- Blog
- Travel tips
- Tourism information
- Mar 3, 2021
- 4 min
Low Carb Sticky "Porkchop" Fried Rice, Vegan and Vegetarian Options
(All photos in this post will be have taken by me, 2021.) We're just coming out of the Lunar New Year season but as a Vegetarian, my...
- Mar 1, 2021
- 3 min
Feeling Catty? Japan's Monster Cat Festival, Kargurazaka
You may be a cat lover, you might be a cat hater, but either way, the Kagurazaka Bakeneko Parade is guaranteed to have you transfixed....
- Feb 26, 2021
- 3 min
OYO Yamamoto Ryokan, Fukuoka
When you visit Japan, you'll sometimes run into places that are frustratingly modernist; devoid of flavour and personality. But then...
- Feb 24, 2021
- 6 min
Ninja Month: Saga Ninja Village Hizen Yumekaido
Have you ever dreamed of being a ninja? Have you wanted to see a region of Japan that is not so often visited? Well, there is a Ninja...
- Feb 22, 2021
- 3 min
Yabusame: Samurai Culture Comes Alive
Every year in Japan, in various cities, there is an event held called "Yabusame". And to look at, it is usually spectacular! Lavish...
- Feb 19, 2021
- 5 min
Dream Location: Beauty parlor SAWADA
For a long time I dreamed of having my hair done in traditional Japanese style by a trained professional. In fact, during my last trip to...
- Feb 17, 2021
- 5 min
Minshuku: The Lesser Known "Ryokan"
While I was scrolling through Facebook one day, I stumbled upon a post by a thread artist I follow, where he described a kind of...
- Feb 15, 2021
- 3 min
Hakata Kenban: Fukuoka Geisha
In my efforts to learn more about the regional Geisha of Japan, I found that Fukuoka have their own variety of Geisha! And so, I decided...
- Feb 8, 2021
- 5 min
Kanazawa: Geisha History Town
(Image borrowed from tripadvisor.jp, 2021.) The things I had learned of Akita Maiko and Sakata Maiko made me curious about what other...
- Feb 5, 2021
- 4 min
Tohoku Region: To See Geisha More Easily, Go Somewhere Unusual
Fairly recently, I became aware that Tokyo and Kyoto were not the only regions of Japan with Geisha. I then learned of the beautiful...
- Jan 27, 2021
- 2 min
Kamishichiken
By the time I finally got to visit Japan, it was something I had been dreaming of for about 10 years. In those 10 years one of the areas...
- Jan 12, 2021
- 4 min
Kimono: Styled & Restyled Exhibition in Kyoto! 2019
In early 2019, I got to attend The Kimono: Styled & Restyled Exhibition in Kyoto! I remember that when I first saw the marketing for the...
- Jan 5, 2021
- 3 min
Guest House Makuya
Of the places I stayed in Japan, one of the most Authentic and enjoyable was the Guest House Makuya. But since room prices start at $41...
- Dec 28, 2020
- 2 min
A Park In Japan (公園)
Something I noticed when I last visited Japan was how pristine the parks were. Even in small, local parks, local councils build public...
- Dec 16, 2020
- 3 min
Bathe Like a Samurai: Fuboukaku, Miyagi Prefecture
In many places, lockdowns are still a problem. So I still don't recommend going out anymore than you must. But when Covid-19 ceases to be...
- Sep 18, 2020
- 3 min
The Yadoya Hiraiwa : You Don't Have To Put On The Red Light
Update 28/9/2020: Today I was contacted by the new managers of the hotel, who informed me that it will be maintained as accommodation,...
- Jul 27, 2020
- 3 min
Don't Discount It: Aeon Mall
When I've travelled to Japan, sooner or later I've usually ended up visiting an Aeon Mall. If you're only in Japan for a very short time,...
- Jul 20, 2020
- 7 min
Paper Thin: Walls Can Be Romantic
(Having re-read this in July, 2020, I marvel at how quickly I got so attached to a young man I hardly knew. Nowadays I wouldn't so easily...
- Jul 14, 2020
- 3 min
The Yatsuhashi-An: More Than Yummy Triangles
(Image taken from Google Maps. 14/7/20) One of my greatest regrets about my last visit to Japan was that I visited the Yatsuhashi-An but...
- Feb 14, 2020
- 4 min
Riding the Nankai Rapit Express
(Photos I took of the Nankai Rapit, inside and out.) When I was preparing for my most recent trip to Japan, one of the things I wanted to...