Ali (that’s me!)
の (pronounced “no;” it indicates possession, like an apostrophe ‘s in English)
Tabi (“travel, trip, or journey” in Japanese)
AliのTabi = Ali’s Journey
Who is Ali?
I’m Alison! Since living in Japan, some folks have taken to calling me Ali.
I am a Taiwanese-Canadian who has been living in Japan since 2014. I currently live in Tokyo.
I love traveling, and am especially passionate about traveling within Japan.
As of August 2019, I have visited 31/47 prefectures in Japan.
I have taken a numerous trips to places well-known, but I am especially interested in places off the beaten path. For example, I’ve visited the Gateway to Hell and the Bridge between Heaven and Earth…
As a traveler, I am a planner. I love to forge schedules and craft itineraries.
I am also a logistics freak. I specialize in unearthing local bus and train schedules located deep in the nooks and crannies of the internet.
When it comes to picking destinations in Japan to travel to, I am particularly interested in places that have:
- delicious food, especially super fluffy kakigori and B級 グルメ
- historic and mythological significance
- a view to die for
- nature that surrounds and abounds
- a lengthy local train ride as a requirement for getting there
- a place where I can get a good soak
- a good story
What is AliのTabi?
AliのTabi is a blog for travellers who always have dozens of tabs open in the name of planning; it is for travellers who do late night deep dives on travel forums; it is for you, the traveller who is in pursuit of traveling off-the-beaten path but need a little help doing it!
AliのTabi was born out of my love of traveling in Japan, but also the frustrations that came from planning and research.
I’ve travelled to a lot far flung places in Japan and it was always a major pain researching and planning the trips. The information I needed would often be scattered all over the internet, in multiple languages, and in horrendously user-unfriendly interfaces.
The reason why I started my blog is to collect and organize all of this research. I’ve already done all the heavy lifting. Now, I want to show you how to get there, how to get around, what to do, what to eat, and where to stay.
AliのTabi is also a little nook of the internet where I share my personal experiences about traveling in Japan. I am constantly musing on the visitor experience and how places “feel.” You’ll find travelogues and essays accompanying most of my travel guides.
Why AliのTabi?
I was captivated by a show called Kino No Tabi as a teenager.
Kino No Tabi is a Japanese animated series that follows the story of a traveler named Kino and her talking motorcycle, Hermes.
In their fictional world, Kino and Hermes cruise around seeking new places and adventures. They never stay in one place for more than three days. According to Kino, three days is enough time to get a glimpse into someone else’s way of life. Three days also allows enough time to explore other lands.
I was infatuated with the stories from Kino No Tabi when I was younger. I admired Kino’s tenacity to stay on the road and to see as much of the world as possible, while also understanding the impermanence of the traveller’s experience.
When it came to choosing a name for my blog, I decided on gut whim that it was going to pay homage to Kino No Tabi. The show inspired me to think about the world beyond my field of vision. It helped me get my itchy feet moving and I hope AliのTabi helps you get yours moving as well.