JAPAN

šŸ“ By Destination

šŸ—“ļø By Season

Explore Sarushima: A Unique Day Trip Destination in Tokyo Bay
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Explore Sarushima: A Unique Day Trip Destination in Tokyo Bay

Located not far from the port of Yokosuka, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Sarushima is the only uninhabited island of Tokyo Bay. With its fort ruins, luxuriant forest, clear sea and barbecue and leisure facilities, it is great destination for a half-day or a full day trip from Tokyo. In this article, you can learn more about this hidden gem near Tokyo and get useful information to prepare for your own visit of Sarushima.

Read More
Guide to Kyotoā€™s Gion Matsuri, One of Japanā€™s Biggest Summer Festivals
Travely Notes Travely Notes

Guide to Kyotoā€™s Gion Matsuri, One of Japanā€™s Biggest Summer Festivals

Gion Matsuri (ē„‡åœ’ē„­) is one of Japan's biggest summer festivals, taking place in Kyoto every year for a month from 1 July. I attended the main event of the Gion festival, the Yamaboko Junko, in 2022. It was a very memorable experience for me, that Iā€™d like to share with you, along with a few tips on how to prepare for this great event.

Read More
Discover Kamakuraā€™s Hydrangeas: Perfect One-Day Itinerary
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Discover Kamakuraā€™s Hydrangeas: Perfect One-Day Itinerary

Kamakura is a fantastic and popular excursion from Tokyo all year round, but particularly in June, when the rainy season transforms this ancient city into a hydrangea fairytale. In this article, you can read about the walking itinerary I followed on a day trip from Tokyo to admire the hydrangeas in Kamakura, but also to see many of the main sights of Kamakura while introducing some lesser-known spots that I particularly enjoyed.

Read More
Where to Admire Hydrangeas in Tokyo: Three Spots Not to Miss
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Where to Admire Hydrangeas in Tokyo: Three Spots Not to Miss

For me, June in Tokyo is a source of excitement because it's synonymous with hydrangeas! Called ajisai (ē“«é™½) in Japanese, these charming flowers colour Tokyo's temples, parks and gardens in large bushes. In this article, I will share with you three amazing places to admire hydrangeas in Tokyo, which are quite different from one another, but all very charming in their own way.

Read More
Kawazu Seven Falls: A Nature Lover's Hidden Gem on the Izu Peninsula
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Kawazu Seven Falls: A Nature Lover's Hidden Gem on the Izu Peninsula

After Ito, let me introduce you to Kawazu, another hidden gem on the Izu Peninsula, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As a nature lover who spent a week discovering the hidden beauty of the Izu Peninsula, I was intrigued to see the Kawazu Seven Falls, located in the mountains above the coastal town of Kawazu. You can read about my experience in this article, as well as some recommendations if you are interested in visiting this wonderful natural site.

Read More
Five Flower-Viewing Day Trips from Tokyo Youā€™ll Love in Spring
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Five Flower-Viewing Day Trips from Tokyo Youā€™ll Love in Spring

In this article, I want to share my top 5 flower-viewing day trips to do from Tokyo in spring. I am a big flower lover, and I am always enjoying sharing flower-related events, walks and day trips in Japan. I thought Iā€™d share my top picks for flower-viewing spots, from February to May, that can all easily be enjoyed as day trips from central Tokyo.

Read More
A Day Trip to Ashikaga Flower Park from Tokyo: Things to Do and How to Get There
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

A Day Trip to Ashikaga Flower Park from Tokyo: Things to Do and How to Get There

Ashikaga Flower Park, located in Tochigi Prefecture, is an enchanting day trip from Tokyo that I recommend to flower lovers like me, especially in spring when you can admire the splendour of its breathtaking wisteria. If you are looking for a place to to surround yourself with colourful flowers for a day, then you should consider this destination.

Read More
Garden Necklace Yokohama: A Colourful Springtime Stroll Through Yokohama Harbour
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Garden Necklace Yokohama: A Colourful Springtime Stroll Through Yokohama Harbour

Yokohama is one of my favourite day trips from Tokyo. Every year, the city organises the ā€˜Garden Necklace Yokohamaā€™ Event, which celebrates flower blossoming and springtime in the city's various green spaces. From March to June, Yokohama's parks and gardens celebrate spring with impressive flower displays, from cherry blossom to tulips, roses, azaleas and much more.

Read More
Day Trip Guide to Hitachi Seaside Park: 10 Suggestions for a Memorable Visit
Travel tips Travely Notes Travel tips Travely Notes

Day Trip Guide to Hitachi Seaside Park: 10 Suggestions for a Memorable Visit

Located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Hitachi Seaside Park is a large and breathtaking park known in Japan for its vibrant seasonal flowers. The park is particularly famous for its awe-inspiring field of nemophila in spring and its red kochias in autumn. In this article, I offer 10 suggestions based on my own experience that I hope can be useful and inspiring for people interested in visiting this astonishing park, whatever the season.

Read More
Nemophila Paradise at Hitachi Seaside Park: A Must-See Spring Outing from Tokyo
Photography, Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Photography, Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Nemophila Paradise at Hitachi Seaside Park: A Must-See Spring Outing from Tokyo

Hitachi Seaside Park, a large park located in Ibaraki Prefecture, is home to one of nature's most enchanting floral spectacles. In spring, you can walk through an ocean of blue flowers: a field of over 5 million nemophila. As a flower lover, I highly recommend this spellbinding seasonal event if you are in Japan during this time of the year.

