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The Selfish Years

~ Over 200 cities, 42 countries, 6 continents and counting.

The Selfish Years

Tag Archives: Japan

Where to Spot Geishas in Kyoto

26 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by misterselfish in Asia, Japan, Kyoto

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Geisha, Gion, Japan, Kyoto, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Where to spot Geishas

During our Selfish Year, we spent 43 days in Japan, in places like Fukouka, Kanazawa, Kyoto, and Tokyo. During our time in that fair city we finally made it to Harajuku’s legendary Cosplayer meet up.

tokyo-shibuya_harajuku_akihibara-023

Basically you show up at the Northern Exit of Harajuku station on Sunday between 1pm – 2:30pm. If you’re in the area and love taking pictures, I highly recommend it.

While I thought cosplayers in Tokyo were fairly rare, spotting a geisha in Kyoto proved to be an even rarer event. We spent a mind-boggling 23 days in Kyoto near the Gion district (the part of Kyoto where one is supposed to see geishas), and never saw one.

NOT ONE.

This time, however, we got lucky. Spotting not one, not two, but TWELVE geishas in the span of 5 nights. Totally crazy and I’ll share with you how and where we spotted them today.

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15 Selfish Tips for Infant Traveling Success

23 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by misterselfish in Asia, Infant Travel, Japan

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

infant, infant travel, Japan, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, travel, Travel with infant

Hello! It’s been a riiiiidiculous amount of time since our last new post proper, which I can only attribute to being a) grounded, and b) severely sleep deprived. We’ve been spending most of our time un-selfishly, which is a big change of pace for us.

Yes, Baby Selfish is cute, but man is she a handful.

So I was very excited to leave the country once more (it had been 7 months at that point), and pleased to take Baby Selfish on her first international trip: Japan.

 

Ah, Japan. Home to efficient service, clean water, and bottomless ramen bowls.

Having spent over 2 months in Japan, Mrs. Selfish and I were pretty confident this would be a safe and enjoyable travel for a 3-month old – and it was!

That being said, we definitely learned a few lessons on the way, which will hopefully lead to others’ future baby traveling success.

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Baby Selfish’s 1st International Trip: Japan!

30 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by misterselfish in Accommodations, Asia, Hilton, Hyatt, Japan, Kyoto, Tokyo

≈ 6 Comments

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Baby Selfish, Japan, Kyoto, Nara, Park Hyatt Tokyo, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tokyo

Mrs. Selfish and I decided to take our Selfish Year journey as an end cap to our fading young-adult years. We had always enjoyed traveling as young professionals, and decided a year abroad together would be a great way to “get it out of our systems” prior to having a kid.

Boy were we wrong.

A year later and I’m more addicted to traveling than ever. In fact, after settling in San Francisco, we ended up spending over 3 of the next 15 months outside of the country.

So when we found out Mrs. Selfish was pregnant, I immediately did what any other miles & points enthusiast would do in my shoes and started planning Baby Selfish’s first international trip.

Yep, back to Japan!

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Where’s the Wagyu Beef? At Maruni!

27 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Tokyo

≈ 1 Comment

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Maruni, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tokyo, wagyu, wagyu beef

During our first visit to Japan in 2009, Mr. Selfish and I feasted at Grill Miyata, which was located in Kyoto but is now closed, for the best wagyu beef ever. With the revelation that most “Kobe” or “wagyu” beef in the States is in fact just regular beef, we knew that we had to have it again while in Japan.

Wagyu is expensive, as it should be. The term refers to several breeds of cattle that are genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of unsaturated fat. This, of course, makes them extra tasty.

Mr. Selfish and I did some research online and decided to try Maruni (1-11-1, Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-0004). It is a small yakiniku restaurant where they grill the meat right in front of you.

Wagyu 01Wagyu 04Wagyu 05Wagyu 06

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Good Eats in Tokyo: Yuian Izakaya and Jinnan Curry

25 Saturday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Tokyo

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Jinnan Curry, Little Shop, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tokyo, Yuian, Yuian Izakaya

I love Japanese food. During our travel during the selfish year, Japanese food is the one cuisine of which I never got tired. Considering that we spent over forty days in Japan, that is quite a feat. Here are two tasty restaurants that we discovered during our last time in Tokyo.

