Today was a day for greeting old friends: Hong Kong International Airport, which I’ve used on multiple occasions; and Japan, which I was about to visit for the sixteenth time. But it was also marked by two notable firsts: my first visit to Okinawa, and my first flight on Cathay Dragon. Welcome aboard KA378.
Category Archives: Japan
Flight Report: MNL-HKG on Cathay Pacific Flight CX908
There are currently no direct flights between Manila and Okinawa, but we’re not short of options if a transit stop is added to the mix. We eventually settled on Cathay Pacific for this short holiday in Japan’s southernmost prefecture, and the airline would bring us to its bustling hub in Hong Kong before taking usContinue reading “Flight Report: MNL-HKG on Cathay Pacific Flight CX908”
Rail Report: Trainspotting my way around Shikoku, Japan (19-23 November 2016)
I’ve logged thousands of miles of travel through the years in pursuit of the two Japanese things that interest me the most: trains and castles. Needless to say, I find a journey especially rewarding when I can satisfy my thirst for both in one fell swoop – and there are few places better endowed inContinue reading “Rail Report: Trainspotting my way around Shikoku, Japan (19-23 November 2016)”
Rail Report: Niigata to Echigo-Yuzawa on the Genbi Shinkansen, Japan (30 September 2017)
I’m not a fan of contemporary art. In fact, if I were to speak plainly on the matter, I’d risk saying something unprintable. That said, I’m an incurable railway enthusiast through and through … and when I learned that one of Japan’s famous shinkansen trains had been transformed into a high-speed art gallery, riding thatContinue reading “Rail Report: Niigata to Echigo-Yuzawa on the Genbi Shinkansen, Japan (30 September 2017)”
Field Report: Azuchi Castle Ruins and Museums, Shiga, Japan – Part One (03 May 2017)
In a quiet corner of Shiga Prefecture, on the slopes of a thickly forested hill overlooking Lake Biwa, I came across the scattered remnants of what was, for a few glorious years, the mightiest fortress in all of Japan. A castle to end all castles, unequalled in size or grandeur by anything that had comeContinue reading “Field Report: Azuchi Castle Ruins and Museums, Shiga, Japan – Part One (03 May 2017)”
Flight Report: KIX-MNL on Jetstar Asia Flight 3K764 (2nd edition)
In my previous post, I’ve set out my thoughts about what it’s like to fly with Jetstar Asia from Manila to Ōsaka-Kansai. Now let’s take a look at their performance on the return leg, flying back home from Japan.
Flight Report: MNL-KIX on Jetstar Asia Flight 3K763 (2nd edition)
I’ve written before of how Jetstar’s become my airline of choice when flying between Manila and various cities in Japan. (Well, when they’re available anyway. The flights aren’t daily and the routes are seasonally operated, so other carriers come into play when I travel outside those periods.) Reasonable prices are a major factor, good schedulesContinue reading “Flight Report: MNL-KIX on Jetstar Asia Flight 3K763 (2nd edition)”
Field Report: Takeda Castle, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan (02 May 2017)
In this post, I’ll take you to the ruins of a hilltop castle in Hyōgo Prefecture: a place where stone walls, sheer drops, and fantastic views come together to create one of the most splendid castle vistas I’ve seen anywhere in Japan. Some people have dubbed it “Japan’s Machu Picchu” – an exaggeration, to beContinue reading “Field Report: Takeda Castle, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan (02 May 2017)”
Flight Report: MNL-NRT-MNL on Jetstar Japan Flight GK40 and GK41
In the past couple of years, the Jetstar group has collectively become my airline of choice when travelling to and from Japan. Attractive fares have played a key part in that rise, but a more important factor is the increase in the number of Japanese cities they now serve directly out of Manila, along withContinue reading “Flight Report: MNL-NRT-MNL on Jetstar Japan Flight GK40 and GK41”
Field Report: The Autumn Splendours of Arashiyama, Kyōto, Japan (26 November 2016)
The hills of the Arashiyama district are ablaze with colour every fall, transforming the northwestern reaches of Kyōto into a teeming hive of tourists. This particular season – out of the several autumns I’ve spent in Japan’s ancient capital – seemed the worst by far in terms of visitor overload, but it’s hard to complainContinue reading “Field Report: The Autumn Splendours of Arashiyama, Kyōto, Japan (26 November 2016)”
Within striking distance 