Discover Roads Less Traveled in Japan

Discover Ryusendo Cave and Its “Dragon Blue” Underground Lakes

Off the Beaten Path, Tohoku

May 13, 2026

Nestled deep within the mountains of Iwate Prefecture, Ryusendo Cave is one of Japan’s three great limestone caves.

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Colossal dog sculpture at the Aomori Museum of Art

Off the Beaten Path,Tohoku

May 12, 2026

Aomori Has the Coolest Museums

Aomori isn’t the most exciting city, but one thing about it surprised me – it’s home to some of the most interesting museums I’ve visited so far in Japan.

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Kyoto,Osaka,Tokyo

April 7, 2026

Stepping Into Stillness: Experiencing a Tea Ceremony in Japan

The Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) is a traditional practice centered around the preparation and serving of matcha.

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View of Hamarikyu Gardens from Caretta Shiodome Sky View

Kanto,Tokyo

March 25, 2026

Sky-High Views, Zero Yen: Free Observatories in Tokyo

Shibuya Sky and Tokyo Skytree are two of the most popular observatories in Tokyo, but admission isn’t cheap.

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Off the Beaten Path,Shikoku

January 12, 2026

Discover Ogijima, an Understated Island off Takamatsu

The more deeply I explore Japan, the more I learn to appreciate and yearn for places like Ogijima.

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Shikoku

January 11, 2026

Is Ritsurin Koen the Most Beautiful Garden in Japan?

Why the achingly beautiful Ritsurin Koen isn’t one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens is beyond me.

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Tourist with red umbrells exploring Ogimachi Village

Chubu

December 15, 2025

This Way to Ogimachi (Shirakawa-go)

Ogimachi Village in Shirakawa-go is often described as the most beautiful village in Japan, if not all of Asia.

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Pond with cherry blossoms along the Yamanobe-no-michi trail

Kansai,Off the Beaten Path

December 10, 2025

Hiking Yamanobe-no-michi, the Oldest Recorded Road in Japan

Yamanobe-no-michi is a quiet countryside trail that winds through rural Nara, past ancient shrines, farm villages, and forested hillsides.

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Kansai

September 22, 2025

This Way to Lake Biwa

Lake Biwa is the largest freshwater lake in Japan. Located entirely in Shiga Prefecture, it measures approximately 64 km (40 miles) from north to south.

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This Way to Japan

Inspiring you to go beyond Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka and explore roads less traveled in Japan.

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ARE rail PASSES WORTH IT?

Transportation

May 31, 2025

Assessing the JR West Kansai Area Pass

The JR West Kansai Area Pass is a rail pass that allows foreign tourists unlimited travel on JR trains and local JR buses in designated areas within the Kansai region.

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