Kumamoto Castle is one of my favorite castles—and my favorite places—in Japan.
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Is Living in Japan a Good Idea?
Living in Japan isn’t for everyone, but it could be for you.
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My Favorite Way to Hokkaido
At the present the moment, the phrase “Hokkaido Shinkansen” is somewhat misleading.
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Understanding the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen
By the time you finish reading this post, you’ll know all there is to know about the trains on Japan’s busiest commuter rail line.
Continue Reading30 Pictures That Will Make You Want to Visit Kyoto
May you end up loving Kyoto as much as I do.
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Making Sense of Tokyo
My mental map of Tokyo is spot-on.
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Is Wakayama Worth Visiting?
If you know what or where “Wakayama” is, you’ve taken a step most tourists have not.
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Plan Your 2023 Japan Trip Today
It’s not too early to start planning travel to Japan in 2023.
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Enjoy the Japanese Autumn Post-Pandemic
If you’re thinking of seeing autumn colors in Japan, fall 2022 will be your earliest opportunity
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Kyoto in Perfect Proportion
There isn’t any such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” trip to Japan’s erstwhile capital.
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Dispatches from the New Lagoon
You get more bang for your buck traveling in parts of Japan like Niigata.
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Where Japan’s Unsung Cherries Grow
“It was superb,” I replied in Japanese to the woman selling soft cream flavored with Yamagata cherries.
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Kyoto for Four Days
Kyoto is more than worth 96 hours of your time.
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30 Stunning Pictures of Japan During Cherry Blossom Season
At long last, I’ve done Japan’s cherry blossoms justice.
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The Truth About Ishigaki
Could this sojourn have catalyzed the dawn an opposite reality, a freer future?
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Cherry Blossom Coda
The cherry blossoms are gone—but I’m still blooming.
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Early Birds, Late Blooms
Sakura season—for me and for Japan—was so close to its conclusion that even the birds knew.
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Kyoto’s Treasure Trail
I can say without a doubt that five days is not too long to spend in Kyoto.
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Is Nara Worth Visiting?
Nara isn’t for everyone, but it might just be for you.
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Second Sea
Hitachi Seaside Park, for all the hype about its prefecture’s apparent ugliness, is one of the most gorgeous places I’ve been in Japan.
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