Japan

  • Kyoto’s Nishiki Market and Daimaru Depachicka (Food Hall)

    Kyoto’s Nishiki Market Street If you’re interested in food, when researching Kyoto, it’s almost impossible not to come across references to Nishiki street. This market is often referred to as an “alley” but really, it’s quite clean and comfortable because…

  • Kyoto; Westin Miyako Hotel Review

    Kyoto; Westin Miyako Hotel Review We arrive into Kyoto station on the Shinkansen train from Tokyo and head outside to in search of the hotel’s free shuttle bus which turns out not to be clearly marked. It’s located where all the…

  • Shinkansen Tokyo to Kyoto and Our First Okonimiyaki

    Taking the Bullet Train from Tokyo to Kyoto Our reservation is on the 8am Shinkansen train from Tokyo station to Kyoto and it’s raining. Hard. On a nice day, without luggage, it’s about a 10 minute walk from the Tokyo…

  • A Visit to Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo

    After ourtwo breakfasts at Tsukiji market, we took the subway to the Asukasa neighborhood. We stopped in the tourism office, where we picked up a local map and were asked where we were from which was duly recorded. They said they…

  • A Tale of Two Breakfasts in Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market

    Monday in Tokyo Despite waking up in the wee hours of the morning, we got a later than expected start. Walking to Shinjuku station during the morning rush hour is like fish swimming upstream against the crush of people headed for work in the…

  • Tokyo’s Harajuku Girls and Rockabilly Boys

    On our first Sunday in Tokyo, we took the metro to Harajuku station. We’d heard on Sundays that people (mostly girls) like to get dressed up in cosplay and various Lolita type costumes and that a nearby street, Takashita Dori (photo at top) might…

  • Tokyo Restaurants; Hitsumabushi and Tsunahachi

    Hitsumabushi (unagi/grilled eel) The Hitsumabushi restaurant on the 12th floor of the Ginza branch of Tokyu Hands department is the main branch of a well-known Nagoya eel restaurant. They are famous for their special Nagoya-style tamari sauce on unagi (eel)…