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Guides

Traditional wooden buildings and illuminated lanterns along a street in Kyoto at dusk
ColumnOctober 14, 2026

Longing for Kyoto

Longing for Kyoto The History and Culture of Japan’s Little Kyotos Far from Kyoto, travelers exploring Japan sometimes encounter an unexpected name: Little…

kyoto · kakunodate · tsuwano · Nakamura · Izushi · gujo-hachiman · chiran · Yamaguchi · takayama

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The illuminated Doyu Tunnel inside Sado Gold Mineamaknow · CC BY 2.0 · Cropped
ColumnSeptember 26, 2026

Japan’s Gold and Silver Mines: Where Remote Places Met Power and Money

When travelers visit Japan’s old gold and silver mines today, they often find quiet mountain paths, restored tunnels, small museums, and towns that seem far…

history · mines · culture · gold-mines · silver-mines · sado-gold-mine · iwami-ginzan · yunooku-gold-mine · ikuno-silver-mine · ginzan-onsen · niigata · shimane · yamanashi · hyogo · yamagata · sado

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Komezuka's green volcanic cone above a sea of clouds in Aso, Kumamoto, Japan.
GuideSeptember 25, 2026

Across Kyushu and Beyond

Across Kyushu and Beyond After exploring Fukuoka, Saga, and Nagasaki, you can continue into a very different side of Kyushu: volcanic highlands, mountain onsen…

Kyushu · Kumamoto · Aso · Kurokawa Onsen · Oita · Yufuin · Beppu · Miyazaki · Aoshima · Takachiho · Nobeoka · Kirishima · Kagoshima · Sakurajima · Ibusuki · Yakushima · Tanegashima · Amami Islands · aso · kurokawa-onsen · yufuin · takachiho · kirishima · ibusuki · yakushima · tanegashima · nichinan-coast · sakurajima · kyushu · amami-islands

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Former Glover House and garden in Nagasaki, Japan
GuideSeptember 25, 2026

Where to Go in Fukuoka, Saga, and Nagasaki: Ports, Pottery, Hot Springs, and Islands

Northern Kyushu is easy to enter, but difficult to reduce to a single route. Some travelers arrive overland from western Honshu, crossing the Kanmon Strait…

Kyushu · Fukuoka · Fukuoka Airport · Kitakyushu · Shimonoseki · Kanmon Strait · Mojiko · Kokura · Hakata · Tenjin · Dazaifu · Hakata Bay · Genkai Sea · Saga · Karatsu · Arita · Imari · Okawachiyama · Takeo Onsen · Ureshino Onsen · Nagasaki · Dejima · Sasebo · Kujukushima · Shimabara Peninsula · Unzen · Shimabara · Ariake Sea · Kumamoto · Aso · Iki · Tsushima · Goto Islands · kyushu · dazaifu · karatsu · arita · imari · takeo-onsen · ureshino-onsen · sasebo-kujukushima · shimabara-peninsula · unzen · shimabara · iki · tsushima · goto-islands

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Kintaikyo Bridge over the Nishiki River in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi
GuideSeptember 24, 2026

Where to Go in Yamaguchi: Between Two Seas

Where to Go in Yamaguchi: Between Two Seas Yamaguchi sits at the western end of Honshu, between the Seto Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan. The two coasts give…

Yamaguchi · Honshu · Seto Inland Sea · Sea of Japan · Iwakuni · Shin-Yamaguchi · Hiroshima · Hagi · Nagato · Akiyoshidai · Shimonoseki · Kanmon Strait · Kyushu · Kintaikyo · Nishiki River · Kikko Park · Iwakuni Castle · Iwakuni Station · Shin-Iwakuni Station · Rurikoji Temple · Akiyoshido · Sanin · Shimane · Senzaki · Omijima · Karato · Karato Market · Mojiko · Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel · iwakuni · akiyoshidai · hagi · nagato · shimonoseki

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GuideSeptember 24, 2026

Where to Go in Shikoku: Following the Island’s Natural Routes

Shikoku is Japan’s smallest main island, but its mountains, coasts, and rivers give each part of it a distinct character. For travelers arriving from western…

Shikoku · Seto Inland Sea · Okayama · Awaji Island · Naruto · Tokushima · Takamatsu · Sanuki · Kagawa · Kotohira · Matsuyama · Dogo · Ehime · Uchiko · Ozu · Uwajima · Shimanto · Kochi · Nakamura · Katsurahama · Muroto · Kansai · Awa-Ikeda · Oboke · Iya · shikoku · kotohira · uchiko · ozu · uwajima · shimanto · naruto · oboke-iya

