There are a few things you should and should not do while riding on Japanese subways and trains. These are simple things that will make life a lot easier and also make sure you don’t stand out as an awkward tourist. While these aren’t laws that will get you in trouble, instead these are simple things people do to keep a nice, orderly ride while using the subways.
Continue reading “Etiquette tips for Japanese subways”Tag: Japan
Japan trip booked!
The 2023 October trip to Japan has been officially booked! It took a while, a lot of money, and a lot of hard decisions, but the hotels and airfare are now officially booked.
Continue reading “Japan trip booked!”Japan in October
Here are the reasons I have decided to make October the perfect time to return to Japan.
Continue reading “Japan in October”Hotel Review: APA Kyoto Ekimae
Here is a hotel review from a 3-star hotel in Kyoto, the APA Hotel Kyoto-Ekimae, located right next to Kyoto Station. This is a nice, business hotel, but has some things about it you should know about before you book it.
Continue reading “Hotel Review: APA Kyoto Ekimae”5 must see wards in Tokyo
There are 23 wards that make up the greater Tokyo area. Each with its own unique charm and sites that make it unique to itself within Tokyo. Here are my top five wards to see while visiting Tokyo.
Continue reading “5 must see wards in Tokyo”Overrated places in Tokyo
Have you ever gone to a place that you thought would be incredible but it ended up being a let down? It didn’t quite live up to all of the hype you read about and wonder how it got such great reviews on Trip Advisor?
Here are a few of those in Tokyo that you should rethink before planning an entire day around these sites.
Continue reading “Overrated places in Tokyo”Returning to Japan in 2023
It has been a long time coming (work, pandemic, and just life in general) but after several years I am excited to say I’m headed back to Japan in 2023 (and with company).
Continue reading “Returning to Japan in 2023”Vibes of Tokyo
I’m going to write a three part series, starting with this one, on the vibes I felt in the three cities we visited while in Japan in 2019: Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. While I didn’t have the luxury of spending weeks or months in each town, I was however able to pick up on the vibes of each city along the way and wanted to record my thoughts on each because each one was unique and could be a deciding factor about which one you may want to visit when you head to Japan.
Continue reading “Vibes of Tokyo”Hotel review: The B Roppongi (now Comfort Inn)
In 2019, I stayed at multiple hotels on my trip to Japan with my friends. This is a quick review of the first hotel we stayed in when we first arrived in Roppongi, the B Roppongi.
Note: Per their website, the B Roppongi is no longer a hotel in Roppongi. Instead, it is now named Comfort Inn. It has a new name but is still the same hotel (same location, etc.) so the review should be able to give you some kind of insight about this hotel.
Continue reading “Hotel review: The B Roppongi (now Comfort Inn)”5 tourist spots to watch out for in Kyoto
Kyoto is home to some of the most incredible temples and shrines in all of Japan. While it is home to many amazing sites, some of them should come with a little bit of a warning for tourists before they venture out to explore them. Here are some to watch out for as you explore Kyoto and what to expect.
Continue reading “5 tourist spots to watch out for in Kyoto”5 things to know about Japanese hotels
Japanese hotels are very unique when compared to Western style hotels. Here are a few things to know about them before you pack a giant suitcase and head to Japan. These little notes will help you pack and prepare for some unique features of Japanese hotels that may surprise you.
Continue reading “5 things to know about Japanese hotels”A few things I wish I knew before visiting Japan

Having every bit of information you can get before you leave on any international trip is important. These were a few things I wish I had known before I packed my bag and headed to Japan all the way back in 2017 (and even again in 2019).