There is a moment, usually in a Japanese convenience store, when you pick up a bottle, read the label, and realise that nobody at the naming meeting spoke English. Or if they did, they had a very good sense of humour. You stand there for a second, look around to confirm that this is a […]
13
Mar
Mar
Eating well in Japan does not require guesswork, local contacts, or blowing your budget. Reliable, good quality meals are built into daily life, and they remain affordable even after recent price rises. If you know which chains to use and when to use them, you can eat properly for the price of a coffee in […]
26
Feb
Feb
Thirty years in Japan and I still can’t get a straight answer out of most travel guides. Ask them what to do if you’re not into temples and shrines and they’ll give you a list that starts with a different temple or a castle. Then some shopping. Then, inevitably, a food tour near a shrine. […]
25
Feb
Feb
I remember standing in front of Fushimi Inari on a Tuesday morning, thinking I’d beaten the crowds by arriving early. I hadn’t. There were already hundreds of people there, selfie sticks raised, shuffling through the torii gates in a slow-moving queue. Somewhere behind me, a tour guide was explaining the significance of the shrine to […]
21
Feb
Feb
I’ve been in Japan for nearly three decades and I’ve spent a huge chunk of that time travelling around the country. If I could go back and give my younger self a quick pep talk before that first trip, this is what I’d say. Not to plan less, but to plan smarter, and to avoid […]
20
Feb
Feb
Whenever I am on social media, I see these full on itineraries and stories of people making Japan travel mistakes. People trying to do too much in a short space of time. Or simply making innocent errors as they didn’t know any better. So, I decided to write this post to try to save you […]
19
Feb
Feb
If you are searching for underrated places in Japan, you are probably trying to avoid queues, tour buses, and the same five photos everyone else posts. That usually means going beyond Kyoto and Tokyo. It means choosing towns that are not optimised for visitors. Places where dinner finishes early, the bus runs three times a […]
14
Feb
Feb
Japan has a reputation for being exhausting. That’s mostly because suggested itineraries are terrible. Too many hotels, too many early mornings, too many long travel days that would exhaust anyone under 40, let alone over 60. Planned differently, Japan is not only manageable for older travelers, it’s often easier than many European destinations because the […]
12
Feb
Feb
If you are visiting Japan during cherry blossom season, you will see groups of people sitting under the trees with food, drinks, and a blue tarp. That is hanami, and it is one of the most enjoyable things you can do in Japan in spring. This article covers everything practical. Where to sit, what to […]
11
Feb
Feb
Most people plan their Japan trip around daytime hanami. They pack a picnic, find a spot under the trees, and enjoy the blossoms in the sunshine. But here in Japan, we know a secret. The cherry blossoms at night are something else entirely. Yozakura literally means “night sakura.” When the sun goes down and the […]