Harajuku, like Tokyo itself, has something of a split personality. Serene and extreme all at once, the area is home to one of Tokyo’s most important Shinto shrine as well as the city’s most out there shopping strips. In fact, Harauku is in itself a shrine… to conspicuous consumption. Only in Harajuku would you spot […] Read more…
Whether you speak Japanese or not, that special Disney Magic won’t need translation at the extraordinary Tokyo DisneySea ®, a unique Disney park with seven exquisitely themed ports inspired by the myths, legends and lore of the sea. Said by some to be the very best Disney Park in the World, Tokyo DisneySea is a completely […] Read more…
Tokyo is one of the world’s great culinary cities, so be prepared to eat. A lot. And often. Seriously, you need to forget Lost in Translation, because in this city, you’re far more likely to be lost in digestion. Street food is delicious and cheap, while at the other end of the dining spectrum there […] Read more…
From Sanrio’s sassy Hello Kitty to ancient Edo cat literature and cat art, cat cafés, cat islands and even an unofficial cat holiday – Nyan Nyan Nyan Day – held each year on February 22, you could be forgiven for thinking that Japan is utterly smitten with kittens. So, it turns out, are Raffles […] Read more…
A kids’ club and a cuddly toy at registration are not what makes a family-friendly hotel. I mean sure, they’re nice, and much appreciated, but if you ask Raffles and Sugarpuff what makes a hotel kid friendly, it is friendliness … to kids. Pretty simple really, but also sadly infrequent. But the new Pullman Tokyo […] Read more…
Take one rumbling volcano, a sparkling blue harbour filled with galleons and gondolas, and seven enchanting ports filled with thrills, whimsy, creativity and adventure. Then add state-of-the-art special effects, a side of sushi, and you’ve got the incredible Tokyo DisneySea, a one-of-a kind Disney Park that I think might just be the most beautiful in […] Read more…
OMG! I think I may have died and found food heaven. I was so excited to go skiing at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU in Hokkaido because I love skiing almost as much as I love eating. And I love Japanese food almost as much as I love breathing. So I was happy to discover that the […] Read more…
You might think that with six lifts and scores of runs, including off-piste and backcountry areas, that Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU is all about shredding the slopes, but there are endless other indoor and outdoor activities for little snow bunnies and powder pups, whether they’re strapped into skis or not. We certainly love the pow, and spend as much […] Read more…
It’s sooo fluffy” declares Raffles happily as he leaps out of our coach into the nearest heap of fresh snow, disappearing somewhere into its powdery depths. We’ve arrived at Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu, just a 90-minute drive from New Chitose Airport in Sapporo, to flurries of snowflakes dancing in the sky like frosty fairies. I’m so entranced […] Read more…
I must confess that I was a little late to the party when it comes to Harry Potter. In fact, I’d never read a single word of his wizardly tales or watched any of the many movies until Raffles became hooked on Harry. Now I’ve not only read all the books, but have watched each […] Read more…
The Minions have stormed Osaka in a blaze of banana. That’s right, the mischievous yellow henchmen, along with super villain Gru and his girls, Margo, Edith & Agnes have moved in to their new headquarters in the brand spanking new Minion Park at Universal Studios Japan. So what exactly is Minion Park? Well, to be frank, it […] Read more…
Imagine, if you will, a child so completely fanatical about Japan that he was well versed in the history of feudal Japan before he understood basic addition, attempts to create DIY samurai armour from paper plates and egg cartons, has his heart set on a career as a ninja and swears he has ramen broth […] Read more…