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    • Spring
      • video

        Finding the Flow from Kansai to Kochi

        Shikoku’s many mountains, valleys and proximity to the ocean has made it a hidden gem for rafting, kayaking and canyoning enthusiasts willing to take a step or two further from the Golden Route of Kyoto and Osaka.

        Solace and Giant Salamanders in Akiota

        Just beyond Hiroshima City is a tranquil outdoor destination home to some of Japan's last remaining oosanshouo, the elusive giant salamander.
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        The Oni Trail: Hiking Coastal Kyoto

        The mystical oni is prevalent in Japanese children’s stories, usually as a way to scare kids straight. Adventure Travel Kyoto is shedding a new light on this folklore and developing a new hiking route in the countryside of Kyoto.
    • Summer
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        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
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        Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido

        The ATTA will host their first Adventure Travel World Summit in Asia in Hokkaido, Japan. We caught up with ATTA Director Shannon Stowell to find out more about the adventure travel industry and how it continues to grow and evolve.
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        The Sweet Secrets of Brewing Mead

        Wander into the world of mead brewing and find yourself immersed in a fascinating journey spanning centuries and continents.
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        The Knights in White Lycra

        Each year a group of cyclists head to the deep north towards Tohoku’s vast rice fields and coastal trails to help transform the lives of neglected children.
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        Sea to Table in Yamagata

        An unforgettable way to intimately explore the Shonai Region in Yamagata is a culinary experience bringing bounty of the sea straight to your table.
    • Autumn
    • Winter
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        CAMP3 Clubhouse in Madarao

        Keith Stubbs, a veteran in the snowboard industry, transitioned from rider to coach and instructor trainer for Snowboard Instruction New Zealand. After coaching in various Japanese resorts, he has established a permanent base in Madarao, outlining his plans for the area and future snowboard endeavors.
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        New Horizons in Shiretoko

        During another epic powder season, two seasoned winter sports enthusiasts traded their snowboard bags for camera bags and traveled to Eastern Hokkaido to explore the frozen landscape and broaden their winter horizons.
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        Silent Resilience

        Curling athlete Sayuri Matsuhashi’s journey to the top of her sport is an inspiration to deaf athletes and women juggling their roles as mothers while also pursuing their professional dreams.
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        Heritage Hunting in Hokkaido

        Travelers venturing beyond Hokkaido's popular winter resorts will discover a land with a rich cultural and natural history, a proud indigenous people and a community striving to preserve their heritage.
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        Shizukuishi

        Northern Honshu’s Iwate Prefecture, known for heavy snowfall, features Shizukuishi—a powder-rich resort area with views of Mt. Iwate. Snow enthusiasts seeking lesser-known gems can enjoy exceptional snow quality and uncrowded resorts, including Shizukuishi Ski Resort, Amihari Onsen Ski Resort, and Iwate Kogen Snow Park, offering affordability and traditional hospitality.
    • Near Tokyo
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        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Near Kyoto
    • All Regions
    • Article Map
    • Ocean and Beach
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • River and Lake
      • ainu tour daniel moore outdoor japan hokkaido

        Heritage Hunting in Hokka...

        Travelers venturing beyond Hokkaido's popular winter resorts will discover a land with a rich cultural and natural history, a proud indigenous people and a community striving to preserve their heritage.
        getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Mountain and Land
    • Sky
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Snow and Ice
      • camp3 clubhouse madarao keith stubbs outdoor japanvideo

        CAMP3 Clubhouse in Madarao

        Keith Stubbs, a veteran in the snowboard industry, transitioned from rider to coach and instructor trainer for Snowboard Instruction New Zealand. After coaching in various Japanese resorts, he has established a permanent base in Madarao, outlining his plans for the area and future snowboard endeavors.
        shiretoko hokkaido outdoor japan

        New Horizons in Shiretoko

        During another epic powder season, two seasoned winter sports enthusiasts traded their snowboard bags for camera bags and traveled to Eastern Hokkaido to explore the frozen landscape and broaden their winter horizons.
        sayuri matsuhashi double role curling athlete japan outdoor

        Silent Resilience

        Curling athlete Sayuri Matsuhashi’s journey to the top of her sport is an inspiration to deaf athletes and women juggling their roles as mothers while also pursuing their professional dreams.
        shizukuishi skiing snowboarding outdoor japan

