Is the pay-off of visiting the gorge greater than or equal to the trouble of getting there?
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Who Wears the Wings of Japan Best?
Your trip to Japan begins the moment you board a Japanese airline.
Continue ReadingYou Shouldn’t Skip Yonago
The city is an essential anchor for exploring Japan’s San’in region, its own charms as a destination notwithstanding.
Continue ReadingIs Nara Better Than Kyoto?
For certain sorts of travelers, Nara might be a preferable overnight base to Kyoto.
Continue ReadingSan’yo Starts Here
When most non-Japanese people hear the word san’yō, they think of a slightly questionable electronics brand.
Continue ReadingThe Truth About the Green Car
If you’re expecting a luxurious or even exclusive experience, I think the green car is going to disappoint you.
Continue ReadingJapan’s Most Important Shrine
Can you visit Ise Shrine?
Continue ReadingA Jaunt to Japan’s Daruma Temple
Don’t for a single second fool yourself into thinking that this place is off Osaka’s beaten path.
Continue ReadingObama is Actually Outstanding
Whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat—or even an American at all—Obama-cho is a standout destination.
Continue ReadingSometimes, the Snow Comes Down in June
By the time I finally got to the Japan snow tunnel, I’d been waiting literally for years.
Continue ReadingKagoshima’s Best-Kept Secret
If Kagoshima is where Japan ends, then the Satsuma Peninsula is where Kagoshima ends.
Continue ReadingThe Truth About Flying Delta to Japan
In a market served by some of the world’s best airlines, I’m not sure that “great” is good enough.
Continue ReadingShikoku’s Best-Kept Secret
Tokushima’s Awa Odori Festival is right up there with the best of them.
Continue ReadingHow to Choose Between Tokushima and Takamatsu
If you absolutely must decide, I can help you make the right pick.
Continue ReadingWhy to See Japan’s Snowiest City in Summer
The Aomori Nebuta Matsuri is a pain to attend, but I promise you: It’s worth it!
Continue ReadingThe #1 Reason to Visit Akita
Akita is a corner of Japan that’s impressed me since my first trip there almost six years ago. Back then, in the dead of winter, I took an unassuming winter sojourn to Kakunodate Samurai district—I was hooked; the rest is history. Only it wasn’t. Over the years, I’ve returned to a number of places in […]
Continue ReadingWhy You Should Stay the Night in Nara
Everything changed when I decided to stay overnight in Nara.
Continue ReadingOff Okinawa’s Beaten Path
Miyako presents a conundrum.
Continue ReadingTohoku’s Tamest Summer Festival
The Sendai Tanabata Matsuri is probably not what you’re expecting.
Continue ReadingJapan’s Fabulous Fireworks
You’re never far from a hanabi display—well, at least not if you visit Japan in summer.
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