TOKYO — Last night’s dinner was arguably the best meal of the trip. We headed to a small neighborhood restaurant to enjoy an authentic Japanese experience — complete with seats on the floor.
This is not the kind of restaurant you read about in a guide book. It’s more the kind of place you know about […]

TOKYO — We began today by heading to Nagano Bakery, perhaps one of my new favorite bakeries. They have this fried pork sandwich with spicy mustard. Amazing. I enjoyed it with a Caffe Latte (milk and honey flavored this time; I thought I would branch out).
After grabbing a bite to eat, we headed to Yasukuni […]

HIROSHIMA, Japan — It seems only appropriate that a light rain fell on the Industrial Promotion Hall, ensuring that the setting was in fact somber. This site holds a very unique place in world history — it’s the site of the first atomic bomb ever used in war.
Dozens of tourists snapped pictures and took video. […]

ONBOARD A SHINKANSEN TRAIN — I’m sitting on board a Shinkansen headed for Shin-Osaka. There’ll we change trains and head to Hiroshima.
Hiroshima was a must-see for me. The city holds a unique place in world history as it was the first city subjected to an Atomic Bomb. At 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 6, 1945, the […]

ATAMI, Japan — We hit the road — make that rails — today and headed to a seaside resort town to enjoy a little more of the country’s culture.
It’s a bit of a relief to seen the country outside of Tokyo. Now, don’t get me wrong; I think Tokyo is great. But, I wanted to […]

TOKYO — There was something vaguely familiar about this place, as if I’d been here before. Of course, I don’t mean the fact that I was in this bar a few nights ago. No, it’s a place like this that harkens me back to my college days, the kind of seedy bar that was the […]

…And I’m Waiting on My Train to Come
TOKYO — The subway car is silent except for the sound of metal wheels on metal rails as the train made its way beneath Tokyo’s busy streets. Commuters look at their cell phones, read newspapers or simply mind their own business. There is no conversation.
It’s eerie just how […]

TOKYO — After wandering the streets for a bit, we walked into Mos Burger, the Japanese version of McDonald’s-like establishment, seeking a burger. This place is all the rage for Tokyo residents on the go. I ordered a spicy burger with chili on top.
After taking a look around, I realize this is nothing like a […]

TOKYO — When you think of ramen, it’s often as a meal that comes in little bags and costs maybe 13 cents each — the perfect meal for starving college kids. Well, it’s time to rethink ramen.
Ramen are anything but a cheap, mediocre dish. No, Ramen are a delectable and filling meal. There’s almost no […]

TOKYO — Today was a day of contrasts, starting with the scary before moving onto the scared. The scary came in the form of dancing Elvises. Who knew?
Hold on, we’ll get back to the dancing Elvises in a few.
We started the day gift shopping. I picked up a few souvenirs. Nothing big, but nothing I’m […]