Japan Journeys

Summers in Kyoto can be surprisingly hot and humid. Luckily, the pragmatic ancient...

If you’ve ever experienced the small thrill of finding a town or restaurant...

Local and authentic—these are the qualities typically associated with restaurants people want to...

Wondering how to cool off in Japan’s humid summer? Perhaps you’re munching your...

Naoshima is more commonly known as Japan’s ‘art island’, and for good reason....

In the spring of 2019, my fiancée and I spent three weeks backpacking...

Tokyo Mario Kart Tours!? These Nintendo-esque go-kart street tours have to be one...

Japanese pizza has a reputation for being a little strange. Where else would...

Since time immemorial, Japanese sensibility has lionised the transient events in life. Soon...

Cinephiles coming to Tokyo could definitely put together a movie-based pilgrimage trip. Movie-themed...

When most people think of Kyoto, they picture famous shrines and bamboo forests....

In 1612, an Osakan man by the name of Yasui Doton began work...

For most, the words “Tokyo sewer tour” don’t inspire much excitement. It’s an...

Springtime in Japan means one thing, and one thing only: cherry blossoms. The...

For a fun outdoorsy adventure in Kyoto, check out the Hozugawa River Cruise....

Tokyo is a sprawling metropolis with countless landscapes to explore. Besides the main...

Picture this: you're a feudal lord (daimyo) with land, money and power within...

The chances are high that you've never been to Fukuoka Prefecture's secluded island...

Looking for a way to enjoy nature, soak up culture and get some...

While many of Tokyo’s visitors flock to Hakone, Lake Kawaguchiko to its North...

Can your feet beat the streets of Kyoto no more? Or perhaps you’re...

A record spins and 1960s folk music warbles out over the old sunken...

Visiting an art museum is probably not top of most people’s lists when...

Calling all adventurers! The realm of Eorzea is in dire need of your...

It sounds like a crazy fantasy. In Japan, there’s a city. And in...

Kyoto’s beauty and charm cannot be denied. However, it has led to a...

For those who celebrate Christmas, you’ll know food plays a big role in...

Tired body? Looking for a break from the tourist crowds of Kyoto? A...

Loving those red torii gate tunnel images from Kyoto, but just can’t get...

Ryoanji Temple is a UNESCO listed Zen Buddhist Temple home to Japan’s most...

Calling all okonomiyaki fans! If you haven’t already done so, you simply must...

Toddlers giggle, adults fall flat on their back, and a select few swoop...

Arashiyama is a lush, scenic district west of Kyoto which translates directly to...

Of all the major transit and shopping hubs in Tokyo, Ikebukuro seems to...

In Tokyo, you can totally get by eating on a dime. But when...

If you’re looking for a fun activity that doubles as a memorable keepsake...

Kinako, or roasted soybean flour, might be a difficult sell if you’ve never...

Despite having a Christian population of roughly 1%, Christmas is a big deal...

Miyajima, or Itsukushima, is a lush, forested island in Hiroshima Bay and undoubtedly...

There’s nothing more soothing than spending a day in nature; I’ve always thought...

After a leisurely boat ride along the Sumida River, you will arrive in...

For green tea fans, there’s really no going past Uji—a town with tea...

Mention Fukuoka to any Japanese person, and they’ll reply with one of two...

The Goto Islands are an archipelago of 140 islands located off the west...

A line of Buddhist monks walk the stone path of Okuno-in.

The districts of Akihabara and Ueno sit next to one another and offer...

This Kyoto walking tour brings you from the Kodaiji complex to Kiyomizudera. An...

Be ye brave enough to sail Japanese waters? Until One Piece, pirates and...

Whiskey. Ireland and Scotland both claim to have first created it—in fact the...

Yes, you read that correctly—one whole hour. To be honest, I didn’t quite...

With literally thousands of ramen restaurants in Central Tokyo and across the Greater...

Kyoto is the gently lit canal to Tokyo’s fit-inducing neon—part of its charm...

As I paddled my kayak through the mangroves, a hawk circled overhead and...

Looking for a short walking route in Kyoto that will give you real...

A bird flying overhead might notice a few geometric shapes at grass level,...

Kyoto is a city that many consider to be the perfect embodiment of the truest 'Japanese sensibilities.' Refinement, subtlety and a restrained aesthetic create a type of harmony that permeates all facets of life in Japan. Minimalism, restraint and the beloved 'wabi-sabi' are all forms of a distinctly Kyoto-esque identity. Enter the Gion Matsuri: a night of hot air, cold beer and a touch of ancestral transcendence.

At first glance, Kasuga Taisha Shrine looks like the gateway to an ancient,...

By day, the neighbourhood of Ebisu hums with shoppers, museum-goers and the lunchtime...

Japan is synonymous with sushi. Every day, thousands of fisherman take to the...

Food is an important part of travel for me. When I’m exploring a...

After a morning spent witnessing volcanic archery and visiting a capybara onsen, my...

Food lovers rejoice, the Nishiki Market in downtown Kyoto is a mecca for...

Nozawa Onsen’s heavy snowfall and abundant powder have...

As I stared over the Asahiyaki instructor’s shoulder during the pottery wheel demonstration,...

Deep in the mountains of Nagano prefecture, sidling the Japanese Central Alps, lies...

Nagano’s Kiso Valley, with its wooded hills and pristine waters, is the perfect...

For fans of Hello Kitty and her menagerie of mates, or even those...

Photography is a hobby of mine, a long running interest that I’ve had...

Ine, the quaint fishing village in Kyōto’s northwest, is arguably one of the...

Not sure if you’ve heard, but the whole Tokyo city lights and neon...

Besides seafood, Hokkaido’s best export must be soup curry. This is exactly as...

Whenever I have visitors in town, I love taking them to a stand-up...

If you have a sweet tooth and you’re visiting Japan, green tea-flavoured desserts...

There can be no doubt that Arashiyama is one of Kyoto’s most popular...

The Philosopher’s Path, or Tetsugaku no michi, is a 2 km-long pedestrian pathway...

Tokyo’s world famous Tsukiji Market has now officially...

Once spring hits, they’re nearly everywhere. Visitors to Japan will find long strands...