Nick van der Blom
Articles by Nick (126)
Asakusa
Old-Tokyo’s working district on the Sumida — Senso-ji as anchor, post-war shopping arcades, the Skytree across the river.
Harajuku
Tokyo’s youth-fashion district between Yoyogi Park and Omotesando — Takeshita-dori’s Sunday street culture, Meiji-jingu shrine, Aoyama’s designer flagships.
Shinjuku
Tokyo’s biggest transit hub and night-life centre — Kabukicho neon, the Tokyo Government Building observatory, and the world’s busiest train station.
Edo-Tokyo Museum
Full-scale Edo-period reconstructions in Ryogoku — Nihonbashi bridge replica, Kabuki theatre, daimyo residences. Currently closed for renovation through 2026.
Mt Mitake
929m mountain in western Tokyo’s Okutama region — Musashi-Mitake shrine on the summit, ridge-walk to Mt Otake, fewer day-trippers than Mt Takao.
National Museum of Nature and Science
Ueno’s natural history museum — ¥630 entry, full dinosaur halls, Edo-era science exhibits, and the actual taxidermy of Hachiko.
Toyosu Market
Tsukiji’s wholesale auctions moved here in 2018 — the working tuna auction visible from a viewing deck, plus Tokyo’s freshest sushi-counter culture.
Hachiko Statue
Bronze loyal-dog statue at Shibuya Station’s Hachiko Exit — Tokyo’s most-used meeting point and a 5-minute pilgrimage.
Imperial Palace East Gardens
Free public garden inside Edo Castle’s former inner citadel — Edo donjon ruins, watchtower, ninomaru garden, all 5 minutes from Tokyo Station.
Inokashira Park
Kichijoji’s lake-and-forest park — swan boats, hanami over water, the Studio Ghibli museum at the back, weekday-locals only.
Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Garden
Edo-era stroll garden in Hamamatsucho — the quieter, smaller cousin of Hama-rikyu, ¥150 entry, almost no foreign visitors.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
Free 45F observatories in Shinjuku’s twin towers — the locals’ alternative to paid Tokyo skyline viewpoints, on a clear day all the way to Mt Fuji.
Mt Takao
Tokyo’s 599m mountain day-trip — 1 hour from Shinjuku, 8 hiking trails, koyo and a working tengu shrine, summit beer.
Nakano Broadway
1966 retro mall in Nakano — Mandarake’s original outpost, four floors of working otaku shops, almost no foreign visitors.
Odaiba
Reclaimed-island entertainment district on Tokyo Bay — Rainbow Bridge view, life-size Gundam, beach without sea-swim, mall-day Tokyo.
Rikugien Garden
Tokyo’s most refined Edo stroll garden — six elements of waka poetry rendered in stone, water and pine, with evening light-ups for sakura and koyo.
Ryogoku Kokugikan
Tokyo’s national sumo arena — 11,000 seats, three Tokyo grand tournaments a year, the most-Japanese sporting event you can attend.
Tokyo Station (Marunouchi Side)
1914 red-brick Renaissance facade restored 2012 — Tokyo’s most photographed station, free to visit, open 24/7.
Tokyo Tower
The 333m red-and-white communications tower of 1958 — Tokyo’s iconic silhouette, photographed from outside more than visited from within.
Ueno Park
53-hectare cultural park north of central Tokyo — five major museums, the zoo, sakura, and the Saigo statue, all on one ¥0 entry.
Yanaka Ginza
Edo-period shopping street in Tokyo’s old town — 60 stalls, classic wooden shopfronts, the famous resident cats and almost no tourist groups.
Yoyogi Park
Tokyo’s Sunday park — buskers, drum circles, picnic blankets and dance crews on the lawns next to Meiji-jingu, free entry, all day.
Akihabara (Electric Town)
Tokyo’s electronics, anime and otaku district — Yodobashi flagship, Mandarake retro shelves, themed cafés.
