🇯🇵 Japan: The Adventure Begins! ✈️

After all the excitement of Canada, it was finally time for Japan — and a 10-hour flight the longest the Young Pandas had attempted so far. 😳✈️

Since the Young Pandas  have the energy level of caffeinated bears, they are not exactly fans of being confined to airplane seats. Naturally Mamabear had been a little nervous.

But the flight went fairly smooth!

The Japanese airline offered the most generous Economy space the Young Pandas had experienced so far, huge windows and incredibly advanced screens. And as usual, wonderfully attentive flight attendants.

At one point, both pandas asked:

“Are we in First Class?” 😂

Well… it certainly felt like it!

The extra space even helped the Youngest pandas to get a proper night’s sleep.

Mamabear, unfortunately, had a slightly different experience. Despite noise-cancelling headphones, she spent around six hours listening to a very determined baby scream. 😵‍💫

That baby had stamina. Serious stamina.

Sleep-deprived but bursting with excitement, the Young Pandas finally arrived in Japan!

Well not yet, immigration was still to come.

Mamabear had prepared for the worst. Travel forums promised 3-hour queues, QR code drama, baggage checks and much more.

Well… none of it happened. 😄

Japan’s reputation of next level organisation did not disappoint.

It exceeded expectations.

Automatic document scanning was incredibly smooth, especially after Canada had left us with rather different immigration memory.

And then came the jackpot: as the only non-Japanese family on the flight, and apparently the only evening arrival, the non-Japanese priority lane was solely reserved for the Young Pandas. 😂

Immigration: 8 minutes.

Baggage collection and customs: another 9 minutes.

We did it. We did it. WE ARE IN JAPAN, BABY! 🇯🇵

🤖 Welcome to Japan: Robots & Rules! 

The Young Pandas then slowly made their way to the airport hotel. Strategically booked for exactly this reason: no extra hassle after a long flight.

Airport navigation was surprisingly easy. Everything was clearly marked in Japanese and English, with colourful  signs and instructions everywhere. Once eyes adjusted to the visual overload, getting around was practically self-explanatory.

Then came hotel check-in… and Japan delivered its first excitement.

A robot welcomed the Young Pandas! 🤖 with Nicobear instantly trying to convince him to stay with us... 

What followed was a fully automated check-in, with documents and confirmations being printed one after another. Japan clearly believes in one philosophy:

If there is a rule, there is an instruction. And if there is an instruction, there is probably another instruction explaining the previous 📝

Once checked in, there was just one small shock.

The room had two single beds.🛌

Apparently, children under five — even when clearly listed on the booking — don't automatically qualify for their own bed.

Hmm… that could get interesting with two Young Pandas kicking the nights away. 🦵

Luckily, the kind hotel staff found a solution. For a small extra fee, a third bed was provided.

Except…

It was already there.

Hidden underneath the other beds. 🫣

So yes, the panda family could have saved a few yen and discovered the secret bed themselves.

But after that flight?

Nobody was in the mood for furniture archaeology. 🛏️😴

🇯🇵 The First Taste: Small Adventures, Big Impressions! 🎌

Over the next two days, the  panda family slowly got their first taste of Japan and all its little particularities.

First came the exciting  errand run:  metro cards, cash (yes, some places still don’t accept credit cards!), and luggage forwarding.

The suitcase was sent ahead to Kyoto, leaving the pandas free to travel light towards the mountains. 🧳

And given Japan’s legendary luggage handling compared with Belgium’s, the panda family has absolutely no worries about being reunited with their beloved suitcases soon 🧳🐼 

Getting around turned out to be surprisingly easy despite the language barrier.

Thus, it was time to explore the neighbourhood: seaside strolls, trampoline fun, climbing halls and shopping centres.

Now, this might not sound like the most spectacular start to a Japanese adventure and its culture: No temples, no bullet trains, no dramatic mountain hikes just yet, 

BUT Japan does everyday life on a completely different scale. Even the simplest outing comes with a thousand little details to notice, discover and wonder about.

So, rather than trying to describe it all, here are just a few first impressions worth sharing… 👀✨

• 🔊 Everything talks! Push a button and chances are you'll get a colourful instruction, often accompanied by a voice. In Japan, even machines have plenty to say — quite the contrast to the quiet spirited locals!

• 🍜 English? Not necessary! Even at international airports, not everyone speaks English. And some restaurants offer no English menu at all — a good clue that they may prefer catering mainly to local customers though. But with automatic voice translation in your pocket, who needs English anyway? 📱

• 🚇 Welcome to the quietest crowd ever. Step into the metro and the contrast is striking. Despite all the people, hardly anyone talks. Clothing colours rarely venture beyond black, white and grey, making the not too quiey Young Pandas in their bright red T-shirts easy to spot! Even the buildings seem to follow the same muted palette.🌈 Then you step outside… BOOM! Suddenly, it's a completely different world. Billboards, shopping centres, sparkling lights in every colour imaginable and loudspeakers broadcasting messages from every direction camouflaging the Pandas. 

• Japan seems to have two volume settings: silent mode and full disco! 🪩

• 🏖️ The seaside never stops! Army of fish leaping out of the water while an armada of volunteers works tirelessly to keep the beach spotless. And not just clean it — they carefully rake and arrange the sand until everything looks picture-perfect. Job done? Time to start again! 

• 🤸 Playgrounds galore! Fantastic outdoor playgrounds (quiet, quieter, the simpliest)  and indoor playgrounds (loud, louder, the most colourful) give the Young Pandas plenty of opportunities to burn off energy. Because even in a country that seems to run on precision, Young Pandas still run on pure chaos.

• 🍡 Food heaven! So far, the Young Pandas have yet to encounter bad food. Seriously, everything seems delicious. And the snacks? Incredible flavours, unexpected combinations and surprises in every packet. Japan might just become Mamabear's biggest snack-shopping challenge yet! 😋

Conclusion so far: Japan is full of contrasts — quiet yet colourful, orderly yet wonderfully quirky. And the Young Pandas have barely scratched the surface! ✨