On an overcast morning in the chill of winter, seeing Matsumotojo’s jet black walls against a backdrop of the Japanese Alps made my heart race, even for just a moment. It was imposing and intimidating, like Darth Vader in castle form. It looked badass.
The first time I went to Takayama, I used it as a base to visit Shirakawa-go, but it didn’t take me long to realize that Takayama was more than just a convenient place to rest my head. It’s old town is one of the most well-preserved in Japan and serves as an ideal backdrop for one of the country’s most beautiful festivals – Takayama Matsuri.
Planning a trip to Tokyo can be daunting, and a lot of that has to do with its size. It isn’t just one city but a massive metropolis that’s home to 23 wards, 26 cities, 5 towns, and 8 villages. How can you possibly fit all that in four, five, even six days?
There are a few rail passes you can use to explore the Kanto region and nearby areas but one of the most popular is the JR Tokyo Wide Pass. In this deep dive, we’ll talk about what the pass is and where it can take you. Most importantly, we’ll discuss whether the pass is worth the investment based on your personal travel plans.
The Takayama Hokuriku Pass is a rail pass that allows foreign tourists (on temporary visitor status) unlimited travel in the western part of the Chubu region for five consecutive days. It’s designed to promote tourism to the Hokuriku region, a sub-region of Chubu, and its surrounding areas.
If you’re visiting Tokyo for the first time, then you’ll probably want to see the usual tourist attractions like Senso-ji, Meiji Shrine, Tsukiji Market, and teamLab Borderless. But what about on your second and third trips to Tokyo?
With its 23 wards, 26 cities, 5 towns, and 8 villages, the Greater Tokyo Area is home to dozens of interesting neighborhoods. You’ve probably heard of well-traveled areas like Shinjuku and Shibuya, but what about less-trodden neighborhoods like Jiyugaoka and Jimbocho Book Town?
Wabunka is an online platform that opens the door to a different side of Japan. It offers private luxury experiences, focusing mainly on Tokyo and Kyoto, with a few options in Osaka and other cities.
What if I told you about a company that offers only private luxury experiences in Japan? Exclusive experiences like enjoying a private Noh performance or practicing pottery with a Michelin-starred chef? What if you and your partner can do something truly unique, something you can do only in Japan, to make your anniversary trip even more memorable?
A forested sanctuary revered as sacred since ancient times, I’ve read Miyajima described as “the island where God lives”. Away from the tourist crowds, with only the occasional deer to keep me company, it wasn’t hard to see why.