- 2024-11-08
Sankei-en, Yokohama’s secret garden
A preserved slice of history here in Yokohama, full of culture, nature, and exploration.
YEAR
2024年
- 2024-05-10
Washington 2024, Grandma’s House
The upper edge of the Pacific Northwest What makes a vacation? If you do a google image search, the imagery hovers around resorts, beaches, and drinks with little umbrellas. Of course, a vacation should always be an escape from your normal, a break in routine, unless you drink on the beach regularly. We indeed think of luxury and leisure to achieve that break in routine, but a vacation can still be a little rugged, and filled with simple pleasures you might not find on that google search. The Pacific Northwest conjures thoughts of wood-burning stoves, tall, dense greenery, and the relaxed appeal of a slow-moving mountain town. It’s not your typical vision of a luxury vacation, but our trip here certainly felt like one, and […]
- 2024-05-10
The Sonoran desert, even further south than San Diego
Arizona is the hot cool state next to Cali I have always considered San Diego the southern tip of America, and that’s kind of the angle I take when I tell people in Japan about where I’m from: “You can be in Mexico in under an hour!” But actually, if you look at a map, heading east from California, the US border slopes downward to the south, and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and especially Texas dip way down into a climate and landscape I had always associated with Mexico. Even travel in your own country can broaden your perspective… Tucson, Arizona,where you’ll find the most iconic cactus in the world: the Saguaro. Surrounded by these towering cacti, you’ll find a hostile environment that can […]
- 2024-02-02
- 2024-02-02
Minakami, Gunma: Hot springs and snow
The easiest snow trip out of Tokyo, this place has fun and leisure all in one For those who want to go snowboarding near Tokyo, the shinkansen easy access to Niigata’s “Echigo-Yuzawa” is often touted as the best way. You can hop on the shinkansen, rent gear immediately, and get back to Tokyo in the same day. However, I have found it to be a bit overcrowded, and in my years of boarding and living here, it is unequivocally better to make that slight marginal effort, go a little further, and stay the night wherever you are going. Minakami, in Gunma prefecture delivers the perfect short-term boarding trip, and has all the extras that you need to make it a blast (that is, great food […]
- 2024-01-19
- 2024-04-12
Kanagawa Hiking: Mt. Zukko
An easy trek in the depths of Hadano City, followed by the neatest soba shop ever Secret Hike in Kanagawa: Zukko-san. Kanagawa is known for its easy beach access from Tokyo. Enoshima, Kamakura, and Chigasaki are top spots for day-trippers to get some sun and surf. However, north Kanagawa has a host of outdoor fun, and scattered gems of low-tier yet charming tourist attractions. Hadano City is on the northern edge of Kanagawa, and full of easy hikes and country charm.
- 2024-01-19
- 2024-01-19
Kanagawa Camping
Easy access camping in northwest Kanagawa, where the mountains start. A great thing about having a car in Japan, is that with a little planing you really don’t have to go far for an adventure. That is, you won’t have to spend your whole day driving to get to the action. Camping is a great option for people looking to expand their repertoire of weekend trips, and from most places in Kanagawa, you can be at the camp ground in under 2 hours. Today, we’d like to show you a little scenery along the “Doshi” River, which connectes the Sagamihara area of northwest Kanagawa to the quite popular Lake Yamanaka near Mt. Fuji. It’s a popular weekend destination for campers, cyclists, and motorcycle cruises!
- 2024-01-08
- 2024-01-19
Nasu Adventure out of Tokyo
The countryside “onsen” getaway full of adventure, learning, and leisure. Most associate a “leisure trip” in Japan with nice soaks in the hot spring, and good food. You’ll often hear Hakone, Karuizawa, and maybe the coastal resort town Atami thrown around when people discuss their trip ideas. There are however dozens of well-developed destinations scattered about that have various hotel options ranging from simple and cheap to luxurious and all-inclusive, not to mention fun ways to pass the daylight hours until you’re back in the bath. Nasu Kogen (Nasu Highlands) really brings the elements for a leisure trip together in a nice way, and has not been washed over with the same touristy tropes you see in some other places. It still keeps its original […]