Hamamatsu

I got the impression that this city doesn't really know what it is.

There's tremendously important history here, both from Tokugawa Ieyasu having his first castle here, up to being the headquarters for companies likes Yamaha and Kawai that revolutionized music.

There's also a huge Brazilian population that adds to the flavor of the city, to the point that signs are also in Portuguese. There's also a Brazilian consulate in the city.

Then it's also just really nice to be at the beach, which feels endless in the city.

In any case, I like the place a lot. It's the laid back vibe that you hope to find when you escape from Tokyo.

Hamamatsu Museum of Musical Instruments

I'm not a big museum head, but this was one of the coolest ones I've been too.

If anything brings people from different cultures together, it's music. But the tools we use to make music are so different, yet so similar.

It's also great fun to play with the instruments at the end. Very much worth a visit if you happen to be in town.

Sawayaka

I knew I had to try the rare Genkotsu hamburger steak after learning about it, so I dealt with the two hour wait and then made my way over to the restaurant when it was time. Luckily, their ticketing system is online so you can get real time updates about how long your wait's gonna be.

My server had the same last name as my mom, so I had good vibes from the beginning, and it didn't disappoint: the steak was delicious. The only thing I didn't know was that I was responsible for holding a paper placemat over myself while they sizzle the thing in front of you.

This is a food highlight of Japan in my opinion. It's so regionally unique. There's nothing like it elsewhere in the country. And as a bonus: I didn't get the runs the way I do from, say, a beef tartare in France.