72 Hours in Tokyo | The world’s strangest city

72 Hours in Tokyo | The world’s strangest city

After nearly 36 hours of travel, I finally landed in Tokyo. Jet lag, overwhelmed, and honestly completely unprepared. I only got 72 hours in Japan, y’all. And I know it’s not practical, but we got to make it work. Let’s talk about this stamp. It’s actually a real stamp, not just ink copied into your passport book. Instantly, one of my favorite stamps so far. So, the plan was to link up with my buddy James. He was going to pick me up from the airport, and I told him, I was like, “Hey, like I don’t know where I’m going. I’ve never been to Tokyo. Make sure you’re there to pick me up. But that plan fell apart real quick. Turns out James was still up north. He was stuck after a heavy night of drinking and some skiing. So I had to figure this out on my own. Narita International Airport has really good Wi-Fi, which was a lifesaver because I had no SIM card. So I made the executive decision to just book a hostel for the night and meet up with James the next day. Okay. My first mission was to get to my hostel and I was completely lost. Thankfully, a super helpful Subway agent came through with some muchneeded translation. Shouts out to this guy. Next stop was the currency exchange. I had no clue what I was doing, and honestly, the agent could have scammed me blind. I exchanged my US dollars for some beautiful Japanese yen and felt like things might actually be okay. Ticking in hand, I made my way towards the subway. Finding the right train felt like a mini victory until I looked up and all the stops was written in kanji. The symbols I couldn’t read at all. Anxiety hit, but thanks to the station agent who wrote everything out in English and with Google Maps as my co-pilot, I mapped my route and pushed through. I was constantly confirming with strangers if I was on the right track. When I got off and stepped into the city, it honestly felt surreal. I had no idea where I was or if I was even in a safe area. But I knew this is what travel is all about, being uncomfortable and pushing through it. I had a 20-minute walk to my hostel, dragging all my gear through empty streets at 11:00 p.m. No one around, just vending machines glowing in the dark. That’s when it hit me like I’m really in Japan. Getting to that hostel was the best feeling in the world. [Music] [Music] Then I met Japan’s famous bedet. I’ve never felt so clean in my life, but the sink above the toilet, that had me questioning everything. Was I washing my hands with toilet water? I still don’t know. [Music] [Music] So, at this point, I’m getting some food in my system, and it’s all starting to hit me. This is a 5-day trip. I’ve lost 36 hours due to travel, and I have 72 hours left. I need to regroup. Need to get some rest. And I need to find out where the hell is James. All right, day two and I finally get to see Tokyo in the daylight. This restaurant is located close to the Seno G Bu Buddhist Temple. On Google, unfortunately, it says it’s temporarily closed. I’m no food reviewer, but I hope this place opens again soon because this bowl of ramen was phenomenal. easily a 10 out of 10. So, the plan for today is to walk around the Isakusa area, soak in the sights, be a tourist, take some pictures, meet some new friends, and find James. James is apparently 4 hours away coming on train, and we’re going to meet soon. But I won’t get back. If I was a real one, then I could save me from turning around. Lift me off the ground. And one day I’m free. Yeah. I want to be a real one. Heaven, lift me up from under. Wishing I could be somehow stronger now. So I can fight away all the pain inside me. Never be afraid of the faith that finds me. wishing I could be a strong guy so I could be a real. So I ended up asking this guy to take a picture for me and he ended up being a legit photographer. We had a lot in common, so we decided to get lunch. And guess who showed up? A whole 24 hours late. It’s James in the flesh. hearts to fix heartbreak. Wait, good part. I made a mistake, but I’ll try to make it up to you, my darling. Oo, I want to be a real lift me up from wishing I could be somehow stronger now so I can find a way on the pain inside me. Never be afraid of the faith that finds me. Wish that I could be stronger. So I can feel [Music] I can fly away. [Music] Day three, the last day. And it honestly feels like I’ve been here for a week. This is where I got to put the pedal to the metal. How many sites can I see? How many things can I do? What all can we squeeze in my final 29 hours? Let’s get it. my head, but the feelings end up wasted. So, I’m sorry for breaking down when you said you got me. I’m used to being let down. But I’m home. If I’m falling too fast, then you’ll catch me. You’ll catch me. So, I’m sorry. that you might have to see. I’m not pro. I promise that I’m facing my if I’m falling too fast. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] I don’t usually have regrets when I travel, but I definitely regret not adding adding a few more days to this trip. Japan is just way too vast, beautiful, and cultured just to do it for 72 hours. I don’t know what I was thinking. Until our next adventure, this is Antoine Mercury with Stamp Chasing. Make sure you like, comment, and subscribe for more content like this. See you next time.

My trip to Japan didn’t exactly start as planned…
I landed at Narita International Airport expecting to meet up with my friend James, but he was nowhere to be found. With no clue where to go, I had to figure out Tokyo’s massive subway system on my own and find a last-minute hostel for the night.

But things turned around fast.

We finally linked up in Asakusa, partied hard in Roppongi, and even ended up at an insane car meet in Yokohama that blew my mind. From neon lights to late-night ramen, these 72 hours were packed with unforgettable moments—and honestly, I wish I had stayed longer.

If you’ve ever dreamed of exploring Tokyo or just love travel chaos with a good ending, this one’s for you.