Tag: nara

I spent a week in Wakayama in late March to explore this spiritual heartland and traverse the ancient trails. My itinerary focused on the Kumano Kodo route and Koyasan

I am always looking for interesting new places in Japan – off the beaten track with relatively few tourists but lots of culture and plenty to do. The town of Kurashiki in Okayama Prefecture totally fit the bill.

I expected to be impressed by Naoshima Island and Benesse House…but now that I am actually here, the only way I can describe my reaction is to say I am totally blown away.

On my trip to explore Japan’s Hokuriku region, specifically Nagano, Gifu and Kanazawa, I was really looking forward to seeing Takayama and Shirakawa-go in Gifu prefecture…

When Anthony Bourdain paid a visit to Robot Restaurant in 2013, the cabaret show began piquing the interests of foreign visitors. I needed to see this show during my first trip to Tokyo – and in fact I was lucky enough to see it twice!

To properly sample the traditional Japanese way of life, there are two experiences that I would encourage all visitors to try. The first would be to stay at a traditional Japanese Inn, known as a Ryokan, and secondly to pay a visit to a Japanese Hot Spring, which is called an Onsen

With access to the city now so much easier, Kanazawa will start receiving the attention it so greatly deserves, as this is a city chock full of sights, history and culture, without being overcrowded with tourists.

Noto is a fascinating area of Japan. The people are very proud of where they are from, and this shows in the quality of their produce, which is predominantly gathered from the land and the sea.

What is it about Japan that so thrills us with almost uninhibited enthusiasm? What is the grand secret the Japanese are able to conjure almost at will in their quest to be exquisitely precise in all they do?

Remote Lands clients should consider Hokkaido, which is a lovely part of Japan. While Japan works to recover from its nuclear issues and the tsunami, showing the resilience of her people, Hokkaido looms as a northern respite.