Many travelers in Japan find themselves in Kyoto – walking along the peaceful Kamogawa River, climbing the snaking stairs of Fushimi Inari Shrine, or gazing up at the towering bamboo at Arashiyama. Kyoto is a wonderful place, but one thing is for certain: Everyone goes to the same places. The streets and buses swell with […]
Forging Steel in the Mountains of Kyoto: Knife-Making Experience Read More »
Welcome to the Nakasendo, the ancient mountain road that connected Kyoto to Tokyo during the Edo period. The Nakasendo, which snakes through modern-day Nagano, Shiga, Saitama, Gunma, and Gifu prefectures, used to link sixty-nine post towns, some of which have been carefully preserved to this day. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may
Walking the Nakasendo: Yabuhara and Narai Post Towns Read More »
Kamikochi is a spectacular mountain resort situated in the western part of Nagano prefecture. The area is inside the Chubu Sangaku National Park and is surrounded by tall mountains and the clear flowing waters of the Azusa River. Due to the area’s high altitude, the temperatures in Kamikochi are much cooler than in other parts
Last winter, I flew to Hokkaido to explore the region’s various snow and ice festivals. I got to walk through illuminated ice caves, see the sprawling Sapporo Snow Festival from high above, step into a cafe made entirely of ice, and much more! The white powdery snow that blanketed the landscape around made views in
This weekend I went Majaku (mud shrimp) fishing in Kumamoto! Majaku are also called “na-jako” because they look like “shako,” Japanese mantis shrimp, but live in holes called “ana.” Welcome to the Arao Mud Flats, located along the Ariake Sea. The water here changes greatly, revealing Japan’s largest tidal flat at low tide. I visited
Hiking on the Kumano Kodo is akin to stepping back in time, to a place where the call of nature speaks loudest. Stroll beneath towering trees that sway overhead, taking in the morning sunlight glinting through the leaves. The sound of chirping fills the forest, and as you round the bend, a small shrine comes
Hiking the Kumano Kodo (Nakahechi Route, 5 Days): Complete Itinerary and Guide Read More »
Record tourism is flowing into Japan, but as always, people are going to the same spots – Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. There must be more to Japan than these three prefectures, right? YES! When people first think of Japan, Fukuoka is not usually one of the places that crosses their minds, but it holds its
What to Do in Fukuoka – 20 Local Recs to Add to Your Itinerary Read More »
This past summer, I found a lovely place to take in the atmosphere of colorful tinkling windchimes – Mitsuidera or Byodoji in Tagawa City, Fukuoka. While there were no frog statues here like at my other favorite place, Nyoirinji Temple (Frog Temple), the small bubble show and row upon row of chimes were lovely. This
An Atmosphere of Whimsy: Windchimes and Bubbles a Mitsuidera (Byodoji) Read More »
Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture is widely known within the gaming community as the stage for the action-adventure game, “Ghost of Tsushima.” Not playing many games myself these days, I only recently learned about Tsushima but was immediately intrigued by the area’s fascinating history and geography. Relatively near Fukuoka, yet tucked away in the waters
