Most visitors to Nagoya spend their time at Nagoya Castle, eat miso katsu, and head straight for Kyoto on the shinkansen. That is their loss. Less than an hour south of the city, the Chita Peninsula stretches down into Ise Bay and offers a completely different side of Aichi Prefecture. There’s a thousand-year-old pottery town. […]
09
Apr
Apr
The first time many Western travellers come back from Japan, they feel vaguely cheated. Not because the trip was bad, but because somewhere between the queues at Fushimi Inari and the crowds at Dotonbori, they got the nagging sense that the real country was right there, just one or two train stops past where everyone […]
05
Apr
Apr
If you’ve done Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka and you’re planning a return trip that actually surprises you, you already know the problem. Every itinerary online leads to the same cities. Most places earn their English write-up long after the interesting work is done, leaving copy-and-paste recommendations clustered around the same handful of stops. A while […]
25
Feb
Feb
I remember standing in front of Fushimi Inari on a Tuesday morning, thinking I’d beaten the crowds by arriving early. I hadn’t. There were already hundreds of people there, selfie sticks raised, shuffling through the torii gates in a slow-moving queue. Somewhere behind me, a tour guide was explaining the significance of the shrine to […]
19
Feb
Feb
If you are searching for underrated places in Japan, you are probably trying to avoid queues, tour buses, and the same five photos everyone else posts. That usually means going beyond Kyoto and Tokyo. It means choosing towns that are not optimised for visitors. Places where dinner finishes early, the bus runs three times a […]
27
Jan
Jan
Japan has some brilliant beaches that stay surprisingly calm, even in peak summer. The trick is choosing spots that sit outside the usual tourist loop, or beaches that locals use for a quick day out. Here are 7 quiet beaches Japan, plus simple notes on when to go and what to expect. Before You Go: […]
22
Jan
Jan
Repeated visits to Kyoto reveal certain experiences that stand out above others. They’re not the busiest attractions nor the ones everyone photographs. They’re the ones where couples genuinely connect. Most people move differently here. The temples and gardens are arranged in ways that make you linger. Walking beneath flowering trees, sitting over tea whilst the […]
16
Jan
Jan
Tokoname is where you’ll find Chubu Centrair International Airport, the biggest airport in central Japan. But most travelers have no idea the city itself has been making pottery for centuries, and the craftsmanship here is outstanding. If you’re in Nagoya or stuck with a long layover at the airport, Tokoname makes for a great day […]
07
Jan
Jan
Historical Japanese cities preserve the past in ways few countries can match. Kyoto served as the imperial capital for 1,074 years from 794 until 1868. Himeji Castle still stands with six storeys of original construction completed in 1609. Nikko contains 103 religious buildings across shrine and temple complexes. These aren’t isolated landmarks. They’re living places […]
28
Dec
Dec
Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka draw millions of visitors every year. You’ve probably seen the photos of packed temples and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. Tired of fighting through crowds just to see a temple or garden? Japan has plenty of smaller cities and towns with authentic experiences, gorgeous scenery and rich history, minus the crowds. You can wander […]