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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.

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        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
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        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.
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        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.
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        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.
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        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
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        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
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        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
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        In nearly e...
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        2023 Summer Music Festivals

        Get into the groove this green season while enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends.
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        2023 Fireworks Festivals in Japan

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

Life Is a Box of Colors

As children, each of us in our own time begins to see letters come together to form words we can understand. For me, the names found in a box of colored pencils were some of the easiest to tackle. While many colors in English seem to be taken from plants, the Japanese versions tend to originate from the four seasons.

spirit of silence

Among the colors in that box were, deep chrome yellow,” “ultramarine,” “forest green,” “yellow ocher” and “Mars yellow.” I don’t remember seeing these much in every day life, yet when written in kanji (Chinese characters) the colors seem as plain as day. And for elementary school students unfamiliar with these characters, the box of colored pencils was a fantasy land of new words.

This led to a bit of confusion though. One time I penned a card to go with a towel I bought for an upper-classman who had caught my eye. In the note I wrote, “Here’s an ultramarine towel for you…” Upon reading my first draft, a friend burst out in laughter, suggesting, “’Ultramarine’ is ‘ultra-uncool.’ Why don’t you just say ‘blue?’”

I ended up sticking with “blue,” but somewhere deep inside this experience my affinity for color was reinforced, and it was Mother Nature who finally opened my eyes to the full spectrum of colors. The first green of spring and the rich color of the summer leaves are a true “forest green.”
Other colors came into full view during my travels, particularly in the hues of the ocean. Seeing the ultramarine glint of the sea brought new life to my box of colored pencils.

Until I spent time among Japan’s winter peaks, I never realized how many different types of “white” there are – transparent, ashen and cream-colored, to name a few. As a child growing up in Shizuoka, I would imagine the snow-white peak of Mt. Fuji topped in powdered sugar, and delight in the thought of taking a bite.

Now I often settle for a mouthful of white snow. Enjoy the seasonal colors this autumn.

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