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Suma Alps, Local Adventures and Cities as Living Beings
What does adventure mean? What counts as an adventure? For some people, adventure means scuba diving, while for others, discovering a new coffee shop downtown is an escapade. Here is the definition of adventure in Oxford Learner’s Dictionary: an unusual, exciting, or dangerous experience, journey, or series of events. Nowhere in this sentence is there…
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Okinawa: Beyond a Tropical Journey
There are places in the world that make you feel you can forgive and forget everyone and everything in your life. That’s how I would describe Okinawa: a place where everything and everyone can be forsaken and forgiven. I traveled to Okinawa in the summer of 2021, hoping I would enjoy a tropical journey in…
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Exploring My Emotional Geography in Hokkaido
The summer of 2021 was unforgettably hot in Japan, and it was also a beautiful one riddled with great journeys for me. Traveling to Hokkaido and experiencing its pristine nature had been a long-held dream of mine; only a child getting their first bicycle or a mother holding her firstborn for the first time can…
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One Day, Two Hikes: Soni Highlands and Akame 48 Waterfalls
I am not only a spontaneous person but also a stubborn one. When I put my mind to something, I don’t give up. For example, I remember telling my husband to take me to Shimane Prefecture for more than a year until he gave in. I also insisted on going to Yamaguchi Prefecture just as…
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Shinjo Village: A Journey to One of the Most Beautiful Villages in Japan
“I don’t feel like going anywhere but I also don’t want to stay at home!” This is one of the common feelings I share with my spouse. If we ever feel like this, two things are usually bound to happen: I will either travel solo, or he’ll cave and agree to travel with me. Visiting…
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Hiking Solo: Yay or Nay?
I love traveling solo, but I also admit that it can be challenging, especially for those who don’t know what they are doing—i.e., me. I took a solo hike last week and traveled more than five hours to get there. The hike itself lasted about five hours, but it could have been less if I…
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Light It Up! My First Lantern Festival in Japan
Nara ticks all the boxes if you are a history aficionado, deer lover, and coffee shop hopper. Narrow alleys leading to random restaurants and workshops bring the townscape to life. No wonder it’s one of the first places I fell in love with in Japan. So, when I craved a visit to Nara last week,…
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What Happens in Kyushu Stays in Kyushu (Because I Can’t Photograph it Anyways): Part 3
And here is the last part of our journey! If you haven’t yet read Part 1 and 2, check them out first to discover how our misadventures in Kyushu began. When we decided to visit Kyushu, we thought we would start our journey in Fukuoka and travel neatly along the coastline until we reached Oita.…
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What Happens in Kyushu Stays in Kyushu (Because I Can’t Photograph it Anyways): Part 2
If you haven’t already read it, please check out the first part of the story to learn how our misadventures in Kyushu got started—or don’t… This isn’t a straightforward journey, so be forewarned that you enter this blog at your own peril! Okay, okay, rather than making my blog sound like an episode from A…
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What Happens in Kyushu Stays in Kyushu (Because I Can’t Photograph it Anyways): Part I
A grandfather is looking after his grandchildren on a beach in Kagoshima. The children are having a blast in the sand, and the sun isn’t hiding behind the clouds. Their joy is matched by the radiant light. A lion-hearted little one jumps into the water in the blink of an eye while her family watches…
Bahanur is abroad! 