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A Different Side of Japan

Japan Travel Tips & Hidden Gems

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A Different Side of Japan

Japan Travel Tips & Hidden Gems

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Upgrade to the Green Car | How to Travel in Japan in Style

The green car of JR East's Tokaido Line

This week’s article is going to be a comparatively shorter piece than those I usually put out. Rather than delve into the weeds on some remote area, we’re going to be taking a look at a handy hack that I’ve…

  • Donny Kimball
  • July 9, 2020
  • Area Guides

Iwakiyama Shrine | In the Shadow of Aomori’s Mt. Iwaki

A komainu lion-dog guards the entrance to Aomori Prefecture's Iwakiyama Shrine

Note: This article was first written during the early months of the pandemic. The info about the destination is still solid though… — Donny Kimball “What the hell am I doing?!? This is absolutely crazy…” I thought to myself as I glanced…

  • Donny Kimball
  • July 2, 2020
  • Area Guides

Heavenly Hayama | A Favorite Summertime Getaway from Tokyo

Morito-kaigan with Morito Shrine's middle-of-the-ocean torii gate barely visible.

Hey there reader! Welcome back to another round of off the beaten path travel. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the beachside town of Hayama. Located southeast of the ever-popular tourist area of Kamakura on the Miura…

  • Donny Kimball
  • June 25, 2020
  • Area Guides

Yugawara Onsen | Kanagawa’s Town of Poems & Hot Springs

A bunch of traditional ryokan at Kanagawa Prefecture's Yugawara Onsen.

“While this article was originally written during the pandemic, all of the locations and information featured are still valid…”  — Donny Kimball Fellow travelers, I have some great news! I am finally back on the road again! I’m still playing things relatively…

  • Donny Kimball
  • June 19, 2020
  • Area Guides

Aichi’s Toyokawa Inari | One of Japan’s Three Great Sanctums

A fox statue at Aichi Prefecture's Toyokawa Inari sits in front of the main hall.

These days, just about everyone under the sun knows of Kyoto’s eternally popular Fushimi Inari Taisha. With its endless series of vermilion torii gates, a shot at this location for the Gram is basically a must-do when visiting Japan’s former…

  • Donny Kimball
  • June 12, 2020
  • Area Guides

Tokyo’s Todoroki Ravine | Backyard Tourism Vol. 6

Golf Bridge at Tokyo's Todoroki Ravine

“While this article was originally written during the pandemic, all of the locations and information featured are still valid…” — Donny Kimball Welcome back to another installment in my ongoing Backyard Tourism series. Presently, as I write this, the world is still…

  • Donny Kimball
  • June 4, 2020
  • Area Guides

Katori Jingu | A Sacred Shrine in Homage to the Blade

A stone lantern with a deer on it on the approach to Chiba Prefecture's Katori Jingu

Note: This article was first written during the early months of the pandemic. The info about the destination is still solid though…. — Donny Kimball As I write this article, it’s the tail end of May 2020. Currently, Tokyo and the last…

  • Donny Kimball
  • May 28, 2020
  • Area Guides

Tokyo’s Gotoku-ji | The Birthplace of Japan’s Maneki Neko

Tokyo's Gotoku-ji temple with hundreds of white maneki neko effigies in front of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy.

If you’ve spent any time on the Gram and follow accounts related to Japan, chances are high that you’ve seen the topic of today’s article at one point or another. Known as Gotoku-ji, this quaint temple is famous online for…

  • Donny Kimball
  • May 22, 2020
  • Misc. Other

Why I Do What I Do | Explaining My Insane Addiction to Japan

Tsutenkaku and the area of Shinsekai in Osaka at night.

Strange as this may sound, one of the most difficult challenges I contend with is figuring out how to explain that this site is actually not a real business. As I outlined in my controversial Rejecting My Ikigai piece, I’ve…

  • Donny Kimball
  • May 14, 2020
  • Area Guides

Ibaraki Prefecture | A Complete Primer to this Part of Japan

Ibaraki Prefecture's Hitachi Seaside Park when the nemophila are blooming.

Ibaraki gets a bit of a bad rap both overseas and in Japan. You see, though the prefecture is indeed home to a wide selection of great allures, there’s nothing that is so iconic that it entirely justifies a visit…

  • Donny Kimball
  • May 7, 2020
  • Area Guides

Tokyo’s Tennozu Isle | One of My Favorite Chill Spots

Tokyo's posh and artsy Tennozu Isle all lit up at night.

It’s a cool spring evening and all of the families (who should be staying home as the governor of Tokyo has requested) have departed Tennozu Isle. Left alone with nothing but my own thoughts, I’m overcome by a profound sense…

  • Donny Kimball
  • April 30, 2020
  • Area Guides

Nara Prefecture | Far More than Just the Famous Deer Park

A deer grazes in front of Nara Prefecture's Toda-ji temple complex.

“While this article was originally written during the pandemic, all of the locations and information featured are still valid…” — Donny Kimball Greetings readers! I hope you’re all safe and staying sane. As I write this, most of the world is currently…

  • Donny Kimball
  • April 23, 2020
  • Area Guides

Spiritual Mt. Oyama | One of Kanagawa’s Many Allures

A Buddhist stone effigy on the way to the top of Mt. Oyama in Kanagawa Prefecture

For the longest time, I thought that I had already explored all the treasures Kanagawa has to offer. Conveniently situated just to the south of Tokyo, my trips to the prefecture over the years are too numerous to count. So,…

  • Donny Kimball
  • April 16, 2020
  • Area Guides

Tokyo’s Great Fire of Meireki | Backyard Tourism Vol. 5

An Edo period (1603–1868) artist's rendition of the Great Fire of Meireki

Note: This article was first written during the early months of the pandemic. The info about the destination is still solid though…. — Donny Kimball As I sit down to write this article in early April 2020, Tokyo is on the verge…

  • Donny Kimball
  • April 9, 2020
  • Area Guides

Fukui Prefecture | Zen Buddhism, Castles & Dinosaurs

Fukui Prefecture's Echizen-Ono Castle, a stronghold that seems to float in the sky.

Welcome back to yet another installment of my in-depth area guides for Japan’s hidden gems. In today’s article, we’ll be taking a look at Fukui Prefecture. Lovingly referred to as “Dinosaur Country” by members of the expat community (more on…

  • Donny Kimball
  • April 2, 2020
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About A Different Side of Japan
Exploring the sides of Japan that you can't find in any of the mainstream travel guides. Come follow the adventure!

Every week, I publish helpful travel tips and in-depth walkthroughs on how to visit some of the top hidden gems in Japan.

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