This is my last post about Japan. I think I’ve made it abundantly clear that the trip was phenomenal and I can’t wait to go back. So, in an effort to bring this adventure to a close, here are some essential last notes.

This idea popped into my head 3 weeks ago. It all started while reading Sasha Issenberg’s “The Sushi Economy” over Christmas break. The book outlines the impact of Tuna (specifically prized Boston Bluefin) on the global marketplace in meticulous detail. What I was most fascinated with were the descriptions of the Tsukiji fish market and learning stories of some of it’s major players. I was hooked and I decided quickly, almost hastily, that I needed to go to Japan and see for myself.

I bought a travel guide and began to plot my course. (side note: A good agenda should be like connecting the dots, with lots of room in the middle for randomness and exploration.) A lot of things changed from start to finish, but at the end of the trip I was able to hit every landmark I wanted and then some. Here is my final itinerary, courtesy of TripIt.

I’ve posted all of my photos here and below is a final mashup of all the video. It’s a little messy, but I think it does the job.

I wanted to make sure to include two of my favorite posters. The copy alone makes these both memorable.

Today, January 26, 2010, I was in two different countries at the same exact time. I took the first picture while walking to the train in Shinjuku, Tokyo at 9am. The second picture was taken at 9am in San Francisco off of Powell & Market. Maybe I’m a huge nerd, but I couldn’t be more excited about my time travel.

And lastly, my favorite meal from the trip. A curry pork cutlet with rice and a bowl of udon. Tasty and extremely filling.