        Shizukuishi

        Northern Honshu’s Iwate Prefecture, known for heavy snowfall, features Shizukuishi—a powder-rich resort area with views of Mt. Iwate. Snow enthusiasts seeking lesser-known gems can enjoy exceptional snow quality and uncrowded resorts, including Shizukuishi Ski Resort, Amihari Onsen Ski Resort, and Iwate Kogen Snow Park, offering affordability and traditional hospitality.
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        Northern Shinshu’s Secret Stash

        A weak yen, revenge travel, and excellent ski conditions have led to high demand, booking out popular resorts like Hakuba and Nozawa Onsen this year. Fortunately, lesser-known gems like Togari Onsen, near Nozawa Onsen and Madarao, offer charming alternatives for powder seekers.
    • Travel
      • camp3 clubhouse madarao keith stubbs outdoor japanvideo

        CAMP3 Clubhouse in Madarao

        Keith Stubbs, a veteran in the snowboard industry, transitioned from rider to coach and instructor trainer for Snowboard Instruction New Zealand. After coaching in various Japanese resorts, he has established a permanent base in Madarao, outlining his plans for the area and future snowboard endeavors.
        shiretoko hokkaido outdoor japan

        New Horizons in Shiretoko

        During another epic powder season, two seasoned winter sports enthusiasts traded their snowboard bags for camera bags and traveled to Eastern Hokkaido to explore the frozen landscape and broaden their winter horizons.
        sayuri matsuhashi double role curling athlete japan outdoor

        Silent Resilience

        Curling athlete Sayuri Matsuhashi’s journey to the top of her sport is an inspiration to deaf athletes and women juggling their roles as mothers while also pursuing their professional dreams.
        ainu tour daniel moore outdoor japan hokkaido

        Heritage Hunting in Hokkaido

        Travelers venturing beyond Hokkaido's popular winter resorts will discover a land with a rich cultural and natural history, a proud indigenous people and a community striving to preserve their heritage.
        shizukuishi skiing snowboarding outdoor japan

        Shizukuishi

        Northern Honshu’s Iwate Prefecture, known for heavy snowfall, features Shizukuishi—a powder-rich resort area with views of Mt. Iwate. Snow enthusiasts seeking lesser-known gems can enjoy exceptional snow quality and uncrowded resorts, including Shizukuishi Ski Resort, Amihari Onsen Ski Resort, and Iwate Kogen Snow Park, offering affordability and traditional hospitality.
    • Food and Drinks
      • camp3 clubhouse madarao keith stubbs outdoor japanvideo

        CAMP3 Clubhouse in Madarao

        Keith Stubbs, a veteran in the snowboard industry, transitioned from rider to coach and instructor trainer for Snowboard Instruction New Zealand. After coaching in various Japanese resorts, he has established a permanent base in Madarao, outlining his plans for the area and future snowboard endeavors.
        shiretoko hokkaido outdoor japan

        New Horizons in Shiretoko

        During another epic powder season, two seasoned winter sports enthusiasts traded their snowboard bags for camera bags and traveled to Eastern Hokkaido to explore the frozen landscape and broaden their winter horizons.
        sayuri matsuhashi double role curling athlete japan outdoor

        Silent Resilience

        Curling athlete Sayuri Matsuhashi’s journey to the top of her sport is an inspiration to deaf athletes and women juggling their roles as mothers while also pursuing their professional dreams.
        ainu tour daniel moore outdoor japan hokkaido

        Heritage Hunting in Hokkaido

        Travelers venturing beyond Hokkaido's popular winter resorts will discover a land with a rich cultural and natural history, a proud indigenous people and a community striving to preserve their heritage.
        shizukuishi skiing snowboarding outdoor japan

        Shizukuishi

        Northern Honshu’s Iwate Prefecture, known for heavy snowfall, features Shizukuishi—a powder-rich resort area with views of Mt. Iwate. Snow enthusiasts seeking lesser-known gems can enjoy exceptional snow quality and uncrowded resorts, including Shizukuishi Ski Resort, Amihari Onsen Ski Resort, and Iwate Kogen Snow Park, offering affordability and traditional hospitality.
    • Races and Events
      • sayuri matsuhashi double role curling athlete japan outdoor

        Silent Resilience

        Curling athlete Sayuri Matsuhashi’s journey to the top of her sport is an inspiration to deaf athletes and women juggling their roles as mothers while also pursuing their professional dreams.

        Winter News and Notes

        Check out the latest news and winter events held at ski resorts all over Japan in 2024!
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        DD4D Brewing

        In nearly e...

Untouched Yanbaru

Hot tea and mochi is always a good idea after a windy hike. I had just descended Mt. Deisan Damui on an uncharacteristically chilly day in Okinawa. Although the 230-meter high karst cone took only 20 minutes to reach, I was on all fours for the majority of the hike, balancing on loose boulders while watching out for venomous habu (pit vipers).

