My suitcase was oversized, making it difficult to carry through train stations with seemingly endless stairs. I wasn't always able to find elevators, and not every station had one available for use.

The big bag was also an issue throughout my stays in Japan's compact hotel rooms and hostels, where storage space was either tiny or nonexistent.

In my accommodations, I usually had to stash it in shared spaces or leave it out in the open. Thankfully, I felt safe leaving it where it could be accessed by other guests.

I thought I'd pick up Japanese through the language-learning app Duolingo and spent weeks practicing before my trip.

Though the lessons helped me recognize some words, it didn't focus much on practical phrases or knowledge I actually needed, like how to order different kinds of food or ask for directions.

I wish I'd known more, but I was able to get around fine with basic phrases I had already picked up elsewhere, such as "konnichiwa" ("hello") and "arigato gozaimasu" ("thank you very much").

The talk-to-text translator app Speak & Translate was also a helpful tool. It was recommended to me by one of my hosts so we could communicate — and I used it during several local interactions, like inquiring about skincare products in a shop and complimenting a chef on his food at a restaurant.

One of my favorite things about staying in hostels is how they can make it easy to meet people from all over the world. I'm used to them being set up for socializing.

But in Japan, many of the places I stayed were capsule-style, and some didn't even have a common area. The ones that did still weren't designed as social environments, nor were they ideal for forming connections, as most people kept to themselves.

In hindsight, this made sense given how Japanese culture embraces solitude. I only made friends at one of my accommodations.

Luckily, I have a friend who lives in Tokyo — we actually met at a hostel in Hawaii — and he introduced me to some people. I also connected with other solo travelers through social media, mutual friends, and chance encounters.

I didn't mind buying individual tickets for each train ride when I was alone, but stopping to do this was inconvenient when I traveled with a group. I hated slowing everyone down.

One of my friends encouraged me to get a Suica card, a rechargeable digital payment system used throughout the country for transportation, vending machines, and even convenience stores.

Once I added it to my Apple Wallet, getting around became much easier.

Many friends and guides suggested I visit teamLab Borderless, a digital art museum with immersive exhibitions that flow between rooms.

I booked a late entry time and spent so long in the first few rooms that I didn't get to see everything before it closed. I even tried to buy another ticket, but it was fully booked for the rest of my trip.

I also skipped the Ghibli Museum and Ghibli Park — despite being a huge fan of the animation studio — because the tickets were pricey.

Now, I wish I'd splurged on at least one. Thankfully, I did visit a few Donguri stores (official Studio Ghibli merch retailers), and one had displays perfect for fun photo ops.

Though I was proud to spend only about $10 on most meals, my frugal mindset was a disservice to my palate.

Japan has the second most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, just after France. And with the favorable exchange rate, I missed a rare chance to dine somewhere incredible at a more affordable price.

Local clothing is one of my favorite souvenirs, but I quickly realized Japan's sizing wasn't made for my body type.

American sizes tend to run significantly larger — a US medium might be a large or even extra-large in Japan. As a curvy woman who wears a size-12 dress, I was considered plus-size in Japan.

Most clothing stores I visited didn't carry items that fit me. I could have skipped the frustration and gone straight to vintage secondhand stores, where I had much better luck finding things that fit.

Researching cultural norms is part of my trip preparation process, and I knew Japan had several unspoken rules for proper etiquette.

This includes staying quiet in public, especially on trains; not eating or drinking while walking; removing shoes indoors; and not tipping for services.

Somehow, I missed that blowing your nose in public is considered rude, and I did just that at a restaurant. I was oblivious to any reactions from the staff or other customers, but I felt incredibly embarrassed when I later realized what I had done.

I was hesitant to venture beyond the tourist-friendly "golden route" — which includes Japan's major cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka — because I knew English would be less commonly spoken.

Though these locations were incredible, they also felt overwhelmingly crowded.

My shorter trips to smaller cities like Uji and Kanazawa were quieter and even more memorable. I plan to prioritize exploring more rural, less touristy areas in Japan when I return.