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    • Spring
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        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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    • 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.
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        Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido

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        The Knights in White Lycra

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        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
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        CAMP3 Clubhouse in Madarao

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        Heritage Hunting in Hokkaido

        Travelers venturing beyond Hokkaido's popular winter resorts will discover a land with a rich cultural and natural history, a proud indigenous people and a community striving to preserve their heritage.
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        Shizukuishi

        Northern Honshu’s Iwate Prefecture, known for heavy snowfall, features Shizukuishi—a powder-rich resort area with views of Mt. Iwate. Snow enthusiasts seeking lesser-known gems can enjoy exceptional snow quality and uncrowded resorts, including Shizukuishi Ski Resort, Amihari Onsen Ski Resort, and Iwate Kogen Snow Park, offering affordability and traditional hospitality.
    • Near Tokyo
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        Getting Dirty in Japan

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    • Article Map
    • Ocean and Beach
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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.
    • River and Lake
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        “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
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    • Snow and Ice
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        Shizukuishi

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        Northern Honshu’s Iwate Prefecture, known for heavy snowfall, features Shizukuishi—a powder-rich resort area with views of Mt. Iwate. Snow enthusiasts seeking lesser-known gems can enjoy exceptional snow quality and uncrowded resorts, including Shizukuishi Ski Resort, Amihari Onsen Ski Resort, and Iwate Kogen Snow Park, offering affordability and traditional hospitality.
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We’ve Got a Jumper!

Generalists might say there are two kinds of people, those who would consider throwing themselves off a bridge, and good-sensed people who prefer their feet firmly on the ground. I unwittingly fell into that first group years ago.

I suppose it started in an open field outside of Dundee, Oregon, when my dad gave me a tandem parachute jump for my 18th birthday. After reluctantly getting on the plane, I survived butterflies the size of condors to discover the joy of the freefall.

In college, I heeded a gravitational pull down to New Zealand, the Mecca of bungy jumping, where I spent two seasons plunging off bridges in places such as Mangaweka, Kawarau, Skippers and Pipeline.

I even remember water skiing across the lake in Queenstown, looking up and seeing my buddy Justin bouncing up and down on a bungy from a helicopter. I vaguely recall being strapped into a vertical bungy in a pub but that’s another story.

Well, a lot of water has flowed beneath the proverbial bridge since those days, yet I recently found myself staring down from a massive suspension bridge at The Last Resort (www.tlrnepal.com), just outside of Katmandu, at the bequest of Pat O’Keefe, owner of Hokkaido Outdoor Adventures, and a partner in the jungle resort.

This 160-meter high bridge spans a narrow, tropical gorge with the Bhote Kosi River raging past boulders the size of buses. The familiar butterflies were back, then they fluttered away – three, two, one, BUNGY!

BUNGY JAPAN

Fortunately, you don’t have to go as far as New Zealand or Nepal to experience a proper bridge bungy. Minakami, Gunma, Japan’s answer to Queenstown, is now home to Japan’s only bridge bungy, a 42-meter (137 feet) leap over the Tone River.

Bungy Japan’s Kiwi owner Charles Odlin has 13 years of bungy jump experience and is a qualified New Zealand Safety Standards-approved Bungy Jumpmaster.

Charles earned his chords working on six bungy sites in N.Z. and three in Japan. He and his bilingual team have been running bungy events in Minakami for five years, but 2008 is the first full season at the bridge.

With Bungy Japan joining the mix of companies in the area offering white water rafting, canyoning, canoeing, paragliding and mountain biking, Minakami has cemented its status as the adventure capital of Honshu. And it’s just 70 minutes from Tokyo.

CALCULATED RISK TAKERS

Still, the obvious question dangling in front of many readers is, why would I want to throw myself off a bridge? Perhaps for the same reason people watch horror movies. We like to scare ourselves, especially when there is no real danger. The difference between perceived risk and real risk is that with one you can actually hurt yourself, and with the other you are just tricking your body into thinking you can.

Yet, the most profound answer lies in that wonderful moment – not when you have faced your fear – but when you realize you have survived and overcome it in dramatic fashion. It is then the huge smile appears on people’s faces lasting all the way back up the long walk to the bridge – often lingering the rest of the day.

Of course, your jump makes for great conversation with friends, and you’ll find yourself reliving those moments for years to come. And if you just can’t muster up the courage to step out onto the ledge yourself, well, it’s almost as much fun watching your friends take the leap.

BUNGY JAPAN

Hours: Weekends: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Weekdays: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Through Oct. 13. See Website for more details.
Price: 7,500 (first jump), 4,000 (second jump the same day). See Web site for adventure packages. Bookings recommended.
Tel: (0278) 72-8133       
Web: www.bungyjapan.com

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