From Nagoya to Matsumoto — A Night of Cityscapes, Castles, and a "Challenge" Dish! 🇯🇵🌃

#summervacay My trip started with an incredibly smooth entry into Japan! Having filled out the immigration QR code beforehand, I breezed through Nagoya customs with virtually no waiting. I accidentally overshot my intended stop at Kanayama and ended up at Nagoya Station. Seeing the 51-story Marriott hotel, I knew I had to go up for a panoramic view of Nagoya. The top floor cafe offered a window seat after a short wait, revealing a dense tapestry of buildings stretching towards the distant sea. Around 8 PM, I finally arrived in Matsumoto. My hotel, the Iroha Grand Hotel, was just a few minutes' walk from the station and even offered complimentary ramen and pancake ice cream cups for a late-night snack – highly recommend it! Matsumoto is a small city, and on a Friday night, the streets were filled with Japanese "salarymen" politely bowing and bidding farewell after their meals. Cities with rivers always feel a bit more relaxed, and Matsumoto was no exception. I took a leisurely stroll to Matsumoto Castle. My travel companion bet me 100 yen that it would look eerie and scary at night, but they were thoroughly impressed instead. It was absolutely beautiful, even featuring a swan and numerous fish that looked monstrously large! Back near the hotel, I randomly picked an izakaya. The staff member at the entrance seemed a bit flustered, explaining they didn't have an English menu. Then, after I randomly pointed to a dish, out came what looked suspiciously like cow's eyes. At that moment, the initial panic on the staff's face transferred straight to ours! Yes, the staff were all loudly exclaiming "Challenge!" while we were just wondering, "It's just clams, right?!" What a memorable start to the trip! #matsumoto #nagoya #japantravel