JAPAN TRAVEL
Visiting Awaji Yumebutai's Kiseki No Hoshi greenhouse
Does the title sound weird? To be honest, that’s how I felt during my visit to the Kiseki No Hoshi greenhouse, a botanical garden in Awaji-shima in Japan. Located at the Awaji Yumebutai, the greenhouse is also called the Miracle P...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
The forest of the bodhisattvas
Usuki is an old castle town about an hour's train ride south of Oita, Japan. It is surely one of the prettiest places in the prefecture, if not on the entire island of Kyushu. The castle environs include Meiji-era homes, and everywhere along the narrow ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Majestic views from Kyoto's day trip ski resort
The lovely cities in Kansai rarely get an abundance of snow in winter, if at all. To find a white wonderland, we need to go high up to the mountains. The thing is, not every mountain has snow, and some of the ski resorts closest to the ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Tokugawa Ieyasu lives, and his message is one of peace
Several years ago I was perusing traditional crafts at the Japan Pavilion of a Las Vegas trade convention when a minor disturbance caused me to glance over my shoulder.
A tall Japanese man in lordly samurai garb had appeared upon...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
A great place to enjoy ski, snowboard and relax after
Many places in Japan are well known for great powder to ski or snowboard, yet somehow, Iwate is often overlooked for more popular places like Hokkaido or Nagano. Iwate has over a dozen great places to enjoy, 19 in all, there's cer...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Traditional vinegar storage, shop, & cafe in Kagoshima
A unique and fascinating sightseeing spot in Kagoshima is the factory shop and storage facility of Sakamoto Kurozu, or as they call it, 'Artisan Amber Rice Vinegar'.
A more literal translation is 'black vinegar'. This vinegar is ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
The cutting edge of a 1000 year tradition
 
Swords may no longer be the weapon of choice, but sword smiths and craftspeople who create the fittings continue to produce swords in the 1000-year-old tradition. The Japanese Sword Museum, established in the 1960s, preserves and exhibits J...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
An Ode to Tora-san
Ever notice how so many travel stories describe the ‘perfect getaway’? Delectable meals, blissful sunsets, an outdoor bath with a killer view… I admit it. I, too, usually omit the other stuff – the tourist traps, the sub-par service, the miscues. In defense of the ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
 
One of the most beautiful museums in Tokyo reopened November 2017, after seven months of renovations to install an elevator that makes the second floor accessible for the first time. Featuring an Art Deco mansion built in 1933 for a member of the Imperial family, and a spacious Jap...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
 
Experience incense making experience in Awaji Island
The Kunjudo incense factory is in northwestern part of Awaji Island. Last week, I had chance to visit Kunjudo with my friends and it was once in a lifetime experience.
 
The tour starts with an enlightening short video about the ...

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