Regions

One spring afternoon in 2008, 24-year-old Okayama native Toru Osugi was a few years out of college working odd jobs and looking for a new hobby to pursue.

It’s 2018 and we’re faced with some scary realities our parents and dystopian novels warned us about.

After a day of spring skiing or green season activities, you can't miss Japan's famous hot spring baths…but before you jump in (a...

“Karakoro, karakoro...” The echo of geta (traditional wooden sandals) against the paved cement fits seamlessly into the soundscape at Togura Kamiyamada.

Just a few hours north of Tokyo by Shinkansen (bullet train) await remote mountains and the countryside of Tohoku’s Akita and Iwate prefectures.

Recent movies such as “Wild” and “A Walk in the Woods” have popularized long-distance hiking, causing many of us who enjoy backpacking to wonder what it would be like to complete one of the legendary long distance hiking trails.

My journey was not an easy one. Temperatures were unusually high (exceeding 36°C at times), I was constantly on the lookout for bears and was delayed by severe weather.

An afternoon storm sends us scuttling under the eaves of a sari shop and clears the road in Besi Sahar. Only a few buses trundle over the uneven stone surface of the road in this mountain town, the starting point for many of Nepal’s most popular treks.