How to Fully Embrace a Wild Camping Experience The basic essence of wild camping entails seeking out wilderness experiences away from official campgrounds. While actual ‘hiding’ isn’t usually necessary unlike stealth or guerrilla camping that tend...
Mount Fuji Facts, Figures and Musings Famed for its elegant symmetrical cone, Mount Fuji is actually an active stratovolcano last erupting in December 1707. First climbed by a monk in 663, the sacred mountain is beset upon by an annual pilgrimage to...
Allied Air Raids Prompt a Clandestine Munitions Factory During my recent trek out to Saitama to explore The Hundred Caves of Yoshimi, I discovered the subterranean world lurking beneath the caves kept a secret military installation. Juxtaposed with...
The Caves of Yoshimi Unearth an Interesting History The Hundred Caves of Yoshimi are ancient burial tombs carved into the sandstone cliffs in Saitama Prefecture roughly 50 km from downtown Tokyo. They were unearthed in 1888 by Shogoro Tsuboi a...
Nippara Limestone Cave the Biggest in Tokyo Located in the sleepy village of Nippara on Tokyo’s outskirts finds Nippara Cave one of the best karst limestone caves in Japan. I previously visited the caves a few years back though was keen to return on...
Essential Survival Gear for Wilderness Travels Whether venturing out for a day hike or planning extended travels into the wilderness, there are certain survival items that you are recommended to carry. The original ten essentials traces its roots...
Essential Gear For Backcountry Hiking Key to an enjoyable and safe backpacking adventure is remembering what to pack. The following list includes essential items for multi-day hikes from summer through early winter. Important is to tailor your...
Worthwhile Excursions Away from the Bustle of Tokyo Whilst downtown Tokyo offers a seemingly endless array of sightseeing possibilities, sadly not enough visitors get the chance to broaden their horizons and travel beyond the city limits. Included...
Winter Waterfall Wonders at Odake Falls Tokyo contains some rather noteworthy waterfalls including the Hossawa Falls which are included in the One Hundred Waterfalls of Japan. While at the Odake Falls 大岳滝 are around half the height of the Hossawa...
Hiked on Dec 18, 2014 Jan 15, 2019 . Mt. Nokogiri 鋸山 – Jigoku Nozoki 地獄のぞき Duration: 3.5 hours Distance: 6.9 km Elevation change: 329 metres Highest point: 329 metres Start: Hamakanaya Port (Tokyo Wan Ferry) Finish: Hamakanaya Station...
One of the World’s Lightest Gas Canister Stoves at 56g Investing in a quality lightweight stove is something all backpackers should consider a wise investment. In my university hiking days I was an exponent of the Trangia alcohol-burning stoves but...
Intel X99 Performance PC Build While this PC review makes a slight tangent from my usual ramblings about the Japanese outdoors, it would be fair to say that a solid grounding in technology, in this case desktop PC components is vital for creating an...
Showa Kinen Park Autumn Delights Pencilling in an annual pilgrimage to Showa Kinen Park to photograph the autumn foliage or koyo has been a prominent fixture on my calendar over the years. The 165 hectare National Government Park lies close to my...
Hiked on Nov 4, 2014 Jan 15, 2020 . Taiken no mori 体験の森 – Mt. Sasuzawayama サス沢山 Duration: 5 hours Distance: 10.9 km Elevation change: 1005 metres Highest point: 1405 metres Start: Sakaibashi Bus Stop Finish: Lake Okutama Bus Stop ...
Hiked on Oct 25, 2014 Aug 24, 2023 . Fudou Falls 不動滝 – Mt. Buko 武甲山 Duration: 6 hours Distance: 15.6 km Elevation change: 1054 metres Highest point: 1304 metres Start: Yokoze Station (Seibu Chichibu Line) Finish: Urayamaguchi Station...
Securing Tokyo’s Water Future Paid a Heavy Toll As the responsible agency for supplying drinking water to almost 13 million residents the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Waterworks relies heavily on the 185,400 megalitre Lake Okutama...