Japan Travel Tips & Hidden Gems
I was making my way back from a grueling adventure along the Kumano Kodo. In this rural part of the country, buses are few and far between, and the one that I was waiting for was my last hope of…
The train violently lurched forward, only to immediately come to a sudden stop. At the front of the car, the seven JR East staff trying to get home on this doomed departure bound for Akita Prefecture all sucked air through…
If you haven’t seen the headlines already, the government just announced that 2025 saw an estimated record of 42.7 million tourists. This new all-time high brought in a whopping 9.5 trillion yen in revenue, which is a significant boon to…
Maybe this is an American thing, but I am always shocked to see just how poorly Japan’s geography is understood. When asked to place Kyoto or even Tokyo on a map, the majority of people struggle. Now, I know readers…
“Why are there so many f@$#ing dudes here today…?” I thought to myself one Sunday night as I surveyed the sea of shlongs that had invaded Matsuri-no-Yu, a hot spring on top of Seibu-Chichibu Station. For years now, this onsen…
Rather than take a look at one of the countless hidden gems in Japan as we usually do, this week, I want to zoom out and discuss why one ought to, or even needs to, get off the beaten path…
This is going to be a relatively shorter article than I normally write. You see, I currently have family visiting from overseas (which is actually the inspiration for this rant) and will be attending to them for the next few…
As I sit down to write this, it’s early in the morning and I am yet again zipping across Japan on a bullet train. My destination this time is Okayama Station, where I’ll catch another limited express train that will…
The mention of Japan’s twelve surviving original castles has come up a number of times now over the years. Given the repeated frequency, it’s high time that there finally be a standalone feature on this lasting dozen of medieval fortresses,…
When I originally started creating content back in 2016, one of the most common questions that I got was about online connectivity in Japan. At the time, even in Tokyo, I didn’t really have a good answer. Sure, there were…
When I sat down to write this week’s article, I suddenly realized that ALL of the spots I’ve visited recently have been for creator gigs and the accompanying posts are still tied up in lengthy approval processes. At a loss…
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know by now that the vaunted Japan Rail Pass, which provides unlimited rides on all JR trains, saw a significant price increase in 2023. What’s more, many of the regional offerings…
Japan is an absolutely incredible destination, from its stunning natural landscapes to the buzzing energy of its cities. You don’t need to be a history buff to fall in love with the place, but trust me — getting a grip on Japan’s…
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably already heard about the massive tourism boom Japan is experiencing. Driven by a weak yen and a deluge of social media-induced FOMO, it seems like everyone, their mother, and even their…
“Where is your luggage, Donny?” the guide from JTB asked as I exited the airport with nothing in tow. I sighed, knowing that this one was going to need some serious explaining. You see, I had just landed at Kansai…