I’ve been coming to Tokyo since my 20s, and this trip marked my 10th visit—somehow familiar and brand new at the same time. But it also felt significantly different because I didn’t feel the need to chase everything. 2025 hit me hard with admin, renewing my permit in Berlin, apartment hunting, moving, and juggling multiple projects, so I retreated back to Asia for a couple of weeks for family and, honestly, for my own sanity. As an introvert who gets overwhelmed easily, I built an itinerary that gave me clarity, quiet, and space to move slower. Of course, with that sanity came stationery shopping (mostly window shopping)—and it felt like such a full-circle moment to “research” the journaling and stationery world in Tokyo, take notes, observe trends, and just geek out. I took a day trip to Nikko when I needed a break from looking at too many things, and I let myself wander, walk instead of taking the bus (leg day), and stamp away at a visitor center like it was my job. For documenting, I kept it simple: a passport-size Traveler’s Notebook insert, stamps as my main visual guide, minimal photos, and lots of writing (because I will always yap on paper). I share a full flip-through of my completed Tokyo insert and the rule of thumb that helped me stop overthinking layouts: follow what feels right in the moment.