Travel Highlights 2017
Below are my highlights of visiting 29 of Japan’s 47 prefectures in 2017...
Stefan Schauwecker
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Stefan Schauwecker grew up in Zurich, Switzerland and met his interest in Japan when studying in Vancouver, Canada. There, he founded japan-guide.com in 1996 before moving the website's operation to Japan in 2003.
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Travel Highlights 2016
Below are my highlights of visiting 29 of Japan’s 47 prefectures in 2016...
Crossing Kyushu half a year after the Kumamoto Earthquake
This week, I followed the Yamanami Highway, a scenic road that crosses the island of Kyushu and one of my favorite travel courses in Japan...
Five Years After The Tsunami
Five years after the big disaster, increasingly many new residential districts are being completed, allowing...
Busta Shinjuku - a new bus terminal opened on top of Shinjuku Station
On April 4, Busta Shinjuku, a large bus and taxi terminal, opened on top of Shinjuku Station. The new complex across the South Exit of JR Shinjuku Station...
Travel Highlights 2015
Below are my highlights of visiting 27 of Japan’s 47 prefectures in 2015...
Four And A Half Years After The Tsunami
On this trip we witnessed further progress in the monumental project to raise the elevation of entire former city districts by several meters...
Autumn Color Report: Daisetsuzan
The weather could not have been better to do the Daisetsuzan Traverse from Asahidake Onsen to Sounkyo Onsen today. Hikers traversing the Daisetsuzan Mountains typically climb the summit of Mount Asahidake along...
Autumn Color Report: Daisetsuzan
For the 8th year in a row, we start reporting Japan’s autumn color season from Daisetsuzan National Park in the center of Hokkaido. The highest point on the island, the Daisetsuzan Mountains are the first place in...
Four Years After The Tsunami
One year year after our last visit, we witnessed a lot of visible progress. Most eye-catching was the work on raising the ground of former town centers...
Cherry Blossom Report: Takada
The cherry blossom season has come to a close in Tokyo and will soon be over in Kyoto, as well. Meanwhile, the blossoms have been moving into higher elevations and more northern latitudes, such as the mountainous...
Cherry Blossom Report: Kumagaya
Due to unseasonally high temperatures, the cherry trees in many cities across Japan have exploded into full bloom over the last few days. Today we visited Kumagaya City in Saitama Prefecture, a 40 minute...
Trial Run to Kanazawa
In another month, on March 14, 2015, the Hokuriku Shinkansen will be extended from Nagano to Kanazawa, drastically reducing travel times between Tokyo and the...
Travel Highlights 2014
The collection of traditional Japanese art at this recently opened, large museum in Hakone is outstanding and exceptionally...
Autumn Color Report: Himeji
After five long years, the renovation of Himeji Castle will finally be completed in spring 2015. In the meantime, the large scaffolding structure has been removed, and the main keep has become visible again -...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
The autumn colors this year have been roughly one week ahead of their average schedule in most places that we have reported from so far. This was mainly due to a relatively cool August and September...
Autumn Color Report: Yamadera
After one and a half months of reporting the seasonal colors in the mountains of northern and central Japan, we will soon shift our focus onto the parks and gardens of Tokyo and Kyoto....
Autumn Color Report: Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan, but due to its relatively southern location and bald top, it is not the first place in the country or even on...
Autumn Color Report: Kurikoma
One month into this year’s autumn color reporting, I made a first-time visit to Mount Kurikomayama, a volcano on the prefectural borders of Iwate, Miyagi and...
Autumn Color Report: Tokachidake
The weather remained unstable and wet on my last day in Hokkaido. I visited Tokachidake Onsen, a small collection of hot spring lodgings halfway up the slopes of Mount Tokachidake. Located about 30 kilometers...
Autumn Color Report: Kurodake
The weather continued to be unstable in Hokkaido today. I had already given up on my initial plans to traverse the Daisetsuzan Mountains from Asahidake Onsen to Sounkyo Onsen...
Autumn Color Report: Asahidake
Since 2008, japan-guide.com has been following the autumn colors from the highest mountains of Hokkaido to the parks and gardens...
Three Years After The Tsunami
The focus of efforts along the Sanriku Coast have now definitely shifted from the clean-up to the reconstruction phase, and the recovery progress is becoming more and more obvious...
Cherry Blossom Report: Uji
Most famous for Byodoin Temple, Uji is a city twenty train minutes south of Kyoto by JR Nara Line. Today I visited the town to...
Travel Highlights 2013
Among the most pleasant ways to deal with the heat and humidity of Japanese summers is kawayuka, outdoor dining alongside Kyoto’s Kamogawa River...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
In Kyoto, too, nighttime temperatures have recently started to drop below the mark that induces the maple trees to produce autumn colors. While the season is still at an early stage in central Kyoto, some spots in...
Autumn Color Report: Tokyo
Nearly two months after our first autumn color report of the season, it is time to start checking the trees of Tokyo and Kyoto, the two...
Two And A Half Years After The Tsunami
Clean-up efforts seemed to be nearing completion, as some of the last remaining damaged structures and most mountains of debris have disappeared from the cities...
Autumn Color Report: Nikko
The mountainous Okunikko region above the town center of Nikko is one of the first places near Tokyo to see autumn colors. On our first of multiple report trips to Nikko this year, I...
