Tag: forest
Yakusugi Land: Hiking for All on Yakushima Island
Yakusugi Land offers a breathtaking Yakushima hiking experience for almost any level of fitness.
Shiratani Unsuikyo and Kokemusu Mori: Yakushima’s Magical Moss Valley
Lose yourself in Shiratani Ravine and Kokemusu Moss Forest on Yakushima, the island that inspired Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke.
Choraku-ji and Anyo-ji: Hidden in the Hills, Lost in Time.
Kyoto is abundant in micro-temples which atmospherically melt into forests and hills. Naturally, they're a perfect antidote to the more popular and all too often overcrowded temples and shrines in the city. Two such temples in Kyoto city lie hidden in Higashiyama's...
Forest Bathing With Elephants At Lake Nojiri’s ‘Zo No Komichi’
One of the best nature escapes on Japan’s main island of Honshu has got to be Lake Nojiri. Located high in the northern Nagano mountains, this ancient glacial lake is part of the Myoko Togakushi Renzan National...
Okuno-in: Kōyasan’s Pathway Through Time
A line of Buddhist monks walk the stone path of Okuno-in.
In the footsteps of Kobo Daishi.
Deep in the mountains of Wakayama prefecture, shrouded by a rolling sea of dark-hued cedar, lies a...
Renewal on Miyajima: Tokyo to Okinawa Day 8
The island of Miyajima, also known as Itsukushima, is a short trip away from Hiroshima. Throughout much of its history the island was considered a sacred space, so pilgrims were unable to mourn, give birth, or even die on the island. Moving...
Forest Bathing in Japan’s First National Forest: Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest
There’s nothing more soothing than spending a day in nature; I’ve always thought so. On a quest to unwind, I paid a visit to Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest, Japan’s first-ever National Park. Located in Agematsu (in Nagano’s Kiso Valley) it is considered...
