Living in Japan for a decade now, I would love to tell you that sumo is completely mundane to me already. I would love to say I attend tournaments every other weekend, and act as though bumping into...
JAPAN TRAVEL
Planning a trip to Japan? These blogs are your go-to guide for all the practical stuff — the real-world tips that make travelling smoother, smarter, and way less stressful.
Sumo Morning Practice in Tokyo: What It Is, How to Book, and More!
Most visitors to Tokyo see sumo from the outside. By this, I mean that they watch tournament highlights on a screen, maybe spend half an hour at the Kokugikan Museum in Ryogoku, or buy a cool...
Japan Guided Tour or Plan It Yourself? My Recommendations…
Japan is an amazing place to visit for far too many reasons than I can list in just the intro of one blog post. The food, the history, the culture, the safety, the theme parks, the natural...
The Ultimate Mie Area Guide & 3-Day Itinerary
Most people who visit Mie come to see Ise Jingu, tick it off, and leave. They spend a morning at the shrines, eat a bowl of udon on the way out, and catch the train back to Osaka or Nagoya before...
The Best Zoos in Japan, From a Penguin Walk in Hokkaido to a Safari Park in Kyushu
Choosing between the best zoos in Japan is a bit like choosing a favourite ramen shop: everyone has an opinion, and half of those opinions are based on nostalgia rather than reality. The internet...
Best Things to Do in Karuizawa, Japan’s Upscale Mountain Town
Karuizawa is essentially the Hamptons of Japan. If you are expecting a rugged, untouched mountain village where you might stumble upon a lonely monk, you are in the wrong place. Instead, it is more...
The Best Aquariums in Japan to Add to Your Summer Adventure
Travelling in Japan during the summer months, you’ll realise soon enough that the humidity in this country is not a joke. You will find yourself looking for any excuse to stand in front of a...
Gion Geisha District: Everything You Need to Know Before You Visit
The way I see it, Gion gets overhyped and underexplained at the same time, which is a frustrating combination when you're trying to actually plan a trip. Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, you might spot a...
The Best Free Things to Do in Kyoto According to Locals
Kyoto has a reputation for being the kind of city that slowly drains your wallet. Every time you turn a corner, there is another beautiful temple charging an entry fee, another famous garden with a...
Stunning Japanese Flowers to See in May
Everyone talks about cherry blossom season, and fair enough, it is spectacular. But if you ask long-term residents here which month is their favourite for flower-chasing in Japan, we bet a...
How A Professional Japan Travel Planner Builds Your Custom Japan Itinerary From Scratch
Planning a trip to Japan is exciting, but it can turn into a real headache fast. There is just so much information out there, and a lot of it is the same recycled advice copy-pasted across a hundred...
The Ultimate Japan Bucket List: 60+ Unmissable Japanese Experiences
Is it possible to “complete” Japan from a travel point of view? We’re not sure…but we definitely can try. As a travel agency made up of travel lovers who have made a point of exploring up and down...
Where to Buy Whisky in Tokyo: The 2026 Savvy Collector’s Guide
Knowing where to buy whisky in Tokyo is half the battle even if you already know what you are looking for. Tokyo will do what it always does: overwhelm you with options and make you feel like...
Travelling to Japan During Golden Week: Best Places to Visit to Avoid the Crowds
Travelling to Japan during Golden Week gets bad press. Yes, the crowds are real, the sold-out trains are real, and the queues snaking outside Kyoto's most popular temples are very real. But the...
Japan’s New Tax-Free System: How to Pay First and Get Your Refund at the Airport (2026)
If you've shopped tax-free in Japan before, you'll know the old system was straightforward: flash your passport at the register, the 10% consumption tax was knocked off your bill on the spot, and...