Autumn Color Report: Kurodake
On my second and last reporting day in Daisetsuzan National Park I visited Sounkyo Onsen to climb Mount Kurodake. Kurodake is almost 2000 meters high, but...
Autumn Color Report: Asahidake
Daisetsuzan National Park in the center of Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido is the first place in the country to see autumn colors each year...
Countdown to the Gion Matsuri
Japan’s most famous festival, the Gion Matsuri of Kyoto, is best known for its grand procession...
Nagoya Castle gets back its palace
When thinking about Japanese castles, their most representative structure, the castle tower or donjon, naturally comes to mind first. Next we may think about walls, gates, moats and turrets, but only few tourists...
Ise Shrine Rebuilding
In one of the world’s amazing cultural traditions, Japan’s most venerated shrines, the Ise Shrines, are rebuilt from...
New bath house opens in Kusatsu Onsen
Kusatsu Onsen in the mountains of northern Gunma Prefecture has consistently ranked at the very top of hot spring rankings...
Two Years After The Tsunami
After seeing little dramatic progress on our previous two visits, we felt that the recovery process has finally started to shift...
Cherry Blossom Report: Kyoto
Three days after our previous report from Kyoto, I visited the city for another update. The trees survived yesterday’s strong winds in good shape and were a joy to look at in today’s sunny and...
Cherry Blossom Report: Takamatsu
Located a 30 minute train ride west of Takamatsu, Marugame Castle is one of Japan’s twelve original castles, i.e. a castle that has survived...
Cherry Blossom Report: Hiroshima
Hiroshima’s cherry blossoms were reported to have opened on March 22 and to have reached full bloom four days ago on March 29, almost one week earlier than in the average year. Today, I checked the state of the...
Cherry Blossom Report: Tokyo
Today I challenged myself to cover Ueno Park and Shinjuku Gyoen in central Tokyo where the season is approaching its end, as well as three hanami spots west of central...
Cherry Blossom Report: Fukuoka
Today I headed to Fukuoka Prefecture for a last cherry blossom report from Kyushu this year. I visited one representative hanami spot each in the prefecture’s two...
Cherry Blossom Report: Okayama
After a spontaneous visit to Okayama’s Korakuen Garden today, I decided to post a quick, unscheduled report about the state of the...
Cherry Blossom Report: Tokyo
After a cold winter, many weather services predicted this year’s cherry blossoms in Tokyo to open at an average pace in their initial forecasts. Yet, the city’s representative tree ended up opening already yesterday...
Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival
Kawazu is a small town along the southeastern coast of the Izu Peninsula, a two hour train ride from Tokyo. The town is the birthplace of the Kawazu Cherry, one of the earliest flowering cherry tree varieties. The trees...
Winter Visit to Shirakawago
Every winter, the wooden farmhouses of Shirakawago, a designated World Cultural Heritage Site since 1995, are illuminated on selected Saturday and Sunday evenings in January and February. Located in the mountains not far from the Sea...
Travel Highlights 2012
Among the most exciting report trips of the year was my visit to the Tokyo Skytree a few days ahead of the 634 meter tall tower’s official opening...
Autumn Color Report: Tokyo
The first autumn color report of December comes from Tokyo, one of the last places in Japan to see its trees change colors. The seasonal spectacle had already advanced nicely earlier this week in many of...
Autumn Color Report: Himeji
Today I visited Himeji for our first ever autumn color report from that city.Mount Shosha, a temple mountain overlooking the city from the northwest,...
Autumn Color Report: Tokyo
Eight days after our first autumn color report from Tokyo, I revisited some of the city’s best fall foliage spots. Overall, the season was still at an early stage, and I do...
Autumn Color Report: Hakone
Today I visited Hakone, the popular outdoor destination two train hours west of Tokyo. While the hot spring town of Yumoto at the entrance to Hakone is located at a mere 100 meters above sea level, the summit of Mount...
Autumn Color Report: Koyasan
Yesterday I reported that Kyoto is still at an early stage of the autumn color season. Tourists wishing to see the peak of the season in the Kansai Region now, need to make a trip into higher elevations. Among...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
Even though the peak of Kyoto’s fall foliage season is still about two weeks ahead, I visited the city for an early first autumn color report today. We plan to continue reporting from...
Autumn Color Report: Noboribetsu
I wrapped up my 3-day reporting trip through Hokkaido with a visit to Noboribetsu Onsen, one of my favorite hot spring resorts. The autumn colors...
Autumn Color Report: Sounkyo
On day two of my 3-day reporting trip through Hokkaido, I re-visited Sounkyo Onsen, where we had previously reported from on September 20 and...
Autumn Color Report: Shiretoko
On the first sight, not much drastic change was visible, but on a closer look it became apparent that much work had been accomplished over the last six months.
One And A Half Years After The Tsunami
On the first sight, not much drastic change was visible, but on a closer look many steps towards recovery were...
Tokyo Station Renovation
For about a decade, the redevelopment of Tokyo Station has been ongoing. While the entire process won’t be completed for another year, a major milestone was reached with the reopening of the Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building...
Autumn Color Report: Alpine Route
The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a spectacular way to cross the Northern Japan Alps by a combination of buses, cablecars and a ropeway...
