Where Tara Went

04/04/2025

SNAPS FROM OSAKA, JAPAN 🇯🇵

We fell in love with Osaka, Japan. Most people use Osaka as a stopover destination in their Japan itinerary, but it’s absolutely worth more of your time.

• Yasaka Shrine (in pic 1) which is free to visit
• grab food in Dotonburi, though I also recommend an Osaka food crawl
• Cup Noodles Museum is a fun way to spend a morning, but u recommend booking in advance to beat school crowds and group tours
• Colorful Kutsuoji-temple is a must-see

Have extra time? Consider day trips to:
• Nara, famous deer park
• Kobe, the home of Kobe beef
• Hiroshima, history buffs & all American tourists should not miss

11/02/2025

☕CAFÉ ADVENTURES in 📍 KYOTO

If you're a coffee lover heading to Kyoto soon, don't visit without reading my latest blog post. In it, I share 11 of the best cafés that Japan's cultural capital offers (and some hidden brunch spots).

Kyoto has no shortage of gorgeous cafés and specialty coffee shops. This post breaks down the very best of them, detailing the coolest places for coffee in Kyoto.

07/02/2025

BEST CAFÉS IN KYOTO ☕️

In between all our vintage and handicrafts shopping, we café hopped around Kyoto.

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28/01/2025

BEST VEGETARIAN + VEGAN SPOTS IN OSAKA 👇🏼

🥟 - such a cool, intimate setting in Dotonbori with delicious vegetarian gyoza
🍜 Paprika Shokudo - a fully vegan restaurant with heaping portions and a wide selection of offerings
🌯 El Pancho- no judgement here, we spent a month traveling Japan and needed a “Mexican” food fix, you’ll find incredibly horchata here
🍛 Shama Vegetarian Restaurant - hidden in a basement-level restaurant, the portions here are 10/10 as are the curry options
🍧 - come with an empty stomach and a sweet tooth for giant kakigori (shaved ice)



Japan travel | Japan food | Osaka food | Osaka travel | vegetarian Japanese food | Japan vegans

20/01/2025

BEST CAFÉS IN TOKYO ☕️

As always, I went café hunting in Tokyo and found some incredible coffee. Here are my favorites 👇🏼







Little Nap Coffee Roasters


Buy Me Stand



Best cafes in Tokyo | Tokyo coffee shops | best cafes | best coffee shops | Tokyo travel tips | Tokyo travel | Tokyo guide | travel blog | travel guide Japan

08/01/2025

🇯🇵 TIPS FOR VISITING ARASHIYAMA BAMBOO FOREST 🎋

This spot is a bit of an Instagram versus reality. But, don’t let that stop you from visiting. Instead, read these tips to know what you’re getting into 👇🏼

- Go early. I’m talking 6:30am. We visited in November and arrived by 6:30 and it still took lots of patience (and me using my body to block people) to get these photos.

- The bamboo forest is actually more accurately described as several hundred meters of bamboo trees, lined by bamboo fencing. It’s less “forest” and more “walkway”.

- It’s free to visit, which is part of the reason it’s one of Kyoto’s most visited attractions.

- Add on Hōkyō-in Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temples. They’re a bit of a walk from the forest but you can also use the public bus (times are infrequent but it was punctual when we visited).

- There are some lovely home cafés and restaurants in the area to enjoy, but most don’t open until 10 or 11 am.

Have you visited before?

18/12/2024

🍜 KYOTO EATS (for vegetarians + vegans)👇🏼

Osaka is known as the foodie capital of Japan, but we ate well everywhere— including Kyoto! 🥟🍜🍱 Here is a full list of everywhere we ate (excluding most cafés; coffee post coming soon) while in Kyoto:

• - creative, upscale vegan versions of Japanese food (from the brains behind .planets )
• - the breakfast spread here is incredible
• - casual café dining serving traditional Japanese food made vegan, sits above a gorgeous vintage store
• - bagels with unique flavors
• .journey
• .et.cafe.fiveran - bakery selling breads, pastries, & sandwiches
• - perfectly located on the water with a gorgeous terrace
• - a mix of western and Japanese food (ate here multiple times)
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• Padma - located above a Lawson’s
• - gorgeous café selling decadent pastries on the more local side of the city
• Gorka Durbar Kyoto - delicious Indian and Nepali, because sometimes a curry just hits
• Nishiki Market - stall after stall of food, including some vegetarian options


Where to eat Kyoto | Japan travel tips | Japan travel recommendations | Kyoto best eats | Kyoto good eats | Kyoto Japan

14/11/2024

🇯🇵 KYOTO QUICK GUIDE 👇🏼

Here’s a quick introduction to Kyoto (and an excuse to share photos because I just love them).

