I Can’t Believe I’m Doing This
Billboards in the Kabukicho area, Tokyo, Japan, Tokyo's premier neon-lit entertainment district. Area features thousands of restaurants, bars, hostess clubs, and arcades. © Kimberly R. Coffman / Kimberly Rae Travels | Tokyo, Japan 2025
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
On short notice, I redeemed a $1,500 flight credit to travel more than halfway around the world to try and find myself. I know — it sounds like a mid-life crisis cliché. But here’s the thing about clichés: sometimes they exist because the experience is genuinely universal. And what I was feeling was nothing if not universal.
I never thought I’d be in this position — among the laid off and the unemployed. In today’s world it happens to the best of us, but I still felt a deep, private sense of failure. Like, what did I do wrong? After always being considered “High-Potential,” “Expert,” “Leader,” “Trusted and Reliable” — how did I end up here?
The rational part of my brain knew the answer. Layoffs are rarely about the person. Sometimes it’s simply about reducing headcount and being swept up into someone else’s cost-cutting strategy. That doesn’t make it sting any less. When these things happen, regardless of the reason: IT SUCKS!
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. So that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Why Southeast Asia. Why Now.
I picked Southeast Asia because it’s known for having some of the most beautiful countries in the world — and for being genuinely affordable. Since I was suddenly on a changed budget, that alignment mattered.
I chose Thailand as my hub because ten years ago I stood on Thai soil and distinctly remember thinking: I don’t want to leave. There is more here for me. This trip would be me finally honoring that feeling. And from Thailand, you can reach Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam by land or air — the makings of a real multi-country experience.
But first, I needed an opening act. I booked a roundtrip ticket with 60 days of flexibility — enough room to follow the trip wherever it needed to go — and added Tokyo as my first stop. Two nights in Japan before the longer Thai chapter began. What I didn’t know yet was that Tokyo wouldn’t feel like a layover. It would feel like the beginning of something.
After working steadily since college — with only one 90-day leave of absence during the pandemic — I was tired. Not just physically. I needed a gap year. The kind wealthy college students take before entering the workforce. I needed a break, a change, some fun, and some real breathing room. I needed to find my new purpose, my new passion, my new raison d’être.
“God, please give me grace and space while I selfishly take on this task and go on this global journey.”
The Flight: Hoping for an Upgrade, Staying in Coach
Delta Air Lines planes at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. © Kimberly R. Coffman / Kimberly Rae Travels | Atlanta, GA
There I was, sitting in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, hoping — really hoping — to get upgraded to Delta ONE. If you’ve never experienced the flatbed on a long-haul international flight, let me tell you: it is a true luxury and a gamechanger. On a 14-hour flight to Tokyo, that flatbed is the difference between arriving and surviving.
I tried to fly on a quieter day, thinking the upgrade might be possible. No such luck. I remained in coach. And I will remain in coach, with the occasional splash of first-class experiences, throughout this story. (But I did survive. Dignity intact.)
As a passionate traveler who has been to 28 countries and counting, I decided to use this time — this open stretch of uncertain months ahead — to explore my writing. I have one published book under my belt, but what other projects should I pursue? To possibly become a travel writer, a travel influencer, a travel agent, or find some other lane within the travel industry that suited me at this stage of my life journey. I hadn’t fully given up on Corporate America. I planned to keep applying and upskilling. But this time? This time was going to be all about me.
Like many women, even as a single person, I had spent years placing myself second to my career — staying within the lines of expectations placed on me by society and family. I was trying to forge a new path. One that truly aligned with who I was now, who I wanted to be, and what I wanted the next 30 or so years to look like.
Arriving in Tokyo: No Tour Guide, No Private Transfer, No Problem
Shinagawa Prince Hotel, Tokyo, Japan. © Kimberly R. Coffman / Kimberly Rae Travels | Shinagawa Prince Hotel, Tokyo, Japan 2025
It’s early afternoon when I arrive at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. I’m here for adventure, so to honor my intentions, I seek out Tokyo’s subway system to whisk me to my hotel. No time like the present to challenge my navigation skills.
From Haneda Airport International Terminal Station, I hop a train to Shinagawa Station on the Keikyu Line. I hear the expected mechanical sounds as the subway weaves through the city, and I keep a keen eye on the map, heart quietly racing as I anticipate my stop. The trip is about 15 minutes. After stepping onto the platform, I bumble around a bit — phone open to Google Maps, bag in tow — working my way through the beautiful puzzle of a system I don’t yet know.
When I exit the terminal, I spot the crossing, make my way across the street, and there it is: the Shinagawa Prince Hotel sign towering above me. A two-minute walk later, I’m there. No muss, no fuss. A flash of joy cascades through my body, with the quiet awareness that I just successfully completed another step toward healing and reinvention.
“Don’t underestimate what small wins mean when you’re in the middle of rebuilding your confidence.”
Tokyo immediately felt different than I expected. There’s a quality of intentionality here that’s visible in everything — the precision of the trains, the order of the streets, the quiet courtesy of strangers moving in unison. Even in one of the largest cities on earth, I didn’t feel overwhelmed. I felt awake.
The Shinagawa Prince Hotel: My Travel Agent Was Right
My room is ready when I arrive. I head up, drop my bags, shower, change, then head back out to tour the hotel and the surrounding area. My travel agent from last year’s trip to Senegal suggested this property, and it is a winner.
The Shinagawa Prince Hotel is essentially its own small city. It features more than five restaurants, a café, shops and services — including massage and nail salons — and for entertainment: a bowling alley, golf and tennis center, movie theater, aquarium, and even wedding facilities. For a first-time Tokyo visitor arriving jet-lagged from a 14-hour flight, having a self-contained world to retreat into is a soft-landing and a genuine gift.
