Hiking in Japan for Beginners: The 10 Best Trails for Non-Experts
Japan's hiking culture has a reputation problem for international visitors — the country's most internationally famous hikes (the…
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Hirosaki: Japan’s Best Cherry Blossom Castle — The Tohoku Secret
In the cherry blossom debate that occupies Japanese conversation every spring — Ueno versus Maruyama, Yoshino versus Hirano…
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Hokkaido in Summer: Lavender, Lakes & Why It’s Japan’s Best Summer Escape
In July and August, when the rest of Japan is operating under a combination of extreme heat and…
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Hot Spring Hopping in Hakone: The Onsen Ryokan Route Around the Valley
Hakone — the volcanic caldera 90 minutes from Shinjuku — is Japan's most concentrated luxury onsen ryokan district.…
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Hydrangea Season in Tokyo: Meigetsuin, Hakusan Shrine & the Hidden Spots
Ajisai (紫陽花 / hydrangea) blooms during Japan's least internationally celebrated season — the rainy season (梅雨 / tsuyu),…
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Iriomote Island: Jungle Trekking, Mangrove Kayaking & the Iriomote Wildcat
Iriomote Island (西表島) — 40 minutes by ferry from Ishigaki, Japan's second-largest island in the Ryukyu chain after…
Read more →Ishigaki & the Yaeyama Islands: Japan’s Tropical Paradise — Crystal Water & Mangroves
At the southwestern extreme of Japan's territory — 410 km from Okinawa main island, closer to Taiwan than…
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Japan in Summer: What to Do When It’s Hot & Humid (and Worth It)
Japan's summer — June through August, with the rainy season (梅雨 / tsuyu) typically running early June to…
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Japan in Winter: The Complete Guide to December–February Travel
Winter in Japan — December through February — is the country's most underrated travel season for international visitors,…
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Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains (百名山): Where to Start If You’re Serious About Hiking
In 1964, writer and mountaineer Fukada Kyūya (深田久弥) published "Nihon Hyakumeizan" (日本百名山 / "The 100 Famous Mountains of…
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