Ninja's Journeys

Osaka is a very important city of the Kansai region. It is smaller than Tokyo, but still very advanced and it is famous for its food as there are many Japanese traditional dishes that come from this area. Of course, you can get most of these food in Tokyo, but there is more variety and possibly better prices in Osaka. Though it does not have the number of attractions in Tokyo, a major reason for me to visit Osaka is because it is located at Kansai, and it is very good "headquarters" to be if I want to travel to cities in the vicinity for day trips (as staying in Osaka is cheaper than staying in Kyoto): Kyoto: capital of old Japan (will write more on another post) Kobe: beef melting in your mouth Nara: famous land of deer Himeji: a great white castle It is also a location for me to travel to another city in the south of Japan that I am interested in, Hiroshima (another post). Tips The same tips as Tokyo. There are various low cost air carriers that fli

Japan is a country that I visited twice so far, and I still want to visit it again! There are many things that is attractive from visiting Japan: developed country with great advancement and use of technology, especially in public transportation food is excellent, you cannot stop to admire how a chef master his skills in food efficiency on everything (seems Japanese people plan too well, even in small details) service is top notch, people are too nice it is very safe you can experience the modern culture in Tokyo, and see the older culture on Kansai region (Kyoto) many other things are famous in Japan that has influenced the world like cars, electronics, and anime! Tips Do not tip in Japan, people serve you very well, but it's almost an offense if they take a tip from you. googlemaps is a great way to find directions as it is well integrated with the schedule of public transit (local trains, subways, bullet trains),  but if you want more options (more al

The capital city of the "region" of Catalonia, Barcelona is a must visit place in Europe. Everything in this city seems to get it right, the vibe, the food, the shopping, the streets, the architecture and even their football team. High Level Itinerary I think 3-4 days is a good time, it really depends on how much time you want to keep enjoying the goodness here. Day 1: Casa Batlo, Casa Mila Sagrada Famila Park Guell Day 2: La Rambla Mercat de la Boqueria Gothic Quarter Day 3: Camp Nou Olympic Park Day 4: Consider a side trip to Montserrat for nice mountain view or discover more inside Barcelona. Tips There is a city pass "Barcelona Card" where you can use it for transportation and visit certain museums and get discounts on other attractions. I did not use it as I was not planning to visit a large number of these attractions, but if you are interested on various of these, then consider it. Enjoy it. Transportation

A small city that you can visit if you are traveling from Madrid to Barcelona for 1-2 days. The main reason to visit here is for the paella, because this is the place it originated from! Though most paellas have seafood, the original paella consists of chicken, rabbit, and snails... despite this I still chose the seafood paella. Tips If you go during March, you can check out the festivities called "Las Fallas" where they decorate the streets with pretty lights and build wooden figures. Transportation There is metro and bus system, but the city is small so you could walk to most places. It's less than 2 hours train from Madrid, and about 3 hours train from Barcelona. Where to stay near Joaquin Soralla train station: most likely you are taking trains in and out. Things to do City of Arts and Sciences A very nice site with museums with futuristic architecture. You don't really have to go inside the museums unless you are interes

Though it is the capital city of Spain, it does not feel as nice and beautiful as other cities like Barcelona or Valencia. Regardless, if you are flying to Spain, you are likely to arrive at Madrid first, so it does not hurt to spend a day here, but in my honest opinion it is ok to skip it unless you are interested in football (soccer) or bullfighting or the nightlife. Tips You are not expected to pay tips at restaurants. You can get by with English in most areas and restaurants. Some places closes early afternoon (~2-4pm) so make sure to check. Spanish people eat late dinners, so restaurants are usually open till midnight. Transportation Good metro system Economical train (2.6 euros) from aiport to main train station (Atocha) The train company "Renfe" offers high speed trains to other Spanish cities, and as well local trains within Madrid. If you are taking trains to other cities, I recommend buying tickets online ahead of time to get cheaper prices (yo

Beautiful, a small city that possesses the elegant architecture and rich art collection of the Renaissance, definitely one of the most visited cities in Italy. High Level Itinerary I did all the various attractions in a packed schedule of 2 days, which is based on this recommendation:  https://www.visitflorence.com/itineraries-in-florence/two-days-in-florence.html But if you are really into art, then take your time and spend 3-4 days! Day 1: Piazza del Duomo,  Piazza della Signora Uffizi Gallery Ponte Vecchio, Boboli Gardens, Holy Spirit Day 2: Santa Maria Novella Church, Santa Croce Church Academia Gallery Piazzale Michelangelo  Tips Check the "Tips" on the city of Rome. Transportation The city is small so everything is within walking distance (the farthest you have to walk is ~30min). There is some local bus that you can take. If you are coming from Rome, it's about 1h 40min high speed train There is a ~30min bus to/from the FLR a