Eco Tourism

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...

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...

Japan’s newest national park, offers not only a look at one of Hokkaido’s less traveled regions, but also the Ainu culture an...

Dan Buettner’s bestseller, “Blue Zones,” which was also adapted into a hit series on Netflix, identifies five regions with a high number of centenarians. One of these zones is Yambaru, in the north of Okinawa Island. A rich cultural and natural heritage remain in this region, holding the secret to the longevity of the communities living there.

Okinawa attracts hordes of travelers to its sandy beaches and warm, clear water with divers and snorkelers often posting images of the majestic local sea turtles. The interior forest and rivers, however, are home to another Okinawa turtle also in need of protection—the small, reclusive, but equally beautiful, yamagame.