KYOTO & KANSAI Silence and Scent: Kyoto’s Lesser-Known Tea Houses for the Soul There is a version of Kyoto that exists on Instagram: the vibrant orange of Fushimi Inari’s gates, the… READ STORY →
TOHOKU The Soul of the North: A Local Food Guide in Tohoku If Tokyo is the polished face of Japan, Tohoku is its beating, rustic heart. Located in the northernmost… READ STORY →
KYOTO & KANSAI Rurouni Kenshin Locations in Kyoto: Walking the Path of the Battosai For fans of anime and manga, Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X) is the definitive story of the Meiji Restoration.… READ STORY →
TOKYO & KANTO Best Modern Luxury Ryokan in Tokyo: The Vertical Sanctuary Tokyo is a city of neon, steel, and velocity. It is the Yamanote Line rushing at 8:00 AM;… READ STORY →
KYOTO & KANSAI Kyoto’s Underground Cultural Scene: The Avant-Garde in the Ancient Capital To the outside world, Kyoto is a museum city. It is a stillness of Zen gardens, the rustle… READ STORY →
PLANNING & ESSENTIALS Tips for Solo Travel in Japan: Embracing Solitude in the Land of the Rising Sun There is a specific kind of romance to traveling alone. It is the freedom to turn left when… READ STORY →
ALL JAPAN How to Use ATMs in Japan: The Cash Survival Guide You have just landed in Tokyo. You have your Suica card on your phone, your hotel reservation is… READ STORY →
JAPANESE CULTURE How to Enjoy Onsen Like a Local: The Art of Naked Communion For the uninitiated traveler, the Japanese onsen (hot spring) is a paradox. It is described as the ultimate… READ STORY →
JAPANESE CULTURE Sailor Moon Spots in Tokyo: Walking the Streets of the Moon Kingdom For a specific generation of travelers, the image of Tokyo is forever filtered through a soft, 1990s pastel… READ STORY →
ALL JAPAN Best Value Izakayas in Japan: The Art of “Cospa” Dining In the lexicon of Japanese dining, there is a word that reigns supreme: Cospa. Short for “Cost Performance,”… READ STORY →
ACCOMMODATION Best Capsule Hotels in Tokyo for Budget Travelers: Sleeping in the Future Tokyo is a city of verticality. When you run out of land, you build up. And when you… READ STORY →
TOKYO & KANTO Sword Art Online Spots in Tokyo: Where the Virtual World Meets Reality “Even if I die, you keep living. Okay?” For over a decade, Sword Art Online (SAO) has defined… READ STORY →
