Journeys in Japan

The San'in Kaigan Geopark Trail is a 230-kilometer-long course connecting the Sea of Japan coastline along Tottori, Hyogo, and Kyoto prefectures. It is a designated UNESCO Global Geopark. On the second half of his journey, Canadian actor K…

British explorer and writer Isabella Bird arrived in Japan in 1878, just 10 years after start of the Meiji Era. "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan" is her highly praised account of her journey deep into Japan's hinterland. After traveling from Yoko…

Two years ago, on New Year's Day of 2024, a massive earthquake hit the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, leaving over 200 dead and wrecking thousands of homes and other buildings. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Kyle Card visits…

Akan, in eastern Hokkaido, is renowned for its breathtaking winter landscape with majestic volcanic mountains and ice-blanketed lake. The area is home to an indigenous Ainu community, which has long protected its distinctive traditions and…

Through the generations, Hokkaido has been home to people from diverse backgrounds, who have developed their livelihoods and established distinctive cultures in each area. Confronting the harsh natural environment of this vast northern isl…

Dean Newcombe discovers Kushimoto, the southernmost town on Japan's main island. Thanks to the warm Kuroshio Current that flows northward in the Pacific, the town is blessed with a warm climate and a bountiful sea that supports a diverse e…

Scenic northern Yatsugatake in Nagano Prefecture is an outdoor lover's paradise just two hours from Tokyo. It's defined by a series of peaks rising above 2,000 meters. Novice mountaineers can enjoy snow climbing safely if they travel with …

Kokuto is Okinawa's traditional form of sugar, which is made simply by boiling down sugarcane juice, a method first introduced from China about 400 years ago. Despite Okinawa's turbulent history, the skills have been passed down through th…

Architect James Lambiasi discovers the living culture of mingei folk craft in Toyama, north-central Japan. James visits a 92-year woodturning artisan in the town of Shogawa, a nearby ironware workshop, and a museum displaying traditional m…

Tsuruoka lies on the Sea of Japan coast of Yamagata Prefecture. In 2014, it was named a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, the first of its kind in the country. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, American chef David Wells visits the Ts…

Komatsu, a castle town just west of Kanazawa, was forged by stone and time. Born from ancient underwater volcanoes, its stunning gorges and surreal, massive quarries create a landscape like no other. This Japan Heritage site boasts traditi…

Nestled in an upland area of Gero City (Gifu Prefecture), the village of Maze is renowned for its breathtaking mountain views, especially in the Nishimura district. Home to around 130 people, this community is also the venue for a unique f…

Tokunoshima is a small, semi-tropical island located southwest of Kyushu. Home to many rare species of flora and fauna, it is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also famous for its association with sumo wrestling, having produc…

The Choshi River is just 17 kilometers long but it's become known throughout Japan as the "Miracle River." Thanks to the crystal-clear quality of its water, it draws visitors to the town of Kihoku, in the south of Mie Prefecture, Central J…

Since the earliest times, the people living on the coast of The Seto Inland Sea have developed methods for catching the abundant seafood in those waters, some of which are still practiced today. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Michae…

Nagoya, a historic strategic crossroads connecting eastern and western Japan, developed a distinctive food identity of its own. From hatcho miso and hitsumabushi to kishimen noodles and the city's unique morning service tradition, its sign…