For the last decade, we assumed that traveling to Japan with small kids would be a nightmare. In fact, we made a concerted effort to visit as much as possible before having a baby–including multi-month “bucket list” type trips–because we feared that would be impossible with an infant or toddler. After spending well over a […]| Travel Caffeine
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Our 2024 fall colors forecast for Japan offers peak viewing info & tips for popular autumn foliage spots, including Kyoto, Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Himeji, and Nara. We’ll also share strategy for visiting the best temples, shrines, and evening illuminations. (Updated September 6, 2024.) Autumn is one of the most stunning times of the […]| Travel Caffeine
Robot Restaurant is a crazy show in Tokyo, Japan’s Shinjuku district with dancers, lasers, monsters, samurai & more. This review shares how to buy discount tickets, whether it’s worth the money, what you should expect, and photos from our experiences. (Updated September 5, 2024.) The bad news: Robot Restaurant has now been temporarily closed since early […]| Travel Caffeine
This guide to sakura season in Japan and cherry blossom flowering forecast for 2024 covers our favorite spots, best temples & shrines in Kyoto, tips & tricks for avoiding crowds. We also take a deeper dive into the topic, highlighting hidden gems where you’ll find fewer people and no busloads of tour groups. (Updated March […]| Travel Caffeine
Evening illuminations during sakura season are popular at temples, castles, and gardens in Kyoto, Japan. This list shares the best nighttime cherry blossom spots throughout the city, with 2024 dates & details, plus our recommended 1-night itinerary if you only have a single night to see all of the special lights. We’ve experienced sakura season […]| Travel Caffeine
This guide covers where to stay in Kyoto, with recommendations for the best area of the city. We also weigh pros & cons of various styles of accommodations: Japanese lodging (machiya & ryokan), luxurious or budget-friendly hotel rooms, top Airbnbs, and more. (Updated March 14, 2024.) No matter how long you’re staying in Kyoto, you […]| Travel Caffeine
During spring sakura season, Hirano Shrine is one of the top spots in Kyoto cherry blossoms. Its nighttime illuminations and parties are among the best events in all of Japan. This post offers hanami at Hirano tips and our thoughts on the Oukasai Cherry Blossom Festival. (Updated March 14, 2024.) As we shared in updates […]| Travel Caffeine
For sakura season, Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, Japan has special night illumination. We’ve visited during the night lighting for cherry blossom season many times, and share some of our experiences, photos and tips we’ve learned during the visit. (Updated March 14, 2024.) During the 2024 cherry blossom season, Kiyomizudera Temple is open for nighttime illumination […]| Travel Caffeine
TeamLab Planets and Borderless are interactive digital art museums in Tokyo Japan that offer galleries of immersive and Instagrammable surreal installations. This review explains what that actually means, shares photos from inside the exhibits and covers whether it’s worth the time, money & effort to visit, plus tips for buying tickets. teamLab offers a number of temporary exhibitions […]| Travel Caffeine
Our Universal Studios Japan restaurant reviews feature food photos from dining spots throughout the park, menu photos, and tips for what to order while at this theme park in Osaka, now including Super Nintendo World. From cute snacks to hearty meals, and Mario to Harry Potter to Hello Kitty, we’ve got you covered! (Updated March […]| Travel Caffeine
