Kakunodate Samurai District
Exploring the former samurai district in the town of Kakunodate, one of Japan’s best preserved samurai districts...
By Matt Evans·
Matt Evans
Staff Writer, Editor
Originally from the UK, Matt first came to Japan in 2009 and ended up staying for a little over six years in the Kansai area. After a three-year stint working in the travel industry, he is now back and works as a staff writer for japan-guide.com. As well as history and traditional arts and crafts, he is especially passionate about the outdoors and looks forward to exploring Japan's wilder places.
Most recent posts
Yamadera
Scenic temple built on the steep mountainside northeast of central Yamagata City...
By Matt Evans·
Kusatsu Onsen
Kusatsu Onsen is a pleasant hot spring resort in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture. It has been celebrated as one of Japan’s best hot spring resorts for centuries...
By Matt Evans·
Kamakura Rediscovered - Omachi and Zaimokuza
Rounding off my six part series delving into the historic city of Kamakura one neighborhood at a time, I recently spent a hugely enjoyable day exploring the southeastern part of the city, from Kamakura Station to...
By Matt Evans·
Kamakura Rediscovered - Hase
Continuing my exploration of Kamakura one neighborhood at a time, I recently found myself back in town, this time to take a look at the popular Hase district, two stops from Kamakura Station on the Enoden...
By Matt Evans·
Kamakura Rediscovered - Kita-Kamakura
Located just one stop north of Kamakura Station, Kita-Kamakura is a quiet, leafy area best known for its many historic temples, wooded surroundings and traditional houses, creating an atmosphere not unlike parts of...
By Matt Evans·
Kamakura Rediscovered - Onari
Following on from my previous piece exploring the area around the Komachi Dori shopping street, I soon find myself back in the historic city of Kamakura, this time taking in the west side of town in a single, wide...
By Matt Evans·
Kamakura Rediscovered - Komachi and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
A quiet oasis within easy reach of Tokyo’s busy streets, the city of Kamakura is perhaps best known for its many historic temples and shrines, set against a tranquil landscape of wooded hills. Spend just a little...
By Matt Evans·
Koyo 2020: Tokyo Report
With this year’s koyo season already well underway, I took trip to Tokyo today to see how the colors are progressing in two of the city’s most popular viewing spots.While temperatures in other parts of the...
By Matt Evans·
Travel restarting: Kyoto
For the last leg of my recent trip to check on the state of travel in the Kansai area I was lucky enough to spend a day in Kyoto
By Matt Evans·
Travel restarting: Nara
During my recent trip to check in on the general state of tourist attractions in the Kansai region, I was very excited to spend a day in Nara
By Matt Evans·
Travel restarting: Hiroshima
As part of our reporting on Japan’s efforts to restart local tourism after the extraordinary disruption caused by the coronavirus epidemic,
By Matt Evans·
Travel restarting: Osaka
With travel plans for many around the world still on hold due to the continuing coronavirus epidemic, I was hugely fortunate last week to be able to spend a few days in the Kansai area to check in on the state of...
By Matt Evans·
A Stroll Through Gyoda
Located just over an hour by Shinkansen and local train from central Tokyo, the small, sleepy city of Gyoda in Saitama Prefecture is relatively unknown outside of the region but boasts some great sightseeing spots...
By Matt Evans·
Travel restarting: Kanazawa
As efforts to boost Japan’s struggling domestic tourism industry continue against a backdrop of increasing coronavirus numbers in several of the major cities, I took a trip to the small and very attractive city of...
By Matt Evans·
Travel restarting: Nikko
Despite a rise in the number of coronavirus infections since the end of the state of emergency in late May, domestic travellers throughout Japan have begun to return to sightseeing spots, albeit in comparatively...
By Matt Evans·
Birds, bugs and giant flying squirrels
As Japan begins to cautiously reemerge from domestic travel restrictions due to the ongoing threat of coronavirus, I was delighted to head to the beautiful mountain resort town of Karuizawa for my first reporting in...
By Matt Evans·
Episodes from Japanese History - The Satsuma Rebellion
The last stand of Saigo Takamori
By Matt Evans·
Lives from Japanese History - Takeda Shingen
The life of Japan’s greatest samurai general
By Matt Evans·
Episodes from Japanese history - the life of Minamoto Yoshitsune
The heroic life and tragic life of a samurai legend
By Matt Evans·
Japanese arts and crafts on YouTube
Five of the best channels to fascinate and inspire
By Matt Evans·
Five fascinating books from the classical era
A literary journey into the Nara and Heian periods
By Matt Evans·
Episodes from Japanese History - The Battle of Dan no Ura
The climax of the Gempei War
By Matt Evans·
Episodes from Japanese History - The Fall of Osaka Castle
The spectacular demise of the Toyotomi family
By Matt Evans·
A Stroll Through Kanazawa
Often called the Little Kyoto for its cultural depth and beautifully preserved historic buildings, Kanazawa’s traditional charms and relatively small size make it the ideal city break for walkers...
By Matt Evans·
Sakura 2020: Kyoto Report
The start of Kyoto’s eagerly awaited cherry blossom season was announced on Sunday, March 22, a full week earlier than last year’s but still a few days behind Tokyo where the blossom is already aproaching full bloom....
By Matt Evans·
Work in Progress on the Olympic Waterfront City
Faced with the need to create new, large-scale venues and public spaces in one of the world’s largest and densest cities, the organizers of this year’s Olympic events found an ideal solution in land reclaimed from...
By Matt Evans·
The Kuma Kengo Look
Making regular appearances in magazines and Instagram feeds around the world, Tokyo’s daring and innovative modern architecture is a key component in its reputation as one of the world’s most futuristic cities....
By Matt Evans·
