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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

Come to Kawazu | Enjoy Japan’s Cherry Blossoms in February

The Izu Peninsula's Kawazu-sakura are but one reason to come down here from the city. In addition to the trees and the festival, there are also a set of waterfalls and a couple of onsen like Mine Onsen to enjoy if you're a hot spring fan.

If you pay attention to Instagram at all, chances are you’ve already seen shots of the annual Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival floating around online. Generally running from mid-February to early March, this celebration is a herald of what comes later…

  • Donny Kimball
  • February 18, 2024
  • Travel Tips

Japan Long Stays | Where to Stay in Tokyo for Three Months

Weave Living's latest property in Asakusa has a great location that has easy access to Asakusa Station and the Nakamise-dori shopping street that serves as the temple's main approach. Weave Living also has some other furnished apartments near Shinjuku for students doing long term stays that can't access a normal Japanese apartment.

For a number of years now, I’ve been doing a lot of work with a brand called Weave Living as my digital marketer and online media buyer alter ego. The company provides hassle-free accommodations to expats as well as Japanese…

  • Donny Kimball
  • February 11, 2024
  • Travel Tips

The JR East Pass (Tohoku Area) | Five Days in Northern Japan

While Japanese passport holders can’t use the JR East Pass (Tohoku Area), both foreign residents and overseas tourists can make use of this great value ticket that allows for unlimited travel in east Japan. The rail pass even works as far as Narita Airport.

At the beginning of January 2024, I embarked on an epic, five-day-long adventure across much of northern Japan. While the primary goal was to produce three reels to promote the JR East Pass (Tohoku Area), I also wanted to see…

  • Donny Kimball
  • February 4, 2024
  • Area Guides

Wakayama Foodies | Add-ons for Kansai International Airport

A woman working at Guan Honten in Wakayama City works to prepare Shojin Ryori as part of a culinary experience offered to tourists.

Despite being just around 40 minutes to the south of Kansai International Airport, too few foreign tourists ever make it down to Wakayama City. Truth be told, until recently, even I was among the ranks of those who had yet…

  • Donny Kimball
  • January 21, 2024
  • Area Guides

Miyagi’s Zao Fox Village | Possibly the Cutest Place on Earth

Zao Fox Village is home to hundreds of wild foxes as well as some goats and other animals. Especially during winter, the cute foxes at Zao Fox Village make a trip to this part of Japan quite endearing despite the poor bus access (taking a taxi is the way to go).

If you spend any time at all browsing Instagram for wintertime Japan travel content, you’ve likely come across the Zao Fox Village during a doom scroll. Located in Shiroishi City on the Miyagi side of Mt. Zao, this gem up…

  • Donny Kimball
  • January 14, 2024
  • Area Guides

Suooshima, the Hawaii of Setouchi | Backyard Tourism Vol. 14

Suo Oshima Island is home to a number of mountains. From these 700-meter-tall peaks, you can see many of the Seto Inland Sea’s islands as well as the popular beach resort on the island itself.

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…

  • Donny Kimball
  • January 8, 2024
  • Area Guides

Tamatsukuri Onsen | Shimane’s “Hot Spring of the Gods”

Not too far away from Matsue City, the Tamayu River’s waters flow through the main street in Tamatsukuri Onsen. There are many free foot baths to be had here as well as traditional inns with hot springs that are good for your skin.

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…

  • Donny Kimball
  • December 17, 2023
  • Area Guides

Visit Wakayama City | A Hidden Part of Wakayama Prefecture

Wakayama’s iconic castle is located in the center of the city and is surrounded by a number of other places of interest like the Wakayama Castle Park Zoo, the Wakayama Prefectural Museum and the Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama.

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.…

  • Donny Kimball
  • December 10, 2023
  • Area Guides

Explore Komatsu City | A Hidden Gem in Ishikawa Prefecture

In addition to its ample opportunities for outdoor activities, Komatsu-shi (小松 市) is has sacred sites too within the city such as Nata-dera's example temple grounds that are famous in Ishikawa and Japan at large.

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…

  • Donny Kimball
  • December 2, 2023
  • Area Guides

Mishima Skywalk | Possibly Japan’s Best View of Mt. Fuji

With a total length of 400 meters, Mishima Skywalk is the longest suspension bridge in the country. Thanks to being above most of its surroundings, the structure has some of the best views of Mount Fuji. There's a 1,000 yen entry price adults need to pay with high school, secondary school students and other children getting a bigger discount.

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…

  • Donny Kimball
  • November 26, 2023
  • Misc. Other

On Being a Creator | My Random Musings On the Last 8 Years

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…

  • Donny Kimball
  • November 21, 2023
  • Area Guides

Heavenly Hida-Takayama | A Famed Part of Gifu Prefecture

Despite using this picture of Nakabashi Bridge and the Miyagawa River for years and having visited Takayama in 2012, I somehow never got around to covering Hida-Takayama and the traditional Japanese Hida-no-Sato folk village until now.

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…

  • Donny Kimball
  • November 12, 2023
  • Area Guides

Aichi’s Town of Tokoname | One of Japan’s Top Kilns

The pottery footpath in Tokoname is one of the main highlights in addition to its kiln collection, tea, clay teapot making and other such ceramics. You'll find it in Tokoname City to the south of Tokonyan.

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…

  • Donny Kimball
  • November 4, 2023
  • Area Guides

Come to Sera Kogen | The Highlands of Hiroshima Prefecture

Fields of tulips and other flowers at Sera Plateau in Sera-cho during the early spring. It's located at 3-3 Kamitsuda Sera-cho Sera-gun Hiroshima.

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…

  • Donny Kimball
  • October 28, 2023
  • Area Guides

Make Time for Tono | Iwate’s Town of Yokai & Folklore

Like with other museums that seek to preserve the vibe of villages, the Tōno Furusato Village in Tono Iwate shows what traditional family life would have been lack back in the beginning of the Edo period (1603–1868).

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…

  • Donny Kimball
  • October 8, 2023
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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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