Japan
Tried And True: Japan On The Cheap
Japan’s reputation is true; it is expensive as you’ve heard. Matt pretty much nailed it with this post, but it doesn’t have to break the bank (but don’t expect a SE Asia kind of cheap). With my own trip now concluded, I thought I’d share some first-hand knowledge I’ve learned to make it easier to […]
Tokyo: The Electronics Promised Land
I’ve never been to Norway, until that happens, I won’t know what it’s like to visit the place of your ancestry. For the last couple days, this question has been spinning through my mind as I took my little Sony camera through the streets of Tokyo. Not quite the futuristic, Jetson-like city I had first […]
Kyoto, Japan: You Can’t Rain On This Temple Parade
The first day or two of any trip to a new country, you really just spend some time getting your bearings. Here in Japan . . . not gonna happen. There’s just too much to do, too much to see, and so little time. With rumors of a typhoon still lingering, I was riding the […]
TheExped Is Japan Bound!
As I wrap up my time in Asia, I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to squeeze in a trip to one of the most idyllic of Asian destinations out there: Japan. A few hostel reservations have finally been made between my scouring of the guidebook, forums, and posts here. With my JR Pass officially in […]
37 Countries. 5 Bicycles. 2 Dollars. 1 Man.
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 this so rewarding that he […]
Asia On Two Wheels
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 place is on the back […]
Yes Neo, You Too Can Do Japan Cheap, Unfortunately, I Can Only Tell You So Much. You Have To See It For Yourself
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 piece. Eating: Check out Yakitori […]
Is Tokyo’s Best Ramen Shop Run By A New Yorker?
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 the noodle. And to many […]
10 Tips To Pinching Yen While In Japan
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 and maybe even enjoy the […]
Top 10 Undiscovered Travel Spots
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. ? Trying to get off-the-beaten-path […]