We didn’t fall in love with Hokkaido at first sight, as we did with the rest of Japan. It is the most isolated one of the main Japanese islands, has the weakest traffic connections, isn’t as organized and efficient as the rest of Japan, its trends in tourism are old-fashioned, simply- everything isn’t as you would expect from Japan.
Read MoreLast year's favorites, V
Even though my Last Year’s Favorites is an annual post that I intended to write at the beginning of each year, last year saw it in February- now, it’s April, but this kind of post seems more convenient than ever.
Read MoreJapan road trip: Okayama and Naoshima
The last stop of our ten-day road trip around Japan was the town of Okayama- which was our base for exploring the island of Naoshima. Naoshima was a lucky discovery because of Yayoi Kusama’s iconic pumpkin and Okayama was a lucky discovery because of Naoshima, as the closest town that offered moderately priced accommodation.
Read MoreJapan road trip: a day in Kobe
Kobe was the fourth stop of our Japan road trip, chosen as a midpoint between Iga and Okayama, alluring because of its alleged seaside vibe all the guides talked about.
Read MoreJapan road trip: Iga and Shigaraki
I’ve been building up expectations for Iga and Shigaraki ever since we booked our trip to Japan in January last year. I expected it to be pottery heaven, picturesque yet unspoiled by tourism.
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