Photo by Abby Chung: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-crossing-pedestrian-lane-1191377/
Nagano, Japan should be on all Japan travelers' itineraries. It sure was a highlight on my recent trip. If you are seeking traditional Japanese fare, then look no further than Nagano oyaki. Oyaki is a baked and/or fried buns with sweet, salty, or savory filling. Here's my review of oyaki and a foreword from me regarding what my blog is all about.
This summer, I read Embracing Defeat by John W. Dower. It is a chronology of the events that happened post-WWII Japan leading up to modern day Japan, namely the American occupation and its efforts to democratize the nation. It is by no means a beach read, but if you become intrigued enough as I did, you just might sit through the entire 600+ pages of text even on vacation. I think the author did a great job of recounting historical events meanwhile interlacing fact with analyses. If you'd like a general gist of the book (spoiler alert), take a look at what I have to say about it.
If you've never had a Coke in the hot, humid summers of Asia, then you're missing out. This is my praise of Coke.