I’m not much of an outdoorsman, but I do enjoy the occasional side trip into Japan’s rugged and beautiful highlands. One particularly rewarding detour that requires little time or hiking […]
The highest stop on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a gateway to some of the Hida Mountains’ incredible natural beauty. Here, at 2,450 metres above sea level, even inexperienced […]
The hills of the Arashiyama district are ablaze with colour every fall, transforming the northwestern reaches of Kyōto into a teeming hive of tourists. This particular season – out of […]
Following my customary walking route through Kyōto’s Higashiyama district, I began with Kiyomizu-dera and gradually worked my way north, pausing for the usual refreshment break at my favourite tea house. […]
Kyōto’s Higashiyama district is an area I’ve grown rather fond of, and quite familiar with, through my regular visits to Japan’s former capital. Since I first came here several years […]
A short hop on the San’yō Shinkansen brought me to Fukuyama, near the border between Hiroshima Prefecture and Okayama Prefecture. Although this place doesn’t figure very highly in Chūgoku itineraries […]
For some, it’s the journey; for others, it’s the destination. And for those of us who choose to stand in the blissful middle, there’s the phenomenal satisfaction of enjoying the […]
Hiroshima is probably best known for the various landmarks associated with the 1945 atomic bombing, but an island not far from the city offers some of the most rewarding sightseeing […]
Having known from my previous autumn trips that late November is a better time for fall colours in large parts of central Honshū (except for higher elevations), I wasn’t expecting […]
Mid to late November is usually a good time to enjoy autumn colours in parts of the Kansai region, though the trees in some places tend to put on their […]
Within striking distance 