For certain sorts of travelers, Nara might be a preferable overnight base to Kyoto.
Continue ReadingKansai
A Jaunt to Japan’s Daruma Temple
Don’t for a single second fool yourself into thinking that this place is off Osaka’s beaten path.
Continue ReadingWhy You Should Stay the Night in Nara
Everything changed when I decided to stay overnight in Nara.
Continue ReadingHow Kyoto Lets Its Hair Down
Kyoto Gion Matsuri flies in the face of Kyoto’s conservative reputation when it takes over the city every July.
Continue ReadingOsaka’s Most Festive Few Days
Osaka Tenjin Matsuri is absolutely worth the hassle.
Continue ReadingKobe’s Best Beef
Where you eat your beef in Japan is more important than where the cow lived or died.
Continue ReadingKansai Starts Here
How many days do you need in Osaka and Kyoto?
Continue ReadingKobe is More Than Just an Amazing Day Trip
If you’re flexible about how many days in Kobe you can spend, the city and the rest of Hyogo prefecture will really come alive for you.
Continue ReadingKyoto’s Awesome Autumn
Where can you see fall colors in Kyoto?
Continue ReadingHow to Navigate Kyoto
By the time you finish reading this post, you’ll know Kyoto at least as well as I do.
Continue ReadingThe Spirit of Kyoto
“Temple fatigue” is a very real phenomenon.
Continue ReadingBattle of the Japanese Capitals
If you’ve never been to either city, comparing Tokyo vs Kyoto might seem futile.
Continue ReadingThe Most Wonderful Time of the Year (in Osaka)
Visit Japan’s second city to see sakura of the first rate.
Continue ReadingThe Dreamiest Day Trips from Kyoto
I’m glad you’re here—and I’m excited to help you get out of town.
Continue ReadingKyoto’s Sakura Secrets
Hanami in Kyoto can be a perfect experience—if you follow my advice.
Continue ReadingSummertime Singularity
The issue isn’t that you got lost, but that you found yourself.
Continue ReadingThe Fastest Way Between Kyoto and Osaka
The Shinkansen, in almost all cases, is neither the best nor even the fastest way to travel from Kyoto to Osaka.
Continue ReadingKyoto’s Sake Secret
The sake town of Fushimi is as central to the story of Kyoto as Arashiyama or Higashiyama—and I hope you’ll take the time to see why.
Continue ReadingThe Truth About Japan’s Castle in the Clouds
I do love a good Japanese castle, even if Takeda-jo is little more than ruins.
Continue ReadingJapan’s Most Underrated Cities
The best cities to visit in Japan aren’t always ones you read about in guide books
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