I’m Sakshi, a CALN ONLINE instructor based in India. I recently visited Tokyo on a short business trip, which also became my first time traveling abroad. This blog is a collection of small moments, observations, and learnings from that experience.
My journey began on 17th October 2025, when I flew to Japan for the first time in my life. It was my first international trip, so I was really nervous. I am very much a homebody, and traveling such a long distance alone felt like a big challenge for me.
At that time, India was preparing to celebrate Diwali, one of the biggest Hindu festivals (Known as the festival of lights). As I was leaving India, the festive atmosphere made me feel a little sad because I knew I would miss the celebrations this year. At the same time, I was excited about this journey and everything it was about to teach me.
On the plane, I was seated next to a noisy family, and the children were extremely loud. Unfortunately, because of the noise, I couldn’t sleep at all during the long flight.
I arrived at Haneda Airport around 7 a.m. I immediately loved the early-morning airport vibe, it was calm and not crowded.
The staff were very helpful. I tried communicating in Japanese, but most people responded in English.
After collecting my luggage, I took the subway to Honjo-azumabashi Station, which was slightly closer to the hotel.
The train was crowded, and this was my first glimpse of what Tokyo looked like, but I was so exhausted it still didn’t feel real that I was in a different country.
After reaching the station, I followed the exit signs and came across a long staircase. Some other girls looked at it and started laughing. Everyone seemed to be climbing the stairs, and I couldn’t see any elevator, so I assumed this was the only way out. I slowly began climbing the stairs with my heavy suitcase, one step at a time (it was exhausting!)
Suddenly, a tall man appeared and lifted my suitcase without saying a word.
I didn’t even see his face at first, and he carried it all the way to the top.
I quickly ran after him.
Nearby, a few ladies were sitting and laughing, and I started chuckling too.
I thanked the man by saying “Arigatou gozaimasu” with a small bow.
He smiled and replied, “Have a great day!” in English, in a very heroic style. We all ended up laughing together.
The next article captures my first impressions of Tokyo.