Japan Travel Tips & Hidden Gems
Let’s be frank. When it comes to springtime flowers in Japan, the cherry blossoms steal all of the limelight. Widely considered to be iconic of the country’s very year, millions of tourists flock to Japan to see these pink pretties.…
Every year, I travel north to Tohoku to chase the peak bloom of the cherry blossoms. You see, unlike in Tokyo, where the petals are all long gone by the middle of April, Japan’s northern reaches bloom a lot later…
Over the years, I’ve mentioned Hirosaki Castle Park on this blog a number of times now in other articles about the cherry blossoms, but I’ve never gotten around to featuring it. So, it’s high time that I get around to…
When it comes to cherry blossoms, Fukushima Prefecture is truly a fantastic place. Home to trees like the famed Miharu Takizakura, you’re truly spoiled for choice when it comes to springtime blossoms in Fukushima. That all said, while there are…
In recent years, I’ve been on something of a crusade to promote some of Japan’s lesser-known cherry blossom spots. You see, now that the pandemic is well behind us, places like Yoyogi Park and Chidorigafuchi are so painfully packed with…
Right now, it’s cherry blossom season in Japan, and it honestly feels like the entire world is here to soak in spring’s natural beauty. As someone who can’t stand crowds, though, the swarms of international visitors that descend on the…
I originally visited the city of Kumagaya in Saitama Prefecture as part of a five-day tour in the lead-up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Arranged by the powers that be, the objective of this FAM trip was to promote…
In the fall of 2024, I was invited by the powers that be to join a two-day monitor tour. Our destination was a region known as Hanbara, nestled in the semi-rural town of Aikawa. Located in northern Kanagawa Prefecture, this…
As most overseas tourists are already aware, the peak bloom for Japan’s cherry blossoms typically falls in late March or early April for places like Tokyo. However, this timeframe applies primarily to the Somei Yoshino variety of cherry blossoms. What…
These days, more and more, overseas visitors to Japan are starting to realize that Okayama Prefecture is actually one of the easiest additions to any standard itinerary that includes Hiroshima. Thanks to this, Okayama Castle and the lovely gardens of…
When I originally started creating content back in 2016, one of the most common questions that I got was about online connectivity in Japan. At the time, even in Tokyo, I didn’t really have a good answer. Sure, there were…
While it’s true that Yokohama is indeed getting a bit more popular than it used to be, in many ways, the city is still something of a hidden gem. You see, despite being under half an hour away from Tokyo…
Today, we’ll be taking a look at Hokkaido’s city of Asahikawa. Located in the middle of this massive prefecture, Asahikawa is officially Hokkaido’s second-largest city. Though not as well known as Sapporo, the capital city of Hokkaido, Asahikawa still boasts…
When I sat down to write this week’s article, I suddenly realized that ALL of the spots I’ve visited recently have been for creator gigs and the accompanying posts are still tied up in lengthy approval processes. At a loss…
“I feel uncertain as the days pile on, and yet, I think of crossing the Shirakawa Barrier.” — Matsuo Basho Alright, confession time folks. For a good while now, I have wanted to revisit the lovely area of Kawaguchiko (lit. “Lake…