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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.
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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.
        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
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        Beyond the Brand: Pow Bar

        An interview with Megumi Scott, the founder of Niseko brand Pow Bar.
        Churamura Okinawa Sea Turtle Marine Conservation

        Churamura: Footprints in the Sand

        Churamura, an NPO in Okinawa, work to conserve marine life and protect endangered sea turtles in Japan's southernmost prefecture.
        Kawazu

        Fall in Love with Kawazu

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

Sarawak Surprise

The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) had been on my bucket list for years. A decade of pilgrimages to Sado Island’s Earth Celebration here in Japan had groomed me for the annual festival in Sarawak, featuring indigenous sounds from around the world. A window of opportunity opened to go, so I made a call to my good friend, artist and aficionado of all things music, Craig Yamashita, to convince him to come along. It wasn’t a tough sell.

Our flight from Tokyo went through Malaysia’s mainland capital, Kuala Lumpur, on the way there, and Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, on the way back. Our destination, however, was the other Malaysian “K” capital – Kuching.

‘Cat City’
Having very little pre-flight intel, I assumed Kuching was a transit town for government lackeys and globetrotting hippies. We had booked into the Kuching Hilton, which I was half-expecting to be more like the “Hanoi Hilton.”

Arriving late, it wasn’t until the next morning that I discovered our amazing surroundings. Actually, I heard it first; the sounds of the rainforest woke me out of a deep, sultry sleep. When I opened the shades, it was like stepping into the movie “Avatar.” Framed within the large window was a handsome waterfront with a coffee-colored rainforest river lazing by a tree-lined promenade; beyond a golden pavilion stood stubbornly as if fending off the impending rainforest.

Kuching means “cat,” and we saw more than a few feline statues around this city that was one of many pleasant surprises on our short sojourn into Sarawak. Ours was a quick trip by intrepid standards. We were here for the three-day festival, but we had time for day trips each day before we headed out to the event. On our first day we toured the city, visiting the Sarawak Museum, craft center, city center, Tua Pek Kong Temple, the main bazaar and the Kuching waterfront.

Revealed was Kuching’s surprisingly diverse history. North Kuching is mostly Malay, while South Kuching has a strong Chinese influence. Yet from the “white rajahs” who helped found the territory to Chinese merchants and indigenous tribes, the people here are proud of their diversity. They boast Sarawak is a place where Christians (30%), Buddhists (29%), Muslims (23%), Taoists (15%) and animists (5%) not only co-exist, but also start families together.

When I delicately broached the topic of some recent (at the time) religious unrest on the mainland, our local hosts openly acknowledged some of the problems there but genuinely noted Sarawak is a place apart.

Walking back to the hotel after our first full day, we heard some live music coming out of an eclectic spot called The Junk. When we walked inside, it felt as if we were in Minami Aoyama. A local musician, a recording artist in L.A., entertained the crowd who drank imported beer and wine from large glasses.

They seemed well educated and open, many from government families or those in the oil industry. There was a buzz in the air as the festival approached, and we enjoyed the conversation with new friends we’d see again over the next few days.   

People of the Forest

Two things that came to mind before going to Borneo were orange monkeys and headhunters. On our second day, we were going to meet both. Our first stop was to the Annah Rais Bidayuh Longhouse. These raised wooden dwellings traditionally sheltered up to 100 families. Today you can stroll around or even stay overnight for a fee. Two smiling longhouse women greeted us when we arrived at 9 a.m., handing us each a shot of arak, the potent local rice wine, as we entered.

We were still shaking off the festivities from the night before, but when in a former headhunter’s house, we figured it might be prudent to accept. We walked through communal areas as cats lounged in the sun, children ducked in and out of doorways, and older residents sorted grain, dried bark for tea and busied themselves with other chores.

The longhouse chief invited us to sit down, poured more arak, and then encouraged us to try our hands, or mouths, at blow darts. I did not have any point of reference, but the arak did not seem to improve my accuracy.

Next, we were off to the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to meet the other people of the forest. The word “oran” means “people” and “utan” means “forest,” and the orangutan were feeding when we arrived. One large female was hanging by one arm, eating bananas with the other, while a baby clung to her shoulders.

You are not guaranteed to see these amazing creatures, as they are free to come and go as they please within the park, but chances are good during feeding time, and we saw several up close and others traversing the rainforest canopy high above our heads.

Bako National Park

A couple of kilometers inland from where the muddy river met the South China Sea, I was standing on the dock next to a not-so-subtle crocodile warning sign. Across the street, a fishmonger was chopping up a stingray with a machete. When our boat finally pulled up to take us to Sarawak’s oldest national park, I carefully got on.

Bako is only 20 kilometers from downtown Kuching, but this 27-square-kilometer park is home to a diverse eco system of flora and fauna. Bearded pigs, carnivorous plants, macaques and big-nosed proboscis monkeys are just a few of creatures that call Bako home.

We spent hours hiking trails, but we could easily spend days exploring the 17 well-marked trails in the park. It’s an easy day trip, but an overnight stay in the park is recommended to give yourself ample time and the chance to join a night hike. During our trek, our guide pointed out the many changes in vegetation as we climbed from swamp to rainforest to sandstone.

When we reached a lookout, we found ourselves staring down at a stunning crescent-shaped beach. It was hot and humid, and Craig single-mindedly headed straight down and into the water. I turned and asked our guide if there were any crocs around here, and he said he didn’t think so. I watched my friend floating unmolested in the cool water for a few minutes, and then I decided to join him. 

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