Shona McCarthyAug 31, 20202 minClimb Mount Fuji in Your Area TodayThanks to the Pacer app, it is now possible to virtually climb Mount Fuji without going to Japan, and at the end, you get to keep a beaut...
Shona McCarthyAug 28, 20202 minSakura Season Southern HemisphereSpring time will soon return in Australia. So I wanted to reflect upon a suburban tour of sakura some friends and I did together last yea...
Shona McCarthyAug 26, 20205 minFast Food, Not As you Know It: In JapanOne of the things that I love about travel is being able to see how the same fast food franchise can vary from nation to nation. But in J...
Shona McCarthyAug 25, 20202 minDream Location: NaganoWhen one hears of Nagano, one might be inclined to think of winter sports. Of skiing, snowboarding and hiking. But perhaps the lesser-kn...
Shona McCarthyAug 21, 20203 minThe Ryozen Museum of History: Spending Time With Ryoma SakamotoNord VPN will protect your connection like a samurai: Since I was already in Ryozen, visiting Ryoma Sakamoto's grave and a restaurant whe...
Shona McCarthyAug 19, 20203 minSakura In JapanSince spring will soon begin in the southern hemisphere, but lock-downs are still in place for all of Melbourne, I thought it might be ni...
Shona McCarthyAug 17, 20202 minJapanese Ghost Story Mugs(Images used with permission.) Lockdowns might mean that Halloween can't be celebrated the usual ways this year. But for something a litt...
Shona McCarthyAug 14, 20203 minThe Facts and Fiction of Capsule AccommodationWhile on my last trip to Arashiyama, I managed to stay in a beautiful capsule hotel that was part of the Arashiyama Randen station. It wa...
Shona McCarthyAug 11, 20203 minJaws: The Ride, Universal Studios JapanFor some reason, one is not allowed to take pictures on the Jaws Ride at Universal Studios Japan. But Since we're not, I wasn't able to t...
Shona McCarthyAug 11, 20202 minWhen You Fail At Going To The Katsura RikyuSometimes, when you go to visit a tourist location, things can go wrong. If it was hard to get to and impossible to enter, you may wonder...
Shona McCarthyAug 7, 20202 minCelebrate Obon Festival Online with Maiko Geisha! 3000 Yen!(Image borrowed from Pexels.) For just 3000 yen you will be able to see Maiko Geisha online! August 16th is the last day of Obon, one of ...
Shona McCarthyAug 5, 20203 minPokemon Centre, Kyoto(Taken by me, 2019.) While I was still in Kyoto, I decided I wanted to see the Kyoto Pokemon Center. I wasn't really sure what I was goin...
Shona McCarthyAug 4, 20203 minKyo-Train - Feeling of Kyoto on The Way(Above images borrowed from sharing-kyoto.com/See-Do/magazine/td008348 , 4/8/20. Love that vintage feel. ) While I was on my last trip to...
Shona McCarthyJul 31, 20202 minSamurai Battle on KamogawaIt's thought by many that Kamogawa, or the Kamo river is the symbol of Kyoto. It has a close association with the local Geisha districts ...
Shona McCarthyJul 29, 20202 minThe Beautiful Arts Made Of SilkOn my last trip to Japan, I got to visit the studio of Kikuo Hirano, and to be taught about traditional Japanese weaving by him. It was a...
Shona McCarthyJul 27, 20203 minDon't Discount It: Aeon MallWhen I've travelled to Japan, sooner or later I've usually ended up visiting an Aeon Mall. If you're only in Japan for a very short time,...
Shona McCarthyJul 24, 20203 minBetelnut Juice in TaiwanMy 2014 trip to Taiwan is mostly a blur for me. It was arranged by someone in the group I was travelling with and I didn't really underst...
Shona McCarthyJul 22, 20205 minSo, You’ve Gone Overseas with A Bulky Suitcase.(Image from Wix.) If you're a follower of my blog, you'll know that travelling to Japan with a large suitcase is a very, very bad idea. H...
Shona McCarthyJul 20, 20207 minPaper Thin: Walls Can Be Romantic(Having re-read this in July, 2020, I marvel at how quickly I got so attached to a young man I hardly knew. Nowadays I wouldn't so easily...
Shona McCarthyJul 16, 20208 minFeeling Nippy: Live Crabs in Springvale Market(I originally wrote this long before Covid-19 was a problem. I hope that by the time Covid-19 ends, this shopping strip will still be ope...