So you’ve heard about the bamboo grove in Arashiyama, but you also heard about the crowds. Luckily, there are some less-crowded bamboo grove alternatives in Arashiyama. But I recommend not coming just for bamboo (and then leaving). Make a full day trip to Arashiyama to explore beyond the bamboo as there is much more to …
If, like me, you have two things on your bucket list in Kyoto — attend a tea ceremony and rent a kimono to wear — be efficient and do both at the same time. Where can you do both a tea ceremony and kimono rental in Kyoto? What is it like? I booked a kimono …
If you landed on this page, you are likely a Studio Ghibli fan planning to visit Ghibli Park in Nagoya, Japan, in the near future. I don’t want to waste your time and re-hash what you already know about Ghibli Park, since you have likely already scoured the official website for information. Instead, I want …
Visiting the Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama in Kyoto is an amazing experience to get close to cute Japanese snow monkeys (well, close from at least six feet away). The snow monkeys are wild and free roaming, and I was honestly terrified before visiting the monkey park, thinking of all those wild monkeys running amok. So …
I set out to visit Nara just to see the free-roaming, bowing deer. And yes, feeding the deer near Nara Park was the first thing I did. However, once you get enough of the cute deer (they are very pushy for those crackers), what else is there to do in Nara? I wandered around on …
Most people walk through Magome on their way to hiking the Nakasendo Trail, an old samurai route from the Edo period in Japan. This was my plan, as well, until the day arrived near the end of my two-week trip to Japan, and I realized my legs were way too tired and sore to hike …
One of the best souvenirs I brought home from Japan was a manga portrait of myself drawn by a manga artist at the Kyoto International Manga Museum. How cool it was to watch the artist at work, capturing little details and turning me into my very own manga character. If you love manga or anime, …
Himeji Castle is absolutely stunning and filled with historical significance. It’s a must see while visiting Japan, especially if you’re staying nearby in Kyoto or Osaka. I learned so much on my day trip to Himeji Castle — it’s not just a tourist attraction or a photo spot! The history here is incredible, and walking …
Gotokuji Temple in Tokyo is known as the lucky cat temple because it displays hundreds of lucky cat figurines, remnants of wishes come true. I’m such a fan of those cute lucky cat figures, and I really enjoyed visiting Gotokuji Temple while in Tokyo. It makes for a wonderful half-day trip to get away from …
Taking a day trip to Mt Fuji is not so simple, and you may have the same questions I had when I planned my trip to see Mt. Fuji: I took a day trip to Mt Fuji in the autumn, saw Mt Fuji clearly (and also saw it covered in clouds), but came away from …
