Asakusa Travel Blogs | Travelogues | Travel Journals

We took the subway again (we were getting the hang of it by now) to the Asakusa Nakamise shopping district.  There was a series of temples and shrines there.  Lee and Dave made the point that they were nice, but just not that spectacular compared to Wat Arun and the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, that  the three of us had visited in 2004.  Lee likened it to seeing Badlands National Park after having visited The Grand Canyon.   Its cool, but just not the ...

I decided to come to Japan to teach English back in 2003. I intended to stay only a year but a year has turned into 5 years and still counting. Now married and will be here till 2009 making my total stay here to be 6 years. I've learnt much about the customs and culture of Japan so id like to share some of my knowledge with you. I hope my experiences can help other people travelling to Japan. I will slowly be adding my photos, tips and reviews.

I first met my friend Clara in August 2002 at Eden Hill Hostel in Sligo Ireland. We only hung out together in Sligo for a day before our respective itineraries took us in different directions, but kept in touch over the years. Clara is from Spain, but found a job in Tokyo and relocated to Japan. After leaving my last job, I finally had an opportunity to travel again, so I decided to fly out to visit her and to explore Japan.

tripping around japan, my home country on holidays throughout the time here.

Quick trip to Japan in April 2008

Today I met up with Yuka and Aya, some friends from elementary school back in Singapore.  I haven't seen (or really talked to) them in about 6 years so it was nice to see them again.  We went to Asakusa, one of the most traditional and historical neighbourhoods in Tokyo.  At the entrance to Asakusa is Kaminari-mon, or Thunder and Lightning Gate.  You can't really tell from the picture,but you walk underneath the huge lantern to go through the gate.  The lan...

Asakusa is one of the neighborhoods of Tokyo that still carries with it an essence of the "old Shitamachi spirit". In the Tokugawa period, Asakusa was a midpoint betwen the city and the pleasure district of Yoshiwara. It developed into a thriving entertainment town that eventually became the center for kabuki theatre. Today, it is much like any other neighborhood with high-rises and the like, however it is no longer the pleasure district it once used to be. But just walking around you still g...

This trip was totally out of the blue, whilst on my Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand, I needed to get away from windy Wellington so I chose this strange combination. I was spoilt with beautiful deserted Motu in the South Pacific and amazed at the Japanese culture, its a Country like no other I've ever witnessed, a place I fell in love with and hope to return very soon.

The view from Tokyo Tower is truly beautiful .

My sister said she would bring me to the famous temple a few train rides away from her home.  She said this is a famous tourist spot. a must-see for first time goers to Japan. Asakusa.Asakusa is where the temple Sensoji  is, the major trademark of this temple is the big red lantern hanging by the gate.When you walk inside, you'll see this great stretch of stores, selling souvenirs, like key chains, fans,  small lanterns, face towels, and traditional Japanese treats.  There...