Japan

I go exploring Sakaiminato, the ghost town from the popular manga of Spooky Kitaro. The mist over the town is spooky and the stone monsters waiting at every corner add to the eerie of this monster wonderland.

When most travelers imagine the Japanese landscape, they picture cedar forests climbing misty mountains, quiet temple gardens, and neon-lit city streets that seem to stretch endlessly into the night. Deserts rarely enter the imagination. Yet along the windswept coast of Tottori Prefecture, facing the restless waters of the Sea of Japan, lies one of the […]

Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani

We go on a tour of Gassho Zukuri Villages of Shirakawa-go and Ainokura.

I hike to the incredible cliff-diving Nachi Waterfall to witness its wild beauty. The Sanjūdō Pagoda in front of the falls creates one of the most beautiful scenes in Japan. The tall waterfall boasts the longest drop in Japan. One can drink the flowing spring water, supposed to have healing abilities, from the falls at the Shrine directly below.

Engetsu Island is a sandstone rock in the midst of the sea, popular for its remarkable sunset view. The almost perfect circle in the center of the island is enchanting to see as the sun passes from inside the circular arch.