The view from the top overlooking the East China Sea was a brief, yet satisfying, reward before scampering back down the sharp ridge.

At the base, 59-year-old Kimiko Yasuda brewed tea leaves while I munched on her homemade mochi (glutinous rice) and jimaami (brown sugar peanut brittle), all locally sourced. To the untrained eye, the surrounding forest blends into one big vegetative mess, but for Kimiko, it is a fertile harvest ground.

“We learned from our parents what vegetables to use for cooking, which herbs are good for the body. This is passed on from one generation to another,” Kimiko explained. Born and raised one hill away from Mt. Deisan Damui, Kimiko used to cross the jagged karst terrain barefoot to get to school. Back in the carefree ’60s, she and her friends would explore the hills and caves or go down to the beach until sundown.

Today, the children of Yanbaru don’t play outside nearly as much. They tend to stay inside, tanning themselves beneath smartphone screens instead of Okinawa’s enviable rays. Visitors usually drive up to the famous Chiraumi Aquarium, then return to their resorts in southern Okinawa. Meanwhile, plots of nature trails and snorkel spots are left untouched.

An hour drive from Naha Airport, Yanbaru in the northern part of Okinawa Island includes the fishing port town of Motobu, the farming village of Nakijin, western Nago City and neighboring Iejima Island. The land is generally flat, making for a leisurely bike ride past hibiscus bushes along the coast, narrow streets through traditional neighborhoods, such as Imadomari, and stretches of farmland with the occasional resident water buffalo.

A quick look around Yanbaru will reveal Chinese-influenced architecture and traces of OKinawa’s ancient Ryukyu Kingdom. During the Gusuku Period, in the 14th century, the Hokuzan principality which controlled Okinawa, was based in Nakijin. The ruins of castle walls and gusuku (Okinawan for “fortress”) still line the hills at the World Heritage site, Nakijin Gusuku.

Unlike mainland Japan’s crammed cemeteries, Okinawa has a long-lasting tradition of honoring the dead with massive kamekobaka tombs, a family burial vault shaped like a tortoise carapace. These tombs are also found in China’s Fujian Province and across Taiwan.

Everywhere you go, pairs of shisa statues watch you from tiled roofs and gateways. Okinawa’s iconic mythical lion dogs are said to have come from China and guard the home from evil spirits. But what’s Okinawa without the ocean? The isolated northern coast is as beautiful as the hyped-up southern resort beaches. The warm Kuroshio current, which runs through Okinawa, provides the ideal environment for about 200 types of coral, tropical fish, rays and sea turtles in crystal clear waters. During the winter (January to March), humpback whales return from the Aleutian Islands for their seasonal breeding.

Venture past the coral for kayak fishing. On a lucky day, you can catch mackerel, grouper, smelt and goat fish (mullet). It is delicious barbecued with salt and awamori, Japan’s oldest distilled liquor indigenous to Okinawa and made from long grain indica rice. Keep your arms and legs inside the kayak while fishing. Although attacks are rare, sharks can be found lurking in deep waters.

Across the western coast of Motobu is Iejima, a half-hour ferry ride from Motobu Port. This 23-square-kilometer island is made up of farmland, sugar cane and tobacco plantations, iegyu cattle ranches and a population of fewer than 5,000 residents. Mt. Gusuku, jutting out in the middle at 172 meters high, is a 10-minute ascent up steep stairs to the lookout. Cycling around Iejima is another refreshing way to take in the island vibes.

This sleepy island with its corroding concrete buildings and the aroma of burning sugar cane wafting in the air hides an unhappy history. Iejima played a major role in the war as the starting point for Japan’s surrender. In the 1950s, farmers were violently forced to give up their land by the U.S. military while being under-represented by the Japanese government and subsequently held a peaceful protest led by “Okinawa’s Gandhi,” Ahagon Shoko.

Today, Iejima receives federal funds, and the U.S. military controls the northwestern portion of the island. As I circled Iejima, I found remnants from the past such as the abandoned central airstrip and Niya Thiya Cave, where 1,000 residents successfully hid during the war.

Yanbaru is an outdoor haven longing to be appreciated by enthusiasts looking to escape the hustle and bustle of commercial tourism. The best way to tour this area is by bike to maneuver your way through old beachside communities and discover remnants of the ancient Ryukyu Kingdom.

Standard bike rentals are available at Fuku Rental Cycle at Emerald Beach for ¥1,000 per day. Road bike rentals are also available soon.

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