Travel & Sightseeing
Kyoto Autumn Leaves Without the Crowds: 3 Ryokan Where You Watch the Foliage From Your Room (and the Scenic Trains That Take You There)
Travel & Sightseeing GRAN Tenku Train to Koyasan: Is It Worth It? Seats, Prices & How to Book (2026)
Is the GRAN Tenku train to Koyasan worth it? Compare the 4 cars, fares from Namba, the World Heritage Ticket trap, the timetable, English booking, and temple stay tips from a mom in Osaka.
Travel & Sightseeing Japan Over New Year: What’s Open, What’s Closed, and How to Plan Dec 28–Jan 4
Planning a Japan trip over New Year? Here is what is open and closed from December 28 to January 4, plus hotels, trains, and a simple 3-day plan.
Travel & Sightseeing Coin Lockers Full in Japan? What to Do and Where to Store Your Luggage Instead
Every coin locker full at a Japanese station? Try this order: another locker area, a staffed baggage counter, nearby storage you can reserve, or same-day hotel delivery.
Travel & Sightseeing Scenic Trains in Japan in Autumn: 7 Trains Where You Eat With a View
Seven scenic trains in Japan where autumn views come with a meal: which need the meal booked ahead, which sell food on board, and when the leaves turn.
Travel & Sightseeing Kyoto Autumn Leaves Without the Crowds: 3 Ryokan Where You Watch the Foliage From Your Room (and the Scenic Trains That Take You There)
Want Kyoto autumn leaves without the crowds? Three ryokan where you watch the foliage from your room, plus the scenic trains that take you there.
Travel & Sightseeing 8 Kansai Trains Worth Paying Extra For (2026): Comfortable Seats, Great Views, and How to Book Each One
Aoniyoshi, Hinotori, Shimakaze and 5 more scenic trains in Kansai: prices, when tickets go on sale in Japan time, and where to book each one.
Beauty & Skincare Japanese Winter Dry-Skin Kit: What a Japanese Mom Actually Buys (Hands, Lips, Throat & Bath)
What a Japanese mom uses for dry winter skin: hand cream, lip balm, a wet mask for sleeping, bath salts and kairo, with Japan drugstore prices and what ships worldwide.
Travel & Sightseeing How Much Cash to Bring to Japan (2026): By Trip Length, Plus a Family of 4
How much cash do you really need in Japan in 2026? A Japanese mom's yen amounts by trip length, for solo travelers and a family of four, plus where cash is still required.
Travel & Sightseeing How to Avoid Crowds in Japan (2026): What’s Worth Paying Extra For, and What Isn’t
Japan is not crowded everywhere. See which travel upgrades are worth paying for in 2026, from where you sleep to the Shinkansen Green Car, with prices in yen and dollars.
Home & Zakka Best Kendama for Beginners and Kids: A Japanese Mom’s Holiday Gift Guide
Which kendama to buy as a gift: five picks from around $15 to $50, what JKA certified and made in Japan really mean, what age it suits, and the honest downsides.