Mimurotoji: The Hydrangea Temple
Japan’s rainy season, known as tsuyu, isn’t my favorite time of year. Starting in mid-June, its a long period of rainfall and humidity that lasts until mid-July (followed by the…
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Inside Kobe’s Art Aquarium
Atoa Aquarium (stylized as átoa) is one of Kobe’s newest attractions, having opened just a few years ago in 2021. Located in Kobe Port, just across the water from Kobe…
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A Stroll Through Kokoen
Just southwest of Himeji Castle, lies a beautiful Japanese garden that offers gorgeous views of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kokoen is 3.5 hectares (8.5 acres) in size and consists…
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Himeji Castle: The White Heron
I’ve seen a fair amount of Japanese castles on my travels (there are over 200, so this is no hard task) and while they’re all interesting and unique in their…
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A Walking Tour of Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
The city of Kurashiki, in Okayama Prefecture, was once a bustling trade town during the Edo period. The traditional buildings, concentrated along the willow-lined Kurashiki River, have been preserved in…
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A Quick Guide to Kojima Jeans Street
Okayama is best known as the home of Momotaro, a beloved folktale about a boy born from a peach. But the prefecture is also the birthplace of Japanese denim. In…
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Okayama Castle at Dusk
Covered in black clapboards, Okayama Castle is known as Ujo, or “crow castle.” Fittingly, it sits atop one of three hills overlooking the Asahi river. Perhaps even more fittingly, it…
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A Walking Tour of Mojiko Retro Town
On the northern edge of Kyushu lies Mojiko—an international trade port that opened in 1889. Today, the area is preserved as a historical district, offering visitors the chance to step…
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Autumn on Miyajima
For someone who grew up with only two seasons (kak hot and a little chilly, respectively), autumn and spring are still a novelty for me. If I had to choose…
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An Update on the Sacred, Starving Deer of Miyajima
In September 2015, after visiting Miyajima in Hiroshima, I wrote about the island’s starving deer population. Just over nine years later, in November 2024, I went back to see what…
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Inside Japan’s Largest Cave
In the heart of Yamaguchi lies the city of Mine. With a population of just over 20,000, it’s one of the more rural areas of the prefecture. But what it…
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