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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.

Homesick in a Huge Country

Late last year I made my way to Canada for some telemark skiing, and I have just returned home to Japan. Before this trip my travels had only been in Asia, so my arrival in Canada marked my first steps in the Americas.

spirit of silence troll

When I first got there, I was surprised to hear a young guy say he had seen the ocean for the first time just two months before. Apparently, for people living in Canada’s interior, going to the ocean is quite a journey; it made me realize how blessed I am to live on the long, thin islands that constitute Japan.

If you’re in search of forests and powder, then off to the north of Japan you go, while oceans and sun-drenched kayaking are to the south. I’m thankful to live in Kanagawa where both extremities are a short three hours away by airplane.

Having been born deaf, for me the process of gathering information can be a pain. Someone offering to sell a used car or share an apartment usually just provides a contact phone number. Aside from the fact that deaf people like me prefer to communicate via e-mail, I would think people places ads would be more comfortable giving away their e-mail address than phone number.

Luckily, I was introduced to a Japanese person living in Vancouver who would make phone calls on my behalf, thus allowing me to follow up with an e-mail. How in the world did deaf folks get by in the past without e-mail and faxes? Just letters? Intuition, perhaps?

Of the Japanese I meet, many said it was easier to “converse” with me via a memo pad in Japanese than struggle their way through spoken English with people in Canada. Interestingly, I was told that, because sign-language is grammatically similar to English, English-speaking Japanese tend to pick up sign-language quite quickly.

The conversation led to some interesting questions; such as, “How do you express past tense?” or “What about interrogative form?” Indeed, these were questions not often asked in Japan. Upon showing the signs for both past tense and interrogative form, everyone quickly recognized the different uses, and the conversation left me feeling refreshed.

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Outdoor Japan logo tree

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