The Kii Peninsula, a vast and mountainous hand reaching into the Pacific, has been my lodestar for over twenty years. It is an ar...

The heart of Japan is often found not in its neon-drenched metropolises or manicured temple gardens, but in the quiet interstitia...

In the late 19th century, British explorer Isabella Bird walked across northern Japan. She was the first Western woman to make su...

A seven-day cycling exploration of Niigata and Sado Island Niigata Prefecture is a land where the bounty of the earth meet...

“Please don’t put up English signs!” the young American couple pleaded with me. We were enjoying some drinks after a backcoun...

Outdoor Japan's Annual Japan Snow Guide features some of the top ski resorts around Japan, from Hokkaido down to Gifu. Enjoy ...

Travelers to Japan undoubtedly view sake as the traditional liquor of Japan. Histori-cally they wouldn’t be wrong, since Sudō Honke, the world’s oldest sake brewery (and one of the oldest companies in the world), was founded in 1141 in Ibaraki Prefecture, just north of Tokyo. However Southern Japan is home to another authentic Japanese spirit—shochu, which was first produced about 500 years ago, its roots firmly planted in Japan’s warmer southern climes.

“On Amami Oshima, there is a kimono woven with the natural environment itself.”—Thida Moon The family that runs the Thida ...

The Amami Islands have long existed in the crosswinds. Locals have endured powerful typhoons and shifting geopolitical winds,...

Travelers come to Okinawa to unplug and refresh, to dip their toes in the sand or their fins in the water. Yet the most memor...

A self-described delinquent youth who followed his dream to become a professional surfer now finds himself at the center of a...

I have to admit, I’m not entirely crazy about the, “He died doing what he loved,” narrative. If I was out in my kayak and a w...

A forgotten pilgrimage trail, ancient power spots and authentic rural communities are waiting to be explored this hiking season on the Iseji Trail. Stretch your legs and tickle your spirit to welcome the green season on one of the Kumano Kodo’s finest routes, minus the crowds.

Within the misty mountains of Japan's Kii Peninsula, Koya-san (Mt. Koya), stands as a sacred realm of tranquility, history, and spiritual significance. This awe-inspiring mountain has been revered for centuries and is home to a unique collection of trees known as the rokuboku, or The Six Trees of Koya-san.

Overfishing, ocean pollution and sea bed crawling, which destroys ocean floors, are just a few of the threats the ocean is facing...

The 2022 American Craft Beer Experience (ACBE) Japan is back Nov. 12-13 at the Waters Takeshiba Outdoor Event Space. Organize...

Nearly four years ago, I wrote about how craft cider (called シードル from the French cidre) was relatively hard to find in Japan, an...

Kansai has been long known for its excellent cuisine, from Kyoto’s refined kyō-ryori dishes to the famous wagyū beef of Kobe, Shi...

The Kii Peninsula, a vast and mountainous hand reaching into the Pacific, has been my lodestar for over twenty years. It is an ar...

The heart of Japan is often found not in its neon-drenched metropolises or manicured temple gardens, but in the quiet interstitia...

In the late 19th century, British explorer Isabella Bird walked across northern Japan. She was the first Western woman to make su...