Ashraf Issa Travels

30/08/2026

Kyoto City 🇯🇵

Kyoto was the capital of Japan until 1868 and is one of Japan’s signature cities with a population of over 1.5 million 👥 people. Funny fact, take the T and the last O in Kyoto and slide them back before the letter K and you have Tokyo which is today's capital city of Japan.

Over the centuries despite wars 🪖 and fires 🔥 not to mention the threat of atomic destruction in World War II, the city has been able to preserve so many temples, buildings and shrines making it a true place of worldwide significance.

The most attraction here is the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine, this was founded in 711 the Fushimi Inari Shrine is Japan’s most iconic Shinto shrine and a World Heritage Site. The shrine is perhaps most famous for the tunnels that wind around the hill of Mount Inari all of which are lined with thousands of closely spaced orange torii ⛩️ gates.

Around the shrine are many statues of small foxes 🦊🦊 who are considered the messenger of Inari who is worshipped as the protector of rice and grain which in ancient times meant wealth. I did not arrive early but rather during the morning time, but I will advice you to come as early as 🕕 5 or 6 am to avoid a large amount of the tourists.

I really enjoyed Kyoto and I would chose it as a favorite city out of Osaka and Nara where all three are in approximate distance from each others. The 🍣🍤🍜 food here was also amazing, these are my restaurant choices that I went to; Rairaitei - Jujo Takeda, Niku No Odakichi Fushimiinari, Komefuku Shijo Karasuma, Hachidaime Gihey, and Musashi Sushi. In addition, you might want to give Nishiki Food Market a try as they have varity of many things from the Japanese cuisine.

Moreover, you can take a short walk around Tetsugaku No Michi or the Philosopher's Path in English, is a scenic, 2-kilometer stone pedestrian walkway that follows a cherry-tree-lined canal. This spot will be even more beautiful during April. We also have one more famous thing here in Kyoto that tourists usually flock, the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, one of Kyoto’s top sights and for good reason: standing amid these soaring stalks of bamboo is like being in another world. Unlike the Fushimi Inari Shrine, try to come here in the evening instead and to my surprice this spot is for free, there is no entrance fee, therefore come in the evening to skip the tourists, or if you prefer early morning.

Obviously, following Ashraf comes with an advantage and that is the hidden gems which tourists normally do not know about. In Kyoto they have a unique building known as Face House, which has a rectangular shape with eyes and nose. If you happen to miss it, the address is Koromonodara-dori, Tatedaionjicho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-0012, Japan. A less hidden gem is the Nintendo Store KYOTO, unique experience in itself for us who grew up playing these games and of course Super Mario.

Now, my visit to Kyoto was made special as I was hosted by the only Japanese guy during my entire 34 days in Japan, and his name is Yutaro. What is crazy about Yutaro is that he is a survivor of a Tsunami 🌊 when he was a kid. Even though he was working during the day, he still showed me around the city during his free time, and we visited quiet few places together which made this particular visit special for me.

I will end this post here and if you have missed my previous post about Nara and the deer park make sure you read it, and as usual if you have any questions about Japan then feel free to ask me in the comment section.

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23/08/2026

Welcome everyone to the sweet cute city of Nara, Japan 🇯🇵

This is the first permanent capital of Japan from AD 710 to 794 and has an impressive list of impressive temples, shrines ⛩️ and traditional gardens to see. Of course we are here to stroll around the famous and massive Nara Park, which is home to much beloved deer 🦌🦌 that roam the park freely. The deer are considered sacred and have coexisted with the locals for more than thousand years.

Kasuganocho is the name of a historic district where the deer 🦌🦌 park and shrines are located in. You will realise how big it is when you are there, so take your time to walk around and enjoy the environment. You will find the deer everywhere, and even around the main shrine Todai-ji Temple, which I also recommend to walk to and visit.

The deer can be very pushy when they realise you have food on you. Keep in mind that the deer are wild animals, you could be attacked by them kicking, biting, or knocking you down.

They are normally fed with crackers 🍘 purchased by tourists for 200 Yen. In addition, you will notice their bowing behavior, as many deer have learned to nod their heads or "bow" before receiving a cracker. But as you can see in the photos they are so sweet and kind.

Once you finish with the park, you can exist to the main road and walk down about 15 minutes, then you reach Harushika Sake 🍶Brewery. For a small fee, you can sample different Sake and they even have a white sweet taste Sake which I had the chance to try, great taste. After that if you wish to grab some ice cream 🍦or anything small to eat/drink 🧃 on the way back up to where you came from then you have a nice small supermarket called Nara Nagomikan.

