Japan Day 21: Going Home

And just like that, it was time to go home.

When I first started planning this trip, I thought two weeks in Japan would be enough. Then I started making the list of everything we wanted to see and do, and it became obvious that two weeks were not going to work. So two weeks became three.

By Day 21, I was very happy we’d made that decision. We had loved our trip, but we were also ready to go home. I was ready to sleep in my own bed, get back to our normal routine and eat more fruits and vegetables again!

One Last Ride Through Tokyo

We had to leave our Airbnb at 10 AM, but thankfully there wasn’t much last-minute packing to do. We’d packed almost everything the night before, leaving out only our pajamas and toiletries.

And somehow, everything fit.

We had arrived in Japan with three carry-ons and three backpacks.

We were leaving with a medium suitcase, one large foldable bag, two medium foldable bags, three carry-ons and three backpacks.

The bags were full, but we didn’t struggle to close them, so I’d say we did pretty well!

We used GO Taxi to get to the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, also known as Busta Shinjuku. Using the app was quick and easy, and with that much luggage, taking a taxi was absolutely worth it.

From there, we took the Friendly Airport Limousine bus to Narita Airport.

Our bus left at 11 AM, while our flight wasn’t until 5:45 PM. We’d bought our tickets in advance and deliberately left ourselves plenty of extra time because we didn’t know what Tokyo traffic would be like.

In the end, traffic was fine and everything went very smoothly.

And I was very glad we weren’t dragging all those bags through Shinjuku Station.

About Taking the Bus in Tokyo…

Before our trip, we’d heard enough warnings about taking buses in Tokyo that I expected them to be complicated or intimidating.

They really weren’t.

In fact, we actually preferred taking the bus sometimes rather than dealing with Shinjuku Station.

Train and metro connections were generally okay. They could involve a lot of walking and sometimes felt a little overwhelming, but we managed.

Connecting from the station to a bus?

Hum.

We were never able to figure out the correct exit at Shinjuku Station to get to the bus we wanted. The few times we needed to make that connection, we eventually gave up and took a taxi instead.

So if you’re nervous about using Tokyo’s buses because you’ve heard they’re difficult, our experience was the opposite. Riding the bus itself wasn’t scary at all. Finding our way out of Shinjuku Station to get to the bus was the hard part!

With all our luggage on our final morning, I had absolutely no desire to attempt it.

Taxi to Busta Shinjuku + airport bus was a much easier way to end the trip.

One Last Meal, One Last Browse

Because we’d allowed so much extra time, we weren’t rushing once we arrived at Narita.

We had time to eat and explore the shopping area, which had surprisingly a lot of shops. Apparently Japan was giving us one last opportunity to shop before we left!

Eventually, we dropped off our luggage, went through security and headed to a lounge.

There was about a 20-minute wait to get in, but considering how much time we’d given ourselves, it wasn’t a problem.

Then there was nothing left to organize or figure out. We just had to fly home.

Three Weeks in Japan

Our flight from Tokyo to Montreal was direct, and it really wasn’t so bad.

Looking back, two weeks definitely would have been too short for everything we’d wanted to do. If anything, I would have changed how we divided those three weeks. I would have spent a little more time in Osaka and especially in Kyoto.

There were things we didn’t get to do. Plans changed because of rain, heat or simply because we were tired. There were places we skipped.

And that’s okay.

If we go back to Japan — and I certainly hope we do — there are still so many other places to see and things to do.

After three weeks, though, we were ready for home.

But very, very happy we’d gone.

Japan 2026 was over.

And yes, somehow, all that Sumikkogurashi merchandise made it home too.