Entries by Tom Bricker

Shanghai, China Trip Planning Guide

This Shanghai city guide provides trip planning tips including the best things to do, where & in which hotels to stay, transportation info, and more about China’s largest and most modern metropolis. As the photo above illustrates, Shanghai is a breathtakingly cool and futuristic place, and we’ll try to help you plan for a visit! […]

Why We Love Kyoto, Japan

When I finished the first edition of our Ultimate Guide to Kyoto, Japan and showed it to Sarah, her first reaction was whoa, that’s long. Her second was that it was highly personal in nature, with the first section being a love letter to our favorite city in the world. As usual, she was absolutely right. Nevertheless, it was […]

Shake Shack v. In-N-Out: The Time Traveler’s Guide

When flying from Japan to California recently, we did what some experts said was impossible: dined at Shake Shack and then traveled back in time to eat at In-N-Out on the same night. Others have compared these two fine burger establishments, but none have been scientifically reliable, carefully controlling important variables. No one else has eaten at […]

Shinjuku Samurai Museum: Tokyo Highlight or Gimmick?

The Samurai Museum is located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, with exhibits featuring swords & armor, and a sword battle experience. In this review, we’ll cover whether it’s worth the money and time. Most importantly, we’ll offer feedback as to whether this attraction in Tokyo’s notorious Kabukicho district is actually a bona-fide museum, or just a tourist trap. […]

Grutto Pass: Save Big Money on Tokyo Museums

During our summer trip to Japan, we encountered record heat and humidity that made going outside nearly unbearable. Wanting to escape this oppressively hot weather, we purchased the Tokyo Museum Grutto Pass and focused our energy on museums. In this post, we’ll share thoughts on the Grutto Pass, whether it’s worth the money, and to whom […]

1-Day Kobe, Japan Itinerary

This Kobe itinerary offers a step-by-step touring plan for visiting the best museums, seeing the harbor & port highlights, and eating at the best beef you can find in Japan. In so doing, we detail the must-see points of interest, all of which are easily accessibly via walking and public transit in Kobe, Japan. Our […]

Going Mirrorless Again: My Sony a7 III Experience

I’ve purchased the Sony a7 III to make another foray into mirrorless photography. In case you didn’t follow my previous misadventures in mirrorless, I wrote about them in “Why I’m Going Mirrorless: Volume I,” which discusses my initial excitement and enjoyment of the Sony a7R II. The follow-up to that is “Why I’m (NOT) Going Mirrorless: Volume […]