by Sarah Gallo | Aug 20, 2019 | Asia, Japan
Japan is one of my favorite countries in the world, and for good reason! In over 100 countries that I’ve visited, I have found that Japan has the most fascinating juxtaposition between the new and the old, the modern and the traditional. You could be in the middle of...
by Sarah Gallo | Feb 13, 2017 | Asia, Japan, Reviews, Transportation Reviews
When planning a big trip, I tend to pin all of my points of interest on a map to then determine what would be feasible via public transportation. When planning Japan, I had pins all over the map and had to determine the best way to maximize my time in the country....
by Sarah Gallo | Dec 8, 2016 | Asia, Japan
Mt. Yoshino is known to be one of the best places in Japan to spot cherry blossoms. Despite it being the tail end of the cherry blossom season, we decided to stop in Yoshino on our way from Nara to Koyasan. A bit out of the way, but very worth it. While I had thought...
by Sarah Gallo | Dec 6, 2016 | Asia, Japan
Nara is a very easy day trip for those visiting Japan, as it's located less than an hour from Osaka and Kyoto. Believe it or not, Nara (once named Heijo) was Japan's first established capital in 710. As many people only spend one day there, here are 5 things to do in...
by Sarah Gallo | Dec 4, 2016 | Asia, Japan
When planning my trip to Japan, I had put Matsumoto Castle on my list for “next time.” It appeared to be too out of the way to squeeze into my busy schedule. Thanks to Craig Shaw's kindness, however, I was driven directly to Matsumoto to see the cherry...
by Sarah Gallo | Dec 2, 2016 | Asia, Japan
After two full days taking in the chaos of Tokyo, I wanted the mountains and the tranquility that typically surrounds such an area. While checking into Ryokan Biyu, I knew I’d made the right decision. I was initially drawn to Yamanouchi because I was guilty of wanting...