Minami Alps vs Northern Alps: Which Japan Alps Should You Visit?
The term "Japan Alps" (ζ₯ζ¬γ’γ«γγΉ) β coined by 19th-century British missionary and mountaineer Walter Weston, whose advocacy helped…
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Nagano & Zenko-ji: The Temple Town at the Heart of the Japan Alps
Nagano (ι·ι) is unusual among Japanese cities in that its central organizing principle is a Buddhist temple rather…
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Kakunodate: The Samurai Town of Akita β Cherry Blossoms & Preserved Streetscapes
In most of Japan, the physical fabric of the samurai era has been lost β to the deliberate…
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Koya-san: Sleeping Among the Dead at Japan’s Most Sacred Mountain
There is a specific quality that only a few places in Japan possess β a depth of accumulated…
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Lake Toya & Showa Shinzan: The Active Volcano Landscape of Southern Hokkaido
Southern Hokkaido's volcanic landscape produces some of the most geologically dramatic scenery in Japan β and the combination…
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Japan’s Hidden Islands (ι’ε³Ά): A Guide to the Remote Islands Worth the Detour
Japan consists of approximately 14,125 islands (according to a 2023 government recount using modern satellite mapping), of which…
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Japan’s National Parks: A Complete Map & How to Visit Each One
Japan has 34 national parks (ε½η«ε ¬ε) covering approximately 5.8% of the country's total land area β a system…
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Japan’s Wellness Retreats: Onsen, Yoga & Silence in the Mountains
The Western wellness industry has spent the last decade discovering what Japan has known for centuries: that the…
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Gujo Hachiman: The Crystal Clear River Town & Japan’s Summer Dance Festival
Gujo Hachiman (ι‘δΈε «εΉ‘) β a small castle town of approximately 15,000 people in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture…
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Hakuba Valley in Summer: Japan’s Alpine Hiking & Mountain Flower Season
Most international visitors know Hakuba (η½ι¦¬) as one of Japan's finest ski resorts β the venue for the…
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