#8. The Weekly Travel Tea 🫖: Not All Japanese ⛩️ Tourist Sites & Attractions Live Up to the Hype

Hey there! It's Big Body from Pale Ale Travel.

This Wednesday's word of warning: Just because a tourist attraction or site looks great on Instagram or social media doesn't mean that it's ‘some place’, ‘terrific’, ‘radiant’, or ‘humble’ in person.

While food and drink in Japan did not disappoint one bit, I can't say the same with every attraction or experience during my three months between Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, and Hiroshima.

This is not to “knock” any particular thing but rather a slight nudge to (a) temper expectations, (b) have a fall-back plan, or (c) pair it with another activity, attraction, or experience when making the pilgrimage to a tourism hotspot.

This has made all the difference for me in my travels and allowed me to look back fondly on the day rather than with regret - like G.O.B. Bluth in Arrested Development after he realizes his jail cell doesn't have a private toilet.

Here is your ‘Wednesday Tea’ to help you make a more informed decision about what you can expect at these 4 Japanese attractions, restaurants, and sites.