Get Rid Of Your International Coin Collection Once And For All
Apr 26, 2018 By Jason Gatewood
Like any other expat living here in Japan, I’ve taken to using the proximity to the rest of Asia along with cheap airfare combined to go on some sweet vacations to places like Korea and Hong Kong. I even worked for a company based in Taiwan meaning there was a...[ Click to read more ]
Tokyo Midtown Hibiya: Upscale shopping at the Emperor’s front door
By Jason Gatewood
Tokyo’s Hibiya district is known mostly for its namesake park right next to the Imperial Palace grounds, and being home to many Japanese government offices as well as corporations. If you want to shop, then you’d just need to wander a bit east into the Ginza and Yurakucho areas... But...[ Click to read more ]
Tokyo Java: Why Are Indie Coffee Shops Opening All Over The Metropolis?
By Jason Gatewood
We’ll forgive you for thinking Japan was all about the green tea if you’ve never been here before. Of course we pride ourselves on having over a hundred varieties of o-cha you can drink, and the image of a kimono-clad stern performer of tea ceremony is forever burned into our...[ Click to read more ]
Hakone and The Old Tokaido Road
By Jason Gatewood
Hakone is usually more synonymous with skiing or being a jumping off point for tours to Mt. Fuji but it’s actually a great place to check out almost anytime of the year since it’s easily accessible by way of the Odakyu Line or many direct express buses. Of the many...[ Click to read more ]
Popular Patisseries and Bakeries in Kobe
Apr 25, 2018 By Justin Hanus
When you are in a new place, you always find yourself trying out the restaurants first. Unless you’re on a diet, you’d find it a must to sample the local delicacies and the popular eateries that you’ve researched on. The ones with the best reviews are the most favorable but...[ Click to read more ]
Day Tours for Kids in the Kansai Region
By Justin Hanus
Traveling with kids can be very tricky business because not all places adults would love to visit can be kid-friendly or even interesting to little ones. A part of your itinerary should include amusement parks, theme parks, museums for kids, zoos and the list goes on. Luckily, adults also can...[ Click to read more ]
Sanja Matsuri, Tokyo’s Wildest Festival
Apr 20, 2018 By Bert Wishart
Tokyo has many festivals, and particularly as we head towards the summer months they will be coming thick and fast. But none are quite so wild as Sanja Matsuri in Asakusa. The History of Sanja Matsuri On the morning of March 18, 628 CE, so the story goes, two fisherman brothers, Hinokuma...[ Click to read more ]
Tokyo Summer Sumo Basho 2018
Apr 17, 2018 By Justin Hanus
Out of the six annual grand tournaments of sumo wrestling, Tokyo hosts three. Of those the Tokyo Summer Sumo Basho in May in particular is an experience like none other! For fifteen days all levels of athletes show up and hope to advance along in the tournament, while their fans...[ Click to read more ]
Thai Festival in Tokyo
Apr 10, 2018 By
The annual Thai Festival in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park is a great place to find excellent Thai food, as well as enjoy a diverse stage schedule including martial arts demonstrations, musicians, dancers, and artists. The festival's main selling point is Thai food and drink, in copious quantities, prepared by virtually every...[ Click to read more ]
Learn About Tokyo’s Yesteryear At Taito Shitamachi Museum
Mar 27, 2018 By Jason Gatewood
Sooner or later as you become acclimated to this place, you’ll start learning about the different eras of Japan. For example as of March 2018, we are living in the Heisei Era, as defined by the sitting emperor. It’s how the year is officially calculated, and loosely defines a generation’s...[ Click to read more ]
