I have read so much about the lovely Shimokitazawa neighborhood located not far away Shibuya, I told myself that I must visit it on this trip. Besides the indie vibe that Shimokita is known for, I also wanted to visit
Tokyo: Awesome Bara-chirashi At Sushi Sho
I have not been to Jiro. Or any of the other famous sushi restaurants in Tokyo like Mizutani, Sushi Saito, Sushi Dai. It is just too difficult to get a reservation. Most of them accept reservations only one month before
Tokyo: Bear Pond Expresso
We visited the famous Bear Pond Expresso in Shimokitazawa on our recent trip to Tokyo. Google ‘coffee in Tokyo’ and this tiny coffee bar will definitely turn up in the search results. I went there with pretty high expectations given
Tokyo: Kissako Kaiseiken In Ningyocho
One of the first Japanese words that anyone learns in a beginner Japanese class is ‘kissaten’ – meaning ‘coffeeshop’, or ‘tearoom’, or ‘cafe’. In my mind, I have always associated ‘kissaten‘ with a modern (the popular word nowadays being ‘hipster’)
Takayama: Shirakawago
If I had to recommend one place in Japan that one should visit, it will be Shirakawago. A UNESCO heritage site, the scenery here is stunning, with architecture that is quite unlike anything else that I have seen in Japan. Shirakawago is
Tokyo: Hanami At Nakameguro
Cherry blossoms at Nakameguro-kawa. It is an excellent place to view the beautiful cherry blossoms. We walked along both sides of the river, filled with quaint and charming boutiques and cafes. What lucky residents to be living in those apartments overlooking
Tokyo: Tamahide Oyakodon in Ningyocho
If you are a big fan of oyakodon and you happen to be in Tokyo, you should give Tamahide a try. I read that this famous restaurant in Ningyocho, founded in 1760 (or thereabouts), is the birthplace of oyakodon. What
Tokyo: Teppanyaki At Hakushu (白秋) In Shibuya
One of the main drivers for us ending our Japan trip in Tokyo was to eat teppanyaki at Hakushu and tempura at Tenmasa. We enjoyed ourselves so much at both places on our last trip several years ago, and a repeat visit
Tokyo: Abura Soba
I was writing posts of my Japan trip in sequential order. Then I got a little bored with doing so, became distracted with doing a bunch of other stuff, and now I am trying to get back to finishing up
Kyoto: Wandering Around The Streets Of Kiyomizu Temple
We started the day by walking from our hotel to the Chion-in temple. Sprawling grounds, quiet and calming. A rare photo of me where my face is not out of focused. My husband struggles to grasp the basics of using a
Kyoto: Bamboo Forest + Okochi Sanso Villa In Arashiyama
Our last day in Kyoto was spent in Arashiyama. We took the subway from Gion to Arashiyama, walked across the Togetsukyo-bridge and headed straight for the bamboo forest, having decided to skip the Tenryuji temple. Spotted an unusual bloom in a
Kyoto: Unajyu At Hirokawa In Arashiyama
If you are planning to visit Arashiyama and love unajyu, please include Hirokawa in your itinerary! Having been around since 1967, the famous traditional eel restaurant is now located in a beautifully designed sukiya (wooden architecture) building right across the street from
Kyoto: Tofu Dinner At Tousuiro (豆水楼)
When I was researching on what to eat in Kyoto, a tofu kaiseki meal kept popping up. So I wrote to Hotel Mume, the hotel where we were staying at in Kyoto, to ask them to recommend us a good