Year: 2026

Post-Japan Depression is Real – What to Expect

Whenever we get home from a vacation, we often find ourselves in a bit of a mental funk. This is, naturally, to be expected- going back to your daily routine after a vacation is always somewhat painful.

But once the laundry is put away, you hit a favorite bar or restaurant for some comfort food, and hang out with friends, you start to slip back into your usual routine just fine.

Unless you’re coming home from Japan.

Every time we come home from Japan, we find that the post-travel blues last much, much longer. The laundry feels like a bigger chore. The restaurant doesn’t hit quite the same. And we need many, many hangouts with friends along the way. Days turn to weeks, and the severity of the depression is on a scale that has never quite come as close anywhere else we have been.

Why is that? Well, let’s count the ways Japan depresses us about having to return home!

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How to Not Go Insane When Visiting the Louvre

Every time we visit Paris, we always make a point of spending some time at the Louvre. It is one of the best museums in the world, and no matter how many times we visit, we always find something new, whether it is a piece of art, a floor we missed, or sometimes even an entire wing we overlooked.

But the Louvre is also somewhat infuriating.

As the most visited museum in the world (and also the largest!), with a capacity of up to 30,000 visitors per day, you can certainly feel it here- and not just at the Mona Lisa. From lines at the art to crowds in the galleries, and even lines to get in the door despite holding timed-entry tickets, saying the Louvre is very, very busy is an understatement.

By the end of every visit, you’re going to be tired of people just as much as being overloaded from seeing world-class art. The latter is a good thing. The former, not so much.

So in this one, we thought we’d share some thoughts to help get the most out of your visit to the Louvre despite some of the challenges!

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Takayama Showa-kan is Taking a Trip Back in Time

When you think of Japan, you may think of megacities, technological marvels, and more. But have you ever stopped to think about how modern-day Japan came to be?

There are, of course, many history museums across the country that showcase Japan’s long and storied history. But at the Takayama Showa-kan museum in Takayama, you get a chance to look back at the Showa Era- particularly the rebuilding period post-war that helped Japan become the country that it is today.

There are trips back in time, and then there is a trip back in time at Takayama Showa-kan.

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The Disgusting Food Museum in Malmö is Surprisingly Fun

On a day trip from Copenhagen to Malmö, Sweden, one museum caught our eye for its name alone. This was none other than the Disgusting Food Museum, and you can imagine why that name demanded our attention.

We knew immediately we had to go check it out.

I’ll be the first to admit that I really thought this one was going to be a disappointing tourist trap. But after visiting, I have to say, this one was quite interesting and incredibly well done for its modest size.

So head to this one, preferably on an empty stomach, and be prepared to check out weird, gross, and, true to its name, disgusting food!

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