Christmas may not be a national holiday in Japan, but that doesn’t mean people won’t be celebrating! Only around 1% of Japanese people consider themselves Christian, so to most Japanese, Christmas is celebrated more like a Valentine’s Day of sorts, with young couples or groups of friends going on strolls through fancy displays of holiday decorations and […]
I can’t believe it’s about to be Christmas already! Maybe it’s because despite being home in Chicago for the holidays for the first time in three years, there’s still a lack of snow. I know, no snow in Chicago yet? Trust me, I’m just as surprised. We might as well be back in Hong Kong– it’s even […]
Chicago is known for having one of the best art museums in the country, complete with a large Asian art wing. However, from now until January 4th, 2015 guests can enjoy the exhibition Ghosts and Demons in Japanese Prints, which features some of the celebrated collection of Clarence Buckingham. This special exhibition showcases prints depicting the supernatural, a popular motif in […]
You know, despite traveling all over the world, I’m honestly o ot much of an adventurer. Sure I may try eating the occasional weird thing or take part in an off-beat festival from time to time, but you’ll never see me bungee jumping or sky diving. No sir, not me, not ever! I’m the girl who’s afraid […]
Osaka Prefecture (大阪府; Osaka-fu) is part of the Kansai Region (関西地方; Kansai-chiho) on Honshu, the main island of Japan. Despite being one of the smallest prefectures area-wise, it boasts an impressive amount of cities. Thirty-three to be exact; with the most famous being it’s capital city of the same name– Osaka. Daitō Fujiidera Habikino Hannan Higashiōsaka Hirakata Ibaraki Ikeda Izumi Izumiōtsu Izumisano […]
Mochi (餅), which is a sweet sticky rice cake, has been eaten in Japan since ancient times for special celebrations and festivals. The practice of hand-pounding mochi, known as mochitsuki (餅つき), is now rare even in Japan as most people would rather buy machine-made mochi sold at stores instead of making their own. Yet still, whether store-bought or […]
As a blogger -or even a Millennial- living in our fast-paced tech-driven world, staying connected while traveling is super important. For me, it’s my job. I need to be able to send out Tweets or post up pretty pictures on Instagram. But it’s also nice for keeping in touch with friends and family back home– or […]
Checking into Hotel Granvia was bittersweet. It was our final night in Europe and we were fortunate enough to be spending it in a 19th century palace. Commissioned in the late 1800s by the owners of the Bank of Barcelona, it became one of the few palaces in Barcelona’s city center. It was weird to think of a […]
Arriving in Barcelona after dark, the airport bus dropped us off in Plaça de Catalunya. We were worried about finding our way in the dark, so we foolishly hopped in a cab. Two minutes later, the cab stopped. What?? We were here already? It was literally just a couple of blocks up the road. We paid the (luckily) […]
Warning: An overload of inspirational Barcelona photos ahead! It’s no secret that I love taking pictures. I’m the girl who’ll make you wait before you chow down on your food so that I can take photos first. And the girl who makes everyone wait around while I set up my tripod for the perfect pic? Yeah, […]