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Ferry and islands at sunset viewed from Ikeda Port on Shodoshima, Kagawa, Japan663highland · CC BY 2.5 · Cropped
GuideSeptember 24, 2026

Exploring the Seto Inland Sea: Awaji Island, Naoshima and the Shimanami Kaido

The Seto Inland Sea is not simply the water beside the Sanyo route. It is a travel region in its own right, where islands, ferries, bridges and port cities…

Akashi · Awaji Island · Kobe · Sumoto · Fukura · Naruto · Tokushima · Shikoku · Okayama · Takamatsu · Kotohira · Uno · Naoshima · Miyanoura · Shodoshima · Tonosho · Ikeda · Sakate · Onomichi · Setoda · Ikuchijima · Imabari · Hiroshima · Kure · Matsuyama · seto-inland-sea · awaji-island · naoshima · shodoshima · shimanami-kaido · imabari · ikuchijima-setoda · omishima · onomichi · shikoku · kotohira · naruto

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Great torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine standing in the sea in Hiroshima, Japan
GuideSeptember 24, 2026

Where to Go in the Sanyo Region: Himeji, Okayama and Hiroshima

The Sanyo side of western Honshu is easy to cross quickly, but it is more useful to think of it as a series of places with different roles in a trip. The Sanyo…

Himeji · Mount Shosha · Okayama · Kurashiki · Bitchu-Takahashi · Hiruzen Kogen · Fukuyama · Tomonoura · Onomichi · Hiroshima · Miyajima · Sandankyo · himeji · kurashiki · bitchu-takahashi · hiruzen-kogen · fukuyama · tomonoura · onomichi · miyajima · sandankyo

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Tottori Sand Dunes beside the Sea of Japan in Tottori, JapanZairon · CC BY 4.0 · Cropped
GuideSeptember 23, 2026

Where to Go in Northern Hyogo, Tottori, and Shimane

Stretching west along the Sea of Japan, northern Hyogo, Tottori, and Shimane offer a side of Japan that feels very different from the busy urban corridor…

Hyogo · Kinosaki Onsen · Izushi · Takeda Castle Ruins · Tottori · Tottori Sand Dunes · Kurayoshi · Misasa Onsen · Mount Daisen · Sakaiminato · Matsue · Yasugi · Adachi Museum of Art · Tamatsukuri Onsen · Izumo · Izumo Taisha · Oki Islands · Iwami Ginzan · kinosaki-onsen · Izushi · kurayoshi · misasa-onsen · mount-daisen · sakaiminato · matsue · yasugi · tamatsukuri-onsen · oki-islands · iwami-ginzan

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Amanohashidate sandbar between blue coastal waters in Miyazu, Kyoto, Japan
GuideSeptember 22, 2026

Where to Go in Shiga and Northern Kyoto: Lake Biwa, Mount Hiei, and Kyoto by the Sea

Just east and north of Kyoto, Kansai begins to feel very different. Shiga is shaped by Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake, while northern Kyoto opens…

Shiga · Northern Kyoto · Lake Biwa · Kyoto · Osaka · Otsu · Mount Hiei · Sakamoto · Hikone · Omihachiman · Nagahama · Takashima · Maibara · Hokuriku · Amanohashidate · Miyazu · Ine · Maizuru · Miyama · Hiyoshi · lake-biwa · otsu · hikone · omihachiman · nagahama · takashima · amanohashidate-miyazu · ine · maizuru · miyama

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Three-storied pagoda of Seiganto-ji and Nachi Falls in Wakayama, Japan
GuideSeptember 22, 2026

Where to Go in Nara, Wakayama, and the Kii Peninsula

If Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe form the urban heart of Kansai, traveling south reveals a very different side of the region. The journey begins with Nara, one of…

Nara · Wakayama · Kii Peninsula · Yoshino · Koyasan · Wakayama City · Shirahama · Kumano · Kumano Kodo · Kii-Tanabe · kii-peninsula · yoshino · koyasan · kumano

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GuideSeptember 21, 2026

Osaka, Kyoto or Kobe? Choosing the Right Base for Your Kansai Trip

Three Cities, One Urban Region Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe are close enough to combine in a single trip, but they offer very different experiences. Osaka is the…

kansai · osaka · umeda · namba · minami · dotonbori · shinsekai · tennoji · abeno · osaka-castle · sakai · mozu-kofun · kyoto · gion · higashiyama · arashiyama · fushimi · uji · nishiki-market · kobe · sannomiya · motomachi · kitano · meriken-park · harborland · mt-rokko · mt-maya · arima-onsen

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Ago Bay viewed from the Yokoyama observation terrace in Shima, MieAlpsdake · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped
GuideSeptember 21, 2026

Sacred Sites, Coastal Scenery, Theme Parks and Ninja Heritage — Which Mie Is for You?