Grapes and Wines at Katsunuma
The Koshu grape, a native grape variety to Yamanashi Prefecture (formerly known as Koshu Province), has been grown and consumed by the local population since ancient times. As one of the sunniest and driest regions of...
Autumn Color Report: Asahidake
Three days after my first visit, I returned to Mount Asahidake today. In the meantime, temperatures have dropped to somewhat more seasonable values, but the nanakamado bushes around the...
Autumn Color Report: Kurodake
Located in the center of Hokkaido, Daisetsuzan National Park is larger than some of Japan’s 47 prefectures. Not surprisingly, the park can be accessed from many...
Autumn Color Report: Asahidake
Welcome to the 2012 autumn color reports! Starting today, we will follow the seasonal colors for approximately three months as they descend from the highest peaks of Hokkaido...
Another Trip to Iwaki
japan-guide.com visited Iwaki earlier this year in March, just a few weeks after the full re-opening of the Spa Resort Hawaiians. Half a year later, I returned to southeastern Fukushima Prefecture to check out more tourist spots in Iwaki...
Sneak Peek from Tokyo Skytree
A few days from today, on May 22, the tallest structure in Japan, the 634 meter tall Tokyo Skytree will finally open to the public. japan-guide.com visited the massive tower and shopping complex at its base to give our users a sneak...
Rainy visit to the Ise Shrines
The Ise Shrines are among those destinations which go well with rainy weather, especially during this time of the year when rain further enhances the trees’ fresh green. Below are some impressions from our visit today:Outer Shrine...
Cherry Blossom Report: Aizu
After visiting the Miharu Takizakura, I drove 50 kilometers inland to Aizu-Wakamatsu, also in Fukushima Prefecture. Surrounded by snow covered mountains, including...
Cherry Blossom Report: Takizakura
Four days after our first visit to the Miharu Takizakura in Fukushima Prefecture, I revisited what I consider Japan’s most beautiful tree...
One Year After The Tsunami
This is the third part of an open ended series to document the recovery of the tsunami hit coast of northeastern Japan, where approximately 20,000 people lost their lives, and entire towns were destroyed...
Cherry Blossom Report: Kyoto
The main cherry blossom season in Kyoto has come to an end as the Somei Yoshino trees have dropped most of their petals. However, several late blooming tree varieties continue to provide tourists with hanami opportunities. I included...
Cherry Blossom Report: Yoshino
With 30,000 trees and a history stretching back more than a thousand years, Mount Yoshino or Yoshinoyama is Japan’s most celebrated cherry blossom spot. The mountain is divided into four sections from bottom to top: Shimosenbon...
Cherry Blossom Report: Tottori
The cherry blossoms in Tottori typically open about a week after the ones in Tokyo. This year they were reported to have officially reached full bloom on April 10. Five days later, some trees have started to drop their first petals, but...
Cherry Blossom Report: Osaka
The cherry blossoms in Osaka officially reached full bloom five days ago on April 9, two days after Sean’s first report from the city. In...
Cherry Blossom Report: Himeji
Today I made my annual visit to Himeji Castle to check on the current state of the cherry blossoms and the renovation works that had started...
Cherry Blossom Report: Nagoya
The cherry blossoms in Nagoya officially started opening one week ago on March 30, one day ahead of Tokyo (from where Scott is reporting today) and...
Cherry Blossom Report: Kyoto
The cherry blossoms in Kyoto are forecast to start opening from tomorrow, April 2. Today I visited the city for this year’s first of approximately seven cherry blossom reports, as we plan to report from the former capital at least twice...
Cherry Blossom Report: Tokyo
While cherry blossoms have started opening in Kyushu and some southern areas on Shikoku and Honshu in recent days already, they are forecast to officially start opening in Tokyo today. Starting with this report from the capital,...
Tokyo Plum Blossom Report
Almost a month after our first visit to Tokyo’s Yushima Tenjin Shrine, I revisited the popular plum blossom spot to check on the state of its flowers.Most of the shrine’s...
Cherry Blossom Report: Tokyo
Tokyo’s cherry blossoms are not expected to start opening for another two weeks, however, a small number of early blooming cherry tree varieties have begun to provide...
Kumano half a year after Typhoon #12
Half a year ago in early September 2011, the Kii Peninsula (the large peninsula south of Kyoto and Osaka), was hit by Typhoon Number 12, one of the most destructive typhoons of recent decades in Japan. The typhoon’s unusually slow...
Travel Highlights 2011
Thrilled like a child, I enjoyed the ride with the Kurobe Gorge Railway into the mountains of Toyama Prefecture...
Autumn Color Report: Tokyo
Three months after this year’s first autumn color report from Hokkaido, I concluded the seasonal reporting with a grand tour to seven of Tokyo’s best koyo spots. The capital’s colors usually peak around late November and early...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
The sun shining into fall foliage can enhance colors from nice to brilliant. Unfortunately, the sun did not cooperate during this year’s final autumn color report from Kyoto on which I made a grand tour of many of...
Autumn Color Report: Nara
The great ancient temples of Nara, such as Todaiji, Kofukuji and Yakushiji, are characterized by gravel courts and giant temple halls rather than...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
As Kyoto remains at the peak of the autumn color season, I visited some lesser known koyo spots in the northeastern part of the city: Manshuin, Enkoji, Shinnyodo...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
One week after my last visit to Kyoto’s Higashiyama District, I returned today to checked on the state of the fall leaves at Nanzenji,...