Yuian Izakaya: A Great View and Good Food

Although Mr. Selfish and I are quite partial to the 35 Steps in Shibuya, we decided to give another izakaya a try. We found rave reviews for Yuian Izakaya (2-6-1 Shinjuku Sumitomo Building 52F) online and booked it for our last night in Tokyo. It is located in Shinjuku on the 52nd floor of an office building, which makes for great views during dinner.

Tokyo Eats 09Tokyo Eats 10Tokyo Eats 11Tokyo Eats 12

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Relaxing in Roppongi

24 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Tokyo

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Roppongi, Roppongi Fukuzushi, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tokyo, Zōjō-ji, Zōjō-ji Temple

Mr. Selfish and I always love visiting Tokyo. We usually stay in the areas of Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akihabara, and Harajuku. This time, we decided to go to the expat area – Roppongi.

Ropponggi 01

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Nago Food: So Much Taco Rice, So Little Time

22 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Okinawa

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Asia, Beni-imo, Chura-Hana, Food & Drinks, Goya, Japan, Nago, Okinawa, Okinawa Cuisine, Okinawa food, Pork Belly, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Taco Rice

As I’ve gone over previously, Okinawan cuisine is quite different from the food in the rest of Japan. Even though I knew this coming in, nothing could prepare me for the Okinawan fascination with tacos. In fact, taco rice, which is taco flavored beef served on a bed of rice, is a typical school lunch meal. Mr. Selfish and I, of course, had to try it for the sake of posterity.

King Tacos: The Originator of Taco Rice

Even though Mr. Selfish and I didn’t really enjoy the Kin Kannon-do Temple, we rather relished the idea of eating at King Tacos, the originator of taco rice, which is located nearby in Kin.

Nago Food 04Nago Food 10Nago Food 07Nago Food 08

We ordered a taco platter, as well as the traditional taco rice with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and salsa. As odd as it sounds, I found it pretty tasty and definitely a bit like comfort food (even though I had never had it before). I mean – I love rice and I love tacos. Why not combine it? If you’re in Kin, I would definitely check out Taco Kings!

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Nago’s Noteworthy Sights – Part I

20 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Okinawa

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Asia, Cape Manzamo, Ikei Island, Japan, Kin Kannon-do Temple, Nago, Nago Sights, Nakagusuku Castle Ruin, Okinawa, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Mr. Selfish and I spent two days in the Nago area of Okinawa. As a subtropical area, Nago has its fair share of beautiful beaches. However, since we were visiting during winter, we didn’t know how much there would be to do in the area. Fortunately, there are numerous noteworthy sights in the Nago area. Today, I’ll go over the sights south of Nago, and tomorrow, Mr. Selfish will go over the sights north of Nago.

Cape Manzamo: Beautiful and Accessible

Cape Manzamo is a scenic rock formation near Onna Village, which is on the way to Nago. It faces the East China Sea and is a popular viewing spot for sunset. Mr. Selfish and I didn’t visit during sunset but we found it beautiful nonetheless.

Nago 01Nago 02CapeNago 03Nago 04Nago 05

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Nom Nom: Eating in Naha

18 Saturday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Okinawa

≈ 1 Comment

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Ashibiuna, Asia, Blue Seal, Blue Seal Ice Cream, Chanpuru, Daito Soba, Food & Drinks, Izakaya Yunangii, Japan, Makishi Public Market, Naha, Okinawa, Okinawa Cuisine, Pork Belly, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Due to the strong Chinese and American influences and the tropical climate in Okinawa, Okinawa cuisine is unlike typical Japanese cuisine. We didn’t really see much sushi, ramen, or curry around. Nevertheless, Mr. Selfish and I enjoyed the eclectic food in Okinawa – from the pork belly to the soba to the chanpuru.  Here are some of the yummy bites we had in and around Naha.

Blue Seal Ice Cream: Born in America, Raised in Okinawa

Even though Blue Seal was conceived Stateside, it was brought to Okinawa in 1948 along with the American soldiers. It wasn’t until 1976 that Blue Seal opened stores outside of the American bases and on the island proper. I enjoy Blue Seal’s tagline – “Born in America, Raised in Okinawa.”

Naha Food 01Naha Food 04

Blue Seal ice cream is creamy (supposedly the way Americans like it), but the flavors are distinctly Okinawan. In particular, Beni-imo, which is purple sweet potato, is quite popular.

