Category: Asia

best foods to try in japan
Food & Drink, Japan

15 Best Japanese Foods & Drinks to Try in Japan (& Where to Find Them)

Exploring Japanese cuisine is one of the true highlights of any trip to Japan. Visitors to Japan expect to eat the best sashimi and ramen of their lives, but one of the best things about visiting Japan is discovering dozens of other Japanese dishes & drinks that you’ll rarely find in your home country. Unforgettable sushi is just the tip of the iceberg! Some of … Continue reading 15 Best Japanese Foods & Drinks to Try in Japan (& Where to Find Them)

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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! The best areas to stay in Osaka for first time visitors are Namba (Minami), Honmachi or Kita (Umeda). Osaka has several large districts, but there are multiple names used for some areas. … Continue reading Where to stay in Osaka: Namba, Kita (Umeda) or Honmachi? Osaka Area & Hotel Guide

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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 3-day 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 … Continue reading Itinerary: 3 Days in Kyoto for First Time Visitors

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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
hiroshima waterfront
Hiroshima

10 Best Things to Do in Hiroshima (2025)

During my first trip to Hiroshima, I was surprised by how many interesting things there are to do in Hiroshima, many of which I hadn’t heard about before visiting. While visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Museum is an essential part of any first trip to Hiroshima, there is so much to see & do in this beautiful Japanese city. I’ve rounded up the … Continue reading 10 Best Things to Do in Hiroshima (2025)

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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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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 Hero
Tokyo

Explore Yanaka: Tokyo’s Old Town Neighbourhood

Yanaka is one of the best neighbourhoods in Tokyo to visit, to experience traditional Old Town Tokyo. This historic and traditional neighbourhood in Northern Tokyo has largely escaped the fires, earthquakes and WWII air raids that have flattened so much of the rest of the city and has one of the best traditional shopping streets in Tokyo. Yanaka is totally different to central Tokyo neighbourhoods … Continue reading Explore Yanaka: Tokyo’s Old Town Neighbourhood

Genevieve Lauren5 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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