the best of me. So I listened to my sad boy playlist and let myself get a little teary eyed sitting alone in the middle of a restaurant in the Bangkok airport. It felt relieving to let some of my emotions release physically in the form of tears. I sat in the feelings while reminding myself that it’s natural to miss family/friends and that the feelings are a response to the depth of love and appreciation I have for the people in my life. Even facing difficult, unpleasant, or uncomfortable feelings and emotions, I still try to find the silver lining.
Despite getting poor quality and quantity sleep on the red eye flight the night before, I experienced a surge of energy that I call my adventure adrenaline. I get this adventure adrenaline anytime I arrive in a new place or feel general travel zealousness. Pairing this with the touch of loneliness I had felt since my layover in Bangkok the previous day, I decided to do some solo bar hopping to let loose and meet some locals. I devised a strategy/game for myself. I was about a 20 minute walk away from my hostel, and I would stop in every single bar between the amen restaurant and my hostel for at least one drink. My own Osaka bar crawl, party of one. Why not?
The first stop was a nearby place with a replay of a Japan vs. America baseball game on. I started with a tall Asahi beer, and then had a glass of black dragon sake. Then, I decided not to linger too long as I likely had many more stops to make. I took one step outside, then immediately turned around and returned into the bar on account of the rain. I made a comment about the rain, and then the manager of the bar gave me an umbrella so I could leave his establishment. What I thought was a gift I later learned was one umbrella in a circuit of take one/leave one supplies all around the city. I took it as a kind gesture, even if it was for him to get me out of the place.
I left the first bar, took 4 steps, and then noticed a smaller bar immediately next door. “Every bar you see along the way,” I thought as I entered. Inside were two women standing behind the bar and zero patrons. Also on the TV was the same baseball game replay. Here, I ordered their cheapest glass of sake that was still a bit pricy. We began using Google Translate to converse, and I learned they own the bar/restaurant together. Enjoying the conversation and wanting to give them more business as their only customer, I ordered a second glass of sake and a piece of their homemade frozen açaí cheesecake that was delightful. They gave me some recommendations for Osaka and Kyoto, and then I returned to the street, bound for bar bouncing stop 3.
I walked a few blocks until I found the next bar/restaurant with a Vietnam flag hanging outside. I walked in and was seated by the bartender. I ordered a beer, which was brought to me in a glass full of ice. I had forgotten beer served Vietnamese style includes ice. How authentic! Before I took my first sip, I began chanting the “Mot Hai Bah Dzo” Vietnamese drinking chant expecting some friendly response from the Vietnamese bartender. He looked at me and gave a forced chuckle. Disappointed with a more unenthused response, I drank my one beer and then returned to the street.
Several more blocks came until I found my next bar. This one had a few local patrons enjoying some food and drinks when I entered. I started with a beer, followed by a glass of sake. Before I finished the sake, a conversation began with the bartender and a mother and daughter sitting at the table next to me. They recommended Japanese gin, and so a gin and tonic followed. They invited me over to their table, where we enjoyed a glass of sake together. Later, an expat from England came into the bar and joined the conversation for a bit before leaving. Then, a local Osaka guy came in and joined our conversation. I asked him if people did sake bombs in Japan, or if it was one of those things that American’s do thinking it’s something another country does. It turns out the latter is more so true, and so I explained to him a sake bomb is a shot glass of sake, sitting on chopsticks rested on top of a beer pint. One thing led to another, and he agreed to a sake bomb race against me. We banged our fists on the bar, dropping the sake glasses into our beers, but the sake glasses were larger than the typical shot glasses I’ve used in the past. Since we had to pull the sake glasses out of our beer pints to finish the rest, we shook hands and called it a draw. The bartender, the Osaka local guy who sake bomb raced me, the mother and daughter, and I chatted until midnight when the bar closed.
At this point on my first solo bar hopping adventure, I remembered that it’s only my responsibility to get myself home safely. Nobody else has my back or is looking out this time, it’s all me. So I decided to take myself back to the hostel before my ability to take care of myself safely and responsibly came into jeopardy. What a fun first night back in Japan! I would say the solo bar bouncing adventure was a smashing success. I observed and still greatly appreciate the intimacy of these smaller Japanese bars, with open engagement between all patrons and bartenders.