Japlanning Eats: Nakiryu - Michelin starred ramen

March 17, 2019

By Bryce Marley-Jarrett

In the mid 2000’s Japan dethroned France as the country with the most michelin stars, with Tokyo being the city with the most stars in the world. In recent years Tokyo has become home to two ramen bars that have each been awarded a Michelin star for their dishes. The first was Tsuta in 2015 and followed by Nakiryu in 2017. Today we are giving you our review on the Michelin ramen at Nakiryu, and tips on how to get your hands on a bowl of one of the best ramens in the world.

Sitting at the base of a small office building surrounded by apartments in a very unassuming residential town in Tokyo, most would walk past Nakiryu and not even notice it - you could assume it was a small accountants office. However behind the ground floor door on the corner of the street is a small, 10 seater ramen bar that makes one of the greatest bowls of ramen in the world.

Japlanning Drinks - Café de L’ambre

August 21, 2018

by Devon Martin

In a quiet little corner of Ginza, down a nondescript laneway sits a perfect little coffee shop that has been roasting beans since 1948. Are you a coffee lover? Coffee obsessed? This. is. your. place.

Alerted to this gem by some Japanese friends, the Japlanning team hit up this perfect café on a recent trip to Tokyo.

The café opens at noon and serves you guessed it, coffee. There is nothing else on the menu. But what it lacks in options for food or other beverages, it more than makes up for preparation and choice of beans. Every guest must at least order 1 cup of coffee, but even for the non-coffee obsessed there’s something on the menu for everyone. The majority of the coffee is prepared with the nel drip method; using a copper kettle, and being strained through a filter which looks like an old sock. The pour is slow and hypnotic to watch.

The Japlanning Guide to Sakura Season 2017

February 20, 2017

by Bryce Marley-Jarrett

It’s coming up to the most beautiful time of the year in Japan; no it isn’t Christmas, it’s Sakura season! This is Japan’s busiest season for both domestic and international tourists. Everyone flocks to see the stunning blooms on the cherry trees all over Japan while enjoying time with friends and family under the blossoms. From late March through to early May the trees bloom from Southern Japan to the most Northmost tip. Without further ado here is the ultimate guide to Sakura Season in Japan for 2017.

Sakura season is a magical time in Japan, from the first bloom till the last petal falls, the country is blanketed in a palette of pink and white hues, showing the world that spring has most definitely sprung. Throughout this time, Japanese people come together with friends and family to enjoy the natural beauty and flock to parks, and river banks filled with sakura trees, and relax under the trees with picnics and drinks and embrace the beauty.

Sapporo: To train or not to train?

January 9, 2017

by Sam Marley-Jarrett

Veterans of travelling across Japan by Shinkansen, a few weeks ago we thought it would be a good idea to jump on a couple of trains and spend some snow time up in Sapporo.

Travelling to Sapporo isn't as easy as getting somewhere like Kyoto or Osaka, as the Shinkansen line only reaches Hakodate, a city on the edge of the island of Hokkaido. Travellers by train must change to a regular intercity train to make the final leg of their journey to Sapporo.

Japlanning Guide - Gunkanjima Island

November 14, 2016

by Bryce Marley-Jarrett

Gunkanjima Island is located off the coast of Nagasaki on the southern island Kyushu. It was once a full working island city, with schools, movie theatres and more. It was once the most densely populated place on earth, and now you can tour and see the ghost town it has become. Today we are taking a look at it’s history and the easiest way for you to visit an island that few people have seen in the last 40 years.

It’s official name is Hashima Island but it is more commonly known as Gunkanjima (軍艦島 - Warship Island), due to its uncanny resemblance to a warship floating in the water. Gunkanjima’s history dates back to 1887, when coal was discovered on the island. By the end of the 1800’s, the island was populated and used as a seabed coal mining facility. In 1890 the Island was purchased by Mitsubishi (Yes, Mitsubishi) who further expanded the production and mining operation on the Island. Through land reclamation of the ocean, they were able to expand the very small space of the island to further increase their production ability.

Train vs Plane - Tokyo to Nagasaki

June 12, 2016

by Bryce Marley-Jarrett

Tokyo is the main hub for people coming into Japan for tourism, however there is so much across this amazing country to see that, like most people, you will explore beyond the mega-city that is Tokyo. Once deciding where to head, the next question is how to get there. Today we take a look at going from Tokyo to Nagasaki, and look at the best options to travel there. Yes, today we’re comparing trains vs planes!

Nagasaki is about 1250km (around 780 miles) away from Tokyo, or a 15-hour car ride. It is an amazing city that often gets overlooked for closer, more convenient cities. Nagasaki sits on the west coast side of Kyushu island, and is a bayside city surrounded by lush, green mountains, and it bears a startling difference to Tokyo and even other port cities like Osaka. Strolling through Nagasaki, you will notice a great feeling of city life, while also maintaining that small town charm to it that feels very unique.