After my quiet night ride from Osaka, I found myself awake in Tokyo. It was rush hour when I walked into the Shinjuku Station. Famously listed in the Guinness World Records as the world’s busiest transport hub, the station has over 36 platforms and 200 exits. There’s something exciting about navigating new underground transit networks. Perhaps because transit networks are shaped by the way planners and residents think about their city, you find yourself experiencing a place through their logic. With no mishaps, I hopped on a train towards Tawaramachi, Old Tokyo.

Welcome to Old Tokyo! I stayed at one of Tokyo’s smallest boutique hostels located in a quiet residential alleyway. It was renovated from an old family home by a carpentry team called Watanabeya. I loved the main communal area, with Takagi Masakatsu playing softly in the background and hot matcha brewing in the corner. Nae, the friendly owner of Retrometro snapped this photograph of me and my bursting Baggu bag!

If you explore beyond the Asakusa tourist traps, Old Tokyo has lots of tiny eateries that have been in operation for decades. Raishuken (来集軒) is a classic Tokyo-style ramen shop, which has been open for over 100 years since the Edo period. I didn’t realize how small the ramen place would be, so I actually passed by it twice until I realized I was there. Beyond the sliding door, they only have a handful of tables and a simple white-board menu on the wall surrounded by framed signatures of famous people. I was greeted by an elderly woman who must have sensed my hunger. She swiftly took my order and brought out my bowl!

A taste of success! Extra-porky shoyu broth on perfectly squiggly wheat noodles.

Dinner was pleasantly shared with two girls I randomly met at Retrometro! Aurelia and Simona were both traveling in Tokyo alone, so the three of teamed up for an okonomiyaki meal.

Me and Aurelia holding some beers on draft, waiting for the monjayaki.

Pork belly okonomiyaki on the grill!

After dinner, Simona and I took the train to walk around Shinjuku together. Tokyo adventure continues!

Osaka was meant to be just a brief stopover, a host of transitory explorations between my journey from Seoul to Tokyo. But the few hours in the city taught me so much about unexpected encounters with kind strangers and set the tone for the rest of my Japan trip.

I arrived at Kansai Airport after a sleepless night of packing away all my Korea belongings. I indulged myself with a huge sizzling plate of modan-yaki and checked into a private lounge at the airport. After a power nap and several cups of complimentary peach tea, I was ready for Osaka.

I decided to play tourist and blindly explore some major neighborhoods. First on my list was Shinsaibashi, Osaka’s famous shopping district. I bought a bright yellow umbrella and some Kansai-themed washi tape.

The second on my list was Dotonbori, the city’s neon landmark for food-lovers. As the famous proverb goes, “Dress (in kimonos) till you drop in Kyoto, eat till you drop in Osaka” (京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ).

Here’s my plate of takoyaki, each filled with hot pancake batter and chunks of octopus. I gobbled mine up, standing next to a young businessman, who seemed just as grateful to have company.

Finally, I traveled to Umeda station to catch my overnight ride to Tokyo–a ladies-only night bus, complete with floral-patterned reclining seats separated by privacy curtains. The walk to the Umeda Sky Building was only supposed to take 10 minutes, and I figured I would see the 40-story building jutting out of the sky. But when I emerged out of the subway station, I saw that I was surrounded by tall buildings on all sides.

Thankfully, I still remembered how to ask for directions in Japanese (from when I lived in Kyoto all those years ago). I hoped someone would point me to a general direction, but instead, I met a kind-hearted couple. They were around my age and seemed to be on a date. They walked me all the way to the Umeda Sky Building, chatting with me using a silly translator app. It made getting to my final destination in Osaka all the more fun, and I could hardly believe they were going the extra mile (literally) to help me. A note to self about the power of kind gestures, especially in urban settings!

Safely snuggled in my curtained floral seat, I fell asleep–eyes full of skyscraper stars, dreaming of Tokyo.