JAPAN

If I could visit just one country for the rest of my life, then it would be Japan. If I had to eat one cuisine for the rest of my life, then it would be Japanese. Japan is without a doubt one of the most unique and culturally fascinating countries on the planet. These articles will help you plan trips to different cities in Japan like Tokyo and Kyoto and lead you to some great Japanese food.

Tokyo Day Trips: 12 Fun Places to Visit

DAY TRIPS / DESTINATIONS / JAPAN Last Updated: Aug 3, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

I recently spent over a week in Tokyo, exploring the city and taking a few day trips to interesting areas outside of the metropolitan area. If you're staying long enough in Tokyo and have already seen the city's top attractions, then listed in this article are twelve of the best and most popular day trips you can take from Tokyo.

The Shirakawago Winter Travel Guide

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN / TRAVEL GUIDES Last Updated: Aug 6, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Shirakawago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses. It’s located in the remote Shogawa River Valley in Gifu prefecture, close to the border with Toyama.

10 of the Best Things to Do in Kanazawa, Japan

BEST THINGS TO DO / DESTINATIONS / JAPAN Last Updated: Aug 3, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Kanazawa is affectionately called "Little Kyoto" for its beautifully preserved neighborhoods, its sprawling landscaped garden, and handful of interesting museums. It exudes the charm of Kyoto minus the crowds, which is always a good thing.

Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass: Explore the Chubu Region with JR Central

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN Last Updated: Jun 9, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

What the Takayama Hokuriku Pass does is allow you unlimited travel in central Japan so you can explore destinations in the Chubu region like Kanazawa, Fukui, Toyama, Nagoya, and Shirakawa-go. It's so convenient!

Osaka Food Guide: 25 Must-Try Restaurants

DESTINATIONS / FOOD GUIDES / JAPAN Last Updated: Jun 6, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Since 2014, we've been to Osaka a total of four times. Each visit gives us the opportunity to explore new restaurants and to continually update and refine this food guide. Our goal is to give you the best, most complete, and most diverse food experience in Osaka, and I believe we've done just that with the latest edition of this guide.

Kuromon Ichiba Market: 10 Must-Try Dishes

DESTINATIONS / FOOD GUIDES / JAPAN Last Updated: Jun 6, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Kuromon Ichiba Market is a covered market in Osaka's Chuo Ward, about a 3-minute walk from Nippombashi Station. It's often referred to "Osaka's kitchen" because it's where many of the city's chefs get their supplies.

Tokyo Food Guide: 18 Must-Try Restaurants

DESTINATIONS / FOOD GUIDES / JAPAN Last Updated: May 21, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Tokyo's food scene is diverse so I wanted to come up with as well-rounded a food guide as possible. I consulted with locals, trusted food blogs, and restaurant review sites to come up with this list of 18 must-eat restaurants in Tokyo.

The First-Timer’s Winter Travel Guide to Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan (2020)

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN / TRAVEL GUIDES Last Updated: Aug 6, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Sapporo is one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations – famous for its miso ramen, Sapporo beer, and playing host to the Sapporo Snow Festival which draws in over 2 million tourists annually.

What to Eat in Northern Kyushu: 10 Food Experiences to Try in Fukuoka, Oita, and Nagasaki

DESTINATIONS / FOOD GUIDES / JAPAN Last Updated: Jun 9, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Ren and I first visited northern Kyushu in 2017 and got to enjoy regional specialties like champon, basashi, and everyone's favorite Hakata ramen. Everything we had made an impression and got us excited to come back and explore more of the island and its myriad delicacies.

The Day-Tripper’s Travel Guide to Nara, Japan (2020)

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN / TRAVEL GUIDES Last Updated: Aug 6, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Because it was Japan's first permanent capital, Nara remains a culturally rich and historically significant city, second only to Kyoto in its wealth of traditional temples and shrines. There you'll find eight historical attractions that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.

Kura Izakaya: Where to Eat in Nara, Japan

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN Last Updated: May 10, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

An izakaya is a type of informal Japanese pub. They're typically small and casual spaces where Japanese salarymen would get a drink and unwind after work. Jovial and relaxed in atmosphere, you can think of them as the Japanese equivalent to American taverns or Irish pubs, maybe even Spanish tapas bars.

The First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Kyoto, Japan (2019)

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN / TRAVEL GUIDES Last Updated: Jul 31, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Kyoto served as Japan's capital for over a thousand years. Many today still regard Kyoto as Japan's cultural and historical center, home to over a thousand temples and gardens that have earned it a reputation for being the country's most beautiful city.

Experience the Magic of the Holidays at Universal Studios Japan™

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN Last Updated: Jun 20, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

As I learned today, it doesn't matter how old you are or how many times you've been to Universal Studios Japan™. This place will always, ALWAYS be fun.

The Most Unusual Museums in Japan

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN Last Updated: Apr 7, 2020 Kirsten Powley

Museums in Japan can be dedicated to just about anything you can think of, from the weird and wonderful to the strange and gross. Here are a few we’ve rounded up that we guarantee are worth your visit!

The First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Nagasaki, Japan

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN / TRAVEL GUIDES Last Updated: Jul 29, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Nagasaki is a strange city in the sense that in many ways, it feels very “un-Japanese”. Much of this has to do with it’s prominence as a port city. From the 16th to the 19th centuries, it was the only port in Japan open to foreign trade hence the proliferation of foreign influences.

Gunkanjima: Nagasaki’s Battleship Island and a Bond Villain’s Hideout in Skyfall

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN Last Updated: Jul 29, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

The former coal mining settlement is commonly referred to as Gunkanjima or "battleship island" because of its shape, but its real name is Hashima Island. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2015.

Glover Garden in Nagasaki, Japan is Alive with the Sound of Music

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN Last Updated: May 10, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

Glover Garden is an open air museum that stands on a hill. Its key feature is the Glover Residence, the oldest surviving Western-style house in Japan and one of Nagasaki's most popular tourist attractions.

It’s Always 11:02AM at Nagasaki Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum

DESTINATIONS / JAPAN Last Updated: May 30, 2020 JB & Renée Macatulad

I had read books and seen the documentaries but never did I feel so close to that moment as I did then, standing there, looking at the hands of that clock. The thought of it sent chills down my spine. Because at precisely 11:02AM on August 9, 1945, the world, as far as Nagasaki was concerned, stopped.