Before I visited the land of the rising sun, my knowledge of what to eat in Japan could be summed up in one word: sushi. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan and I dined out like sushi was in short supply during my month in Japan, but I spent half of that month with my … Read more
After spending a month in the land of the rising sun, I’ve stayed in a fair range of places ranging from hostels to homes to hotels to temples. In this post I share where to stay in Japan on a budget (and in some cases where not to stay). Types of accommodation in Japan Hostels: There … Read more
It’s been too long since I wrote about eating in Japan – this time, my favourite discovery: okonomiyaki. What is okonomiyaki? Some describe it as Japanese pizza, others say it is more like a crêpe or pancake. I’m not sure I can accurately describe it in words…so I will describe it in pictures instead. The … Read more
I’d heard that eating Kobe beef in Japan can be a life changing experience but as much as I love a good portion of rare, red meat, I didn’t have full faith in its power to alter my life…until I tasted it. It was a cold, wet day in Kyoto and knowing that the Golden … Read more
One of my personal highlights when travelling is trying new food and I’ve eaten many curious items over the years – so it seemed only natural for me to want to try fugu in Japan. What is fugu? For those who don’t know, fugu is the Japanese word for pufferfish. Not so remarkable, you might … Read more
Life forever changed for Hiroshima and its residents on 6 August 1945 when the world’s first atomic bomb was dropped on the city. Now, over 70 years later, visiting Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park, which comprises a number of memorials, monuments and museums dedicated to the legacy of the attack, is one of the most important … Read more
Japan is renowned for being one of the world’s most expensive countries. Fortunately, of all the things you’ll pay a lot of yen for in Japan, food doesn’t have to be one of them. Of course, there are endless opportunities to spend big on food in Japan (a recent trip to Kobe and a $135 … Read more
If there is one thing Japan is famous for beyond the cherry blossom, it is Mount Fuji and I was determined to visit this snow-dipped wonder during my stay in Japan. However, things didn’t go to plan. Learning from my mistakes, here is how NOT to visit Mount Fuji in spring. Don’t assume seeing Mount … Read more
I consider myself to be a reasonably savvy traveller, yet the Japan Rail Pass had me stumped for a while. Why? It’s not the simplest rail ticket around. After several days researching what the pass is about, whether it is worth it, how to get it and how to use it (which I’m currently doing … Read more
The first sights, sounds, smells and experiences of a country are often the most enduring. Here are my first impressions of Tokyo. It’s not as crazy as I expected In fact, it’s not crazy at all. Popular media portrayal would have us believe that Japan (and Tokyo in particular) is a place where the teen … Read more