Autumn Color Report: Kanazawa
After nearly a week of reporting in the Kansai Region, I am returning home today to take a short break from the autumn colors. Along the way, I made a quick stop in Kanazawa for our first ever koyo report from...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
On this third Kyoto report within five days I re-visited Arashiyama in the northwestern outskirts of the city. In some spots in the district the trees have progressed into brilliant colors...
Autumn Color Report: Miyajima
Miyajima Island just outside of Hiroshima is not Japan’s most outstanding fall foliage spot, but it does offer a moderate amount of colors that are currently around their peak and can further enhance a visit to the shrine...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
Today I visited multiple temples along the Higashiyama Mountains, starting at Tofukuji and ending at Eikando. The colors have not peaked yet at any of the temples,...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
Due to the warm weather of the past weeks, the autumn colors in Kyoto are lagging about ten days behind their average schedule, which is an even greater delay than last year, when they were also delayed. I expect the season to peak...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
As the fall colors (koyo) are gradually descending into the lower elevations of central Japan, we made our first visit to Kyoto. The peak of the season in central Kyoto...
Autumn Color Report: Sakurayama
Sakurayama Park in Fujioka City, Gunma Prefecture, is home to one of the world’s largest concentration of winter flowering cherries, a defiant cherry tree variety that prefers to bloom in winter rather than spring...
Autumn Color Report: Fujigoko
At an elevation of roughly 1000 meters above sea level, the Fuji Five Lake (Fujigoko) region at Mount Fuji’s northern base typically sees the seasonal foliage about three weeks earlier than...
Autumn Color Report: Mitakesan
Autumn colors are not expected to descend into central Tokyo until the second half of November; however, they do have started to appear in Tokyo’s mountains. Today, we visited one of Tokyo’s mountains, the nearly 1000 meter high...
Autumn Color Report: Towadako
This year’s last autumn color report from the Tohoku Region comes from Lake Towada and Oirase Stream, a picturesque stream that flows out of the lake and down a...
Autumn Color Report: Hakkodasan
On the first day of a 2-day autumn color trip to the northern Tohoku Region, we visited Mount Hakkoda (Hakkodasan), a volcano in Aomori Prefecture. The mountain lies along the road and JR bus line that connect Aomori City with Lake Towadako, from where we will...
Autumn Color Report: Fukushima
Mount Bandai (Bandaisan) is a volcano in Fukushima Prefecture which last erupted in 1888 in one of the most violent volcanic eruptions in recent Japanese history, thereby newly shaping the mountain’s peak and the Urabandai...
Autumn Color Report: Zao
Located on the prefectural border between Yamagata and Miyagi Prefectures, Mount Zao is one of the highest mountains in the Tohoku Region, and therefore one of the first spots in the region to delight tourists...
Autumn Color Report: Naruko
The Naruko Gorge is one of the Tohoku Region’s most famous autumn color spots and usually at its peak in late October to early November. It can be reached in a twenty minute walk from...
Half A Year After The Tsunami
A little bit over half a year after the tsunami, we revisited some of the worst hit cities along the Sanriku Coast. In most areas the debris has been sorted and collected into huge mountains, paving the way for reconstruction...
Tokyo Fall Colors?
Fall colors in Tokyo are usually best around late November and early December. Nevertheless, I used my time between two appointments in Tokyo today to check on a couple of koyo spots...
Autumn Color Report: Nikko
Nine days after my first visit, I returned to Nikko today to find the season to have progressed remarkably thanks to recent cold nights. The colors are now at their peak around...
Autumn Color Report: Oze
Oze National Park is another good destination for early autumn colors near Tokyo. Shared mainly by Gunma and Fukushima Prefectures, the national park consists of a large marshland at 1400 meters...
Visit to the Sunshine Aquarium
Three weeks ago I failed to visit the newly renovated Sunshine Aquarium in Ikebukuro. Today I got my revenge with a successful visit. There were no waiting times when I arrived at 4pm on this regular Tuesday, but the aquarium was,...
Autumn Color Report: Nikko
Nikko National Park is one of the first places near Tokyo to see autumn colors. And thanks to its wide range in elevation, Nikko offer colors for a long period of over a month. In the average year, the coloring...
Two mountains in central Japan
Below are some highlights from our recent report trip to Mount Norikuradake (3025 meters) and Mount Hakusan (2702 meters) in central Japan...
Furano in September
After two wonderful autumn color reports from Daisetsuzan National Park yesterday and the day before yesterday, I quickly stopped by two popular tourist spots in the vicinity of Asahikawa Airport: the Aoiike (Blue Pond) and Farm...
Autumn Color Report: Ginsendai
Today I parked my car in Sounkyo, took a shuttle bus to Ginsendai and hiked from there via Mount Akadake and Mount Hokkaisan to Mount Kurodake before descending back into Sounkyo. Located on the eastern side of the...
Autumn Color Report: Mount Asahidake
Welcome to autumn 2011! Over the coming three months, the japan-guide.com team will take you again to autumn color spots across Japan and report on the leaves’ current state. As always, we started reporting from...
