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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

  • Area Guides

Happo-en’s Gardens | A Perfect Addition to Tokyo Itineraries

Colorful koi fish swim at a pond at Tokyo’s Happo-en gardens

Today, we will be taking a look at something that can easily be added as a one-off to an existing itinerary. The site is known as Happo-en or “Garden of the Eight Views” due to the fact that it is…

  • Donny Kimball
  • January 20, 2017
  • Area Guides

Yanaka’s Shitamachi Vibes | Experience Tokyo’s “Lower City”

Yanaka Ginza’s famed Yuyake Dandan in central Tokyo

Everyone knows about the climactic end of World War II and the atomic bombs yet only a few are aware of the deadly fire bombings of Tokyo. The plan was orchestrated by Air Force General Curtis LeMay and designed to…

  • Donny Kimball
  • January 20, 2017
  • Area Guides

Charming Hase-dera | One of Kamakura’s Many Must-See Temples

The iconic lantern outside of Kamakura's Hase-dera temple complex.

Anyone who follows me on social media knows I am very much a fan of the Shonan area and especially Kamakura. I frequently visited this region over the summer months while continuing my quest to source content for this site…

  • Donny Kimball
  • January 13, 2017
  • Area Guides

Koishikawa Korakuen | A Tranquil Garden in Central Tokyo

The tranquil Koishikawa Korakuen Japanese gardens during autumn

Fall is a most beautiful time of the year to visit Japan. As the seasons change, the heat and humidity of summer gives way to the cool ambiance of autumn. This transition paves the way for the changing color of…

  • Donny Kimball
  • November 25, 2016
  • Area Guides

The Legend of Enoshima | The Tale of Gozuryu & Benzaiten

A statue of a dragon at Enoshima's Ryuko-myo in Kanagawa Prefecture

Though very popular with the locals, the island of Enoshima and its neighboring quaint beach town are easy to miss. Overshadowed by alternatives like Kyoto or nearby Kamakura, the area is actually of great historical significance. While Enoshima is mostly…

  • Donny Kimball
  • November 18, 2016
  • Area Guides

Kawagoe’s Warehouses | The Historic Charm of “Little Edo”

The historic warehouses of Kawagoe’s Kurazukuri District in Saitama Prefecture

Located about 45 minutes from central Tokyo in the neighboring prefecture of Saitama, the quaint city of Kawagoe is easy for the average tourist to miss. After all, there is little reason to visit a region that could be considered…

  • Donny Kimball
  • November 4, 2016
  • Area Guides

Ueno Park | The Best One Day Tokyo Itinerary

A couple walks through a series of lanterns on the approach to the Toshogu Shrine in Ueno Park

Japan is a vast country with a myriad of things to do. One could spend their entire life trying to experience it all and never begin to scratch the surface. Between ancient shrines, temples, or the ultra modern, there is…

  • Donny Kimball
  • November 4, 2016
  • Area Guides

The Mandarado Yagura | Samurai Tombs in Kamakura’s Hills

Kanagawa Prefecture’s Mandarado Yagura tombs in the hills of Kamakura

The area of Kamakura is not entirely a tourist trap like Asakusa. Nevertheless it is no stranger to the occasional foreign guest. After all, from 1185–1333 the city was the functioning military capital of the nation (though Kyoto area remained…

  • Donny Kimball
  • October 21, 2016
  • Area Guides

Kawasaki Warehouse | Memories of the Kowloon Walled City

The exterior of the Kawasaki Warehouse arcade facility

Note: Unfortunately, this place closed down in 2019… Have you ever heard of the legendary Kowloon Walled City? Originally a fort for the military, the area became increasingly populated following the Japanese conquest of Hong Kong during World War II.…

  • Donny Kimball
  • October 7, 2016
  • Travel Tips

The Mitama Festival | How Yasukuni Honors the Dead

Visitors walk beneath a towering torii gate at Yasukuni Shrine during the Mitama Festival, flanked on both sides by rows of glowing yellow lanterns with black kanji characters. Some attendees wear traditional yukata, and beams of light shine upward into the night sky, creating a dramatic summer evening atmosphere.

All things considered, Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine is an interesting place. Originally founded by the Meiji emperor, the shrine was first established in 1869 following the conclusion of the Boshin War. Since its inception, Yasukuni Shrine has been dedicated to those…

  • Donny Kimball
  • July 22, 2016
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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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