Activities Yuzawa Kogen Ski Resort Rufus Starbuck A cable car up to the snow from the town center opens up an amazing vista down the valley and over the mountains. Yuzawa Koge...
Shotaiji, Lake Hamana Peter Sidell On the western shore of Lake Hamana in Japan's Shizuoka prefecture, Shotaiji is a Buddhist temple with 88 ancient statues hid...
Culture Yamanashi Prefectural Museum Takane Shoji While Tokyo is indeed home to some of the finest museums in Japan, the countryside also boasts a few impressive cultural muse...
Sake Tasting Event in Kawaguchiko Cathy Cawood Sake tasting event at Ide Jozo Brewery in Kawaguchiko during the first opening of the New Year's barrels.
Kogakuji Cathy Cawood Rinzai Sect temple at the foot of a mountain in Koshu with eight sub-temples and an unusual covered bridge.
Food Cafe A Table Kim Bergström Cafe A Table is a mom-and-pop style cafe situated in Minamiuonuma, Niigata Prefecture. The rustic and warm cafe serves up mai...
Culture Bankyaku-In and the Fujieda Kannon Peter Sidell In the countryside near Fujieda in Japan's central Shizuoka prefecture, Bankyaku-in is a Buddhist temple with a tall, impress...
Activities Sunset Hike up Tanigawadake C. Rio It was late afternoon and the weather was too good not to try to head up into the mountains. Tanigawadake from a distance wa...
Activities Mastering Makihata-san C. Rio Makihata-san has been on my list of hikes for a long time, and what better time to climb then with the incoming fall colors?
Culture Renkoji temple, Numazu Peter Sidell In Numazu on the Izu Peninsula in Japan's Shizuoka prefecture, Renkoji is a restful temple with plenty of flowers and greener...
Kid-Friendly Outdoor Art, Matsudai Rufus Starbuck Kid-Friendly Outdoor Art, Matsudai. A large collection of Echigo-Tsumari art installations right by Matsudai Station in Tokam...
Culture Akunami Shrine in Fujieda Peter Sidell In Fujieda in the suburbs of Shizuoka in central Japan, Akunami Shrine is an ancient, historical Shinto shrine.
Historic Home in Kanbara, Shizuoka Sandra Isaka On a visit to Kanbara-juku, a former post town on the old Tokaido Highway, the former Igarashi Dental Clinic in Shizuoka is a...
Stormy Skies over Kawaguchi-ko Imogen Riethmuller The thunderclouds roll in over Kawaguchi-ko, creating a dramatic atmosphere at the otherwise calm and peaceful lake.
Seigan-ji in Kofu Cathy Cawood Attractive Buddhist temple near Kai-Zenkoji in Kofu, Yamanashi has a small pond and dry garden, a bell tower and a dragon wat...
