Stephenie Harrison

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Steph4

A Trip to the Past in Takayama

Tony & I consider ourselves especially lucky that when it came to forming our itinerary for the Japan leg of our trip, we were able to get expert advice from our friend Laura (a.k.a L’Ell, as she is more affectionately known round these parts). L’Ell spent two years teaching...
Japan
Steph22

Melting Down in Matsumoto

In many ways, our first week of full-time travel was a lot harder than I predicted. I've mentioned it before, but the thing that I perhaps struggled with the most during this time was the food & dining element of travel, which was really surprising to me. We've established...
JapanMusings
Steph14

Another Adventure in Fearless Feasting: Gyutan

According to our original itinerary, the day following our perfect Obon experience in Matsushima had been set aside to visit Yamadera. But when faced with the prospect of having to actually climb up 1000 steps to visit the mountain temple there, we realized that not only were we absolutely...
FoodJapan
Steph17

Celebrating Obon in Matsushima

When I discovered that Tony and I had unwittingly booked the start of our Japan trip to coincide with the Japanese summer festival known as Obon, I made it my mission to ensure that we would get to witness at least one Obon celebration while we were in Japan....
Japan
Steph24

Monthly Musings: Reflecting on our First Month of Travel

Although you wouldn't think it to look at our blog, today marks one month since Tony and I left North America to travel long-term! We have been doing our best to get the blog a little more up-to-date and hopefully the gulf between our posts and reality will eventually...
MusingsTips & Tricks
Steph31

A Daytrip to Kamakura

After years of planning and saving for our RTW trip, not to mention all the obstacles we overcame to take it, you would think that Tony and I would have been bursting with uncontainable joy once we hit the ground in Tokyo. Finally, our dreams were reality and we...
Japan
Steph6

The Time we Ate at the Japanese Cheesecake Factory

Because we knew we wanted to experience Shibuya at night, we decided to also grab dinner in the area. According to our guide books, the area is teeming with department stores and restaurants, so we figured that finding somewhere that was relatively accessible to eat wouldn't be too much...
FoodJapan
Steph5

Shibuya: the Busiest Intersection in the World

I freely admit that when it came to Tokyo, I was at a bit of a loss in terms of things to see and do. The city is so big, with so many little districts and weird things to see and do, that it was all rather overwhelming; it...
Japan
Steph4

A Sunday Spent At Yoyogi-Koen

If your aim while in Tokyo is to observe the Japanese cut loose and let their freak flags fly, then Yoyogi-Koen is where you need to go on a Sunday. Located in the Harajuku district, this is where the more flamboyant Japanese congregate, often decked out in elaborate and...
Japan
Steph8

Feasting Fearlessly in Tokyo: Monjayaki

If our first meal in Tokyo did not make this clear, Japan is a nation of adventurous eaters. While many of the meals that are prepared at restaurants are done so with obvious care and artistic flare, proving the old addage true that we eat first with our eyes,...
FoodJapan
Steph10

The Best View in Tokyo

When you go to Paris and you want great views, you think of the Eiffel Tower. New York, the Empire State Building. Toronto, the CN Tower. Tokyo, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building...?
JapanTips & Tricks
Steph0

Tokyo’s Black Market: Ameyoko Arcade

After visiting the Tokyo National Museum, we returned to Ameyoko Arcade on our way back to the Metro. What a difference a few hours made; the sleepy serpentine lanes were now teeming with life and plenty of shoppers. We've yet to see things get raucous in Japan, but this...
Japan
Steph8

The Tokyo National Museum

With the myriad of museums (and other attractions) that are situated in Ueno Park, you'd be hard pressed to pick just one. We know that for many people, Tokyo is all about the space-age technology and all things modern, so perhaps choosing the Tokyo National Museum might strike some...
Japan
Steph10

A Stroll through Ueno Park

On our second day in Tokyo, we were still a bit jet lagged, but managed to sleep in until the respectable hour of 6:30 am.
Japan
Steph19

Eating Our Hearts Out On Our First Night in Tokyo

After a much needed nap, Tony & I forced ourselves out of bed in search of a 100 Yen shop and some dinner. We were still feeling pretty groggy (I may have resorted to slapping my own face once or twice in an attempt to wake myself up) as...
FoodJapan