A quick guide for planning your own trip vs. other options So you’ve decided to visit the land of the rising sun. You’ve written down a list of the places you want to see, the foods you want to try, and even the activities you want to experience. Now comes the hard part of budgeting...Read More
When we think about famous flowers of Japan, we often first picture the sakura, or cherry blossom. The delicate sakura bloom along streets and rivers across the country, and signify the start of Spring. But what about the other seasons? Japanese culture is known for its appreciation of all four seasons. When the humidity and...Read More
Japanese cities are special because of the way they combine modern, high-tech life with traditional culture and historical buildings. It can feel as though life has become fully urbanized. Like much of the world, young people move out of rural towns to explore the opportunities in large cities. But don’t be fooled – rural life...Read More
The beginning of spring marks the start of the new work/school year in Japan. The harbinger of this change of season is the cherry blossom tree. The bloom starts as early as January in southern locations like Okinawa, and as late as May all the way up North in Hokkaido. On the mainland the peak...Read More
If you have ever been to Japan, you’ve probably visited at least one shrine/temple if not more. When debating which Shinto or Buddhist spiritual centers to visit while here, you’ll frequently find recommendations for some of the most famous shrines and temples. For example, The Temple Of The Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Sensouji-Temple and Meiji-jingu...Read More
It was the third week of March when I made a trip to the Kisoji Valley and its famous Nakasendo trail. I can still feel the winter breeze wrapping around my body. The beauty of nature was what I was really looking forward to seeing, regardless of the weather as, in the words of a...Read More
One of the things that attracts thousands of visitors to Japan, is the opportunity to appreciate multiple stunning shrines and temples. These spiritual centers vary from simple to ornate, but many are worth the visit. However, after seeing several shrines it’s easy to get bored. To break up the monotony, I highly recommend buying Goshuincho at...Read More
In this time of social distancing, we all need something to give us a bit of comfort. Nintendo‘s March release of ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’, a new installment in the popular Japanese franchise, provides exactly this. This video game appears deceptively simple. You design a little avatar, and you run around your town, helping adorable...Read More
It’s happened. The COVID19 infection which started in China and seemed so distant, has now touched almost every country in the world. Some are handling it better than others, like Taiwan for instance. They have managed to contain the viral spread extremely well (195 as of the writing of this article) and keep toilet paper...Read More
Just south of Tokyo, floating in the Pacific Ocean, are a group of 7 islands known as the Izu Islands. On a recent trip here, I fell in love with Hachijojima. More popular with domestic tourists than foreign, it is one of the bigger islands in the chain. This was by far one of the...Read More
