Although it’s a mere mile away from Hotel Niwa Tokyo, if you want to submit to the craziness of a vast metropolis, then you should consider the Nohga Hotel Akihabara Tokyo. Location Right in the heart of Akihabara, aka Akiba (Tokyo’s primary electronics and otaku district), this stylish hotel is very close to Akihabara’s eponymous […]
Asia (Non-Middle East)
Hotel Review: Hotel Niwa Tokyo
If you want all of the conveniences of a big city without the predictable hubbub, Hotel Niwa Tokyo would probably suit you well. For history buffs, the ryokan Moritakan, the first lodging on the current hotel site, was built in 1935. Then, it transformed into a more standard issue business hotel in 1973. Hotel Niwa […]
Five Choices for the Massive Bangkok Food Scene
According to some inbound tourism metrics, Bangkok is the most visited city in the world. With so many international visitors and expats, the Bangkok food scene must be something else, right? Indeed, food is often the first interaction someone might have with a country; with the exotic of appeal of the mere mention of the […]
Airport Supermarkets (updated 7 April 2025)
As much as I personally love finding new foods to eat, I feel that much better when I can share some of the findings with family and friends. Though, it would be fair to say I don’t always remember to get to a city supermarket for some last-minute local food souvenir shopping. Enter: airport supermarkets. […]
Flight Review: Iran Aseman Airlines, Tehran Mehrabad to Shiraz
I have a treat for many of you– a domestic Iran flight. Buckle up for a seat on Iran Aseman Airlines, from Tehran Mehrabad (THR) to Shiraz (SYZ). FYI, aseman means “sky,” or “highest heaven” in Farsi; the privately-held company was founded in 1980, and is based at THR. Earlier this month, I traveled with Key2Persia […]
Restaurant Review: Hanasanshou at Park Hotel Tokyo
One night earlier, I had a very nice dinner at The Dining, the only restaurant at Shiba Park Hotel, sister property to Park Hotel Tokyo. But whereas The Dining was open for various meals throughout the day, Park Hotel Tokyo’s Hanasanshou is only open for dinner, from 17:30 to 22:30. Hanasanshou, which translates as “flower […]
Restaurant Review: The Dining at Shiba Park Hotel
Late last year, I had the pleasure of staying at Tokyo’s Shiba Park Hotel. However, due to my always being busy in the Japanese capital, I rarely have the time to sit down for dinner. Fortunately, I had a rare few days of break on my most recent Tokyo visit, so I was able to […]
JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass
Ever since my first trip to Tohoku two years ago, I’ve been yearning to visit more of that northern Japanese region. What better better way to do so than with the JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass? Meanwhile, for a quick refresher on what constitutes the Tohoku region, here’s a map, with each prefecture’s most important […]
