Destinations
Guides to specific places: cities, day trips and spots worth visiting.
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24 September 2026
Universal Studios Japan: a practical guide
Everything you need to know before visiting USJ: themed areas, key attractions, tickets, Express Pass, and tips to make the most of your day in Osaka's biggest theme park.
By Yen & Zen
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18 September 2026
Mahoroba Minds Miura: a resort hotel near Tokyo built for families
A resort hotel on the Miura Peninsula with themed rooms and a baby room set up for very young children, indoor pool, onsen and a sushi and curry buffet. We have stayed here several times with our kids.
By Yen & Zen
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12 September 2026
Tokyo DisneySea: the guide for understanding it before you go
DisneySea is not the castle park. It is the park of ships, volcanoes and water shows. How it works, what to see, how to buy tickets and why it is different from Disneyland.
By Yen & Zen
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6 September 2026
Izu Kogen with kids: Shaboten Park and the volcano that looks fake
Guide to visiting Izu Kogen with children: the Izu Shaboten Park with its capybaras, cactus garden and owls, and how to get there from Tokyo or Yokohama in a day.
By Yen & Zen
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4 September 2026
Atami: the closest onsen destination to Tokyo
Practical guide to Atami: how to get there from Tokyo by shinkansen, the best onsen and ryokan, kinmedai and maguro don, the MOA Museum and whether to go for the day or stay overnight.
By Yen & Zen
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2 September 2026
Kobe: practical city guide
What to see in Kobe: the Kitano district with its foreign houses, Harborland, the Nada sake district, Kobe beef and how to organise a visit from Osaka or Kyoto.
By Yen & Zen
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29 August 2026
Beppu: the city where the ground boils
Practical guide to Beppu, Japan's onsen capital: the jigoku (boiling hell pools), the Kannawa district, jigoku mushi steam cooking and how to get there from Fukuoka or Nagasaki.
By Yen & Zen
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25 August 2026
Hiroshima: practical city guide
What to see in Hiroshima: the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, Miyajima island with its floating torii gate, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki and how to organise the visit.
By Yen & Zen
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19 August 2026
Nagasaki: practical city guide
What to see and do in Nagasaki: the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, Mt. Inasa with Japan's best night view, the Meganebashi bridge, Chinatown and champon noodles.
By Yen & Zen
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7 August 2026
Asakusa: Tokyo's most traditional neighbourhood, unfiltered
A practical guide to Asakusa: Sensoji temple, Nakamise street, Kappabashi, Hanayashiki, and how to time your visit to avoid getting stuck in the crowds.
By Yen & Zen
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3 August 2026
Hakone: the perfect escape from Tokyo (and even easier from Yokohama)
How to plan a trip to Hakone: the Free Pass, the Romancecar, Lake Ashi, Owakudani, the Open Air Museum, and when to go to actually see Mount Fuji.
By Yen & Zen
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29 July 2026
Shinjuku Gyoen: the garden that changes with every season
A practical guide to Shinjuku Gyoen: the three garden sections, the greenhouse, the rules, the best times to visit and how to fit it into a day in Tokyo.
By Yen & Zen
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27 July 2026
Shibuya: beyond the world's most famous crossing
A practical guide to Shibuya with what's worth your time and what you can skip: the crossing, Hachiko, Shibuya Sky, where to eat, and the quieter neighbourhoods most people miss.
By Yen & Zen
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14 July 2026
Kanazawa: a practical guide to one of Japan's best-preserved historic cities
What to see in Kanazawa: the Tsuzumi-mon station gate, the castle, the Nagamachi samurai district and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. The alternative to Kyoto with fewer crowds.
By Yen & Zen
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9 July 2026
Kyoto: a practical guide to the city that needs more time than you think
What to see and how to plan a trip to Kyoto: temples, geisha districts, itineraries and the most common tourist mistake.
By Yen & Zen
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5 July 2026
Osaka: a practical guide to Japan's city of food and contrasts
What to see and do in Osaka: Dotonbori, the castle, Shinsekai, Namba and how to plan the trip. With personal experience from a 3-day, 2-night trip.
By Yen & Zen
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1 July 2026
Nikko from Tokyo: temples, waterfalls and Japan's classic school trip
Practical guide to visiting Nikko from Tokyo: Tōshōgū shrine, Kegon Falls, Lake Chūzenji and how to organise the trip. With personal experience on the Hato Bus tour.
By Yen & Zen
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28 June 2026
Climbing Mount Fuji: what you need to know before you attempt it
Practical guide to climbing Mount Fuji in 2026: season, trails, gear, altitude sickness and why you shouldn't do it in the middle of the night without preparation. With personal experience on the Fujinomiya trail.
By Yen & Zen
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24 June 2026
Nara in a day: the deer, the Great Buddha and what nobody tells you
Practical guide to visiting Nara from Osaka or Kyoto: how to get there, what to see, how long you need and why the deer will steal your onigiri.
By Yen & Zen
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9 June 2026
Onsen in Japan: the guide for first-timers (and people who got it wrong)
How a real onsen works: the etiquette nobody explains, the tattoo question, the difference between onsen and sentō, and the best options near Tokyo for a first Japanese hot spring without surprises.
By Yen & Zen
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1 June 2026
June 2 in Yokohama: 167 years since the port opened to the world
On June 2, 2026, Yokohama marks 167 years since its port opened in 1859. What happened then, why it's a school holiday in the city, and how locals celebrate the anniversary.
By Yen & Zen
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27 May 2026
Kamakura day trip from Tokyo and Yokohama: the guide your hotel won't give you
How to do Kamakura properly: the Kita-Kamakura walking route, Zeniarai Benten, Sasuke Inari, the Great Buddha, dressing as a samurai, and the tips that actually make a difference.
By Yen & Zen
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25 May 2026
Hydrangea season in Japan 2026: when they bloom and where to see them
Complete guide to ajisai season in Japan: bloom dates by region, the best spots in Kamakura, Hakone, Nara and Kyoto, and how not to miss the Hakone night hydrangea train.
By Yen & Zen
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18 May 2026
Yokohama day trip from Tokyo: how to actually do it right
A full-day guide to Yokohama written by someone who lives here. Chinatown, Yamate, the port, two stadiums, and the places most travel blogs miss entirely.
By Yen & Zen