I just got a warning from the United States Embassy for foreigners in Japan to be careful when drinking in Roppongi bars. There have been recent incidents of foreigners having their drinks spiked, then waking up without without their money or with exuberant credit card charges. Although Japan is still a relatively safe country for tourists, please be careful when out drinking.
Yet again I had to buy airline tickets to travel internationally starting and ending in Japan. Faced with two main options, JTB and H.I.S., again, I gave both of them a chance for my business. I’ll tell my story here, then end with some advice I’d like to give people about buying airline tickets in…
Shumbun no Hi is the Japanese national holiday that takes place on either March 20th or March 21st or so every year in Japan. It is most commonly known in English as Vernal Equinox although I’ve also heard it referred to as Spring Day. Post offices and other such official services will be closed. Schools…
When it comes to hotels in Japan, prices and services can vary greatly, but it’s important to note right off the bat that the price of a hotel is not necessary a reliable indicator of a hotel’s quality and services. I recently had occasion to stay at the Hotel Okura in Tokyo. I have also…
In comments on my previous post, people seemed interested in “Yozakura” or night hanami. Viewing cherry blossoms at night can be a nice evening outing and also a good contrast to cherry blossom viewing in the daytime. There are tons of places, and if you stay in a hotel, I’m sure the staff can guide…
Just a brief post about the Golden Week holidays this year… In general it should look like this: Wednesday May 29th is a holiday. Thursday May 30th is a weekday. Friday May 1st is a weekday. Saturday May 2nd is a Saturday (meaning some people in Japan work and others don’t although because of Golden…
One of the greatest things about traveling to Japan is the way baths are enjoyed. Aside from the awesomeness that is the bath in a person’s home, sometimes people enjoy a trip out to a public bath, or if they are lucky enough to live within a few hours of an onsen or hot spring,…