Japan 2023

Hoshinoya Taketomi Review: Paradise in the Yaeyama Islands 🌺

My partner and I were looking for somewhere special in Asia to take our honeymoon.  We considered multiple locations – Fiji, the Philippines, etc – just about anywhere tropical in Asia.  We ultimately settled on somewhere in Okinawa due to the ease of travel (we were already in Japan finishing up a...

First Time in the Osaka, Japan Area 🏯 🐙

Despite this being our second trip to Japan, it was our first time visiting Tokyo's grittier cousin, Osaka.  A short Shinkansen ride from Tokyo, Osaka is often paired with Tokyo Shinsekai is a bit like Tokyo's Shinjuku, just on a much smaller scale.  While Shinsekai is much older (and presents...