Category Archives: Japan Travel

Unstaffed Stations of Japan #22 – Endō (A Filming Location!)

Think of train stations in Japan and the mighty Shinjuku station is sure to come to mind for many people. That is the world’s busiest train station, and Japan monopolises the top 50 list with only five of them not in … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Travel, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

#WeStopAtNothing! Visiting All The Platform Zero Stations In Nagano

There’s something slightly mystical and Harry Potter-like about these platforms and one has to wonder why some stations have them whether it be because it’s been added on that particular side of platform 1 or just because they began their numbering … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Travel, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Day In Yamaguchi Prefecture: The Fox-Blessed Hot Spring Town, A Feast of Football & A Few Notable Stations!

As far as day trips go, this one had all the trademarks of a typical Tokyo Fox one as it included train stations, foxes and football which have all played a fairly significant part over the years in terms of … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Travel, Quirky Japan, Sport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Original-Style Vending Machines, Cleaning Out The Gutters, Tennis Coaching, Toilet Problems & Some Breathtaking Moments!

At the end of June my wife and I went to our family holiday home in Izu (Shizuoka Prefecture) for the first time in six months. Not surprisingly the garden in particular was a bit of a mess but we … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Golden Statue Hunting In A Low Mountain Valley Not So Far From Tokyo!

“I love gooooooold” said one of Mike Myers’ many characters in ‘Austin Powers In Goldmember‘ (2002), and when it comes to statues I can only agree with the gold-obsessed Dutch super-villain. In search of seeing some fine examples of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Travel, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Reality of Being a Blogger! (Part 2): 18 B-Grade Sights in 3 Prefectures in 60 Hours!

Just 36 hours after returning from my travels around Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, Shiga and Aichi, and I was off again on another short trip further afield. After an absence of ten years, it was time to return to Japan’s most … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Travel, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Quickest Way To Ride Through All 106 Stations On The 4 Toei Lines In Tokyo

Have you ever wondered what the quickest way to ride through all 106 stations on Tokyo’s four Toei Lines is? If you’re answer to that rather ironic question is yes then you have come to the right place but you … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Travel, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cold Showers, Dodgy Electricity & An Overgrown Garden: The Ups & Downs of Having A Holiday Home

A recent short break for all the teachers in my workplace allowed some time to relax and enjoy the time off but that wasn’t quite the case for me. On the face of it a trip to the east coast … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Japan Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Unstaffed Stations of Japan #21 – Yotsutsuji

Think of train stations in Japan and the mighty Shinjuku station is sure to come to mind for many people. That is the world’s busiest train station, and Japan monopolises the top 50 list with only five of them not in … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Reality of Being a Blogger (Part 1): 15 B-Grade Spots in 5 Prefectures in 36 Hours

The majority of people going between Tokyo and Osaka will usually just take the the Shinkansen (bullet train) but flying can often be cheaper. However, the location of both the airports is not so convenient, especially as I was flying … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Travel, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments