8 Most Popular Hiking Tours in the Kansai Region
Mar 23, 2018 By Justin Hanus
One of the best ways to enjoy a new place is to walk around and visit the attractions. But if you’re up for adventures that take hours of marveling beautiful landscapes and historical sites, it calls for leisurely hikes along popular trails and pilgrimage routes. Many countries boast of the...[ Click to read more ]
Sake’ing it to ya, at the Nayabashi Sake Festival in Ngaoya
Feb 26, 2018 By Bert Wishart
Forget Asahi, Kirin or Strong Zero, there can be no doubt that the national drink of Japan is sake. ‘Nihonshu’, to give it its proper title (with ‘sake’ being a term to cover all alcoholic drinks), has been the main tipple of choice in these parts since the Nara period (710 to 794),...[ Click to read more ]
Mother’s Farm: Mountaintop Petting Zoo and More in Chiba Prefecture
Feb 21, 2018 By Jason Gatewood
Ok, that may have been a bit of an over-simplification. Mother Farm (マザー牧場) is an expansive working entertainment farm that is located in the Chiba’s central Boso Peninsula countryside sitting 300m atop Mt. Kanozan. All of these qualities comebine to create the perfect outing for those wanting to getaway from...[ Click to read more ]
Tokugawa Garden and Art Museum in Nagoya
Jan 23, 2018 By Bert Wishart
In the eastern suburbs of Nagoya, not far from the transport hub station of Ozone, lies Tokugawa Park, an oasis of serenity that is often overlooked by tourists and locals alike. That it is so overlooked is a shame, yet it can be very much a blessing, meaning as it...[ Click to read more ]
The great outdoors (and some mountains) right in Hiroshima City
Nov 21, 2017 By Admin
If you like the outdoors and fall into one of these categories: are new to hiking, that is, inexperienced; don’t have a great level of fitness; want to take your kids on a hike with you, but don’t plan on carrying them or have exhausted all other hiking trails around...[ Click to read more ]
Koyo, or Fall Colors in Japan
Oct 15, 2017 By Ray Proper
[caption id="attachment_851" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Korankei Gorge near Toyota City, Aichi[/caption] Viewing the changing colors of fall leaves or foliage, called koyo in Japanese, is autumn's answer to spring's more famous cherry blossom viewing; a traditional opportunity to get outdoors to live in the moment of the season and reflect on the impermanence of it all....[ Click to read more ]
Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens is a Celebration of Herbs and More
Sep 14, 2017 By Justin Hanus
Herbs have a hallowed and honored position in Japanese culture dating back hundreds and hundreds of years. Chinese herbs first began appearing in Japan traditional folk medicines during cultural exchanges between the two ancient societies. Japanese sufferers became familiar with plants such as geranium herbs used as an anti-diarrheic and...[ Click to read more ]
Lagunasia, Aichi’s Premier Amusement Park
Aug 24, 2017 By Bert Wishart
Laguna Gamagori is an exciting, fun marine resort complex in the Bay of Mikawa, and is a place at which one can enjoy the sea, go shopping, ride rollercoasters, play in the pool, and have a whole lot of fun. Lagunasia Pool Perhaps the greatest draw for the some three...[ Click to read more ]
Need for Speed: a Day at The Suzuka Circuit and Motopia Amusement Park
By Bert Wishart
Japan is a nation for which the production of automobiles has driven (pun intended) its development and economy for generations, and as of 2014 there were more than 75 million cars owned, nearly 60 cars for every 100 people. And that's before we include the 11.2 million motorcycles. It should...[ Click to read more ]
The Best Bike Rides Around Kansai
By Justin Hanus
Bicycles have long been a staple in Japanese life. Many of the roadways are built with designated bike lanes. Bicycle sheds are common at train stations to aid commuters and mechanical bicycle tree storage systems are familiar sights. Bike sharing systems and bike rental operations are ubiquitous and if you...[ Click to read more ]
