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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.
        Kyoto Oni Trail Outdoor Japanvideo

        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
      • the nomad pasche family

        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.
        adventure travel world summit in hokkaido

        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.
        mead brewing in japan

        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.
        the knights in white lycra

        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.
        sea to table yamagata

        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
    • Near Tokyo
      • 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.
    • 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
      • 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
      • climbing mt. fuji off season

        Mt. Fuji: The Path Less Traveled

        Fuji-san is the most climbed mountain in the world. If you are in good shape, there is a way to avoid the traffic for a more peaceful Mt. Fuji experience during the off-season.
    • Travel
      • the nomad pasche family

        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.
    • Food and Drinks
      • the nomad pasche family

        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.
    • Races and Events
      • dd4d brewing

        DD4D Brewing

        In nearly e...
        fuji rock japan

        2023 Summer Music Festivals

        Get into the groove this green season while enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends.
        Summer Events Fireworks Festivals in Japan

        2023 Fireworks Festivals in Japan

        Enjoy these fireworks festivals held throughout Japan this summer and autumn.

Eco Corner: Choices for Sustainable Lifestyles

Scarpa Hurricane Boot
スカルパハリケーンブーツ
Still debating about the impact skiing has on the environment? Scarpa has made it a bit easier to hit the slopes for some spring skiing with a clear conscience. Working with materials engineers at Arkema, they have designed a more ecologically friendly boot, the Scarpa Hurricane. The shell, strap band and tongue of the boot use Pebax Rnew, a high-tech thermoplastic elastomer derived from more than 80% renewable raw
materials, mostly a type of vegetable oil. Greenwash? Maybe. But at least they are trying.

www.scarpa.net

Eat Organic Panties
オーガニックパンティ

Having trouble convincing a loved one to spend that extra 10% on organic food? These sexy panties may help change his or her mind.

Emblazoned with “Eat Organic” in a very strategic location and made with 96% organic cotton. Designer Christi York of Bueno Design has created a line of funky “boy-cut” women’s underwear using low-impact dyes which are safer for the skin and eco-friendly.  Non-organic cotton uses nearly one-third of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for every one pound of cotton harvested. Fight back and feel good about yourself. And look good doing it. Available online.

www.buenodesign.ca/style/home

JAL Biofuel
JALバイオ燃料

Japan Airlines (JAL) will conduct a demonstration flight using sustainable bio-fuels in its jet engines. The JAL Boeing 747-300 aircraft will be powered by a mix of traditional jet fuel (kerosene) and a combination of biofuels derived from Camelina (similar to flax oil), Jatropha (cited by Goldman Sachs as a leading candidate for future bio-diesel production) and Algae.

The alternative fuels are being provided by Sustainable Oils,Inc., Terasol Energy and Sapphire Energy. JAL’s goal is to reduce CO2 emissions by 2010 to 20% of 1990 levels, and claims to have already reached 16% of that goal. JAL CEO Haruka Nishimatsu adds, “Our participation in the search for a viable second generation biofuel is a clear signal to everyone of our strong commitment to increasing the environmental sustainability of the JAL Group and the airline industry.”

www.jal.co.jp

Recycled Fair Trade Bags
リサイクルフェアトレードバッグ

Recycled is the new chic. These colorful and stylish bags by Trashebolsas will fit right in on a corner in Ginza or a café in Harajuku.

Former Tokyo resident Jan Harris and partner Kay Miranda have created a program in the Philippines training local women to sew a variety of bags using huge, discarded, multi-colored, billboard tarpaulins. Her team provides training, waste management education, fair-trade wages and micro loans to assist unskilled people in setting up their own workshops. Profits from sale of the bags are reinvested into local conservation projects such as one to clean up Nagpuso Waterfall. The beautiful bags come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from shopping totes to messenger bags. Jan and her team are looking for shops in Japan to help retail the bags and support the project. Please take a look at the catalog online and contact them for more info.

WEBLINK: www.trashebolsas.com

The K2 Zero
K2ゼロ

So you think it is hard being an eco consumer? Try being an eco manufacturer. The guys at K2 are doing their best to reduce waste and materials used in constructing their snowboards. The newly developed Hybrilight Construction eliminates 100% of ABS plastics.

Improved fiberglass technology is 35% stronger, allowing less use of material and reducing CO2, Ox and NOx emissions by up to 90%. Wood cores are made from sustainably harvested Aspen and Bamboo which regrow from the undisturbed root systems, reducing erosion. They have also reduced plastic packaging use by 85%, and inks and solvent use is down by 94%. The steel edge has been reduced by 25%. Basically, they put their heads together and built a better board, with the lightest and most advanced construction techniques to date. Kudos, guys.

www.k2snowboarding.com

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