Mt. Yamizo 八溝山 – Nichirin Temple 日輪寺 . . Hiking Among Ibaraki Prefecture’s Ancient Forests The topography of Ibaraki is mostly made up of flat agricultural plains that produce a quarter of Japan’s piman (bell peppers) and hakusai (Chinese...
Vast Sea of Yellow Sunflowers In winter Tsunan Town, Niigata Prefecture has some of the heaviest snow falls in Japan. Come summer a small corner of the town (3 hectares to be precise) is transformed into a brilliant display of yellow sunflowers. The...
Mt. Mibudake 三峰岳 – Mt. Ainodake 間ノ岳 – Mt. Notoridake 農鳥岳 . . Exploring the Northern Minami Alps Claiming joint honours as the third highest mountain in Japan, Ainodake is regularly climbed in concert with Kita-dake and Notoridake...
Hidden Waterfall on the Outskirts of Tokyo One needn’t look far to discover pockets of nature in Tokyo with Hachioji City being a good example. Located only 40 km west of the city centre it contains the hugely popular hiking destinations of Mt...
How Not to Keep a Secret Spot Secret Habushiura Beach on Niijima is said to be the most beautiful in the Izu Islands and has long lured surfers looking to ride the best waves around. There’s a section of beach oddly named “Secret Point” in that just...
Fujimitoge Lookout 富士見峠展望台 – Mt. Miyatsuka 宮塚山 . . Niijima’s Highest Mountain Best Enjoyed from a Distance Having climbed the highest peaks on two of the Izu Islands namely Hachijo-fuji on Hachijo-jima and Mt. Tenjo on Kozushima, I thought why not...
Where to Hike as a Family in the Greater Tokyo Area Hiking with children is a great way to get them connected to the outdoors and enjoy nature but knowing exactly where to go can be a challenge. Thankfully the Greater Tokyo Area has plenty of...
Irikawa Gorge 入川渓谷 – Arakawa River Starting Point 荒川起点石標 . . The Irikawa Valley: Chichibu’s Best Kept Secret For nature starved Tokyoites the main go to spots to enjoy large expanses of greenery are Okutama in Tokyo and Chichibu in the westernmost...
Mt. Kurobi 黒檜山 – Mt. Komagatake 駒ヶ岳登山 – Mt. Choshichiro 長七郎山 . . Enjoy First-Rate Hiking Close to Tokyo Located in central Gunma, Mt. Akagi is one of the Jomo Sanzan or three famous mountains in the prefecture along with Mt. Haruna and...
Sleep in these Mountain Huts and Save Some Coin While hiking purists might scoff at the idea of bedding down for the night in a mountain hut either due to cost considerations or the thought of suffering through an ensemble of snorers, huts do have...