Japan Travel Tips & Hidden Gems
The islands of Okinawa are quickly becoming popular with overseas visitors. And even though Japan is not necessarily known as a beach resort destination, locales like Miyakojima and Ishigaki are making a name for themselves outside the domestic market. And…
It should really come as no surprise to those who already follow me on the Gram that Asakura has a special place in my heart. Not only is this provincial section of Fukuoka Prefecture a treasure trove of bucolic delights,…
Dear cherished readers, if I asked you to conjure up a mental image of a Japanese samurai, what would you envision with your mind’s eye? Would it be a fearsome warlord like the courageous Takeda Shingen or a cunning warrior…
When people think of “Japan,” they almost assuredly conjure up mental images of hyper-modern Tokyo or traditional Kyoto. Unbeknownst to most overseas visitors, Japan is actually home to a number of killer beaches. Of course, many of these are located…
Welcome back to another Japan area guides. As always, I’ll be going incredibly deep to ensure that you, the reader, are equipped with all that you need to know to get off the beaten path. Today we’ll be taking a…
In my journeys across Japan, I have come across two distinct types of places. On the one hand, there are hidden gems like Kanazawa or Atami that are very popular with Japanese tourists but have yet to establish much notoriety…
When push comes to shove, my absolute favorite thing about traveling in Japan is the nation’s long and undeniably palpable history. While it often requires one do a bit of digging, reverberations from Japan’s feudal era can still be felt…
It’s no secret that I am in love with Oita. I’ve been enamored ever since I first visited the prefecture in May of 2018 for a visit arranged by the governmental agency JETRO. Our experiences were captured in this amazing…
Ladies and gentlemen, gather ‘round. It’s story time! Today we’ll be taking a look at the long lost history of Oita Prefecture’s Usa Jingu. As far as I can tell, this is the first time the tragic tale of this…
Welcome back to another installment of my area guide series. Lately, it seems like I’m pounding out these incredibly in-depth articles at a breakneck pace. Today, we’ll be exploring Oita Prefecture in Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s main islands. Often…