Lastly, Nara can be done as a day trip from either Osaka or Kyoto, and takes around 45 minutes to reach by train 🚆 I recommend you as I did, staying in Kyoto and one of the days I took the train down to Nara for few hours and then the same train back again to Kyoto.

As usual hope you liked this post and if you have any further questions feel free to ask in the comment section.

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15/08/2026

Today I introduce to you one historical city that we all heard about, Hiroshima.

Hiroshima is a major modern industrial city in the Chugoku region o...

07/08/2026

Good day everyone from all parts of the world.

Welcome to our very first post from Japan and we are talking about the city of Hiroshima which was my second city to visit in Japan 🇯🇵

Hiroshima, capital of Hiroshima ken (prefecture), lies at the head of Hiroshima Bay, an embayment of the Inland Sea. Famous for the August 6, 1945, atomic bomb attack.

Hiroshima, whose name means “broad island,” was founded as a castle town by the feudal lord Mōri Terumoto in the 16th century. From 1868 onward it was a military centre, which obviously made it a potential target for Allied bombing during World War II. Most of the city was destroyed, and estimates of the number of people killed outright or shortly after the blast have ranged upward from 70,000. Deaths and illnesses from radiation injury continued to mount through the succeeding decades.

I tried to imagine the feeling of a last moment to live before that bomb hit. Even though this experience might be more frightning for many who have not experienced war before like myself, but the feeling was strange to imagine a bomb that wipes out everything within a radius of 3.2 to 4.8 km, and if you are anywhere in the city centre your chances are slim to none.

Hiroshima itself, does not have much to offer for visitors but it gives you a glimpse through history and war moment that is very unique. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is an excellent place to visit, which is located in the same park as the Peace Memorial, and across the river you have the well known Atomic Bomb Dome, the exact location where the bomb hit on top of the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition. The museum will provide you with before and after images of the city, and explain all aspect of the war. What hit me the most were the images of kids that fell victim to this.

In addition, at the same museum I realised something I did not know before. There is a misconception about Japan being a "nothing" country before the atomic bomb and only after that they advanced and became what they are today, and I used to think this way too. However, this is not true, Japan was already an advanced nation before the war, and even during the war you can see that Japan was such a strong power and foothold, that the united states could not handle it, and was only able to stop Japan by targeting its civilians and we all know how much Japan care about its civilians in contrast to the united states for example.

The next thing I am going to recommend for visit in this city is of course Hiroshima Castle, and as I stated earlier, the city was founded as a castle town. Everything is within walking distance, and from there an even better place than the castle, called Shukkeien Garden.

This phrase can be translated into English as "shrunken-scenery garden", which is also a good description of the garden itself. Valleys, mountains and forests are represented in miniature in the garden's landscapes. Through careful cultivation of the land and vegetation, the garden mimics a variety of natural formations and scenic views.

Shukkeien has a long history dating back to 1620, just after the completion of Hiroshima Castle. The garden displays many features of the traditional aesthetics of Japanese gardens. Around the garden's main pond there are a number of tea houses which offer visitors ideal views of the surrounding scenery.

The entire garden is connected by a path which winds around the pond at the center of the garden. The path passes through all of Shukkeien's various miniaturized sceneries. Following this path around the garden is the best way to enjoy Shukkeien.

Not only this was the best garden I have visited during my travels, but I will easily recommend it as a great spot for a romantic date.

Furthermore, Hiroshima is worth visiting because it offers a deeply moving reflection on peace and history, alongside vibrant modern energy, incredible local food, such as Okonomiyaki. You can try this famous dish at Okonomimura Restaurant. Another restaurant with great Japanese food is Nagataya, located within five minute walk from the Atomic Bomb Dome.

In conclusion, Hiroshima serves as a lasting symbol of the human cost of nuclear weapons and a catalyst for global peace efforts, arising from the 1945 atomic bombing's devastation. The event not only sparked intense debates regarding its justification but also established a permanent, international focus on nuclear disarmament.

12/07/2026

Welcome to KOREA - NEW VLOG

In this vlog we take a look around the city of Seoul, capital city ...

27/06/2026

Welcome to today's new post, where we will talk about Korea and its capital city Seoul 🇰🇷

Known since 1945 as South 🇰🇷 Korea, occupies the southern portion of the Korean peninsula. The country is bordered by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 🇰🇵 (North Korea).

Korea was initially split on August 15, 1945, at the end of World War II, when the United States divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel. The division was permanently solidified by the Korean 🪖War (1950–1953) and the armistice signed on July 27, 1953, which established the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

In Korea, the people here speak 🗣️ the Korean language, which is often classified as one of the Altaic languages, has affinities to Japanese, and contains many Chinese loanwords. In addition, the Korean script, known in South Korea as Hangul (Hangeul) and in North Korea as Chosŏn muntcha.

