The tourist trail is sometimes more enlightening than the philosopher’s path.
Continue ReadingJapan
Circling The Whirlpool’s Edge
Everyone, deep in their hearts, is waiting for the end of the world to come.
Continue Reading
Three Days in Matsumoto
Three days in Matsumoto is a great respite, even if you think you don’t need one.
Continue Reading
Three Outstanding Days in Osaka
Osaka might only be Japan’s third-largest city, but in many ways, it’s the most enjoyable.
Continue Reading
The Best Day—and Weekend—Trips from Tokyo
Whether you enjoy views of Mt. Fuji in Yamanashi, bask in the warm sea breezes in Shizuoka or the straddle the boundary between past and future in Kanagawa, these excursions from Tokyo are trips through time, space and the very bounds of reality.
Continue Reading
Carp and Dragon in the Viper Forest
Travel always seems to lock stretches of my life in parentheses, but I’m never sure whether I’m inside or outside them.
Continue Reading
Japanese Gothic
The Japanese have perfectly reconciled their past with their present—I need to learn how to do this.
Continue Reading
Japan’s Best-Kept Secret
Hakodate is not among the first tier of cities people tend to visit on their trips to Japan. Here’s why you should make it there anyway.
Continue Reading
Three Killer Days in Kyoto
Three days in Kyoto is not enough time to absorb all the history and heritage the city has to offer, but it is enough to start a love affair that will keep you coming back year after year.
Continue Reading
Northern Underexposure
Cameras break, people lose their tempers and we can’t all be soulmates.
Continue Reading
The Big Problem With Internet and Phones in Japan
The bad news? Foreigners cannot buy SIM cards in Japan. The good news? There’s a workaround.
Continue Reading
You’ll Never Believe the Prices in Japan
With intelligent planning—and a little bit of restraint—you can travel in Japan without going broke.
Continue Reading
How to Time Travel from Tokyo
Nikko is just a short trip away from Tokyo, geographically, but it feels like going back in time several centuries.
Continue Reading
Me, the Mountains and a Dozen Nude Japanese Men
My past three weeks in Japan have been extraordinary, no doubt, but they’ve also been extraordinarily exhausting. So naturally, I had to cap them off in a place known for extraordinary relaxation!
Continue Reading
Monkeying Around in the Japanese Alps
Seeing Japan’s snow monkeys reminded me of the time another traveler (the one who first informed me of their existence, no less) made a monkey out of me.
Continue Reading
Are Japan’s “Animal Islands” All They’re Cracked Up to Be?
I found both of Japan’s animal islands more disappointing than the majority of other bloggers.
Continue Reading
