Food We love the food in Japan and so of course, we want to bring home Japanese food! Fortunately, Japan has so many perfectly packaged food souvenirs. These beautifully presented treats are due to the omiyage culture in Japan. Omiyage is the social obligation of bringing back small gifts from trips for family, friends and…
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Some of my dear family, friends and colleagues are planning their trips to Japan and I’ve been asked about what to pack. Besides the obvious, there are some additional things you will need when travelling in Japan. Passports and Visas Passports – make sure they are still valid for 6 months after you plan to…
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Getting them up in the morning! Japan really suits a teenagers lifestyle, everything opens late and stays open late so win-win! Feeding them We have three teenage boys, I’m not sure about you, but our boys eat a lot!! A bargain sushi train might be really reasonable but by the time our boys are done…
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Ryokan is a traditional Japanese Inn and we highly recommend staying in one for at least one night for a unique and authentic Japanese experience. Ryokan can be more expensive so here is everything you need to know to make the most of your stay. Choosing a ryokan Searching for ‘ryokan’ in English does not…
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Any traveller to Japan will be very familiar with the Japanese convenience store, or konbini, as they are known locally. If you haven’t been to Japan, then let me introduce you to the wonder, the magic and the marvel of Japanese convenience stores! Japanese convenience stores are true to their word – they are conveniently…
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One of the biggest concerns for many families when travelling is what the kids will eat. On our first trip to Japan our youngest was a very fussy eater (2yo) and survived on convenience store bread and the tube of Vegemite we brought with us! Now he’s a fantastic eater and every trip he looks…
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Tokyo boasts Disneyland and the only DisneySea in the world. Both parks, although completely separate, are right next to each other on Tokyo Bay. A monorail and ring of hotels circle the parks. For updates regarding restrictions and requirements due to COVID19, please check the official Disney page or download the Tokyo Disney Resort App…
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One of the things I love about Japan is that the seasons are celebrated and mark distinct times of the year. Spring is Sakura or cherry blossom season. A time when everyone comes out to celebrate the fleeting cherry blossom and picnic under the delicate, transitory petals. This is one of the most popular times…
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Christmas If you are dreaming of a White Christmas in Japan you can certainly get the white and it’s easy to get to from Australia, however, Christmas is not a big celebration in Japan. You will hear Christmas music (minus the words) playing in the shops and Western shops will be wrapped up like a…
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Trains The train system in Japan is second to none, clean, on time and efficient. However, it can be confusing! There are a number of different train companies, sometimes at the same station, major stations are huge and there are multiple exits that lead to different parts of town! Ok, so maybe its really confusing……
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