Japan Travel Tips & Hidden Gems
In the years since I started writing about Japan, I’ve been down to the Izu Peninsula a shockingly high number of times. Somehow though, I never managed to make it to Ito. Located a mere stone’s throw past the timeworn…
It’s been a while since I featured a truly off of the beaten path location so this week, we are going to do just that. The topic of this piece will be the Buddhist temple complex of Kongosho-ji. As you…
Well folks, it’s that time of year again! As the sultry summer finally comes to a close and the temperatures gradually start to drop, the autumn leaves are again about to grace us with their magnificent presence. Beginning in October,…
Japan’s Warring States period (1467–1600) ran on roughly 130 years of near-continuous civil war, a stretch that opened with the Onin War in Kyoto and ended only when a single coalition finally out-fought every rival. With the Ashikaga shogunate’s central…
Today, I’d like to introduce you to a part of Hiroshima Prefecture that not many tourists know about. Known as Takehara (lit. “Bamboo Field”), this locale was an important port town on the Seto Inland Sea during the Edo period…
Ever since I first visited the timeworn hot spring town of Atami, I’ve wanted to venture out to Hatsushima. Located just off of the coast, this small island is the first of a long chain that collectively is known as…
As I write this, I am on a limited express train heading down from Nagoya to Toba for my 4th meal with the ama divers of Mie Prefecture. Due to escorting some family around (who were unable to visit for…
This really shouldn’t come as a surprise given how much I travel, but I take a lot of bullet trains. In fact, when people ask me where I live, I often say that my official address is in Tokyo, but…
Disclaimer: This is not financial advice… — Donny Kimball It was the summer of 2021 and somehow Cheesie and I found ourselves down in Kamakura for the hydrangeas. At the time, I was just transitioning out of my role as…
As many readers will already know, I’ve long been fascinated by Fukushima. Normally neglected by international visitors due to the stigma surrounding the March 11 triple disaster, the prefecture just can’t seem to shake its lingering bad rap. Alas, much…
Welcome back to yet another one of my Japan area guides. Like with all other installments, we’ll be taking a look at an oft-neglected part of the country. This time, the topic at hand will be Wakayama’s hot spring town…
“I’m pretty sure that by now, I can hit the age verification button at every convenience store chain with my eyes closed…” — Donny Kimball Greetings dear readers! In a second, I’ll get to how Kumano Nachi Taisha and the gods of…
Welcome back to another off-of-the-beaten-path adventure in Japan. This time, we’ll be taking a look at Oiwa Shrine. Located up in the northernmost part of Ibaraki Prefecture, this sanctum has existed deep in the mountains of the Hitachi Alps since…
As anyone who has ever had the pleasure of visiting Japan during the sultry months of summer already knows, things can get downright unbearable here. In addition to the intense heat, the humidity combines with the sweltering temperatures to create…
For some time, I’ve been wondering why I adore traveling in Japan SO much. In one sense, this should be self-evident; after all, Japan is, hands down, the best place on the planet. And so, it only makes sense that…