There’s no good reason not to visit Japan in 2023.
Continue ReadingKyushu
Beyond the Bomb(s)
Obviously, the best way to resolve the Hiroshima vs Nagasaki debate is to visit both cities.
Continue ReadingIs Beppu Worth Visiting?
Onsen hot springs—at least the kind you bathe in—aren’t all that Beppu has to offer.
Continue ReadingMiyazaki for Dummies
This remote corner of Japan is also one of the country’s least-visited, especially among foreigners.
Continue ReadingShould You Visit Fukuoka or Nagasaki?
Apart from their importance, these two cities couldn’t be more different.
Continue ReadingThe Ultimate Kumamoto Castle Guide
Kumamoto Castle is one of my favorite castles—and my favorite places—in Japan.
Continue ReadingJapan Off the Beaten Path
There’s value in seeing Japan off its tourist trail.
Continue ReadingSakura and Sago Palms
Nostalgia has become my drug of choice in middle age.
Continue Reading30 Pictures That Will Make You Want to Visit Kyushu
As I look through all the amazing Kyushu pictures I took during the two-week exploration of the island I just completed, I came to a strange conclusion.
Continue ReadingBattle of Japan’s Second Fiddles
Is Kyushu or Shikoku the better Japanese island?
Continue ReadingYakushima Relapse
It’s my second time to Yakushima Island, actually.
Continue ReadingNot a Single Satsuma
I had many expectations about what my trip to the Satsuma Peninsula would bring, though none were rooted in reality.
Continue ReadingWhat Happens in Kagoshima
The most important of all the things to do in Kagoshima is to let what happens here stay here.
Continue ReadingAftershocks and Anti-Climax
The rim of Nakadake Crater is now totally off-limits, which makes a trip to this part of Japan relatively anti-climactic from the get-go.
Continue ReadingKumamoto in the Waking World
I never thought I would walk into my own dream.
Continue ReadingWhat Inari Affirmed
Affirmation, it seemed, was the gift of my trip to Yutoku Inari Shrine.
Continue ReadingNagasaki’s Multitudes
The dam broke as I walked away toward Nagasaki Peace Park—and I’d be lying if I said some of the tears weren’t ones I shed on my own behalf.
Continue ReadingKaratsu Through the Clearing
I was in no hurry to get to Karatsu Castle Tuesday morning.
Continue ReadingFukuoka is for (Ex) Lovers
The food looked ordinary—the style of service was what stood out, and I found it more interesting to document that than to delight in.
Continue ReadingShould You Visit Hiroshima or Nagasaki?
If you’ve got the time, it’s best to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but this post should make it easier to choose if you absolutely must pick one.
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