Hi Everyone,Merry Christmas from Japan. This year, we are having a white Christmas with the kids. We haven't gone skiing yet, but we will be going up the slopes in a few weeks. We checked out of our onsen hotel and are now staying at our Airbnb for a few days. Christmas in Japan is like any normal day. All the shops and supermarkets are still open for business, and school is still on as usual.

Hi Everyone,This little eatery is on the far end of Taishakuten Sandō. With only a few tables inside, it is a cute restaurant serving skewers, noodles, and rice dishes. The weather was cold outside and when we stepped in, we could feel the nice comfy heater on full level giving us a warm feeling straight away.

Hi Everyone,On the eastern side of Tokyo, Shibamata Taishakuten was a half-day visit for us. Known for its historic charm and appearing in the "Tora-san" movie series, this little place takes you away from the busy part of Tokyo. Taishakuten Daikyoji Temple was our first stop, a Buddhist temple famous for its intricately carved wooden reliefs.

Hi Everyone,As we arrived at the beginning of winter, we still tried to see the ginkgo trees at Meiji the next day we landed. Unfortunately, many of the leaves have fallen with only a handful of trees having these yellow leaves. Located just a few minutes away from the trendy streets of Harajuku and Shibuya, Meiji Jingu feels like a different world. Just as you pass through Meiji Shrine, you will see the ginkgo trees 銀杏stand out amongst the normal trees around the Shrine.

Hi Everyone,The one thing I love in Japan is there are many cafes that serve high quality food and drinks. Big brands like Muji also have cafes around Japan so you know this is a brand to trust. I was tired of walking around the whole day so I decided to sit down for a small treat at Muji Cafe.

Hi Everyone,After a few months, we are back in Japan again! Initially I was thinking of going to Malaysia for our extended stay but the Japanese Yen is pretty good with AUD so hubby said let's do Japan again not knowing if we could get these good rates again. Malaysia we could go any time so I had to book everything online to get some good deals quickly. We used our Jetstar vouchers from our cancelled flights last year and will go home via Singapore Air which would be a nice stopover for the boys (only 4hrs!).