Long an epicenter of trendy culture, Tokyo is now the epicenter of Japan’s burgeoning craft beer scene. While many of the breweries themselves are located elsewhere in the country, there are plenty of great places to drink craft beer in Tokyo. The bars have every vibe you can ask for, from sports bars to dingy […]
After visiting the JAL first class lounge in Narita, it was time to board my flight from Tokyo Narita to Los Angeles. As usual on this trip, I was first to board since I was seated in one of JAL’s first class sky suites on the Boeing 777-300ER. The JAL first class seats are configured […]
As much as I hated to be leaving Japan, it was time to head home on the final leg of my trip around the world. My final long distance flight would be back to the United States on Japan Airlines in first class from Tokyo to Los Angeles. My departure was out of Tokyo Narita. […]
If you’re going to be in Japan for a week or longer, the Japan Rail Pass is a must-have. The pass is available for 7, 14, or 21 days, but you must purchase it before traveling to Japan, as it is only available to overseas tourists. Fortunately, the process of buying a Japan Rail Pass […]
My original plan for Japan was to start the trip out in Tokyo, then close it out in Kyoto, only going back to Tokyo for one last night so I could catch my flight home. This plan changed once I learned that a Grand Sumo Tournament would be starting in Tokyo during my last couple […]
During my time in Kyoto, Japan, I stayed at the Sakura Terrace Kyoto hotel for four nights. It was a gem of a value hotel. The rate for the hotel when I was there in January was just over $50 per night for every night except for one, which was $85. I had a free […]
While Kyoto might not have as robust of a craft beer scene as Tokyo, there are still a few good craft beer bars to be found in the city. Here is my guide to the best craft beer in Kyoto. Bungalow While Bungalow may only have 10 taps, what it lacks in quantity, it makes […]
My second day in Kyoto would be just as ambitious as the first. With only two full days to explore the city, I wanted to see as much as I could. Upon leaving the hotel, I headed to the train station, or more accurately, the bus station behind the train station. I got on a bus […]
I began my trip to Kyoto by visiting the Imperial Palace, the home of Japan’s Imperial Family until 1868. Kyoto’s subway system is not 100% comprehensive, but it can at least get you fairly close to the more central sights. An all-day pass is 600 yen, which is the better deal if you ride it […]
Contrary to what you might expect, there are some good hotel deals to be found in Tokyo. While the city does have some expensive places to stay, there are plenty of hotels aimed at businesspeople that offer cheap accommodations. One of these hotels is the Tokyu Stay Nishi Shinjuku. I stayed here during both of […]
The weather wasn’t great for my final day of my first visit to Tokyo. It had been chilly up until that point, but clear. This day was rainy, but not overly so. Still, I was glad that I had planned ahead and saved plenty of indoor activities for the day. The theme of the day […]
After spending the previous day in Shinjuku & Shibuya, I decided to get out of Tokyo & take a day trip to Kamakura. Kamakura is on the coast of Japan, about an hour south of Tokyo by train. Again, I was able to use my Japan Rail Pass, so the trip was included. I took […]
On my 3rd day in Japan, Tokyo finally began to wake up a bit from the New Year. Places that had been closed for the first couple of days of the year were finally open again. Since the sky was once again pretty clear, I started off the morning heading to the Tokyo Government Building’s […]
With clear weather predicted on my 2nd full day in Japan, I decided that it would be the perfect time to take a day trip to Mt. Fuji, which dominates the skyline to the southwest of Tokyo. While the mountain seems so close that you can almost touch it, in reality it’s about 2.5 hours away […]
With Spain behind me, it was now time for the biggest portion of my trip around-the-world: Japan. I arrived in Tokyo in the early afternoon. By the time I got my Japan Rail Pass & took the Narita Express into the city (there will be a separate post about these later), it was already almost […]
