Mountain and Land

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...

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

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.

Holiday-goers lounging on Onna’s white sand beaches are no doubt unaware of what’s going on high in the jungle as creatures climb above the forest canopy and zip or swing from tower to tower. Curious travelers will discover a new side of Okinawa’s tropical paradise if they take the leap into a Forest Adventure.

Okinawa attracts hordes of travelers to its sandy beaches and warm, clear water with divers and snorkelers often posting images of the majestic local sea turtles. The interior forest and rivers, however, are home to another Okinawa turtle also in need of protection—the small, reclusive, but equally beautiful, yamagame.

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.