“Please don’t put up English signs!” the young American couple pleaded with me. We were enjoying some drinks after a backcoun...

Outdoor Japan's Annual Japan Snow Guide features some of the top ski resorts around Japan, from Hokkaido down to Gifu. Enjoy ...

Travelers to Japan undoubtedly view sake as the traditional liquor of Japan. Histori-cally they wouldn’t be wrong, since Sudō Honke, the world’s oldest sake brewery (and one of the oldest companies in the world), was founded in 1141 in Ibaraki Prefecture, just north of Tokyo. However Southern Japan is home to another authentic Japanese spirit—shochu, which was first produced about 500 years ago, its roots firmly planted in Japan’s warmer southern climes.

“On Amami Oshima, there is a kimono woven with the natural environment itself.”—Thida Moon The family that runs the Thida ...

The Amami Islands have long existed in the crosswinds. Locals have endured powerful typhoons and shifting geopolitical winds,...

Travelers come to Okinawa to unplug and refresh, to dip their toes in the sand or their fins in the water. Yet the most memor...

A self-described delinquent youth who followed his dream to become a professional surfer now finds himself at the center of a...

I have to admit, I’m not entirely crazy about the, “He died doing what he loved,” narrative. If I was out in my kayak and a w...

Japan’s newest national park, offers not only a look at one of Hokkaido’s less traveled regions, but also the Ainu culture an...

Thirty-five years ago German businessman Wolfram Opitz was sent to Tokyo for two months to help train a partner company in Japan. “What an interesting city and country,” he thought to himself. Today, he and his wife Yuka are the proud owners of Okinawa’s only German-style microbrewery at the steps of the island prefecture’s most famous landmark, Shuri Castle.

Dan Buettner’s bestseller, “Blue Zones,” which was also adapted into a hit series on Netflix, identifies five regions with a high number of centenarians. One of these zones is Yambaru, in the north of Okinawa Island. A rich cultural and natural heritage remain in this region, holding the secret to the longevity of the communities living there.

From used k-trucks to discarded e-bikes, optimist and opportunist Hiroaki Inubuse is motion personified. His latest project aims to help travelers discover Okinawa’s backstreets and ancient roads on “upcycled” e-bikes with Discovery Cycling Tours Okinawa.

A forgotten pilgrimage trail, ancient power spots and authentic rural communities are waiting to be explored this hiking season on the Iseji Trail. Stretch your legs and tickle your spirit to welcome the green season on one of the Kumano Kodo’s finest routes, minus the crowds.

Within the misty mountains of Japan's Kii Peninsula, Koya-san (Mt. Koya), stands as a sacred realm of tranquility, history, and spiritual significance. This awe-inspiring mountain has been revered for centuries and is home to a unique collection of trees known as the rokuboku, or The Six Trees of Koya-san.

Overfishing, ocean pollution and sea bed crawling, which destroys ocean floors, are just a few of the threats the ocean is facing...

The 2022 American Craft Beer Experience (ACBE) Japan is back Nov. 12-13 at the Waters Takeshiba Outdoor Event Space. Organize...

Nearly four years ago, I wrote about how craft cider (called シードル from the French cidre) was relatively hard to find in Japan, an...

Kansai has been long known for its excellent cuisine, from Kyoto’s refined kyō-ryori dishes to the famous wagyū beef of Kobe, Shi...

The Amami Islands have long existed in the crosswinds. Locals have endured powerful typhoons and shifting geopolitical winds,...

Travelers come to Okinawa to unplug and refresh, to dip their toes in the sand or their fins in the water. Yet the most memor...

I have to admit, I’m not entirely crazy about the, “He died doing what he loved,” narrative. If I was out in my kayak and a w...