Ameya-Yokocho (Ameyoko)
Tokyo’s working market under the JR Yamanote tracks — 400 stalls of fish, fruit, sneakers, and yakitori smoke at evening rush.
Hama-rikyu Garden
Edo-era shogun garden on Tokyo Bay — tidal ponds, a 300-year pine and a tea house among glass towers.
Mori Tower (Roppongi Hills)
Tokyo’s art-and-view combo — 52F observation deck plus the Mori Art Museum in one ticket, 250m above Roppongi.
Nezu Shrine
Tokyo’s quietest Edo-era shrine — a small Inari torii tunnel, an azalea festival in late April, and almost no foreign visitors.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Three garden styles in 58 hectares — Japanese, French formal, English landscape — and 1,100 cherry trees in late March.
Tokyo Skytree
Japan’s tallest tower at 634m — Tembo Deck and Galleria observation floors over the Sumida-side Tokyo skyline.
teamLab Borderless
Reopened in Azabudai Hills 2024 — the maze of projection rooms returns, less Instagram-saturated than Planets.
Tomioka Hachiman-gu
Sumo’s spiritual home in Edo-Tokyo’s Monzen-Nakacho — antique market on the 15th, original yokozuna ranking ground.
Yurakucho Sukiyabashi Crossing
Office-Tokyo’s answer to Shibuya Scramble — same evening-rush volume, vintage Showa underpass, JR-track izakaya next door, almost no tourists.
Meiji-jingu Shrine
A 70-hectare cedar forest in the centre of Tokyo, anchored by the country’s grandest Shinto shrine and the largest wooden torii gate in Japan.
Senso-ji Temple
Tokyo’s oldest temple — the giant red Kaminarimon lantern, Nakamise shopping street and a 645 AD Kannon statue at the heart of Asakusa.
Shibuya Crossing
The world’s busiest pedestrian intersection — three thousand people every two minutes, neon walls all around.
teamLab Planets
Walk barefoot through knee-deep mirrored water, get swallowed by infinite-mirror koi and stand inside a hanging orchid garden — Tokyo’s most photographed digital-art experience.
Tsukiji Outer Market
Tokyo’s historic seafood-and-everything market — the inner fish market moved to Toyosu in 2018, but the 460 outer-market stalls still cook breakfast for the city.
Chubu Region
Nine prefectures spanning the Japanese Alps, Mt Fuji, the Edo merchant towns of Takayama and Kanazawa, and the Sea of Japan coast.
Shikoku Region
Japan’s smallest main island — four prefectures of pilgrimage temples, Iya Valley vine bridges and the Setouchi art islands.
Tohoku Region
Six northern prefectures of snow country, samurai towns and the country’s most photogenic festivals — Honshu’s most under-visited region.
Naoshima
Yayoi Kusama pumpkins, Tadao Ando concrete museums and James Turrell skylight installations on a 14 km² Inland Sea fishing island — Japan’s single best contemporary-art destination.
Kamikochi
Wooden suspension bridges over an emerald river, the Northern Alps as backdrop, no cars allowed — Japan’s flagship national park, open mid-April to mid-November only.
Nikko
Lacquered Tokugawa shrines under cedar forest, two hours from Tokyo — the most over-the-top shrine complex in Japan, plus an alpine valley above with onsen and waterfall.
Kamakura
Coastal samurai-era capital one hour from Tokyo — Great Buddha, a dozen quiet temples, an Enoden tram to the beach. Best as a full day, not a half.
Shirakawa-go
UNESCO gassho-zukuri thatched village in a mountain valley — day-trippable from Takayama or Kanazawa, magic only after the buses leave at 16:00.
10 Hidden-Gem Destinations in Japan Worth the Detour
Past Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima — the cities and towns most travellers miss, ranked by how often I'd actually return.
Autumn in Kansai: Three Days, One Sunrise, Forty-Two Maple Trees
Three days chasing the maple peak through Kyoto and Nara — and the lesson that the official forecast is two days late, every year.