Naha Food 02Naha Food 03Blue Seal

Mr. Selfish and I tried a variety of flavors. I really liked Beni-imo and Ube (sweet purple yam), and Mr. Selfish loved that you could have scoop ice cream with softserve on top. I highly recommend Blue Seal if you visit Naha. Mr. Selfish and I probably went three times during our four days in Okinawa.

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Navigating Naha: Shuri Castle, Shikinaen Garden, and Higa Distillery

17 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Okinawa

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Asia, Awamori, Higa Distillery, Japan, Naha, Okinawa, Ryūkyū Kingdom, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Shikinaen Garden, Shuri Castle, Tamaudun Mausoleum

Mr. Selfish and I had originally planned to visit Okinawa to go diving. Unfortunately, when we were there, the wind was too strong, and our dive trip was cancelled. Fortunately, Okinawa has many diverse lovely sights to behold. Here are the sights that we visited in Naha.

Shuri Castle: The Palace of Ryūkyū Kingdom

Shuri Castle was the official palace of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, which ruled the islands that currently make up Okinawa from the 15th to the 19th centuries. The castle is made out of wood and burned down multiple times. The last time it burned down was in 1945 after an American battleship shelled it for three days during WWII. In 1992, Shuri Castle was reconstructed.

The grounds are quite extensive, and it is free to wander around.

Naha 03Naha 02Naha 05Naha 06Naha 07Naha 08

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Heading to Okinawa: 2 Nights at the Doubletree Naha

16 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by misterselfish in Accommodations, Hilton, Japan, Okinawa

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Doubletree Naha, Japan, Naha, Owinawa, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

After leaving Fukuoka, Mrs. Selfish and I boarded a Japan Airlines flight to Naha, Okinawa, Japan’s southern most prefecture. Okinawa is often called the Hawaii of Japan, and for good reason. The weather is warm and tropical, and the traditions and food are completely different from mainland Japan.

Up until the late 1800’s, Okinawa was known as the Ryūkyū Kingdom, and was a tributary of both China and Japan. As such, Okinawa has its own unique blend of Japanese and Chinese traditions and food that make it distinct from mainland Japan. Okinawan architecture is unique, and beautiful.

Naha 001

They also have a huge American military presence, which further adds to the flavor of Okinawa. Wandering across this small island, you’ll notice an American influence on all sorts of foods – from Okinawan ice cream, to taco dogs and taco rice. Continue reading →

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Satiating Our Sushi Lust in Fukuoka at Uotoku

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Japan

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Japan, Otomezushi, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Sushi, Sushi in Fukuoka, Uotoku

Ever since feasting on the freshest and best sushi we’ve ever had in Kanazawa at Otomezushi, Mr. Selfish and I have been a bit shy to eat sushi. It’s all relative, and we know that most sushi won’t stack up to Otomezushi. We’ve mostly stuck to eating rolls instead of actual sushi since you don’t have to be as concerned with freshness.

On our trip back to Japan, we figured that we would get our fill of  sushi. We had read rave reviews of a sushi restaurant named Uotoku (17-14-1 Imaizumi 1-chome, Chuo-ku) in Fukuoka, particularly about the sushi chef who had worked in Hong Kong and New York. We made a reservation for lunch, which is always cheaper for sushi, and had high hopes for sushi.

Fukuoka 066Fukuoka 074

We opted for the chef’s selection and gave him a budget of about $35 USD per person. It’s always a good idea to trust the chef to choose the freshest and best sushi of the day.

The first item served was snail. I wasn’t really expecting it, but it was pretty good and tender. Mr. Selfish and I each received two snails and a toothpick to pry them out.

Fukuoka 067Fukuoka 069

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The Selfish Guide to a Ramen Run in Fukuoka, Japan

14 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Japan

≈ 2 Comments

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Asia, Canal City, Chiba, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Ichiran, Japan, Ramen Stadium, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Shin Shin, Tontoro

Mr. Selfish and I remember the days when we were ramen newbies and could genuinely enjoy most ramen bowls. Those days are long gone, and we’re now ramen snobs. It was bound to happen. If you keep eating something over and over again, you start to develop a palate for it. Unfortunately, once this happens, your discerning palate knows when a ramen bowl isn’t up to snuff.

