This Osaka city guide provides travel tips including things to do, where to stay, transportation info, and more about Japan’s third-largest city. We’ve spent months in the Kansai region and spent extensive time in the former imperial capital, and have advice and trip planning info based on those firsthand experiences. (Updated February 6, 2025.) If […]
The Park Hyatt Tokyo is located in the Shinjuku district of the city. This hotel review shares photos of our room, common areas, and dining. We’ll also offer thoughts on our stay here, value for money, location, and how this compares to other accommodations in Japan. (Updated January 29, 2025.) Park Hyatt Tokyo is one […]
For the last decade, we assumed that traveling to Japan with small kids would be a nightmare. In fact, we made a concerted effort to visit as much as possible before having a baby–including multi-month “bucket list” type trips–because we feared that would be impossible with an infant or toddler. After spending well over a […]
Robot Restaurant is a crazy dinner show in the neon district of Shinjuku in Tokyo with samurai, dancers, monsters, etc. This review shares whether it’s worth the money, photos from our experiences, and info about its replacement and reopening. (Updated January 21, 2025.) The bad news: Robot Restaurant has now been temporarily closed for the […]
This guide to sakura season in Japan and cherry blossom forecast for 2025 covers our favorite spots, best temples & shrines in Kyoto, tips & tricks for avoiding crowds. We also take a deeper dive into the topic, highlighting hidden gems where you’ll find fewer people and no busloads of tour groups. (Updated January 21, […]
Shibuya Sky is the highest open-air rooftop observation deck in Japan. Located on the 47th floor of the Shibuya Scramble Square building, the top deck is at about 230m or 751 feet high. This review offers info, tips & tricks, and recommendations for getting the most out of your experience at Shibuya Sky. Review might […]
Tokyo Skytree is the tallest building in Japan, with an observatory & restaurant at its higher levels overlooking the city, and a shopping center at lower levels. This guide provides info, tips, and a review of whether the Skytree is worth the time and money, plus a comparison to alternative viewing spots. (Updated January 20, […]
Our Kyoto, Japan planning guide offers tips & tricks, recommendations for hotels and other accommodations, best temples & shrines, transportation hacks, where to eat, crowd info, what it’s like to visit post-reopening, why we love the city, and more. (Updated January 4, 2025.) If you’re already in Kyoto and are scrambling to figure out what to […]
This guide to Universal Studios Japan offers tips & tricks for visiting Osaka’s popular theme park, which is home to Super Nintendo World, Harry Potter, Jaws, and more! This includes USJ strategy & info about where to eat, what to do, how to avoid crowds, minimize wait times, and more! (Updated January 3, 2025.) After being […]
Wondering whether the Japan Rail Pass is worth the money? This buying guide covers where you can use the JR Pass, how much value you’ll get on a normal trip to Tokyo and Kyoto, and answers to frequently asked questions about the unlimited train ticket. It also covers our many experiences purchasing the JR Pass […]