Category: Travel guide

  • The Language of Japan’s Moon Festival

    The Language of Japan’s Moon Festival

    You’ve likely already heard of Japan’s 花見 (hanami, cherry blossom viewing) season, but perhaps you haven’t heard of its more reserved, autumnal cousin, 月見 (tsukimi, moon viewing). Explore the language behind the early autumn festival with me in my Japan Times piece here (behind paywall): https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/09/29/language/language-moon-viewing-autumn-harvest/

  • How People Celebrate Christmas in Japan

    How People Celebrate Christmas in Japan

    Christmas is getting closer! And if you’re spending this festive season in Japan, here are some of the ways everyone else does it: https://japanspecialist.com/w/how-people-celebrate-christmas-in-japan

  • 5 Must-Visit Tokyo Chain Restaurants

    5 Must-Visit Tokyo Chain Restaurants

    McDonald’s and KFC are everywhere, but where can you get something that’s a little bit different without the crazy price tag? Here are five of Japan’s most well-known chain restaurants and what you can expect from them: https://japanspecialist.com/w/5-must-visit-tokyo-chain-restaurants

  • How to Really Celebrate Japan’s Cherry Blossom Season

    How to Really Celebrate Japan’s Cherry Blossom Season

    I thought about waiting until spring to post this one, but it’s always nice to think about the cherry blossoms even when it’s not the season! Here are a few ways to enjoy the pink petals, Japan style: https://japanspecialist.com/w/how-to-celebrate-cherry-blossom-season

  • 10 Most Magical Places to See Japan in the Snow

    10 Most Magical Places to See Japan in the Snow

    Cherry blossoms always take the spotlight in Japan – but what about the beautiful winter scenes? There are some breath-taking places to see the snow if you know where to look. https://japanspecialist.com/w/10-magical-places-in-the-snow

  • 10 Fun Things to Do in Japan in the Summer

    10 Fun Things to Do in Japan in the Summer

    Summer is a popular time to visit Japan, and although it can get pretty hot and humid, if you spend your time like a local you’ll be having fun and forgetting the heat in no time! https://japanspecialist.com/w/10-fun-things-to-do-in-summer

  • Visiting Japan Without Speaking Japanese

    Visiting Japan Without Speaking Japanese

    You may have heard that in Japan not a lot of English is spoken, but does that mean it’s impossible to get around? Here are some tips and things to be aware of if you intend to visit Japan without knowing the language: https://japanspecialist.com/w/visiting-japan-without-speaking-japanese

  • What to Pack for Japan: Clothes and Essentials by Season

    What to Pack for Japan: Clothes and Essentials by Season

    Japan is famous for its beautiful change of the seasons, and that’s because each one is so wildly different from the next. You can go from humid 30℃+ days in summer to walls of snow in winter and everything in between. So I put together a basic guide on what to pack for each season…

  • Everything You Need to Know About Japan’s Shinkansen Bullet Trains

    Everything You Need to Know About Japan’s Shinkansen Bullet Trains

    The first time I got on a shinkansen when my family came to visit me in Japan, I thought I knew what I was doing. I didn’t. I ended up taking us on a slower shinkansen that stopped at nearly every local station along the way! So I put together this guide so you don’t…

  • Craft Beer and Being a Cheapo in Tokyo with Greg Lane

    Craft Beer and Being a Cheapo in Tokyo with Greg Lane

    I recently had the opportunity to talk with Tokyo Cheapo co-founder, Greg Lane, about his journey in Japan and how he came to have one of the country’s most popular English travel websites: https://www.tokyoupdates.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/post-1037/