Joining my first company trip to Izu turned out to be an amazing way to get-to-know and connect with my colleagues.

On our first day, we enjoyed fresh red snapper sashimi for lunch at Kinme-ya before strolling along Perry Road. A nice colleague kindly explained the history of Commodore Perry and the famous Black Ship.

While exploring the souvenir shops, I got to know another team member and realized we shared similar tastes, probably because we have the same birthday!

We also have a great English speaker in our group. In the previous company gatherings I attended, he always willingly and kindly translated for me. This time, he gave me the opportunity to converse with other members of the team using my very limited Japanese vocabulary, which I greatly appreciated. However, if things got too difficult for me, he would step in to bridge the communication.

Next was the Shimoda Port In-harbor Cruise, where I enjoyed feeding birds right from the boat as they swooped in.

Then, we watched the fireworks explode over the water at dusk which was pure magic.

We wrapped up the day with a grand Feast at the Ryokan, where I participated in a simple group game and even won a great prize! 

The second day brought even more fun as we visited the Numazu Port Deep Sea Aquarium.

Looking at all the unique sea creatures made me decide I want to be an anglerfish in my next life so I can live freely and have a long life.

I also played the deep-sea shooting game there and scored over 21,000 points!

For lunch, I had the massive tower Kaisen Kakiage Don at Uogashi Maru Ten, which was a huge challenge to finish.

We wrapped up our memorable journey by visiting the Mishima Skywalk to the scenery and take photos before heading home.

It was the perfect blend of great food, fun activities, and bonding with my colleagues.

Giving my Monstera a playful makeover by repurposing keychain souvenirs!

Proof that my first company trip was one for the books (and the fridge)!