Is Fukushima worth visiting?
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Sakata Starts Here
I do know what it takes for destinations in Japan to break out from the rest of the pack—Sakata has all of them, and then some.
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My Own Private Japan
I had Sakata all figured out. Or at least I thought I did.
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Impressions of Akita
First impressions aren’t everything—sometimes, they’re nothing at all.
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Beneath Japan’s Dream Bridge
Far northern Tohoku was the right place kick off my first purely touristic sojourn to Japan in nearly three years.
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Japan Off the Beaten Path
There’s value in seeing Japan off its tourist trail.
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Where Japan’s Unsung Cherries Grow
“It was superb,” I replied in Japanese to the woman selling soft cream flavored with Yamagata cherries.
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Early Birds, Late Blooms
Sakura season—for me and for Japan—was so close to its conclusion that even the birds knew.
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Japan’s Most Underrated Cities
The best cities to visit in Japan aren’t always ones you read about in guide books
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