Japan Travel Tips & Hidden Gems
Hail and well met travelers! These days, there’s few out there who haven’t heard of the legendary beef that comes from the Kobe area. Despite the fame of these succulent and savory slices of meat, Kobe and the remainder of…
Let’s get one thing straight. I absolutely loathe ninja, at least so much as they are portrayed in popular culture. won’t bore you with the details of how these stealthy warriors, also known as “shinobi,” managed to seep into Hollywood…
“While this article was originally written during the pandemic, all of the locations and information featured are still valid…” — Donny Kimball Greetings readers! I hope you’re all safe and staying sane. As I write this, most of the world is currently…
Grizzled veterans of Japan travel are likely cringing right now. Really, Donny? Mt. Koya? I thought you focused exclusively on off the beaten path destinations. What gives? Hasn’t this mountaintop Buddhist enclave gotten enough attention already? Honestly, here the answer…
Admittedly, I am a bit of a history buff and love to study the annals of Japan’s past. Alas, as a busy freelance digital marketer, I often don’t have the time to sit down and pour over original source material.…
Ah, Osaka… Neon lights, takoyaki and beautiful natural vistas. Wait, what? Hold on a minute! Since when was Osaka home to anything even resembling Mother Nature? Well, as it turns out, for eons. You see, while Osaka is far more…
Not too long ago, I found myself yet again in the vicinity of Osaka. Alas, this time, I was not traveling for pleasure as I usually do. Instead, I had made the trek down from Tokyo with a couple of…
“What the hell am I doing!” I quietly bemoaned to myself as I checked Google Maps for the umpteenth time to make sure I was on the correct course. It was late April and I was traveling the upper rural…
As much as it pains me to write this, I absolutely loathe Osaka these days. This is really saying something as the city once ranked among my all-time favorite places to party. Sadly, much like Kyoto sitting only 30 minutes…
For the longest time, I have actively asserted that Kanagawa is the most well-rounded of all the prefectures. Between the history of Kamakura, the hot springs and nature of Hakone, and the urban landscape of Yokohama, there’s little that this…
As long time readers, you may have noticed by now that I typically try to steer clear of introducing attractions in Kyoto. For one, the city tends to be overcrowded with visitors to the point where it has become akin…
Much like everyone else on this planet, I absolutely love Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Taisha. Anyone who has visited knows there is just something ethereally awesome about that endless array of torii gates that is difficult to capture in words. However,…
Think you know Nara? Think again! Today we will be traveling back in time to a period long before Nara became the capital of Japan in 710. We’ll be examining the Asuka area and the period of time from 538–710…
Ah springtime in Japan… Few things can compare to this country’s beauty when its legendary cherry blossoms begin to flower. Only around for a brief period of time, this highly treasured part of spring has been much beloved throughout Japanese…
Welcome back to another installment of my in-depth area guide series. As always, we’ll be diving deep to ensure that you’re properly equipped to venture off the beaten path without incident. Today we’ll be looking at the rustic and rather…