Failed Visit to the Sunshine Aquarium
Japan has the largest number of aquaria per capita. Tokyo alone has the Tokyo Sea Life Park in Kasai Rinkai Park, the Epson Aqua Stadium in Shinagawa and the Sunshine Aquarium in Ikebukuro in addition to several more in neighboring...
Hakata Gion Yamakasa Report Trip
As a person with a disliking for big crowds, I have mixed feelings towards the reporting of festivals which often includes stressful competition for photo spots and hours of direct exposure to the summer heat. But some of Japan’s...
Eastern Hokkaido Report Trip
On a three day trip to Eastern Hokkaido, we checked on the current state of a few tourist spots in Shiretoko National Park which are subject to new regulations from this year. And we re-visited Lake Mashuko in nearby Akan National...
Ogasawara Report Trip
This week I made my first visit to the Ogasawara Islands, Japan’s most remote, inhabited islands. Despite being part of Tokyo, the islands are connected to the rest of the world only once per week by a 25 hour ship ride. Its two...
Kagoshima Report Trip
The few weeks between the end of Golden Week in early May and the beginning of the rainy season in June are my favorite time of the year for traveling in Japan thanks to the absence of crowds, the pleasant weather and the attractive...
One Month After The Tsunami
One and a half months after the March 11 disaster, good progress has been made on clearing major roads, recovering victims and reinstating the food supply. The self defense force and police from all over the country were...
After the Earthquake: A trip to Hiraizumi
In time for the Golden Week holidays, the Tohoku Shinkansen reopened along its entire length today, making it much faster and easier to access the northern Tohoku Region...
Cherry Blossom Report: Aizu
We spent the second and last day of our cherry blossom report trip to the southern Tohoku Region in Aizu, a popular tourist destination in Fukushima Prefecture, over 100 kilometers east of the Fukushima power plants. Tsuruga...
After the Earthquake: A trip to Matsushima
Celebrated for one of Japan’s three most scenic views, Matsushima is the best known tourist destination that got directly hit by last month’s tsunami. Thanks to its location in a well protected bay within a bay, however, Matsushima...
Cherry Blossom Report: Sendai
As the season progresses, the cherry blossoms are reaching the Tohoku Region and with it the areas worst hit by last month’s earthquake and tsunami. Today we visited Sendai...
Cherry Blossom Report: Fujigoko
Today I made this year’s only cherry blossom report to the Fuji Five Lake region at the northern base of Mount Fuji. At an altitude of around 1000 meters, the trees are typically about two week behind those of nearby...
After the Earthquake: A trip to Nikko
Located about 250 km from the earthquake’s epicenter and 150 km from the Fukushima power plants, Nikko escaped damage from the tremors and remains safe from dangerous radiation. Scheduled blackouts, however, affected the town for...
Cherry Blossom Report: Okayama
I wrapped up my 3-day reporting trip to Western Japan with the first ever cherry blossom report from Okayama, the second largest city in the Chugoku Region...
Cherry Blossom Report: Takamatsu
On the final cherry blossom reporting trip to Shikoku this year, I visited four hanami spots in Kagawa Prefecture and its capital city Takamatsu. I started the reporting with an early morning visit to Kotohira...
Cherry Blossom Report: Matsuyama
After a week of cherry blossom reporting from Honshu, I returned to Japan’s fourth largest island of Shikoku today, visiting Matsuyama, the capital of Ehime Prefecture where full bloom was announced four days ago...
Cherry Blossom Report: Nagoya
Today I made this year’s only cherry blossom related visit to Nagoya, checking out three of the city’s many attractive hanami spots. Furthermore, I took the opportunity to drop by a new railway museum, which had opened on March 14 just...
Cherry Blossom Report: Fukuoka
The cherry blossoms are slowly approaching full bloom in southern areas on Japan’s main islands. Among these places is Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu...
Cherry Blossom Report: Kyoto
The cherry blossoms officially started to open in Kyoto yesterday and should progress into full bloom next week. I started this year’s reporting from Kyoto at...
Cherry Blossom Report: Himeji
Generally considered the best surviving original Japanese castle, Himeji Castle, is currently and for another four years undergoing extensive renovation works to its roof and...
Cherry Blossom Report: Tokyo
The cherry blossoms have started to open on the southern islands of Shikoku and Kyushu over the past few days; however, I begin this year’s reporting in Tokyo, where the blossoms are still officially closed...
Shiretoko Fantasia 2011
We concluded our winter reporting trip to Hokkaido with a visit to the Shiretoko Peninsula. Located on a geographical longitude comparable to Venice (Italy) or Portland (Oregon)...
Sapporo Snow Festival 2011
The 62nd Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri) was opened today and will delight visitors to the city for the next seven days through Sunday, February 13, 2011. Below are some of our photos from our visit to the festival’s main...
Travel Highlights 2010
During the past twelve months I had the pleasure to spend about a fifth of my time traveling through Japan and visiting 33 of Japan’s 47 prefectures....
Autumn Color Report: Tokyo
Tokyo is among the last places in Japan to see autumn colors every year, with the peak of the season usually occurring around late November to early December. Tokyo is also...
Autumn Color Report: Kamakura
Almost three months after this year’s first autumn color report, the season is finally approaching its end. Today I visited Kamakura, one of the last places in Japan to see the leaves change colors. The season does not...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
After my first report from Kyoto three weeks ago and seven follow up reports by Scott and Francois, I visited the former capital for a last time this year to report about the autumn colors. On...
