TRAVEL BUG WITHIN - Adventure, Road Trips, Travel Tips and Reviews

Travel writer Jennifer Johnston shares her travel experiences and tips inspiring midlife adventurers to explore further.

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Stay in the world’s oldest inn where samurai warriors once bathed

March 17, 2022 By Jennifer Johnston Leave a Comment

Image of the outside of a hotel lit up at night time

Japan’s culture is based on history, tradition and hospitality. The perfect combination of these three are found deep within the mountains of the Yamanashi Prefecture inside the walls of the world’s oldest inn I'm asked my name then directed to a pair of slippers with a tag printed: "Jennifer." As I remove my shoes and change into my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Destinations, Japan

Breaking down Tokyo one neighbourhood at a time

March 17, 2021 By Jennifer Johnston Leave a Comment

Images of rows and rows of white lanterns with blue Japanese symbols painted on the front

I was commissioned to write a story about a few of Tokyo's neighbourhoods for an airline magazine in anticipation of the 2020 Summer Olympics (also known as Tokyo 2020.) I filed the story exactly 12 months ago. Sadly, since Coronavirus curtailed international travel, the airline is no longer publishing a magazine. So I’ve decided to publish my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Destinations, Japan Tagged With: Tokyo

A comfortable home away from home in Kyoto – Mimaru Nishinotoin Takatsuji

March 11, 2020 By Jennifer Johnston Leave a Comment

Screen door leading into a hotel reception with potted plants on either side of the entrance

Creature comforts and space in Kyoto One aspect about Japan travellers regularly comment on, is that hotel rooms are often on the smaller side. And I get it. Space comes at a premium price in this island country, home to 126.8 million people. But with a little research, you can find exceptions to the 'small hotel room' syndrome without costing a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Destinations, Hotel Reviews, Japan Tagged With: #KyotoHotel, #MimaruApartmentHotels, Kyoto, Mimaru Apartment Hotels, Where to stay in Kyoto

Winter is coming in Nozawa Japan

November 16, 2018 By Jennifer Johnston Leave a Comment

Ski season in Japan is about to open! I've just received the email, the first snow has fallen in Nozawa Onsen - a ski village four hours north of Tokyo. Thought it might be a good time to share my story Published on AWOL - Junkee and maybe consider this traditional village for your next snow holiday.       … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Destinations, Japan, Stories "outside" of the Travel genre Tagged With: #VisitJapan, #Winteriscoming, Japan, Nozawa Onsen, ski Japan, where to ski in Japan

Breaking your leg overseas, the lessons I’ve learned

February 1, 2018 By Jennifer Johnston Leave a Comment

There have been a few blog posts about my "incident" in Japan.  I took the opportunity to write about it and here is my story published last year in Australia's WellBeing Magazine #170 in their "Real Life Experience" column.   Its now just over 12 months since the fall - and the scar has healed amazingly (was a little concerned about … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Japan, Stories "outside" of the Travel genre, Why have me write for you? Tagged With: Real life experiences

An expensive Japanese taxi ride

January 15, 2018 By Jennifer Johnston 2 Comments

About that long taxi ride in Japan …… The Shinkansens are a superb way to travel around Japan. These lightning-fast bullet trains are the epitome of efficiency – punctual down to the millisecond. They’re what we used to travel from Tokyo to the ski fields of Nozawa, in the Nagano prefecture, northwest of Tokyo.  And it wasn't because of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Destinations, Japan Tagged With: expensive taxi ride, Goals for 2018, what accidents teach us, what we learn from traveling, why have travel insurance

Naked communion – a divine Japanese onsen experience

June 23, 2017 By Jennifer Johnston 6 Comments

My first onsen experience took place in Nozawa Onsen Japan is a hierarchical society based on formal rituals and traditions. It’s suggested the naked communion experience the onsen provides, is a way of helping to break down those traditional barriers. Stripped of our clothing, we are all the same. Walking carefully along the snow-covered village … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Destinations, Japan, Single Mum Travel Tales, Stories "outside" of the Travel genre Tagged With: #NozawaOnsen, #seeJapan, #SkiJapan, destinationJapan, Japan, Japan insight, onsens in Nozawa, What to do in Nozawa

A tough Japanese ski lesson

March 25, 2017 By Jennifer Johnston Leave a Comment

Snow was falling steadily at Nozawa Onsen. It hadn't eased since our arrival, four days earlier. It was after a slight delay from our shinkansen experience we finally made it to this traditional Japanese ski village, in the Nagano prefecture four hour’s drive northwest of Tokyo,  I was with two of my sons, Mr 18 and Mr 13, my other Mr 13 stayed … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Destinations, Japan, Stories "outside" of the Travel genre Tagged With: #SkiJapan, Discover Japan, Nozawa Onsen rseort, Nozawa Ski School, onsens in Japan, ski accidents, ski Japan, travel, unplanned holiday events, what can happen on the ski slopes in Japan, where to ski in Japan

When travelling Japan with teenagers be prepared for anything

February 7, 2017 By Jennifer Johnston 2 Comments

Expect the unexpected when travelling with teenagers The Japanese Shinkansen is fast. Also referred to as bullet trains (because of their sleek aerodynamic shape) Shinkansens are part of a high-speed passenger rail network traversing the Japanese countryside at lightning speed! On October 1st, 1964, just before the '64 Tokyo Olympics, the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Japan, Single Mum Travel Tales, Stories "outside" of the Travel genre Tagged With: #NozawaOnsen, #seeJapan, Family Holidays, Iiyama Station Negano Japan, Japan, Japan and experiences, Shinkansens in Japan, single mum travel tales, single mum travels with teenagers in Japan, travelling with teenagers in Japan, what to be careful of when travelling in Japan

Japan Ohayo Gozaimasu

January 5, 2017 By Jennifer Johnston 2 Comments

Finally Japan! My first visit to the land of the rising sun is imminent. Japan has been on my travel radar since my high school days when I studied Japanese in Year 8! As this was quite a few decades ago, why has it taken so long for me to visit? Truthfully – I’ve no idea. I’d say too many other countries in between. But a couple of factors … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Destinations, Japan, Why have me write for you? Tagged With: Family holiday in Japan, Japan, Ski Nozawa, travel, Travel with kids to Japan, where to ski in Japan

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