Author Archives: eli fessler

The Greens and Blues of Southern Shikoku – part two

Posted on July 19, 2026 by eli fessler

My trip westward through Kochi Prefecture continues! If you haven’t seen part one of this trip report, feel free check that out (though personally I’m never one to shun reading non-linearly!) The second half of my Golden Week 2025 travels … Continue reading →

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The Greens and Blues of Southern Shikoku – part one

Posted on April 22, 2026 by eli fessler

Out of my collection of – prior to Golden Week last year – 129 unique IC cards from all around Japan, there was only one regularly available one I was missing: DESUCA, from Kochi Prefecture. Kochi’s one most out-of-the-way regions … Continue reading →

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Mini-trip #4: How do I keep finding myself in Saga?

Posted on February 28, 2026 by eli fessler

Nobody likes Saga Prefecture for some reason. There’s a Japanese company that carries out yearly “prefectural attractiveness” surveys, and every year Saga’s right near the bottom. It fell one spot to last place in 2022, leading to a lot of … Continue reading →

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From Nagoya to Nagoya, riding the Iida Line and KURURUing through Nagano

Posted on January 30, 2026 by eli fessler

Happy 2026! Now almost a year behind, this post recounts a circular trip I took over the course of a long weekend in February 2025 to get the brand new 2-in-1 regional collaboration IC card KURURU. I’m trying to finish … Continue reading →

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SNOOOOOOW IN HOKKAIDOOOOO!

Posted on November 18, 2025 by eli fessler

Japan is so hot. So absolutely, unlivably hot for a solid four, arguably even five months of the year. But I grew up in the snow – it’s my favorite type of weather, and winter is my favorite season bar … Continue reading →

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