Top 5 Most Commented Articles of 2012

Japan Australia had another great year in 2012 and now that it is a new year in 2013, we thought we’d take a look back on the best posts from 2012.

The first in the series was the most popular articles based on total views, the second is the most commented articles based on total comments.

Here are the top 5 most commented articles from 2012

#5 Getting to Tokyo from Narita Airport

Published on July 21st this article received quite a lot of comments and feedback. The article highlighted some of the many options available for you to get to Tokyo from Narita Airport, including taxi, bus and trains. Read this post


#4 Find Cheap Flight Deals

Published on July 26th this post let out of the bag some of the little secrets in finding cheap flight deals. There are plenty of opportunities and deals out there if you just know where and when to book. Read this post



#3 Summer Activities in Japan

Published on July 2nd this was one of the most popular and commented posts of 2012. It highlighted a few of my favourite summer activities in Japan, including fireworks, festivals, mountain retreats, and onsen. Read this post 



#2 The Japan Rail Pass

Published on August 19th this post was all about that tourist gem that is the Japan Rail Pass. It is a must have for any traveller to Japan that is planning to do a bit of distance travelling on the shinkansen (bullet train). Read this post 






#1 10 Things to do on a Budget in Tokyo

Published on August 22nd this post was the most commented for 2012. It highlighted some of the many things you can do in Tokyo when travelling on a budget. The post also featured on GaijinPot and Japan Today and was one of the most successful of the year. Read this post

Top 5 Most Popular Articles of 2012

Japan Australia had another great year in 2012 and now that it is close to being a new year in 2013, we thought we’d take a look back on the best posts from 2012.

The first in the series will be the most popular articles based on total views. Here are the top 5 most popular articles from 2012 count down from 5 to 1.

#5 Winter Illuminations in Japan

Published on October 24th this is one of my recent posts that has proven to be quite popular. The illuminations are part of winter and Christmas in Japan and are a must see at this time of the year. The article highlighted some of the best places in Japan to see the spectacular night time illuminations including Kobe Luminaire, Nabana no Sato, and Shirakawa-go. Read this post

 #4 Japanese Miso Paste

Published on June 26th this post explained all about traditional Japanese miso paste, including the different variations and numerous health benefits. It also included a few handy tips on how to use miso paste and a great basic recipe for making miso soup a favourite Japanese dish. Read this post 


#3 Hina Matsuri Doll’s Festival

Published on March 1st this post all about Hina Matsuri (雛祭) shows how popular Japanese festivals are. I love this time of the year as it is around my birthday and is the start of the warmer months in Japan including the beautiful cherry blossoms that appear in spring. Read this post


 #2 Golden Week 2012 in Japan 

Published on April 25th this post highlighted and explained all about Golden Week, a holiday period in Japan based around several national holidays. It is one if the busiest travel periods in Japan and most tourist destinations are extremely crowded. The travel peak was around May 3rd this year. Read this post




#1 Okonomiyaki

Published on April 12th this post was the most popular for 2012. Japanese food posts have always been popular on Japan Australia, and this dish from Osaka is often called “Osaka Soul Food”. Okonomiyaki is a savoury pancake based on a batter containing a variety of ingredients and it is cooked on a hot plate. Read this post 


Thank you again everyone for supporting Japan Australia in 2012 and we look forward to a fantastic year ahead in 2013.

Happy 3rd Anniversary Japan Australia

This week marks the 3rd Anniversary of Japan Australia. I would like to take this moment to thank all my readers, followers and friends out there. Without your continued support this would not have been possible and you have made my experience as a Japan blogger an unforgettable one.

I started Japan Australia in December 2009 soon after arriving back to Australia from Japan. It was a way for me to stay in touch with Japan and to share my experiences with people interested in learning about or travelling to Japan. The goal of the blog was to provide information and advice to Aussies moving, travelling or working in Japan. Well will have certainly achieved that goal as well as building a following from many countries around the world and not just here in Australia.

Life has now come full circle, as I will be heading back to Japan full time from January 2013.

I hope to continue the blog and post about my new adventures in Japan. I hope you continue to support Japan Australia, as I share my new life and experiences.

Thank you

John Asano