Autumn Color Report: Sakurayama
Today I visited Sakurayama Park in Fujioka City, Gunma Prefecture, about 100 kilometers north of Tokyo. With its 7000 trees, Sakurayama (cherry mountain) is arguably Japan’s most famous spot...
Autumn Color Report: Ise
The Ise Shrines are not a destination well known for their autumn colors. Indeed, there are only a relatively small number of trees that turn colors on the grounds of the two shrines. Nevertheless, the few colorful patches of autumn...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
On our first trip to Kyoto this season, I checked on the early state of the city’s autumn colors. As seen on previous report trips, the cold weather of recent weeks seemed to have decreased the delay of this year’s autumn leaf season...
Autumn Color Report: Noboribetsu
One month after my first autumn color report to Hokkaido, I returned to the northern island to check on the colors in Noboribetsu, a popular hot spring resort in southern...
Autumn Color Report: Hachimantai
Today we continued our trip through Towada-Hachimantai National Park, where we checked on the autumn colors around the hot springs of Tamagawa Onsen and Goshogake...
Autumn Color Report: Akita
Due to warmer than usual temperatures, the autumn colors remain about 7-10 days behind their average year’s schedule, and can currently be enjoyed in many areas of Hokkaido and in the high mountains of northern and central...
Autumn Color Report: Mount Kurodake
On the second and final day of my initial autumn color trip of the season, I climbed Mount Kurodake, another peak of the Daisetsuzan mountain range...
Autumn Color Report: Mount Asahidake
For the third year in a row, we start the reporting from Mount Asahidake, Hokkaido’s highest peak and the first place in Japan to see autumn colors each year...
Cherry Blossom Report: Hakodate
The last cherry blossom report of the year brought me to Hakodate near the southern tip of Hokkaido where the flowering season is currently in full swing...
Cherry Blossom Report: Matsumae
The cherry blossom front has finally reached Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, where trees started to open their blossoms last week, several days behind their average schedule due to a cold April...
Cherry Blossom Report: Kakunodate
On the second and final day of my cherry blossom report to the northern Tohoku Region, I visited Kakunodate, a small city in Akita Prefecture, known for its beautifully preserved samurai district and its...
Cherry Blossom Report: Hirosaki
One month after the peak of the hanami season in central and southern Japan, the cherry blossom front has reached the northern tip of Honshu. On a 2-day trip to the northern Tohoku Region I will be reporting from the...
Cherry Blossom Report: Takizakura
After a two week break from the blossoms, I resumed the seasonal reporting from Northern Japan today with a visit to the Miharu Takizakura, a single weeping cherry tree in Fukushima Prefecture...
Cherry Blossom Report: Kamakura
While Scott and Francois will continue to report a few more days from the Kansai and Kanto regions, my visit to Kamakura today concluded the first part of the season’s reporting for me. I will resume my hunt for cherry blossoms in more...
Cherry Blossom Report: Inuyama
Today I visited Inuyama, a small city just north of Nagoya, which attracts tourists with a handful of relatively interesting sights, including an old feudal castle, an excellent open air museum and lots of cherry trees...
Cherry Blossom Report: Hikone
Hikone is a small city on the shores of Japan’s largest lake, Biwako, less than an hour east of Kyoto by train along the JR Biwako Line...
Cherry Blossom Report: Kyoto
Warm and sunny weather has caused cherry trees to burst into full bloom in many cities across Honshu yesterday, including in Kyoto, where I check out Nijo Castle, Kyoto Botanical...
Cherry Blossom Report: Miyajima
I have been looking forward to the Miyajima cherry blossom report for a while and was happy to see the weather further improve in time for my visit. The shrine island near Hiroshima has been one of my favorite places in Japan...
Cherry Blossom Report: Hiroshima
On this year’s only cherry blossom report to Hiroshima I was able to confirm that like many other major places on Honshu, the city has entered the best viewing period of this year’s cherry blossom season...
Cherry Blossom Report: Nagoya
Just four days after Francois’ first report from Nagoya, I stopped by the city on my way to Western Japan for a second cherry blossom report...
Cherry Blossom Report: Kyoto
Temperatures in Kyoto have been unseasonally low in recent days with daytime highs six degrees below the average. As a result, the cherry blossoms have made almost no progress since my first report...
Cherry Blossom Report: Nara
Cherry blossoms in Nara were reported to have opened six days ago on March 20. But due to unusually cool weather in recent days, the blossoms’ progress has been rather unspectacular so far...
Cherry Blossom Report: Himeji
This spring offers the last opportunity until the year 2014 to see the main tower of Himeji Castle in combination with cherry blossoms. From April 12 of this year, the castle’s interior will be closed to the public and...
Cherry Blossom Report: Kyoto
Cherry blossoms in Kyoto were reported to have opened on March 19 this year, twelve days ahead of their average schedule. Today I made a first report trip to the old capital to check on the blossoms’ progress...
Guu Restaurant, Vancouver
Formerly known as Raku, Guu is to my knowledge Vancouver’s first authentic izakaya. Once inside, you could be as well in Shibuya. The atmosphere is very lively with the staff greeting customers and shouting orders...
