JAPAN TRAVEL
Beloved accommodation of backpackers
Who said budget accommodations have to hide deep in the back of alleyways of neighborhoods, far from public transportation or major attractions? Guest House Shinagawa-shuku breaks the typical backpacker accommodation mold, providing highly afforda...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Quaint and Homey Café in a Quiet Osaka District
Near where I stayed in Osaka, they have this homey nook of a café called Wooden House. The first time I went there, I knew immediately that this café would alleviate some of the homesickness I have been feeling beacause of being alone m...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Enjoy Mario With a Couple of Drinks
One of the most fascinating things I have experienced whilst in Japan has been the recent trend of gaming bars which have been cropping up all over Tokyo. A chance to fritter your time away with your old pals Mario and Luigi once again, these new J...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Ishikawa's Native Son is Memorialized in His Hometown
While Japan and America have long shared a baseball connection, the signing of Yomiuri Giants player Hideki Matusi to the New York Yankees brought arguably one of Japan's most successful players to America's shores. Matsui's long ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Explore The World of Stamps
Despite the prevalence of e-mail, some people still take pleasure in communicating via handwritten or typed letters, and selecting just the right postage stamp to adorn the envelope. Admirers of the kitte can enjoy visiting the Philatelic Museum in Mejiro,...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Lively Ramen Near the University Campus
By Joseph Bautista, May 2016
During my days as an exchange student in Waseda, there was a place that conquered my stomach every week. The first time I stepped in Budouka, after waiting a long thirty minutes in the line outside, I knew the wait ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
 
A Nice, Laid Back and Friendly Budget Hostel
Aizuya Inn is a fifteen minute walk away from Minami-senju Station. One can rent a private room at Aizuya Inn with a starting price of just ¥3.400 per night, and a shared room for just ¥2,350 per night.
The Manager, Raoul, welcomed me in...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Food For Your Body and Mind In a Relaxed Courtyard
Apron Cafe Naoshima has a refreshing simplicity that only a child can think of. On the wall there is a drawing of a dog sitting on a chair, looking at the other empty chairs, as if it is waiting for its friends to sit on them. Drawn ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
The Definitive Public Park
Saga is without a doubt a small city. But the reality is that not all of Japan is a high-paced neon metropolis. Some use the term inaka​ or countryside to describe the setting. While there are some rural aspects to Saga, it's still a city with universities,...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Guesthouse in a Hundred-year Old Japanese Residence
Nara offers quite a variety of choice when it comes to budget accommodations, and it was only by accident (or rather me being not able to book in advance) that I ended up in Nara Backpackers and not some other place. And I count it ...

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