Where to Go in Japan in 2026: An Opinionated List
Five places that are noticeably better in 2026 than they were three years ago — and three that are now worth deliberately skipping.
A Year of Japan: What I Learned in 12 Months of Trips
Three trips, fourteen prefectures, two reservations I wish I'd cancelled, and the one thing I'll book differently next year.
Japan Travel Budget: What a Realistic Trip Actually Costs
Three honest budget tiers for two weeks in Japan — backpacker, mid-range, comfortable. Spoiler: it's not as expensive as the headlines suggest.
Money in Japan: Yen, ATMs, IC Cards, and Tax-Free Shopping
Cash isn't king like it used to be, but it still rules half the country. Here's how the money side actually works in 2026.
Japan SIM & Connectivity: eSIM, Pocket WiFi, Prepaid SIM
Three ways to stay online in Japan — and why eSIM beats the other two for 90% of travellers in 2026.
Japan Visa Requirements 2026: Who Needs One, Who Doesn’t
Most Western tourists get 90 days on arrival, no paperwork. Here is what you need to know about the visa-on-arrival window, the new digital arrival card, and the cases where you do need a visa.
One Week in Japan: The Classic First-Timer Loop
Tokyo + Kyoto + a Hakone day trip — seven nights, hits the famous things, leaves you wanting two weeks next time.
Three Weeks in Japan: The Hidden-Gem Deep Dive
21 days, deep into Tohoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu — the Japan that the two-week loop never reaches.
Japan with Kids: A Family-Friendly Itinerary
Tokyo + Hakone + Kyoto over ten days — designed for kids 6–12, with deer, monkeys, ramen-train rides, and a ryokan night.
First-Time Japan: The Definitive Starter Trip
Ten nights, the gentle on-ramp — Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Hiroshima, designed for someone who's never been east of Bangkok.
Solo Travel in Japan: A 12-Night Itinerary
Japan is the best country in the world for solo travel — safe, friendly, and counter-seating culture means you're never the only one alone.
Autumn Leaves (Koyo)
Koyo is Japan's quieter sakura — six weeks of red maples and gold ginkgo, sweeping south from Hokkaido in late September to Kyushu in early December.
Cherry Blossoms (Sakura)
Two weeks of pink, six different varieties, and the timing problem nobody fully solves — sakura season is a moving target that drifts north from late March in Kyushu to early May in Hokkaido.
Japanese Culture
Tea ceremony, kabuki, sumo, traditional crafts, anime, contemporary art — culture in Japan isn't a museum visit, it's the Tuesday-night programming.
Japanese Food
Sushi, ramen, izakaya, the depachika basement food halls — Japan's food culture is regional, layered, and the most over-Michelin'd nation on Earth.
Golden Week
Late April to early May — the worst week to visit Japan if you don't book six months ahead, and the best week if you do.
Japanese Nature
73% of Japan is forested mountain — most travellers see only the cities. Here is the nature that's actually accessible without a guide.
Snow in Japan
The world's best powder, the most photogenic snow festivals, and ryokan onsen with snow on the rocks — Japan in winter is an entirely different country.
Temples and Shrines
Buddhist temple, Shinto shrine — the difference, the etiquette, and the ones worth the detour.
Year-Round Japan
Cherry blossoms get ten weeks of attention; the other 42 weeks of the Japanese year are quietly excellent. Here is what's worth doing whenever you arrive.
Getting Around in Japan: The Complete Transport Guide
Comprehensive Japan transportation overview: Suica/PASMO IC card handles 90% of intra-city travel; Shinkansen + JR Pass for inter-city (calculator decides if pass pays off); GO app for taxis; Yamato Takkyubin for hotel-to-hotel luggage; LCCs for Hokkaido/Okinawa; coin lockers for day-bag swaps. Hub guide that cross-links to the deep how-to articles for each mode.
