Our trip to Japan came about on a whim. We had no plans for the Thanksgiving week that year, saw some good deals on American Airlines and decided to book. About ten days before our trip, the Paris bombing happened. While we weren’t traveling to Europe, the very thought of being outside our home and …
One of the side trips we had planned during our Japan visit was to see the ever popular, Mount Fuji, or Fuji-san. Nearly perfectly shaped volcano, Mt. Fuji stands around 11300 feet tall and last erupted in 1707. Located in Shizuoka, Mt. Fuji is seen from Tokyo on a clear day. General wisdom states that …
One of the most unusual experiences visitors to Japan have is staying at a Ryokan and for us it was one of the most culturally interesting one and a highlight of our trip. A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn. There are numerous ryokans along the route between Tokyo and Kyoto, the latter having being …
While researching our trip to Japan, Mr. JJ came across the Japan Rail Pass. The Japan Railways group (JR) has an extensive network of trains that easily and efficiently move people all over the country. We had planned a trip from Tokyo to Kyoto and we wanted to try the Shinkansen, the bullet train to …
Japan is famous for its multiple temples and shrines and no trip is complete without a visit to some of them. From the first shrine we visited, Meiji Jingu in Tokyo, to the last one, Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, each one was different and captivating in its own way. The first question that comes to mind …
In 2015, the JJ family took a trip to Japan, taking advantage of cheap fares on American Airlines. The trip was split between Tokyo, Kyoto and their surroundings. I have already written about our Kamakura visit. Recently, I heard a podcast on Japan highlighting Nara. And thought it would be a good time to do …