It must be said that we are not Tokyo’s target market. We eat lightly, go to bed early, aren’t huge shoppers and have no idea who Monkey D. Luffy is. Nor have we heard of this movie: Anime, manga, cartoon characters – this is the beating heart of Tokyo that belongs to the youth and … More Tokyo: Japan’s Pop Culture Capital
The mountain town of Nikko is remarkable in that it has combined diverse and dramatic natural landscapes with ancient and ostentatiously-embellished shrines and temples – all within Nikko National Park. Our impressions of Japanese temples and shrines so far has been ones of austerity, simplicity and sameness. So we were not prepared to climb up … More Finding Spirit and Nature in Nikko National Park
It is not hard to get around Japan by train and bus, but in some cases where locations are more remote (such as travelling from Natasugawa ( the Nakasendo Trail) to Kawaguchiko (Mt. Fuji), it will require a few tightly-timed connections. To get to Kawaguchiko, we walked 5 minutes from our hotel to grab our … More Chasing Mt. Fuji
We had read a great deal about the Nakasendo Trail during our research and increasingly, this stood out as being a place that would probably be a highlight of our trip. Its origins go back to the Edo Period (1603-1867), when it served as a pathway for samurai and travellers between Kyoto and Tokyo. Most … More The Nakasendo Trail: A Glorious Walk in the Woods.
It’s been just over a year since we’ve browsed travel sites, booked flights, planned itineraries and figured out packing and boy, does it feel great to be “on the road” again. Mind you, we put travel aside for a very good reason – we were house-hunting and attempting to create more balance in our lives … More It’s Been a Minute
Leaving Ourselves Behind 