Discoveries from around the archipelago
A few weeks ago, I posted my own wishlist of places I hope to hit this year on my travels. But the longer I am here, the more "obscure" my list admittedly becomes. Of course, I want to return to Hakone or soak up the atmosphere of Kyoto in autumn. But I'm also just as thrilled... Continue Reading →
The new year is here and so am I ... though still not sure of what the latter half of 2015 holds. As I write this, my husband and I are waiting for word of our next move. Yes, after seven years in Japan, we may have to soon leave the archipelago we've called home... Continue Reading →
Last year, I went to Kyoto at the end of November. So did millions of other people from around the country. Were we all equally crazy? Yes, perhaps we were. Crazy for autumn leaves, that is. Kyoto is known as one of Japan's top leaf "peeping" destinations and rightly so. The display of scarlet and... Continue Reading →
I was up in Tokyo this past weekend and, while waiting on the metro platform, decided that a quick tutorial of using the Tokyo metro system wouldn't be out of place for my readers. I know that some of you, when you contact me for travel advice or itineraries, are concerned with how easy or... Continue Reading →
April 1st brought about big changes in Japan for residents with the raising of the consumption tax from 5% to 8%. It's already had an impact on our personal budget, making everything from restaurant meals to gas to highway tolls just a little bit more expensive than normal. As travelers in the next few months, you might... Continue Reading →
Ah, if only I could count the number of times I've given someone in Japan a heart attack. I exaggerate, of course, but there really is nothing like that moment of great embarrassment where you realize - at the exact moment of a great intake of breath or gasp from said Japanese person - that... Continue Reading →
I'm a bit embarrassed to say, but I've only ever spent two of the past five New Year's holidays in Japan. Normally, with my husband able to actually take time off work around those dates, it's the perfect excuse to either head home to the States (as we are doing this year, for the first... Continue Reading →
When I first visited Japan, my trusty guidebook informed me that Japan was about the size of California. Having never lived in California at that point and not venturing much beyond the Tokyo region on that first trip, I never truly comprehended the scope of this country (or our own). Today, I can say I've... Continue Reading →
Many English-speaking travelers to Japan face a bit of a linguistic headache when it comes to the Japanese writing system. See, Japan doesn't have just one alphabet ... or two or even three, for that matter. No, Japan is blessed with four distinct alphabets - romaji (Roman letters, and the easiest for English speakers to grasp), hiragana... Continue Reading →
The dates are chosen, the plane tickets are bought, and now comes the next big question mark on your Japan itinerary ... where should I stay? japan has a range of accommodation options, and it's absolutely crucial you know your own travel style before you book a particular place. Here are just some of the... Continue Reading →
