Welcome to Kyushu Island
I’ve been to Japan several times, but most of those trips have taken me to the island of Honshu: glittering Tokyo, vibrant Osaka, quietly mournful Hiroshima. This time, my steps veered in a different direction—heading south, toward Kyushu. An island I’d only known from maps and stories. I wanted to see a different side of […]
Zig-Zag on the Caldera: Travel Notes from Aso to Kumamoto
Today’s journey felt like a train pilgrimage. The relay began at noon: taking the Yufuin no Mori from Yufuin to Beppu, then continuing on the Aso Boy! to Aso. After two hours of being pampered by the warm wooden interior and wide observation windows of Aso Boy!, we arrived at Aso Station . Here we […]
To Kyushu, A Must-Ride—The ASO BOY!
After exploring Beppu Station and getting to know the legendary Aburaya Kumahachi, it was time to return to the platform for the journey I had been looking forward to since the beginning. On the departure board, the name ASO BOY! appeared in letters that felt much more cheerful than the other trains. This train would […]
Between the Gumuling Well and the Mango Trees at the Pleret Museum
After driving for about thirty minutes from the Alun-alun Kidul area, we finally arrived in Pleret. Our main destination that afternoon was the Pleret Archaeological Museum, a place I had long wanted to visit, but for some reason had always put off. As we arrived in front of the museum, I felt a little hesitant. […]
The “Takbiran” Tradition to Welcome Christmas and New Year in Macau
Compared to Hong Kong, Macau always comes second, except when viewed from a historical perspective, antiquity, and several cultural uniqueness. Macau has been a Portuguese colony since the 16th century, much older than Hong Kong, which only became a British colony in the mid-19th century. One unique legacy that remains to this day is the […]
The Fun of Playing with Deer in Nara
After lunch at the Indian-Nepali restaurant Lumbini, our stomachs felt warm and full. The aroma of spices and seasoned rice lingered on our tongues. We felt we had enough energy to explore Nara again. From Kintetsu Nara Station, we crossed to a bus stop decorated with a deer illustration in large blue letters: “I” for […]
The Booming Liujiang Tourism, a New Choice in Guangxi, Southern China
Liujiang is a district located in the natural karst region of Guangxi, renowned for its flowing rivers and rice paddies. In recent years, the district has leveraged its thriving rural industry and dynamic agricultural economy to develop its tourism business. In the first three quarters of this year, Liujiang District received a total of 5.9975 […]
The Tori Gate of Thousands of Hopes in Fushimi Inari, Kyoto
While we spent the afternoon and evening in Kobe yesterday, we left our apartment in Kikawahigashi early this morning. We took an online taxi to Shin-Osaka Station—a major hub for Kansai travel—because today’s route was longer: Kyoto and Nara. Shin-Osaka always feels like a gateway to the future. Grand, modern, and busy. It’s known as […]
The Charm of Dancing with a Water Circus in Macau
Macau, a mini-nation in the Pearl River Delta, a former Portuguese colony returned to China in 1999, is renowned as one of the largest and most exciting gambling and entertainment centers in East Asia. In fact, currently, the number of hotels that double as casinos is said to have a larger capacity than the world’s […]
A peek at the Kobe Herb Gardens
After a day spent simply walking around Osaka, today it was time to visit Kobe—a port city that always offers little surprises, from its rugged landscape to the oldest mosque in Japan. It was almost noon when we left our apartment and took a Go taxi to Jūsō Station. This time, we didn’t go to […]
