12 Culture Niigata's Saito Family Summer Villa Tomoko Kamishima In 1918, a wealthy merchant in Niigata, Saito Kijuro (IV), built a beautiful summer villa; carefully and spaciously planned f...
Activities Shimoda - Gyokusenji & Tsumekizaki David Hallman Part 3 of this Shimoda series takes us on a drive to the outskirts of the city to a famous temple of diplomatic importance en...
Beauty & Spa Scenic Kawaguchiko Andrew Checkley Of the five lakes cooling Mt. Fuji’s toes, Kawaguchiko is the most popular and most developed.
Food Ishin Tsukemen Restaurant in Yuzawa Rufus Starbuck Two ramen shops on R17 in Yuzawa. One offers traditional ramen, the other tsukemen with the soup and noodles separate. The no...
Accommodation The Italia Ken Hotel in Niigata Tomoko Kamishima The Italia Ken, a long-established hotel located in Niigata city’s famous old district, Furumachi, still keeps its unique fla...
Culture Maruoka Castle Bryan Baier Built in 1576, this hilltop castle is the oldest remaining castle in Japan
Shopping Kyu-Karuizawa Shopping Street Peter Sidell In the resort town of Karuizawa in Japan's Nagano prefecture, there's a pedestrianized kilometer of stores selling souvenirs ...
7 Culture Suwa Taisha (Suwa Grand Shrine) Brian Wood-Koiwa Suwa Taisha (Suwa Grand Shrine) houses the four largest logs of the Onbashira festival and a tree that snores when it lowers ...
Food Diavolo e Bambina Trattoria Justin Dart Diavolo e Bambina provides wonderful service, good Italian food all in a traditional Minka-style Japanese row house only 10 m...
Food Kaburaki Restaurant in Yuzawa Rufus Starbuck Great food inspired by the four seasons in Kaburaki Restaurant in Yuzawa. A blend of international and Japanese offerings wit...
