Spontaneous Solo Japan: How I Planned a Trip in 24 Hours

At 3 AM, I was staring at my laptop screen, credit card in hand, about to book a flight to Japan that would depart in less than 20 hours. Most people would call this reckless. I call it the beginning of the most authentic travel experience of my life.

What followed was a crash course in spontaneous international travel—from frantically researching visa requirements between flight bookings, to calculating yen conversions. But this rushed planning came with an unexpected gift: it stripped away the overthinking that often stands between us and truly immersive travel experiences. When you have less than 24 hours to plan an international journey, you quickly learn to distinguish between what's essential and what's just tourist fluff. The secret, I discovered, isn't in having more time—it's in knowing exactly where to focus your limited time.


Let me be clear: spontaneous international travel isn't about throwing caution to the wind. It's about understanding the bare minimum you need to make it work safely and legally. In my case, that meant focusing on three critical aspects: immediate visa requirements for Japan, securing a place to sleep for at least the first night, and ensuring I had access to local currency upon landing. Everything else, I decided, could be figured out along the way.



As a Canadian passport holder, I had a crucial advantage that helped fuel my spontaneity: visa-free access to Japan for up to 90 days. A quick check of the Japanese embassy website confirmed this, saving me from what could have been a dream-crushing roadblock. But don't let my experience limit you—I'll share resources for checking visa requirements regardless of your passport.

Now came the part where my 4 AM brain had to think about where to stay. Finding a place to sleep in Tokyo, one of the world's busiest cities, in less than 20 hours. expedia.ca became my best friend and worst enemy simultaneously as I frantically filtered through hundreds of options. My criteria were simple but non-negotiable: central location, safe neighborhood, and within my panic-induced budget of ¥8000 per night.

After what felt like scrolling through every hotel in Tokyo, I stumbled upon a capsule hotel in Shinjuku with decent reviews. Now, if you're not familiar with capsule hotels, picture a honeycomb of private sleeping pods that look like they belong in a sci-fi movie. Was this how I imagined my first night in Japan? Not exactly. But at 3 AM, with departure looming and options dwindling, that futuristic sleeping pod was starting to look pretty good.

The price? ¥4500 per night. The location? Right next to Shinjuku Station - one of Tokyo's major transport hubs. The reviews? A solid 4.2 stars with recent positive feedback. And most importantly - they had 24-hour check-in. Because nothing tests your travel spirit quite like trying to check into a hotel at midnight in a jet-lagged haze.

I booked it for two nights, giving myself some breathing room to figure out the rest of my accommodation once I was actually in Japan. As I hit 'confirm booking,' I couldn't help but laugh at how my first Japanese adventure would begin - in a high-tech sleeping pod above the buzzing streets of Shinjuku. Sometimes the best travel stories start with embracing the unexpected.

The great news was that I didn’t have to bother so much about having exactly zero yen in my possession. There was no need to rush to the mall in the morning to the currency exchange booths- you know, the ones where they somehow convince you that losing 20% of your money is totally normal. Instead of exchanging my precious loonies at robbery rates, as an avid traveler, I’d discovered the magic of Wise cards. If you don’t have it, you should get one. That bleary-eyed decision I had made in my previous travel would save me ¥8000 ($80 CAD) in exchange fees throughout my trip - enough for several proper bowls of ramen that would make my instant noodle collection back home weep with jealousy. A quick transfer from my bank account, and I was set to access yen at Japanese ATMs at near-market rates.

With accommodation sorted, I turned to my closet at 7 AM, where a new crisis awaited. You know that moment when you're trying to pack for a spontaneous international trip and your brain suddenly decides you need three pairs of heels for a country where you'll be walking 20,000 steps a day? Yeah, that happened.

There I was, surrounded by a mountain of 'just in case' items on my bed - including, embarrassingly, a formal dress for that fancy dinner I hadn't planned, might never happen, but WHAT IF? My suitcase looked like it was staging a rebellion against my spontaneous lifestyle choices. Reality check: I had exactly 13 hours left before my flight, and I still needed to sleep at some point.

Then I remembered my golden rule of past travel mishaps: everything I regretted packing, I never regretted leaving behind. With that wisdom (and mild sleep deprivation), I switched to my trusty carry-on and grabbed only the essentials: comfortable walking shoes, two pairs of jeans, adaptable tops, and my tech survival kit. Everything else could be bought in Tokyo if needed - they do have stores there, my anxious brain finally admitted.

Besides, let's be honest - having a half-empty suitcase meant more room for Japanese snacks and vintage finds from Shimokitazawa on the way back. Now that's what I call strategic packing. 


At Pearson, armed with five hours until boarding and exactly three Japanese phrases from Duolingo, I was doing what any semi-prepared traveler does - doom-scrolling through Reddit for last-minute tips and saving aesthetic Instagram spots I'd probably never find. My phone was a chaos of screenshots: random metro stations, food recommendations, and that one ramen place someone swore would 'change my life. Between saving Instagram spots and Reddit threads, I managed to learn that 'Arigato' has about five more syllables than I'd been saying my whole life.

I landed at Narita Airport at 10am the next day. Emerged from immigration, armed with my perfectly screenshot-ed directions to my capsule hotel, feeling like I had this whole spontaneous travel thing figured out. That confidence lasted exactly twelve minutes - because my ancient iPhone, sensing the perfect moment for drama, decided to give up on me. In that moment, watching my carefully screenshot-ed trip research fade to black, I felt my soul leave my body. All my saved locations, hastily Google-translated phrases, and emergency contacts - gone. The universe was basically telling me, 'You wanted spontaneous? Here you go!'

After five minutes of silent panic (okay, not so silent), something strange happened. Without my digital crutch, I found myself actually talking to people. Not through Google Translate, but with real, wonderfully awkward human gestures and the three Japanese phrases I'd crammed on Duolingo. The station staff at Narita couldn't have been kinder - between my charades-level communication and their patient pointing, they helped me buy the right train ticket to Shinjuku.

But the real magic happened when I got lost finding my capsule hotel. A convenience store worker, seeing me wandering past his shop for the third time with my increasingly crumpled boarding pass-turned-map, came outside and walked me two blocks to my destination. On the way back to his shop, he drew a little food map on the back of my receipt, with stick figure drawings of local spots. His enthusiastic gesturing at one particular spot led me to a tiny ramen shop tucked in a basement, where the chef took one look at my jet-lagged, phone-less, completely overwhelmed face and simply said, 'Welcome home.'

(Spoiler alert: That ramen shop wasn't the one from Reddit that would 'change my life' - it was better.)

Looking back at that sleep-deprived decision to book a flight to Japan, I realize that sometimes the best adventures happen when plans fall apart. My dead phone forced me to look up from screens and into the real Tokyo. That convenience store worker's hand-drawn map led me to more authentic experiences than any curated Instagram guide ever could. And that ramen shop? It became my dinner spot for the next three nights - not because it was trending on Reddit, but because it felt like home.

The truth about spontaneous travel isn't that you need to be fearless - it's that you need to be ready to embrace the unexpected. Sure, having your visa requirements sorted and a Wise card helps, but the real magic happens when you let go of the perfect itinerary and let the city show you its secrets.

[Quick Guide for Fellow Spontaneous Travelers]

• Visa Check: Visit iatatravelcentre.com or your local Japanese embassy's website - this is non-negotiable and should be your first step.
• Accommodation: Book 2-3 nights minimum to give yourself breathing room
• Money: Set up international banking before you go (Wise card, travel credit cards)
• Packing: Less is more - seriously, you won't wear those heels
• Most importantly: When things go wrong, they often go wonderfully right