16 Shirayama Shrine in a Rice Field Takako Sakamoto There are millions of Shirayama (Hakusan) Shrines in Japan. I visited one of them I found in my neighborhood, among vast rice...
Activities Climbing Mt Kaimon Mandy Bartok Kagoshima's volcanic Mt Kaimon resembles big brother Mt Fuji but is a much easier climb with views that are just as good.
Culture Open-Air Museum of Farmhouses Michelle Montano See ancient farmhouses from across Japan at Hattori Ryokuchi Park's open-air farmhouse museum in Osaka.
Culture Searching for Ryoma Sakamoto Takako Sakamoto How to access to the places related to Ryoma Sakamoto, one of the most beloved Japanese heroes in history. The places are loc...
Activities Kofujiyama Anonymous Kofujiyama (little Mt. Fuji) is the mountain on Gogoshima, the island that sits nearest the coastline of Matsuyama in the Set...
Culture Kajiki Spider Fighting Festival 2026 Laura Keating The townsfolk of Kajiki, a town in Aira City, Kagoshima, happily partake in a tradition which reaches back over four-hundred ...
Activities Kazahaya Fireworks Festival 2026 Anonymous Kazaya Umi Matsuri is the quintessential summer fireworks event in rural Japan. Join yukata-clad locals for cold beer and oohs.
Accommodation Yon Maru Cafe and Kominka Inn Percival Constantine A nice, old-fashioned Japanese inn that gives you a great taste of rural life, attached to a modern coffee shop.
Transportation Skymark Airlines Peter Sidell Japan's biggest low-cost carrier, Skymark offers cheap flights to a range of cities around the country, from northerly Hokkai...
Beauty & Spa Seapa Makoto Anonymous Seapa Makoto onsen and restaurant is located next to picturesque Kashima port. The onsen offers a splendid view of the sea fr...
