Tips on cutting transportation costs in Japan

(Updated in October 2024)Since the drastic price increase from October 2023, the nationwide JR pass is no longer cost effective for many travelers to Japan. The luggage regulations introduced from May 2020 also made traveling on the Shinkansen slightly more troublesome after...

Read More

Cherry blossom viewing spots in central Japan (Nagoya, etc.)

2024 is a strange year for Hanami (花見) (cherry blossom viewing) in Japan. Cherry blossoms are generally much later than usual in southern Japan and earlier than usual in northern Japan. As such, instead of gradually blooming from south to north, Sakura in many parts of Japan...

Read More

7D Autumn Road Trip (Nagano, Niigata, etc.)

In Japan, October and November is the time for fall foliage, autumn food (chestnut, pacific saury, rice, etc.), the sea of clouds phenomenon and hot spring. For my early November trip to Japan this year, I decided to do a road trip mainly covering the Koshin'etsu (Nagano...

Read More