At the southern tip of Shikoku lies one of the most remote and rewarding corners of Japan. Cape Ashizuri and its surrounding coastline — including the mysterious stone formations of Tojindaba, the otherworldly rock coast of Tatsukushi, and the sacred…
In Kochi Prefecture flows a river unlike any other in Japan. The Niyodo River has been ranked the cleanest river in the country multiple times by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. However, statistics alone do not explain…
Teshima is the art island that feels like Japan. While neighboring Naoshima draws crowds to its iconic yellow pumpkin and sleek museum buildings, Teshima offers something different: world-class contemporary art that emerges organically from terraced rice paddies, quiet fishing villages,…
Drive about an hour from Oita Airport, passing through rice paddies and small villages, and eventually a shopping street appears. Faded signboards, wooden-framed glass windows, enamel advertising plates hanging from the eaves. This is “Showa no Machi” in Bungotakada City—a…
Ise-Kawasaki: The Hidden Merchant Town Tourists Never Find 400 years of history, zero crowds—Ise’s best-kept secret Ise-Kawasaki: A 400-Year-Old Merchant Town Millions visit Ise Grand Shrine every year. Almost none discover Kawasaki—the historic wholesale district that supported those pilgrims for…
Why This Hidden Theme Park Has No Crowds Shima Spain Village might be Japan’s most underrated theme park. Real thrills. Authentic Spanish cuisine. Beautiful architecture. And here’s the secret: almost no lines. Located on the remote Shima Peninsula, it’s beloved…