T's Tantan is one of the most beloved ramen purveyors in Japan, and for very good reason. An offshoot of the popular T's Restaurant in Jiyugaoka (near the gorgeous Saido, another great vegan restaurant), T's Tantan has been around since 2011 and now has four branches: two in Narita airport,...

Down a dark alley in Tokyo's quiet Jiyugaoka neighbourhood I had the most creative meal of my life. Saido restaurant is voted one of the best vegan restaurants in the world on Happy Cow, and for good reason. The chef, Kusumoto Katsumi, opened his restaurant in 2018 after spending years...

In early October this year, I found myself sitting on a bike on top of a 4km long suspension bridge, nothing but water below me. I was soaking wet, my waterproof jacket having long given up on doing its job. My legs ached, one of my backpack straps was digging...

If you've ended up here, you're probably planning your Shimanami Kaido adventure and frankly, I'm pretty envious of you. I've put together the ideal two-day Shimanami Kaido itinerary, based on personal experience and what I've learned since. While it's possible to complete the entire route in a day, it means...

Cycling the Shimanami Kaido is an incredible experience, and it doesn't need to break the bank. In this post, I've broken down the Shimanami Kaido cost: from bike rentals to accommodation, and what you can expect from the journey. Every traveller's style will be slightly different, so while I've done...

Cycling the Shimanami Kaido is an awesome adventure, and it's best enjoyed at your pace, not rushed. While many people do cycle the whole route in a single day (and honestly kudos, my backside could never), doing a multi-day trip gives you the time to enjoy the islands, stop for...

Completing the Shimanami Kaido cycle route in Japan is an incredible experience, but for most of us foreign travellers, we're not going to have our own bikes with us. Luckily, because it's such a popular and well known cycle route, renting a bike is super easy and there are plenty...

Mukaishima Island Mukaishima is the closest island to Onomichi, and the first of the Shimanami Kaido islands after leaving Japan's main island of Honshu. There's a ferry available from Onomichi to Mukaishima, which allows bikes on board. A ticket, including bike passage, costs about ¥110. Many cyclists choose to take...

Introduction If you're planning on cycling the Shimanami Kaido, then first of all: excellent choice. And secondly, planning what to pack is just as important as planning the route itself. I've put together a Shimanami Kaido Packing List to help make sure you cover the basics, but leave the dead...

Introduction: Japan's Tea Capital As I write this, it's a grey November day in London. I've got a cup of matcha in front of me, a souvenir from an Uji day trip on my most recent trip to Japan. If, like me, you're a tea-lover, then the name Uji may...