Shirakawa
Specialities Nature - The site of the Shirakawa-no-seki, a historic barrier that divided the unconquered, wild north from the Shogun-led south, Shirakawa has for centuries ...
Mount Inasa
Specialities Nature - Want to know what a 10 million-dollar view looks like? Mount Inasa claims to offer one of the best nighttime panoramas in Japan right in...
Otaru
Specialities Cities - Elegantly picturesque with its old-fashioned street lanterns and European-style buildings, Otaru is a charming port city flush with nostalgia that is ...
Otoyo Shrine
Specialities Culture - Otoyo Shrine is easy to walk past but that would be a big mistake. With an unassuming entrance at the south end of the Philosopher’s...
Biei
Specialities Nature - The beauty of Biei has surpassed its small town borders to attract world-class photographers, ad execs, and TV directors. But despite its popularity, ...
Nokonoshima Island Park
Specialities Nature - Created in the 1960s by 19 year-old Kubota Kosaku, Nokonoshima Island is a self-contained Eden just across from the lively hub of Fukuoka. Well-known ...
Mount Takao
Specialities Nature - Regarded as sacred since the Edo period, Mount Takao boasts an array of hiking routes, temples and a stunning view of the Tokyo metropolis at...
Daisetsuzan National Park
Specialities Nature - Hokkaido is Japan’s final frontier; a vast wilderness where flora and fauna dominate the human population. But for visitors who fly into shiny, conven...
Asahikawa
Specialities Nature - Hokkaido’s second largest city is a fortress of modernity against the raging elements of the north. Though it draws much less attention than cosmopoli...
Nokogiriyama
Specialities Nature - With a name that literally translates as “Sawtooth Mountain”, Japan’s biggest Buddha and a jagged overhang called “Jigoku-Nozoki” or “Peek into Hell”:...
Shimabara Castle
Specialities Culture, History - Perched on the eastern edge of the Shimabara Peninsula, this five-storied, white castle is a key feature of Shimabara city. What most don’t realize...