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    • Spring
      • video

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        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

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        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.
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    • Autumn
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        Enjoy waterfall hikes and hot springs, beautiful beaches and delicious seafood in Kawazu on the western coast of Izu Peninsula.
    • Winter
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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
      • video

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        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.
    • All Regions
    • Article Map
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      • 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
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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.
    • Snow and Ice
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        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.
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        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.
        getting dirty in japan

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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.
    • 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.
        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.
        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.
        maota sustainable fashion

        Weaving Stories with Maota

        Maota is a small-scale clothing line working with local craftsmen in the countryside of Aichi and Gifu prefectures. While their focus is on small, local and “slow” fashion, they are moving fast toward some big goals.
        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.
    • Races and Events
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        2023 Fireworks Festivals in Japan

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Signs in the Rain

The clear blue sky stretched as far as I could see, as I sat on the terrace of the Nishiho Lodge in Nagano sipping a cold beer. Suddenly a guy from a group of nearby hikers threw up a hand and raced toward me.

“Hey there!” he excitedly yelled, as I tried not to let my expression show my confusion. “Don’t you remember me?”

He began rifling through his pack and, when he pulled out his camera, I finally remembered meeting him and his wife. I quickly shook his hand. With a sense of relief, he showed me his camera that displayed a shot of all three of us in rainwear.

Two months earlier, during a summer camping trip in the northern Japan Alps, there was a fantastic storm which drove me from my tent to seek shelter in a nearby lodge. The rain-soaked couple soon followed me inside where the lodge let us warm up by the stove and use the jet heater to dry out our gear.

The next morning I couldn’t figure out why the buttons on my rainwear wouldn’t clasp. Did I have it on inside out? It turned out I had placed it too close to the heater, which melted the buttons and made a hole in the jacket.

One look out the window confirmed the rain had not abated, but I trudged outside anyway. While taking a break on a bench, the man appeared again and offered me a cup of hot coffee. While I was enjoying the warm drink, the rain suddenly lifted and a thick fog rose from the valley below.

I removed my “holy” rainwear and we enjoyed watching the clearing skies. His eyes sparkled with delight as he pointed to the saw-toothed ridge in the distance his group had just hiked. The difficult section along a sharp ridge runs from Oku-Hotakadake to Nishi-Hotakadake.

“I saw you using sign language and thought, ‘It couldn’t be her!’” he exclaimed. “My wife is taking a different route, but she really wanted to see you. Can I take a picture?” he asked as we tipped our glasses to toast our good fortune.

When we first met, we only chatted about the mountains and hiking. This time I learned he and his wife were managing a gasoline station in Saitama. Several days later, I received a letter with pictures of our “reunion.” I laid out the photos to cherish my rainy day friends.

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