The best places to visit

W ithin minutes of arriving in Kyoto, I was already impressed with the place. We exited the Kyoto train station and were greeted by my favorite childhood robot, Astroboy. Yay Kyoto! Our hostel was great and added to Kyoto’s charm. Like our place in Hiroshima, it was a traditional ryokan however this time we opted to share a family room. The room and building was definitely traditional. Small hallways, narrow stairs, and sliding paper doors made this stop that much better.Sharing the room made it feel like we were 10 years old and having a sleepover with some friends.Gone were the sleeping bags, replaced with thin mats on the floor. It was cozy to say the least. We spent a good half hour trying to figure out what was the best sleeping arrangement…head to head, toe to toe, foot to face etc… Once that was sorted we enjoyed some green tea and then some great plum wine that we brought from Hiroshima. Yes just like a 10 year old’s slumber party except with stronger booze....

Two weeks is the perfect amount of time for your first trip to Japan. You’ll be able to explore from the mountains to the sea, wandering through chaotic neon-lined streets and serene Zen temples, soaking in onsens and filling yourself with more ramen and sushi than you thought possible. For my first time in Japan, I kicked things off in Tokyo (4 nights) before heading to Hakone (1 night), Yudanaka (1 night), Kanazawa (2 nights), Takayama (1 night), Kyoto (3 nights), Hiroshima (1 night), and Osaka (2 nights). It was the perfect blend of cities and nature, and I left craving a return visit to do it all over again. Here’s how my destinations look on the map: Table of Contents How I Planned My Japan Itinerary How I Decided Where to Stay, What to Do, and How to Get There Day One: Arrive in Tokyo and Get Your Bearings Day Two: Explore Harajuku and Shinjuku on Foot Day Three: Head Over to Central Tokyo Day Four: Get Your Geek On in Akihabara Day Five: Check Out Mount F...

If you’re planning to move between cities in Japan you’re best off purchasing a Japan Rail Pass, or JR Pass, it will save you a huge amount of money. We will help you with where to buy Japan Rail Pass, as it also includes some local travel in the cities which will also save you some money. Working out the rail system in Japan will take a little while but once you get the hang of it it’s fairly easy to navigate. Well lets say you will navigate it with minimal hiccups!! (Yes I’m giggling right now!).

I must start this post by admitting that I am in no way a “foodie”. I don’t care about fancy restaurants, bizarre food combinations or trying delicacies. I basically eat for fuel the majority of the time. I am, however, quite a fan of beverages. No, I’m not an alcoholic 😛 It’s just I’m more likely to get excited about a cocktail or a smoothie than a meal. If I could live on nice liquids I probably would. Don’t quote me on that when I’m stuffing my face with cake though. That being said, here are some of my favourite food and drink offerings from around the world. PERU   Coca tea, I may have been addicted. Nothing to do with the fact that it is just cocaine leaves in water, of course. Chewing the leaves was amazing for altitude sickness also. Favourite food/drink item in Peru for sure. Ají de Gallina. Basically chicken in this amazing cheesy peppery sauce. Favourite meal in Peru. This one was from my hostel in Lima. So cheap. So g...