Japanarama Nearly everybody told me the same thing when I said I was going to Japan. Oh, it's expensive. It's true, but only compared to SE Asia and other popular backpacker destinations. A private room costs about $40 a night and a restaraunt meal is around $8. It's really no more than... more...

Kyoto Two hours later on the bullet train and I was in Kyoto. With the rail pass, changing cities in Japan is like riding the bus across town. Most tourists go to Kyoto because it's steeped in history. Lonely Planet publishes a seperate book on the city.

In two days I hit a... more...

Japanarama II In Japan it's pronounced Hiro-SHI-ma, not Hirosh-i-MA. It's described as a young and lively city, it is. The kids are decked out and accessorised and they cruise around on scooters smoking cigs. It's also the home to the A-bomb memorial. This is what I came to see, having also seen the... more...