Solo Starbucks Hopping Trip | Bullet Day Trip to Nagoya: The Day I Found a Cheap Ticket (Training Log Episode 1)

This solo trip that I continue as part of my Starbucks hopping training

“I have an antenna for finding great deals”
There was a moment when I thought exactly that.

My usual means of transportation is by car or Shinkansen.
Air travel was never an option for me.

To be honest,
I thought “air travel” was a hassle.

There's check-in time,
you have to leave with plenty of time to spare,
and above all, the airport is far away.

For someone like me who jumps on the Shinkansen for a quick day trip,
airplanes were something that cost both time and money.

Then, one day.
While scrolling through Instagram aimlessly, my eyes stopped.

“Toki Air: All routes 4,000 yen”

…Huh?
4,000 yen means,
8,000 yen round trip?

Cheap.
No, it's too cheap.

From that moment, my switch was flipped.

Chubu Centrair International Airport, which I had been curious about for a while.
When I checked the flight schedule,

Oh, I can do a day trip.

Plus, it fits perfectly with my paid leave schedule.
Aichi Prefecture, which I'm visiting for the first time.
There's no stopping me now.
My thoughts are racing through my head.

・I can do my Starbucks hopping training
・I can use the credit card lounge
・I can also use the Priority Pass restaurant benefits

Could all of this actually be possible?

I checked my work schedule,
and booked the ticket right then and there (lol).

I also looked up Starbucks locations around Centrair and Nagoya Station,
and before I knew it, I was creating a schedule and route in my usual “tabiori” app.
(“Tabiori” is also introduced in this article)

I was completely switched on.

There is one major point about this trip.
that I need to mention.

That is the
existence of a credit card.

I had just gotten a card with a high annual fee.
Honestly, this was how I felt.

“I’m going to get my money’s worth out of this annual fee.”

The more I used the card’s benefits,
the more I felt like I was getting a “good deal.”
That feeling kept getting stronger and stronger.

Normally,
if I focused solely on Starbucks hopping,
I should be able to visit many more stores.

But this time was different.

My priority was “fully utilizing the credit card benefits.”

Even my Starbucks training
became just a part of that goal.

And before I knew it, my schedule looked like this.

・Arrive at Chubu Centrair International Airport → Use lounge
・Starbucks in the airport → 2 stores
・Travel to Nagoya Station
・Around Nagoya Station → 6 stores
・Return to the airport
・Starbucks in the airport → 1 store
・Priority Pass → 3 restaurants

Looking at it now, it’s quite packed.

But back then,
I was just purely excited.

・Round-trip airfare
　Regular price 32,000 yen → Sale price 8,000 yen
　Saved 24,000 yen!

・Restaurant benefits
　3,400 yen × 3 times
　Saved 10,200 yen!

・Lounge access
　All-you-can-drink beer

“I’ve got it made.”

I genuinely thought so.

Of course,
collecting Starbucks new store stamps
and Eki-Tag collection
was the biggest joy of all.

But more than that

Great deal × Fun = Reason to go

It was already

not "I want to go" but "I must go"

I even felt a sense of mission like that.

And then, the day arrived.
I set off for Niigata Airport.

I suddenly thought,
"Oh, I drove here, so I can't drink too much."

The lounge at Chubu Centrair International Airport has all-you-can-drink.
But
"a limited drink"
was also a pleasure in itself.

Looking at the airplanes from the Niigata Airport lounge where I arrived, I thought,
"I'm about to go on a journey through the sky."

After security, I headed to the boarding gate and realized there was no jet bridge.
Oh! I can walk on the tarmac!
While jet bridges are fine for me, too,
this "feeling of being able to walk on the tarmac" is special.
Generally, I think people have an image that LCCs are a bit inconvenient, but
for me, this experience is part of the fun.
I'm sure there are others who feel the same, right?

And finally, boarding.
As the plane taxied down the runway and I listened to the engine noise,
the moment the aircraft lifted off,

what played in my head was
"Now, I'm in the cobalt wind♪"
That gives away my age, lol.
I got a sticker on the plane and my mood was at its peak.

We arrived a little earlier than scheduled.
I traveled through the Chubu Centrair tarmac by bus.
"Oh, the fire trucks are stored there!"
I entered the airport while looking at scenery I had never seen before.

With no luggage, I headed straight to the lounge.
I grabbed a beer and sat down.

"Delicious!"

I savor my cup slowly while checking the plan for the day ahead.
Though, I say that, but my stay was less than 10 minutes (lol).
And so, the Starbucks tour begins.

At this point,
the Starbucks tour began.

At this time,

I thought everything would go smoothly.
Not knowing that this trip would later
take an unexpected turn.

I'll share the chaotic story that follows in Episode 2.

I have also published a career series
about finding a way of working that suits me
while hitting many walls during my job search.

"I'm not getting results"
"I've lost sight of my own value"
This is a true story of my experience during that time.
▶ Career Series Prologue

I'm also doing something crazy like
"visiting 25 Starbucks stores in one day" (lol).
I would be happy if you could read this article
along with that one.
[Solo Starbucks Tour | The 'Guidebook' I Made for a 25-Store Day Trip (Training Log Episode 1)]