JAPAN TRAVEL
Escape to Utsukushi Mori
Utsukushi Mori translates into “beautiful forest” in English. There are many such parks around Japan with the same name having wide open spaces, campsites and bungalows. I’ve seen other “beautiful forests” but the one in Osafune sets itself apart by the quali...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Beautiful in all seasons for all time
The name Matsushima conjures ancient images – clusters of rugged, pine-clad islets in a snowy winter mist or framed in a glittering bay and magnificent summer sunset.
Though the islands are legendary here, venerated as one of the Three Views of J...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Traditional cormorant fishing by fire torches
Uji is nestled in the beautiful forested hills just 15 kilometers south of Kyoto. Situated on the shores of the Uji River, the riverbank walk is lined with cherry blossoms in springtime, and its hills glow with a blaze of red foliage in f...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Japan's second oldest aquarium
Besides being closed a few years during and immediately after WWII, Marinepia Matsushima Aquarium opened its doors in 1927. Located along picturesque Matsushima Bay, this second oldest aquarium in Japan is a local legend and has seen thousands of visito...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Exploring one of the best hiking spots in Miyagi
Nestled away along the coast of the Matsushima Bay sits a small set of peninsulas. Even though it is between Shiogama and Matsushima, it is technically owned by the city of Rifu. One of these peninsulas has a rather narrow pathway. It’...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
A welcome oasis in busy Tokyo
Tokyo is a space of fantastic contradictions. Unfathomable skyscrapers straddle ancient temple complexes. Young girls with pink hair and knee high boots sit on the metro side-by-side with wizened old men in smart shirts and fedoras. McDonalds sell Egg Mc...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Sumo fuel at Kappo Yoshiba in Sumida
After watching a fascinating documentary on the sumo diet, chankonabe became an important addition to my Tokyo to-do list. A huge hotpot of meat and vegetables, chankonabe is a nutritious and extremely calorific dish that has fuelled sumo for deca...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Yamagata prefecture's mountain temple
Near the border of Yamagata prefecture and Miyagi prefecture sits a small town called Yamadera. The town is small and out of the way from any major cities or roads, but therein lies its own uniqueness. The characters “yama (山)” and “tera(寺)” tr...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Go underground at Harajuku Bell Pier
It was a glaringly sunny winter afternoon in Omotesando. Yes the fashionistas are wearing sunglasses here are for a reason. Minutes later, I momentarily forgot being blinded, being two meters underground. Like a speakeasy in the Prohibition era, t...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Iza Mile Kamakura Smart Phone Application
A new cell pone application was introduced last year to encourage healthy walking. Iza Mile Kamakura allows you to collect mileage points by walking any of the 300 sightseeing spots in and around Kamakura. From the station we chose from a men...

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