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Snaking around Shuri Castle
The first time I went to Shuri Castle, I was exhausted. While Yui Rail has a stop at Shuri Station, it’s not in front of Shuri Castle. You need to walk a bit from the stop. I thought I had it all figured out until I had to hike.
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My Airbnb Experience in Japan
When airbnb first came to play in Japan, it wasn’t yet legit. I say this because while airbnbs existed, most weren’t legal. And if they somehow met the standards to be legal, most were looked down upon by Japanese natives.
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Iwatayama Monkey Park
There is an attraction in Kyoto, not far from the famed bridge that people flock to. It’s somewhat touristy but not all that touristy, either. I say this because you have to actually walk quite a distance before you can get to Arashiyama’s Iwatayama Monkey Park. And once here, you’ll see that there are less tourists around compared to the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove or any other popular Kyoto destination.
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The Warmth of Okinawa
If it weren’t for Okinawa, my visit to Japan would have been a depressing one. Okinawa, while still a part of East Asia was different in that in general, the people were warm. When they smiled, it seemed genuine. While not everyone was all smiles, the majority of the people I encountered seemed friendly, open, less judgemental and welcoming. It was what I needed and wanted from a trip.
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Nagasaki’s Chinatown
If you’ve been to a decent Chinatown, whether that be somewhere in Asia or California, you’re not going to be all that thrilled with the Chinatown in Nagasaki. People seem to rave about it, yet it was just another Chinatown to me. Perhaps, I didn’t care for the “upscale” authentic Chinese food and modern buildings infused with Chinese architecture and decor. That or the fact there was no special event going on which made the Chinatown area look rather bland, save for its neon entrance sign.