Category: Notably

Don Quijote: Why Foreign Visitors Can’t Stop Talking About This Store: If you’ve spent any time researching Japan travel online, you’ve probably come across someone raving about Don Quijote, often just called “Donki.” It’s part discount store, part souvenir shop, part chaotic treasure hunt, and it’s become one of the most talked-about shopping stops for…

Tachinomi: Why Standing Bars Have Become a Hit with Foreign Visitors: Tachinomi, literally “standing drinking,” has quietly become one of the more talked-about experiences for foreign visitors to Japan in recent years, and it’s easy to see why once you understand what makes it different from a typical bar. No tables, no long commitment, no…

Cup Noodles Museum: A Complete Guide to Yokohama and Osaka Ikeda: Instant ramen is one of Japan’s most globally recognized food inventions, and the two Cup Noodles Museum locations, one in Yokohama and one in Osaka Ikeda, let visitors dig into that history hands-on, most famously by designing and building their own custom cup of…

Hiroshima and Miyajima: A Travel Guide Hiroshima offers one of the most emotionally significant experiences available to visitors to Japan, alongside genuinely excellent food and, a short ferry ride away, one of the country’s most iconic shrine views on the island of Miyajima. This guide covers what to see and how to plan your time.…

Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho: Tokyo’s Retro Nightlife Alleys: Tucked just steps from Shinjuku’s neon towers and packed department stores are two tiny, atmospheric pockets of old Tokyo, narrow alleyways lined with impossibly small bars and food stalls that feel like stepping back several decades. This guide covers Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho, two of…

Tokyo Train Photography Spots Train Enthusiasts Will Love: Tokyo’s rail network is dense enough that several ordinary, easy-to-reach city spots double as genuinely rewarding train photography locations, where multiple lines cross paths or a single well-placed deck gives you a close-up view of trains in motion. Here are four worth seeking out. Short digest movie…