Japan Travel Tips & Hidden Gems
Welcome back to another installment of Backyard Tourism. If this is your first time reading one of these articles, know that the goal of this ongoing series is to take places that no one knows about and show how storytelling…
In terms of inbound tourism, Shimane is already a prefecture well off the beaten path. Though it does attract some international visitors thanks to the presence of the venerable Izumo Taisha, Shimane’s charms are worlds away from the overcrowded streets…
These days, Wakayama Prefecture really needs no introduction. Ever since the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range were lauded with their UNESCO World Heritage status in 2004, tourists have been flocking to the likes of Mt.…
When I started producing content many years ago, Kanazawa, the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, was still largely unknown to inbound tourists. While die-hard fans of Japan were likely aware, few first-timers had any real notion that such a place…
They say that all good things eventually come to an end, and sadly, this statement proved true for the incredibly affordable Japan Rail Pass. If you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t already heard the bad news, the price…
Whelp… another 365 days have passed. It’s hard to believe that I am now already 38! Where the hell did the time go? Despite traveling 3–4 days out of every week, I’ve barely made a dent in my ever-growing bucket…
Recently when I was slowly making my way back to Tokyo from Komatsu up in Ishikawa Prefecture, I had the shocking revelation that I’ve yet to feature the famous town of Hida-Takayama on this blog. Despite using a photo of…
In today’s article, I am going to take you to the artisanal town of Tokoname. Located on the western side of Aichi Prefecture’s Chita Peninsula, Tokoname has long been famous as one of Japan’s six ancient kilns. As far back…
Today, I want to showcase a different side of Hiroshima than most people envision when they think of the prefecture. While the likes of the Atomic Bomb Dome and Miyajima are indeed great (and I do encourage first-timers to Japan…
When I started producing travel content back in the spring of 2016, Iwate’s town of Tono was one place that I knew I was going to need to feature. Known nation-wide for its local legends, Tono has often been described…
In the years since I started writing about Japan, I’ve been down to the Izu Peninsula a shockingly high number of times. Somehow though, I never managed to make it to Ito. Located a mere stone’s throw past the timeworn…
It’s been a while since I featured a truly off of the beaten path location so this week, we are going to do just that. The topic of this piece will be the Buddhist temple complex of Kongosho-ji. As you…
Well folks, it’s that time of year again! As the sultry summer finally comes to a close and the temperatures gradually start to drop, the autumn leaves are again about to grace us with their magnificent presence. Beginning in October,…
Japan’s Warring States period (1467–1600) ran on roughly 130 years of near-continuous civil war, a stretch that opened with the Onin War in Kyoto and ended only when a single coalition finally out-fought every rival. With the Ashikaga shogunate’s central…
Today, I’d like to introduce you to a part of Hiroshima Prefecture that not many tourists know about. Known as Takehara (lit. “Bamboo Field”), this locale was an important port town on the Seto Inland Sea during the Edo period…