The Bamboo Traveler
Exploring the history and culture of the world's most fascinating places Free Japan Travel GuideWelcome to the Bamboo Traveler
Welcome to The Bamboo Traveler, a travel blog dedicated to helping you dig deeply into the history, heritage, and culture of a place. Whether it’s through the pages of your passport or the pages of a book, I’ll help you travel the world and uncover the history, culture, food, architecture, and natural beauty of some of the world’s most fascinating places.
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Kamikochi Hiking: The Perfect Day Trip from Takayama (2023)
Looking for an easy and active day trip from Takayama? Want to get out in nature and do some hiking while in Japan? Hiking at Kamikochi is ideal for both inexperienced or physically challenged hikers like me and expert hikers. There’s a wonderful and easy hike with amazing views that you can complete in 3 to 5 hours. It also has plenty of more challenging hikes that take several days to complete. Kamikochi is also a great place to visit for solo travelers as it’s safe and there are plenty of other hikers around. You’ll see when you get there that hiking is really popular...
A Singapore Itinerary That You’ll Never Forget (2023)
How many days should I spend in Singapore? That was the biggest question I had when planning my first trip to this beautiful city-state. Most blogs suggest an itinerary of 2 or 3 days. However, after a day in Singapore, I realized 3 was not going to be enough. There...
4 Guatemala Itinerary Ideas That You’ll Love (2023)
Are you planning a trip to Guatemala? Looking to backpack around the country? But struggling to put together an itinerary. In this post, I’m going to share with you 4 Guatemala itinerary ideas. These itineraries are ideal for anyone who loves exploring the history,...
Nara Itinerary: An Easy Day Trip from Kyoto (2023)
The historic city of Nara makes for an easy, relaxing, and interesting addition to your Kyoto itinerary. It’s got a lot to see and do for history, culture, and food lovers: giant Buddhas, famous temples and shrines, friendly deer, and great food. Visiting the city is...
What to Pack for Guatemala (2023)
Wondering what to pack for your trip to Guatemala? Struggling to figure out what clothes to wear? In this post, I’m going to share with you my packing list for Guatemala. This list is ideal for 1, 2, or 3 weeks of traveling, going on a yoga retreat, or studying in the...
Kanazawa Itinerary: 2 Days in the City of Samurais (2023)
In this itinerary post, I’m going to show you how to spend 2 days in Kanazawa, a city famous for its stunningly restored samurai and geisha neighborhoods and its fresh seafood. If you’re looking to escape the craziness of Tokyo and the tourist-saturated streets of...
The BEST Ever Guide to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
One of the most unique travel experiences for me in Japan was traveling from Kanazawa to Matsumoto via the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. I could have taken a boring old train between these two cities, but by taking the Alpine Route, I was able to travel at over 2,000...
Explore Recent Book Challenge Posts

13 Books on Singapore That’ll Give You Serious Wanderlust
Travel to Singapore from the comfort of your armchair with these 12 books on Singapore.
21 Books on Sri Lanka That’ll Spark Your Wanderlust
Looking for a book or two about Sri Lanka? Planning a trip to the country and want to know something about it before you go? Or just want to know more about its history? Here is a list of 21 books on Sri Lanka. I have read all of them. Some, I absolutely adored....
13 Books on Russia: Why Did Russia Invade Ukraine?
Are you obsessed as I am right now about all things Russia and Ukraine? This list of books on Russia is made for those of you who are trying to make sense of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Like me, you want to know who Putin is, what's driving him, how Russia got...
30 Books on Ukraine: Fiction & Nonfiction
If you’re trying to make sense of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, here are 30 books on Ukraine to help you understand the country better. The list includes books on Ukrainian history, World War II, and the Holocaust in Ukraine as well as novels set in Ukraine....