Use these guides to help plan your travels!
Tonight I got to walk along Okinawa’s most famous street, Kokusaidori. At night, Kokusaidori sparkles with lights and is filled with restaurants, shops, and bustling tourists looking for the latest island souvenirs. While the main street attracts all of the newcomers, locals tend to keep to the side streets where a more mellow vibe can […]
After a day of teaching, I had an opportunity to watch a theatre performance called The Matsuri Okinawa. Okinawa has a complicated history that I will not pretend to be an expert on, but in short, it was once an independent Kingdom of the Ryukyu people. Because of its strategic location in the Pacific Ocean,
Today I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Okinawa for a week of teaching. After having spent a couple of weeks in Tokyo, I was excited for the change in culture, scenery, and daily life. After touching down in Naha airport, I was welcomed to the (new) island by my host mom. I was
Tsukiji Fish Market is one of Tokyo’s top places to see. Two days before I visited, a fire burned down a section of the market. However, I was lucky that most of it was still open for exploration when I arrived. There has been talk of relocation, so for those who want to see it
One of the cultural experiences I got to partake in was being dressed in a traditional kimono + accessories and walking around a street festival. I had never been to a kimono rental shop before so I was looking forward to seeing how the dressing process worked. As soon as I entered the shop, ladies
Over the weekend I was able to reunite with some friends from last year’s Japan adventures. We had planned on having an afternoon BBQ, but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. My friend Jason and I arrived at Futakoshinchi Station in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, where we picked up marshmallows, drinks, ice, and some other snacks
After training and orientation concluded, it was time for a weekend retreat in Hakone, a town known for its mountainous nature, lake, and onsen (hot springs). I picked up a tuna sashimi bento from the expansive food court underneath Shinjuku station and boarded the Romance Car (the express train to Hakone) with over 80 other
Today I finally travelled to Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan. Being my last day in the Kansai region, I figured this was the perfect place to check off my travel list. After arriving at Nara Station, my first destination was to find to Naramachi, a neighborhood of streets lined with old shops, houses,
As you may have been able to tell, I am quite excited to be in Japan because of all the delicious food. After brainstorming several possible cities to visit this past weekend, I decided it was time to treat myself to a meal in Kobe. I had a couple of places in mind, one of
