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Top 10 Things to Do in Kyoto, Japan
As Japan’s “cultural capital,” Kyoto has no shortage of things to do and places to see. Its temples and shrines alone number over 1,600, with a dozen of those being UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Its...
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Hiroshima Japan Fall Trip Report
It’s been a while since the last installment of our Japan Fall & Winter Trip Report, but we pick up from our Miyajima installment with our other days in Hiroshima. Our first night in Hiroshima, we...
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Merriman’s: Top 10 Restaurant in United States?
On our last visit to Hawaii, we dined at Merriman’s for one of the best meals we’ve ever had. So, when TripAdvisor released their Travelers’ Choice Awards, I was not too surprised to see it rank #10....
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My Top 10 U.S. National Parks (So Far)
If you’ve perused the National Parks category of the blog, you might know that I’m a huge NPS enthusiast. In this post, I wanted to share my favorite parks from Maine to Hawaii, and everywhere in...
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Castle to Castle: Himeji to Hikone – Japan Trip Report
Our original plan for our first full day in Kyoto was to relax and decompress. It was a weekend during foliage season, meaning all of the tourist spots with fall colors would be crazy-busy. The day...
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Tenryu-ji Temple Review & Tips
Tenryu-ji Temple (天龍寺, Tenryūji) is the most important Zen temple in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district. It was ranked first among the city’s Five Great Zen Temples, and is now registered as a UNESCO World...
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Yosemite Firefall Photography Tips
Yosemite National Park’s Firefall at Horsetail Fall is a natural phenomenon that can be seen for a couple of weeks each year in late-February, assuming ample water flow. This post highlights some of...
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Kyoto Fall & Winter Trip Report – Part 2
It’s been a while since our two months in Japan ended (and since Part 1 of our Kyoto Trip Report), and this recap seems to be losing steam, both on my end and in terms of reader interest. Rather than...
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Daitokuji Temple Info, Tips & Review
Daitokuji (大徳寺) is a walled temple in Northern Kyoto with a number of subtemples that feature some of Japan’s finest zen and rock gardens. In this post, I’ll share photos I took at Daitokuji, history,...
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Our Experience in South Korea
With the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea today, I thought it’d be a perfect time to finally share our experience visiting nearby Seoul with a quick trip report...
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Sanrio Puroland Info, Tips & Strategy
Beyond reading that it’s Tokyo, Japan’s Hello Kitty theme park, I couldn’t find a lot of info about Sanrio Puroland before our visit. In this post, we seek to rectify the dearth of info and planning...
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Our Favorite Restaurants in Kyoto, Japan
Over the course of our time in Kyoto, we’ve spent a lot of time “researching” the best places to eat. This list focuses mainly on cheap and authentic Japanese cuisine, with a clear emphasis on value...
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Michelin-Star Meal on a Dime: Eating at Tim Ho Wan
World-renowned as the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant, Tim Ho Wan is famous for its baked BBQ pork buns. This Hong Kong dim sum spot’s most famous dish only costs under $3, and is truly one of...
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Château du Clos Lucé Review & Tips
Château du Clos Lucé is located in Amboise, France near the Loire River in the Centre Val de Loire region. The castle’s claim to fame is being the residence of Leonardo da Vinci during the last 3...
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Minions: the Duffy of Universal Studios Japan
Minion Park is the newest addition to Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, a moderately elaborate mini-land anchored around Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, a 3D ride through Gru’s lab, which replaced Back...
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Japan Fall Colors & Autumn Foliage Guide
In this post, we’ll share some autumn foliage forecasts for places throughout Japan, including Tokyo, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji, Hikone, and Mount Fuji. After that, we’ll look at specific temples...
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Kyoto Fall & Winter Trip Report – Part 3
All right! We’re finally back with the final installment of our Kyoto Fall & Winter Trip Report (if you’ve missed it, start with Part 1); the culmination of our 2-month stay in Japan. We’ve got a...
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Honen-in Temple Info, Tips & Review
Honen-in (法然院) is a free temple in Kyoto’s Higashiyama area, located along Philosopher’s Path just south of the Silver Pavilion. In this post, I’ll share photos of the temple, offer brief history,...
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Petersen Automotive Museum Review & Tips
Petersen Automotive Museum is a tribute to California’s car culture, set along Los Angeles’ Miracle Mile. This review offers photos from inside its exhibits, tips for visiting, and pros and cons of...
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Ryoanji Temple Info, Tips & Review
Ryoanji Temple (龍安寺, Ryōan-ji) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northwest Kyoto, featuring the most famous Zen rock garden in Japan. In this post, I’ll share photos I took at Ryoanji Temple, info...
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