Japanese Festivals (Matsuri)
Japan runs ~300,000 matsuri a year — yatai float festivals (Takayama, Gion), hanabi fireworks (Sumida, Nagaoka), odori dances (Awa Odori, Gujo Odori), snow festivals (Sapporo), and Aomori Nebuta lantern parades. Pick by month: April Takayama, July Gion, August Awa/Nebuta, October Takayama, December Chichibu. Cash, yukata, second-row view, and book early are the four rules.
Two Weeks in Japan: A Realistic Itinerary
Realistic 14-day Japan itinerary: Tokyo (4) → Kanazawa (2) → Takayama (2) → Kyoto (3) → Hiroshima (2) → Osaka (1). Includes Hakone onsen day trip, Shirakawa-go via bus, Miyajima dawn ferry. Total budget ~€1,650–2,750 per person excluding flights. Hokuriku Arch Pass + point-to-point tickets often beats the national 14-day JR Pass for this route.
JR Pass: The Complete 2026 Guide
JR Pass deep guide for 2026: 7-day ¥50,000, 14-day ¥80,000, 21-day ¥100,000. Pays off for Tokyo–Kyoto–Hiroshima within 7 days; Tokyo+Kyoto only doesn't break even. Regional alternatives often dominate (JR West Kansai-Hiroshima at ¥17,000 for 5 days). Embedded calculator does the per-itinerary maths. Order voucher abroad, exchange at any JR office on arrival, paper voucher only. Nozomi upgrade is ¥4,180/leg or ¥10,000 unlimited.
Onsen
Onsen — Japan's hot-spring bathing culture — is built around 27,000 natural sources across 3,000 onsen towns. Six-step etiquette: change naked, wash sitting down, soak quietly, towel out of water. Tattoo policy is mostly relaxed since the 2020s; small cover stickers handle the strict outliers. Best regions: Hakone (Kanto), Kusatsu (sulphur), Kinosaki (yukata-walking), Beppu (variety), Noboribetsu (cinematic Hokkaido).
Takayama
Takayama is a preserved Edo merchant town in the northern Gifu mountains — Sanmachi-suji's wooden lattice shopfronts, six in-town sake breweries, and a riverside morning market. Two nights minimum to also fit Shirakawa-go's gassho-zukuri farmhouses or Kamikochi's alpine walks. Spring (14–15 Apr) and autumn (9–10 Oct) matsuri rolls the wooden yatai floats through the old town.
Tokyo
Tokyo is 23 wards stitched into one megacity, and most travellers stay in five of them. Five days minimum: two for the famous Yamanote circuit (Senso-ji, Shibuya, Meiji, Tsukiji Outer), two for hidden wards (Yanaka, Shimokitazawa, Kichijoji), one for a Hakone or Kamakura day trip. The Yamanote line is your clock; the depachika basements are your dinner.
Hiroshima
Hiroshima is a working Setouchi port city of 1.2 million, anchored by the Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima but defined daily by its tram network, oyster bars, layered okonomiyaki, and Nagarekawa lantern alleys. Two nights minimum; three if you add Onomichi or Okunoshima.
Beppu
Beppu is Japan's biggest hot-spring city by volume — anchored by the turquoise Umi Jigoku, the blood-red Chinoike Jigoku, the Edo-era Takegawara Bathhouse, the milky-white Myōban Onsen, and the working-class Hamawaki Onsen. This guide covers the city's anchors plus its sento-bathhouse culture.
Kotohira
Kotohira is a small Kagawa pilgrim town anchored by the Konpira shrine — 1,368 steps up Mt. Zōzu — plus the Kanamaru-za kabuki theatre, the votive Ema-dō, the Kotohira Kadan ryokan, and the Kinryō Sake Museum. This guide covers the town's anchors plus the surrounding udon culture.
Matsuyama
Matsuyama is Ehime's capital — anchored by Matsuyama Castle (one of twelve original keeps), the 3,000-year-old Dogo Onsen Honkan, the Tsubaki-no-Yu public bath, the henro pilgrim Ishite-ji Temple, and the Edo-era Ninomaru Shiseki Teien garden. This guide covers the city's anchors plus its literary and tram heritage.
