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 ...

More

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...

More

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 ...

More

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,...

More

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 ...

More

JAPAN TIMES
 
MATSUYAMA – A pilgrimage route stretching across Shikoku, one of Japan’s four main islands, has recently been attracting more non-Japanese visitors with various cultural and religious backgrounds.
Some of these pilgrims view the walk as a spiritual journey, while others want to make...

More

JAPAN TRAVEL
Traditional Calligraphy With a Modern Twist
Calligraphy, or shodo as it's known in Japanese, has been a part of Yoka Satake’s life for twenty-five years. The young but talented instructor has spent a good portion of her adult life teaching fellow Japanese the fine art of the ink and ...

More

JAPAN TRAVEL
Friendly Deer to Tourist Friendly Gardens Explore Nara
Nara is the capital city of Nara Prefecture, located in the Kansai region of Japan directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture. It is home to eight temples, shrines, and ruins which collectively form the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nar...

More

JAPAN TRAVEL
Date Masamune’s Family Temple
On a clear day, the late afternoon sunlight will be at just the right level for a wonderful stroll through the temple grounds of Zuigan-ji. Early to Mid October will treat you to trees full of fire. For a short time between October and November the templ...

More

JAPAN TRAVEL
Top Quality Seafood at Lower Than Restaurant Prices
Matsushima is famous for its seafood, especially oysters, anago (salt-water eels) and nori seaweed. Being on the Miyagi coast it also has access to excellent Sanriku seafood.
Unlike the huge Shiogama Wholesale Seafood Market, Matsus...

More