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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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Tokyo’s Shibaura Minami Futo Park | Backyard Tourism Vol. 7

An aerial shot of Shibaura Minami Futo Park, Tokyo's iconic Rainbow and Tokyo Tower

Oh man… It feels like I haven’t penned a piece since Nam or something. The past few weeks are the first time since I started producing content that I’ve allowed myself to fall off the wagon. Lately, my mind has…

  • Donny Kimball
  • August 27, 2020
  • Area Guides

Yahiko & Its Ancient Shrine | One of Niigata’s Hidden Gems

The main hall of Niigata Prefecture's ancient Yahiko 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 Ever since hearing of Yahiko several years ago, I’ve been itching for a visit. I first encountered…

  • Donny Kimball
  • July 30, 2020
  • Area Guides

Savoring Kawaguchiko | A Popular Location in Yamanashi

Mt. Fuji and Kawaguchiko, a beautiful lake in Yamanashi Prefecture

“While this article was originally written during the pandemic, all of the locations and information featured are still valid…” — Donny Kimball Alright, confession time folks. For a good while now, I have wanted to revisit the lovely area of Kawaguchiko (lit.…

  • Donny Kimball
  • July 23, 2020
  • Area Guides

The Ninja of Iga-Ueno | Authentic Ninjutsu in Mie Prefecture

An artist's rendition of a ninja stealthily sneaking up on an enemy in Iga-Ueno

Let’s get one thing straight. I absolutely loathe ninja, at least so much as they are portrayed in popular culture. won’t bore you with the details of how these stealthy warriors, also known as “shinobi,” managed to seep into Hollywood…

  • Donny Kimball
  • July 16, 2020
  • Travel Tips

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

“What the hell am I doing?!? This is absolutely crazy…” I thought to myself as I glanced down at the time. It was only 8:00 AM and I had already been traveling on a northward bound bullet train for over…

  • 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 have departed Tennozu Isle. Left alone with nothing but my own thoughts, I’m overcome by a profound sense of calming tranquility. Despite being smack-dab in the midst of the world’s…

  • Donny Kimball
  • April 30, 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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