My third and final week in Tokyo was as fun-filled and jam-packed as the previous two. I knew that it was my last chance to capitalise on all that the city had to offer before heading west into the countryside, so of course I didn’t sit still. From trendy shopping neighbourhoods, to mountain hikes and even a theme park, Tokyo continued to amaze and delight me.

As I’ve mentioned in my previous two posts, I had managed to make a small group of friends here in Tokyo, who I spent time with when they weren’t working. They introduced me to Shimokitazawa, a fashionable neighborhood beloved by young urban Japanese and famous for its numerous vintage clothing shops. I’m a big fan of Japanese fashion; I especially love how men here are not afraid to wear what the west would consider more feminine clothing. Consequently, I had a great time people watching, feeling inspired to try a new look in the future (when I don’t have to carry my wardrobe round on my back).

One hungover and rainy afternoon I was invited to visit the Nezu Museum, not somewhere I’d heard of before but what turned out to be an absolute highlight. A private art collection turned museum, it was a stunning and surprising place to explore in the centre of Shibuya. That weekend, the famous Kakitsubata-zu by Ogata Korin was on display – one of Japan’s most celebrated and renowned paintings; you can find it printed on back of the ¥5000 note. Unfortunately, no photography was allowed, but the collection of exquisite screens, hundreds of years old and in superb condition, was incredible. I won’t soon forget them.

Who knows how I heard about it, but about two hours west of Tokyo in the mountains is a reservoir named Lake Okutama. I headed there one sunny day for a hike along the lakeside and it turned out to be absolutely amazing. You know by now that I love lakes and I love mountains, so I’m not sure there’s much more to say beyond; look at these photos!

The final thing I did before leaving Tokyo was visit Disney Sea (the counterpart to Disneyland). A super fun theme park with cute rides, delicious food and adorable merchandise. We were lucky that the park was quiet so we got to ride everything with time to spare. And the night time parade on the water was so impressive – I’m not a diehard Disney fan but hearing a medley of Into the Unknown and Under the Sea as fireworks went off all around me was pretty special. It felt like a fitting way to wrap up my time in Tokyo and seemed to say; “welcome to Japan”.

And there we have it. Three brilliant weeks in Tokyo had come to an end. It was time to leave the city behind and begin my adventure across the country. However, as I alluded to before, a seed of an idea had begun to germinate as I passed more time in Tokyo… if I’m enjoying myself here that much, why leave? Why leave Asia behind for America when I’m having the time of my life here? On numerous occasions, my rudimentary level of Japanese has left me feeling so frustrated – so the idea to return to Tokyo and enroll in a language school for a few months is looking more and more tempting. It’s something I would be contemplating for the next few weeks. So don’t be surprised if I change my plan completely from what it was when I started out. The possibilities are endless!