Features
Blind Men, Elephants and the Bald Faced CatBy Yuske Hirota
Skiing in Canada may conjure images of popular resorts such as Whistler or those in the Canadian Rockies, or perhaps heli-skiing on expansive glaciers. Yet cat touring in the Selkirks, the birthplace of cat skiing, unveils some of the Great White Nort...
Heaven is a Golden MarshBy Lee Dobson
According to legend, a poor peasant potato farmer used to wash gold dust from his harvest into a well, a ritual he performed daily for many years. It was from this humble beginning the city of Kanazawa (Golden Marsh) was born. Five-hundred odd years ...
Tokyo Bay Fishing FrenzyBy Abdel Ibrahim
Massive cargo ships ferry in and out of the many ports lining the shores from Tokyo to Kawasaki to Yokohama. Surprisingly, these same waters boast a healthy marine ecosystem offering easily accessible sport fishing for inshore and bay area saltwater a...
The FallBy Ryan Libre
“That has blood on it. It must be mine,” says Mr. Watanabe as we pack up our gear on a two-meter square makeshift tent site parched precariously above the Kami-unbe River. I laugh out loud, partly because of the grotesque humor, but mostly...
Southern Passage: Skiing the Antartic PeninsulaBy Chuck Olbury
With only a short four-day window to complete our mission to climb and ski the highest mountain on the Antarctic Peninsula, we knew it was a long shot—but somehow we had done it. If we had failed, we would have felt foolish for trying, but now, ...
An Interview With Extreme Athlete Leo HouldingBy Gardner Robinson
Houlding... On... Sitting in a popular sushi restaurant in Roppongi, my eyes are watering as I watch my new friend dip a piece of raw fish into enough wasabi to kill an adult water buffalo and then chase it down with a cold beer. Meet Leo Houlding;...
History of the HashBy
The Original "Hash House," Kuala Lumpur, circa 1938. Hash House Harrier roots extend back to the old English schoolboy game of "Hares and Hounds," in which players, called "hounds," chase others, called "hares,&...
Four Corners of JapanBy Tyler Ensrude
Although I spent the first few weeks of 2008 helping my new friends and temporary neighbors, Ian Fraser and Chris Lynch, compile MP3s for their “spring hike,” I couldn’t blame them for wanting to bring their music collections on a...
'Old School' Trail RunningBy Jean-Yves Terreault
Long before spandex-clad hard bodies began blazing mountain trails, the Hash House Harriers were chasing each other through hill and dale and having a blast doing it. Trail running is currently experiencing a boom of sorts, as many people are choos...
What is Bio Diesel? By
Bio Diesel Fuel (BDF) represents a renewable natural energy source which, as an alternative to fossil fuels (light oil), makes use of botanical oil as a raw material. The environmental impact of BDF is comparatively less than light oil and, because...
Full CircleBy Mitsuharu Kume
A road trip across Japan fueled by cooking oil and biodiesel, and sparked by a love of the ocean, proves oil and water can mix. Everybody loves a good road trip. I’d venture to say most Outdoor Japan readers have at least pondered the idea of...
Bali Soul in the Heart of TokyoBy Amanda Fulton
Friendly people, a vibrant culture and stunning natural beauty have made Bali a favorite destination for travelers. The island’s diverse landscape features sandy beaches, gushing rivers, steaming volcanoes and the ubiquitous green terraced ri...
Bears in JapanBy Oscar C. Huygens
When most people think of Japan, they think of reliable cars and electronics, or perhaps karaoke or manga, recently maybe even whales – but bears? Probably not. And yet there are lots of bears in this country; two species to be exact, the Asi...
OJ Interview: Steve HouseBy Naoya Suzuki
While Mt. Everest is routinely climbed by dozens of people each year, pioneering climbers are trying the most difficult and dangerous mountains on the planet. If they had a leader, it would be Steve House. “Steve House is here for a Patagonia e...
Three Canadians, Three Japanese, Three KayaksBy Doug Simpson
I’ve come to Japan every year for the 20 years. But my latest trip was unlike all the rest. Our plan was to paddle and sail from southern Japan to northeast Taiwan, but like the seas we’ll cross, the plan is fluid and will undoubtedly be a...
A Wild Dolphin RideBy Carlos Barbosa
When I was asked to go to Miyakejima, I didn’t know anything about the island. I didn’t know there was a volcano. I didn’t know there were dolphins. I didn’t even know it was in Tokyo. What I discovered would change the course ...
No Frills, Simple Outdoor Fun- Muji Campgrounds in JapanBy Irwin Wong
Think MUJI and you probably think in earth tones. The popular brand was built on simple, organic designs and well-made, fashionable goods. Would it surprise you that MUJI also owns and operates three campgrounds in Japan? Probably not; it only seems n...
Bang BangBy Irwin Wong
A survival guide the BIG THREE fireworks festivals in Japan...and a whole lot more! A few hundred years ago, some bloke in China looked at gunpowder and thought, “Hey, let’s make this bugger really explode!” In the 17th century,...
