If you’ve been following my posts over the last two weeks, you know I like a good bicycle tour. Well, Keiichi Iwasaki likes one more. In April of 2001, Iwasaki quit is job and, with 2 bucks to his name, set out on a year-long tour of Japan. He found [...]

Places like Taiwan, China, Laos, and Japan maybe more known for their motor bikes, or their overly utilitarian use of bicycles. This WSJ article, explores a less popular way to get moving through, and in touch with, the cultures of these these countries. The article states, “Sometimes the truest way to experience a [...]

Stretching your Yen in Japan is not impossible, you just need to know where to go, and you need to be okay with eating in alleys (think “Blade Runner”) and sleeping in pods (think “Matrix”). It’s not all like living a sci-fi flick though, as described in this SF Chronicle [...]

Self-confessed “ramenjunkie” and Culinary Institute grad (and later NYC chef) Ivan Orkin decided to give up his life in the high-end world of NYC dining and pursue his dream by starting up a 10-seater ramen shop named, appropriately enough, Ivan Ramen, in a Tokyo suburb, all for the love of [...]

As far as conversions go, Japan’s got to be one of the worst places to travel to right now. But be honest, when has lack of money ever really stopped you from traveling before? At least there are a few (okay 10) ways you can save a few thousand Yen [...]

Budget Travel came out with their 2008 list of the top 10 “new” places to visit this year which, by “new,” I think they mean “not overrun by tourists yet” rather than physical age. (I have a feeling Bergerac, France is probably not that new.) Here are a few highlights. [...]