Aomori
Towada Art Center: Kusama, Nara and an Art Square You Can Walk Into
Towada Art Center guide: Kusama and Nara stand outside the ticket gate, free. Admission, hours, the JR-pass bus from Hachinohe and the taxi-app trap.
Hideaki Yasukawa
Tokyo-based technology architect and lifelong Japan traveler. Marriott Lifetime Platinum (822 nights worldwide), 44 of 47 prefectures, ~60 hotel nights a year — usually with family. I verify every hotel before it appears here.
Japan
Shinkansen E-Ticket and Luggage at Tokyo Station: Reserved Seats Explained
Shinkansen e-ticket and luggage at Tokyo Station: how IC card boarding works, which trains are reserved-only, and which line needs a bag reservation.
Japan
Tokyo Station Guide Marunouchi Yaesu Exits: Which Side, Which Shinkansen Platform
Tokyo Station guide: Marunouchi vs Yaesu exits, which side has your shinkansen gate, and hotels within a 5-min walk of each, checked August 2026.
Japan
ibis Hotels Japan vs Japanese Budget Chains: Toyoko Inn, APA and Super Hotel Compared
ibis hotels Japan vs Japanese budget chains: room sizes, breakfast rules and prices for ibis, Toyoko Inn, APA and Super Hotel (Aug 2026).
Japan
Mitsui Garden vs Daiwa Roynet Kyoto: Which Shijo Chain to Book
Mitsui Garden vs Daiwa Roynet Kyoto: free public bath vs a 1-min subway walk. Compare prices, room sizes and breakfast for Shijo's mid-range chains.
Japan
Tokyu Excel vs Tokyu REI Hotels vs Tokyu Stay: The Three Brands Explained
Tokyu Excel vs Tokyu REI hotels vs Tokyu Stay: room size, breakfast and loyalty compared, plus 5 real hotels with checked walk times.
Japan
Dormy Inn vs Business Hotels Japan: APA, Toyoko Inn and the Public Bath Premium
Dormy Inn vs business hotels Japan travelers know (APA, Toyoko Inn, Super Hotel): what the bath premium buys, real prices, and when to skip it.
Japan
Holiday Inn vs ANA Crowne Plaza Japan: IHG's Two Brands Compared
Holiday Inn vs ANA Crowne Plaza Japan: real room sizes, breakfast rules and rates from ¥4,700, checked at hotels we stayed in Sapporo and Okayama.
Japan
APA vs Toyoko Inn vs Super Hotel: Which Japanese Budget Chain to Book
APA vs Toyoko Inn vs Super Hotel compared on price, room size, breakfast and baths, with real Shinjuku Kabukicho rates checked August 2026.
Roppongi
Roppongi Station Exits Guide: Hibiya Line, Oedo Line & Nearest Hotels
Roppongi station exits guide: which Hibiya/Oedo exit reaches Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi Hills or the National Art Center fastest, plus nearest hotels.
Yoichi
La Fête des Vignerons à Yoichi 2026: The Last Ticket Route Left
Every regular ticket for Yoichi's La Fête 2026 sold out. One official-sponsor hotel package still gets you in — 10 sets, with rare Takahiko pours.
Shibuya
Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square: Walk-In Craft Workshops in Tokyo (2026)
Free-entry craft gallery near Omotesando where kids join walk-in workshops every August — our child built a bamboo insect cage in under an hour.