As an Iraqi, Korea is a well-known country for us and since the childhood we used to hear of it all the time. Therefore, it was one of the countries I was excited 😁😁 to visit when I started to plan my East Asia trip. However, I quickly started noticing that compared to countries like Vietnam 🇻🇳 and Japan 🇯🇵 for example, Korea had very few places worth to visit in my opinion. While I spent 34 days in Vietnam and another 34 days in Japan, my visit to Korea was only for 8 days, all spent in the capital city, and even though I was keen to visit its famous island called Jeju. That became a little impossible as I couldn't manage to find decent priced flights to it and from it to the next destination in the time period I wanted.

My visit to Korea was a little bit disappointing 😔🫤 I must say. I had high expectations but these expectations dropped below average, especially after being in Japan first. Japan met the hype and the expectations I had and went beyond that. Sadly, Korea did not, and I sat down and asked myself, 🤔why? Why were we hyped so much during our childhood about Korea and now that I am here, it is not so special? Then I figured it out. If you would take an average Iraqi who never traveled outside of Iraq to Korea, then yes it will be a huge WOW. But me who almost traveled to 50 countries and one of them is Japan before going to Korea, the hype was killed ☠️and Korea sadly did not feel so special to me overal.

But also, it is all the technology that is wrapped around the country of Korea; Samsung this, LG that, KIA this, IRiver that, which is the company who created the MP3s. That was it, that is the reason I was over hyped for Korea as a child, because of the technology; South Korean economy has grown remarkably since the early 1960s and put its name on the 🗺️ map. In that time, South Korea transformed itself from a traditional agrarian society to one of the world’s most highly industrialized 👨‍🏭 countries. This growth was driven primarily by the development of export-oriented industries and the abundance of highly skilled and educated labour, fostered by strong government support. So much so, in the early 21st century, Korea’s per capita gross national income far exceeded those of most of its neighbours, other than Japan and Taiwan.

Now, despite that I did not see much of Korea beside the capital city, it kind of felt like a downgraded Japan. I stayed for the first two days around Dongmyo station and this is a pretty much city centre, and I was shocked as it did not look like Korea I had in mind. The Koreans themselves were spitting on the street, I was blown away by this. Even though this might seems just negativity towards Korea, but this is what I saw, and despite this there are many things I did enjoy in the city, such as the Korean cuisine. Their food is so delicious and is part of Korean cultural identity. A Korean meal generally consists of rice 🍚🍜 soup or stew, and a number of side dishes, almost invariably among them kimchi. Such is the importance of kimchi in the national diet that an estimated 160 or more varieties have been identified, and there is a museum in Seoul dedicated to the dish. The most common type is the spicy baechu (Chinese 🥬 cabbage) kimchi. I have never seen in my life a vegetable being the main dish of a country, but trust me its good and it goes well with everything they have. Moreover, just like Japan, Korean ice 🍧🍦 creams are awesome, and I could not help but gorge myself on with as many ice creams as possible during my walks in the city.

Furthermore, while I never enjoyed watching soft boys melting in their video clips under the genre called Korean 🎤 Pop. On the other hand I was fascinated by two Korean shows when it comes to Television and Film, and those were the movie Parasite and the TV Serie Squid Game where I had the chance to try some of their games shown in the serie and I failed miserably 🤣


Other things I enjoyed and loved in the city of Seoul, there are these sights that you too need to visit;

Kyung Hee University, this university is a prestigious private research university in South Korea, renowned for its highly picturesque, neo-classical architecture. Founded in 1949, it spans multiple campuses, with its Seoul location focusing primarily on humanities, social sciences, medicine, and fine arts.

Dongdaemun Design Plaza, is a multifunctional cultural complex and one of Seoul’s most iconic design landmarks designed by the Iraqi Architect Zaha Hadid.

Geunjeong Palace, where Kings conducted state affairs, held official functions, and received foreign envoys here.

Bukchon Hanok Village, is a historic residential neighborhood in central Seoul. It features hundreds of preserved Joseon-era hanok (traditional Korean houses) that now operate as cultural centers, guesthouses, and tea houses.

Pocheon Art Valley, is a wonderful culture and art space with beautiful scenery, remnant of an old rock quarry, remained relatively unknown until the 1990s.

On top of all this, I will recommend you to visit the following museums in Seoul; The National Folk Museum, The National Museum, and War Memorial Museum. Trust me when I say you will enjoy them.

In conclusion, despite that South Korea did not meet my high expectations, however, I did enjoy my visit and the people I met who gave me a good insight to the country and its history. If the opportunity ever present itself again for me to visit Korea, then I will visit Busan and the famous Jeju Island.

