It seems that everything is possible in Tokyo. We took the quick route to ‘dress up’ as maids in the photo above but we could have gone to a place for ‘cosplay’ (costume play) where people go to dress up as their favourite super hero and have their photo taken. Instead we’ve visited a cat cafe, had a drink in the smallest bar we’ve ever seen, taken a bonsai class, gone to the fish market, seen a wedding procession, spent several hours in Tokyu Hands department store and just wandered the city streets trying to take it all in… Read more

Tokyo is jammed packed with things to see, do and eat. We have explored many different areas and it’s a city full of contrasts – small laneways next to busy avenues full of neon, old buildings next to new architecture, peaceful gardens and temples in the middle of the city, ladies dressed in kimonos and sumo wrestlers on the metro. Tokyo encompasses the biggest and the fastest but it also retains respect for tradition and history. It’s rare to see people rushing to get places, can’t say why – it could be the city planning, or just Japanese culture but either way it makes getting the full enjoyment out of Tokyo a great and easy experience. Read more

We knew we were in a modern and advanced society the moment we arrived at the port in Osaka. The whole border control and customs clearing was such a pleasant and civilised experience, one which I don’t think I’ve come across before in any other country. Polite to the point you feel they are friendly and yet very thorough, when we had to take off our shoes the customs officers seemed almost apologetic. This was new and we knew we were in for a very different experience. Read more