Category: Asia

crowds in kyoto
Kyoto

How to Avoid the Crowds in Kyoto: 5 tips for beating the crowds & maximising your visit

Kyoto has made headlines in recent years for becoming unbearably overcrowded, with more than 75 million visitors now visiting the Kyoto prefecture every year. Kyoto is a spectacular city, but without some careful planning, the crowds could define your visit. After my own recent trip to Kyoto, I’ve written this guide on how to avoid the crowds in Kyoto, and how to plan your Kyoto … Continue reading How to Avoid the Crowds in Kyoto: 5 tips for beating the crowds & maximising your visit

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Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion Kyoto
Kyoto

Itinerary: 3 Days in Kyoto for First Time Visitors

Kyoto is one of Japan’s most awe-inspiring cities, and one of the most unique travel destinations in the world. This guide is an itinerary for 3 days in Kyoto for first time visitors, based on our most recent trip. This Kyoto itinerary includes UNESCO World Heritage List sites like Kinkakuji-Temple (Golden Pavilion), Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Pavilion) and Tenryu-Ji, the red gates of the Fushimi Inari … Continue reading Itinerary: 3 Days in Kyoto for First Time Visitors

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Itinerary 1 Week in Tokyo Sticky post
Destination Guides, Japan, Tokyo, Travel Itineraries

Itinerary: One Week in Tokyo (2025)

Tokyo is one of the biggest cities in the world, so I wanted to spend more than a few days on my first visit to the capital of Japan. This itinerary for one week in Tokyo is based on our own trip, sharing the best things to see, do & eat in Tokyo for first time visitors. Our itinerary for one week in Tokyo includes … Continue reading Itinerary: One Week in Tokyo (2025)

Genevieve Lauren7 Comments
Tokyo streets Sticky post
Destination Guides, Japan, Tokyo, Travel Itineraries

Itinerary: 3 Days in Tokyo (2025)

Tokyo is one of the most captivating cities in the world, and one of my favourites. I spent a week in Tokyo on my first visit, but I know a lot of travellers to Japan normally have 3 or so days to spend in the city. With that in mind I’ve written this 3 Day Tokyo Itinerary based on the highlights of my trip, a few famous … Continue reading Itinerary: 3 Days in Tokyo (2025)

Genevieve Lauren6 Comments
Yanaka Ginza Tokyo
Japan, Tokyo, Travel Itineraries

Itinerary: One Day in Northern Tokyo

Tokyo is the biggest city in the world, so it makes sense to break the city into smaller regions to get the most out of your time. Northern Tokyo is a beautiful and historic part of the city, which includes Tokyo’s old town, Yanaka, and is a totally different and more tranquil experience than visiting Shibuya and Shinjuku. I think visiting Northern Tokyo is a … Continue reading Itinerary: One Day in Northern Tokyo

Genevieve Lauren2 Comments
itsukushima shrine miyajima
Hiroshima, Japan, Kyoto, Miyajima, Osaka

10 Days in Japan Itinerary: Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima & Miyajima

For our second trip to Japan, 10 days in Japan was the perfect amount of time to discover so much more of the country. We spent 10 days in Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Miyajima, which were jam-packed with iconic Japanese sights, cities and experiences.  This itinerary for 10 days in Japan includes some of the most beautiful temples in Kyoto, four Japanese castles & palaces … Continue reading 10 Days in Japan Itinerary: Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima & Miyajima

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Dotonbori Osaka hero
Osaka

Where to stay in Osaka: Namba, Kita (Umeda) or Honmachi? Osaka Area & Hotel Guide

Osaka is one of the most exciting cities in Japan, and also one of the largest – which can make deciding where to stay in Osaka for first time visitors, a bit daunting! Osaka has several large districts, but there are multiple names used for some areas. The best areas to stay in Osaka for first time visitors are Namba (Minami), Honmachi or Kita (Umeda). … Continue reading Where to stay in Osaka: Namba, Kita (Umeda) or Honmachi? Osaka Area & Hotel Guide

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golden gai piss alley tokyo
Food & Drink, Tokyo

Golden Gai & Piss Alley: Dinner & Drinks in Shinjuku, Tokyo

Golden Gai & Piss Alley are two drinking & dining precincts in Shinjuku, that are unlike anywhere else in Tokyo. The two precincts date back to post-war Japan, and were filled with illegal drinking dens and brothels between the 1940s-1960s. Tucked away in the backstreets, not far from the bright lights and skyscrapers of central Shinjuku, Golden Gai & Piss Alley feel a world away from … Continue reading Golden Gai & Piss Alley: Dinner & Drinks in Shinjuku, Tokyo

Genevieve Lauren2 Comments
Dotonbori Osaka
Destination Guides, Osaka, Travel Itineraries

2 Days in Osaka: Itinerary + Himeji Castle Day Trip

Osaka is one of the most exciting cities in Japan, with a reputation for being unpretentious, a little bit rowdy and completely food-obsessed. Below is my itinerary for 2 days in Osaka, based on our own trip to Osaka at the start of our 10-day trip to Japan. This itinerary includes a half-day trip to the magnificent Himeji Castle, which is an easy day trip … Continue reading 2 Days in Osaka: Itinerary + Himeji Castle Day Trip

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Kuromon Market Osaka
Destination Guides, Osaka

The Kuromon Market, Osaka : 8 Best Things to Eat & When To Visit (2025)

Visiting the Kuromon Market (Kuromon Ichiba) is one of the best things to do in Osaka, and one of the oldest markets in Japan. Osaka is renowned for being one of the most food-obsessed cities in Japan, so the Kuromon Market is one of the best places to embrace the city’s dynamic and mouthwatering food scene. The Kuromon Market was truly one of the highlights … Continue reading The Kuromon Market, Osaka : 8 Best Things to Eat & When To Visit (2025)

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