Hakata is best known for two things: being home to the largest wooden Buddha and Hakata Ramen. We tossed our bags in a coin locker at the station, halfway between…

A quick 45 minute Shinkansen ride dropped us at Kumamoto Station. The city is best known for it’s castle, Kumamoto-jō, which was completed in 1607. The original was burned after…

Arriving in Kagoshima in the late afternoon, we checked in and relaxed for a bit before heading back out for dinner. It was great to see Miwa, who was in…

Nagasaki Peace Memorial A morning train ride brought us up to the north part of Nagasaki. We first entered the Peace Memorial Hall for Atomic Bomb Victims, which has a…

The first Shinkansen voyage of the trip was a long haul. We left from Odawara Station, south of Yokohama. It was the first day the Japan Rail Pass was valid,…

Hakone and the surrounding area is a traditional gateway for people from Yokohama and Tokyo to escape the city and get out into nature. The area is mountainous and forested,…

Kamakura was the capital of Japan from 1185 to 1333. It was a time of great battles and feuds, but eventually a leader called Yoritomo set up his base at…

The following day, my former homestay sister picked us up to spend a few days with her family. On the way, we took a long, relaxing detour to Sankeien, an…

Arriving at Yokohama Station, I felt like I was back on my old stomping grounds. I lived here for about a year, my senior year of high-school and the summer…

Since we used Choice Hotel points for our night in Tokyo, we were in a great, central location. The room was small but comfortable, and included a vast assortment of…