You guys, I finally made it to Kyoto in the Spring (well back in 2017) with my friend Katie, of course. Let me tell you... there is really nothing better than Japan in the Spring! We actually stayed in Osaka at the cutest place called Lucky's Hostel, because we couldn't find any place to stay in Kyoto. If you're wondering, it is super doable to stay in Osaka[...]
Are you currently researching a possible trip to Okinawa, Japan? Okinawa has been slowly getting the attention of people all over the world. You've probably read an article or two about the great number of centenarians (people over the age of 100) living in Ogimi Village. Maybe you saw the documentary Happy, where Okinawa is mentioned as one of the happiest[...]
Okinawa isn't as "religious" as the rest of Japan (in quotes because Japan isn't very religious at all), which is why there aren't as many temples/shrines here. Kin Kannon-ji Temple is actually 1 of 8 Buddhist temples in the whole Ryukyu Islands, probably as a result of World War II. It is easily overlooked and down the road from Camp Hansen in Kin Town. Lik[...]
After 5.5 years in Okinawa, I finally made it to the Kijoka Purple Iris Fields in Ogimi Village with my friend Lauren. I had seen photos from others who had visited, but really had no expectations. It was the most gorgeous spring day and as we drove closer to the pin on Google Maps, we spotted a sea of purple. We were so pleasantly surprised by how many flow[...]
After visiting the Snow Monkeys and exploring Matsumoto Castle, our last stop in Nagano was the Zenko-ji Temple. This one is considered one of the most important temples in Japan because it houses the first Buddhist statue brought into Japan in the 6th century. The statue is actually hidden from the public and a copy is displayed for a few weeks, every 6 yea[...]
After seeing the famous Japanese macaques bathe at the Jigokudani Monkey Park, we headed to one of Nagano's most popular attractions, Matsumoto Castle. Most of Japan's castles have had to be fully reconstructed over the centuries, but this is one of small number of original castles left standing and is considered a National Treasure of Japan. It has been nic[...]