After spending the previous day in Osaka, I decided to venture out to Kobe, located just a short local train ride away. Kobe is a nice place to visit if you enjoy the feel of a smaller city and want to explore some nature, walk along a waterfront, and eat some beef (yes, this is THE Kobe) all in the span of one day. Here are my top picks:

When my two days in Kyoto came to an end, I took the local train over a short distance to Osaka. This one was definitely my favorite out of all the cities I visited during my October break, being Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Hiroshima. Saying this as a native New Yorker, the city looked and felt like a cleaner and greener NYC, with plenty to see and do.

Hello from the shinkansen! This past week I’ve been on my October break since Kanda University is closed for their annual Hamakaze festival, and have been making the most of it by traveling around Japan. I’ve had such a wonderful time exploring the country that I’ve decided to share my favorite experiences in each city with you all so that you have some ideas about what to do when you’re planning your own trips.