Sometimes you plan a trip.

And sometimes the trip quietly rearranges itself for you.

We were supposed to go to Kyoto.

But then Shizuka Anderson finally released the dates for her Hanami food tour along the Meguro River—and both Bronson and I just looked at each other like… yeah, we’re not missing that.

So Kyoto got moved.

Priorities.

We’ve both watched her on Japan by Food, so meeting her in person already felt a little surreal. And she was exactly how she is in her videos—pretty, bubbly, energetic, and just on. She even showed up in a muted pink blazer that matched the cherry blossoms, which honestly felt very on-brand and slightly iconic.

I told her I was a fan (of course I did), and instead of it feeling like a “fan moment,” it just felt easy. Like we were already mid-conversation.

And then—best plot twist—no one else showed up.

So what was supposed to be a group tour turned into just the three of us. Me, Bronson, and Shizuka, walking along the Meguro River during peak sakura season like this was a perfectly normal way to spend an afternoon.

Which… it kind of became.

We stopped at different food stalls, trying a variety of treats while she casually shared history, cherry blossom trivia, and little details about the area like it was second nature. We even went to the closest konbini to grab canned alcoholic drinks and toasted to that! Nothing felt rehearsed. It was just really good food and really good conversation.

Then she took us to a small, family-owned izakaya right along the river, Taishu Sumibi Yakitori Teppei-chan —and this part felt like a flex.

The view was unreal. Cherry blossoms, festival lights, people passing by, the kind of setting that makes you pause for a second just to take it in.

We ate, we talked, we took selfies (because obviously), and somewhere in the middle of all that, I realized this didn’t feel like a tour anymore.

It felt like hanging out with a friend.

A very cool, very pretty, knows-all-the-best-spots friend… who also happens to be someone I’ve been watching on YouTube. My new BFF.

We got so lucky.

What started as “let’s book a food tour” turned into a private experience, a riverfront dinner, and one of those days that just feels a little extra special for no obvious reason—other than the fact that everything aligned exactly the way it was supposed to.

Also… the fact that we rearranged Kyoto for this and it still exceeded expectations?

Yeah. We love her.

Travel really does that.

You think you’re planning everything, and then a day like this happens—and suddenly it’s the one you keep thinking about long after the trip is over. Below is an IG reel of our experience, just for me to remember it forever.

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On our next visit, we’re definitely going to do the Harakuju one. Or whatever she has going on, we’ll be there.

Check out Japan by Food’s Harajuku Sweets & Street Food Tour with Shizuka Anderson and book your experience, highly recommend.

Mahalo Shizuka!

Love,

Honey