Author Archives: eli fessler

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

Happy 2026! Now almost a year behind, this post is recounting 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 … Continue reading

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SNOOOOOOW IN HOKKAIDOOOOO!

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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Mini-trip #3: Seishun 18-ing to Onomichi & the end of Honshu

*taps* Is this thing on? Yes, yes, I’m spending more time doing things (and procrastinating) than writing about doing things. I guess that’s a good thing, maybe? It’s now September 2025 and I’m writing about a very very long local … Continue reading

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Mini-trip #2: Oigawa Railway

I took the prettiest train ride of my entire life. This is the second piece in my series of blogposts about my handful of recent, short, 2–3 day trips. While the month prior I had very spontaneously headed down to … Continue reading

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Mini-trip #1: Saga, Kumamoto, Hiroshima

Oh my god ahhhh I’m leaving tomorrow for a two-week trip with my mom, and then a few days later it’s the opening of the World Expo (commemorative Myaku-Myaku ICOCA here I come!) and then a week after that I … Continue reading

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