Japan Travel Tips & Hidden Gems
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…
The topic of today’s article is one that has recently emerged from the zeitgeist of the online world. You see, as I was pondering where to write about for this week’s article, I happened to see a notification on Threads…
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know by now that the vaunted Japan Rail Pass, which provides unlimited rides on all JR trains, saw a significant price increase in 2023. What’s more, many of the regional offerings…
By now, I think I’ve said this more times than I care to count, but there is simply so much more to Hiroshima Prefecture than most people realize. You see, far too many overseas visitors only ever stop by the…