Miyakojima is the largest island of the Miyako Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. From a business perspective, it is known for its production of brown sugar made from sugarcane grown there, but the island is also a hot tourist destination. Just under an hour away from the main island of Okinawa and boasting beautiful white beaches,…

Ise Jingu shrine in Mie Prefecture is considered the most important Shinto shrine in Japan with more than 2,000 years of history. Jingu is described in the oldest Japanese texts, “Kojiki” and “Nihinshoki,” which were edited about 1,300 years ago. Rather than a single shrine, Ise Jingu is better described as complex consisting of many…

Erupting from a blue and green surface of friable, volcanic rock, the Japanese islands seem likely at any given moment to burst into flame. Kyushu, the southernmost island in this quivering chain, always seems closer to the fire and hell pits than the rest of the archipelago. Flying above the plains and hills of what…

Geographically closer to Taiwan than mainland Okinawa, those who venture to Okinawa’s outer islands, the Yaeyamas, soon find out that this is the nearest thing to terra incognita they are likely to find in this country’s long and, apparently, not completely tamed archipelago. If Japan has a last frontier, it is here. The Yaeyamas, along…

Spring river nearly overflows its banks, Grasses there are as green as nature intended. No one comes to my quiet little hut. When the wind blows the gate opens by itself. –  Tokiyori Hojo This description of harmonious co-existence with nature and one’s surroundings, penned by poet, samurai and later Zen master Tokiyori, is quoted…

Are these art or merely playful installations? Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter that much as long as it stimulates the imagination. In a country that has lost its appetite for silence, an unremitting commentary typically accompanies the ferry trip from Takamatsu to Nao-shima, a small island in the Inland Sea. Once on terra firma, things…

Budget airlines may be heading for Japan – meaning cheaper trips abroad We have all been there – it’s November and you are thinking of booking a flight for a Christmas holiday, but the prices are ridiculously expensive. For many in Japan, this leads to a difficult choice between struggling for money in the New…

The exact location of Tamagasuku is difficult to pin down, at least at first glance. A generic name for the original core village, a number of geographical features, historical ruins and a couple of decent beaches have been added to the mix. A good place to start might be the modest town hall, as this…

“The neat, tremendous garden of Japan” These Horned Islands, James Kirkup Having a theme while you travel always adds texture and depth to a journey. In the case of Japan, there are various options. You could, for example, base your trip around the peregrinations of the country’s more serendipitous writers, like Fumiko Hayashi, Ihara Saikaku,…

Okinawa food Okinawa is not Japan. The southern island culture is a colorful cornucopia of Chinese influences and indigenous Ryukyu Kingdom practices. It is colorful, exotic and vibrant, and naturally the food reflects this spirit. A rainbow of blue parrotfish, red snappers and orange lobsters are roasted whole on outdoor grills. The side dishes are…