stories & tips from my travels around the world…
The food in Japan is so much more than sushi and sashimi. If seaweed and raw fish have you doubting Japanese cuisine, think again! Your tastebuds are in for a whirlwind of smells, sights, tastes and textures! There are plenty of things to eat in Japan, so let’s take a look at some of Japan’s food that you should keep an eye out for!
Continue reading “What Food Should You Try in Japan?”
As an Australian, squirrels are still something of a novelty for me, so when I found out about the Machida Squirrel Park in Tokyo, I had to go!
Continue reading “Machida Squirrel Park in Tokyo”
Staying in a Capsule Hotel in Japan is definitely an experience in itself and well worth a try, especially if you’re travelling solo or with a group of friends.
Continue reading “Capsule Hotels for Tourists in Japan”
Many visitors to the Snow Monkeys in Japan often come in on a tour bus and leave the same day, but if you have the time, you’ll get so much out of staying a night or two in the nearby traditional town of Shibu Onsen!
Situated about 35km from Nagano, the small town of Shibu Onsen sits in the Japanese Alps next to the slightly larger town of Yudanaka. It is full of wooden ryokans (traditional inns), onsens (hot baths) and like other onsen towns, many roam the streets in hotel-supplied yukata (light kimono) and geta (wooden sandals).
Continue reading “Shibu Onsen – Hot Baths & Snow Monkeys”
There’s just something magical about seeing a flurry of vivid, silk kimonos breezing through the streets of Gion in Japan’s cultural capital, Kyoto.
The click-clack of wooden geta (sandals) on cobblestones and the tinkling bells from kanzashi (hair decorations) accompany the young women, the geishas of Kyoto, that are carrying on one of Japan’s most celebrated traditions.
In this article I’ll give all the tips on the best places to see geishas, including when, where and how to see them, along with a few etiquette rules regarding the geishas in Kyoto.
Continue reading “Where To See Geishas in Kyoto”
I’ve been lucky enough to fly business class on Qantas a few times using frequent flyer points but on a recent trip to Japan, I decided to try Scoot Airline’s Biz Class, basically because I really hate long-haul air travel!
Continue reading “Budget Business: Flying Scoot’s Biz Class”
Before my first trip to Japan in 2009, I watched the movie Lost in Translation, it was probably responsible for me actually booking the trip. The cinematography was intoxicating but there was one scene that I just really, really wanted to experience in person. When the main character Charlotte goes off exploring Kyoto, she comes across this really quiet shrine and witnesses a traditional Japanese wedding procession. The bride was wearing a giant white hood and a white, silk kimono and looked completely ethereal. I needed to see this in person but I didn’t know how.
Continue reading “How to See Part of a Traditional Japanese Wedding”
Anyone who knows me well knows how much I love Japan. It’s definitely my favourite country to visit overseas and I will happily gush superlatives about the land of temples and tech to anyone who will listen. Continue reading “Why You Need To Go To Japan!”
It took a while to find, which was more a reflection of my inability to read a map than its hidden location, but the rise of stone stairs to a carved wooden door would indicate that I’d finally found the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum.
Continue reading “Mt Fuji’s Hidden Kimono Museum”