When I arrived in Japan, I was jet lagged, but unable to sleep. My excitement had me bouncing, and I couldn’t wait to go out and explore. I remember the first night in Osaka, I could’ve walked through the streets forever. 

This excitement only grew as we went on through the trip. And my nights only got longer, often wondering around till the early hours of the morning, going back to the hotel to sleep, and waking back up early in the day to start doing it all over again. By the end of it I was sleep deprived, but happy. Many SD cards full of things I saw. 

When I explored, I never had a destination in mind. I was always following the lights, the smells, and the sounds. Looking, seeing, listening. I went whereever I could. 

As I look back on the photos, I remember the neon lights, the friendly people, and the overwhelming feeling that I was in a place unlike anywhere else in the world. I’ll remember it always as my first trip to Japan. But I know it won’t be my last.