Zakkushi, Vancouver
Today we visited Zakkushi, the pioneering restaurant to introduce Vancouver to kushiyaki, skewered foods grilled over charcoal. Zakkushi opened in summer 2004 at 823 Denman Street and has opened two more locations...
Hapa Izakaya, Vancouver
When Hapa Izakaya opened in 2003 at Robson Street, it was one of the first establishments to introduce original Japanese dishes in an izakaya atmosphere to Vancouver. Today, their Robson location is three times as large...
Yuji’s Japanese Tapas, Vancouver
For the third night in a row, we checked out one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in Vancouver. Today we paid a visit to Yuji’s Japanese Tapas in Kitsilano, whose predecessor, Taka Sushi, used to be...
Miku Restaurant, Vancouver
Miku is another newcomer among Vancouver’s leading Japanese restaurants. It opened in November 2008 at 1055 West Hastings Street, not far from Canada Place...
Shuraku Restaurant, Vancouver
Today we visited the relatively new Shuraku Restaurant in downtown Vancouver, which opened in summer 2008. It was my first visit, and the restaurant quickly joined my list of personal favorites...
Travel Highlights 2009
I spent about a fifth of the past year on report trips through Japan, on which I had the pleasure to ski in Hokkaido, witness the cherry blossom season start in Kyushu, cycle from Honshu to Shikoku, snorkel in Okinawa...
Autumn Color Report: Tokyo
A quarter of a year after the first autumn color report, we concluded this year’s reporting with a final trip to Tokyo where the season is still in full swing. We started our tour of Tokyo at the Imperial East Gardens...
Autumn Color Report: Kamakura
Among the last regions of Japan to see autumn colors are not only the southern tips of Japan’s southern main islands of Shikoku and Kyushu, but also the greater Tokyo area. Today we visited Kamakura, one train hour south of Tokyo...
Research in Nara Prefecture
On research trips, we typically take 200 to 500 photos per day. On particularly picturesque days, the total number of photos can approach or exceed 1000, as experienced on trips such as to the Kanto and Nebuta Festivals...
Autumn Color Report: Tokyo
Tokyo may not be known as an autumn color destination like Kyoto, but the city does offer quite a few nice spots for fall foliage in its parks and gardens. Today we went to check out three of them. We started the day at the Former Furukawa Garden (Kyu-Furukawa Teien)...
Autumn Color Report: Kyoto
Two months after this year’s first autumn leaf report, the seasonal colors are finally descending into lower elevations of central Japan. Today, I made a first visit to Kyoto from where we will be reporting...
Autumn Color Report: Fuji Five Lakes
Around Tokyo, colors are currently best at altitudes of around 1000 meters, and that is where we headed today. For the second time this season, we paid a visit to Mount Fuji and the the Fuji Five Lakes...
Autumn Color Report: Onuma Park
I concluded my 3-day autum leaf report through Southern Hokkaido with a visit to Onuma Quasi National Park just north of Hakodate. The park is easily accessible by train and is centered around two lakes...
Autumn Color Report: Noboribetsu Onsen
I spent the second day of my 3-day autumn leaf report trip to Southern Hokkaido in Noboribetsu Onsen, one of Japan’s best hot spring resorts. Noboribetsu is blessed with a beautiful jigokudani ("hell valley")...
Autumn Color Report: Shikotsu-Toya National Park
After several reports from Japan’s main island of Honshu, I returned once more to the northern island of Hokkaido to check on the autumn colors as they are gradually reaching lower elevations there...
Autumn Color Report: Kusatsu Onsen
Today we drove along Japan’s highest national route, Route 292, which connects Shiga Kogen in Nagano Prefecture with Kusatsu Onsen, one of the country’s best hot spring resorts in Gunma Prefecture...
Autumn Color Report: Tokachidake Onsen
We spent the last night of our 3-day Hokkaido report trip at the Ryounkaku mountain lodge in Tokachidake Onsen, a small hot spring resort in the southwest of Daisetsuzan National Park, not far from Furano...
Autumn Color Report: Ginsendai
Today I visited Ginsendai, another famous autumn color spot in Hokkaido’s Daisetsu National Park. Reached via a 15 kilometer unpaved road and consisting of little more than a parking space and an information center, Ginsendai is a base in...
Autumn Color Report: Mount Asahidake
Asahidake is Hokkaido’s tallest mountain and the first place in Japan to see autumn colors each year. Therefore, we selected it as the first destination of our autumn color reports like in the previous year...
Furano Lavender in full bloom
The lavender fields in Furano, Hokkaido, are now in full bloom.
Cherry Blossom Report: Kyoto
Reporting from Arashiyama, the Philosopher\‘s Path, the Keage Incline, Maruyama Park and Kiyomizudera.
Cherry Blossom Report: Osaka
Reporting from Osaka Castle, Kema Sakuranomiya Park, the Expo 70 Commemorative Park and Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park.
Cherry Blossom Report: Yokohama
Reporting from Mitsuike Park, Sankeien, Negishi Forest Park and Mitsuzawa Park.
Cherry Blossom Report: Nagoya
Reporting from Nagoya Castle, Yamazaki River and Tsuruma Park.
Cherry Blossom Report: Kyoto
Reporting from the Philosopher\‘s Path, Maruyama Park, Heian Shrine, Okazaki Canal and the Keage Incline.