Takamatsu
Takamatsu is Kagawa's capital — anchored by the Edo-period Ritsurin Garden, the seafront Tamamo Park castle ruins, the Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum, the table-flat island of Yashima, and ferries to Megijima and Naoshima. This guide covers the city's anchors plus its world-renowned Sanuki udon scene.
Sendai
Sendai is Tohoku's gateway and Date Masamune's samurai capital — anchored by the Zuihoden Mausoleum, the Aoba Castle ruins, the leafy Jozenji Street boulevard, the historic Rinnoji Temple garden, and the busy Kokubuncho entertainment district. This guide covers Sendai's anchors plus its distinctive food culture.
Shizuoka City
Shizuoka City was Tokugawa Ieyasu's chosen retirement seat — and remains a quiet capital with the Sumpu Castle Park, the clifftop Kunozan Toshogu, the Nihondaira Plateau, the ancient Sengen Shrine, and the Aoba Yokocho izakaya street. This guide covers all the city's major sights and the lesser-known seafood quarter at Yaizu Port nearby.
Miyazaki Prefecture
Miyazaki Prefecture combines the moss-covered Takachiho Gorge of Japanese mythology, the subtropical island of Aoshima, the seaside Udo Jingū shrine, the volcanic Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park, and the wild-horse cape of Toi. This guide covers Miyazaki's anchors plus its lesser-known surf coast.
Oita Prefecture
Oita Prefecture is Japan's onsen capital — anchored by the Beppu Hells (Jigoku Meguri), the Kannawa steam district, the upmarket Yufuin valley, the lakeside Kinrin Lake, and the rock-carved Usuki Stone Buddhas. This guide covers all of Oita's anchors plus the Kunisaki Peninsula's ancient temples.
Saga Prefecture
Saga Prefecture combines the Yayoi-era Yoshinogari Historical Park, the seaside Karatsu Castle, the world-renowned Arita and Imari porcelain towns, the Saga International Balloon Fiesta, and the cliff-and-rhododendron Mifuneyama Rakuen garden. This guide covers the prefecture's anchors plus its hot-spring valleys.
Kochi Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture combines the original-keep Kochi Castle, the lively Hirome Market food hall, the surfing beach of Katsurahama, the dramatic Cape Ashizuri at Shikoku's southern tip, and the 38th-temple Kongōfukuji on the pilgrim trail. This guide covers all anchors plus the Yoshino River and the Niyodo River's emerald gorges.
Ehime Prefecture
Ehime Prefecture combines the original-keep Matsuyama Castle, the 3,000-year-old Dogo Onsen Honkan bathhouse, the famous 70km Shimanami Kaido cycling route, the henro-pilgrim Ishiteji Temple, and the original Uwajima Castle. This guide covers the prefecture's anchors plus its lesser-known coast and inland gorges.
Tokushima Prefecture
Tokushima Prefecture combines the famous Naruto Whirlpools, the Iya Valley's vine bridges (Kazurabashi), the start of Shikoku's 88-temple pilgrimage at Ryōzenji, and the thatched-roof mountain village of Ochiai. This guide covers the prefecture's anchors plus its wild Iya gorge interior.
Kagawa Prefecture
Kagawa Prefecture combines the great stroll garden of Ritsurin, the contemporary art island of Naoshima, the 1,368-step pilgrimage to Kotohiragu Shrine, the original-keep Marugame Castle, and the Teshima Art Museum. This guide covers the prefecture's anchors plus its world-famous Sanuki udon culture.
Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima Prefecture is Japan's third-largest, divided into three distinct regions: coastal Hama-dori, the central Naka-dori plains, and the Aizu mountain west. Highlights include the Tsurugajo Castle of Aizu, the alpine wetland of Oze National Park, the great Lake Inawashiro, the thatched post-town Ouchi-juku, and the ramen capital Kitakata.
