After a trip abroad as a teen, Shiori knew she wanted to see more of the world. To realize this dream, she moved from her hometown of Nagasaki to the capital city.

If you spend hours searching for “unexpected destinations,” scouring Pinterest for vacation tips, or saving Instagram posts sharing top-secret recommendations — then you’ve found the right place.

A single trip to Japan is bound to have any traveler dreaming of more. With so much to experience and explore, Japan is worthy of every possible return flight. Booking each of those flights with ANA means more than enjoying the best of Japanese hospitality — the airline offers exceptional benefits to those who fly often with ANA. 

Japan is ripe with dream-worthy destinations, making it easy to come up with a seemingly endless list of must-see destinations. Narrowing that down into an itinerary? The pruning process can be challenging. Now that you have discovered so much of what Japan has to offer, here’s how to put together a realistic (albeit dream-worthy) itinerary. 

Visiting some of Japan’s most iconic cities, Ciara Johnson explored new foods and tracked down iconic landmarks — and did it solo. As a travel expert who encourages others to explore the world with her solo adventures, Ciara’s itinerary is a how-to guide on making memories all on your own. Here, she reflects on some of those moments from her time spent exploring Japan.