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Asia

Osaka Castle

Why it’s worth visiting Osaka

To be honest, I'm not totally sure why we decided to go to Osaka. Although it's the second-largest city in Japan, it doesn't have the same buzz as Tokyo, charm as Kyoto or the scenic beauty of the small towns along the coast or in the shadow of Mount...
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deer nara japan

Visiting the deer in Nara Park

Without a doubt, Nara was one of my favorite "only in Japan" experiences. Nara Park is most famed for its herds of tame deer: as soon as you walk out of the main train station and into the park, you're surrounded by more deer than you can count. It...
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bamboo forest

What you can’t miss in Kyoto

If Tokyo feels like the city of the future, Kyoto charms as the city of Japan's past. It's full of elegant old temples, lush gardens, traditional tea ceremonies and geishas at golden hour. Although it's certainly picturesque, I will admit that our...
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Christine Merrill in Senso-Ji shrine in Tokyo

A guide to Tokyo for first-timers

Without a doubt, Tokyo is one of the most incredible cities I've ever visited--but oh man, it is overwhelming! It's a enormous, sprawling city with an eclectic mix of neighborhoods and a seemingly endless list of things to do and places to eat and...
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red shrine in Kyoto, Japan

First impressions of Japan

Japan had been top of my (and my husband's) want-to-visit list for years, and I'm so glad that we were finally able to make it happen. We just got back from 10 days in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, and we're already thinking about how we can finagle a trip...
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