Visiting the Sapporo Snow Festival was one of the absolute highlights of my visit to northern Japan. It was also my first time on the island of Hokkaido and I know it won’t…

A short train journey away from Yamagata city is Yamadera, a Buddhist temple complex that extends up the mountainside. It’s a great half-day trip that will give you a bit of a workout…

  After the snows of Aomori and an earthquake tremor in Sendai, I thought I was done with nature-related events and so I planned a relaxing day trip to Matsushima Bay. Instead, I…

  If you’re a repeat visitor to Tokyo or in need of a break from the crowds, a visit to Yanaka Ginza is a refreshing change. This cute shopping street has lots of…

Japan sits above four tectonic plates, making it a hotspot for geothermal activity. As a result there are lots of hot spring onsen towns throughout the country, and there are even a few…

  I stopped over in a very snowy Aomori on my recent Sapporo and Tohoku trip. Aomori is famous for apples and festivals, and regardless of what time of year you visit, you…

For a taste of traditional Japan, Takayama in Gifu prefecture is a great place to visit! As well as the famous festivals it holds in Spring and Autumn, Takayama has preserved shopping streets…

  Following my stay in Tokyo, I spent two nights in the Kamakura area and it was the perfect palate cleanser before continuing my trip to the Chūbu region. Visiting Kamakura feels like…