For a long time, Susann and Little A really wanted to travel to Japan. We spent weeks searching for affordable flights so that we could make the journey during the school Christmas holidays. However, because our travel dates were strictly locked to work and school schedules, every flight ticket to Japan was far too expensive,…
After our brief, jetlagged transit through South Korea, our Peach Airways flight touched down at Osaka’s Kansai International Airport. We arrived at one of the airport’s remote terminals, which had the distinct advantage of a very smooth and quick passport control process, though it required a slightly longer bus ride to reach the main terminal…
After spending our first few days settling into the rhythm of Osaka and Kyoto, December 27 marked a shift in our travel strategy. It was finally time to pick up and activate our week-long regional train passes. During the early planning stages, we had carefully evaluated the famous nationwide Japan Rail Pass. However, after mapping…
As our time in the Kansai region drew toward its close and the final days of 2025 approached, we shifted our focus from the wider regional rail network back to the cultural heartland of Kyoto and the vibrant local neighborhoods of Osaka. After dedicating the previous days to day trips reaching as far as Okayama…
Waking up in Osaka on the first morning of 2026, the absolute, surprising stillness of the previous night quickly gave way to the practical reality of moving on. The Kansai region had provided a fantastic base for exploring the grand temples of Kyoto and the bustling street food scenes of Osaka, but it was time…
After the heavy historical weight of Hiroshima, arriving in Fukuoka on the northern shore of Kyushu felt like stepping into a lighter, more relaxed chapter of our journey. As our final full day in Japan dawned, we were eager to take advantage of the sunny weather and explore a city known for its integration of…
Having spent our first afternoon in Busan looking out over the bustling harbor from rooftop gardens, we were eager to explore the city at ground level. Busan is a fascinating metropolis where dense urban development is aggressively squeezed between towering mountains and a rugged, expansive coastline. Unlike the rigid, grid-like efficiency of Seoul or Osaka,…
Leaving the coastal cliffs and organic sprawl of Busan behind, the final leg of our three-week East Asia winter exploration had arrived. We took a short domestic flight back up the peninsula, returning to the capital, Seoul, to close the loop on a journey that had spanned two countries, multiple climate zones, and a relentless…