For my full Kyoto guide, keep an eye on my blog where I’ll detail everything (& share spots I don’t on Instagram 🤫)

🚌 There is metro system, but the bus is better connnected. Both the metro & the bus accept IC Card, which is a contactless tap-and-pay card that can be topped up at any of the metro stations. The machines have an English language option.

🍽️ .et.cafe.fiveran .journey.kyoto

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⛩️ Fushimi Inari Taisha is a can’t miss addition on your Kyoto itinerary, but get there early if you’re crowd-averse. There are an additional 1600+ temples and 400 shrines throughout the city to see.

👀 Spot the monsters near Ichijo dori Street, all handmade by business owners

🌸 Flowers & foliage can be found at Kyoto Botanic Gardens (entry is 200 JPY), but don’t miss the nearby Garden of Fine Arts (entry is 100 JPY)

🎍 Ariyashima Bamboo Forest is crowded by 7AM, but it is definitely a fun morning out when paired with Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple nearby

🍵 You can book a Geisha tea ceremony experience, which I found incredible in its precision.

🍁 November has been unseasonably warm this year, but there is still a lot of foliage, so we really lucked out.

🛌 I highly recommend Smart Place Inn, a brand new hotel we stayed in near Nijo Castle. We had a 15 minute walk to Nishiki Market and were close to metro and bus services.

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Japan travel guide | Japan travel | Kyoto travel guide | Kyoto things to do | Kyoto where to eat

10/11/2024

QUICK GUIDE TO LILLE 📸

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25/10/2024

Lonely Planet has named Laos one of its Best in Travel for 2025, and I could not be more excited. Years spent living in Laos cemented the country into my heart, so seeing it make the ultimate travel list feels extra special.

While the high-speed train is controversial, the helpfulness of its connectivity for travelers and what it will mean for tourism across Laos is indisputable.

This is your sign to book your ticket now!

These are our picks for the 30 best places to travel in 2025.

23/10/2024

WHERE TO EAT IN LILLE 🇫🇷🤤👇🏼

At the border of Belgium, in northern France, sits Lille. Charming. Artsy. & filled with an array of food to satiate hungry wanderers.

After 4 days in Lille, we left with bellies full! Here are my favorite places we went:

☕️ - Luke still talks about his halloumi and egg breakfast bun
☕️ - a super cute find from our final morning
☕️ - barista-style coffee you won’t want to miss
☕️ .lille - idyllic setting in a flower shop
☕️ Bloom

🧁 - the upstairs seating made for great people watching
🧁 - delicious cinnamon buns
🧁 - seriously stunning interiors for decadent chocolates

🍽️ Tigermilk - a gorgeous eatery serving “tacos” and fun cocktails (and mocktails)
🍽️ - affordable frites seasoned to perfection
🍽️ Papa Raffaele - the pizza is worth the line around the block
🍽️ The Grand Scene food hall - vibey at night, great for when you can’t pick one thing

07/10/2024

Sometime around 100 BC, King Vattagamini Abhaya was forced into hiding, where he came across a deep rock overhang in Dambulla.

He claimed refuge there for 14 years before resuming his throne.

To show his gratitude, the king commissioned temples to be built in the granite caves.

TIPS FOR VISITING 👇🏼
• There are sarongs to borrow if you come without your knees or shoulders covered
• Shoes must remain off
• Visiting during the middle of the day (like most attractions in Sri Lanka) means dealing with the heat
• The temples’ resident monkeys are known for being extra mischievous, so keep your belongings close

AD | we visited Dambulla as part of the Sri Lanka Explorer tour with


Travel guide | travel tips | Sri Lanka trip | Dambulla | Sri Lanka guide