Sakura makes you do crazy things—at least it makes me do crazy things.
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Matsuyama and Miracles
I caught a glimpse of Matsuyama Castle as the flight I was supposed to miss made its final approach.
Continue ReadingTokyo Never Sleeps
Things to do in Tokyo at night are nearly as numerous as the lights on Tokyo’s illuminated skyline.
Continue ReadingHow to Visit Tokyo’s Lucky Cat Temple
Whether you call it Gotokuji Temple or the “Lucky Cat” temple, there’s nowhere else in Tokyo—or Japan—like it.
Continue ReadingShinjuku vs. Shibuya
Is Shinjuku or Shibuya right for you?
Continue ReadingFind Your Favorite Kyoto
Whether you’re seeking a luxe ryokan in historical Higashiyama, or spacious, modern accommodations near Kyoto Station in Shimogyo, Kyoto is a place you’ll want to call home again and again.
Continue Reading30 Pictures That Will Make You Want to Visit Japan in Winter
I hope my pictures of Japan in winter convey the magic of my experience—and that they inspire you to follow in my footsteps.
Continue ReadingKing of the Snow Monsters
I felt like the king of Zao Onsen as I looked down on the Juyho.
Continue ReadingDoes Tsuru no Yu Live Up to the Hype?
I knew I had to visit Tsuru no Yu the first time I ever saw an image of the onsen.
Continue ReadingThe Truth About Japan’s Fox Village
I’m not ignorant to the controversy that surrounds this place.
Continue ReadingThe Day I Fell in Love with Kanazawa
Kyoto might not be Japan’s most beautiful city.
Continue ReadingAmid Frozen Farmhouses
I looked down on the strange Gassho houses, which had apparently been built to resemble monks’ hands in prayer.
Continue ReadingTakayama Meltdown
It struck me, as my bus careened through the Japanese Alps toward Takayama this morning, how little snow seemed to be on the ground.
Continue ReadingThe Primate Principle
Primates do what they want because they want it—not because they should.
Continue ReadingKawagoe and Fake Flowers
I had to Google the answer Kawagoe residents have known since at least the time of the Great Fire.
Continue ReadingWinter Glow in Tokyo
When the sun set on yesterday, I was in awe.
Continue ReadingOsaka in Only Two Days
Here’s the knowledge to easily put together a first-rate trip of Japan’s second city.
Continue ReadingJapan’s Tempura-Fried Maple Leaves
It’s not really cleaf who first came up with the idea to fry a Japanese maple leaf in the traditional tempura style.
Continue ReadingThe Truth About Kyoto in Autumn
Autumn in Kyoto was a magical experience, even though I somewhat knew what to expect.
Continue ReadingCash Me Outside, Japan Edition
It was not during my Nara day trip, at least not technically, that I evoked the catchphrase of the talkshow guest now known as Bhad Barbie.
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