Yamagata Prefecture
Yamagata Prefecture combines the cliff-temple of Yamadera, the snow-monster slopes of Zao Onsen, the sacred Three Mountains of Dewa Sanzan, the Taisho-era Ginzan Onsen, and the volcanic Okama Crater Lake. This guide covers Yamagata's anchors plus the lesser-known castle and herring towns of Sakata.
Akita Prefecture
Akita Prefecture combines the samurai town of Kakunodate, the deep caldera Lake Tazawa, the Oga Peninsula's Namahage demon folklore, and the remote Ani region's bear-and-beech wilderness. This guide covers Akita's anchors plus the lesser-known Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum.
Miyagi Prefecture
Miyagi Prefecture is Tohoku's gateway — anchored by Sendai, the region's biggest city, and stretching to the famous Matsushima Bay islands, the temple of Zuiganji, the ruins of Sendai Castle, the Zao Fox Village, and the Naruko Gorge. This guide covers Miyagi's anchors plus the lesser-known Sanriku coast.
Iwate Prefecture
Iwate Prefecture is Japan's second-largest by area — vast, rural, and home to the UNESCO-listed golden Konjikidō at Chūson-ji, the white pebble beach of Jōdogahama, the limestone caves of Ryūsendō, and the gorge of Genbikei. This guide covers the prefecture's anchors plus the Tono folk-tale farmland and the seafood ports of Sanriku.
Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture centres on the metropolis of Nagoya but extends to the original-keep Inuyama Castle, the ancient Atsuta Jingu shrine, the Toyota industrial museum, and the seafood-rich Chita Peninsula. This guide covers all the prefecture's anchors plus its lesser-known onsen and ceramic towns.
Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture stretches along the Tokaido shinkansen corridor between Tokyo and Nagoya — but most travellers blow past. Tea-covered hills, the Tokugawa shrine of Kunozan Toshogu, the Oigawa steam railway, the Utogi tea village, the Fuji-pilgrimage city of Fujinomiya, and the original-keep Kakegawa Castle make it worth a stop.
Yamanashi Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture sits on Mount Fuji's north side — home to the famous Kawaguchiko reflection lake, the dramatic Shosenkyo Gorge near Kofu, the historic Takeda Shrine, the spring-fed pools of Oshino Hakkai, and the wild Hayakawa Valley wine country. This guide covers the prefecture's anchors plus its lesser-known mountain villages.
Fukui Prefecture
Fukui Prefecture combines the great Zen monastery of Eiheiji, the dramatic basalt cliffs of Tojinbo, Japan's largest dinosaur museum, the original castle keep of Maruoka, and the scenic Mikata Five Lakes coast. This guide covers Fukui's anchors and the lesser-known artisan towns of Wakasa Bay.
Toyama Prefecture
Toyama Prefecture combines the dramatic Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route with UNESCO-listed thatched-roof farmhouse villages, the Kurobe Dam, the historic Zuiryuji Temple, and a seafood coast on Toyama Bay. This guide covers all the prefecture's anchors and the lesser-known mountain gassho-zukuri villages of Ainokura and Suganuma.
Niigata Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture stretches along Japan's Sea of Japan coast — snow country in winter, rice and sake heartland year-round, and home to the offshore Sado Island, the contemporary art trails of Echigo-Tsumari, the powder slopes of Myoko Kogen, and Niigata City's Ponshukan sake fountains. This guide covers all the prefecture's anchors plus the festival cherries of Takada Park.
Onomichi Travel Guide: Temples, Cats, and the Seto Inland Sea
Onomichi is one of western Japan's most atmospheric small cities, where steep stone alleys connect 25 temples, resident cats, and a thriving indie café scene overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. This guide covers Senkoji Park, the temple walking course, Cat Alley, and the start of the Shimanami Kaidō cycling route at ONOMICHI U2.
Tottori Prefecture
Tottori is Japan's least-populous prefecture and one of its most rewarding for travelers who stray from the Golden Route. This guide covers the famous Tottori Sand Dunes alongside overlooked gems — a cliff-face temple, a UNESCO marine park, and one of Japan's best radon-rich onsen at Misasa.
