Sarah and I took a two week trip to Korea and Japan right after her school ended in June. We spent 7 days in Seoul and 5 days in Japan. The trip was amazing and we created very fond memories and have already thought of visiting again in a cooler season. It was very hot in both Seoul and Tokyo luckily it didn't rain.
We got to Seoul at 5:30am and went right to the hotel to drop off our luggage. The check-in time was not until 3pm so we were out for our first sightseeing in Hongdae. We did some shopping and eating to stay awake until we went back to the hotel to check-in later that afternoon.
We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul located in Itaewon area. We walked along steep alleys from the hotel to have our first Korean BBQ in Itaewon. I highly recommend TV series "Itaewon Class" on Netflix that I watched twice.
DAY 2 in Seoul
We met Seungwan, my Korean tutor in Insa-dong area for soup dumplings. He also took us to Osulloc Tea House Bukchon that served excellent matcha and delicious mochi. In the afternoon Sarah went to take a private k-pop dance at DanceBias.
DAY 3
I started the day with a run to Namsan Seoul Tower after starring at the tower for the first two days from our hotel window. I got lucky finding the way to run up to the tower before the tourists arrived.
We had a private tour guide on Day 3. He took us around with his private car. It was very nice to be in the cool air conditioned car after walking outside on a very hot day. He took us to the Seoul Museum of History and told us about Korea's history and all of the areas in Seoul. Then he drove us up the Inwangsan Mountain with Korean army base and the best view of Seoul. He dropped us off at Gyeongbokgung Palace to watch the changing of the guards in the afternoon. He also took us to walk along the Deoksugung Palace (Stonewall Walkway). Banpo bridge and Noryangjin Fisheries. We took a break in a small cafe with delicious peach shaved ice and red bean pastry in shape of fish.
He took us on a rush hour subway trip to visit Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) designed by Zaha Hadid. We ended the day walking along Cheonggyecheon Stream and walked up to Myeong-Dong night market.
DAY 4
We went on a half day tour called Gangnam Tour on Youth and Society in South Korea. It was a very interesting tour about the pressure of young people in Korea to study from morning to midnight to be able to get into the top 3 universities, SKY (Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University). we walked through Gangnam, passed many cosmetic surgery buildings, hotels that young people rent to meet and hangout and a famous study academy that students need to take a test to get in called Gangnam Daesung Academy. The guide also talked about the protesters who are part of everyday life.
In the evening we joined another tour Nighttime Hidden Gems Walking Tour. We walked passed Seoul National University medical school, visited Ihwa mural village which I saw a lot of k dramas filmed there. We walked along Hanyangdoseong (Seoul City Wall) which we could see the beautiful night view of Seoul.
DAY 5
We had another half day tour in Gwanhun-dong area. I bought souvenirs from Insa-dong and had lunch at a traditional korean restaurant, had snacks at poop cafe with pastries filled with red beans. We visited art galleries and had our portrait sketched at local shop in the area. We finished the tour with cold ice tea at Teastory.
DAY 6
We visited Hyundai Mall and went back to shop at Hongdae and had the best korean fried chicken. In the afternoon we went to see K-Pop Dance Show at Kyunghyang theater. In the evening we went to the night market in Myeong-dong.
K-Pop Painters dance
Myeong-dong night market
DAY 7
Last day in Seoul, we had a private guide take us to visit the Gyeongbokgung Palace since we didn't get to go inside. We walked to Jogyesa Temple, Ikseon-domg Hanok Village for Korean milk bread then we went back to walk along Cheonggyecheon Stream and ended our trip at DDP. We had shaved ice for the last time. It was sad to leave Seoul, I plan to visit other parts of Korea in the next year or two in a different season, Goodbye Seoul!
Jogyesa Temple
Arriving in Tokyo
We arrived in Tokyo at midnight. Alex came to join us there. Our first day in Tokyo I set off with a private local guide who took us along a subway line. We visited Shibuya, Senso Ji, the oldest temple in Tokyo. We went to have local sushi for lunch and walked around Ueno Zoological Gardens area with beautiful lotus pond and a lot of museums in that area. We visited a dog cafe. Alex and Sarah had their photos taken at the photo booth place in Shibuya. We ended the trip at Torahebi Coffee Cafe that served banana and strawberry flavor iced coffee that was so amazing that I had to buy some home.
Photo Booth
DAY 2
We took the trains to Kamakura, Enoshima beach, Fujisawa, Jinja Shrine in Fujisawa. We ended the day at Enoshima beach.
DAY 3
We went back to shop in Shibuya.
DAY 4
We took the bullet train to Kyoto then took a local train to Nara to visit Todai-ji Temple. Friendly and hungry deers surrounded us for crackers. We visited the indoor market at Hagashidaimonjicho. We visited Kiyomizudera temple before we left in the evening.
DAY 5
We went to spend time at the Yuigahama beach.
DAY 6
Last day in Japan. I went out for a run before we took off to the airport and stumble upon Meiji Jingu Shrine. We were there 5 years ago with Sarah's choirs tour in Japan. It was peaceful on early morning.
It was time to say goodbye to this amazing trip. Hope to be back in 2026.
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