Koyasan (Mt. Koya) is one of the holiest mountains in all of Japan, home to more than 100 temples and monasteries. Shingon Buddhism was founded in Koyasan, one of the major schools of Japanese Buddhism, with over ten million members and 4,000 temples nationwide. There has been a religious community here since its finding in […]

Opened in 1971, the Kurobe Alpine Route is a 37km route that follows a spectacular path through the Northern Japanese Alps. Completing the whole route involves a number of different forms of transport, including trolley bus, cable cars and a ropeway. Along this adventure you will see not only Japan’s most incredible views of wildlife […]

Located on Kyushu, the third largest island in Japan, Kumamoto is most famous for its castle, which is one of Japan’s most impressive, awe inspiring castles. Despite being a modern reconstruction of the original castle, Kumamoto Castle is worth a visit. In addition to the two main towers of the castle, there is a number […]

Amami Ooshima is part of a chain of islands located south of Japan, but north of Okinawa. The main attraction on Amami is its unspoiled nature. It is a subtropical island, hot in summer, warm in winter and has plenty of beaches, with beautiful white sand. The sea is clear and full of brightly coloured […]

The Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails are a series of trails that criss-cross the Kii Peninsula, the largest peninsula in Japan. They are registered as a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2007. The routes were first developed over 1,000 years ago for pilgrims to make their way between the sacred sites in the area. Over time, […]

In ancient times, there were two roads connecting Kyoto to Edo (modern day Tokyo), one being the Nakasendo. Over time, and with modern development, a lot of the original Nakasendo has been lost, but there are still portions of it intact, the most notable of which is between Tsumago and Magome. Visiting these towns and […]

Matsue is the capital of Shimane prefecture, located in south western Honshu, the main island of Japan. Matsue sits on the banks of the Ohashi River, which connects the two lakes of Shinji and Nakaumi. Matsue is home to one of the 12 original castles in Japan, having survived wars, fires and earthquakes. The castle […]

Nikko is famous in Japan for its natural beauty. Located at the entrance to Nikko National Park, Nikko is home to many famous onsen, or hot springs. Nikko is a world Heritage Site and is home to Toshogu Shrine, the burial place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, a hugely influential figure in Japanese history. Located in the […]

Hakuba is right in the centre of Japan’s largest snow and mountain sport areas. Hakuba itself is quite a small village, with a population of just under 10,000. Hakuba was discovered to worldwide prominence in 1998 when it was used as the main event venue for the 1998 Winter Olympics. Easily accessible from Tokyo, Nagoya […]

Fukuoka city is the largest on the island of Kyushu and is one of Japan’s 10 largest cities overall. Picked as one of the most livable cities in the world by Monocle magazine, Fukuoka is famous for its local Hakata ramen – a ramen with thinner than normal noodles served in broth made from pork […]