Asia

On my trip to Japan’s northern Tohoku region, I stayed in Morioka because in addition to great noodle dishes, it’s also a convenient place to stay for day trips …

On my walk between one of Morioka’s great noodle restaurants & Baeren Brewery, I passed several beautiful temples & shrines in a suburban area of the city. One of …

Morioka, Japan is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, part of the Tohoku region. Not many visitors make it to this area of Japan, which is a shame because …

Shinjuku is Tokyo’s high-energy heart. Shinjuku Station is the busiest train station in the world, with millions (yes, millions!) of people passing through it every day. The glowing lights, …

Michelin-starred restaurants generally bring two words to mind: Expensive & quality. However, in recent years, Michelin has been adding a few more restaurants to their lists that are accessible …

Not many breweries can say that a train station was named after them. But that’s exactly the case with Ebisu station along the Yamanote Line in Tokyo. The station …

One visit to Japan, and you’ll realize just what you’ve been missing out on when it comes to sushi. The fish is fresher, the preparation is of higher quality, …

Hokkaido is perhaps Japan’s best food region (but don’t let the other regions hear that because all food is great in Japan). The cold waters surrounding the island produce …

I visited Kumagaya, Japan during the 2019 Rugby World Cup. It’s located about an hour or so outside of Tokyo, on the way to Yuzawa & Niigata. While I …

Back in May, I spotted a great airfare sale with flights from San Francisco to Tokyo on Japan Airlines in October for around $600. Since I knew it would …

Sometimes when I’m traveling I like to just browse around Google Maps to see if anything interesting jumps out at me. When I was in Tokyo for cherry blossom …

There’s a reason why millions of people flock to Japan to see the cherry blossoms bloom each spring in what is known in Japanese as the sakura. The sight …

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, …

Tokyo is one of my favorite cities in the world. When I had the opportunity to include a 10+ hour layover in the city on my way from Seoul …

My final hike in Seoraksan National Park was to Heundeulbawi Rock, Gyejoam Grotto, & Ulsanbawi Rock. The trail to these landmarks is just past Sinheungsa Temple & its giant …