Mie is easier to understand as a collection of distinct travel areas than as a single sightseeing region. Ise, Toba and Shima form the prefecture's best-known…

mie · ise · ise-shima · ise-jingu · naiku · geku · isuzu-river · oharaimachi · okage-yokocho · toba · toba-aquarium · shima · ago-bay · yokoyama-view-point · tsu · matsusaka · matsusaka-castle · iga · iga-ryu-ninja-museum · iga-ueno-castle · nagashima · nagashima-spa-land · yokkaichi · suzuka · suzuka-circuit · kumano · kii-peninsula · kumano-kodo · iseji · onigajo · shichiri-mihama · matsumoto-toge

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Mount Fuji and grazing cows on a farm in the Asagiri Plateau, Shizuoka©Ramune
GuideSeptember 20, 2026

Where to Go in Shizuoka: Atami, Izu, Mt. Fuji, Shizuoka City and Hamamatsu

Shizuoka stretches for more than 150 kilometers from east to west between Tokyo and Nagoya, and its destinations are too varied to treat the prefecture as a…

tokai · shizuoka · atami · izu · shimoda · fujinomiya · mt-fuji · shiraito-falls · asagiri-plateau · shizuoka-city · suruga-bay · nihondaira · shimizu · miho-no-matsubara · hamamatsu · lake-hamana · kanzanji

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GuideSeptember 20, 2026

Where to Go in Gifu: Gifu City, Magome, Gujo, Gero, Takayama and Shirakawa-go

Gifu stretches from the plains north of Nagoya to the mountains of Hida, so the prefecture is difficult to understand as a single sightseeing area. Its…

gifu · gifu-city · nagara-river · mt-kinka · gifu-castle · sekigahara · magome · nakatsugawa · nakasendo · gujo-hachiman · gujo-odori · gero · takayama · sanmachi · takayama-jinya · hida · shirakawa-go · ogimachi · shiroyama-viewpoint · magome-nakatsugawa

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GuideSeptember 20, 2026

Choosing Where to Go in Aichi: Nagoya, Inuyama, Tokoname, Toyota and Mikawa

Aichi is often treated as a destination centered almost entirely on Nagoya, but the prefecture becomes much easier to understand when it is divided into…

aichi · nagoya · nagakute · ghibli-park · inuyama · chita-peninsula · tokoname · handa · minamichita · nishi-mikawa · okazaki · toyota · korankei · asuke · higashi-mikawa · gamagori · toyohashi · mikawa-bay

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GuideSeptember 20, 2026

Exploring Hokuriku: Mountains, Castle-Town Culture, Hot Springs and Dinosaurs in Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui

Hokuriku faces the Sea of Japan between the high mountains of central Honshu and the coast. Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui are linked by the Hokuriku Shinkansen,…

hokuriku · toyama · fugan-canal-kansui-park · toyama-glass-art-museum · tateyama · murodo · gokayama · ainokura · suganuma · kanazawa · kenrokuen · kanazawa-castle · higashi-chaya · nagamachi · omicho-market · kaga-onsen · yamanaka-onsen · yamashiro-onsen · katayamazu-onsen · awazu-onsen · fukui · eiheiji · katsuyama · fukui-prefectural-dinosaur-museum · tojinbo · awara-onsen · noto-peninsula · tateyama-kurobe

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GuideSeptember 19, 2026

Where to Go in North Kanto: Nikko, Nasu, Kusatsu, Minakami and Ibaraki

North Kanto consists of Tochigi, Gunma and Ibaraki. All three are close enough to Tokyo to be accessible, but they are not one kind of destination. Tochigi…

kita-kanto · tochigi · gunma · ibaraki · nikko · utsunomiya · nasu · kusatsu · ikaho · minakami · mito · kairakuen · hitachi-seaside-park · oarai · tsukuba · mt-tsukuba · hitachinaka

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GuideSeptember 18, 2026

Castle Towns, Forests and Sanriku: Where to Go in Aomori, Akita and Iwate

Aomori, Akita and Iwate are often grouped together in Japan as Kita-Tohoku, or Northern Tohoku. The name is useful, and the three prefectures have a long…

tohoku · aomori · akita · iwate · hirosaki · kakunodate · hiraizumi · oirase-gorge · lake-towada · hakkoda · lake-tazawa · nyuto-onsenkyo · morioka · hachinohe · sanriku-coast · miyako · jodogahama · oirase-towada

