Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I didn't see my first snow until I was five-years-old. Early in…
Todd FongMarch 20, 2021
Japan is a popular destination for skiing and snowboarding with around 600 ski resorts across the country, many of which…
Mark WebsterMarch 13, 2021
Nagano (長野) in central Japan is surrounded by stunning mountain ranges where the mighty Chikuma River joins the Sai. It…
Mark WebsterMarch 13, 2021
The city of Kanazawa (金沢市), bordering the Sea of Japan, is a place where old and new harmoniously co-exist. During…
Mark WebsterMarch 13, 2021
Takaoka city, nestled between the mountains of Toyama prefecture alongside the traditional Gokayama village and the Sea of Japan, has…
Joachim DucosFebruary 26, 2021
This is Part 2 of a 3 part series of articles about the New Golden Route, a part of Japan…
Toshiko SakuraiFebruary 12, 2021
As the capital of Niigata Prefecture northwest of Fukushima, Niigata City sits on the west coast of Japan. The city…
Richard MilnerFebruary 10, 2021
Sado Island has a richly-diverse local tradition and community off the west coast of Japan near Niigata City (新潟市). Known…
Richard MilnerFebruary 10, 2021
Located off the west coast of Japan, Sado Island is a short ferry ride from Niigata city. Ferries depart throughout…
Richard MilnerFebruary 10, 2021
The lush mountainous landscape of Mie prefecture (三重県) is so vast and varied that sometimes, the best way to immerse…
CheriseFebruary 8, 2021
From pictorial villages of traditional thatched-roof houses to one of Japan’s beloved onsen hot spring towns, a visit to Gifu Prefecture…
Mika SendaFebruary 8, 2021
If a spacious botanical garden or a tunnel of pink cherry blossoms conjures up images of warmer months in Japan,…
Mika SendaFebruary 8, 2021
If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to harvest your own food and then cook it for supper,…
CheriseFebruary 8, 2021
There’s something surreal about driving through the countryside of southern Niigata Prefecture and suddenly seeing a giant window — complete with…
Patrick St. MichelDecember 3, 2020
“It takes two entire years to pass a taiko apprenticeship. That means no drinking, no smoking, no social media. Do…
Lucy DaymanDecember 3, 2020
It’s that time of the year again. The New Year is awaiting us, and with it, one of the most…
YvonneNovember 4, 2020
Generally, when I think of Japan, images of stunning temples and shrines, the majestic scenery of Mt Fuji, the sound…
LiaSeptember 26, 2020
Everyone has something that made them fall in love with Japan. For me, it was my love of kimono and sushi.…
LiaSeptember 21, 2020
Studio Ghibli, the renowned Japanese animation studio responsible for landmark films such as My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited…
Joseph WentzSeptember 19, 2020
One of my favourite prefectures to explore for weekends away from Tokyo’s city lights is Shizuoka (静岡県). A quick Shinkansen…
LiaSeptember 9, 2020
Steel Dragon 2000 in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, is the longest roller coaster in the world and a draw for adrenaline…
Ratih PermanaAugust 31, 2020
Japan's infamous Aokigahara "suicide forest" is a great place for a tranquil hike through nature, as well as for those…
Vicky TaylorAugust 31, 2020
When you think of Japan's wildlife, one image commonly comes to mind: the Japanese snow monkeys relaxing in their mountainside…
JonathanMay 18, 2020
Our bellies warm and sated, we gazed up at the heavens full of stars through the crisp Nagano night air,…
Todd FongMarch 17, 2020
There will come a time in a person's life when the rush of adrenaline to the body overcomes their common…
Todd FongMarch 17, 2020
Why did I choose Iiyama city in Nagano as the place to take my mother visiting from America? The gorgeous…
Todd FongDecember 28, 2019
By the time we boarded the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano, my mother, who was visiting from America, had been touring…
Todd FongDecember 28, 2019
