Image of a hamgburger. A speech bubble next to it has the Japanese pronunciation 'han-baa-gaa' next to it.

100 Japanese Words You Already Know

While Japanese can be a highly complex language, some of it is more familiar than you might think. A lot of words have very similar pronunciation to the same word in English – so, here’s 100 useful Japanese words you might need on your trip that you probably already know (or won’t find it hard to learn)

Read more

Arashiyama bamboo forest with the words 'skip it' written over it

Avoid These 7 Tourist Trap Nightmares in Japan!

Most of the things I’ve done in Japan have been amazing – a few, though, were a little less stellar! So, while the above might be a slightly clickbait headline, if you’re tight on time, these are the places I’ve visited in the past that did not live up to the hype and that you might also want to skip.

Read more

Blue and brown shinkansen train at Nagano Station

5 Shinkansen Trains in Japan That Need a Seat Reservation

Catching a bullet train in Japan can be as simple as turning up at the station, buying your ticket and jumping on the next service – but not always. Some popular trains become reservation-only at some times of the year, and a few others operate reservation-only seating year-round. Here’s what you need to know to ensure you don’t get caught out.

Read more

bowl of creamy tonkatsu ramen at Ichiran in Japan. topped with green onions, red sauce and pork slices

How to Order at Ichiran in Japan

If you’re planning on visiting the Ichiran ramen chain on your trip to Japan, it’s good to have an idea of how their unique ordering system works so you can breeze through it like a local. Let us explain…

Read more