Nature
Located about 30 minutes from the center of Hakata, Aburayama is a popular destination for those looking to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. The site is amid a relaunch which began in April 2023 to bring people back to nature. With a camping ground, hiking trails, a farm and more, Aburayama has plenty of fun for visitors of all ages. From Farm to TableMaking its debut in September 2023, Shiiji Farm is all about getting back to the earth when it comes to thinking about and consuming the food we eat. Overlooking Fukuoka City, this farm has several paid experiences all year ro...
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Hiruzen Kogen Highlands is located on a plateau more than 500 meters above sea level, on the border ofDaisen Oki National Park. Known for its natural beauty and delicious local foods, the area is a hidden gem often overlooked by foreign travelers. Exploring Hiruzen in winterSpring and summer are popular seasons for cyclists and hikers escaping the heat, but winter is also magical when the whole region is covered in a thick blanket of snow. The scenery is spectacular, with the view of the Hiruzen Sanza mountains (three peaks more than 1,000 meters in elevation) visible from nearly anywhere in t...
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When Kyoto was modernizing, one of the casualties of the rapid expansion was the Keage area in Higashiyama. Historically used for transporting everything from produce to ship-building materials between Shiga and Kyoto, the area has recently become more famous for Nanzen-ji Temple and its art museum than its transportation links. A cherry blossom hotspotThe remnants of its former days are all around the area on the train tracks that have now fallen into disrepair. What is left of the train lines has become a popular photography spot, especially during the hanami (cherry blossom viewing) period ...
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Backcountry skiing in Japan has blossomed in popularity over the past number of seasons. There are various options available here for those who are branching out and pushing their boundaries to the seasoned vets taking the sport to new limits. Most backcountry skiers and snowboarders progress from skiing on groomed runs at resorts to searching out tree runs and other sidecountry options. Eventually, they will gain the confidence and experience needed to leave the resorts at the established backcountry gates and further explore the possibilities. Welcome to AsahidakeDuring my first trip to Hokk...
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The Magome-Tsumago or Nakasendo trail is an eight-kilometer hike that can be completed at a leisurely pace in under two hours. It starts in the town of Magome in Gifu Prefecture and crosses into Nagano Prefecture through an area known as the Kiso Valley. To see the hiking trail at its most scenic, spring and autumn are the best seasons to go. Magome is built in the hills above Nakatsugawa city and commands a gorgeous view of the city and farmlands. The trail is a patterned cobblestone path winds its way up through the town’s restored Edo-period promenade. The main street features an old water ...
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Bordering Mie and Nara Prefectures, Soni Highlands is a hidden paradise for everyone who wants to taste the natural beauty of this region. The area is famous for its pleasing gold-color pampas grass fields observed throughout fall. You can enjoy the breathtaking views of the pampas grass swaying with the wind and walk close to the grass fields. If you visit the area in the fall, you cannot miss the evening lantern lights. The pampas grass fields of Soni Highland are illuminated on autumn evenings from mid-September to November. Autumn in the highlandsNovember is the perfect time to view the gr...
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Most people who visit Japan like to play it safe and stick to the cities in the country’s so-called “golden triangle” of tourism: Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. While there isn’t anything wrong with the hustle and bustle of Japanese megacities, it would be a true disservice to your itinerary to skip the natural scenery, one-of-a-kind cultural experiences and traditions only found in the heart of Japan’s countryside. Such an example of beauty and heritage is in Yamagata Prefecture and its sacred Dewa Sanzan, or Three Mountains of Dewa, near the coastal city of Sakata. These mountains—Mount Haguro, Mou...
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Birthdays are special occasions and spending these days abroad away from family can be stressful for most people. During the three years, I’ve lived in Japan, I have made it a habit to travel to a new prefecture every birthday to feel less lonely. My husband and I chose Yamaguchi this year and had an adventurous week there. We left Kobe before sunrise and arrived in Yamaguchi after a seven-hour drive. Along the way, we stopped by a few places around Hiroshima to rest and gaze at views of the Seto Inland Sea. Here’s what we got up to: First stop: IwakuniOur first destination, Iwakuni, is best k...
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It’s the middle of summer and I step off the overnight bus from Osaka. I was pleasantly surprised by clear blue skies when I expected another typical muggy day in Japan. The destination is Kawaguchi, on the north side of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture. My companions were a bunch of buddies from Kobe, two experienced campers and three amateurs. Wiping the sleep from our eyes, we marched towards the banks of Lake Kawaguchi where we make our camp. Establishing basecampSituated next to the bridge that spans Lake Kawaguchi, the New Bridge Campsite was where we chose to spend the next three nigh...
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I’d been working in Niseko for two months when my friend and housemate Ed bought a car. Niseko is a ski town with a huge second-hand market for almost anything, particularly in winter. So when a local farmer approached Ed with an offer for his almost prehistoric Toyota for only ¥50,000 (about $500), we jumped at the chance. The caveat was that the car was tiny, cramped, could only play CDs and didn’t have the best heating. While a road trip is a classic method of exploring places like Hokkaido, you can undertake the same journey I did by using the JR line from Sapporo, the Furano line from Asa...
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