29 Novels on Japan: Read Before You Go!
29 Novels on Japan: Read Before You Go! In this post, I’m going to share with you my honest and unbiased review of 29 of my favorite and not-so-favorite novels about Japan and Japanese culture. Hopefully, this list will help you decide which books to read, borrow, or...
13 Surefire Tips for Planning Your First Trip to Japan
13 Surefire Tips for Planning Your First Trip to Japan Preparing for a trip to Japan can be more overwhelming than preparing for a trip anywhere else in the world. You’ve got to book a plane ticket that is often more expensive than flying to most other places in the...
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running – Review
Books on Japan What I Talk About When I Talk About Running By Haruki Murakami My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars “Someday if I have a gravestone and I’m able to pick out what’s carved on it, I’d like it to say this:Haruki Murakami 1949 to 20…Writer (and Runner)At least he...
Men Without Women – Review
Books on Japan Men Without Women By Haruki Murakami My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars “Perhaps an even more distressing prospect for Habara than the cessation of sexual activity, however, was the loss of the moments of shared intimacy. To lose all contact with women was,...
Is a Japan Rail Pass Worth It?
Is a Japan Rail Pass Worth It? "Is a Japan Rail Pass worth it?" This might be the most important question you are asking yourself right now as you prepare for your trip to Japan in 2021. In this post, I'm going to show you whether a Japan Rail Pass is worth it. Using...
Kanazawa Itinerary: 2 Days in the City of Samurais
Kanazawa Itinerary: 2 Days in the City of Samurais In this Kanazawa 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 fabulous and fresh seafood. If you’re looking...
The 4 Best Day Trips from Tokyo
The 4 Best Day Trips from Tokyo Looking to take a day trip from Tokyo, but don’t know where to go. Here are THE 4 best day trips to take from Tokyo: Hakone, Kamakura, Mt. Fuji, and Nikko. All of them can be reached in 1 or 2 hours by bus or train. All will reward you...
How to find the perfect place to stay in Tokyo (even on a budget)
How to find the perfect place to stay in Tokyo (even on a budget) Struggling with figuring out where to stay in Tokyo? I totally get it. There are so many neighborhoods to choose from, and each has its pros and cons. Ginza is central but expensive. Asakusa is cheap...About Me
I’m Julie, a.k.a. the Bamboo Traveler. Like bamboo, I look weak on the outside (a short, bit overweight, and not very athletic 40 something traveler with poor eyesight, a bum knee and flat feet), but inside I’m strong, resilient, flexible, and open-minded. I write about how to travel to exotic locations around the world and what it’s like traveling solo as a middle-aged woman. I’m also a bookworm, food nerd, and amateur historian, so you’ll find lots of advice and info about what to read for your travels, where and what to eat, and where it all came from. Welcome to my travel blog! I’m so glad you made it here!