Read More
Tsurugi, Hakusan ā€“ A Secret Gem and Fun Day Trip From Kanazawa
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Tsurugi, Hakusan ā€“ A Secret Gem and Fun Day Trip From Kanazawa

This Tsurugi area walking itinerary in Hakusan is the ideal day trip from Kanazawa if you are looking for a lesser-known destination during your stay in Ishikawa prefecture. The area around Tsurugi station has a lot to offer: beautiful shrines, sake breweries, an insect museum, mountain gondolas where you can admire the Sea of Japan on sunny days...

Read More
Discover Kanazawa: 2-Day Itinerary and Travel Tips
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Discover Kanazawa: 2-Day Itinerary and Travel Tips

Kanazawa is a beautiful, historic coastal city in Japan thatā€™s packed with things to see and do! Known as ā€œlittle Kyotoā€ for its cultural and traditional charm, Kanazawa is home to one of Japanā€™s most beautiful gardens, well-preserved traditional geisha and samurai districts, a castle, a fascinating ninja temple, and more! In this article, I will be sharing with you the 2-day itinerary that I used to explore Kanazawa and some tips to make the best of your time in this fantastic city.

Read More
A Nature Day Trip to Izu: Jogasaki Coast and Mount Omuro Itinerary
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

A Nature Day Trip to Izu: Jogasaki Coast and Mount Omuro Itinerary

The Jogasaki Coast and Mount Omuro are two natural wonders of the Izu Peninsula located in Ito city that can easily be combined as a day trip from Tokyo, Atami or other nearby towns in the Izu Peninsula. If hiking along a scenic coastline and walking around the crater of an extinct volcano sounds intriguing to you, then this day trip itinerary should interest you!

Read More
Ito Guide: Best Things to Do, Where to Stay, Eat and More
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Ito Guide: Best Things to Do, Where to Stay, Eat and More

Ito is a charming seaside hot springs town in Shizuoka Prefecture. It's a base to stay and explore the underrated but beautiful Izu Peninsula, which is packed with natural sites, onsen towns and other fun attractions to discover. In this article, I will share my favourite activities in Ito as well as some recommendations for accommodation and restaurants that I particularly enjoyed.

Read More
Mitaki-dera, a Hidden Gem in Hiroshima for Temple Lovers
Guide & Itinerary, Photography Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary, Photography Travely Notes

Mitaki-dera, a Hidden Gem in Hiroshima for Temple Lovers

Having been to Hiroshima three times, I was keen to discover some lesser-known places around Hiroshima and decided to visit Mitaki-dera. Particularly beautiful in autumn and spring, this atmospheric temple nestling on the forested slopes of Mount Mitaki is an ideal nature getaway from Hiroshima. I spent a couple of hours exploring Mitaki-dera and was deeply touched by the serenity and beauty of this place.

Read More
Gunkanjima, a Captivating Cruise to an Abandoned Island in Japan
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Gunkanjima, a Captivating Cruise to an Abandoned Island in Japan

Hashima, also known as Gunkanjima, is an abandoned island located around 18km from the port of Nagasaki, one of Kyushu's main cities. Interested in abandoned places and having always been fascinated in the ways nature reclaims its rights once humans have disappeared, I was very curious to visit Gunkanjima during my next stay to Nagasaki. I share my experience of this unusual and off-the-beaten-track attraction in this article.

Read More
Nagasaki Guide: Top Things to Do and 3-Day Itinerary
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

Nagasaki Guide: Top Things to Do and 3-Day Itinerary

Nestled on the western coast of Japan's Kyushu island, Nagasaki is a city steeped in history and culture, which is reflected in the various things to see and do. Every time I've been to Nagasaki, I've been amazed by the city's captivating mix of old and new and its vibrant, multicultural atmosphere. In this article, I would like to share with you 10 of my favourite things to do in Nagasaki, having travelled to this amazing city twice, and a suggested 3-day itinerary.

Read More
A Hiking Guide to the Magome-Tsumago Nakasendo Trail
Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary Travely Notes

A Hiking Guide to the Magome-Tsumago Nakasendo Trail

A new article in which I share my experience of walking one of Japan's most popular hiking trails: the path between the two historic post towns of Magome and Tsumago on the Nakasendo in the Kiso Valley. What I particularly enjoyed about this hike in the Japanese countryside was the variety of landscapes, from rice paddies and bamboo groves to cedar forests and small rural villages.

Read More
The Best Cherry Blossom and Tulip Park Near Tokyo: Showa Kinen Park
Guide & Itinerary, Photography Travely Notes Guide & Itinerary, Photography Travely Notes

The Best Cherry Blossom and Tulip Park Near Tokyo: Showa Kinen Park

Showa Kinen Park, located in the town of Tachikawa, is by far my favourite park near Tokyo. Accessible in 45 minutes by train from central Tokyo, the park is very popular for the autumn foliage, but is also an absolute must for admiring the cherry blossoms in spring. Not only are there many cherry trees in the park, but they also bloom at the same time as rapeseed and tulips, from late March to early April, transforming the area into a breathtaking floral paradise.

Read More

šŸ”Ž Explore my JAPAN Blog

šŸ“ By Destination

šŸ—“ļø By Season

Hi, Iā€™m Sarah! I hope you enjoy reading my blog.