TRAVEL

No.85 [TRAVEL] Kagurazaka, Tokyo’s hidden beauty

Today there are only around twenty geisha left in this district, compared to 600 in the 1930s. This is one of the last areas of the capital to have resisted the changes linked to the capital becoming modern. In ever-changing Tokyo, the few remaining vestiges of the past are being bulldozed out of th[...]

[TRAVEL] The Castle in the Sky is here!

Kisami beach is one of the most popular spots for surfers. A source of inspiration for the great MIYAZAkIHayao, the Izu Peninsula has plenty of treasures to discover. The silhouettes of surfers takes shape in the breaking dawn. It’s 5:00 in the morning at the end of August and the sun is rising sl[...]

Magical Journey in Fukushima: NHK WORLD-JAPAN

NHK WORLD-JAPAN program Magical Journey Fukushima – A New Leaf, A New Day Walking through Tohoku is like walking through time: everywhere you turn is a history lesson waiting to be discovered. Three foreigners⁠—a lawyer, a photographer, and a tour guide—embark on an adventure to ex[...]

No.83 [TRAVEL] Love nests in Tokyo

In Shibuya district, Tokyo, a couple search for a love hotel. In Dogenzaka district alone there are some 300 love hotels. A unique Japanese feature that is worth a visit. Dogenzaka Hill in Shibuya is one of those places that never sleeps. Art Theatre Eurospace screens films late and Club Asia is a h[...]

Trip to Japan with travel program “Storied Soil – Natural and Cultural Wonders of Tohoku”

Explore Tohoku’s beautiful nature and unique history and culture In 1689 Japan’s most famous haiku poet, Matsuo Basho, began a five-month pilgrimage around the country that would result in his celebrated work The Narrow Road to the Interior. Writing about the first part of his planned journey Ba[...]

No.81 [TRAVEL] Tono – at the heart of legends

The town, which has 26,000 inhabitants, is the leading producer of hops in Japan.   The small town, which is the main producer of hops in the archipelago, wants to become a city of beer!   Yokohama, Sapporo and other big cities may be the main centres of beer produc- tion in Japan, but few[...]

No.80 [TRAVEL] Okutama, another aspect of Tokyo

The junction of the Tama and Nippara rivers.   Two hours from the capital city, lush and stunning countryside delights camping and hiking enthusiasts.   At the riverside, a dozen or so campers are eating the remains of a late barbecue among swirling woodsmoke. A twohour train journey from [...]

No.79 [EXPLORING] A railway paradise

Landscape near Nagaoka where the first section of the Joetsu line was opened in 1920.   To discover this beautiful region, the local railway companies have some original options on offer. “The train came out of the long tunnel into the snow country”. The opening words of Yukiguni (Snow Coun[...]

No.78 [TRAVEL] Under the spell of Matsue

Sunset over Shinji Lake is one of the most eagerly awaited moments for tourists who are visiting the port city.   Located in the western prefecture of Shimane, the city founded by HORIO Yoshiharu is full of character. Driving north from Hiroshima towards matsue in Shimane Prefecture, you soon f[...]

No.77 [DISCOVERY] Hiroshima’s gardens

Saizo-ji Temple and its stone garden are a lovely invitation to pause and meditate. A green city par excellence, it’s full of places you can take a stroll, meditate, or even write poetry Japanese gardens are designed to “express the highest truths of religion and philosophy precisely as othe[...]