“If Toyota catches a cold, Nagoya does.” This local saying expresses just how much influence Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture’s second largest city with around 420,000 residents, has on the prefectural capital’s financial health and well-being, and indeed on the entire country’s. So, what makes Toyota so vital to regional and national economic success? Well, it’s […]
Asia/Oceania
How to Read a Japanese Calendar
Understanding how to read a Japanese calendar is an important part of life in Japan. While it may seem intimidating at first when you see a combination of letters and numbers, luckily the Japanese date system is extremely easy to master once you understand a few basic concepts. First of all, we need to understand […]
14+ Incredible, Interesting and Delicious Things to do in Taipei
Taipei remains one of the most underrated cities in Asia. It’s dynamic, modern, eclectic and the perfect place to base yourself for trips throughout Taiwan. Tradition and history can be found in pockets all over the city and it has a living and breathing foodie culture that’s hard to beat. If you’re wondering about things […]
Mount Kinabalu climb experience – what to expect
When there’s a mountain there, we just have to climb it, and Mount Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo was one of those accessible peaks that we had been keen to conquer for some time. So when we once again found ourselves in Southeast Asia it seemed like the perfect time to check the Mt Kinabalu climb […]
Japan’s Kobe Beef: What Makes It Special
Cows that drink beer, are massaged with rice wine and listen to classical music? For meat lovers, Kobe beef is considered the epitome of fine dining. But what is Kobe beef, where does Kobe beef come from and why is it so expensive? So, what is Kobe beef exactly? Kobe beef, sometimes misspelled as Colby […]
Ao no Dokutsu: Blue Cave Shibuya Illumination 2018
The Shibuya Ao no Dokutsu, meaning the ‘Shibuya Blue Cave,’ is the closest and most spectacular winter illuminations near Shibuya Station. The event started in Nakameguro along the banks of the Meguro River in 2014, and was moved to Shibuya in 2016. Due to popular demand, it’s now in its third year in Shibuya, and […]
15 Top Places to see Christmas lights in Tokyo 2018-19
Are you looking for places to see Christmas lights in Tokyo? Well, you’re in luck because the Japanese are all on board with it, and the displays are increasing in number and wow factor every year. Here are 15 places to see Christmas lights in Tokyo in 2018! Where to see Christmas lights in Roppongi […]
5 of the best German Christmas markets in Tokyo in 2018
The Japanese seem to be taking Christmas to a whole new level every year. Of course, being a non-traditional holiday, adopting celebratory practices from other cultures is somewhat of a given. One of the most trending adoptions of the past couple of years is German Christmas markets, where the Japanese trade grilled fish for bratwurst […]
Tokyo Christmas Market 2018: Tokyo’s Answer to a European Christmas
If you’re looking for a European Christmas market in Tokyo to put you in the mood for the holidays, then the Tokyo Christmas Market in Hibiya has got you sorted. Given that Japanese celebrations of Western holidays usually come with a distinct Japanese twist, I was surprised at just how authentic the Hibiya Christmas market […]