Ninja training in Kyoto
Ninja training in Kyoto One of the most mythical figures in Japanese folklore is that of the Ninja. Unlike the Samurai (the warrior class of the military) the ninja was a secretive figure, often hired …
Japan to Serbia, hitting 50 (and the benefits of age), Trump, Obama, Netflix, and some weird photos from Japan
December 18, 2016 Greetings from Belgrade, Serbia! After 7 weeks in Japan we’ve just arrived in Belgrade, which is just about as different as any place could be from Tokyo. Belgrade is gritty, with …
The 4 places on our “Expat base” shortlist
The 4 places on our “Expat base” shortlist Note: this is an older post recounting our hunt for a base. It’s old…but still relevant to anyone who’s travelled and then thought of …
Going Hello Kitty Crazy at the Keio Plaza Hotel (Tokyo)
Hello Kitty at the Keio Plaza Hotel (Tokyo) I had kept it as a surprise for 2 months. We were at the Premier check in counter of the Keio Plaza Hotel when Lissette spotted a familiar image on the room …
“Hot or Not?” Visiting Shinjuku and the red light district of Kabukichō
Visiting Shinjuku and the red light district of Kabukichō When people think of Tokyo, visions of Shinjuku come to mind. Shinjuku is modern Tokyo: the home of tall skyscrapers in West Shinjuku, the …
The Craziest show we’ve ever seen – Tokyo’s Robot Restaurant
The Craziest show we’ve ever seen – Tokyo’s Robot Restaurant Great white sharks, mean Panda bears riding cows, scary rabbits, huge snakes, a whole bunch of other robots spitting fire …
The Gate Hotel Asakusa: Review
The Gate Hotel Asakusa: Review We don’t usually stay in hotels when we travel. We’re full-time travellers so we usually rent apartments. But Tokyo was different. For one thing, we were on …
A Day trip to Nikko (Japan)
A Day trip to Nikko (Japan) A popular daytrip from Tokyo are the famous Buddhist-Shinto temples and shrines of Nikko. It makes for a long day as it takes 2 hours to get there (ie. 4 hours total travel …
Asakusa and Ueno – the best part of Tokyo
Asakusa and Ueno – why everyone should visit Northern Tokyo When people think of Tokyo they think of a megalopolis of modern skyscrapers. That’s a pretty accurate description of most of Tokyo. In fact …