Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
We’re home. Happy and wide-eyed from the beautiful and bizarre things we saw in Japan. I can’t wait to tell you about them, so I will be sharing some stories, recommendations and photos in a series of...
View ArticleTokyo Waterfront
We had a very vague plan of attack when it came to exploring the vast waterfront. The only thing that was a must, was the visit to Tsukiji fish market—the biggest seafood market in the world. And since...
View ArticleNikko, Japan
In a book about Japan I saw a magnificent image of a forest once. The kind of forest that legends are told about, where the light diffuses through tall pillars and in equal measure reveals and conceals...
View ArticleNorthern Alps, Japan
Even a mere glimpse of mountains makes my soul want to dance (see photo evidence). This is probably because Toronto lies in a particularly flat area of Canada, so I often play a game with myself and...
View ArticleNagano, Japan
This is just a small taste of Nagano: the town of the most delicious savory pastries, eye-popping topiary and colourful parking garages—or at least that’s what stood out for us. Plus a visit to the...
View ArticleKyoto (Nama Chocolate House)
I’m going to start with the sweetest part of Kyoto. Kind of like eating dessert first. Tucked away in a traditional machiya is my idea of heaven: Nama Chocolat Organic Tea House. I immediately knew we...
View ArticleTakayama + Kyoto, Japan
We reached Kyoto via a night’s stop in Takayama, a mountain town where we (finally) biked through rice fields, hiked the surrounding hills and found a surprising nod to Americana. Takayama’s old town...
View ArticleKyoto (Arashiyama and Moss Temple)
We spent 4 of the most comfortable sleeps in Arashiyama, a beautiful suburb—a far cry from the North American definition of that word. Arashiyama is close enough for a daily pilgrimage to Kyoto (via...
View ArticleHiroshima, Japan
Ah Hiroshima. What a sweet surprise. The last leg of our journey took us as far south as this infamous city. It proved to be so much more than a history lesson. We were lucky to have a great in—Yushi,...
View ArticleHiroshima + Miyajima, Japan
"The rainy season is coming early" we heard people say when we reached Hiroshima. And so it was, wet and a little grey but not without bursts of bike-friendly sunshine. The melancholy weather reflected...
View ArticleIse Peninsula, Japan
Our brief visit to the Ise Peninsula felt otherworldly. We drove in (and out) through the most impossible fog and heavy rain but this didn’t dampen the magic. I was most excited to get a glimpse of the...
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