Journal

  1. Japan’s Best Scenic Drives: Coastlines, Islands, And Iroha-zakaJapan reveals a different character from behind the wheel. A road can move from cedar forest to a mountain lake, cross island-dotted inland seas, or follow a…
  2. How to survive a Japanese summer with local know-howJapanese summer is intense, colorful, and highly rewarding. From June through September, visitors can experience lantern-lit festivals, riverside fireworks,…
  3. Japanese green tea and where to taste it in JapanJapanese green tea is far more varied than the familiar cup of sencha served after a meal. Shade-grown leaves, roasted stems, powdered tea, and rice-blended…
  4. Why a Japanese bento class belongs on your Tokyo itineraryA Japanese bento is much more than a packed lunch. Its carefully arranged rice, vegetables, fish, meat, and side dishes reflect seasonal ingredients, practical…
  5. The Best Museums for Samurai and Ninja History in JapanJapan’s samurai and ninja heritage is preserved in far more than castles and battlefields. Museums display armor, swords, household objects, written records,…
  6. Japanese Gift-Giving Culture: Omiyage and Seasonal PresentsGift-giving in Japan is closely connected to gratitude, social harmony, and consideration for other people. A present does not always need to be expensive or…
  7. Planning an Izu Peninsula trip for hot springs, coastlines, and wasabiThe Izu Peninsula is one of Japan’s easiest escapes from Tokyo, yet its scenery feels far removed from the capital. Volcanic mountains, rugged Pacific shores,…
  8. The most unique accommodations in JapanJapan offers far more than city hotels and traditional ryokan. A night in a Buddhist temple, a morning spent feeding goats on a rural farm, or an evening in a…
  9. Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods: Temples, Symbols, and Pilgrimage RoutesJapan’s Seven Lucky Gods, known as Shichifukujin, bring together deities connected with prosperity, longevity, wisdom, courage, happiness, and good fortune.…
  10. Exploring Kyoto’s Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka StreetsFew places in Kyoto capture the atmosphere of old Japan as vividly as Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. These adjoining lanes climb toward Kiyomizu-dera Temple through…