Category
Travel
ActivitiesTravel
Not every trip to Japan is built around a single activity, and this section covers the rest: cultural travel, eco-tourism, adventure travel, onsen and hot spring culture, and the practical planning that ties a trip together. Start with our Best Time to Visit Japan guide if you’re still deciding when to go, or our guide to Takaragawa Onsen in Gunma if a great hot spring is part of the plan. This is also the broadest section on the site, so use the subcategories below to narrow in on a specific region, culture, or travel style.
Spring
A Blue Shade of Pink
“Mine has been a life of much shame” -Dazai Osamu, 1948 (From his book No Longer Human, or Ningen Shikkaku) Hardly ...
Snowboarding
Deep Turns in Tohoku
Paul Vanderheiden was drawn to the Hakkodas in search of the deep powder they are known for. He formed a deep connection with the mountains and the people in this far corner of Tohoku, never imagining life would take such a dramatic turn.
Adventure Travel
The Human-Powered World Traveler
Three marriage proposals, 40 punctured tires (and 10 new ones), close encounters with poisonous snakes and brown bears, four grue...
The Naked Stranger
Episode 9: A Winter Ode to L’eau Chaude
Hot water is good. I love it. But not like that comfortable, homey love affair I have with my slippers. And not like that sne...
Scuba Diving
Palau’s New North
Divers continue to flock to Palau’s popular dive spots to the south, yet the northern interior and outer reefs of Palau’s largest...
Adventure Travel
Having a ‘Swell’ Time in Okinawa
Okinawa is best known for the miles of beautiful beaches and as a world-class scuba diving destination. With all that beautiful c...
Island Beat
Island Beat: Kouri Island Photo Essay
Kouri Island is in the north of Okinawa's main island. The coral island's green sugar cane fields and blue sea have made it a fav...
Adventure Racing
East Wind blows through Patagonia
“This race lives up to the last wild race. We go from mountain biking in 100-kmh gusts, blowing shrapnel at us, to driving rain, ...