Island Fishing and the Sake Route
We woke up early, ready for a change of pace: today was all about fishing. We met up with some of Naoki’s mother’s friends and headed out to a stunning, paradisiacal island. After visiting a beautiful traditional Japanese house and meeting some locals, we hit the water.
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It turned out to be one of the best moments of my life, pure tranquility. We even managed to catch several pufferfish! We spent the rest of the day eating together, fishing, and just soaking in the incredible views. To top off a perfect day, we headed to an Onsen at night to relax even further before heading back home to sleep.
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Sake, Brothers, and the Streets of Osaka
The next morning was filled with laughter and stories before we headed into the city for a «Sake Route.» we tasted a huge variety of Japan’s most famous spirit, learning a lot about the craft (and drinking quite a bit too!).
Later, we picked up Naoki’s brother, and the six of us headed to Osaka to meet his other brother. We went out to explore the city with him and his girlfriend, who treated us to dinner before we hit a local bar. Let me tell you: nights in Osaka are absolutely wild! We ended up crashing at his girlfriend’s place for the night.
The Pirate of Kyoto
I woke up the next day with a nasty eye infection, my eye was completely swollen. I had to walk around the city wearing an eye patch, looking like a total pirate! 
After a heartfelt goodbye to Naoki and his family, we hopped on a train to Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan.
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We spent the day wandering through traditional streets and breathtaking temples. We were «vague-bonding» it for a while, just drifting through the city, until a local woman helped us find a place to stay.
We found a cheap «hole-in-the-wall» hotel to spend the night. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, we headed out to a local tavern for dinner. We spent the rest of the night exploring Gion, the famous entertainment district. We drank, joked around, and met tons of interesting people before finally heading back to our hotel to pass out.
To be continued…