Chichiconut

After living in Singapore during my exchange semester at the Singapore Management University I put together a little list of my absolutely favorite places – a little guide of my highlights if you’re only passing by for a couple of days: FOOD Japanese:  Sushi Tei ($$), Standing Sushi Bar (great deals during the week for dinner such as Mon/ Tue 3SGD/ 5 slices of salmon sashimi, $$), Suki-Ya (hotpot…

Thoughts on the “travelbug” and reality

Why do we travel? How do you explain the lust of exploring new countries, cities and places? I just discovered a post I had written a couple of months ago while I was still living in Singapore during my exchange semester. I will publish it as I wrote it at the time, without changing too much. In the meantime I’m back home (and very happy about being here)- well actually I’m sitting in an airplane…

Backpacking in SE Asia – the complete packing list

at the airport in Zurich

Thinking of going backpacking and don’t know what to take with you? To help you out I’ve put together a list of the absolute necessities. When you pack think about the fact that your backpack will always be with you. Do you really want to be one of those people who has to carry 30kg on their back and can’t buy a single thing because they took to much with them? Cut down…

Foodies, read on (lots of pictures of mouthwatering food will follow – I’ve warned you!)

If you love to eat, especially fish & meat, Japan is the place for you to go. From sashimi so fresh, it still wiggles to kobe beef, which is so tender it will melt in your mouth. (more…)

Summer in Tokyo – the highlights & must-sees

Tokyo has it all. Fashion, food, architecture, entertainment and many other things – if you can’t find it in Tokyo, it certainly doesn’t exist. There is far more behind the neon lit signs and colourful clothing shops. The vibe varies from one area to another and you can be assured to find a hundred different cities combined into a big one. I don’t think I could ever get sick of Tokyo, but in case…

Tokyo – Omotesando & Harajuku, street style heaven!

Street style, shopping, delicious crêpes, cuteness overload – Harajuku has it all. After spending 3 whole days walking around Omotesando and Takeshita Dori I can state that this is my absolute favourite part of town and definitely a must see!

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Yokohama & Kamakura – weekend getaway from Tokyo

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Nara http://wp.me/s37tfa-nara

Nara is a refreshing little town, famous for cute little deer which strop around the temples. It’s a perfect destination for a day trip from Osaka/ Kyoto. (more…)

Kobe in black & white

  Besides having heard of Kobe beef I didn’t really know what was expecting me in Kobe. From Osaka I decided to do a day trip there and took a train early in the morning. I opted for the “lazy-tourist” way of exploring the city and hopped on the city loop bus which did a complete tour of the city within one hour. (more…)

Hiroshima & Miyajima (Isukushima)

The epicentre of the bomb landing

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Tokyo survival guide – Part I

“If you can’t find it in Tokyo, it doesn’t exist.”

Tokyo’s urban city vibe will get your heartbeat to rise. There’s something to do for everyone: art lovers can spend an entire week just by seeing all the modern art museums, foodies can indulge into the healthy local cuisine, architects can walk around facing the sky and be constantly amazed, anime-fans will find their heaven… (more…)

Northern Kyushu – 3 days JR Kyushu Rail Pass

Looking for a new challenge and adventure I approached Hakata JR station in Fukuoka very early in the morning. I got my 3-day JR Northern Kyushu Rail Pass (7000 Yen) and was extremely excited to start the journey. (more…)

Kokura & Fukuoka – when nightmares got true and what I did against it

Rooftop of the JR station in Fukuoka – one of the most perfect moments

I must say that this part of my trip has been one of the toughest situations I have come across during my whole life. It’s been a real struggle, with myself and the surroundings. I’ve come too close to stopping my trip in Japan. Maybe that’s the reason why it took me over 2 months to finally write about it… (more…)

Matsuyama – desert islands and urban jungles

What to do it you’re travelling in Japan during summertime, have been sweating your way around temples, onsens, night busses and just want to relax? You settle for the next best beach or pool you can find. (more…)

Matsuyama Dogo Onsen – a guide to the Japanese hot springs

Matsuyama Dogo Onsen – Japan’s oldest onsen which inspired the movie Spirited Away

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Yukatas in Kyoto for the Gijon Matsuri Festival (July)

Less than an hour in a local train (45′, 560 Yen) and the scenery around me changed completely: I arrived in Kyoto, Japans old capital. I had been in Kyoto six years ago and was looking forward to relaxing a bit and taking some pictures of the city. (more…)