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Hairpin Turns in Hakone (in a van)
We're averaging over 15K steps daily in Japan
Andrew Safranko
July 26, 2025
This Week in Dulture…
Approx 4 minute read:
👟 20K steps in one day is no joke
🏎️ Driving the real Initial D roads
🐭 Tokyo Disneyland
🏋️ RIP Ichiban
Dulture weekly mix
It’s summer, there’s patios, there’s parties, there’s music. There’s this mix. Yes you can play this in the background as you hide in the AC being a hermit wishing it wasn’t so hot.
Or you can play this while you sit outside enjoying what’s left of summer, which is only one month!
Greetings from the Hikari Shinkansen bound for Shin-Osaka station.
If you’ve never been to Asia then you really don’t know what it is to WALK.
From the jump, we immediately surpassed 10k steps per day and then some. Couple that with the 80% humidity Tokyo faced all week and all I can say is it’s been a week of back sweat and sore legs.
But only rookies go to Japan unprepared.
The right pair of shoes makes a wonder of difference when you’re hitting close to 20k steps in a day.
Those Y2K shoes in style aren’t just to show off the era you either weren’t born in or weren’t cool in - streetwear dad shoes are mad comfy.
I’ve been wearing Nike Vomero 5’s all trip and never once did I feel like I needed to take them off out of discomfort. Although I only brought one pair because I plan on loading up - thank you cheap Yen and Japanese exclusives that no one local cares about.
In fact what I am seeing everywhere in Tokyo is women (and now men at the time of writing this) rocking the Nike Air Max Isla.
The sandal for hypebeast Geishas
Given how hot it is, I get it. They’re being worn with any outfit imaginable as well - from casual to business casual. Sidenote, it’s so busy everywhere in the middle of a Tuesday, does anyone work in this country? The men are still rocking chunky shoes out here as well, I assume to give themselves some additional height 😏
We won’t get into how many times I’ve hit my head on a door frame.
I also think people are used to walking a lot out here so they can get away with wearing whatever and feel fine.
Week 1 of 4 in the bag thanks to the Vomero’s.
An Open Air Museum
When one thinks of Hakone they typically think of views of Mt. Fuji, cozy ryokans in the mountains, or for you hardcore people, Initial D.
A legit road in the mountains
I was never a big fan of Initial D but now that I have also driven the insane roads through Hakone that the Anime and game are based on, I feel like I should go revisit them in another reality.
Also, if you’ve never driven on the left side of the road in another country, I would highly recommend you don’t choose these insane hairpin turns as your first experience to do so.
This is EXACTLY how the roads are
I digress.
Once you make it through the mountains you come across something out of a David Bowie film - the Hakone Open Air Museum. This sprawling outdoor art gallery overlooks the mountains, with installations you can both look at or be part of.
This is your view when you walk in
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You’re suppose to explore, immerse yourself, and sometimes play with the art…
Like within this maze or giant beehive looking thing.
The easiest maze in the world - that’s art for ya
They had a 2 story exhibit featuring a ton of Picasso pieces that he painted and sculpted - super cool
Aside from the non-stop humidity that is summer in Japan, there’s a calming serenity as you walk through the museum - especially as you get to the foot onsen where you can sit with your feet in a hot bath and stare out at endless mountains and landscapes.
This is a great day trip out of Tokyo to do and if you’re lucky, on a clear day you’re going to get views of Mt Fuji, which is what most of us hope to see when we come to Japan anyway.
We did not see Mt. Fuji on this day 🤷
Mickey Mouse in the Land of the Rising Sun
Ever since things went back to normal (I guess we’re always going to use this phrase), Japan has been ransacked with tourists. Like, waiting in line no matter where you go, ransacked.
So I guess it makes sense that when you go to Disneyland in Tokyo, you’re going to be standing around A LOT.
Especially when you get there for 7:45AM and the place opens up at 9.
Umbrellas everywhere
Disneyland in Tokyo is a special place, and not just because you got the Disney magic vibe while you’re there. It’s actually the only Disneyland owned and operated by a private company, not Disney. So as a result you get:
Cheaper food
A much cleaner park than the others
Exclusive rides like The Beauty & the Beast Ride and Pooh’s Hunny Pot
Firstly, food in Tokyo Disneyland is a master class on what to actually give people as options to eat in a theme park. While you typically expect to spend an arm and a leg on over priced pizza and fried food in theme parks in North America, Japan gives you legit good tasting food.
So basic but such a good meal
And it’s Japan, so you know the place is gonna be clean af.
Not a single scrap of random garbage in site
But the exclusive rides - holyyy. As a grown man, telling you to go on the Beauty & the Beast ride first sounds odd - but this is a must.
The only slight downside is if you’re staying in central Tokyo, it’s going to be a mission to get to the park.
And Japanese summer ain’t no joke. But knowing this park is basically Japan’s take on Disney and essentially everything Japan does is elevated, it’s well worth the day.
Long Live Ichiban Hogan
The world lost a hero this week.
Before Hulk Hogan was bleeding Hulkamania he was a (somewhat literal) rockstar in Japan.
Between 1980 and 1985 Hogan wrestled under the name Ichiban Hogan or “The One”, as Japan dubbed their top professional wrestlers.
And before Hogan turned into the most popular two move wrestler to ever live, he showed off a lot of technicality for the Japanese fans - who are typically used to seeing their wrestlers perform for real.
Hogan became the first IWGP World Champion knocking out Japan’s hero, Antonio Inoki in 1983 to win the belt.
Which caused Hogan to have to switch hotels in Tokyo from all the fan outrage.
Which also caused Hogan to hold a press conference praising Inoki, something a foreign wrestler typically would never do.
Hogan was so popular in Japan he released an Japan-only EP at the height of his popularity in the 80’s.
Watashi wa Hogan desu. Ichiban!
Before Hulkamania, there was Ichiban Hogan - a gaijin who learned the language, adapted to the culture, knocked out Inoki, and proved he could really wrestle.
RIP Hulkster.
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