Visiting Seoul in June? Here’s What You Should Know About World Cup Street Cheering If you’re planning a trip to Seoul in June 2026, there’s something you should factor into your itinerary — South Korea’s FIFA World Cup street cheering events. I learned this the hard way just last weekend. I went out for a…
Japan’s Tax-Free Shopping System Is Changing in November. As a Frequent Visitor, Here’s What I Think. If you have traveled to Japan before, chances are you’ve used the country’s tax-free shopping system. For years, the process was simple. Show your passport at an eligible store, meet the minimum purchase requirement, and you could buy products…
Kids Plaza Osaka: A Great Indoor Spot for Families (Even on Rainy Days) If you’re traveling to Osaka with kids, you’ll quickly notice that most of the famous spots — Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, Umeda — are really built around adults. Kids can tag along, but after a few hours of walking and sightseeing, the “are we…
I Traveled Japan Speaking Almost Zero Japanese — These 6 Phrases Got Me Through Everything Before my first trip to Japan, I spent weeks worrying about the language barrier. I downloaded translation apps, printed out phrasebooks, and even tried to memorize hiragana. By day two in Tokyo, I had abandoned almost all of it. Not…
Why Do Japanese People Say “I’m Going to Start Eating” Even When Nobody Is Around? If you visit Japan, you may notice something interesting before a meal begins. Whether in a busy restaurant, a quiet convenience store dining area, or even on a train, many Japanese people briefly put their hands together and say “Itadakimasu”…
For many first-time visitors to South Korea, one of the most surprising sights in a restaurant is a pair of kitchen scissors sitting right on the table. In many countries, scissors belong in the kitchen, an office, or a craft room—not next to your chopsticks. As a Korean, I never thought much about this until…