Tired but determined to stay on Tokyo time, I roam the hotel and get my bearings before eventually surrendering to jet lag. Tomorrow, the real exploring begins.
My First Night in Tokyo: The Izakaya, the View, and the Exhale
Photo: 48 Fishing Grounds, Tokyo, Japan. © Kimberly R. Coffman / Kimberly Rae Travels | 48 Fishing Grounds, Tokyo, Japan 2025
A long shower is always my number one priority after a long flight. Clean, refreshed, and layered up against the cool evening drizzle — wearing my green prAna pants, my favorite worn-in Eileen Fisher yellow shirt, topped off with a blue zip-up Jofit jacket — I was ready to take on Tokyo.
I Googled nearby restaurants and found 48 Fishing Grounds, an izakaya about a 10-minute walk from the hotel. For those who haven’t experienced izakaya culture: think warm lighting, tables bustling, cold drinks, and food arriving in a steady, sequence of goodies. It’s the kind of place that makes you immediately understand why people love this city, and why they come back.
Upon entering, I was taken aback by how beautiful and quaint this neighborhood gem was. I smelled spices, seafood, and the heavenly scent of broth wafting through the room. I was shown to my table, then immediately scanned the space — taking in every nook and cranny, the lanterns, and the stone and wood architectural details that seemed to pull you in and hold you there. As you can imagine, I had an assortment of sushi with a cold beer. The food was delicious and comforting.
I was so hungry that I failed to photograph what I ate. A travel influencer rookie mistake. So much for my travel journalist career! (Lesson learned. Starting now, I document everything.)
Their service was excellent, the vibe warm and inviting, and an electric pulse resonated throughout from the buzz of the full-capacity crowd. There is something deeply comforting about sitting in a room full of people who are exactly where they want to be. That energy is contagious — and after the months, I’d had, I needed every bit of it.
I ended the night with cocktails at AWA Lounge 64 at DINING & BAR TABLE 9 TOKYO, located on the 39th floor of the hotel’s Main Tower. The lounge offers an amazing panoramic view of Tokyo — ten million points of light spread across the skyline. On that night, sitting up there with a drink in my hand and the city glittering below me, something in my spirit began to soften.
“Not fixed. Not solved. Just — exhale.”
“Tokyo did not ask me to be anyone in particular. It simply made room for me to arrive.”
What I Know After Night One
I came to Tokyo calling this a layover. Within 24 hours, I understood it was something else entirely.
Being a passionate traveler who has visited 28 countries, I know the difference between arriving somewhere and actually landing somewhere. Tokyo, from the very first night, felt like a landing. There was something about the order, the intention, and the quiet dignity of this place that matched a frequency in me I hadn’t heard in a while.
I came to this trip hoping to explore my writing, figure out my next move, and give myself the kind of space I hadn’t allowed in decades. On night one, I hadn’t solved any of that. But I had navigated a subway system in a foreign country alone, eaten an exceptional meal, and sat 39 floors above one of the world’s greatest cities feeling — for the first time in a long time — genuinely curious about what came next.
That, it turns out, is a very good place to start.
Places Visited & My Recommendations
WHERE I STAYED
Shinagawa Prince Hotel — 4 Chome-10-30 Takanawa, Minato City, Tokyo. Perfect for first-time Tokyo visitors: direct transit access directly across from Shinagawa Station, extensive on-site dining and entertainment, and a location that puts the entire city within easy reach. My travel agent recommended it and she was right. Shinagawa Prince Hotel
WHERE I ATE & DRANK
Yonpachi Gyojo (48 Fishing Grounds in English) (Izakaya) — Keikyu 2nd Building 1F, 3-25-23 Takanawa, Minato-ku. Three minutes on foot from JR Shinagawa Station, Takanawa exit. Go hungry. Order the sushi. Take photos — unlike me. Yonpachi Gyojo (48 Fishing Grounds.
AWA Lounge 64, DINING & BAR TABLE 9 TOKYO — 39th floor, Shinagawa Prince Hotel Main Tower. Cocktails with a panoramic Tokyo skyline view. A perfect way to end your first night in the city.
HOW I GOT AROUND
Keikyu Line — Haneda Airport International Terminal Station to Shinagawa Station (approx. 15 minutes, very affordable). Tokyo’s subway system is extensive and beginner-friendly — download Google Maps or a transit app before you land and you will be fine.
FIRST-TIME TOKYO TIPS
Take the train from the airport — You won’t regret it — and you’ll feel accomplished.
Find an izakaya on your first night — Don’t overthink it. Just walk until something pulls you in.
Observe how people move — There’s a rhythm and a respect to this city that’s worth noticing.
Give yourself permission to be disoriented — That’s part of arriving somewhere real.
Have you ever taken a trip because you simply couldn’t stay still any longer? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
This is Blog 1 in a 4-part Tokyo series. Next up: Blog 2 — a rainy day at the Maxell Aqua Park, the dolphin show that made my inner child giggle with glee, and what it means to let yourself experience pure wonder again.
Kimberly R. Coffman
Founder & Chief Travel Consultant | Kimberly Rae Travels
www.kimberlyraetravels.com | kimberly@kimberlyraetravels.com
© 2026 Kimberly R. Coffman / Kimberly Rae Travels. All photography and written content are original works by the author. Unauthorized reproduction or use without written permission is prohibited. To request reprint rights or media licensing: kimberly@kimberlyraetravels.com
