When discussing the Chinese zodiac, most westerners make the common mistake of mislabeling 2024 as the 'Year of the Dragon'. In reality, it's the year of Matcha: a time for oversweetened lattes, cringe millennial health influencer fanatacism, and a drink only caffeine sensitive wanna be weebs can geek out on.

People always say.... "Oh Japan will change you! You'll love the trains and walk-ability! And you'll come back 10 lbs lighter from all the walking!"

And they were right of course, but the matcha also changed me. As I sit here writing this (matcha in hand), I used the drink as a way to remember key memories of the trip: witnessing the eerie grandeur of the Atomic Dome in Hiroshima, orienting my bodyclock over our first breakfast in Shinjuku, or celebrating my 10 km climb up Mt. Moiwa on the eve of my 25th birthday. Matcha became my calendar.

In total, I enjoyed 14 matcha drinks; with an average of 1 per day and a max of 3.

Phone eats first...