Looking for the real Japan? Look no farther than the San’in region.
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Thrilling Tohoku
Tohoku is Japan’s most underrated region.
Continue ReadingYokohama Starts Here
Yokohama is a place where you could stay the night, but that most people see on a day trip instead.
Continue ReadingThe Truth About Yakushima
Is Yakushima island worth visiting?
Continue ReadingWhy You Should Visit Marugame Castle
Is Marugame Castle worth visiting? Yes, and not just because its original tenshu is intact.
Continue ReadingThis May Be Japan’s Most Overlooked Peninsula
Much of off-the-beaten-path Kyushu is almost completely devoid of foreign tourists.
Continue ReadingHirosaki is More Than Its Famous Castle
Things to do in Hirosaki (and, especially, just outside the city) far exceed the images you see on postcards.
Continue ReadingThe Man in the Snowbank
Without the threat of punishment, there is no joy in flight.
Continue ReadingShikoku’s Little Brother
Like many places in Japan—and like Japan more broadly—Awaji is a lot bigger than it looks on the map.
Continue ReadingBecome the Woman in the Dunes
The Tottori Sand Dunes are absolutely worth visiting, whether or not you get a chance to read the book about them before you get there.
Continue ReadingWhy They Call It “Hoki-huji”
In fact, Mt. Daisen has very little in common with Mt. Fuji
Continue ReadingHokuriku Starts Here
Of all the regions of Japan, Hokuriku is the one for which my fondness has most increased over the years.
Continue ReadingKansai Starts Here
How many days do you need in Osaka and Kyoto?
Continue ReadingIs Nagoya Worth Visiting?
The exuberance of my Nagoya travel guide stands in stark contrast to the city’s lukewarm reputation.
Continue ReadingSendai Starts Here
Is Sendai worth visiting?
Continue ReadingAso Starts Here
It took me two trips to see Mt. Aso for what it is.
Continue ReadingPerfect Tokyo Panorama Spots
Where can you get the best view of Tokyo?
Continue ReadingMorioka Starts Here
I’ve come to love this Tohoku hub for what it is.
Continue ReadingJapan’s Best Biking Route
There’s a reason the 70 km of trails between Honshu and Shikoku islands are known as the best cycling route in Japan.
Continue ReadingKobe is More Than Just an Amazing Day Trip
If you’re flexible about how many days in Kobe you can spend, the city and the rest of Hyogo prefecture will really come alive for you.
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