Ghibli’s Countryside: The Satoyama Behind Totoro and Princess Kaguya
The rice-paddy lanes of My Neighbor Totoro, the bamboo groves and farm villages of The Tale of the…
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Akashi & Awaji Island: The Hidden Kansai Day Trip Locals Love
Ask any Osaka local where they go on a day off and the answers converge on a few…
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Nara Day Trip from Osaka: More Than Just Deer
The image of Nara (ε₯θ―) in international travel culture is specific and limited: a park full of deer…
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Beppu: Japan’s Hot Spring Capital β The ‘Hells of Beppu’ & Sand Bath Experience
The first thing you notice about Beppu (ε₯εΊ) is the steam. It rises from grates in the pavement,…
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Naruto Whirlpools: Watching the World’s Largest Tidal Whirlpools
Twice daily, as the tide changes in the Naruto Strait (鳴ι桷峑) β the narrow channel between Awaji Island…
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Dotonbori to Shinsaibashi: Walking Osaka’s Entertainment Heart
There are two kilometers of central Osaka that contain more restaurants, more visual spectacle, more human energy, and…
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Onomichi: The Hillside Port Town That Inspired a Generation of Japanese Filmmakers
There are cities in Japan that have been significantly shaped by being loved β places where the attention…
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Fukuoka: Japan’s Most Livable City β Yatai Stalls, Hakata Ramen & Local Itinerary
For the past several years, Fukuoka (η¦ε²‘) has appeared consistently at or near the top of Japan's domestic…
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Himeji Castle: How to Visit Japan’s Most Complete Samurai Castle
Japan has hundreds of castles. Most are either modern concrete reconstructions (Osaka, Nagoya), significantly altered from their original…
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Hiroshima: How to Visit Responsibly β Peace Park, Atomic Dome & What Locals Want You to Know
On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 AM, the United States dropped the world's first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.…
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