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Category: Guides

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Japan has the reputation of being unique, quirky and sometimes even flat out weird. But not weird in a bad, but weird in a good way. These unique experiences which are synonymous with Tokyo are the reason some people make the trip out there. While I would always advise you pair your adventures in Japan with some traditional experiences as well, I do completely understand those who want to find all the most bizarre activities this country has to offer. Here are my favourite weird and wonderful places and adventures to can find in Tokyo!

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Known as the Venice of the North, Bruges is a medieval paradise replete with sweeping canals, quaint cobblestones alleyways, unique Gothic architecture and an utterly enchanting atmosphere. Bruges is truly one of my favourite cities to visit. It feels like you could walk endless along the streets and continuously find new discoveries. It’s a fairy-tale like village and I think far too many people just breeze through it on a day-trip from Brussels. I think to truly experience the city at it’s best you need to spend the night and dedicate a good 48 hours to explore every nook and cranny of the city.

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Travelling to Japan as a first timer is a daunting experience. Going to a city where they don’t use the Roman alphabet, let alone speak the language, is just one more hurdle which can make those first few hours in the city all that more confusing and intimidating. But trust me, Japan is one of the most incredible cities in the world and the kind people you’ll find there are always more than happy to help you out with any pickle you might find yourself in. That being said, after many “first times” in Japan, I’ve plotted my top tips to ensure your first few hours there go as smoothly as possible, and you’ve set yourself up for success for the rest of your trip to Japan!

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Visiting one of Budapest’s thermal baths is a right of passage for anyone’s first time in this historic city. Budapest’s thermal baths are as crucial to the culture and the city as anything else you’ll see and do. Although the concept might seem strange to foreigners, once you get over the first time jitters, you’re bound to find the experience something you’ll want to do over and over again.

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Downtown Las Vegas is the historic centre of Las Vegas, where the entire idea of “Las Vegas” was born. And yet, this part of town is oft forgotten in place of the glitz and glamour of it’s southern, younger more popular sister. But in recent years Downtown Las Vegas has seen a boom of popularity, and people are more and more choosing to venture up to DTLV (as it is now conveniently called) to seek out the origins of the city and the alternative scene found out there.

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When visiting the famed area of Asakusa and the Sensoji shrine you’re bound to work up an appetite! Luckily, Nakamise Shopping Street and the side streets around it, have a plethora of amazing street foods to choose from. I decided to make a day of this the last time I visited. Come HUNGRY because there are so many different things you NEED to try! This one area offers up so many traditional Japanese street foods, each one costing only a dollar or so. You can easily spend under $15 for an entire 10-course meal! There are plenty of food tours of this area, but it’s so easy to do it yourself. While having a guide is a great way to ask questions and find out more from a local’s perspective about the area, doing it on your own means it’s up to you to find your way around and interact with the locals yourself.

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Xochimilco is the Venice of Mexico. It’s an enormous network of canals which spread across this southern district of Mexico City. There are over 170 km of canals which spread out in all different directions. Before the Spanish arrived in Mexico City, the indigenous people of Mexico had created an incredible network of canals which they used as both a means of transport and as a way to ensure there was a constant supply of water throughout the country. Xochimilco means “Floating Gardens” and stands today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as it preserves ancient Aztecs technology.

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We just returned from our trip to Mexico City and let me just say upfront, this was one of my favourite places I’ve ever visited. The city wove a spell around me, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Mexico City is on the top of almost all the ‘Best Places to Visit in 2019’ lists and we wanted to get out there to see it for ourselves! There was SO much I learned after spending a week in Mexico’s capital and I wanted to share with you the most helpful tips I learned so you can plan your trip to visit this incredible place ASAP!

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Inside the bamboo forest, you’ll come across Tenryuji temple. The temple grounds are known as being one of the most beautiful in Japan and their famous garden, and its zen-like atmosphere was just the thing we were looking for as an to escape from the throngs of people who were started to filter into the bamboo grove.

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One of the most iconic images of Japan has to be the bright, vermillion coloured torii gates of Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. Many people come to Fushimi Inari Taisha not knowing the scope of it. They see the images online and think it’s just a few small alleyways – this is far from the whole picture. The main shrine sits at the base of the Inari mountains, but a path of thousands of torii gates behind the building leads visitors up 233 meters above sea level to visit 4 kilometres of sub-shrines finally ending at the magnificent mountain top shrine.

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Many people underestimate how much there is to do while visiting Arashiyama. We were lucky enough to book off an entire day here to explore, but I think if we could have done it all over again, we would have booked a hotel to extend our time there ever more. One of the attractions that often gets overlooked is the Iwatayama Monkey Park. Many people are dissuaded when they see it’s a 30-minute + hike, uphill, to where you’ll see the monkeys. They either can’t spare the time or can’t spare the energy. But let me tell you right now – it’s worth it…well worth it.

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If you’re looking for the busiest, liveliest, brightest, craziest area to stay while visiting Tokyo, there is no other option for you other than Shinjuku. Shinjuku is home to the world’s biggest railways station, where more than two million passengers flow through their hallways each day. Just a taste of the immensity of this mini-city.

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When I first visited Washington D.C. I thought it would be nothing more than plain white political powerhouses and generic American architecture. Boy was I wrong! I was shocked to see what a beautiful city this was. The central sightseeing portion of this city is extremely walkable so its easy to just wander around from place to place taking snapshots of the bright, bold and brilliant art and architecture which makes Washington such an incredible place to visit.

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The Grand Canal or Canalazzo is the heart of Venice. Ever since the founding days of the Venetian empire, this canal served as the major thoroughfare for the Venetian people. The most important historical palaces and famous Venetian buildings wrap around the edges of the canal. Once upon a time, the Grand Canal was the like the Rodeo Drive for Venetian aristocrats. The who’s who of Europe could be seen relaxing in gondolas, wearing the newest and most extravagant fashions, cruising up and down the river. 

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Osaka is one of the most vibrant cities in Japan, and while it’s also one of the largest, exploring key parts of this historic town can easily be accomplished in one single day. While spending more time here is always recommended to get to know the inner workings and subtleties of the city, if you’re just stopping over you can easily fill your day with exciting things to do and amazing places to eat.