Tag: Japan

Okonomiyaki – Hiroshima’s local dish

December 28, 2015

We had heard about Hiroshima’s speciality pancake dish, Okonomiyaki, and we really wanted to try it. The name Okonomiyaki means what you like (‘okonom’), cooked (‘yaki’ as in yakitori or teppanyaki). Okonomiyaki consists of a pancake base cooked on a hotplate, topped with layers of fried cabbage, egg noodles, thinly-sliced belly pork, bean sprouts, with … More Okonomiyaki – Hiroshima’s local dish

Hiroshima

December 28, 2015

Hiroshima, on the island of Honshu, is a city that you know has to be on your Japanese itinerary, but you expect it won’t be a very pleasant experience. Whilst sombre reflection on the devastation of the atomic bomb dominates, Hiroshima has re-built itself into a very positive and vibrant city for a short stay. … More Hiroshima

A day trip to Nara

December 23, 2015

Nara is perfectly positioned as a short day trip from Kyoto, only 35 minutes away by train using your JR Pass. We wanted to see one main sight – the famous Nara deer. The 1,200 deer roam freely throughout Nara Park and outside the Todai-ji Temple. In the Shinto faith, they are considered to be … More A day trip to Nara

How to avoid ‘temple fatigue’: two days in Kyoto

December 18, 2015

Temple fatigue is a real thing when you’re travelling throughout Asia for an extended period of time. It’s easy to become blasé about some of the most beautiful sights and holy shrines, simply because there are so many that they become your new normal. How do you avoid this? Intersperse Kyoto temple spotting with relaxing … More How to avoid ‘temple fatigue’: two days in Kyoto

Tokyo nights

December 11, 2015

Tokyo’s tourist sights can leave you with a pretty packed daytime itinerary, but it’s important to keep going into the evening to sample everything Japan’s capital has to offer after hours, from izakayas to gyozas, karaoke to 5am sushi, and everything else in between. Shimokita Shimokita is a young, hip area with lots of vintage … More Tokyo nights

A guide to Tokyo – Asia’s craziest city?

December 10, 2015

We arrived into Narita Airport after our 30 hour journey, but we still had to catch the Narita Express and do battle with Shinjuku – the world’s busiest station, with more than 3.6 million passengers each day. We made our way on the notoriously difficult Tokyo Metro to our Airbnb in the cool neighbourhood of Shimokitazawa … More A guide to Tokyo – Asia’s craziest city?