Japan

The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary For Tokyo (Updated 2020 Travel Guide)

January 1, 2020 by Bino 10 Comments

Tokyo has gained quite a bit of popularity in recent years as a travel destination. The capital of Japan has benefited in no small part by the weaker Yen and current moves by the government to ease visa restrictions from visitors of nearby countries. With a population of 13 million people, the metropolis offers a great juxtaposition of the exotic and ultramodern. This is a city of maid cafes, of restaurants run by robots and where you can hire professional cuddlers to hug you for a small fee. At the other end of the scale, some parts of the city offer a peek into a more traditional side of Japan.

If you are also heading west, check out this recommended itinerary for Osaka and Kyoto full of lesser-known attractions.

I have visited Tokyo for six times now and I always end up discovering a lot of new things to do in the city with each visit. Like the previous itineraries I’ve made, here are some suggestions on things to do in Tokyo and I have segregated the activities for first-timers, shopaholics and people seeking for something more unique.

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Guide to the Robot Restaurant in Tokyo – How to Book Cheapest Tickets

October 20, 2019 by Bino Leave a Comment

The famous Robot Restaurant in Tokyo’s Shinjuku has quickly risen to be one of the quintessential experiences when visiting the Japanese capital. A microcosm of what foreigners expect from modern Japanese entertainment, the 1.5 hour show is full of things bizarre and distinctly Japanese, like what one would expect to jump out from a comic book.

Despite the name, robots only make up a tiny part of the Robot Restaurant. The show is a mix of mythical creatures, Moulin Rouge-style dancing, Japanese festival imagery as well as religious folklore.

This guide aims to show you what to expect from the Robot Restaurant without giving too much of the show away, tips on how to get there as well as where to find the cheapest tickets available for the Robot Restaurant (hint: buying direct is actually more expensive!).

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The Perfect Itinerary for Saitama, Gunma & Niigata – Northward Golden Route With JR East Pass (Nagano, Niigata area)

October 19, 2019 by Bino 1 Comment

Located immediately north of Tokyo, the three prefectures of Saitama, Gunma and Niigata are quite possibly one of the most overlooked areas of Japan. Well-connected from Tokyo via the shinkansen and local trains, this region is brimming with atmospheric medieval towns, whimsical theme parks as well as venues for thrilling outdoor activities.

Through the JR EAST PASS (Nagano, Niigata area), it is very much possible to get here in just an hour as with the case for Saitama, or around two hours for Niigata. Within that short span of time, the landscape outside shifts from concrete buildings to alpine villages, sulfuric hot springs and deep gorges. This region is known as one of Japan’s agricultural baskets and the local produce is prized all over the country. Recently, I managed to visit the three prefectures of Niigata, Saitama and Gunma thanks to an invitation from the tourism boards of these prefectures. It was an eye-opening experience as I did not know much about this region until this particular visit.

If you are looking for some fresh ideas on places to visit from Tokyo that’s away from the maddening crowd but not too far from Tokyo itself, this region is a compelling choice. This travel guide and suggested itinerary for Saitama, Gunma and Niigata shows you how to do the trip with the JR EAST PASS (Nagano, Niigata area) in as short as 5 days and runs through a variety of activities including historic towns, adventure sports, temples as well as compelling food to try.

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The Perfect Itinerary for Osaka and Kyoto – Kansai Travel Guide (2019)

August 11, 2019 by Bino 2 Comments

One of Japan’s most iconic touristic regions is Kansai where the cities of Osaka and Kyoto are located. In contrast to other regions such as Tokyo or Central Japan, the Kansai region offers both the ultramodern comforts that Japanese big cities are known for as well as charming old towns dating back from the time of the geishas and samurai warriors. Another good thing is that traveling between Osaka and Kyoto takes less than an hour by train which makes combining these two cities in one trip highly advisable. Whether you love shopping, eating or exploring cultural attractions, check out this itinerary for your trip to Kyoto and Osaka.

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The Perfect Itinerary for Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Kanazawa & Nagoya – 2019 Central Japan Travel Guide

May 28, 2019 by Bino 16 Comments

One of the main touristic regions in Japan covers the central region encompassing Kanazawa down to Nagoya. In between, there are the charming towns such as the UNESCO-listed Shirakawa-go and Takayama. This itinerary provides a guide in how to cover these places in 4 days/3 nights – the minimum duration in my opinion if you are exploring these places.

For suggested things to do in Tokyo, check out my Tokyo itinerary

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Brilliant Autumn Colors in Tokyo’s Showa Kinen Park

November 4, 2018 by Bino 16 Comments

Autumn is a magical time in Japan. The leaves start to wither, earlier in the countryside and in northern Japan, and at about late-November to early-December in Tokyo’s open areas like Showa Kinen Park. Called koyo, Japan’s parks and forests turn into a sea of red, yellow and brown especially when seen with a backdrop of maple and gingko trees. Autumn is widely considered to be the favorite season of most Japanese, and it was with much luck that my visit to Tokyo last week fell right smack in this season.

Editor’s Note: Here are more autumn leaves viewing spots in Tokyo.

With very little time, I shortlisted a few nice autumn viewing spots. Places such as Hibiya Park in central Tokyo, the Rikugien in Bunkyo Ward as well as Shinjuku’s Gyoen are considered to be some of the best autumn viewing spots in Tokyo. Since I only had time to visit one or two places, I eventually decided on Gingko Avenue or Icho Namiki in Aoyama and Showa Memorial Park (Showa Kinen Koen) in Tachikawa in western Tokyo.

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My Secret Wakayama – Attractions, Itinerary and Travel Guide to This Hidden Gem 1 Hour From Osaka

July 2, 2018 by Bino 1 Comment

My recent trip to Wakayama encapsulated the ease and convenience of visiting Japan’s off-the-beaten path destinations. I have so far been to Japan for five times prior to this trip and had not known about Wakayama until I was invited to participate in the “My Secret Wakayama” project. It is an initiative to uncover this little known destination in the southern part of Kansai region brimming with resorts, historic attractions and some of the best ramen in Japan.

Despite being little known to foreign visitors aside from Mt. Koya which is also located within Wakayama’s namesake prefecture, the city is surprisingly easy to get to. From Kansai International Airport, it is slightly less than 1 hour away which makes it practical to combine with a trip to Osaka and Kyoto. You can also easily book a tour that covers the essential sights in Wakayama as a day trip.

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8 Off-the-Beaten Path & Unique Attractions in Osaka and Kyoto

November 7, 2017 by Bino 1 Comment

There is no shortage of off-the-beaten path attractions and unusual things to do in Osaka and Kyoto if you know where to look. Like in Japan’s other major cities, you can find just about every kind of diversion that you can think of while traveling here. What most don’t realize is that Osaka and Kyoto’s quirky attractions extend to much more than just the cosplay or maid cafe venues that foreign visitors often find intriguing. The attractions here are both modern and traditional – sometimes even coming straight out of the unexpected and mundane.

I visited the Kansai Region recently as part of a collaboration with Hotels.com to check out these relatively unknown places. If you are looking for something new during your first (or subsequent) trip to Osaka and Kyoto, make sure to include these sights into your itinerary.

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