Shimane Prefecture
Shimane is Japan's quietest prefecture on Honshu — home to the country's oldest and most sacred shrine at Izumo, a moat-ringed castle city at Matsue, and a UNESCO silver-mine town frozen in the Edo period. This guide covers the prefecture's anchors and the corners few foreign travellers ever reach.
Yamaguchi Prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture stretches across the tip of Honshu where feudal castle towns, a dramatic Sea of Japan coastline, and Japan's largest karst plateau converge. This guide covers the prefecture's top sights and the lesser-known temples, bridges, and onsen the international tourist crowd never reaches.
Okayama Prefecture
Okayama Prefecture packs three of Japan's most celebrated gardens and castles alongside rarely visited inland castle towns and a sun-drenched Seto Inland Sea coastline. This page maps the prefecture's anchor cities, top attractions, and quieter corners — from Korakuen Garden to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle high in the mountains.
Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture stretches far beyond its famous city, taking in floating torii gates, a scenic cycling archipelago, and one of Japan's best-preserved Edo-era port towns. This overview covers the headline cities — Hiroshima, Onomichi, Fukuyama — alongside Miyajima, the Shimanami Kaidō, and quieter corners like Tomonoura and the Sandankyo Gorge.
Chugoku Region
The Chugoku region stretches across western Honshu, split between the sunny San'yo coast and the wilder, myth-laden San'in coast. This overview covers all five prefectures, the best seasons to visit, and starter itineraries — including undervisited corners like Tottori's Sand Dunes, Shimane's Izumo Taisha, and the Seto Inland Sea ports of Onomichi and Tomonoura.
Gunma Prefecture
Gunma Prefecture packs dramatic mountain scenery, world-class hot springs, and UNESCO silk heritage into an easy escape from Tokyo. Beyond famous Kusatsu lie balcony-stepped Ikaho, riverside Shima, the boulder-cave bath of Takaragawa, the wetlands of Oze, and the silk mill of Tomioka.
Ibaraki Prefecture
Ibaraki Prefecture sits just north-east of Tokyo yet remains one of the Kantō region's least-visited destinations. From the nemophila fields of Hitachi Seaside Park to the wave-battered torii of Oarai and the deep cedars of Kashima Jingu Shrine, this guide maps a prefecture worth a deliberate detour.
Saitama Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture packs Edo streetscapes, mountain pilgrimage routes, and one of Japan's last living washi-paper villages into easy reach of Tokyo. This guide maps the prefecture's anchors and the valleys, gorges, and ancient routes most international visitors miss.
Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture stretches from Tokyo Bay to the open Pacific, hiding dramatic coastal scenery, a thousand-year-old temple town, and quiet surf villages that most international visitors miss entirely. This page maps the prefecture's anchors and its underrated coastline beyond Narita Airport.
Kawagoe Travel Guide: Little Edo, Sweet Potatoes, and the Saitama City Most Tokyo Visitors Rush Through
Kawagoe is a compact Saitama city where Edo-period merchant warehouses, a centuries-old bell tower, and candy-filled alleyways survive within easy reach of Tokyo. This guide covers Kurazukuri Street, the Toki no Kane bell, Kashiya Yokocho, Hikawa Shrine, the Naritasan branch, the Shingashi River, and the Coedo Brewery — Kawagoe's defining sights in walking distance of one another.
Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture packs an extraordinary range into a compact coastal footprint — from Kamakura's ancient Buddha to Hakone's volcanic highlands. This page maps the prefecture's headline cities and lesser-known corners, all within ninety minutes of central Tokyo.
Tokyo Metropolis
Tokyo Metropolis is far larger than its famous wards suggest, spanning old shitamachi neighbourhoods, forested Tama cities, and a remote Pacific island chain. This guide maps the prefecture beyond Shibuya — into Yanaka's temple lanes, Mitaka's parks, Hachioji's hills, Okutama's gorges, and the Ogasawara and Oshima islands.
