Disney, Snoopy, dinosaurs… Japanese adults seem to have a weird liking for children’s cartoons. I am getting sooo many compliments on the Hello Kitty socks I got from my Airbnb host! Nobody seems to have second thoughts about an adult wearing these. And what about [...]
My first impression of Kyoto is even better than Tokyo: the old town is almost like a village, with beautiful old wooden houses and temples and great tiny local restaurants. I stayed at a simple, very conveniently located Airbnb apartment. Walking distance from public transport and the famous [...]
Just 160km from Tokyo (one hour by shinkansen bullet train) and you’re in a different world. Mountains, villages without the facilities of the big city and lots of snow. Most Japanese people work so hard that they can only go skiing for one day. [...]
People work really hard in Tokyo. Many times I saw passengers on the metro falling asleep, some even while standing. I prefer to take it easy, have a good nights sleep and then pick a beautiful work spot to get some things done. My [...]
Three examples of how ordinary things (such as buying groceries in a supermarket, finding a shower and flushing a toilet) can become ‘adventures’ when you don’t speak the language…. Next in line, please Even going to the supermarket is an adventure in Japan. [...]
Japanese people live in tiny apartments because there is so little space and so many people… Check out these videos of a subway station and a busy intersection: The people in the subway station are trying to get home, I was trying to get to [...]
I first stayed in a tiny Airbnb apartment in Bunkyo, a very local area in Tokyo. No more than 14m2, but it has everything, including a mini kitchen with a mini washing machine and a cozy bathroom with a mini bathtub! I had to squeeze myself to the [...]