Where to go, what it costs
Guides for people who count every mile
Walking routes, budget breakdowns and honest notes from places we actually visited.
A guide is only useful if it tells you what to skip.
— the editors
Most read this month
- Animal Cafes in Japan: Owls, Otters and How to ChooseA practical guide to animal cafes in Japan: what Akiba Fukurou's owl cafe is like, visiting an otter cafe, and how to check welfare before you book.
- Fushimi Inari Taisha: Hiking Kyoto's Thousand ToriiEverything you need for Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto: what the thousand red torii mean, how hard the mountain hike really is, and where to eat after.
Goshuincho: Japan's Temple Stamp Book SouvenirWhat goshuincho are and how temple stamp books work: costs at shrines in Japan, calligraphy etiquette, and how to start your own book on your next trip.- Kusatsu Onsen: Japan's Most Famous Hot Spring TownA complete guide to Kusatsu Onsen: the yubatake fields, bathhouse picks, ryokan kaiseki dinners, Sai no Kawara, and step-by-step transport from Tokyo.
- Nara Day Trip: Todaiji, Kasuga and the Famous DeerA full day in Nara: the giant Buddha at Todaiji, deer that pick pockets, the treasure hall, and the long walk up to Kasuga Taisha and its lanterns.
Osaka Street Food: Eating Through Dotonbori and KuromonOsaka street food priced and ordered: takoyaki, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu costs, the hours for Kuromon, Dotonbori and Shinsekai, and how to eat well for less.- Takao to Mt. Jinba Traverse: Tokyo's Long RidgeThe Takao to Mt. Jinba traverse: eighteen kilometres, twelve hundred metres of ascent, teahouse stops, the ridge descent to Fujino and a set turnaround time.
Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea: A Practical First GuideA practical intro to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea: how to get to Maihama, where to stay, fastpasses, queues, food, language and money tips for a first visit.
New on the blog
- Hello: Who Writes This Travel BlogMeet the writer behind this travel blog: slow, budget-friendly travel across Asia, honest practical notes, great food, and trips built around real life.
Kamakura Day Trip: Great Buddha and Temple WalksPlan a day trip from Tokyo to Kamakura: the Great Buddha at Kotokuin, Hasedera's caves and golden Kannon, a quiet Jizo garden, and walking routes.- Kinkakuji and Ryoanji: Two Kyoto Temples ComparedTwo famous Kyoto temples within walking distance: golden Kinkakuji and the quiet rock garden of Ryoanji, plus the best timing to skip the crowds.
- Kokedera Moss Temple and Kyoto's Cricket TemplePlan a visit to Kyoto's Kokedera moss temple: mail-only reservations, mandatory sutra copying, moss rules, and the quirky Cricket Temple next door.
- Walking the Nakasendo: Magome to Tsumago on FootWalking the Nakasendo between Magome and Tsumago: eight kilometres, two hundred metres of climb, old stone paving, teahouse stops and the time it really takes.
- Twelve Hours on Japan's Overnight BusWhat a Tokyo to Osaka night bus costs in 2026, how the seats compare with a Shinkansen, the overnight timetable, and the hours of sitting that decide the trip.
- When the ATM Closes at Six in Rural JapanRural Japan still runs on cash: where foreign cards work, why the post office ATM closes early, the fees on every withdrawal and how much yen to carry each day.