So when we decided to come back to Fukuoka for a couple of nights, we knew that we had to do a ramen run. Fukuoka is, after all, where tonkotsu ramen originated.

Shin Shin: Good Broth but a Little Fatty on the Pork

Mr. Selfish and I had added Shin Shin to our Google map during our first trip to Fukuoka back in April. We didn’t make it there but had read from many sources that it had some of the best ramen in Fukuoka. We made sure to go to Shin Shin this time around.

Ramen 03Ramen 04Ramen 06

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Heading back to the Grand Hyatt Fukuoka

13 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by misterselfish in Accommodations, Fukuoka, Hyatt, Japan

≈ 1 Comment

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Fukuoka, Fukuoka Castle, Grand Hyatt Fukuoka, Hyatt, Japan, Ohori Park, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

During our selfish year abroad, Mrs. Selfish and I made a pit stop to Fukuoka, on our way to idyllic Kurokawa Onsen Town. As Japan’s 7th largest city, Fukuoka is often overlooked in favor of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Most visitors I’ve talked to aren’t even aware it exists!

Fukuoka is a thriving city with a unique food scene, and the birth place of gyoza and tonkatsu style (pork broth) ramen. Having only spent one half day in Fukuoka on our previous go-around, Mrs. Selfish and I decided to stay two days this time, in order to better explore the city (and it’s ramen scene!).

We decided to stay at Grand Hyatt Fukuoka once again, since we had enjoyed it so much our previous time around. On the previous visit, Mrs. Selfish was a diamond member, thanks to a diamond challenge, but this time we were lowly platinum members. Since we had enjoyed the GHF’s lounge so much on the previous go, however, we decided to pay in cash and use one of Mrs. Selfish’s diamond suite certificates!

Check-in and Room

Checking in in pretty much any Japanese hotel usually goes smoothly, in my experience, and the Grand Hyatt Fukuoka was no exception. After arriving in the lobby, we were escorted to the lounge to complete the check-in process. A few minutes later, we were in our suite.

Grand Hyatt Fukuoka 001

Upon entering, I was immediately struck by the size of the living room. While our previous stay had been pleasant, the standard room was a bit cramped by Western standards. The suite, on the other hand, was large and modern.

There was a thermostat in each room for individual temperature control, motion detector lights in the closet that lit up upon entry, and a classy wall-mounted CD player playing welcoming jazz music.

The living room also had a welcome amenity: a small bottle of wine, some grapes, and green tea flavored cookies.

Grand Hyatt Fukuoka 004Grand Hyatt Fukuoka 005

The room itself was modern and clean though a bit sparse, which I find to be quite typical in Japanese hotels.

Grand Hyatt Fukuoka 002

The bathroom came with a bathtub and separate shower and a glass sink – a feature I’m still obsessed with.

Grand Hyatt Fukuoka 003

Only a wide angle camera could capture the majesty of the glass sink.

While we didn’t snap any pictures of them, I should mention that the amenities kits in Japan tend to be pretty slick. Especially the shaving cream, which comes in a miniature can and foams up. Probably not that impressive to some of y’all out there, but typically hotel shaving creams come out of a little tube more like a lotion or cream – it’s always these little differences that I enjoy about traveling.

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8 Things I Didn’t Even Realize I Missed About Japan

12 Sunday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan

≈ 8 Comments

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Asia, Crunky, Food & Drinks, Japan, Rice balls, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Even though Mr. Selfish and I had just spent 43 days in Japan from April to June of this year, we couldn’t resist going back to Japan during our annual Thanksgiving trip. We ended up spending 10 nights in Japan: 2 nights in Fukuoka, 4 nights in Okinawa, and 4 nights in Tokyo.

Japan Map

Traveling back to Japan made me realize all of the little things I had missed.

1. How Most Signs are Illustrated

I love the fact that most of the signs in Japan have cute little drawings accompanying them.

Missing Japan 01Missing Japan 02Missing Japan 03

Yes, I even found a sewer cover that was illustrated.

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Who’s Selfish?

Mr. and Mrs. Selfish are an obsessively organized couple who sold all their junk to travel abroad for a year. Now settled in San Francisco, they have since visited over 200 cities in 44 countries over 6 continents. This site chronicles their travels.

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