Guideガイド 
Miyajima Island is famous for Itsukushima Shrine and its “floating” torii gate, one of the three most celebrated views in Japan. I took a day trip from Hiroshima to visit the shrine only to find the torii gate completely covered in scaffolding. Little did I know, the famed floating gate had been undergoing a major … Read more
Kyoto is one of the most fascinating destinations in Japan. It’s almost impossible to get bored in this ancient city of geishas, landscaped gardens, and over two thousand Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. I’ve been to Kyoto several times over the years and I always find something new and interesting to do, no matter how … Read more
Osaka is one of my favorite cities in Japan. It doesn’t have as many tourist attractions as Tokyo or Kyoto but I love its energy and amazing food. For some, Osaka doesn’t warrant as long a stay but its central location and many transportation options make it an ideal base to explore the Kansai region … Read more
I’ll be honest, Fukuoka isn’t my favorite city in Japan, but I do enjoy indulging in Hakata ramen on every visit, usually at Ichiran or one of the many yatai stalls scattered throughout the city. Fukuoka may not have as many attractions as some of the more popular destinations in Japan but it is home … Read more
I had just dropped off my bags at my hotel in downtown Kanazawa when I made a beeline for Nagamachi District. I had a fascination for swords and samurais as a kid so seeing an actual samurai district topped my to-do list in Kanazawa. It was grey and rainy that winter morning so my initial … Read more
Tokyo is the biggest city in the world, with a population of just over 37 million. If it’s your first time in Tokyo, you’ll have more than enough to see and do, even if you stay for a week! There’s always something going on in Tokyo, but if you’d like to go beyond the city’s … Read more
Hiroshima surprised me. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. I had visited Nagasaki a few years before my first trip to Hiroshima. Because of their shared histories, I expected a similar feeling of heaviness from Hiroshima, a sense of joylessness often felt in places with dark histories. But that wasn’t … Read more
I was on a press trip to the Chubu region a few years ago when one of our Japanese guides said “there’s nothing in Nagoya”. I understood what she meant, I had heard it before, though I didn’t agree with her. Before my first trip to Nagoya, I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about visiting this metropolis … Read more
Nagasaki is a strange city. It’s strange in the sense that in many ways, it feels very “un-Japanese”. For one, it doesn’t seem to have the quirks that make Japan the endearingly eccentric country that it is. Things like giant mechanized robots and oddball restaurant concepts are nowhere to be found here. There’s no hi-tech … Read more
I didn’t know what to make of Fukuoka at first. It’s a bit sterile in feel and lacking in the cultural attractions you’d expect from old Japan. Compared to more popular cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and even Osaka, it felt more like a stopover, an entry point into Kyushu en route to more interesting destinations … Read more