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Northernmost Point of Japan monument at Cape Soya in Hokkaido overlooking the seaRaita Futo · CC BY 2.0 · Cropped
GuideSeptember 17, 2026

Hokkaido Travel Guide: Choosing the Right Region for Your Trip

Hokkaido rewards a trip built around a region and a season. Choose the landscapes you want to spend time in, then decide where to stay. A city break, a…

hokkaido · sapporo · otaru · jozankei · lake-shikotsu · hakodate · onuma · matsumae · asahikawa · biei · furano · daisetsuzan · tokachi · obihiro · kushiro · akan-mashu · abashiri · okhotsk · shiretoko · wakkanai · rishiri · rebun · niseko · lake-toya · noboribetsu · memanbetsu

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A red pier extending into Lake Akan with hills in the background
ColumnSeptember 17, 2026

The Hidden Meanings Behind Hokkaido Place Names

Look at a map of Hokkaido and you will see names such as Sapporo, Wakkanai, Shiretoko, Mombetsu and Toya. For most travelers, they are simply destinations —…

hokkaido · sapporo · wakkanai · shiretoko · mombetsu · toya · lake-toya · rubeshibe · kitami

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GuideSeptember 17, 2026

Which Amami Island Should You Visit? Amami Oshima, Kikai, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabu and Yoron

The Amami Islands stretch between Kagoshima and Okinawa, but they are not one destination that needs to be covered from end to end. The islands are different…

kagoshima · amami-islands · amami-oshima · naze · sumiyo · kinsakubaru · kikai · sugira-beach · hyakunodai · sugar-cane-road · tokunoshima · mushiroze · in-no-jofuta · aze-prince-beach · okinoerabu · shoryudo · yoron · yurigahama · oganeku-beach · kakeroma · koniya · seso · ikuma

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GuideSeptember 17, 2026

Where to Go on Okinawa Main Island: Naha, Onna, Churaumi and Yanbaru

Okinawa Main Island stretches more than 100 kilometers from north to south. Rather than trying to see the whole island, it is easier to begin by deciding what…

churaumi · okinawa · naha · kokusai-street · naminoue-beach · onna · moon-beach · manza · motobu · yanbaru · cape-hedo · kunigami · kerama-islands · zamami · aka · tokashiki · okinawa-main-island

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Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse with the Minato Mirai skyline and Cosmo Clock 21
How-ToSeptember 13, 2026

Beyond Tokyo: Exploring Kanto on Easy Day Trips by Train

Traveling beyond central Tokyo opens up a diverse selection of nearby coastal towns, mountain hiking trails, hot spring gateways, and historical districts…

domestic-transfer · kanto · train-station · day-trip · ome · choshi · kamakura · enoshima · hakone · kawagoe

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Aerial view of Chubu Centrair International Airport on an island in Ise Bay, with runways, terminal buildings and the bridge to the mainland
How-ToSeptember 12, 2026

How to Get from Chubu Centrair Airport to Nagoya

Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) serves as the primary international gateway for Nagoya and central Japan, built on an artificial island in Ise Bay.…

chubu-centrair-airport · nagoya · airport-access · first-time-visitors · train · bus · international-arrival

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Fukuoka Airport Domestic Terminal
How-ToSeptember 12, 2026

How to Get from Fukuoka Airport to Hakata and Tenjin

Fukuoka Airport (FUK) serves as a major international gateway for Western Japan, welcoming visitors from across Asia. Unlike the major airports in Tokyo and…

fukuoka-airport · hakata · tenjin · airport-access · first-time-visitors · train · bus · international-arrival · fukuoka

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Mount Fuji behind Tokyo International Airport, with a JAL Express aircraft and white runway markings in the foreground
How-ToSeptember 11, 2026

How to Get from Haneda Airport to Central Tokyo

Haneda Airport is much closer to central Tokyo than Narita Airport, making the journey into the city fast and straightforward. Unlike Narita, neither of…

haneda-airport · tokyo · airport-access · first-time-visitors · train · bus · international-arrival

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Japan Airlines aircraft at Narita International Airport
How-ToSeptember 7, 2026

How to Get from Narita Airport to Central Tokyo

Narita is Tokyo's more distant airport, sitting well outside the city in neighbouring Chiba Prefecture. That distance sounds intimidating, but the connection…

narita-airport · tokyo · airport-access · first-time-visitors · train · bus · international-arrival

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