Tag Archive: Japan

Billiken statue in a stripy outfit and hat in Osaka, Japan

What are Billiken – And Why is Osaka Full of Them?

There’s a lot of odd things dotted around Osaka. You’ll find giant pufferfish hanging in the sky, gold turtles climbing up the sides of a building, huge lobster decorating the ceiling of the market – there’s even a giant metal wasp if you know where to look, but among all…
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statue of man with penne instead of a head in Kokura Japan

12 Fun and Unusual Things to do in Kokura, Western Japan

If at this point, you’re saying Koka what ra, I don’t blame you. Kokura is not the best-known town on the island of Kyushu in Western Japan. I hadn’t heard of it either until I ended up there for two nights. For that, you can thank the Korean boy band,…
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27 Fun and Unusual Things to do in Fukuoka

Fukuoka in Western Japan is Japan’s seventh biggest city, but despite this when you look for suggestions of things to do in Fukuoka not much comes up – yes, there’s the big shiny Fukuoka tower, ruins of a castle and a huge mall, but generally, that’s about all anyone suggests….
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Matsue Castle one of the top things to do in Matsue, Japan

Cool Things to do in Matsue, Western Japan

It’s home to one of the best castles in Japan. Home to some great modern art and a spectacular sunset. Home to amazing samurai history, delicious food and a short hop from one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens in the world – but when it comes to the average…
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Motonosumi Inari Shrine: How To Find This Stunning Shrine in Western Japan

They have good dreams in Japan. Dreams that make things. Things like bright scarlet shrines that balance on the edge of craggy windswept clifftops. Scarlet shrines like the outrageously pretty Motonosumi Inari Shrine near Nagato in Western Japan. It’s a must see if you’re in the areas of Nagato or…
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Travelling to Japan and want to stay in a ryokan, but not sure if it's for you? We may have found a hotel - a hot springs hotel, aka a ryokan hotel offers the same style and tradition as a ryokan, but with less formality. Click here to read why we loved it or save it to your Japan board for later. #japan #japantraveltips #japanesehotels #ryokan

Why a Hot Springs Hotel in Japan is a Brilliant Alternative to a Ryokan.

I have a confession to make. There’s something about Japan that scares me… It’s something thousands of tourists do in the country every week, for some it’s potentially the highlight of their trip – yet, the very idea of it brings me out in a stress rash. I’m talking about…
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Ainoshima island near Fukuoka, Japan is one of Japan's 11 cat islands. If you're planning a trip to Fukuoka, it's a short trip by ferry. Click here to read how to get to Ainoshima Cat Island, or save it to your Fukuoka or Japan boards for latr. #ainoshima #catisland #fukuoka #fukuokatravelguide #kyushu

Ainoshima: Fukuoka’s Cute Cat Island

I’m surrounded by kitties – they’re sleeping in fishing nets, chilling out in wheelbarrows, prowling the paths around the bright blue, fishing boat filled harbour hoping for snacks or just sitting in the sunshine doing whatever cats who live on an island do all day. This is Ainoshima, one of…
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The Adachi Museum of Art near Matsue, Japan is known for it's amazing gardens - but they're gardens with a difference. You don't view them from outside, but from within framed like paintings. Here's why you should add it to your Japan itineray and how to get there from Osaka, Kyoto, Okayama. Hiroshima or Matsue. #japanesegardens #japantrip #japanesemuseums #adachimuseum

The Stunning Adachi Museum of Art Gardens – Designed to be Viewed From The Inside

Here’s a question…What do you do to encourage visitors when you build a museum containing some of the finest works of Japanese art in the midst of rural Japanese farmland? The answer, if you are Zento Adachi, a farmer’s son turned influential art collector, is to build one of the…
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If you're planning a trip to Kyushu, Western Japan, take a day trip to Kokura. and visit the tiny restaurant that invented yaki udon. Click to read their story or save it to your Japan or Kyushu boards for later. #japanesefood #yakiudon #kokura #kyushu #westernjapan

The Tiny Kokura Restaurant That Changed Noodle Eating Forever.

Today in Japan, and, in Japanese restaurants all over the world, the idea of frying udon noodles to make yaki udon is normal – but, if local legend is to be believed, we can thank a tiny 8-seater restaurant in Kokura, Western Japan for the invention of the dish. I…
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If you're visiting Fukuoka, Japan, then add the amazing Nanzoin Temple to your list of things to see in Fukuoka. It's completely incredible. Here's why and how to get to Nanzoin Temple from Hakata station. Click to read it now or save it to your Fukuoka or Japan boards for later. #japanesetemples #kyushu #fukuoka #nanzointemple

Nanzoin Temple, Fukuoka – It Blew my Mind.

I can’t think of many places that have actually made me go ‘wow’ when I first saw them – but the large Buddha statue at Nanzoin Temple in Fukuoka, Japan did – out loud. And then I shut up and just stared at it, unable to believe exactly what I…
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If its name and its aim to find the quirky, fun and unusual sights in a destination don’t tell you that this is a different kind of travel blog – the fact that it was born during a visit to a poop-themed restaurant in Taipei tells you pretty much everything else you need to know.
It’s a place to find unusual and off-the-beaten track suggestions for things to eat, see and do – but also a place to find answers to some of the less-obvious questions that come into my head when I travel (and I’m guessing yours as well). I’m having a blast writing it and I hope you’ll have as much fun reading it.