Rainy Izu Peninsula
Cherry blossoms, sea cucumber walls and a spectacular open air bath.
Cherry Blossoms in Kawazu
Early hanami (cherry blossom viewing) in Kawazu Town on the Izu Peninsula.
Miyajima
This year’s western most autum leaf report brought me to Miyajima, the scenic island off Hiroshima.
Mino Park
Autumn colors have finally descended into lower elevations and southern latitudes of Japan. Today, I visited Mino Park, one of Osaka’s most popular koyo spots.
Fuji Five Lakes
Great autumn colors but no weather luck on this report trip to Fujigoko (Fuji Five Lakes).
Shirakami Sanchi (2)
Second day of our visit to Shirakami Sanchi, site of Japan’s last virgin beech forests.
Shirakami Sanchi
Autumn visit to one of Japan’s least known world heritage sites, Shirakami Sanchi in the northern Tohoku region.
Akagiyama
On my first autumn leaf trip to a destination in the Kanto Region this year, I visited Akagiyama in Gunma Prefecture.
Shiretoko Peninsula
Viewing autumn colors on the Shiretoko Peninsula, a World Natural Heritage Site and one of Japan’s wildest and most beautiful national parks.
Sounkyo Onsen
Today I went to check out autumn colors in Sounkyo Onsen and Mount Kurodake above it.
Daisetsu Kogen Onsen
Kogen Onsen’s most popular attraction is a circular hiking course through the area’s pond dotted highlands.
Mount Asahidake
Mount Asahidake in Daisetsuzan National Park is Hokkaido’s highest mountain and the first spot in Japan to see autumn colors (and snow).
Arashiyama Hanatoro
From December 8 to 17, Kyoto’s pleasant Arashiyama district remains crowded even after sunset, as lanes are lined by lanterns, ikebana works are exhibited in the streets, and forests and temples are lit up.
Kanazawa’s wealth of attractions
Almost four years after my last visit, I headed to Kanazawa with the purpose of collecting new material for the improvement of the Kanazawa sightseeing guide at japan-guide.com.
Sanyo Coast in Full Bloom
I tried to coincide this trip to Hiroshima, Miyajima and Iwakuni with the peak of the cherry blossom season. Luckily, the sakura forecasts proved to be accurate.
Niseko and the Australian invasion
Niseko is a ski resort on Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, famous for excellent powder snow and for its big popularity among foreign visitors.
Cassiopeia Night Train
The Cassiopeia is a night train, connecting Tokyo with Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido.
Cherry Blossoms in Okinawa
In the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, cherry trees start flowering as early as late January to early February.
Skiing in Naeba
The resort is dominated by the huge Naeba Prince Hotel complex, which offers more than 1000 guest rooms directly at the bottom of the ski slopes.
Chichibu Festival
Today I went to see the Chichibu Festival, which is held every year on December 2 and 3 in the small city of Chichibu in the mountains of western Saitama Prefecture.
Tanigawa Onsen (Minakami)
Tanigawa Onsen is one of several hot spring resorts within the municipality of Minakami Town in northern Gunma Prefecture. The small resort town is located at the foot of Mount Tanigawa.
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (11): Hotel Report
While the autumn leaves were the main objective of our stay in Kyoto, a second objective was to get familiar with some of the city’s leading hotels and ryokan.
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (10)
Today was the last day of our Kyoto autumn color report tour. Our only koyo related activity was a visit to Kinkakuji.
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (9)
In the morning, we visited Yoshiminedera, a spacious temple complex, built into the slopes of Kyoto’s western mountains (Nishiyama).
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (8)
The upcoming weekend will be the peak of this year’s autumn leaf travel activities in Kyoto, but many spots are expected to remain in a beautiful state for at least another week.
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (7)
With a delay of about one week with respect to the average year, the autumn leaf season is now approaching its peak in central Kyoto.
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (6)
With disbelief we noticed today that the autumn leaf information board at the tourist office in Kyoto Station has not been updated for five days.
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (5)
The weather remained overcast today with occasional showers. We visited the Sento Imperial Palace in the morning and Ohara in the afternoon. After dinner, we enjoyed lit up autumn colors.
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (4)
It was raining today and I spent the afternoon working in the hotel room. In the morning I walked from Kiyomizudera to Gion and visited Kiyomizudera and Kodaiji.
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (3): Takao
Today I made my first trip to Takao, a small temple town in a wooded valley in the mountains north of Kyoto, famous for autumn leaves.
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (2): Hieizan
Today we went to Hieizan (Mount Hiei), one of the few spots in and around Kyoto where autumn leaves are reported to have fully changed colors already.
Kyoto Autumn Color Report (1)
The second half of November is usually the best time to enjoy the colorful autumn leaves in Kyoto. During the next nine days, I will use this blog to report about this year’s autumn leaf season in Kyoto.
Shima Onsen
Shima Onsen is a hot spring town in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture, attractively located along the river of a wooded valley. The timing was good for viewing autumn colors.
Autumn colors at Mount Tanigawa
Today I made my first visit to Minakami Town in northern Gunma Prefecture. The trip’s objectives: autumn color viewing around Mount Tanigawa and hot spring bathing at Takaragawa Onsen.
