How to Pay for the Metro in Tokyo & Osaka
There are three main transit cards in Japan: PASMO, ICOCA, and SUICA. All three are fairly interchangeable but most importantly can be used to pay for transit in large cities…
Experiencing the Charm of Tokyo
This is the tail end of our trip and also the third time we’ve been in Tokyo. For the most part we’ve seen the important sites and now, for us,…
A Hidden Gem on Japan’s West Coast
From Kyoto we continued traveling north and west to the beautiful and rugged west coast of Japan where we saw our first snow in the Japanese Alps. We were headed…
The Quiet Beauty of Kyoto
We were in Kyoto about 9 years ago on our first trip to Japan and loved it. So many beautiful temples and gardens to see. This time we didn’t repeat…
Miyajima Island in the Rain
Located about 45 minutes from central Hiroshima, it is reached by train and then ferry. The island is most famous for the Great Torii Itsukushima. You may have seen it…
Finding Peace in Hiroshima
On August 31, 1946, a little more than a year after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a journalist named John Hersey published a 31,000 word article in…
Exploring the Rich History of Kurashiki
After three fun days in Osaka, we headed down the coast for Hiroshima. But first we made a stop in a town called Kurashiki. Dating from the 17th century, the…
Osaka Loves Chicago
I’m not sure that we knew this but Osaka is a sister city to Chicago. We were delighted to learn this as we walked through the Namba metro station and…
Visiting Japan’s Kitchen in Osaka
Osaka has been on our short list of places to visit in Japan for quite some time. It is known as “Japan’s Kitchen” and is famous for its food scene.…
Exploring More of Taipei’s Top Attractions
On our last day in Taipei we made it to a couple more interesting sights. One in the far south end of Taipei and the other at the very north…