Japan Travel Tips & Hidden Gems
Although I have been in Japan for most of my life, the summer’s sweltering heat and humidity are something I will never get use to. If you haven’t had the opportunity to experience these conditions yourself, just try to image…
It’s a common scenario. You’ve just arrived in Japan (or in a new destination) and want to start exploring but it’s still too early to check-in to your hotel or Airbnb. Alternatively, check-out for the previous place was at the…
Ninja-dera is a temple in Ishikawa Prefecture’s city of Kanazawa. I had intended to only include this attraction as an afterthought in my area guide for the region. Despite my initial plan though, I was so overwhelmed by Ninja-dera that…
Many travelers immediately think of either Osaka Castle or Himeji Castle when considering a historical visit to a castle in the Kansai region. Few are aware of another fortress that has served as a solemn guardian of important trade routes…
Tokyo is a city comprised of a near infinite number of tall buildings. Because of this, life on the streets below can often feel cramped and claustrophobic. Luckily there is an easy way to escape the concrete jungle; simply go…
This week we’re going to take a break from dissecting how to visit Japan’s offbeat tourist destinations. Instead I want to shed some light on a topic I get asked every now and then by both friends in Japan and…
Sarushima (lit. “Monkey Island”) is a small, uninhabited island located off the coast of the Miura Peninsula in Tokyo Bay. Despite its name, Sarushima is unfortunately devoid of any real monkeys. Nevertheless, while it may be lacking in simians, Sarushima…
In today’s post, we will together be making an expedition to Aichi Prefecture’s Nagoya Castle. Originally dating from the early 1600s, this mighty structure was first erected to protect the Tokugawa clan from potential enemies in the west. Thanks in…
Today’s article is the next installment in my area guide series where I go into great detail on a specific spot. This will be a VERY long post but not without good reason! We’ll be going far off the beaten…
In today’s post we’ll be examining one of the northernmost outposts of the Tendai Buddhist sect that has been on my bucket list for years. Officially known as Risshaku-ji, the temple is more colloquially known as Yamadera (lit. “Mountain Temple”)…
Somewhere off the beaten path… well off the beaten path… lie the remains of a dilapidated Inari shrine that’s nestled within the hills near the base in Yokosuka. This hidden gem is known as Fushimi Hakuseki Inari Shrine and is…
It often seems almost every place in Japan is famous for SOMETHING. Over the years, regional cultural quirks have combined with geographical features to produce a surprisingly wide variety of local specialties. Though many outsiders often mistake Japan as homogeneous,…
Today, we will be journeying back up north to the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture for a hidden gem that is often overlooked, the city of Mito. Though firmly located off the beaten path, Mito is by no means a “countryside”…
How in the nine hells did a piece of what was once a massive fortress in central Tokyo make its way to neighboring Saitama Prefecture? Let’s unravel this mystery by starting with a brief historical overview. Today we will be…
When most people start searching for ancient shrines and temples their thoughts immediately turn to Kyoto. I mean, why not? After all, the city is famous for being known around the globe as the “old capital” Nevertheless, those on the…