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19/06/2026

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19/06/2026

In this vlog I will show you the Capital of Taiwan, Taipei. We are going to look at some interesting spots to visits, several of its wonderful temples and let us learn how the conflict with China started.

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Join me once again as we discover another Asian Capital. I am spend...

30/05/2026

Planning a trip to Taiwan? 🇹🇼 Or just want to know more about it?

Well hope you enjoy this travel guide about my visit to Taipei.

My experience in Taipei was very nice and pleasant after I had a crappy stay in Hong Kong. A gentleman from UK decided to host me for the first 4 days in the Shilin District, a well-known area in the city. After a nice hot 🚿 shower, I was ready to explore 🚶‍♂️‍➡️the nearby areas.

First and foremost, once you land 🛬 at the airport you will need to buy your transportation card named "EasyCard" which will cost you 100 TWD, and that is not refundable so you keep the card and you top up as much as you will use during your visit.

Taiwan is located in a subtropical or tropical zone which has a humid and warm 🌡️ temperature. My first few day were not so hot, in fact the opposite, a bit rainy 🌧️ with mist floating around in the higher areas of the city. Where I was staying I had the time to visit some place like; Zhulinshan Guanyin, a well-known temple 🛕complex with ornate architecture beyond marvellous. Second location is Wuji Zhenyuan, a wonderful and serene spiritual 🧘‍♂️ haven. The architectural structure is magnificent and adds to the overall sense of peace. I had a lovely interaction here with some of the workers at the temple while taking shelter from the rain; they invited in during their lunch time and gave me a lunch 🍱 box and an umbrella ☂️ to make my way up to the temple pagoda. I highly recommend visiting for a moment of quiet reflection, I was really living the moment standing on the top floor of the pagoda and just enjoying the view as far as my eyes could reach.

Taiwan has a population 👥 density of approximately 650 people per square kilometre, making it one of the most densely populated countries globally (ranked 18th in the world). Despite this, around 60% of Taiwan’s land area is covered with forests 🌲🌳 and green spaces, which I wish I could have spent more time in the country visiting the southern cities and a little bit of the east, where all nature and beautiful sceneries are located.

Furthermore, we are in the country of the Bubble 🧋 Tea 😃 which most of you know is a tea-based drink most often containing chewy tapioca balls, milk, and flavouring. Shockingly though, it originated in the 1980s, but only in recent years it became popular and spread around the world, this is of course something you won't miss because Bubble Tea spots are everywhere.

The food here, I mean, should I state the obvious? Of course it is delicious. Most of the the restaurant and Taiwanese cuisine I tried was recommended to me by my second host who also took me to few of his favourite spots where he stays, and that is around Taipei 101 skyscraper. This is considered the city centre of Taipei, where you have to visit Zhongshan Park, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, and not far away in the area of Zhongzheng District you have got the famous Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. In addition, a small walk from the Memorial Hall and you reach Rongjin Gorgeous Time, this place is a unique destination that beautifully blends history with modern culture. The complex occupies the restored former staff quarters of the Taihoku Prison from the Japanese colonial era. You can still see a historic stone wall at the back, which is a remnant of the original structure.

If you like a bit of nature and hiking up some cliffs? Then a small challenge would be to hike up to the Four Beasts Scenic Area. Here you can jump on what is called the Xiangshan Six Rocks and enjoy the scene of Taipei City.

Moreover, and with all that is happening between Taiwan 🇹🇼 and China 🇨🇳 let us get into politics a little bit to understand how this whole conflict started. I already knew that Taiwan is China, but I had to ask my second host here who is Taiwanese born and raised, to explain to me in the most simple way what the conflict is about. The crazy thing is? It all started at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. The entire country before that was called Republic of China (ROC) and was ruled by the Kuomintang Party, a conflict then started with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) where they pretty much took over the entire China and pushed the (ROC) government to relocate to Taiwan. And since then the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has a the desire to take over Taiwan as well, and once that happens that will be the end of the Kuomintang Party which once was Republic of China (ROC) and ruled the entire country.

Lastly, I do believe you will enjoy Taipei like I did and Taiwan in general if you decide to travel more around the region. It is also a great place to live in like my first host from UK described it even though the amount of holidays they receive is much less than in Europe, but on the other hand, you have the weather on your side and lovely people to get to know.

I hope I was able to deliver some useful information about this country for you and don't forget stay tuned for the next post. Enjoy the photos.

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06/05/2026

Do not miss this watching this vlog 🇲🇴🇨🇳

Ladies and gents, welcome to Macau. This became my favourite city during my entire South East Asia trip, so let us find out why.

Las Vegas of Asia! The Ultimate Macau Travel Guide