I arrived in Fukushima, the next stop along from Osaka, where my hostel is based. I dragged my bag behind me and wandered up the road next to the train station, following my hand written directions, when a Japanese man of a similar age to me jumps out and asks if I am going to J-Hoppers. I was. But I didn't want to tell him that. So I asked why. He didn't understand, so said J-Hoppers again and tried to show me the way. My suspicious side immediately felt uncom...

My final day in Tokyo was a bit of a mish-mash, zig-zagging across the city to visit the final few places on my metaphorical checklist. I headed for The Imperial Palace, at Nijubashimae, first, and when I arrived the place was swarming with police, which at first I thought was just usual security measures for the residence of Japan's imperial family. As I got closer to the palace, however, there was also a press area and a number of locals standing and waiting be...

QI: Quirks and Interesting stuff This blog post has been written to share those things, which as the title hints to, I have found quirky or interesting, and as a result of travelling alone have so far been unable to share with anyone… So here it is for all to read. Walking through the underground corridor beneath the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices is a cardboard city full of a large number of homeless people, which was previously and unfavourably dispe...

Did the earth move for you? - The Shibuya, Harajuku, Omotesando, Roppongi chapter I woke up Friday morning and headed straight for Roppongi (via Yoyogi for no other reason than its funny name). Roppongi is famed for its night life here in Japan, but it is also worth a visit in the day. Starting out at the purpose built complex Roppongi hills, featuring TV Asahi's headquarters, a Virgin cinema and an array of expensive designer shops and restaurants, I made my wa...

So I am here in Japan, after a somewhat turbulent flight (both in terms of the air flow and my emotions - switching from laughter reading 'Return of the Timewaster Letters' to floods of tears thanks to the film 'My Sister's Keeper'). After getting my hands on a Japan rail pas, negotiating the subway and lugging my bag half way across Tokyo I arrived at the Ace Inn, a wooden capsule hostel, in the Shinjuku area of the city. The place is clean, tidy and a great lo...