• A Quick Guide to Arita Porcelain Town

    In the forested mountains of western Saga is a small town called Arita, which is known for its porcelain. Every Golden Week, it hosts one of Japan’s largest ceramics fairs,…

  • A Walking Tour of Saga City

    Even though I lived in Kyushu for four years, I only ever spent time in Saga once. It was for the International Balloon Fiesta, which I decided to attend with…

  • The Yokai Benches of Fukusaki

    Just 25 minutes north of Himeji City by train lies the town of Fukusaki. Surrounded by mountains with the Ichikawa flowing through it, it’s just far enough off the beaten…

  • Hinamatsuri in Shimonoseki’s Samurai Town

    Hinamatsuri, also called Girls’ Day, is a doll festival held every year in Japan on March 3. Traditionally known as Momo-no-sekku, or the Peach Festival, it began as a cleansing…

  • A Walking Tour of Kagawa’s Port City

    This article is featured on GPSmyCity. To download it for offline reading, or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours…

  • A Quick Guide to Okayama’s Art Island

    This article is featured on GPSmyCity. To download it for offline reading, or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted, go to Walking Tours and Articles in…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Exploring Kyoto’s Higashiyama District

    If you’ve ever looked up Kyoto on social media, chances are you’ve scrolled through a dozen pictures of people posing in a traditional-looking street with a tall pagoda in the…

  • A Quick Guide to Kyoto’s Sake District

    The Fushimi area in southern Kyoto is one of Japan’s major sake production sites. Located at the junction of the Uji, Katsura, and Kamo Rivers, it’s blessed with high-quality springs…

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