Travel
The unstable Japan life
This morning, while scrolling through X, I saw a rather alarming post. From now on, in order to become a Permanent Resident (PR), you first need to have held a 5-year visa. Previously, a 3-year visa was sufficient – and since that’s most likely what I’ll receive at my next renewal, I had already mapped out a whole plan in my head. As soon as François and I have been married for three years (another requirement you have to meet), I would apply for PR. That would be two years from now. But with this legal change, that will only work if they immediately grant me a 5-year visa this July. And the chances of that are slim.
Matsumoto, then and now
It was such a good idea to go a day early. Look, I’m not great at trips. I need time to adjust, prefer traveling alone, get overstimulated quickly, and sometimes turn into a bit of a monster because of it. Going a day earlier helps prevent most of that. I can arrive at my own pace, do my thing, rest – and the next day I’m just as fresh and cheerful as François, who (what a sweetheart!) got up at 6:30 that morning and then spent three hours on the train from Kawasaki to Matsumoto.
Japan 101 – Practical advice
People regularly ask me whether I have any Japan tips – for autistic people, but also in general. That’s why I created this blog series, to help you head off on your trip well prepared. This installment focuses on practical matters: luggage, mobile internet, the language, and money.
Japan 101 – Where to stay
I often get asked whether I have any Japan tips. For people with autism, but also just in general. That’s why I created this blog series, so you can head off well prepared. In this part, I’ll tell you everything about cities and neighborhoods, and different types of accommodation.
Japan 101 – When to travel
I regularly get asked whether I have tips for travelling in Japan — for autistic people, but also more generally. That’s why I created this blog series: to help you head into your trip well prepared. In this part, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the seasons in Japan.
Japan 101 – From and to the airport
I regularly get asked whether I have tips for travelling in Japan. Specifically for autistic people, but also more generally. That’s why I created this blog series: to help you prepare for your trip to Japan with confidence. We’re starting with part 1: getting to Japan.
Zero-tolerance at the JLPT
Yesterday I took the JLPT, the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. This Japanese language exam tests vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening, and is offered at five levels. N5 is the easiest, N1 the hardest. After passing N4 more than a year ago and skipping the exam last year, it was finally time for N3. Was I ready? No, not really. I’d been a bit too busy with my new book and barely had any time to study. But I’d already paid, so I thought: let’s give it a shot. It’s multiple choice, so maybe I’d guess everything right.
A sports car, a Dutchie on a Japanese mountain and a Frenchie next to a Dutch windmill
François never really liked driving. He loves cars, sure, but the act of driving itself always made him nervous. When we visited Sakaiminato last year—a remote town entirely themed around an old anime—he was already sweating before we’d even made it out of the rental car parking lot. But that short trip through the Japanese countryside gave him enough confidence to try again. Since then, we’ve driven in Tottori, Nagasaki, Shikoku, and even once right here in the city, with a giant Ikea package I’d mistakenly ordered, crammed into the back of the rental.
A different pilgrimage through Shikoku – Part 2
Just like in Shimanto, I had booked two single rooms in Takamatsu. Not so much to recharge this time, but because most hotels near the station were expensive, and Toyoko Inn only had single rooms left. For smokers, no less. Luckily, when we checked in, it turned out that 1) this was a brand-new hotel that had only opened two months earlier, and 2) there were still two non-smoking rooms available, which they were happy to switch us to—especially for me, a loyal Toyoko Inn Club Card holder.
It was still too early to check in, but we were able to leave most of our luggage at the front desk, which let us head into the city a lot lighter. Our first stop was a udon restaurant. Udon is the local specialty in Takamatsu, after all. I had been to Takamatsu five years earlier too, and back then, I’d eaten udon at this very same restaurant.
A different pilgrimage through Shikoku – Part 1
Those who walk the 四国八十八箇所 (Shikoku Hachijūhakkasho), or Shikoku Pilgrimage, visit 88 temples in honor of the Buddhist monk Kūkai, covering a route of about 1,200 kilometers. Originally, the pilgrimage was done on foot, wearing a white jacket and a woven conical hat. Nowadays, pilgrims also take the bus or train—though we still occasionally saw a die-hard walking along the highway. The journey takes pilgrims through the four prefectures of Shikoku: Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime, and Kagawa.
We were not doing this pilgrimage, and only visited temple 84: Yashima-ji. Though that was for another reason, which we’ll get to later. While pilgrims collect a stamp at each temple in their booklets, we were collecting something else: Starbucks medallions. In the meantime, we also visited strange, abandoned places, and a castle that wasn’t there.
Visitors #2: Riemer
In my previous post, I shared how my family came to Japan and how I flew from Osaka to Narita to pick up Riemer — because he was coming too! We had deliberately planned it so Riemer would overlap with my family for a few days, allowing us to go to Disneyland together.
Visitors #1: The fam
But by now, everything seems back to normal. The number of tourists in Tokyo is larger than ever (which is actually pretty advantageous for someone who sells a book about her move to Japan, haha), and so, besides Charlotte, my father, stepmother, brother, sister-in-law, and niece also came to Japan. And Riemer. And Maan again, this time for an Artist-In-Residence.
Narita, more than just an airport
When I was still living in Zaandam, I once saw a poster of the famous Inntel Hotel in Zaandam (which looks like a stack of traditional Zaanse houses), with the I amsterdam logo underneath. Look, I get the idea: tourists only know Amsterdam, so let’s just call everything that. The famous Muiderslot castle became Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot, an outlet in Halfweg was branded as Amsterdam The Style Outlets, and of course, our airport is called Amsterdam International Airport Schiphol – even though it’s located in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer.
Snap visit
“You know what I’ve been missing?” I thought the other day. “Just running around Tokyo with Charlotte, taking photos, reels, or whatever other content I can use for my socials.”
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Just over a year and a half ago, when I had traveled to Korea while waiting for the Japanese reopening, I visited coastal city (and second city of Korea) Busan. I wrote about it in this blog, and later in my new book.