Hakone Travel Guide
Hakone is Kanagawa's most rewarding overnight escape: a compact region of volcanic valleys, steaming hot springs, and lakeside Fuji views easily reached from Tokyo. This guide covers the famous loop and quieter corners — Owakudani, the Hakone Open Air Museum, the susuki plain at Sengokuhara, the Tokaido teahouse Amazake-chaya, the modernist Naraya Cafe, the historic Fujiya Hotel, the gateway castle of Odawara, and the Shizuoka-side MOA Museum of Art.
Kanto Region
The Kanto region spans seven distinct prefectures, each with its own character far beyond Tokyo's bright lights. This overview covers the region's prefectures, best seasons to visit, and starter itineraries — including undervisited corners like Gunma's Kusatsu Onsen and Ibaraki's flower-covered coastline.
Tochigi Prefecture
Tochigi Prefecture stretches far beyond its famous Nikko shrines, encompassing a volcanic highland, Japan's gyoza capital, and a dramatic underground stone quarry museum. This page maps the prefecture's anchors and the lesser-known towns most international visitors miss.
Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa is far more than Japan's beach destination — it's a 160-island archipelago with its own Ryukyuan language, castle ruins, and UNESCO-listed jungle. This guide covers the main island's top draws alongside the quieter outer islands most visitors never reach.
Hakodate
Hakodate blends Meiji-era Western architecture, a legendary hilltop night view, and some of Hokkaido's finest seafood into one compact, walkable city. This guide covers the essential sights alongside crowd-free neighbourhoods, an onsen district, and a nearly forgotten Edo-era fishing town just 90 minutes away.
Naha
Naha is far more than a stopover for Okinawa's beaches — it's a city shaped by the Ryukyuan Kingdom, with its own food culture, pottery traditions, and hidden neighbourhood lanes. This guide covers the city's top sights, the quieter corners most visitors miss, and the best island day trips from its ferry terminal.
Okinawa Region
Okinawa is Japan's southernmost region — a chain of over 160 islands with its own Ryukyuan culture, turquoise waters, and a tropical pace far removed from mainland Japan. This guide covers the region's island groups, best travel seasons, and itinerary options to help you plan beyond the obvious.
Niseko
Niseko is world-famous for its champagne powder skiing, but there's far more to this Hokkaido town than groomed runs and luxury chalets. This guide covers the full year — from summer hiking on Mount Yōtei to affordable eats in Kutchan — and points you toward the crowd-free corners that most visitors never find.
Otaru
Otaru is far more than its famous canal — this guide covers the city's best sushi streets, hidden Ironai warehouses, and the locals-only Sankaku Market alongside practical tips for getting there from Sapporo. Whether you have a few hours or a full overnight stay, you'll find the angles that most day-trippers completely miss.
Sapporo
Sapporo is far more than its famous Snow Festival — Hokkaido's capital offers world-class ramen, a thriving craft beer scene, and the walkable Maruyama neighborhood that locals actually love. This guide covers when to visit, what to skip, the best day trips, and practical tips for getting the most out of Japan's northernmost major city.
Hokkaido Prefecture
Hokkaido is Japan's wildest and least-crowded prefecture — a vast northern island spanning alpine national parks, UNESCO coastlines, and Meiji-era fishing towns. This page covers the essential cities, top attractions, hidden corners most visitors skip, and ready-made itineraries for every trip length.
Hokkaido Region
Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost and largest prefecture — a region of dramatic contrasts, from Sapporo's urban energy to the untouched wilderness of Shiretoko and the Ainu cultural heartland of eastern Hokkaido. This overview maps the region's sub-areas, seasons, and itinerary options to help you plan beyond the ski-resort circuit.
Kanazawa Travel Guide
Kanazawa rewards slow travel — a city with Kyoto-caliber temples, samurai districts, and one of Japan's top three gardens, but far fewer crowds. Best visited in spring or autumn. Budget ¥10,000–15,000 per day for 2–3 days.