“Crystal Christmas” is a holiday event at Universal Studios Japan celebrating the holiday season, running from November 14, 2019 until January 13, 2020. The holiday festivities at USJ’s Osaka park include a nighttime show, one of the most spectacular Christmas trees in the world, and lots of treats. In this post, we’ll share tips for Universal’s […]
Our Best Ramen Restaurants in Kyoto, Japan post is a great roundup of the city’s top ramen shops. However, the list “only” has 8 entries. What happens if you want to eat 9 bowls of ramen?!?! You’d be left high and dry! As huge ramen heads ourselves, we’d definitely eat more than 8 bowls of […]
Our 2019-2020 Kyoto, Japan guide offers planning tips & tricks, hotel recommendations, best temples & shrines, transportation hacks, where to eat, crowd info, and more. Before we get to the basics, we’ll share updates and why we love Kyoto so much. (Updated November 6, 2019.) If you’re already in Kyoto and are scrambling to figure out […]
Our 2019 fall colors forecast for Japan offers peak viewing info & tips for popular autumn foliage spots, including Kyoto, Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji, and Nara. We’ll also share strategy for visiting the best temples, shrines, and evening illuminations. (Updated November 6, 2019.) Autumn is one of the most stunning times of the […]
Gion is Kyoto, Japan’s famous geisha district, located between Yasaka Shrine and the Kamo River. This guide offers info & tips for visiting, dining & dessert recommendations, including Gion in a Higashiyama itinerary, and how to spot geisha. (Updated November 7, 2019.) Although Gion is a fairly small district, it packs a powerful punch. The […]
Nakano Broadway is a shopping complex in Tokyo, Japan famous for its many stores selling Disney collectibles, used anime, video games, toys, books, souvenirs, antiques, and pretty much anything else you can imagine. In this shopping guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know before heading to Nakano Broadway. We first visited Nakano Broadway several […]
I am obsessed with bizarre vending machine drinks in Japan. I’m also a huge fan of novelty Coca-Cola and Pepsi packaging. Put those two things together, and it’s a recipe for me to do some serious “soda stalking” as we travel around Tokyo and Kyoto on a veritable tour of 7-11 and Lawson stores. In […]
Want to escape the crowds of central Kyoto? This 1-day Kurama, Kibune, and Northern Kyoto itinerary is a great option for weekends, peak season, fall colors season, hot summer days, during festivals or special events…or really any random day. It includes some of our absolute favorite temples & shrines in Japan, including a couple you’re […]
Our 1-day itinerary for Uji & Kyoto is an efficient step-by-step plan of attack for visiting this region of Japan, including green tea spots, four different UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and a variety of temples & shrines. It’s a jam-packed day that takes you to several excellent spots on the southeastern outskirts of Kyoto. While […]
Nishiki Market is known as Kyoto’s Kitchen or Japan’s Pantry, and is an incredibly popular food spot both with tourists and locals. We have a love-hate relationship with this dining hotspot and bona-fide attraction, and will cover the pros & cons, avoiding the crowds, and more in this guide to Nishiki Market. For starters, Nishiki […]