A recent poll on career website Cobs Online has rated the most popular items on the McDonald’s menu in Japan. While I am partial to the double cheeseburger which is not a seasonal item in Japan, here are the top 5 as voted on Cobs. 5. Filet-o-Fish with 5.1% of the votes. 4. McShake with…
If you have been reading the news online, I’m sure you know about wewontfly.com and the ongoing debate about the safety of the new TSA scanners, and the dignity and privacy issues brought up by the new and more invasive “pat down” procedures. The simple answer for many is not to fly. Road trips are…
On a trip to Japan, one “Japanese” food I would recommend is ramen. Going to a ramen shop can be filling, delicious, and a great chance to meet and talk to locals. If you pick the right place to eat your ramen, your palate, your sense of adventure, and desire to see everyday life in…
There has been some doubt about whether Japan Rail would be continuing with its sale of the Seishun 18 Kippu (Seishun 18 Tickets) which allow riders very inexpensive rides on local trains during certain times of the year. Despite the name (Youth 18 Tickets, literally translated), the tickets can be bought and used by anyone….
Iwami Ginzan, or the Iwami Silver Mine will be our first visit in a series introducing Japan’s 14 World Heritage Sites. Iwami Ginzan is first, frankly because it is my favorite. Shimane Prefecture is hands down my favorite prefecture in Japan to visit, and has so much to offer in terms of beaches, hiking, sites,…
Aomori Prefecture is well known in Japan for its delicious apples, farming and beautiful countryside, and of course the Japanese Women’s Olympic Curling Team. This unique and somewhat out of the way prefecture is coming up now as it welcomes its first Starbucks Coffee shop in Goshogawara City. Hundreds of people were lined up from…
One of Google’s special logos or doodles recently paid tribute to the Daimonji Festival in Kyoto. It is held just at the end of the Obon festival. During Obon (one of Japan’s biggest travel seasons), people often return to their hometowns, hold family reunions, and await the return of the spirits of their ancestors. Special…
One would think that a trip to a HOT spring in the middle of summer would be absolutely crazy, and one would be completely right… in a good way. Hot Spring (Onsen) resorts are most popular in the winter. I have to admit that there is immense pleasure in sitting in a naturally (very) hot…
It’s Hanami season again. Hanami is the traditional viewing of cherry blossoms in Japan. The season is just about starting out now with the earliest bloom scheduled for about March 14th in Fukuoka and the latest cherry blossom blooming scheduled for Sapporo and above, starting in the first few days of May. If you don’t…
I’ll start with some of the bad advice I got before moving to Japan one June many Prime Ministers ago… One person told me not to bring any shorts or anything that would expose my legs because it’s not done in “that culture”. Another person told me to pack a black suit just in case…
More Korean budget airlines are offering service to Japan’s airports, including Kansai International (KIX). This could mean cheaper airfares to and from Japan if you are willing to go through Korea. The airport in Seoul is really nice so that should not be a big problem if you are willing to have a long layover….
I’m not sure if you can find better deal, but this one sounds like a good, no hassle, cheap way to take a trip to Japan. I originally saw this on a blog called Ryoko Japan. Here is a link to the deal offered through JTB. I think you can find a way to get…