Asia

When it comes to deciding between booking a hotel or an airbnb in Kyoto, or any part of Japan for that matter, the decision is easy. Definitely book an airbnb. Hotel rates are based per person, not per room, and occupancy levels are strictly adhered to with exact allowances of who can and cannot be in the room. When you are...

Shrouded within a forest, the Kiyomizu-dera Temple is balanced on the edge of Mt. Otowa. It is built into the rock wall facing the city of Kyoto overlooking the Higashiyama District to the west. Your journey to Kiyomizu-dera will provide you a glimpse of what you are about to experience along the way. The top most part of the...

Tokyo is an awesome melting pot of weirdness combined with electronics, combined with futuristic tech, combined with history, combined with masses upon masses of people, combined with karaoke. Oh yes, this article is all about karaoke in Japan.  Not just karaoke in Japan, but fantasy karaoke in Japan. Aaaaaah yeah.  Yes, This is Why You Need to Experience Private Karaoke in Japan What...

Tokyo is a sprawling city, the most populated city in the world in fact! We were eager to see all that combustion in action all together from a killer skyline view. The Tokyo Tower offers a stunning view of Tokyo, but comes with a high price tag too.  Instead, the best free view of Tokyo can be found at...

We didn't know how good we had it. This was our first airbnb experience in Japan, and we didn't fully appreciate the fusion of amenities we were offered. We didn't yet appreciate that traditional Japanese housing offers mats on the floor instead of mattresses, paper for walls, a soaking tub with a bucket instead of a shower, and hand...

Grocery shopping in Japan is like stepping into an alternate universe. The staples are there, bread, meat, fruit, candy, drinks, etc., but the availability of items on the island versus the mainland, and specific items that are exclusive to Japan is wholly different. Not to mention, the culture of Japan is totally ingrained into the grocery shopping rituals in...

Arisugawa-no-Miya Memorial Park is located amidst the hectic Japanese streets, but offers a tranquil break from the mad rush of everyday life in Tokyo. Beyond the statues, streams, waterfalls and walking trails, there are tons of hidden treasures.  This list includes all the reasons you'll absolutely love Arisugawa-no-Miya Memorial Park!  ► Ranking: #cleandiaper Arisugawa-no-Miya Memorial Park 5 Chome-7-29 Minamiazabu, 港区 Minato-ku, Tōkyō-to 106-0047,...

Gabriel has been promising to eat the Korean delicacy silk pupae snack, also known as beondegi, since we first arrived in South Korea. Today, was that day! In fact, not only did Gabriel eat bugs in South Korea, but each one of our kids were up for the challenge as well. We are going to share with you why you would...

No matter where you are in the world, or what nationality you hail from, there is just something comforting about a Chinatown. You can count on it in every city, from San Francisco to Incheon, Korea. Excellent Chinese food, red and gold decorations with dragons spewing fire, and a language that makes most foreigners sure the locals are gossiping...

Elevators in Korea are torture chambers. They are slow, they don't stop at the floor you want, the doors don't open or close on their own, and most importantly there is some unsaid hierarchy to riding them and operating them that we will never understand. If you know and recognize the evil schemes of Tyrone Rugen, Prince Humperdink's count from...