Taking Black People to Tokyo and Beyond
Carvd N Stone officially became an international positive news company during the 2026 We Be Abroad trip to Tokyo, Japan, this Black History Month. We Be Abroad is a Black-owned travel agency based in Milwaukee that takes Black people, mainly from Milwaukee, across the world; we covered this year’s trip.
From February 24 to February 28, 2026, we were in Tokyo with We Be Abroad, getting the inside scoop on what it’s like to be a part of one of its global trips.
We Be Abroad planned the entire trip, from our rides to and from the airports to our daily activities around Tokyo, including visiting the Tsukiji Fish Market, partaking in a Samurai experience, and seeing the fireworks at Disney.
Tokyo marks two We Abroad Trips for Angela Gray, and she loves the planning aspect behind We Be Abroad.
“I choose We Be Abroad because they pick the spots that you think are untouchable, the spots that you think you can’t go to, and they make it possible,” said Gray.
Since 2022, We Be Abroad has brought over 100 Black people to “unattainable places” such as Paris, Egypt, Curaçao, and Thailand. Tokyo marks the fifth annual We Be Abroad trip.
“I absolutely love We Be Abroad and taking people out of the country, from Milwaukee, specifically, all over the world,” said Founder Kayla Lewis-Allen on why she started We Be Abroad. “I love bringing Black people together to enrich ourselves in culture and community.”
Dr. Silvia Noemi Bautista Morrobel, DDS/DMD, of Aspen Dental in Brookfield, Wisconsin, has been on three We Be Abroad trips. She keeps coming back because of the people she meets on each trip.
“What I love most about these trips is the networking. I have acquired so many patients just through these trips. It’s been amazing,” said Dr. Bautista Morrobel.
All travelers interviewed for the Tokyo trip encouraged others to come and experience a We Be Abroad trip.
“I come with We Be Abroad all the time…I always get good gifts, I love the people that I meet, [and] the network is amazing, so yeah, I’m coming every time,” said We Be Abroad traveler Keondra Láttice.
Now here’s a full breakdown of the 2026 We Abroad Trip in Tokyo.
Day 1
Most of the We Be Abroad group traveled to Tokyo, while a few individuals arrived a day earlier. It was a 14-hour flight from the States to Tokyo. Yet, even with the long-distance travel, everyone was excited to meet one another.
The first day wasn’t filled with many activities, except flying into Haneda Airport in Tokyo, being picked up by a personal driver, and being taken to our host hotel at the Moxy Tokyo Kinshicho.
Every We Be Abroad first-day night features an FCTV Game night, and this trip was no different. On the first evening, travelers gathered in the hotel lobby in their pajamas to meet one another. The quick, interactive game helped everyone learn and remember each other’s names.
The night was soon capped off, so everyone could be prepared for their first full day in Tokyo with We Be Abroad.
Day 2
It truly was a first full day in Tokyo. Our private driver took us to multiple places around Tokyo, starting with the Tsukiji Outer Market.
The historic Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo was once the world’s largest wholesale fish market, handling tons of seafood per day. The inner market (wholesale/auctions) moved to Toyosu in October 2018, while the Outer Market (retail shops, restaurants) remains at the original location; we visited the Tsukiji Outer Market.
After leaving the market, our driver took us to Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, which is the oldest and most significant Buddhist temple, founded in 628 AD. The temple draws over 30 million visitors annually. At the temple, many of the We Be Abroad travelers bought souvenirs like clothing, hair accessories, and more.
We had plans on exploring the Tokyo Skytree, the world’s tallest freestanding tower, soaring 634 meters above the city, but the elevators were down for maintenance.
We ended the day’s activities at Ginza, Tokyo’s premier luxury shopping and entertainment district, known for its high-end boutiques, department stores, and some of the world’s most expensive real estate.
Day one was the perfect day to get some shopping in.
We were then taken back to our hotel until it was time to attend dinner at Didi Grande Steakhouse, owned by Chef Richie, who has spent over 24 years in Japan. His first job in the country was as a dishwasher, and now he’s worked his way up to owning a 24-seater steak restaurant.
The day ended with a communal-style dinner and group singing in the restaurant.
Day 3
Our stay at Moxy Tokyo Kinshicho included breakfast, but most mornings, travelers went exploring for local food.
Our first activity of the day was at the Samurai Theater Tokyo, where we learned about the ancient art of Samurai sword fighting. We wore samurai costumes and learned basic sword techniques, such as drawing, holding, swinging, and delivering a sword. Don’t worry, the katanas (swords) were not real.
After spending about an hour being immersed in Samurai culture, we headed back to the hotel. During this time, travelers went off on their own to explore Tokyo. Some got on the train, while others went to nearby malls. We all met back up at the hotel midday to head to our next adventure.
We then took to the streets of Tokyo in go-karts with Monkey Adventure Kart, which has been around for over five years, offering themed street go-karting tours. The tours usually last one to two hours and feature guided routes through Shibuya, Asakusa, and Akihabara.
Monkey Adventure Kart provided costumes to choose from to ride in, including Pokémon characters.
To qualify for the go-karts, back in the States, we had to get our International Driving Permit (IDP) at a local AAA office. You just need your regular driver’s license and about $28 to obtain your IDP, which must be shown to drive a go-kart in Japan.
We literally drove the streets of Tokyo at night, exploring the city from an entirely different view.
After the Mario Karts, we headed to the Black-owned restaurant, Soul Food House, where most of us ordered fried catfish, baked macaroni and cheese, and greens. We then spent the night exploring Tokyo’s nightlife.
Day 4
Day 4 was our last full day in Tokyo. With a late start to the day, we each choose different paths from shopping for clothing to trying new foods, all with the goal of becoming fully immersed in Japanese culture.
We eventually met back up at the hotel and were then escorted to Tokyo Disneyland. We spent the entire day there experiencing day and night parades, a buffet, and rides. The Disney night ended with a few minutes of fireworks over the Cinderella Castle.
The rest of the night was spent again exploring Tokyo’s nightlife.
Day 5
And just like that, we reached the final day of the We Be Abroad Tokyo trip. Everyone got their last-minute shopping in while making sure they were all packed up for the trip back home.
Most travelers were natives of Milwaukee, with some currently living in other cities, such as Phoenix and Atlanta.
Travelers were taken to the airport by private drivers depending on their flight time. Everyone got their goodbyes in and talked about attending next year’s trip.
Along with a week’s worth of activities, we each received a We Be Abroad red tote bag filled with Milwaukee Black-owned businesses. We received a We Be Abroad snapback, Ghetto Mantras socks, a Milwaukee-themed shirt by 4waukee, a Classic Shoppe water bottle, plus a few other items.
2027 We Be Abroad
The We Be Abroad trips usually sell out just a few weeks after announcement. Lewis-Allen is expecting the same for the 2027 trip.
The 2027 location has not been revealed yet, but is expected to be announced in April 2026.
Nyesha Stone founded Carvd N Stone in 2017 to cover positive news while attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Stone has a B.A. in Journalism. She has raised over $30,000 to award grants and scholarships. She has also been featured in ESSENCE and worked with the American Black Film Festival.
